JP2010219835A - Image processing apparatus and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure reliability of tint block image printing while evading complication of tint block printing control. <P>SOLUTION: When it is authenticated that a user is an administrator of the image processing apparatus, a management character setting part displays an administrator setting image 3 at a display part. The user who is the administrator selects system data indicating the information of an original image on the administrator setting image 3 as a management character. Thereafter, when the management character is selected as a latent image by the user, a tint block image generation part embeds the management character and an optional latent image in a background image to generate tint block images. When the management character is not selected as the latent image, the management character is inserted forcibly to areas (header or footer or the like) other than the original image in printing data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing program for generating a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image by embedding a plurality of latent image images that become apparent during copying in a background image.

  As a method for suppressing copying of confidential documents, a method using a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image in which a warning character appears when the confidential document is copied by a copying machine is known. When a confidential document with a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is copied using a copying machine, warning characters such as “copy prohibited” appear on the copied material, which has a psychological deterrent effect against unauthorized copying, and the original and the copied material. Can be distinguished.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a printed material on which a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is applied. FIG. 7A shows an original and FIG. 7B shows a copy of the original. In FIG. 7A, 911 is referred to as a latent image, and 912 is referred to as a background image. The latent image and the background image in the original are printed so that the apparent density with the naked eye is substantially the same. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a region P shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the background image 912 is configured by arranging large dots relatively sparsely, and the latent image 911 is configured by arranging small dots relatively densely.

  When the original shown in FIG. 7A is copied by a copying machine, the dots constituting the background image 912 have a size and density that can be resolved by the copying machine and are therefore printed faithfully. However, the dots constituting the latent image 911 are not printed because they are of a size that cannot be resolved by a copying machine. Therefore, an image corresponding to the background image 912 is printed on the copy together with the document printed on the original, and the portion corresponding to the latent image 911 is highlighted as a white character as shown in FIG. 7B. Expressed. As a result, unauthorized copying can be suppressed, and at the same time, the original and the copy can be distinguished.

  For the hidden characters used as the latent image, the user can often set an arbitrary character string using a user interface such as a printer driver. In addition, on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern setting screens of recent printer drivers, for the purpose of enhancing the security function, in addition to an arbitrary character string such as “COPY”, information that can specify a printed matter on which a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is printed (for example, use Some computers can set the host name of the computer and the printing date and time as hidden characters.

  However, if the user can set an arbitrary hidden character, a malicious user may set a different host name or print date and time, and the reliability of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image may be greatly impaired. Therefore, the invention of Patent Document 1 applies hidden characters set by the user and other hidden characters from the printed matter on which the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is printed by inserting an underline, changing the typeface, etc. Can be discriminated, and the intentional setting of hidden characters indicating different information is prevented.

  In addition to this, when the user sets arbitrary hidden characters, it is possible to easily set an arbitrary character string by performing personal authentication using identification information such as a user ID or a password, and the reliability of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. There are also known methods for securing the above.

Japanese Patent No. 4120507

  However, inserting an underline or changing a typeface for a user-specified character string complicates copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing control. Furthermore, even when the user sets arbitrary hidden characters, even if personal authentication is performed, there are cases where the reliability of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is not necessarily ensured.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing program that can ensure the reliability of tint block image printing while avoiding the complexity of tint block printing control. It is what.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus that generates a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image by embedding a plurality of latent image images that appear during copying in a background image, and superimposes the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and an original image as print data. An image processing apparatus that outputs to a determination means for determining whether or not the operator is an administrator of the image processing apparatus; and when the determination means determines that the operator is the administrator, A first receiving unit that receives a selection input of management characters indicating information related to the print data; a second receiving unit that receives a selection input indicating whether to use the management characters as the latent image; and the second receiving unit When a selection input indicating that the management character is used as the latent image is received, the management character and an arbitrary latent image are embedded in a background image to generate a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. When a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as a latent image is received, a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit that generates a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image by embedding only an arbitrary latent image in a background image, and the generated copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image When the original image is superimposed and output as print data to an external printing apparatus, and the second receiving unit receives a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image, the printing is performed. Print data generation means for inserting the management character into an empty area other than the original image in the data.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing program comprising: determining means for determining whether an operator is an administrator of the image processing apparatus; and determining means for determining whether the operator is the administrator. A first receiving unit that receives a selection input of management characters indicating information about the print data, a second reception unit that receives a selection input as to whether or not to use the management characters as the latent image, When the second accepting unit accepts a selection input indicating that the management character is used as the latent image, the control character and an arbitrary latent image are embedded in a background image to generate a tint block image, and the second acceptance When a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image is received by the means, a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is generated by embedding only an arbitrary latent image in the background image. A selection indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image, wherein the generated copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and the original image are superimposed and output as print data to an external printing apparatus. When the input is accepted, it is made to function as a print data generating means for inserting the management character into an empty area other than the original image in the print data.

