JP2008236076A - Image processor and processing method, computer program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To combine and output an illegal copy prevention pattern in an arbitrary range on image data, and to read or output only a range designated by the illegal copy prevention pattern. <P>SOLUTION: The image processor includes: a pattern detection part 2a for detecting an illegal copy prevention pattern; and a pattern range detection part 2b for detecting the range of the illegal copy prevention pattern. When the illegal copy prevention pattern printed in an arbitrary range is detected by the pattern detection part 2a, the validity/invalidity of copy with respect to the detected range is decided by a processing content decision part 2c. An image within the range in which the illegal copy prevention pattern is formed is output from an image output part as a black solid image or a void image according to the decision result of the decision means, and copy is inhibited. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  A so-called copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is used as one of illegal copy prevention patterns. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a conventional illegal copy prevention pattern is combined with an output image as a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern and output. As can be seen from the figure, when the print image data (the figure (a) and the illegal copy prevention pattern (the figure (b) are combined (the figure (c))) and this composite image is output, the illegal copy prevention pattern is obtained. As a background pattern, it is output as a background on the entire surface of the paper, and if the copy operation is performed on a surface with this background pattern (a document with an illegal copy prevention pattern combined) using a copying machine having an illegal copy prevention pattern detection function, the output is performed. The entire result was filled with a specific color tone, or a blank sheet was discharged, so that a normal copy operation was not permitted.

For example, the invention described in Patent Document 1 is known as this type of technique. However, the present invention detects a specific pattern candidate printed on the back side of a document from an image acquired by a specific pattern detection unit, and detects a pattern candidate. By examining the layout relationship, it is determined whether or not the specific pattern is printed on the back side of the document, and when the specific pattern is printed, operations such as copying by the image output unit are prohibited. By printing a special pattern on the back of the document in such a way that it can be printed by a normal monochrome printer or color printer, copying without compromising the readability of the original document and preventing easy separation of the document contents and pattern Unauthorized copying on machines is prohibited.
JP 2000-307857 A

  As described above, in the conventional illegal copy prevention pattern, pattern synthesis is performed on the entire output result, and copy prevention control is performed for each printing paper to determine whether copying is permitted or not. For this reason, it has not been possible to control whether or not only a part of the copy of the print result can be copied so that only a part of the image or information on the printing paper is not copyable.

  The invention described in Patent Document 1 also sets whether copying is possible by detecting a specific pattern printed on the back side. However, in this invention as well, only a part of a printed sheet can be copied. It is not taken into consideration until it is controlled.

  Accordingly, a problem to be solved by the present invention is to synthesize and output an illegal copy prevention pattern in an arbitrary range on the image data, making it impossible to read or output only the range specified by the illegal copy prevention pattern. .

  In order to solve the above problem, the first means is a detection means for detecting an illegal copy prevention pattern, a pattern range detection means for detecting the range of the illegal copy prevention pattern, and an arbitrary range printed by the detection means. An image processing apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not to copy the detected range when detecting the illegal copy prevention pattern; and an image output unit that outputs an image according to a determination result of the determination unit. Features.

  The second means is a range in which a plurality of the unauthorized copy prevention patterns are set in the first means, and the determination means is a range in which the unauthorized copy prevention patterns are printed based on a security level set in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern. It is characterized by determining whether or not to copy output.

  The third means is that in the second means, authentication information is incorporated in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern, and the determination means is a range in which the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed at the time of output from a device whose authentication information does not match. It is characterized by not permitting copy output of.

  According to a fourth means, in the second means, when authentication information is incorporated in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern and a user who does not match the authentication information executes a copy, the copy output of the range in which the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed It is characterized by not permitting.

  The fifth means includes notifying means for notifying the administrator together with a non-permitted object when the third or fourth means does not permit the copy output of the range where the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed. It is characterized by that.

  The sixth means is characterized in that when the third or fourth means does not permit the copy output of the range in which the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed, the fact is displayed on the display means of the unauthorized device. .

  The seventh means is characterized in that in the sixth means, storage means for storing the information to be displayed is provided.

  The eighth means is characterized in that in any one of the first to fourth means, a black solid image or a white image is output in a range where the copy output is not permitted.

  The ninth means is characterized in that, in the first means, when the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is designated as a closed area, the determination means prohibits copying for an inner range included in the closed area. To do.

