JP2008172481A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of specifying a first person who has copied an original. <P>SOLUTION: When image data outputted from an image reader 20 contains no fingerprint data, an image processor 50 synthesizes fingerprint data outputted from a fingerprint reader 30 and the image data outputted from the image reader 20 as original fingerprint data. When the image data outputted from the image reader 20 contains original fingerprint data, the image processor 50 synthesizes the original fingerprint data, the fingerprint data outputted from the fingerprint reader 30, and the image data outputted from the image reader 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an image forming apparatus that reads an image formed on a document and forms an image on a recording medium such as printing paper based on the image data.
In recent years, the accuracy of image reading and the accuracy of image formation on paper have improved, and it has become possible to copy images formed on documents with high accuracy.

However, there are some manuscripts that need to be restricted from copying, such as confidential documents and works such as paintings and photographs.
Since the conventional image forming apparatus can easily copy even a document that needs to be restricted in this way, there is a possibility that an unspecified number of people may copy without permission.

In order to solve such a problem, Patent Document 1 proposes an image forming apparatus that acquires an image of an operator's fingerprint and synthesizes data based on the acquired fingerprint with image data.
According to such an image forming apparatus, since an image based on the operator's fingerprint is formed on the printing paper, the operator can be identified from the printing paper on which the image is formed. Therefore, it is possible to psychologically suppress copying by an unauthorized person.
JP 2000-216926 A

However, in Patent Document 1, data based on the operator's fingerprint is always combined with image data in the same manner, so that an image based on the operator's fingerprint is always formed at the same position on the printing paper. . For this reason, when the original document to be copied by the current operator is printing paper copied by the previous operator, the data based on the fingerprint formed on the original document, that is, the data based on the fingerprint of the previous operator, Data based on the current operator's fingerprint is overwritten. For this reason, an image based on the fingerprint of the previous operator does not exist on the printing paper copied by the current operator.
In such a case, even if the most recent operator can be identified from the printing paper, the person who first copied the original cannot be identified.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus capable of specifying a person who first copied an original.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image reading unit that reads an image of a document, a fingerprint reading unit that reads an operator's fingerprint, image data output from the image reading unit, and a fingerprint reading unit. An image processing unit that combines the output fingerprint data; an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium based on the image data output from the image processing unit; the image reading unit; the fingerprint reading unit; An image processing unit and a control unit that controls the image forming unit, and when the control unit does not include fingerprint data in the image data output from the image reading unit, the image processing unit includes The fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reader is combined with the image data output from the image reader as original fingerprint data, and the original fingerprint data is added to the image data output from the image reader. If the data is present, in the image processing section, a construction is adopted to synthesize the original fingerprint data, fingerprint data is outputted from the fingerprint reader, and the image data output from the image reading unit.

  In the present invention, the control unit may print the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit when the original fingerprint data and other fingerprint data exist in the image data output from the image reading unit. The above-described other fingerprint data is overwritten.

  In the present invention, the control unit may include the original fingerprint data in the image processing unit when the original fingerprint data and other fingerprint data exist in the image data output from the image reading unit. Another fingerprint data, the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit, and the image data output from the image reading unit are combined.

  In the present invention, the fingerprint reading unit adopts a configuration in which the unique information of the read operator's fingerprint is extracted and the unique information is output as the fingerprint data.

  In the present invention, the fingerprint reading unit is configured to include an imaging unit that is disposed immediately below the start key and that captures the fingerprint of the operator.

According to the present invention, when there is no fingerprint data in the image data output from the image reading unit, the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit is output from the image reading unit to the image processing unit as original fingerprint data. Is synthesized with the image data. That is, when there is no fingerprint data in the image data output from the image reading unit, that is, when the original is first copied, the fingerprint data of the operator who performs this operation is the original fingerprint data as the image data. Synthesized. For this reason, an image based on the original fingerprint data is formed on the recording medium.
Further, according to the present invention, when the original fingerprint data exists in the image data output from the image reading unit, the original fingerprint data, the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit, and the image reading unit output from the image reading unit. Image data is synthesized. That is, when the original fingerprint data is present in the image data output from the image reading unit, that is, when the original is not first copied, the fingerprint data of the operator who performs this operation is combined with the original fingerprint data. Synthesized. For this reason, the original fingerprint data and an image based on the fingerprint data are formed on the recording medium.
As described above, in the present invention, when the original fingerprint data exists in the image data acquired from the document, the image based on the original fingerprint data is formed on the recording medium without being overwritten.
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to specify the person who first copied the original.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a copying machine 1 (image forming apparatus) in the present embodiment. The copying machine 1 includes an operation display unit 10, an image reading unit 20, a fingerprint reading unit 30, a storage unit 40, an image processing unit 50, a printing unit 60 (image forming unit), and a control unit 70.

