JP2016143897A - Image forming apparatus, image processing system and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sufficiently and visually recognize an original image on a viewer even if a watermark is overlapped with the original image.SOLUTION: Direct printing is performed on a file having image data on an original image and image data on an embedded watermark. An image forming apparatus includes: a printing data acquisition section 31 for acquiring the file; an embedded watermark determination section 33 for determining whether the embedded watermark is applied to the file; a printing data changing section 32 for changing an attribute value of the embedded watermark in the file when the embedded watermark is applied; and an image forming section 34 for performing printing on a medium with respect to the file whose attribute value is changed. Since the attribute value of the embedded watermark is changed, the original image can be sufficiently and visually recognized without making the watermark be an obstacle when the file is displayed on the viewer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and a printing system.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printing system having an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine, for example, a printer and a computer as an image processing apparatus, a file creator (hereinafter referred to as “file creator”). A computer creates a file in an environment-independent document format and distributes the file to a user, and the user can form an image with a printer to print the distributed file (for example, patent document) 1).

JP2013-218625A

  However, in a conventional computer, in a file created in an environment-independent document format, when a watermark (watermark) image is superimposed on an original image (hereinafter referred to as “original image”), a viewer is viewed by the user. When a document file is displayed above, the watermark may be in the way, and the original image may not be fully visible.

  An image forming apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and an image forming apparatus capable of sufficiently recognizing an original image on a viewer even when printing is performed by overlaying a watermark on the original image. An object is to provide a printing system.

  Therefore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, direct printing is performed on a file having image data of an original image and image data of an embedded watermark.

  A print data acquisition unit that acquires the file by receiving print data; an embedded watermark determination unit that determines whether an embedded watermark is added to the acquired file; and the acquired file When the embedded watermark is attached to the file, the print data change unit that changes the attribute value of the embedded watermark in the file and the file that has the embedded watermark attribute value changed are printed on the medium. And an image forming unit.

  According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus performs direct printing on a file having image data of an original image and image data of an embedded watermark.

  A print data acquisition unit that acquires the file by receiving print data; an embedded watermark determination unit that determines whether an embedded watermark is added to the acquired file; and the acquired file When the embedded watermark is attached to the file, the print data change unit that changes the attribute value of the embedded watermark in the file and the file that has the embedded watermark attribute value changed are printed on the medium. And an image forming unit.

  In this case, if an embedded watermark is added to the file acquired by the print data acquisition unit, the embedded watermark attribute value in the file is changed and the embedded watermark attribute value is changed. Since printing is performed on the medium, the watermark is not obstructed when the file is displayed on the viewer, and the original image can be sufficiently viewed.

It is a control block diagram which shows the printing system in embodiment of this invention. It is a control block diagram of the client computer in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the client computer in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the setting screen of the embedded watermark in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the XPS tag in which the transparency of the embedding watermark in the embodiment of this invention was set. It is a figure which shows the example of the print ticket in which the transparency of the embedding watermark in the embodiment of this invention was set. It is a figure which shows the example of the XPS file displayed on the viewer in embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the printing result of the XPS file to which the embedding watermark was provided in embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this case, a printing system having a printer as an image forming apparatus and a client computer as an image processing apparatus will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a control block diagram showing a printing system in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of a client computer in an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, 10 is a printer that forms an image on paper as a medium and performs printing, 20 is a computer arranged as a host device with respect to the printer 10, in this embodiment, a client computer, 30 is a file, etc. 40 is an on-line storage as a recording device having a recording area for recording the image, 40 is a wired or wireless network connecting the printer 10, the client computer 20 and the online storage 30, and Sy is a printing system. As the network, a LAN using a communication protocol such as TCP / IP, the Internet, or the like is used. In the present embodiment, the network 40 is used, but hardware such as a USB memory can be used instead of the network 40.

  Reference numeral 21 denotes an arbitrary application installed in the client computer 20, and reference numeral 22 denotes a printer driver installed in the client computer 20.