  According to these configurations, when the management character received by the first reception unit by the operation of the administrator of the image processing apparatus is not received as the latent image by the second reception unit, the print data generation unit is not a document image. By forcibly inserting management characters in the empty area, it is possible to reliably print information on the print data on the printed material, and to secure the origin information of the printed material.

  A second aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the empty area other than the original image in the print data is a header or footer area.

  According to this configuration, the print data generating means inserts the management characters into the header or footer so that the printing position of the management characters has a uniform feeling and makes the management characters visible to the person who has viewed the printed matter. It can be made easier.

  According to the present invention, when the management character received by the first reception unit by the operation of the administrator of the image processing apparatus is not received as the latent image by the second reception unit, the print data generation unit is not available other than the original image. By forcibly inserting the management character into the area, the information about the print data can be surely printed on the printed matter, and the origin information of the printed matter can be secured.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus. The flowchart which shows the flow of a fixed latent image image setting process. The figure which showed an example of the administrator setting screen. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of printing processing. The figure which showed an example of the tint block image setting screen. The figure which showed the printed matter in which the management character was inserted in the area | region of the footer, and was printed. The figure which showed an example of the printed matter which gave the tint block image. The figure which showed an example of the printed matter which gave the tint block image.

  Hereinafter, an image processing apparatus and an image processing program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processing apparatus 1. The image processing apparatus 1 is realized by a computer (for example, a personal computer, a host computer, etc.), and includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an input unit 13, a display unit 14, and a network I / F unit 15.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and other peripheral devices, executes processing based on a predetermined program in accordance with an input instruction signal, performs instructions and data transfer to each functional unit, etc. The entire image processing apparatus 1 is controlled. Specifically, the control unit 11 reads a program stored in the storage unit 12 in accordance with an operation signal input from the input unit 13, and executes processing according to the program. And the control part 11 outputs the display control signal for displaying a process result with respect to the display part 14, and displays the information according to the process result.

  Further, the control unit 11 functions as an administrator determination unit 111, a management character setting unit 112, a tint block image generation unit 113, and a print data generation unit 114. The administrator determination unit 111 performs personal authentication using a personal ID, password, or the like input by the user via the input unit 13 and determines whether the user is an administrator of the image processing apparatus 1. As a method for personal authentication, card authentication, physical authentication using a fingerprint, or the like may be used in addition to the personal ID and password.

  The management character setting unit 112 causes the display unit 14 to display a setting screen for receiving selection input of management characters indicating information related to a document (hereinafter referred to as “original image”) created by document creation software or the like. The management character selection is received from the administrator. Details of management characters will be described later. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 embeds the latent image in the background image to generate a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. The print data generation unit 114 generates print data for superimposing the generated copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and the document image and outputting them to the printer 22 as an external device.

  The storage unit 12 stores programs, data, and the like for realizing various functions of the image processing apparatus 1 such as a system program for realizing the basic operation of the image processing apparatus 1. Specifically, the storage unit 12 stores a print program 121 and a management character setting program 122.

  The print program 121 is a program executed when a document image is printed by a printer, and generates a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image in which a latent image is embedded in a background image, and generates print data by superimposing these images on the document image. belongs to.

  The management character setting program 122 is a program for the management character setting unit 112 to set management characters indicating information related to the document image. If the user can set all of the latent image to any character or image, a malicious user may set a different host name or printing date and time, which may significantly reduce the reliability of the tint block image. .

