JP2967988B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an original image.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of color image recording technology, image recording apparatuses such as full-color copying machines that can reproduce color documents with high accuracy have been developed. Along with that, there is a possibility that the problem of forgery of banknotes, securities, etc. may occur. It is possible to make image reproduction impossible.

Generally, a bill validator is well-known as a means for recognizing a document. However, the bill validator samples some image signals on the document, and registers a color pattern of these image signals and a true pattern registered in advance. The document is checked against a standard pattern such as a banknote to confirm that the original (input banknote) is true.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, when such an original recognizing unit is installed in an image recording apparatus, the following problem occurs.

When the above-mentioned document recognizing means is simply installed in the image recording apparatus, the configuration of the input of the image signal for recognizing the document and the configuration of the input of the image signal for the image recording are different.

As a result, if the malicious operator performs a modification (for example, providing a filter to change the input signal level) on the configuration of the image signal input for document recognition, accurate recognition cannot be performed. Occurs.

In order to solve this problem, the configuration of inputting an image signal for document recognition and the configuration of inputting an image signal for image recording may be made common. With this configuration, when the above-described work is performed, a signal used for recording is affected, and normal recording can be prevented.

However, when this configuration is adopted, since both the image signal for document recognition and the image signal for image recording are generated at the same timing, image recording is performed before document recognition ends. May be lost. As a result, even if it is determined that the forgery is being performed based on the document recognition, there is a problem that a part of the image is already formed and the image may be misused. On the other hand, for example, it is conceivable to delay an image signal for image recording during document recognition by using a memory, but when the image signal is a color image signal, a large-capacity memory for delay is required. This leads to an increase in cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and in a case where an image to be recorded is not to be reproduced faithfully, an image different from the image is recorded to simplify the device configuration. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus capable of suppressing an increase in cost and realizing accurate image recognition.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides image input means for generating an electric image signal representing an image to be recorded,
Image recording means for recording an image based on an electrical color image signal representing the image to be recorded; and an electric signal representing the image to be recorded indicating that the image to be recorded is an image which should not be faithfully reproduced. Means for detecting in accordance with a target color image signal, and when the detection means detects that the image should not be reproduced faithfully, a specific pattern or solid color is formed on the image already recorded by the image recording means. Control means for performing additional recording by the image recording means.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

 FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1000 denotes a document reading unit that reads an image of a document and converts the image into an electric image signal.

Reference numeral 2000 denotes image recording means for forming and recording an image based on the image signal.

Reference numeral 3000 denotes detection means for detecting that the original is a copy-prohibited original based on the image signal.

4000 permits image recording processing by the image recording means until the detection means detects that the original is a copy-prohibited original, and when the detection means detects that the original is a copy-prohibited target, And control means for additionally recording a specific pattern or solid black for erasing the image on the image recorded on the recording medium up to that point by the image recording means.

 Next, the overall configuration of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 2 shows a digital color copier 10 to which the present invention is applied.
Is shown.

In FIG. 2, this digital color copying machine 10
It is roughly composed of two elements. That is, the copying machine 10 is located at an upper position as one of the major components, reads a document image in color, and outputs digital color image data (hereinafter abbreviated as a reader unit). It has twelve.

The reader unit 12 includes a controller unit 14 that performs various image processing of digital color image data and has a processing function such as an interface with an external device.

The reader unit 12 reads an image from a three-dimensional or sheet-shaped document placed downward on a platen (not shown) below the document holding plate 16 and also has a built-in mechanism for reading a large-sized sheet-shaped document. doing.

Also, on one side of the upper surface of the reader unit 12, a controller unit is provided.
An operation unit 18 connected to the control unit 14 is provided.
Reference numeral 18 is provided for inputting various information as a copying machine.

The controller unit 14 is configured to instruct the reader unit 12 and a printer unit 20, which will be described later, regarding these operations in accordance with information input via the operation unit 18. Further, when it is necessary to perform a complicated editing process or the like, a digitizer or the like is attached in place of the document holding plate 16, and this is connected to the controller unit 14.
Advanced image processing becomes possible.