  The printer driver 22 combines an image data acquisition unit 24 that is acquired by reading the image data of the original image received from the application 21, and combines the image data of the original image and the image data of an embedded watermark described later. An image data composition unit 25 that generates image data and generates a file composed of the composite image data, an embedding watermark management unit 26 that manages embedding watermarks, and an embedding based on a setting operation by the file creator An embedded watermark setting unit 27 for setting a watermark, an embedded watermark generation unit 28 for generating an embedded watermark based on the contents set by the embedded watermark setting unit 27, and the composite image data Is provided with a print data generation unit 29 for generating print data based on the above.

  In the present embodiment, in the client computer 20, the file creator outputs data such as documents and figures created by the application 21 as an XPS file 23 that is a file created in an environment-independent document format. Can be distributed.

  Therefore, the image data synthesis unit 25 creates an XPS file 23 to which an embedded watermark is added based on the synthesized image data, and the print data generation unit 29 generates print data based on the XPS file 23. .

  In addition, the printer 10 receives a print data transmitted from the client computer 20 via the network 40, thereby acquiring a XPS file 23, and a print data change for changing the acquired XPS file 23. The unit 32, the embedded watermark determination unit 33 for determining whether or not an embedded watermark is added to the acquired XPS file 23, and printing based on the changed XPS file 23, and forming an image on a sheet The image forming unit 34 is provided.

  In this case, a file created in an environment-independent document format, such as the XPS file 23, can be viewed as a document on the client computer 20, and can be directly processed by the printer 10. The file format can be transmitted to the printer 10 as print data without using a printer driver dedicated to the printer 10 and without using a dedicated file transfer tool. Direct printing can be performed.

  In the present embodiment, an XPS printer driver for printing the XPS file 23 is used as the printer driver 22.

  By the way, in the present embodiment, the XPS file 23 to which a watermark made up of text, an image, etc. is attached is transmitted to the printer 10, and the printer 10 prints the original image with the watermark superimposed on the paper. Be able to.

  However, when the XPS file 23 with a watermark is displayed on the viewer of the client computer 20 by the file creator or user, the watermark is displayed on the original image so that the watermark is in the way. Therefore, the original image may not be fully visible.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the watermark that is not displayed on the viewer but formed only on the medium is set as the embedded watermark by the embedded watermark setting unit 27 as described above, and embedded. It is generated by the watermark generation unit 28 and is given to the XPS file 23 by the image data synthesis unit 25. Therefore, when the XPS file 23 is displayed on the viewer, only the original image is displayed, and when the XPS file 23 is printed in the printer 10, the watermark is printed over the original image on the printed material.

  Next, a method for generating an XPS file 23 to which an embedded watermark is added by superimposing an embedded watermark on an original image made up of a document, a figure, and the like created by the application 21 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the client computer in the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an embedded watermark setting screen in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an XPS tag in which the transparency of the embedded watermark is set in FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a print ticket in which the transparency of the embedded watermark is set in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the XPS file displayed on the viewer in embodiment of this invention.

  When the file creator first opens the print setting of the printer driver 22 from the application 21, the embedded watermark setting unit 27 forms a print setting screen on a display (not shown) as a display unit of the client computer 20. When the embedded watermark is superimposed on the original image, the embedded watermark setting unit 27 forms a watermark setting screen ds1 as shown in FIG. 4 in the print setting screen.

  In the watermark setting screen ds1, a check box b1 is displayed as a setting part for selecting “use embedded watermark”, and the file creator makes a watermark adjacent to the check box b1. A setting area Ar1 for inputting a setting content for each setting item and performing a setting operation is formed.

  When the check box b1 of “use embedded watermark” is not checked and the setting of the embedded watermark is off, the embedded watermark setting unit 27 stores the setting area Ar1 in the setting area Ar1. Displays the settings for each setting item for normal watermark settings. When the check box b1 of “Use embedded watermark” is checked and the setting of the embedded watermark is on, the embedded watermark setting unit 27 embeds in the setting area Ar1. Displays the settings for each setting item for setting the watermark.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the “use embedded watermark” check box b1 is checked, the setting area Ar1 contains text when the embedded watermark is composed of text. A text box b2 as an input part for inputting, a numerical box b3 as an input part for inputting the size of the embedded watermark, and an input part for inputting the rotation angle of the embedded watermark with respect to the paper transport direction A numerical value box b4, a pull-down box b5 as an input part for selecting a frame for embedding watermark, a pull-down box b6 as an input part for selecting a printing position of the embedding watermark on paper, As an input part for inputting the R value of the color of the included watermark A value box b7, a numerical value box b8 as an input part for inputting the G value of the color of the embedded watermark, a numerical value box b9 as an input part for inputting the B value of the color of the embedded watermark, and an embedded part A numerical box b10 is displayed as an input part for inputting the transparency of the embedded watermark.

