JP2007334539A - Image processor, image processing system, image processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing system for reproducing printing under control information in printing when any failure occurs. <P>SOLUTION: Image data include characters of character types such as alphabets (capital letters and small characters), digits, Chinese characters, cursive forms and square forms of Japanese syllabaries. This image processor replaces image data such as characters or graphics included in print data with image data different from the image data. Concretely, the image processor detects the character types based on character codes, and replaces the character codes with predetermined character codes. Also, when the graphics are included in the print data, the image processor replaces the graphics included in the print data with graphics different from the graphics. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing system including a printer, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, and the like.

  When a failure occurs in this type of image processing system, print data may be required for failure analysis. Such print data often includes personal information. Therefore, when a failure occurs in the customer's image processing system, the print data may not be taken out and the reproduction test may not be performed.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique that allows print data to be stored in a storage medium when a print failure occurs, and that can be reproduced and analyzed by a failure investigation department. However, if the customer wants to keep the contents of the print secret, the reproduction data is not easily retransmitted to the manufacturer, and it takes a lot of time for failure analysis.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a method of masking a range designated together with a keyword. However, in an invoice printing job or the like, since most of the data is personal information, the task of setting keywords individually becomes complicated. Further, it is impossible to specify a keyword or the like in anticipation of a failure. In addition, when data is replaced using a solid or fixed character (for example, “*”) as a mask, the print attribute is greatly different from that before the replacement, which hinders analysis of a print failure.

JP-A-5-338279 JP2004-213376

  The present invention has been made based on the above-described background, and an object thereof is to provide an image processing system capable of reproducing printing under control information in printing when a failure occurs.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention is different from the image in the receiving unit that receives print data including image data and the image data included in the print data received by the receiving unit. Replacement means for replacing with image data.

Preferably, the replacement means includes character replacement means for replacing a character code included in the print data received by the receiving means with a character code different from the character code.
Preferably, the replacement means includes graphic replacement means for replacing a graphic included in the print data received by the receiving means with a graphic different from the graphic.

Preferably, the replacement means holds an attribute set as a replacement target.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes data storage means for storing the print data in which the image data is replaced by the replacement means.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes log storage means for storing a log including the character string replaced by the replacement means.

  A first image processing system according to the present invention is an image processing system having an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus, wherein the image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives print data including image data, and the receiving unit. And replacement means for replacing the image data included in the print data received by the image data different from the image data, and the image forming apparatus performs printing based on the image data replaced by the replacement means Printing means.

  A second image processing system according to the present invention is an image processing system having a data output device and an image processing device, and the data output device has a transmission means for transmitting print data including image data, The image processing apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives print data transmitted by the transmitting unit; and a replacement unit that replaces image data included in the print data received by the receiving unit with image data different from the image data. And have.

  A third image processing system according to the present invention is an image processing system having a data output device, an image processing device, and an image forming device, wherein the data output device transmits transmission data including image data. The image processing apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives the transmitted print data; and replacement that replaces image data included in the print data received by the receiving unit with image data different from the image data. And the image forming apparatus includes a printing unit that prints based on the image data replaced by the replacement unit.

  The image processing method according to the present invention receives print data including image data, and replaces the image data included in the received print data with image data different from the image data.

  Furthermore, a program according to the present invention includes a receiving step for receiving print data including image data in an image processing apparatus including a computer, and image data included in the received print data that is different from the image data. And a replacement step of replacing the image processing apparatus with the computer.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, printing can be reproduced under control information in printing at the time of occurrence of a failure.

First, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, an outline of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining image data replacement processing by the image processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1A illustrates an original image before image data is replaced, and FIG. Shows an example of a replacement image after the image data is replaced.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the original image includes characters of various character types. These characters are included in any of character types such as alphabet (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, kanji, hiragana and katakana. In the course of image processing and printing processing, such image data is often stored in an image processing apparatus.