  The operation display unit 10 includes an operation display panel 10a, an operation relay unit 10b, and a display control unit 10c. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the appearance of the operation display panel 10a. The operation display panel 10a includes a touch panel 11, a start key 12, a stop key 13, a numeric key 14, a clear key 15, and a reset key 16.

  The touch panel 11 includes a display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes, for example, a capacitive coupling type and a resistance film type, and detects a contact position with a finger, a pen, or the like. The touch panel 11 outputs a signal indicating the coordinates of the contact position to the operation relay unit 10b and displays an image based on the image signal input from the display control unit 10c on the display.

The start key 12 receives an instruction operation such as printing start, and outputs a signal indicating the operation to the operation relay unit 10b. The stop key 13 accepts an instruction operation such as printing stop and outputs a signal indicating the operation to the operation relay unit 10b. In the present embodiment, the start key 12 is made of a light-transmitting material.
The numeric keypad 14 accepts a number designation input operation and outputs a signal indicating the operation to the operation relay unit 10b. The clear key 15 receives an operation for erasing the input content, and outputs a signal indicating the operation to the operation relay unit 10b. The reset key 16 receives an operation for returning the setting to the standard (default), and outputs a signal indicating the operation to the operation relay unit 10b.

When a signal indicating the coordinates of the position touched by the operator is input from the touch panel 11, the operation relay unit 10 b determines the operation instruction content of the operator based on this signal, and sends a signal corresponding to the content to the control unit Output to 70. In addition, the operation relay unit 10 b outputs various signals input from the keys 12 to 16 of the operation display panel 10 a to the control unit 70.
The display control unit 10 c outputs an image signal generated based on the display instruction input from the control unit 70 to the touch panel 11.

  The image reading unit 20 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) 21 and a scanner unit 22. Such an image reading unit 20 sequentially reads the image of the document supplied from the automatic document feeder 21 by the scanner unit 22 under the control of the control unit 70, and outputs the image data of the document image to the storage unit 40. .

The fingerprint reading unit 30 includes a charge coupled device (CCD) 31 (imaging unit) and a fingerprint data generation unit 32.
The CCD 31 is installed immediately below the start key 12 shown in FIG. 2, and takes an image of a fingerprint of an operator's finger pressing the start key 12, and outputs this image data. Under the control of the control unit 70, the fingerprint data generation unit 32 extracts the unique information of the operator's fingerprint from the imaging data output from the CCD 31, and outputs the unique information to the storage unit 40 as fingerprint data.

  The storage unit 40 includes an external storage device such as a hard disk and / or a semiconductor memory, and associates image data of a document image input from the image reading unit 20 with fingerprint data input from the fingerprint reading unit 30. Remember. Under the control of the control unit 70, the storage unit 40 writes the image data from the image reading unit 20 and the fingerprint data from the fingerprint reading unit 30, and reads the image data and fingerprint data to read the image data. The data is output to the processing unit 50.

The image processing unit 50 synthesizes image data and fingerprint data input from the storage unit 40 under the control of the control unit 70, converts the image data to print image data, and outputs the image data to the printing unit 60.
The printing unit 60 includes a known paper feed cassette, photosensitive drum, exposure device, fixing device, paper discharge tray, and the like. Under the control of the control unit 70, the printing unit 60 conveys the printing paper (recording medium) and attaches toner to the printing paper, thereby converting the image data for printing input from the image processing unit 50. A printed image is formed on the printing paper.

The control unit 70 includes an internal memory, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and other units (that is, the operation display unit 10, the image reading unit 20, the fingerprint reading unit 30, the storage unit 40, the image processing unit 50, and the printing unit 60). Are configured to control the overall operation of the copying machine 1.
The internal memory stores a control program. The CPU performs overall control of the other units by performing control calculations based on the control program, various control data, signals input from the operation relay unit 10b, and the like.

Next, the operation of the copying machine 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When the operator sets a document on the automatic document feeder 21 and performs various copy settings (for example, print paper size setting, color density setting, etc.) using the operation display panel, the operation relay unit 10b is set. Then, a signal indicating the copy setting is input to the control unit 70, and various parameters are set (step S1).