  The transparency of each setting item is a transparency for setting the transmittance of the watermark actually formed on the paper, and is an embedded watermark at the stage of being added to the XPS file 23, that is, This is different from the transparency of the embedded watermark displayed on the viewer.

  In addition, a key k1 as a deterministic element to be clicked and a watermark setting are set adjacent to the setting area Ar1 when the watermark is set according to the setting content displayed on the watermark setting screen ds1. A cancel key k2 is displayed as a cancel element for canceling.

  In the watermark setting screen ds1, the file creator checks the “use embedded watermark” check box b1, inputs the setting contents for the embedded watermark in the setting area Ar1, and presses the key k1. When clicked, the embedded watermark setting unit 27 sets an embedded watermark based on the setting contents input in the setting area Ar 1, and the embedded watermark generation unit 28 sets the embedded watermark setting unit 27. Generated embedded watermark.

  For example, in the watermark setting screen ds1 shown in FIG. 4, the embedded watermark text is set to “confidential”, the size is set to “72”, the rotation angle is set to “45”, and the enclosing frame is “circle”. The print position is “center”, the color R value is “255”, the color G value is “0”, the color B value is “0”, and the transparency is “60”. To be.

  As described above, when the embedded watermark is set and the embedded watermark is generated, the printer driver 22 starts the printing process.

  That is, in the present embodiment, when the XPS file 23 is created, the XPS format spool file is sent from the application 21 to the printer driver 22, so that the image data acquisition unit 24 is the original image in the XPS format spool file. Is acquired by reading the image data, and the image data is sent to the image data composition unit 25. When the embedded watermark is set by the embedded watermark setting unit 27 and the embedded watermark is generated by the embedded watermark generation unit 28, the embedded watermark management unit 26 displays the embedded watermark image. Data is sent to the image data composition unit 25.

  Then, the image data composition unit 25 determines whether or not an embedded watermark is set on the watermark setting screen ds1 based on a signal from the embedded watermark setting unit 27 and the embedded watermark is set. If it is, the output port is temporarily changed to output the XPS file 23 to the client computer 20, and the XPS format spool file and the embedded watermark are combined. In other words, the image data synthesis unit 25 synthesizes the image data of the original image sent from the image data acquisition unit 24 and the image data of the embedded watermark sent from the embedded watermark management unit 26 to obtain a synthesized image. Generate data.

  At this time, the image data composition unit 25 sets an XPS tag representing additional information for defining the format of the XPS file 23 in the XPS file 23 and prints the XPS file 23 with a printer driver. A print ticket for storing various setting values of the print setting set in step S22 is set.

  In the present embodiment, in order to prevent the embedded watermark from being displayed on the viewer for the XPS file 23 to which the embedded watermark is added, the XPS shown in FIG. In the tag, transparency that is an attribute value of the embedded watermark is set.

  That is, in the XPS tag, in order to indicate that an embedded watermark is set, an arbitrary character string (in this case, an embedded watermark) is used as the Name attribute value of the Path element that is a drawing command. Embed) is set. In the Path element for drawing the figure of the embedded watermark, the RGB value as the Fill attribute value, the transparency as the Opacity attribute value, the rotation angle, the print position, etc. as the RenderTransform attribute value, the text as the Data attribute value, Drawing contents such as a frame are set.

  The Opacity attribute value is not the transparency set in the watermark setting screen ds1, but the transparency for preventing the embedded watermark from being displayed when the XPS file 23 is displayed on the viewer of the client computer 20. In this embodiment, 0 is set to represent complete transparency.