  Therefore, the management character setting unit 112 receives information about the document image from the administrator of the image processing apparatus 1 and sets it as management characters. When the user sets the management character to be included in the latent image when printing the document image, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 embeds the management character as a latent image in the background image in addition to the user's arbitrary latent image. When the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is generated and the user sets the management image not to include the management character in the latent image, the print data generation unit 114 forces the management character to an empty area of the print data (for example, a header or footer area). Insert. By doing so, the management characters can be surely printed on the printed matter, and the origin information of the printed matter can be secured. Here, the image processing program in the present invention is a program having the functions of the print program 121 and the management character setting program 122.

  The input unit 13 includes a keyboard having character / alphanumeric input keys, cursor keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a touch pad and a mouse. In addition, an operation signal of the pointing device is output to the control unit 11. The display unit 14 includes a display screen such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays characters, images, and the like according to a display control signal output from the control unit 11.

  The network I / F unit 15 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits and receives various data via the network 21 connected to the network I / F unit 15. Specifically, print data is generated by the control unit 11 reading and executing the print program 121 stored in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 outputs the print data to the network I / F unit 15, and the network I / F unit 15 outputs the print data to the printer 22 via the network 21. The printer 22 performs printing based on the transmitted print data.

  Next, the management character setting process and the printing process in this embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow when the control unit 11 executes processing according to the management character setting program 122. First, the administrator determination unit 111 causes the display unit 14 to display a message screen for prompting the user to input information necessary for administrator authentication of the image processing apparatus 1 such as a personal ID and a password. After the ID and password are input, authentication as to whether or not the user is an administrator is performed (step S11). When the user is an administrator (step S12; YES), the management character setting unit 112 displays an administrator setting screen on the display unit 14, and receives selection input of management characters from the user (step S13).

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the administrator setting screen 3 displayed on the display unit 14. The management character setting unit 112 causes the display unit 14 to display a list of types of management characters (system data) that can be selected in the administrator setting screen 3. The administrator selects data to be managed characters from the system data displayed in a list via the input unit 13 and puts the check box 31 in a selected state. The number of system data that can be selected as management characters may be plural. In this case, it is desirable that the number does not exceed the amount of print character data that can be inserted into the header or footer.

  Further, the management character setting unit 112 causes the display unit 14 to display the font size when the management character is inserted into the header or footer using the pull-down list 32. The administrator selects an arbitrary font size from the pull-down list 32. The font size may be set by direct input by the administrator. After the selection input by the administrator, the management character setting unit 112 sets the system data in which the check box 31 is selected as the management character, and ends the process.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow when the control unit 11 executes a process according to the print program 121. When the control unit 11 receives a print instruction from the user via the input unit 13 while executing the document creation software or the like, the control unit 11 reads the print program 121 from the storage unit 12 and executes the process, and displays the print setting screen ( (Not shown) is displayed. In response to the display control by the control unit 11, the display unit 14 displays a print setting screen. When the control unit 11 receives print settings for the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image via the print setting screen (step S21; YES), the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 displays the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image setting screen on the display unit 14 (step S22). In response to the display control by the tint block image generation unit 113, the display unit 14 displays a tint block image setting screen. When the control unit 11 does not accept the print setting for the tint block image (step S21; NO), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S28, and the print data generation unit 114 generates print data and outputs it to the printer 22. The process is terminated.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tint block image setting screen 4 displayed on the display unit 14 under display control by the tint block image generation unit 113. When the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 receives an item of “management character” from the pull-down list 41 in the “text 1” item column, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 sets the system data set as the management character in the input column 42. (Eg, IP address) is automatically displayed.

  “Text 2” and “Text 3” are item fields for setting a latent image to be embedded in the second and third lines. When setting an arbitrary text as a latent image, the user selects “user defined” in the pull-down lists 43 and 45 and inputs the arbitrary text in the input fields 44 and 46. Further, the tint block image generation unit 113 generates a temporary tint block image using the latent image set on the tint block image setting screen 4 and displays the temporary tint block image on the preview screen 47. In FIG. 5, the management character is set as a latent image, but it is not always necessary to set the management character as a latent image, and all the latent image may be set as arbitrary text of the user.

