JP2008199217A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus by which a document with a security watermark is transmitted to a predetermined transmission destination through a facsimile transmission or an e-mail transmission by using the document with the security watermark and scanning the document, and the number of times of copying the document is limited. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, transmission destination information and information limiting the allowable number of times of copying are embedded in the security watermark printed in a background of the document, and facsimile transmission or e-mail transmission of the document to a designated destination can be performed by only a reading operation of the document. The number of times by which the document has been copied is confirmed by a server or the image forming apparatus when the document will be copies, and such control can be performed that copying is not permitted in the case that this number of times exceeds the allowable number of times of copying. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  In the image forming apparatus, the apparatus setting information of the image forming apparatus is embedded in the security watermark of the read original, and when the original is read, the number of copies is limited based on the apparatus setting information or automatically transmitted to the transmission destination. The present invention relates to a technique that makes it possible to store image data of a document in a storage destination.

  In the past, when distributing confidential documents, there was a method of prohibiting copying by pressing a “copy prohibited” stamp. However, with the advancement of digital image technology, very thin text is used on the background of the original manuscript. (For example, “copy prohibited” etc.) is embedded, and when reading the original, you will not care about the characters in the background, but if you make a copy, the background A method in which characters are clearly printed (character hiding by a background pattern) or a method in which a background pattern consisting of fine dots or lines is embedded in the background, and digital data is embedded by changing the shape of the dots or lines in the background (background background pattern) Law).

  These copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing is also called a watermark, similar to a watermark (watermark) that creates a pattern by adding irregularities to the surface of the paper or partially increasing or decreasing the thickness of the paper. In addition, the printing date and time of the printed matter and the user name are also included as digital data in the tint block printing, which is called security watermark because it is confidential data.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printing system having an overlay processing unit that superimposes copy-forgery-inhibited pattern bitmap data and document data in order to print a security watermark faster.

  However, when a document in which facsimile destination information is embedded in these security watermarks is created and the image forming apparatus reads the document, facsimile transmission is automatically performed to the destination specified in the destination information. could not. Similarly, it has been impossible to manage the number of permitted copying of a document by embedding the number of permitted copying times in the security watermark.

JP 11-298717 A

  The problem to be solved is that when the original is read in the image forming apparatus, facsimile transmission, e-mail transmission, or file transmission is performed to the destination specified in the transmission destination information in the security watermark embedded in the original. The number of copies could be limited by the fact that the document could not be saved, the document could not be saved at the destination specified in the save destination information in the document, and the copy number limit information in the security watermark. That was not possible.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image reading unit that reads a document in which device setting information is embedded in a security watermark, an image analysis unit that extracts the device setting information from the read document, and the extracted device setting information. The main feature is to have a processing unit that can process the read original.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image reading unit that reads a document in which device setting information is embedded in a security watermark, an image analysis unit that extracts the device setting information from the read document, and the extracted device setting information. The main feature is that it has a processing unit that can process the scanned document. Therefore, when a document with a security watermark embedded in the destination information is read into the image forming apparatus, the document is sent to the specified destination by facsimile. Or e-mail can be sent. Further, when the device setting information is storage destination information, it is possible to store the image data of the document in a specified storage destination.

  Also, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is the image forming apparatus, wherein the image reading unit reads a document in which information on the number of times permitted to copy the document is embedded in a security watermark, and the image analysis unit reads the reading. A copy number confirmation unit for analyzing the copy permission number information and analyzing the copy permission number information, and managing the copy permission number, and the printing unit has a copy number exceeding the permitted number in the copy number confirmation unit In this case, since the main feature is that the copying operation is controlled not to be performed, it is possible to limit the number of copies of the document.

  In an image forming apparatus, when a document is read, the information is embedded in the security watermark, such as facsimile transmission based on information embedded in the document, e-mail transmission, or limiting the number of permitted copying. This was realized by embedding and reading the same information with an image forming apparatus and operating according to the information.