  In the tenth means, when the illegal copy prevention pattern is designated as a closed area in the first means, the determination means permits copying for a range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is formed, Copying is prohibited in a range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is not formed.

  The eleventh means is characterized in that, in the first means, when the illegal copy prevention pattern exists on the document surface, the determination means prohibits copying of the entire surface on which the illegal copy prevention pattern exists. To do.

  The twelfth means includes a first step of detecting an illegal copy prevention pattern, a second step of detecting a range of the illegal copy prevention pattern detected in the first step, and an arbitrary step in the second step. A third step of determining whether or not to copy the detected range when detecting the illegal copy prevention pattern printed in a range; a fourth step of outputting an image according to the third determination result; An image processing method comprising:

  In the thirteenth means, a plurality of the unauthorized copy prevention patterns are set in the twelfth means, and in the third step, the unauthorized copy prevention patterns are printed based on the security level set in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern. It is characterized by judging whether or not to copy output within a certain range.

  According to a fourteenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, authentication information is incorporated into the unauthorized copy prevention pattern, and in the third step, the user does not match the authentication information at the time of output from a device that does not match the authentication information. At the time of copy output, copy output of the range in which the illegal copy prevention pattern is printed is not permitted.

  The fifteenth means is characterized in that, in any one of the twelfth to fourteenth means, a black solid image or a white image is output in a range where the copy output is not permitted.

  The sixteenth means includes a first procedure for detecting an illegal copy prevention pattern, a second procedure for detecting the range of the illegal copy prevention pattern detected in the first step, and an arbitrary step in the second step. A third procedure for determining whether to copy the detected range when the illegal copy prevention pattern printed in the range is detected; a fourth procedure for outputting an image according to the third determination result; And a computer program executed by a computer.

  The seventeenth means is characterized in that the computer program according to the sixteenth means is read by a computer and stored in a storage medium so as to be executable.

  In the embodiment described later, the detection means is the pattern detection section 2a, the pattern range detection means is the pattern range detection section 2b, the determination means is the processing content determination section 2c, and the image output means is the authentication section. Information corresponds to the authentication ID, notification means corresponds to the unauthorized operation detection unit 7, storage means corresponds to the non-volatile memory, and display means corresponds to the operation panel.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to synthesize and output an illegal copy prevention pattern in an arbitrary range on the image data, making it impossible to read or output only the range specified by the illegal copy prevention pattern.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an image input unit 1, an image processing unit 2, a mask image generation unit 3, a mask image synthesis unit 4, and an image output unit 5. The image processing unit 2 further includes a pattern detection unit 2a, a pattern range detection unit 2b, and a processing content determination unit 2c.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the range of the pattern P is detected at the time of reading the document from the illegal copy prevention pattern 12 in which a plurality of patterns P combined with a part of the document (print image data) 11 is set. When the read data is taken into the printing apparatus, the pattern P portion of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 is replaced with the filled data, or the range where the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 is combined is erased and designated as shown in FIG. This is a process for restricting the use of data in the range and the copy operation. FIG. 3 shows a portion where the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 (FIG. 2B) is combined with a part of the print image data 11 (FIG. 2A) to prevent unauthorized copying as shown in FIG. 2C. It is a figure which shows the state of the image (composite image data) 13 on which the pattern P was superimposed on. That is, the data indicating the illegal copy prevention pattern of FIG. 2B is combined with the print image data 11 of FIG. 2A, and the illegal copy prevention pattern 12 is added to the print image data as shown in FIG. When superimposed, only print data on which the pattern P is not superimposed can be normally copied as shown in FIG. 3B or 3C. 3A, FIG. 3A shows an image 13 in which the print image data 11 and the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 are combined as shown in FIG. 2C, and FIG. FIG. 3C shows an image 15 in which the portion where the pattern P is superimposed is output as a white image G2.

  The operation procedure of the process starts from taking in the image data of the image 13 combined with the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 from the image input unit 1 in FIG.

1. The image input unit 1 performs processing for capturing an image captured in the processing device by capturing from a printed material by a scanner, receiving image data from a host I / F, and extracting stored image data from a storage device such as a hard disk or a memory. Do.

2. The input image data is taken into the pattern detection unit 2a, and it is determined whether the illegal copy prevention pattern is synthesized by the pattern detection unit 2a.