  Image data can include personal information, trade secrets, and the like. Accordingly, personal information and the like may be leaked when image data is taken outside, even during failure analysis of the printing process. Therefore, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention replaces the image data included in the print data with image data different from the image data. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention replaces a character included in the print data with a character different from the character. As a result, the cause of the printing failure can be investigated and repaired without leaking the content of the image data to the outside regarding the failure related to the character printing position or page break.

  When the print data includes a graphic, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention replaces the graphic included in the print data with a graphic different from the graphic. As a result, it is possible to prevent a graph relating to sales and profits from leaking to the outside even in the case of an investigation of a printing failure.

Next, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and an image processing system including the image processing apparatus will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an image processing system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image processing system 1 includes a terminal device 12, an image processing device 2, and an image forming device 10. The terminal device 12 is connected to the image processing apparatus 2 via a network 14 such as a LAN or WAN, and the image processing apparatus 2 is connected to the image forming apparatus 10. Note that the image forming apparatus 10 may be connected to the image processing apparatus 2 via the network 14.

  The terminal device 12 transmits print data including image data in which characters, graphics, and the like are described in a predetermined page description language or the like to the image processing device 2 via the network 14, and requests print processing. The terminal device 12 is, for example, a host computer as a data output device.

  The image processing apparatus 2 receives the print data transmitted from the terminal apparatus 12, draws an image based on the image data of the print data, and outputs the image to the image forming apparatus 10. The image processing apparatus 2 is, for example, a printer controller that controls print processing by the image forming apparatus 10. Note that the image processing apparatus 2 may be included in the image forming apparatus 10.

  The image forming apparatus 10 is, for example, a printer, a copying machine, or the like, and has a printing unit including a print engine. When the image forming apparatus 10 receives the image data drawn from the image processing apparatus 2, the image forming apparatus 10 prints an image on a sheet under the control of the image processing apparatus 2.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image processing device 2 and the terminal device 12 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image processing apparatus 2 or the like performs data writing / reading processing on a CPU 18, a memory 20, a storage device 22 such as a hard disk drive, or a recording medium such as an FD, CD, DVD, or tape. A recording medium interface (IF) 24, a user interface (UI) device 26 including a touch panel or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, and a communication IF 28 that transmits and receives data to and from an external computer via the network 14. The image processing apparatus 2 further includes a print IF 30 for outputting image data to the image forming apparatus 10 and controlling the image forming apparatus 10. These components are connected to each other via a system bus 16.

  The image processing apparatus 2 is, for example, a general-purpose computer in which an image processing program 4 described later is installed. Here, data such as print data may be input via the communication IF 26, or may be read by the storage medium IF 24 via a recording medium such as a DVD and stored in the storage device 22. Data stored in the storage device 22 may be written to the recording medium by the recording medium IF 24. Further, in the terminal device 12, the transmission means is realized by the communication IF 28.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the image processing program 4 that realizes the image processing method by the image processing apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the image processing program 4 includes a reception unit 40, a data replacement unit 42, a data storage unit 44, a drawing unit 46, a print control unit 48, and a log storage unit 50. With this configuration, the image processing program 4 receives print data including image data, and replaces the image data included in the received print data with image data different from the image data. Note that all or part of the functions of the image processing program 4 may be realized by hardware such as an ASIC provided in the image processing apparatus 2.

  In the image processing program 4, the reception unit 40 receives input data (print data) to be printed from the terminal device 12 via the communication IF 28. The print data is written in a predetermined page description language (PDL) format. The print data includes image data and control information. The control information is data for controlling image printing, and controls printing position, page break, paper size, duplex printing, and the like.

  Image data is data representing an image to be printed on paper. The print image includes at least one of a character and a graphic, and the image data includes a character code indicating the character, instruction information for drawing the graphic, and the like. The characters are included in any of character types such as alphabets, numbers, kanji, hiragana and katakana. These characters are uniquely identified by a character code. The character code is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a JIS code, a shift JIS code, an EUC code, a Unicode, or the like. A graphic is a photograph, graph, chart, etc. occupying a certain area in an image. In the graphic, the position, size, and straight lines and arcs that are constituent elements are designated in the image data.