[Constitution]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an MFP (Multi Functional Peripherals) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The MFP 101 includes an image reading unit 111, a display unit 113, an image analysis unit 115, an information setting unit 117, an image forming unit 119, a copy number confirmation unit 121, a facsimile communication unit 123 (processing unit), and a printing unit 125 (processing unit). , A telephone line I / F (interface) 127, a network I / F (interface) 129, a document storage unit 131 (processing unit), and an e-mail communication unit 133 (processing unit).

  The image reading unit 111 reads a document using a scanner and converts it into electronic information.

  The display unit 113 indicates an operation state of the image forming apparatus, indicates an operation item when performing an operation, and indicates that copying cannot be performed when an attempt is made to copy a document exceeding the permitted number of times of copying. indicate.

  The image analysis unit 115 analyzes the image of the original read by the image reading unit 111, and extracts transmission destination information and copy permission number information included in the tint block portion.

  When printing a security watermark, the information setting unit 117 sets transmission destination information and copy permission count information embedded in the security watermark. The setting may be performed using an input interface such as an operation panel unit of the MFP, or may be performed by instructing the setting from an external terminal.

  The image forming unit 119 forms the copy permission number information and the transmission destination information set by the information setting unit 117 as a security watermark image, and combines the image with a print target image to form image data to be finally printed. And pass to the printing unit 125.

  The copy number confirmation unit 121 confirms whether the copy permission number has been exceeded based on the document ID in the security watermark of the document and the copy permission number information. As a confirmation method, a document ID and the number of copies are recorded and managed in an external server (described later), and a copy number confirmation unit communicates with the external server to confirm the number of copies. There is a method in which the number confirmation unit records and manages the document ID and the number of copies.

  The facsimile communication unit 123 (processing unit) transmits the document to the designated transmission destination by facsimile based on the transmission destination information in the security watermark.

  The printing unit 125 (processing unit) receives and prints the image data created by the image forming unit 119, but does not print even if it tries to copy beyond the permitted number of copies in the security watermark in the original document. To be controlled.

  A telephone line I / F (interface) 127 is an interface that connects the facsimile communication unit 123 and the public telephone line network.

  A network I / F (interface) 129 is an interface that handles communication between the image forming apparatus and the network. When the copy number confirmation unit confirms the number of times that copying is permitted to an external server, the server is passed through the interface. Connect to. It also serves as an interface with the network when sending e-mail. It also functions as an interface when communicating with an external terminal device (client PC).

  When the device setting information in the document is storage destination information, the document storage unit 131 (processing unit) stores the document in the MFP or on a PC connected via a network according to the information.

  When the device setting information in the document is e-mail transmission information, the e-mail communication unit 133 (processing unit) transmits the document by e-mail to the destination described in the information according to the information.

  FIG. 2 is a connection diagram between the MFP 101 and another network device.

  When the MFP 101 finds the copy number limit information for the document to be copied, the MFP 101 accesses the server 201 (external server) that manages the number of copies and based on the document ID in the copy number limit information. Confirm the number of times of copying so far. As a result, if the number of copying so far exceeds the limit, the display unit displays that the number of copying exceeds the limit without printing the copied document.

  The server 201 (external server) stores and manages the number of copies in order to realize the above operation.

  The client PC 203 instructs the MFP to print a document, and the MFP performs printing. At this time, it is possible to specify that the security watermark is printed on the background of the document, and the permitted number of times information and the destination information can be added therein.

  Instead of using the server 201 (external server), the MFP 101 itself may take a method of managing the number of copying.

[flowchart]
The operation flow will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the image forming apparatus when the copy permission number information is read.

  S13: The original is read by the MFP.

  S15: It is determined whether a pattern of the permitted number of times of copying information in the security watermark is detected. If detected, the operation proceeds to S17. If not detected, the operation proceeds to S27.

  S27: A normal copying process is performed and the operation is terminated.

  S17: It is determined whether or not the server on the network holds the copy permission count information. When making an inquiry to the server, when referring to the recording in the image forming apparatus in S19, the operation proceeds to S29.

  S19: The management server on the network is inquired about the number of times of copying so far based on the document ID of the document.

  S29: Queries the storage in the image forming apparatus (the component in which the copy number confirmation unit records information) the number of times the document has been copied so far based on the document ID of the document.