  In addition, the setting value set on the watermark setting screen ds1 is stored in the print ticket set for printing the XPS file 23. In the present embodiment, the transparency set in the watermark setting screen ds1 as an attribute value for forming the embedded watermark on the paper is stored in the print ticket as shown in FIG. That is, the PrintTicket stores EmbeddedWatermarkOpacity representing transparency set in the watermark setting screen ds1 as ParameterInit representing the name of the parameter of the embedded watermark, and 60 as Value representing the transparency value.

  As described above, in the XPS tag, the transparency is set so that the embedded watermark is not displayed when the XPS file 23 is displayed on the viewer, and on the paper when the printing is actually performed in the print ticket. Transparency is set so that the watermark is formed on the paper, so the print ticket settings can be referenced at the timing of printing on the paper without affecting the display on the viewer. It is possible to print the XPS file 23 to which is attached.

  In other words, when the XPS file 23 is displayed on the viewer of the client computer 20 by the file creator or user, as shown in FIG. 7, the embedded watermark is not displayed on the paper Pi on the viewer. Only the original image Ei is displayed.

  Subsequently, the image data generation unit 29 reads the combined image data from the image data combining unit 25 and generates print data to be transmitted to the printer 10.

  Then, the image data generation unit 29 outputs the print data as the XPS file 23 via the output port, and then returns the output port to the original state.

  Subsequently, a communication unit (not shown) of the client computer 20 transmits the XPS file 23 to the printer 10.

  On the other hand, when the embedded watermark is not set on the watermark setting screen ds1, the printer driver 22 performs a normal printing process using a printer driver dedicated to the printer 10.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S1: The file creator opens the print settings of the printer driver 22.
Step S2 The embedded watermark setting unit 27 sets an embedded watermark.
Step S3 The printer driver 22 starts the printing process.
Step S4: The image data composition unit 25 determines whether or not an embedded watermark is set in the XPS file 23. If the embedded watermark is set in the XPS file 23, the process proceeds to step S5. If the embedded watermark is not set in the XPS file 23, the process proceeds to step S8.
Step S5: The image data composition unit 25 changes the output port to a file.
Step S6: The image data combining unit 25 combines the spool file and the embedded watermark.
Step S7: The image data generation unit 29 outputs the XPS file 23 and ends the process.
Step S8: The printer driver 22 performs normal printing processing.

  Next, the operation of the printer 10 when the user performs direct printing on the XPS file 23 output from the client computer 20 will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the printing result of the XPS file to which the embedded watermark is added according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, a communication unit (not shown) of the printer 10 receives print data transmitted from the client computer 20. Subsequently, when the print data acquisition unit 31 acquires the XPS file 23 by reading the print data from the communication unit, the embedded watermark determination unit 33 includes an attribute value representing the embedded watermark in the XPS file 23, In the present embodiment, whether or not an embedded watermark is added to the XPS file 23 is determined based on whether or not there is a Name attribute value set in the XPS tag. In this case, the Name attribute value set in the XPS tag as shown in FIG. 5 is used as the attribute value representing the embedded watermark.

  When the embedded watermark is added to the XPS file 23, the print data changing unit 32 refers to the print ticket of the XPS file 23, obtains it by reading the transparency set in the print ticket, and the XPS tag Opacity The transparency of the embedded watermark is changed by applying the transparency set in the print ticket as the attribute value.

  Then, the image forming unit 34 prints the XPS file 23 whose transparency is changed, and forms the original image Er and the embedded watermark Wm on the paper P as shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the embedded watermark is not added to the XPS file 23, the image forming unit 34 performs normal printing and forms the original image Er on the paper P.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S11: The communication unit receives print data.
Step S12: The embedded watermark determination unit 33 determines whether an embedded watermark is assigned to the XPS file 23. If the embedded watermark is added to the XPS file 23, the process proceeds to step S13. If the embedded watermark is not added to the XPS file 23, the process proceeds to step S16.
Step S13: The print data changing unit 32 acquires the transparency from the print ticket.
Step S14: The print data changing unit 32 changes the transparency of the embedded watermark.
Step S15 The image forming unit 34 forms the original image Er and the embedded watermark Wm on the paper P, and ends the process.
Step S16 The image forming unit 34 performs normal printing.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not an embedded watermark is added to the file acquired by the print data acquisition unit 31, and the embedded watermark is added to the acquired file. In this case, since the attribute value of the embedded watermark in the file is changed, it is possible to prevent the embedded watermark from being displayed when the XPS file 23 is displayed on the viewer.