  The data replacing unit 42 replaces the image data included in the print data received by the receiving unit 40 with image data different from the image data. Here, the data replacement unit 42 replaces the character code included in the print data with a character code different from the character code, and replaces the graphic included in the print data with a graphic different from the graphic. The data replacement unit 42 stores the replaced data (replacement data) in the data storage unit 44.

  In the replacement process, the data replacement unit 42 retains attributes set for characters and graphics to be replaced. Specifically, the data replacement unit 42 holds control information such as the print position, font, and size of each character. Further, the data replacement unit 42 holds control information such as the print position and size of each graphic. Therefore, the character after replacement is printed with the same size and font as the character before replacement, and the graphic after replacement is printed with the same size at the same position as the graphic before replacement.

  The data replacement unit 42 receives a replacement instruction from the user via the UI device 26 or the like. The data replacement unit 42 performs the replacement process as described above when a replacement instruction is received or when replacement is set in advance. The data replacement unit 42 stores the print data input from the reception unit 40 as it is in the data storage unit 44 when no replacement instruction is received or when replacement is not set in advance. The functional configuration of the data replacement unit 42 will be described in detail later.

  The data storage unit 44 stores the print data stored by the data replacement unit 42. The data storage unit 44 stores the print data in which the image data is replaced by the data replacement unit 42 when the replacement processing is performed in the data replacement unit 42. The data storage unit 44 is realized by at least one of the memory 20 and the storage device 22. When data is stored in the data storage unit 44, the data can be written to a recording medium such as a DVD by the recording medium IF24.

  The drawing unit 46 reads the print data stored in the data storage unit 44 and performs RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing based on the image data included in the print data. Specifically, the drawing unit 46 interprets image data described in a page description language, performs image bitmap development, and draws an image. Note that the drawing unit 46 may perform image processing such as color conversion processing and hierarchical correction processing on the drawn image as post-processing of the drawing processing.

  The print control unit 48 inputs the image drawn by the drawing unit 46 and controls the image forming apparatus 10 so that the image is printed based on the control information included in the print data. Specifically, the print control unit 48 controls the image forming apparatus 10 so that an image is printed based on control information (paper size, enlargement / reduction, double-sided printing, etc.) that controls printing of the image.

  The log storage unit 50 stores a log including contents of processing performed by the drawing unit 46 and the print control unit 48, a processing time, and an identifier such as an error or a warning. Here, the log recording unit 50 stores a log including the character string replaced by the data replacement unit 42. The log storage unit 50 is realized by the storage device 22 such as a hard disk drive. Note that these logs are generated by the drawing unit 46 and the print control unit 48 and stored in the log storage unit 50.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of the functional configuration of the data replacement unit 42.
As shown in FIG. 5, the data replacement unit 42 includes a character type detection unit 420, a character replacement unit 422, a graphic detection unit 424, a graphic replacement unit 426, and a replacement data output unit 428.

  In the data replacement unit 42, the character type detection unit 420 detects the character type of characters included in the input print data in the PDL format. For example, when single-byte alphanumeric characters are included in the print data, the character type detection unit 420 detects that these characters are alphabets or numbers. For example, when the print data includes “24 22” (represents “A”), “24 24” (represents “I”), or the like in hexadecimal (JIS format), the character type detection unit 420 , These characters are detected as hiragana. Similarly, the character type detection unit 420 detects that the character type of the character is kanji, katakana, or the like.

  The character replacement unit 422 replaces the character with a predetermined character based on the character type of the character detected by the character type detection unit 420. For example, the character replacement unit 422 replaces a character detected that the character type is uppercase alphabet with the character “A”, replaces a character detected that the character type is lowercase alphabet with the character “a”, A character detected as a half-width number is replaced with the character “0” (half-width). Further, for example, the character replacement unit 422 replaces the character code detected as the character type is hiragana with the hexadecimal character code “24 22” (“A”). Similarly, the character replacement unit 422 replaces character codes whose character types are kanji, katakana, and double-byte numbers with character codes corresponding to “kanji”, “a”, and “0” (double-byte), respectively. . Note that the character replacement unit 422 may replace the symbol with a predetermined symbol.