The copier 10 is, as another roughly classified element, in a state where it is located below the reader unit 12 below the controller unit 14.
The printer unit 20 is provided for recording the output color / digital image signal on recording paper. In the present embodiment, the printer unit 20 is a full-color ink jet printer using a recording head of an ink bubble jet recording system described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-59936.
Printers are used.

The two major elements described above are separable from each other, and are set so that they can be installed at remote locations by extending the connection cable.

(Reader unit) FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the digital color copying machine 10 shown in FIG.
2 schematically shows a cross-sectional shape of the internal configuration of FIG.

In FIG. 3, first, in the reader section 12 of the copying machine 10, an exposure lamp 22, a lens 24, and a full-color line
An image sensor 26 (in this embodiment, a CCD) capable of reading an image converts an image of an original placed on an original platen glass 28, a projected image by a projector, or an image of a sheet-like original by a sheet feeding mechanism 30. Read. Next, various types of image processing are performed by the reader unit 12 and the controller unit 14. After that, the read image is sent to the printer unit.
20 will be recorded on the recording paper.

(Printer Unit) Here, in FIG. 3, the recording paper is a sheet cassette 32 for storing cut sheets of a small fixed size (in this embodiment, A4 to A3 size), and a large size (A2 in this embodiment).
(Up to A1 size) is selectively supplied from the roll paper 34 for recording.

In addition, paper can be fed from outside the apparatus (manual paper feeding) by feeding recording sheets one by one along the paper feeding unit cover 38 from the manual feed slot 36 shown in FIG. Above the paper feed cassette 32 mounted on the printer section 20, a pick-up roller 40 for taking out cut sheets one by one from the paper feed cassette 32 is provided. The cut sheet taken out by the pick-up roller 40 is conveyed by the cut sheet feed roller 42 to the first sheet feed roller 44.

On the other hand, the roll paper 34 is continuously fed out by a roll paper feed roller 46, cut into a fixed length by a cutter 48, and conveyed to the first feed roller 44 described above. Similarly, the recording paper inserted from the manual feed slot 36 is
The sheet is conveyed to the first sheet feeding roller 44 by 50.

Here, the pick-up roller 40, the cut sheet feed roller 42, the roll paper feed roller 46, the first feed roller 44, and the manual feed roller 50 are a feed motor (not shown) (not shown). (Using a motor), and an on / off control of the rotational drive can be performed at any time by an electromagnetic clutch attached to each roller.

Here, when the printing operation is started in accordance with an instruction from the controller unit 14, the recording sheet selected and fed from any of the above-described feeding paths is conveyed to the first feeding roller 44. In order to remove the skew of the recording paper, at the time of this paper feeding, after forming a predetermined amount of paper loop on the recording paper, the first paper feeding roller 44 is turned on and driven to rotate. The recording paper is conveyed to the paper second roller 52.

A paper feed roller 64 disposed above the recording head 56 is provided between the first paper feed roller 44 and the second paper feed roller 52.
In order to perform an accurate paper feeding operation between the sheet and the second paper feed roller 52 disposed on the lower side, the recording paper is slackened by a predetermined amount to form a buffer.

A buffer amount detection sensor 54 for detecting a buffer amount as a slack amount of the recording paper is provided in this buffer.
Are arranged. As described above, by always forming the buffer on the recording paper while the paper is being conveyed, it is possible to reduce the load applied to the paper feed roller 64 and the second paper supply roller 52 particularly when a large-sized recording paper is conveyed. And an accurate paper feeding operation can be performed.

In the printer unit 20 having the recording paper transport system configured as described above, when printing is performed by the recording head 56, the scanning carriage 58 on which the recording head 56 is mounted reciprocates on the carriage rail 60 by the scanning motor 62. Move
The scanning in the main scanning direction is performed.
In the forward scan, an image is printed on recording paper by the recording head 56, and in the backward scan, a paper feed roller is used.
A feed operation in the sub-scanning direction for feeding the recording paper by a predetermined amount is performed by 64.

Here, the feed amount along the sub-scanning direction is defined as a constant movement amount described later.
A length corresponding to the width along the sub-scanning direction, i.e., a length corresponding to the arrangement width of the suction holes formed over the surface of the platen 74 facing the recording head 56, not shown. Is set.