  S21: The copy permission count information is compared with the copy counts so far, and it is confirmed whether or not the copy permission limit number has been reached. If it has reached, the operation proceeds to S31. If not, the operation proceeds to S23.

  S31: The fact that the permitted number of times of copying has been exceeded is displayed on the display unit, and the operation is terminated without copying.

  S23: Since copying is performed, the number of copies is recorded in the management server or a recording unit in the image forming apparatus. In that case, in response to the determination in S17, when recording is inquired to the management server, it is recorded in the management server, and when recording in the image forming apparatus is referred to, it is recorded in the image forming apparatus.

  S25: Print by copying operation is executed and the operation is terminated.

  The operation is thus completed.

  Next, the operation when the transmission destination information is read will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  S43: The original is read by the image forming apparatus.

  S45: It is determined whether a pattern of destination information is detected in the security watermark. If detected, the operation proceeds to S47. If not detected, the operation proceeds to S49.

  S47: The image forming apparatus is set according to the additional information (apparatus setting information). If the additional information is facsimile destination information, a facsimile destination is set from the destination information, and the read original is sent by facsimile.

  If the additional information is e-mail transmission destination information, the e-mail transmission destination is set from the transmission destination information, and e-mail transmission of the read document is performed.

  If the additional information is storage location information, the image data of the document is stored in the storage location specified in the storage location information.

  S49: If no additional information pattern is detected, normal scanning processing is performed.

  The operation is thus completed.

[Effect of Example]
In an operation in which a series of processes is performed in which the MFP of the embodiment of the present invention writes a content in a fixed form and transmits the fixed form by facsimile to a predetermined destination, the MFP is read after filling in the fixed form. Facsimile transmission is automatically performed, and there is no need to specify a facsimile destination. It is also possible to specify an email address as the destination.

  When the device setting information is storage destination information, it is possible to store image data of a document in a specified storage destination.

  In addition, it has become possible to limit management of the number of permitted copies.

1 is a functional block diagram of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention (first embodiment). FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention (first embodiment). FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an operation when limiting the number of copying of the MFP (first embodiment). 6 is a flowchart of an operation when setting transmission destination information or storage destination information of an MFP (first embodiment).

Explanation of symbols

101 MFP (Multi Functional Peripherals)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 111 Image reading part 113 Display part 115 Image analysis part 117 Information setting part 119 Image formation part 121 Copying number confirmation part 123 Facsimile communication part (processing part)
125 Printing section (processing section)
127 Telephone line I / F (interface)
129 Network I / F (interface)
131 Document storage unit (processing unit)
133 E-mail communication unit (processing unit)
201 server (external server)
203 Client PC
301 Documents and printed materials

Claims (8)

An image reading unit that reads a document in which device setting information is embedded in a security watermark;
An image analysis unit for extracting the apparatus setting information from the read document;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a processing unit that can process the read original according to the extracted apparatus setting information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the apparatus setting information is transmission destination information, storage destination information, or copy permission count information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
An information setting unit for setting the device setting information;
An image forming unit for forming the device setting information set by the information setting unit as an image of a security watermark;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a printing unit configured to print the security watermark. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The image forming unit generates the security watermark and an image intended for printing,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the printing unit prints a composite image of the security watermark generated by the image forming unit and an image to be printed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The image reading unit reads a document in which information on the number of permitted copies of the document is embedded in a security watermark,
The image analysis unit analyzes the read original and performs extraction of copy permission number information,
A copy number confirmation unit for managing the number of copies permitted;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the printing unit is controlled not to perform a copying operation when the number of copying exceeds a permitted number by the copying number confirmation unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The image forming apparatus, wherein the copy number confirmation unit records the copy number in an image forming apparatus or communicates with an external server to confirm the number of copies. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The image reading unit reads a document in which transmission destination information of the document is embedded in a security watermark,
The image analysis unit analyzes the read document and extracts transmission destination information;
A facsimile communication unit for performing facsimile transmission based on the destination information;
An email communication unit for sending an email based on the destination information;
One or both of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The image reading unit reads a document in which document storage destination information is embedded in a security watermark,
The image analysis unit analyzes the read document and extracts storage destination information;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a document storage unit that stores a document based on the storage destination information.

Images