3. If the pattern detection unit 2a determines that the illegal copy prevention pattern is synthesized, the pattern range detection unit 2b detects in which range of the input image data the illegal copy prevention pattern exists. Detection range generation: a) Mask data in the same area as the input image size is generated.
b) A rectangular range represented by the X axis and the Y axis is calculated from the origin.
c) The input image area is managed at the position of the block divided into the minimum units of the illegal copy prevention pattern.
It is done by such a method.

4). The data of the pattern range detected by the pattern range detection unit 2b is sent to the processing content determination unit 2c, and it is determined whether or not copy protection processing is performed on the unauthorized copy prevention pattern detected by the processing content determination unit 2c. .

5. When mask processing is performed on a portion (range) in which an illegal copy prevention pattern is detected, the mask image generation unit 3 generates a solid (black solid) or a data erased white image (mask image).

6). The mask image synthesizing unit 4 overwrites the mask image generated by the mask image generating unit 3 on the range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is detected, and sends an image from which the image data in the designated range is erased to the image output unit 5 for output processing. Do. The output processing here includes not only hard copy printing on paper, but also storage of output data and data transmission to the host machine.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform illegal copy prevention processing on a part of a document and restrict data reuse only in a specified range. Further, since this restriction can be applied, a security effect can be obtained. Furthermore, since the illegal copy prevention pattern can be synthesized only at the copy-prohibited portion, it becomes easy to discriminate between the portion permitted to disclose information and the copy-prohibited information.

  The image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment uses a plurality of types of illegal copy prevention patterns with respect to the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment so that security levels can be divided into a plurality of patterns.

  As a means for discriminating a plurality of illegal copy prevention patterns, information such as an ID number is embedded in the pattern in addition to simply determining the difference in pattern shape by the pattern detection unit, and using this ID number (ID information) as a security level Can be set. Therefore, in the second embodiment, an authentication ID detection unit 2d is provided in the image processing unit 2 as shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. As can be seen from FIG. 4, an authentication ID detection unit 2d is provided in parallel with the pattern range detection unit 2b of the image processing unit 2. . The authentication ID detector 2d determines the ID embedded in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 (or P).

  In addition to the information format that can be read as it is, such as a two-dimensional barcode, the ID information can be embedded in a format that does not make it apparent that the ID information is embedded with a digital watermark or the like. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration in which this digital watermark is incorporated in the image processing apparatus of FIG. In this modification, an ID information holding unit 2e is provided in the image processing unit 2 of FIG. 4 so that the held ID information can be sent to the processing content determination unit 2c. Note that ID information is transmitted from the external device ID information input unit 6 to the ID information holding unit 2e.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a difference in output result due to a difference in output permission level. When unauthorized copy prevention patterns P1, P2, and P3 having different security levels are combined in the same document, the output result differs as shown in FIG. 6 due to the difference in security level permitted to the output device, and the output device having a low permission level. Cannot output the range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is combined (FIGS. 6D and 6E), and an output device with a high permission level can output the original copy even within the range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is combined. (FIG. 6F).

  6A shows the state of the print image data 11, FIG. 6B shows the state of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern 12 having patterns P1, P2, and P3 having different security levels, and FIG. 6C shows the print image data. 11 shows the states of the superimposed data 13 obtained by synthesizing patterns P1, P2, and P3 having different security levels. 6 (d) shows a state where output permission is given to the pattern P3, FIG. 6 (e) shows a state where output permission is given to the patterns P2 and P3, and FIG. The output images in a state where the output is permitted are shown.

  For example, when the illegal copy prevention pattern data 12 is combined with the print image data 11 in FIG. 6C, the ID information is incorporated into the patterns P1, P2, and P3. When the ID of the output device does not match the authentication ID, and when the security bell for output permission is low, the copying operation is not permitted. Therefore, the authentication ID information includes information such as the name of the user who created the document, the device number of the apparatus permitted to output, and the security level. When copying a document, the area where the unauthorized copy prevention patterns P1, P2, and P3 are combined is subjected to copy prohibition processing, but the device that performed the copy operation with the ID information embedded in the unauthorized copy prevention patterns P1, P2, and P3 outputs If the device is permitted to copy, the area with the same authentication ID can be copied.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the image processing apparatus in this embodiment. This flowchart shows a processing procedure when ID information is embedded in an unauthorized copy prevention pattern. In FIG. 7, when the pattern detection unit 2b detects illegal copy prevention patterns P1, P2, and P3 on the original (step S101), it is checked whether or not there is an authentication ID in the patterns P1, P2, and P3 (step S102). . This check is performed by the authentication ID detector 2d. If there is an authentication ID, the processing content determination section 2c checks whether or not the document security level is permitted to be output by this apparatus, and if it is permitted, the image output section 5 executes the printing process ( Step S105).