  The graphic detection unit 424 detects the print position (coordinates), size, and the like of the graphic included in the input PDL format print data. Here, the graphic detection unit 424 detects the presence or absence of a graphic drawn by a scanned image and a straight line, circle, arc, or the like.

  Based on the graphic detected by the graphic detecting unit 424, the graphic replacing unit 426 replaces the graphic or the like with a predetermined graphic or the like in an area where the graphic or the like is drawn. The graphic replacement unit 426 may replace a predetermined image by converting it to a size corresponding to the area, or may replace a predetermined line or circle drawn in the area. Good.

  In the character replacement process, the font, size, coordinates, etc. set for the character are not changed. Further, in the graphic replacement process, the coordinates and size of the area where the graphic is drawn are not changed.

  The replacement data output unit 428 outputs image data (replacement data) in which characters are replaced by the character replacement unit 422 and graphics are replaced by the graphic replacement unit 426. Here, the replacement data output unit 428 stores the replacement data in the data storage unit 44.

Next, the operation of the image processing system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
When it is set in the image processing device 2 that the replacement processing is not performed (that is, in the case of normal printing processing), the image processing program 4 accepts print data from the terminal device 12 in the image processing device 2. The data is stored in the data storage unit 44, the data is interpreted to draw an image, and the image forming apparatus 10 is controlled to print the image on a sheet.

  In the case of such a printing process, if a failure occurs in the image processing system 1 including the image processing apparatus 2, the image forming apparatus 10, etc., data for reproducing the failure is required. In the image processing apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention, replacement data obtained by replacing characters or the like is acquired as reproduction data.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the replacement data acquisition process (S10) by the image processing apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 6, in step 100 (S <b> 100), the image processing device 2 receives a replacement instruction from the user via the UI device 26. Thereafter, when the print data is received by the receiving unit 40, the data is replaced with characters or the like by the data replacing unit 42.
In step 102 (S102), the receiving unit 40 of the image processing program 4 receives the print data in the PDL format transmitted from the terminal device 12 via the communication IF 28.

In step 104 (S104), the character type detection unit 420 of the data replacement unit 42 detects the character type of each character included in the print data.
In step 106 (S106), the character replacement unit 422 replaces each character with a predetermined character based on the detected character type.
In the processes of S104 and S106, the graphic detecting unit 424 and the graphic replacing unit 426 replace graphics such as images and straight lines with predetermined graphics.

In step 108 (S108), the replacement data output unit 428 outputs the replacement data in which characters and graphics are replaced, and stores the replacement data in the data storage unit 44.
Hereinafter, in the image processing apparatus 2, the drawing process and the print control process may be executed by the drawing unit 46 and the print control unit 48 of the image processing program 4.

  The data stored in the data storage unit 44 can be written on a recording medium such as a DVD. Here, when the replacement data is written in the recording medium, a reproduction test is performed based on the replacement data in the image processing system 1 different from the image processing system 1 in which the failure has occurred.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flowchart of replacement data processing (S20) in the image processing system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In this process, the image processing apparatus 2 is set not to perform the print data replacement process.
As shown in FIG. 7, in step 200 (S200), the accepting unit 40 of the image processing program 4 operating in the image processing device 2 accepts the replacement data transmitted from the terminal device 12 via the communication IF 28. The accepting unit 40 may accept replacement data read from a recording medium such as a DVD via the recording medium IF 24.

In step 202 (S202), since the data replacement unit 42 is set not to perform the print data replacement process, the replacement data input from the reception unit 40 is stored in the data storage unit 44 as it is.
In step 204 (S204), the drawing unit 46 reads replacement data stored in the data storage unit 44, interprets the replacement data, performs drawing processing, and displays the drawn image to the print control unit 48. Output. Further, the drawing unit 46 generates a log indicating the content of the drawing process and stores it in the log storage unit 50.