  Therefore, since only the original image Ei is displayed on the paper Pi on the viewer, the original image Ei can be sufficiently visually recognized on the viewer.

  In the present embodiment, the client computer 20 is used as the image processing apparatus, but a terminal device such as a tablet terminal can be used instead of the client computer 20.

  In the present embodiment, the XPS file 23 is used as a file created in an environment-independent document format. However, the original image Ei is sufficiently visible on the viewer of the client computer 20. As described above, an attribute value that defines an embedded watermark can be set in the tag, and a file that can store the setting value set in the watermark setting screen ds1 can be used.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the XPS file 23 is transmitted directly from the client computer 20 to the printer 10, but the file creator stores the XPS file 23 in advance in the online storage 30 on the cloud or the like. By uploading, the user operates the operation panel as the operation unit of the printer 10 to connect to the cloud and download the XPS file 23 from the online storage 30, so that the XPS file 23 is indirectly transferred from the client computer 20 to the printer 10. The file 23 can be transmitted.

  In this embodiment, transparency is set as an attribute value that defines the embedded watermark so that the original image can be sufficiently viewed on the viewer. Thus, other attribute values, for example, a color that does not affect the visibility of the original image can be set, or transparency and color can be set together. In that case, a color is stored in the print ticket in place of the transparency, or the transparency and the color are stored together and used at the time of printing.

  In the present embodiment, the embedded watermark is made completely transparent on the viewer, but it may be set to semi-transparency or the like that does not affect the visibility of the original image. it can.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the printer 10 is used as the image forming apparatus, but the present invention can be applied to a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine, and the like.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change variously based on the meaning of this invention, and does not exclude them from the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer 31 Print data acquisition part 32 Print data change part 33 Embedded watermark determination part 34 Image formation part

Claims (8)

In an image forming apparatus that performs direct printing on a file having image data of an original image and image data of an embedded watermark,
(A) a print data acquisition unit that acquires the file by receiving print data;
(B) an embedded watermark determination unit that determines whether an embedded watermark is added to the acquired file;
(C) a print data changing unit that changes an attribute value of the embedded watermark in the file when an embedded watermark is added to the acquired file;
(D) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that prints on a medium for a file in which an attribute value of an embedded watermark is changed.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the file includes an attribute value for displaying an embedded watermark on a viewer and an attribute value for printing on a medium.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the print data changing unit changes an attribute value for displaying the embedded watermark on the viewer to an attribute value for forming the embedded watermark on the medium. (A) The attribute value for displaying the embedded watermark on the viewer is set in the tag of the file,
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an attribute value for forming an embedded watermark on the medium is stored in a file print ticket. (A) an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data of an original image by receiving a file created by a file creator from an application;
(B) an embedded watermark setting unit for setting an embedded watermark based on a setting operation by the file creator;
(C) an embedded watermark generation unit that generates an embedded watermark set by the embedded watermark setting unit;
(D) The image data of the original image acquired by the image data acquisition unit and the image data of the embedded watermark generated by the embedded watermark generation unit are combined to generate composite image data, and embedded water An image data composition unit for creating an environment-independent file with a mark;
(E) a print data generation unit that outputs the file with the embedded watermark generated by the image data synthesis unit;
(F) The file with the embedded watermark has an attribute value for displaying the embedded watermark on the viewer and an attribute value for forming the embedded watermark on the medium. An image processing apparatus. (A) The attribute value for displaying the embedded watermark on the viewer is set in the tag of the file,
6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the attribute value for forming the embedded watermark on the medium is stored in a file print ticket. (A) In the viewer, the original image is displayed, the embedded watermark is not displayed,
(B) The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the original image and the embedded watermark are formed on the medium.   A printing system having the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

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