  On the other hand, if an illegal copy prevention pattern is not detected in step S101, there is no security-enhanced image, so printing processing is performed as it is (step S105). If there is no authentication ID in the pattern in step S102, or if no output permission is given to this apparatus in step S103, the mask image generation unit 3 generates mask information corresponding to the range of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern. Then, the mask image synthesizing unit 4 combines the print information and the mask information to perform the copy prevention process (step S104), and the image subjected to the copy prevention process, for example, shown in FIG. 6D or 6E. A printed image is printed out (step S105).

  Other parts not specifically described are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment and function in the same manner.

  According to the present embodiment, since the copy protection level of the illegal copy protection pattern can be used properly, it is possible to copy the document under correct management while ensuring the security of the printed matter, which is more convenient than the uniform prohibition control. Rise.

  In addition, by embedding information for determining output permission such as authentication ID information in an unauthorized copy prevention pattern, it is possible to limit devices capable of printing out. In this way, by allowing copying only with a predetermined apparatus, it is possible to control copying of a document by distinguishing permitted copying operations and unauthorized copying operations.

  In the image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment, the security bell determination in the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment is switched by the user ID instead of the device ID information. In this embodiment, if the authentication ID information embedded in the unauthorized copy prevention patterns P1, P2, and P3 does not match the ID of the user who operates the output device, the copy operation is performed as an output operation by an unauthorized user. not allowed. Note that the confirmation of the user ID is performed by password entry or authentication hardware such as an IC card.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the image processing apparatus in this embodiment. This flowchart shows a processing procedure when ID information (user ID) is embedded in a pattern. In FIG. 7, when the logon process is performed, the ID of the user who is operating the output device is held (step S201), and when the illegal copy prevention pattern on the document is detected by the pattern detection unit 2b (step S202), Is checked whether there is an authentication ID (step S203). This check is performed by the authentication ID detector 2d. If there is an authentication ID, it is further checked whether the ID matches the user ID of the user currently used, in other words, whether the user using the authentication ID is a user permitted to output. If the user is permitted to output (step S204), print processing is executed (step S206), and the image is output from the image output unit 5 as it is.

  On the other hand, if the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is not detected in step S202, there is no security problem, and the printing process is performed as it is (step S206). If there is no authentication ID in the pattern in step S203, if the user is not permitted to output in step S204, the unauthorized copy prevention process as shown in FIGS. 6D and 6E is performed (step S203). S204) A printing process is performed (step S206).

  Other parts not specifically described are configured in the same manner as in the first and second embodiments and function in the same manner.

  According to this embodiment, it is possible to control the user who performs the copy operation for each document by limiting the users who are permitted to perform the copy operation at the time of printing by the authentication ID information of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern. Since security is set for the user, the output device is not limited, and the degree of freedom of the copy operation is higher than in the second embodiment.

  In the second and third embodiments, when a copy operation of a document in which the unauthorized copy prevention patterns P1, P2, and P3 are combined is performed, an unauthorized copy prevention process is performed in step S104 or step S205. Therefore, in this embodiment, when such unauthorized copy prevention processing is performed, this can be notified to the administrator of the device via the network.

  FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, an unauthorized operation detection unit 7 is provided for the configuration of the second embodiment shown in FIG. Then, the unauthorized operation detection unit 7 detects that the unauthorized copy prevention function has been operated, and notifies the PC 8 or the like of the device administrator via the network. At that time, the unauthorized operation detection unit 7 receives the determination information from the processing content determination unit 2c and detects the presence or absence of an unauthorized operation.