  In step 206 (S206), the print control unit 48 inputs the rendered image and controls the printing process of the image forming apparatus 10. Further, the print control unit 48 generates a log indicating the contents of the print control process and stores it in the log storage unit 50. The image forming apparatus 10 outputs a sheet on which an image is printed.

  As described above, the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives print data including image data, and the image data included in the print data received by the receiving unit as the image data. Has replacement means for replacing with different image data. As a result, the font, size, printing position, etc. of the characters are not changed, so that printing can be reproduced under the control information for printing when a failure occurs.

  Further, in the printing reproduction process, the customer information is not included in the replacement data, so that the data necessary for the reproduction (that is, the replacement data) can be promptly provided from the customer to the trouble investigation department. For this reason, time required for support such as failure analysis can be reduced, and failure repair time can be reduced. Further, leakage of customer information to the outside can be prevented.

  Furthermore, even when an image or graphic is included in the print data, the print position, the size of the image, the page break position, and the like are not changed, so that the print reproduction process can be performed effectively.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an image data replacement process performed by an image processing apparatus according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A illustrates an original image before image data is replaced, and FIG. The replacement image after having been replaced is illustrated. 1 is a diagram illustrating an image processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the image processing apparatus 2 and the terminal device 12 which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the image processing program 4 which implement | achieves the image processing method by the image processing apparatus 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating details of a functional configuration of a data replacement unit 42. FIG. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the replacement data acquisition process (S10) by the image processing apparatus 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the replacement data process (S20) in the image processing system 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing system 2 Image processing apparatus 4 Image processing program 10 Image forming apparatus 12 Terminal apparatus 14 Network 16 System bus 18 CPU
20 Memory 22 Storage device 24 Recording medium IF
26 UI device 28 Communication IF
30 Print IF
40 reception unit 42 data replacement unit 44 data storage unit 46 drawing unit 48 print control unit 50 log storage unit 420 character type detection unit 422 character replacement unit 424 graphic detection unit 426 graphic replacement unit 428 replacement data output unit

Claims (11)

Receiving means for receiving print data including image data;
An image processing apparatus comprising: replacement means for replacing image data included in the print data received by the receiving means with image data different from the image. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replacing unit includes a character replacing unit that replaces a character code included in the print data received by the receiving unit with a character code different from the character code. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replacing unit includes a graphic replacing unit that replaces a graphic included in the print data received by the receiving unit with a graphic different from the graphic. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replacement unit holds an attribute set as a replacement target. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a data storage unit that stores print data in which image data is replaced by the replacement unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a log storage unit that stores a log including the character string replaced by the replacement unit. An image processing system having an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus,
The image processing apparatus includes:
Receiving means for receiving print data including image data;
Replacement means for replacing the image data included in the print data received by the receiving means with image data different from the image data;
The image forming apparatus includes: a printing unit that prints based on the image data replaced by the replacement unit. An image processing system having a data output device and an image processing device,
The data output device has a transmission means for transmitting print data including image data,
The image processing apparatus includes:
Receiving means for receiving print data transmitted by the transmitting means;
An image processing system comprising: replacement means for replacing image data included in the print data received by the receiving means with image data different from the image data. An image processing system having a data output device, an image processing device, and an image forming device,
The data output device has a transmission means for transmitting print data including image data,
The image processing apparatus includes:
Receiving means for receiving the transmitted print data;
Replacement means for replacing the image data included in the print data received by the receiving means with image data different from the image data;
The image forming apparatus includes: a printing unit that prints based on the image data replaced by the replacement unit. Accept print data including image data,
An image processing method for replacing image data included in the received print data with image data different from the image data. In an image processing apparatus including a computer,
A reception step for receiving print data including image data;
A program that causes the computer of the image processing apparatus to execute a replacement step of replacing image data included in the received print data with image data different from the image data.

Images