JP2008053821A - Encoding method and restoring method for scan image file - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem wherein an image file having been encoded by a conventional technique cannot be restored, if a password is forgotten. <P>SOLUTION: An image processor includes a means of dividing an input image into N×M (N and M are positive integers) multiple images by an image input device, a means of managing the divided images by relating them to file names whose sequence after restoration cannot be estimated from the names, a means of storing the divided images with the file names made to correspond thereto, and a means of restoring the original image from the divided files by using N×M allocation printing at printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to scan image security in an image input apparatus, and an image processing method and method for realizing restoration using an image division method using a scanner driver and an image layout printing function using a printer driver. It is about.

  In general, confidential documents in which confidentiality of contents is important are kept confidential by, for example, adding a “secret” mark to the document and strict storage and management. On the other hand, even a document to which the “secret” mark is added can be taken out or copied to the outside relatively easily.

  Therefore, with the method of adding the “secret” mark to the document, it is practically impossible to sufficiently manage and maintain confidentiality.

  Conventionally, when an image scanned with a scanner device or the like is encrypted, it is common to encrypt the scanned image file with a password on a PC and restore it by inputting the password when necessary. there were.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a copying system and the like that have a sufficient confidentiality keeping capability and can easily retrieve information as required.
JP 05-276401 A

  However, the conventional image file encryption has a problem that the image file cannot be restored if the password is forgotten.

  Also, according to “Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-276401”, in a copying apparatus, an image file is divided by copying in the encryption mode, and the images are printed with their positions arranged apart. Furthermore, in the decryption mode, the original image is copied when copying is performed using the print result that has been encrypted and copied earlier. However, this "Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-276401" has a problem that image deterioration is severe because it is a copy of a copy. Further, it is considered difficult to accurately restore the original due to the placement accuracy of the original at the time of copying.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by the following configurations.

  That is, a means for dividing an input image into N × M (N and M are positive integers) images by an image input device, and a file in which the divided images cannot be estimated from their names Means for naming and managing, means for storing the divided image with the associated file name, and means for restoring the original image from the divided file using N × M layout printing at the time of printing It is characterized by having.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the image input device divides the input image into N × M (N and M are positive integers) multiple images, and the divided image is derived from its name. Means for managing a file name such that the arrangement after restoration cannot be estimated, means for storing the divided image with the associated file name, and using N × M layout printing at the time of printing; By scanning and printing with a device that has a means to restore the original image from the divided file, the image can be restored only at the time of printing, so even if the image exists as a file on the PC It can be said that encryption is highly secure because it is not easy to determine whether an image file is a simple image file.

  In addition, when assigning a file name that cannot be estimated after restoration, the file name is determined by the password. The PC uses the serial number of the multifunction printer (hereinafter referred to as MFP) when the password is scanned. Since it is acquired and encrypted as a password, an MFP at the time of scanning is always required for restoration, so that even if only an image file is stolen, it is difficult to decipher.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration showing an embodiment from image encryption of one image file to decryption and printing in the present invention.

  The input / output device 105 is, for example, an MFP in which a color scanner and a color printer are combined. The printer unit 107 performs color print output on print paper using four colors of ink of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The scanner unit 106 is a flat bed type color image scanner mounted on an upper portion of the printer unit.

  The control device (PC) 100 has a CPU, and executes data processing related to the system and operation control of each mechanical element. The storage device is composed of a memory such as ROM and RAM, a hard disk, and an external storage device such as a flexible disk. A scanner driver 101, a printer driver 102, and a print application 104 according to the present invention are installed. The MFP 105 and the PC 100 can perform two-way communication, and the PC can acquire information on the main body (paper out, paper jam, mounted cartridge, main body serial number, etc.). The original image 108 is set on the platen of the MFP 105, the scan image file group 103 is a file group obtained by dividing and encrypting the scan image, and the decrypted image print result 109 is a print result of the MFP 105. is there.

  For example, the flowchart of FIG. 2 shows processing when a printed photograph is read by the scanner unit of the MFP using the security mode (divided scan mode) of the scanner driver function and printed to restore the image. First, the user places a photograph in the reading unit of the MFP (S201). Next, the user activates the scanner driver installed in the PC and makes a desired setting (S202). At this time, the scanner driver settings include a scan mode, output resolution, document size, etc., as indicated by 300 in FIG. Furthermore, there is a security mode (divided scan mode) setting that is a feature of the present invention. The scan mode designation (301) includes color (photo), color (magazine / catalog), gray scale, etc. (400 in FIG. 4). The resolution designation (302) includes 75dpi, 150dpi, 300dpi, 600dpi, etc. (500 in FIG. 5). The document size designation (303) includes, for example, A4 / B5 / L size / postcard / user setting (600 in FIG. 6). Regarding the document size, an automatic mode (auto crop processing) in which scanning is performed according to the document size set by the user is also conceivable. With respect to the security divided scan designation (304), the designation of the number of vertical and horizontal divisions (305) and the direction of the divided image can be designated (306). The number of divisions is specified as an integer value of 1 or more. Further, instead of specifying the number of divisions, the security level may be specified. For example, level 1: 4 × 4, level 2: 16 × 16, level 3: 64 × 64, etc. are fixed values. Regarding the direction of the image, as shown in FIG. 7, only one direction (up), four directions of up / down / left / right (up / down / left / right) and up / down / left / right reversal are considered (700). From the security aspect, security is strengthened in the order of unidirectional (up), four directions (up / down / left / right), and four-way reversal. For example, the number of divisions: 5 × 5 and the image direction: single direction (upper) are designated, and the scan button 307 is pressed. Then, a password setting screen (FIG. 8) pops up to prompt the user to input a password (S203). Next, when the enter key is pressed, a scanning operation is started, and a scanned image as shown in FIG. 9 is acquired (S204). Next, the scanner driver divides the scanned image by the designated number of divisions (5 × 5) (FIG. 10) (S205). Next, based on the password entered by the user, a hashed indecipherable value is created, and the order of the files divided from the hash value and the number of divisions is created, and the file name is individually determined ( S206). At this time, in the case of the division number (5 × 5), a maximum of 25 factorials can be considered. For example, the arrangement order of the division number (5 × 5) with respect to the password is as shown in FIG. (18, 20, 21, 8, 5, ... 11, 2). That is, as shown in FIG. 11, the divided file name of the original image position 18 is Img5x5_001.jpg, the divided file name of the original image position 20 is Img5x5_002.jpg, and the divided file name of the original image position 21 is Img5x5_003.jpg. , ..., the divided file name of the original image position 11 is saved as Img5x5_024.jpg, and the divided file name of the original image position 2 is saved as Img5x5_025.jpg.