On the other hand, at the time of scanning in this return path, while the buffer amount is detected via the buffer amount detection sensor 54, the drive control of the drive system by the paper feed motor 62 is set so as to always maintain the predetermined buffer amount. ing. Then, the printed recording paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 66, and a series of printing operations is completed.

(Configuration around the Operation Carriage) Next, the configuration around the scanning carriage 58 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, a paper feed motor 68 is provided as a drive source for intermittently feeding the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction. The paper feed motor 68 is capable of arbitrarily setting and changing the rotation amount, and is configured to drive the second paper feed roller 52 via the paper feed roller 64 and the second paper feed roller clutch 70. Have been.

The above-described scanning motor 62 is provided as a driving source for scanning the scanning carriage 58 via the scanning belt 72 in the main scanning direction indicated by arrows A and B. In this embodiment, as described above, a pulse motor is used for the paper feed motor 68 and the scanning motor 62 because accurate paper feed control at an arbitrary feed amount is required.

In this embodiment, although not shown, a paper pressing member is disposed at a position facing the lower end of the platen 74.

Here, when the recording paper reaches the second paper feed roller 52, the first paper feed roller clutch 70 and the paper feed motor 68 are turned on, respectively, until the leading end of the recording paper is nipped by the pair of paper feed rollers 64. Is transported on the platen 74. Then, the conveyed recording paper is fed to a paper detection sensor 76 provided on a platen 74.
Thus, it is detected that the sheet has been conveyed past the platen 74, and the sensor information is used for position control, jam control, and the like.

When the leading end of the recording paper reaches the paper feed roller 64, the paper feed second roller clutch 70 and the paper feed motor 68 are respectively turned off, and then the inner space of the platen 74 becomes negative by the activation of a suction motor (not shown). Pressure is applied and the suction operation is started.
By such a suction operation, the recording paper is brought into close contact with the platen 74.

Here, prior to the image printing operation on the recording paper, the scanning carriage 58 is moved to the position where the home position sensor 8 is provided, and then the outward scanning is performed in the direction of arrow A. In the forward scanning, the recording head 56 appropriately discharges the respective inks of cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, and black K from a predetermined position to record (print) an image.

When the image recording operation for a predetermined length along the main scanning direction is completed, the driving direction of the scanning motor 62 is reversed, and the scanning carriage 58 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B to start the backward scanning. I do. Subsequently, the scanning motor 62 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction until the scanning carriage 58 returns to the position where the home position sensor 78 is provided.

During this backward scanning, the paper feeding operation for the length along the sub-scanning direction recorded by the recording head 56 (that is, the width of the recording head 56) activates the paper feeding motor 68 and causes the paper feeding roller
The rotation is performed in the sub-scanning direction indicated by arrow C by driving the rotation of 64.

Here, the above-described paper feed amount, that is, the movement amount in the sub-scanning direction, is not set to the above-described width of the recording head 56, that is, not only to the constant movement amount, but to the one-sided amount defined by the final line width. It may be set to the moving amount.

In this embodiment, the recording head 56 is an ink jet nozzle of the above-described type, and 256 nozzles are assembled for each of Y, M, C, and K.

On the other hand, when the scanning carriage 58 stops at the home position defined by the home position sensor 78, the recovery operation of the recording head 56 is performed. This recovery operation is a process for performing a stable recording operation.
In order to prevent non-uniformity at the start of ejection caused by a change in the viscosity of the ink remaining in the nozzles of nozzle 56, the recording head 56 is controlled according to pre-programmed conditions such as paper feed time, internal temperature of the apparatus, and ejection time. This is a process of performing a pressurizing operation on each nozzle and performing an idle discharge operation of ink from each nozzle.

By repeating the above operation, the image is recorded over the entire surface of the recording paper.

(System Configuration) Next, the processing and control of image signals by the control system in the digital color copying machine 10 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 100 denotes a main CPU (central processing unit) as a main controller for controlling the entire apparatus.
Is shown. The main CPU 100 is connected to a printer control CPU 102 for controlling a printer, a reader control CPU 104 for controlling a reading operation, a main image processing unit 106 for processing an image display operation, and an operation unit 108 as an input unit by an operator. ing.

Here, the printer control CPU 102 and the reader control CPU 104 control the printer and reader operations, respectively.
The main CPU 100 is set in a master-slave relationship.