  The notification content includes the time when the operation was performed, the device, the user name, and the like. When configured as shown in FIG. 9, notifications cannot be made by a device not connected to the network, but it is also possible to display that an unauthorized operation has been performed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus. Further, the message display is not limited to the operation panel, and other display functions such as a lamp and a buzzer sound may be used. Furthermore, information on unauthorized operation may be recorded in a non-volatile memory in the output device (image output unit 5) so that a message on the operation panel remains even after the power is turned off and on. The message on the operation panel can be deleted by the operation of a security administrator such as a device administrator.

  Other parts that are not particularly described are configured in the same manner as in the first to third embodiments and function in the same manner.

  According to the present embodiment, since it is possible to notify the administrator that there has been an unauthorized operation as a quick report, it is possible to stop unauthorized copy operations and the like earlier. Even in a stand-alone device, an unauthorized operation message remains on the operation panel, so that an unauthorized operation can be quickly known.

  In the first to fourth embodiments, the patterns P, P1, P2, and P3 are combined with the print image data so as to overlap with a range that prevents unauthorized copying. However, if the range for synthesizing the illegal copy prevention pattern P is wide, it is preferable to combine the illegal copy prevention pattern so as to surround the designated range rather than synthesizing the illegal copy prevention pattern for the entire designated range. Can be easy. When the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is set in this way, processing for not permitting output of the range surrounded by the pattern is performed during the copy operation of the original document combined with the unauthorized copy prevention pattern. The portion surrounded by the illegal copy prevention pattern Pa in the composite image in FIG. 10A is replaced with a black solid image as shown in FIG.

  As described above, when the illegal copy prevention pattern Pa on the document is surrounded by a closed frame based on the pattern range detection information, the range surrounded by the illegal copy prevention pattern Pa is set as a security management area, and when the unauthorized area is not permitted. Perform copy protection.

  In FIG. 10A, since the illegal copy prevention pattern Pa forms a closed area, the area where the copy is prohibited can be detected by the pattern range detection unit 2b, but the illegal copy prevention pattern Pb as shown in FIG. 11A. Cannot form an area for which copying is prohibited. Therefore, if a part of the illegal copy prevention pattern is hidden or if the copy prevention range detection process such as a document cannot be performed, or if no illegal copy prevention pattern is detected, it is processed into an illegal copy prevention pattern on the original. As added, the entire surface of the document is processed as copy prohibited as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the illegal copy prevention pattern Pa forming the closed area is used, the readability of the document image other than the portion where the illegal copy prevention pattern is formed is improved. When the range for synthesizing the illegal copy prevention pattern is wide, if the illegal copy prevention pattern is synthesized for the entire designated range, the readability of the portion where the pattern is synthesized is lowered. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 12A, a range Pc in which the patterns are combined is set as a copy permission, and a range in which the patterns are not combined is set as a non-copyable range. As a result, the area where the pattern is not synthesized is output as a black solid image as shown in FIG. However, in order to distinguish it from the case where there is no illegal copy prevention pattern anywhere in the original, it is combined with the operation of the example shown in FIG. 11, and when there is no area surrounded by the illegal copy prevention pattern, the entire original is prohibited from being copied. Process.

  Other parts not specifically described are configured in the same manner as in the first to fourth embodiments and function in the same manner.

  According to the present embodiment, instead of printing an illegal copy prevention pattern in all copy-prohibited areas, the area to be copied is surrounded by the illegal copy prevention pattern Pa, thereby reducing the area where the pattern is combined. Compared to the case of forming a pattern, the original becomes easier to read.

  Further, by synthesizing the illegal copy prevention pattern Pc in the area where copying is permitted, instead of printing the illegal copy prevention pattern in the copy prohibited area, a portion having important information for which unauthorized copying is to be prevented interferes with the pattern image. It becomes easy to read without being.

  Further, when the illegal copy prevention pattern Pb does not form a closed area, or when only a part of the illegal copy prevention pattern Pb can be detected, copying of the entire original is prohibited, so there is no possibility of causing a security problem.

  7 and 8 are executed by a CPU (not shown) in the image processing apparatus 2 while using a program (not shown) stored in a ROM (not shown) as a work area. The

  Furthermore, the processing procedure in each of the embodiments is programmed and executed by the CPU. The image processing apparatus includes the CPU, and the CPU executes each operation. The computer program is distributed via an FD, a CD-ROM, a memory card, or a network, and is used by being installed in the computer of the image processing apparatus.