  Thus, the original image is divided into pieces, and the original image is stored in an image that cannot be understood at first glance. In order to decipher this, the user needs to spend time to solve the puzzle.

  Next, in the step of printing and restoring the divided images, the procedure is as follows. First, a divided image stored in a folder is referred to using a printing application (S207). Select all 25 files and use the layout printing function to print 25 pages on a sheet of paper 5x5up (S208). If you do not enter a password, the saved file name They are arranged in order, resulting in a print result as shown in FIG. Therefore, when a password is input using the optional function of the application (or printer driver) (S209), the images are laid out again in the order of the restored images and printing is performed, and a restored image can be obtained as shown in FIG. 10 (S210). When printing is completed and the application is terminated, the layout of the rearranged images is not retained, and the encrypted state is restored again.

  When the security mode image direction is set to four directions (up, down, left, and right), if a password is not input, a print result as shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, when a plurality of images are scanned at once (multi-crop scanning), a method for automatically setting and canceling a password based on the main body serial number of the connected MFP (the same model does not exist) will be described. Do.

First, four photographic images as shown in FIG. 13 are placed on the document table. Next, the scanner driver is activated, the driver scan mode is set to color (multi-scan), the document size is automatically set, the security divided scan is set to 2 × 2, and the image direction is reversed in four directions, and the scan button is pressed. The scanner driver performs multi-crop processing and acquires four scanned images. Next, the obtained four individual scan images are each divided into 2 × 2 (FIG. 14). At the same time, the scanner driver communicates with the MFP to acquire the serial number of the main body. Using this serial number as a password, an image file name obtained by dividing the acquired four scanned images into 2 × 2 is determined and stored in the PC. (Fig. 15)
Next, in the step of printing and restoring the image, the procedure is as follows. First, a divided image stored in a folder is referred to using a printing application. Select all 16 files and use the layout printing function to print 16 pages on a sheet of paper at 4x4up. However, if the MFP read at the time of scanning is not connected, the passwords do not match, so they are printed in the order of the encrypted file names (Fig. 16) or generated with an incorrect password. Will be printed in the order in which they were sorted. Therefore, if the MFP read at the time of scanning is connected, the printer driver communicates with the MFP immediately before starting printing, obtains the main body serial number as a password, re-lays out the images in the restored correct image order, and prints. And a restored image as shown in FIG. 17 can be acquired.

  If the image can be determined by the print preview, it is also possible to print the photographic images 1, 2, 3, 4 individually by designating the photographic image to be printed.

1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration showing an embodiment from image encryption of one image file to decryption and printing in the present invention. FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart from image encryption of one image file to decryption and printing. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a scanner driver UI. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a scan mode of a scanner driver UI. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an output resolution of a scanner driver UI. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a document size of a scanner driver UI. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an image direction of a security divided scan of a scanner driver UI. It is the figure which displayed the password input screen. It is a figure of the photographic image installed in a manuscript stand. It is the figure which displayed what divided the scan image into 5x5. It is the figure which determined the file name based on the password for each divided image. It is the figure which displayed the result at the time of printing by 5x5up without inputting a password. FIG. 10 is a diagram displaying four photographic images in the case of Example 2. It is the figure which displayed the image which divided | segmented each scan image into 2x2. It is the figure which determined the file name based on the password for each divided image. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a case where printing is performed without being connected to a scanned MFP. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a case where printing is performed by connecting to a scanned MFP.

Claims (11)

  Means for dividing an input image into N × M (N and M are positive integers) multiple images by an image input device, and a file name such that the arrangement of the divided images after restoration cannot be estimated from their names Adding and managing means, means for storing the divided image with the associated file name, and means for restoring the original image from the divided file name using N × M layout printing at the time of printing An image processing apparatus comprising:   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the NxM setting is determined by a security level setting.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the divided file name is determined by a password.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the image of the divided file is set to a single direction, a plurality of directions, a reverse direction, and a combination thereof.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of files are collectively scanned, processing is performed as one image.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the password is an identification number that identifies the input device main body.   7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an identification number of the input device is automatically acquired at the time of reading and is used as a password.   5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the password is an identification number for specifying the input device main body.   9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an identification number of the input device is automatically acquired at the time of reading and is used as a password.   6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the password is an identification number for specifying the input device main body.   11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an identification number of the input device is automatically acquired at the time of reading and is used as a password.

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