The above-described main image processing unit 106 is configured to perform conventionally known processing such as edge enhancement smoothing, masking, black extraction, binarization, and trimming. Further, the printer control CPU 102 and the main image processing unit 106 include:
Synchronous memory 110 is connected.

The synchronous memory 110 is configured to perform suction of the time variation of the input operation and the delay correction based on the arrangement of the recording heads described above. This synchronous memory 110
Recording head 56 as ink bubble jet head
It is connected to the. On the other hand, the printer control CPU 102 is connected to a printer drive system 114 that controls input driving of the printer.

The reader control CPU 104 is connected to an input system image processing unit 116 that performs necessary correction processing in a reading system such as shading correction, color correction, and γ correction, and a reader unit driving system 118 that controls input driving of the reader. Have been. Furthermore, CCD
The line sensor 120 is connected to the input image processing unit 116 described above, and the input image processing unit 116 is connected to the main image processing unit 106 described above.

Here, the reader unit 12 is composed of the main CPU 100, reader control CPU 104, main image processing unit 106, operation unit 108, input system image processing unit 116, reader unit driving system 118, and CCD line sensor 26 as an image sensor. It is configured. Also, the printer control CPU 102, the synchronous memory 110, the recording head 5
6, and the printer unit drive system 114, the printer unit 20
Is configured.

Next, the configuration of the original extracting unit 126 related to the present invention in the main image processing unit 106 will be described with reference to FIG.

The image extracting unit 126 reads the input image and the multivalued image signal output from the processing unit 116 into the main CPU 100 at regular intervals, and is connected to the first stage of the main image processing unit 106. As shown in FIG. 6, the image extracting unit 126 includes a multiplexer 130 for switching an address signal. The multiplexer 130 is connected to an address counter 134 via an address line 132, and is connected to the main CPU 100 via an address bus line 136. The main CPU 100 is set so that an address bus enable signal 137 is input.

The multiplexer 130 is connected to the image extraction RAM 139 via the address line 138. Further, the image extracting unit 126 includes a data bus gate 144, and the data bus gate 144 is connected to a main bus via a data bus line 140.
CPU 100 is connected.

Further, the data bus gate 144 is connected to the data bus line 141.
The image extraction RAM 139 is connected to the main CPU 100 via a data bus enable signal 148. The address counter 134 uses a sampling clock signal SCLK generated by a timing circuit (not shown) as a clock, and counts up, for example, every 128 pixels.

In such a configuration, the main scanning
The CPU 100 un-enables the data bus enable signal 148 and the address bus enable signal 138, respectively, so that image data read at a fixed cycle can be extracted.
It is written to RAM139. Next, after the main scan is completed, the main CPU 100 outputs the data bus enable signal 148,
Enable the address bus signal 138 to enable main C
The PU 100 reads image data from the image extraction RAM 139.

In the control system configured as above, CC
The image input from the D line sensor 26 is subjected to a correction process in the input system image processing unit 116, and then is processed by the main image processing unit 1
The image is sent to the image extraction RAM 139 in 06, where the image is processed by the main CPU 100 and binarized. The binarized image data is sent to the synchronous memory 110 of the printer unit 20. The image data synchronized in the synchronization memory 110 is sequentially printed on recording paper by the recording head 56.

(Control Operation) Next, in the present embodiment, the main CPU 100 as the control means and the detection means most relevant to the present invention, the printer control CP
The procedure of the copy sequence executed in U102 and the reader control CPU 104 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B.

First, when the operator presses the start key of the operation unit 108 (see FIG. 4), the main CPU 100 reads a copy sequence task (program) from a memory (not shown) and starts a control procedure shown in FIG. First steps
In S1, the main CPU 100 is a reader unit 1 as an image reading unit.
2. Instruct the printer unit 20 as an image recording unit to start a main scanning scan. Next, in step S2, the main CP
U100 confirms the end of the main scanning scan, and proceeds to step S3
Then, the main CPU 100 reads the image data sampled by the image extraction memory 139 and the image data whose copying is prohibited from the internal memory. In step S4, the main CPU 100
Of the read image data and the copy prohibited image data. As a result, when it is determined that the original of the read image data is a normal original, the determination processing in step S5 is negative, and the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the main CPU 100 determines whether all scans have been completed, that is, whether copying has been completed. If all scans have not been completed, the process proceeds to step S7, where sub-scanning is started. Subsequently, after confirming the end of the sub-scanning in step S8, the main CPU 100 returns to step S1. This operation is repeated until the copy is completed. For this reason, image recording of a normal document is performed in parallel with image reading.