  Thereafter, when the operator presses the start key 12, the operation relay unit 10 b outputs a signal indicating that the start key 12 has been pressed to the control unit 70.

When a signal indicating that the start key 12 has been pressed is input from the operation relay unit 10b (step S2), the control unit 70 causes the fingerprint reading unit 30 to read the fingerprint of the operator and stores the fingerprint data in the storage unit 40. To output.
Specifically, the control unit 70 captures (reads) the fingerprint of the operator who presses the start key 12 with the CCD 31 installed immediately below the start key 12, and acquires image data (step S3). Subsequently, the fingerprint data generation unit 32 extracts unique information from the image data acquired by the CCD 31, that is, the read image data (step S4). Then, the extracted unique information is output as fingerprint data, and the fingerprint data is acquired by storing the fingerprint data in the storage unit 40 (step S5).

Further, after a signal indicating that the start key 12 has been pressed is input from the operation relay unit 10b (step S2), the control unit 70 causes the image reading unit 20 to read the document image and acquire and output the image data. (Step S6).
Thereafter, the control unit 70 analyzes the image data output from the image reading unit 20 (step S7).

  When the original fingerprint data (fingerprint data) does not exist in the image data as a result of the analysis of the image data (step S8), the control unit 70 uses the fingerprint data acquired in step S5 as the original fingerprint data in step S6. The image data acquired in step S9 is combined with the image data acquired in step S9, and image data for printing is generated by image conversion.

  The original fingerprint data referred to here is fingerprint data including information indicating the person who originally copied the original. In addition, the method for including the information indicating the person who originally copied the original in the fingerprint data is not particularly limited. For example, when the original fingerprint data is imaged, The fingerprint data may be processed so that a specific mark indicating that the original is copied is formed. The fingerprint data can be processed by the image processing unit 50, for example.

  On the other hand, when the original fingerprint data is present in the image data as a result of the analysis of the image data (step S8), the control unit 70 performs the original fingerprint data, the fingerprint data acquired in step S5, and the step S6. The acquired image data is combined by the image processing unit 50 (step S10), and image data for printing is generated by image conversion.

  If the original fingerprint data exists in the image data as a result of the analysis of the image data, and there is another fingerprint data, the control unit 70 transfers the other fingerprint data to step S5 in step S9. Overwrite the acquired fingerprint data.

  Subsequently, the control unit 70 inputs the printing image data generated by the image processing unit 50 to the printing unit 60. Then, the control unit 70 causes the printing unit 60 to form a print image based on the image data on the printing paper by transporting the printing paper while adhering the printing paper to the printing paper. It is discharged to the outside (step S11).

According to the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the original X does not have the original fingerprint data, the output printing paper Y includes the original X of the original X. Together with the image, the fingerprint data of the operator who made the current copy is formed as original fingerprint data D.
As shown in FIG. 4B, when only the original fingerprint data D is formed on the document X, the output paper Y includes the original fingerprint data D and the current image on the printed paper Y. The fingerprint data D1 of the operator who performed the copying is formed.
As shown in FIG. 4C, when the original fingerprint data D and the other fingerprint data D2 are formed on the document X, the output paper Y is printed together with the original X image on the original X. The fingerprint data D and the fingerprint data D1 of the operator who made the current copy overwritten with the other fingerprint data D2 are formed.

  In FIG. 4, fingerprint images are shown as the original fingerprint data D and the fingerprint data D1 and D2 in order to improve the visibility. However, the original fingerprint data D and the fingerprint data D1 and D2 do not need to be fingerprint images, and may be images based on unique information extracted from the fingerprint image, and may be, for example, a code or a watermark.

According to the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the original fingerprint data does not exist in the image data output from the image reading unit 20, the fingerprint output from the fingerprint reading unit 30 in the image processing unit 50. The data is combined with the image data output from the image reading unit 20 as original fingerprint data. That is, when there is no fingerprint data in the image data output from the image reading unit 20, that is, when the original is first copied, the fingerprint data of the operator who performs this operation is image data as original fingerprint data. And synthesized. For this reason, an image based on the original fingerprint data is formed on the printing paper.
Further, according to the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the original fingerprint data exists in the image data output from the image reading unit 20, the original fingerprint data, the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit 30, The image data output from the image reading unit 20 is combined. That is, when the original fingerprint data exists in the image data output from the image reading unit 20, that is, when the original is not first copied, the fingerprint data of the operator who performs this operation is the original fingerprint data. Is synthesized with. For this reason, the original fingerprint data and an image based on the fingerprint data are formed on the printing paper.
As described above, in the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the original fingerprint data exists in the image data acquired from the original, the original fingerprint data is not overwritten, and the image based on the original fingerprint data is printed. Formed.
Therefore, according to the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to specify the person who first copied the original.