  After receiving the setting of the latent image via the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image setting screen 4 (step S23), the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 embeds the received latent image in the background image to generate a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image (step S24). Subsequently, the print data generation unit 114 generates print data by superimposing the original image and the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image (step S25).

  When the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 receives management characters as a latent image (step S26; YES), the print data generation unit 114 outputs the print data to the printer 22 via the network I / F unit 15 ( Step S28). Then, the process ends.

  On the other hand, when the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit 113 does not accept management characters as a latent image (step S26; NO), the print data generation unit 114 inserts the management characters in the header or footer area of the print data (step S26). S27), print data is output to the printer 22 via the network I / F unit 15 (step S28).

  Here, when the user is set to print the file name, page number, or the like in the header or footer, the print data generation unit 114 inserts a management character in any of the header or footer that is not set by the user. You may make it do. In addition, the administrator sets whether the insertion position of the management character is set to the header or footer, and if the set insertion position of the management character overlaps the print setting to the header or footer by the user, the user A management character may be inserted in a margin other than the print setting position set by. Then, the process ends.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a printed matter in which management characters are not set as latent image images, and management characters are forcibly inserted in the footer area, and are printed for easy understanding. A copy 5 of a printed matter in which a tint block image is actualized is shown. In the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image 51, text arbitrarily set by the user is embedded as a latent image, and at this time, management characters 52 are forcibly printed in the footer. As described above, when the user does not select the management character as the latent image, the management character is forcibly printed in an empty area of the document such as a header or a footer.

  As described above, when the administrator of the image processing apparatus 1 sets management characters indicating the information of the document image in advance and the management characters are not selected as the latent image, the document such as a header or footer By forcibly inserting management characters into the empty area, it is possible to reliably print information on the print data on the printed matter, and to secure the origin information of the printed matter.

1 Image processing apparatus 11 Control unit 111 Administrator determination unit (determination means)
112 Management character setting section (first receiving means)
113 Copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation unit (second reception means, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation means)
114 Print data generation unit (print data generation means)
12 storage unit 121 print program (image processing program)
122 Management character setting program (image processing program)
13 Input unit (first receiving means, second receiving means)
14 Display 15 Network I / F 21 Network 22 Printer

Claims (3)

An image processing apparatus that generates a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image by embedding a plurality of latent image images that are manifested at the time of copying in a background image, and superimposes the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and a document image and outputs them as print data to an external device,
Determination means for determining whether an operator is an administrator of the image processing apparatus;
A first receiving unit that receives a selection input of management characters indicating information about the print data when the determining unit determines that the operator is the administrator;
Second receiving means for receiving a selection input as to whether or not to use the management character as the latent image;
When the second accepting unit accepts a selection input indicating that the management character is used as the latent image, the control character and an arbitrary latent image are embedded in a background image to generate a tint block image, and the second A copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generation means for generating a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image by embedding only an arbitrary latent image in a background image when the receiving means receives a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image;
The generated copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and the original image are superimposed and output as print data to an external printing apparatus, and the second receiving unit receives a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image. If accepted, a print data generating means for inserting the management character into an empty area other than the original image in the print data;
An image processing apparatus.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the empty area other than the document image in the print data is a header or footer area. Computer
Determination means for determining whether an operator is an administrator of the image processing apparatus;
First receiving means for receiving a selection input of management characters indicating information relating to the print data when the determining means determines that the operator is the administrator;
Second receiving means for receiving a selection input as to whether or not to use the management character as the latent image;
When the second accepting unit accepts a selection input indicating that the management character is used as the latent image, the control character and an arbitrary latent image are embedded in a background image to generate a tint block image, and the second A copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image generating means for generating a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image by embedding only an arbitrary latent image in a background image when the receiving means receives a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image;
The generated copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and the original image are superimposed and output as print data to an external printing apparatus, and the second receiving unit receives a selection input indicating that the management character is not used as the latent image. If accepted, a print data generating means for inserting the management character into an empty area other than the document image in the print data;
An image processing program that functions as

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