1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an image processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship among print image data, an unauthorized copy prevention pattern, and a composite output image according to the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between print image data, a partially provided illegal copy prevention pattern, and a composite output image according to the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration in which a digital watermark is incorporated in the image processing apparatus of FIG. 4. It is explanatory drawing which shows the difference in the output result by the difference in the output permission level in Example 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an output state of a composite image portion surrounded by an unauthorized copy prevention pattern Pa in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an output state of a page including an image in which an unauthorized copy prevention pattern Pb is detected in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an output state of a page in which an unauthorized copy prevention pattern Pc is combined with an area where copying is permitted in the fifth embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example which synthesize | combines with the output image and outputs the illegal copy prevention pattern currently implemented conventionally.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image input part 2 Image processing part 2a Pattern detection part 2b Pattern range detection part 2c Processing content determination part 2d Authentication ID detection part 2e ID information holding part 3 Mask image generation part 4 Mask image synthetic | combination part 5 Image output part 6 Equipment ID information Input unit 7 Unauthorized operation detection unit 11 Document (print image data)
12 Unauthorized copy prevention pattern 13, 14, 15 Composite image data)
P, P1, P2, P3, Pa, Pb, Pc (Unauthorized copy prevention) pattern G1, Ga, Gb Black solid image G2 White image

Claims (17)

Detection means for detecting an unauthorized copy prevention pattern;
Pattern range detection means for detecting a range of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern;
When detecting the illegal copy prevention pattern printed in an arbitrary range by the detection means, a determination means for determining whether or not to copy for the detected range;
Image output means for outputting an image according to the determination result of the determination means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
A plurality of the unauthorized copy prevention patterns are set,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not to output a copy in a range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is printed based on a security level set in the illegal copy prevention pattern. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2.
Authentication information is incorporated into the unauthorized copy prevention pattern,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit does not permit copy output in a range where the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed when outputting with a device whose authentication information does not match. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2.
An image processing apparatus, wherein authentication information is embedded in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern, and when a user who does not match the authentication information executes copying, copy output in a range where the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed is not permitted. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4,
An image processing apparatus, comprising: a notification means for notifying a manager of not-permitted objects when not permitting copy output in a range where the illegal copy prevention pattern is printed. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4,
When not permitting copy output of the range in which the illegal copy prevention pattern is printed, the image processing apparatus displays the fact on the display means of the unauthorized apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6.
An image processing apparatus comprising storage means for storing the information to be displayed. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An image processing apparatus, wherein a black solid image or a white image is output in a range where copy output is not permitted. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the illegal copy prevention pattern is designated as a closed area, the determination unit prohibits copying for an inner range included in the closed area. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
When the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is designated as a closed area, the determination unit permits copying for a range in which the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is formed, and for a range in which the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is not formed. Is an image processing apparatus for prohibiting copying. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the illegal copy prevention pattern exists on the document surface, the determination unit prohibits copying of the entire surface on which the illegal copy prevention pattern exists. A first step of detecting an unauthorized copy prevention pattern;
A second step of detecting a range of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern detected in the first step;
A third step of determining whether or not to copy the detected range when the illegal copy prevention pattern printed in an arbitrary range is detected in the second step;
A fourth step of outputting an image according to the third determination result;
An image processing method comprising: The image processing method according to claim 12.
A plurality of the unauthorized copy prevention patterns are set,
The image processing method according to claim 3, wherein in the third step, whether or not copy output is within a range where the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed is determined based on a security level set in the unauthorized copy prevention pattern. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13.
Authentication information is incorporated into the unauthorized copy prevention pattern,
In the third step, copy output of the range in which the unauthorized copy prevention pattern is printed is not permitted at the time of output from a device whose authentication information does not match or at the time of copy output of a user whose authentication information does not match. An image processing method. The image processing method according to any one of claims 12 to 14,
An image processing method, wherein a black solid image or a white image is output in a range where copy output is not permitted. A first procedure for detecting an unauthorized copy prevention pattern;
A second procedure for detecting a range of the unauthorized copy prevention pattern detected in the first step;
A third procedure for determining whether to copy the detected range when the illegal copy prevention pattern printed in an arbitrary range is detected in the second step;
A fourth procedure for outputting an image in accordance with the third determination result;
A computer program that is executed by a computer.   A storage medium, wherein the computer program according to claim 16 is read by a computer and stored so as to be executable.

Images