  In the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, the unique information of the read operator's fingerprint can be extracted, and this unique information can be used as fingerprint data. In such a case, it is not necessary to process the image of the fingerprint itself, so that the processing load on the control unit 70 and the image processing unit 50 can be reduced.

In the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, the CCD 31 provided in the fingerprint reading unit 30 is disposed immediately below the start key 12.
Since the start key 12 is a part that is always operated by the operator when copying the document, according to the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to reliably acquire the operator's fingerprint.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the description of the second embodiment, the description of the same parts as in the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the copying machine 1 according to the second embodiment.
In the first embodiment, as a result of the analysis of the image data, when the original fingerprint data is present in the image data, and when other fingerprint data is present, the control unit 70 performs other processing in step S9. The configuration for overwriting the fingerprint data acquired in step S5 with the fingerprint data has been described.
On the other hand, in the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, when the original fingerprint data exists in the image data as a result of the analysis of the image data, and the other fingerprint data exists, the control unit 70 In step S9, the image processing unit 50 is caused to synthesize the original fingerprint data, other fingerprint data, fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit, and image data output from the image reading unit.

  According to the copying machine 1 of this embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, when original fingerprint data D and other fingerprint data D2 are formed on a document X, printed paper to be output In Y, original fingerprint data D, other fingerprint data D2, and fingerprint data D1 of the operator who performed the current copy are formed together with the image of the document X.

  In FIG. 5 as well, fingerprint images are shown as the original fingerprint data D and fingerprint data D1 and D2 in order to improve visibility. However, the original fingerprint data D and the fingerprint data D1 and D2 do not need to be fingerprint images, and may be images based on unique information extracted from the fingerprint image, and may be, for example, a code or a watermark.

  According to the copying machine 1 of this embodiment, since the consultation data based on the fingerprints of all persons who copied the image is formed on the printing paper, not only the person who copied the original image is specified, In the process up to the current printing paper, it is possible to specify all persons who have made copies.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and design changes and the like can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. .

  For example, in the above embodiment, a copying machine has been described as an example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus can be applied to a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine, or the like.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a copier that is a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an appearance of an operation display panel included in a copying machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the copying machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation of the copying machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating operation | movement of the copying machine which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copy machine (image forming apparatus), 10 ... Operation display part, 20 ... Image reading part, 30 ... Fingerprint reading part, 31 ... CCD (imaging part), 32 ... Fingerprint data creation part, 40 ...... Storage unit, 50 ... Image processing unit, 60 ... Print unit, 70 ... Control unit, X ... Original, Y ... Print paper (recording medium)

Claims (5)

An image reading unit for reading an image of a document;
A fingerprint reader for reading the operator's fingerprint;
An image processing unit that combines image data output from the image reading unit and fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit;
An image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium based on image data output from the image processing unit;
A control unit for controlling the image reading unit, the fingerprint reading unit, the image processing unit, and the image forming unit;
The controller is
When there is no fingerprint data in the image data output from the image reading unit, the image output from the image reading unit as the original fingerprint data is the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit to the image processing unit. Combined with the data,
When the original fingerprint data exists in the image data output from the image reading unit, the original fingerprint data, the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit, and the output from the image reading unit are output to the image processing unit. An image forming apparatus characterized by combining image data to be processed. The controller is
When the original fingerprint data and other fingerprint data exist in the image data output from the image reading unit,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit is overwritten on the other fingerprint data. The controller is
When the original fingerprint data and other fingerprint data exist in the image data output from the image reading unit,
The image processing unit is configured to synthesize the original fingerprint data, other fingerprint data, fingerprint data output from the fingerprint reading unit, and image data output from the image reading unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to 2.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fingerprint reading unit extracts unique information of the read fingerprint of the operator and outputs the unique information as the fingerprint data. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fingerprint reading unit includes an imaging unit that is disposed immediately below a start key and that captures the fingerprint of the operator.

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