Next, a process when the read original is recognized as an unauthorized original in step S5 will be described. When data for several scans is obtained for determining an unauthorized document, the main CPU 100 determines at this point that the read document is an incorrect document. Therefore, when the detection of the unauthorized document is determined, as shown in FIG. 8A, a percentage of the unauthorized image is printed on the recording paper.

In step S9 following step S5, the main CPU 100 rewinds the recording sheet to the recording start position. Next steps
In S10, the main CPU 100 scans the print head 56 to perform solid printing for one scan as shown in FIG.
In step S11, it is determined whether or not solid painting has been completed for all of the illegal print areas. If it is determined that the printing has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S12, the paper is fed in the sub-scanning direction by the print head width, and the process returns to step S10.
The processes in steps S10 to S12 are repeated until all the unauthorized images are painted out.

In order to perform this painting, the main CPU 100 may transmit image data for painting to the printer 102.

Note that the length of a document recorded until an illegal document is detected is at most about four lines. Therefore, even if the operator stops the apparatus and takes out the recording paper, the recorded document is useless.

In the present embodiment, the recording paper is rewound to the leading edge and the illegal image is painted. However, the illegal image may be painted while the recording paper is rewound from the time when the illegal document is detected. That is, when an unauthorized document is detected in the process of step S5 of the control procedure shown in FIG.
In the next step S9 ', solid printing of the current line is performed. The main CPU 100 determines whether or not the solid filling of all the illegal areas has been completed.
The sub-scanning reverse scan of the recording paper is performed in step 1, and the recording paper is rewound by one line.

With the above-described control processing, it is possible to prevent copying of an illegal document.

The following can be further considered as application forms of the present embodiment.

(1) In the above embodiment, the determination of the unauthorized image is made by the main CPU 100.
However, it is also possible to perform this determination processing by a comparator, store only the determination result in the memory, and read it into the main CPU 100.

(2) In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which an illegal image is solid-painted. However, an apparent image, an “X” character image, or the like may be additionally recorded on the illegal image.

(3) When the roll paper cutter 48 is provided as in this example, the CPU 100 instructs to rewind the illegal area to the position of the roll paper cutter 48 and to cut (shred) the illegal area finely with the cutter. You may.

In this case, in the control procedure shown in FIG. 7, the rewind position may be replaced with the roll paper cutter paper position, and solid printing may be replaced with cutting.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a digital color copying machine has been described. It goes without saying that you can do it.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the detection unit detects that the original is a copy prohibiting document such as a bill, for example, the area on the recording medium on which the image has been recorded until then is detected. By the image recording unit, for example, the operation of the image recording unit is controlled by the control unit so as to additionally record a specific image such as painting, so that the normal original is copied or executed as it is, and the copy time is almost the same as the conventional one,
Also, an effect is obtained that forgery due to partial copying of a bill can be prevented.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when an image to be recorded is not to be reproduced faithfully, an image different from the image is recorded to simplify the device configuration,
It is possible to suppress an increase in cost and realize highly accurate document recognition.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a schematic cross section of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a mechanical configuration of an image recording system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the embodiment of the present invention. 7 and 9 are flow charts showing control procedures executed by the main CPU 100 shown in FIG. 6, and FIGS. 8A and 8B show recording examples of the embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view. 100: Main CPU, 139: Image extraction RAM.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image input unit for generating an electric image signal representing an image to be recorded; an image recording unit for recording an image based on an electric color image signal representing the image to be recorded; Detecting means for detecting that an image to be recorded is an image which should not be reproduced faithfully according to the electrical color image signal representing the image to be recorded; and an image which should not be reproduced faithfully by the detecting means. An image recording apparatus, comprising: control means for causing an image recording means to additionally record a specific pattern or solid color on an image already recorded by the image recording means when is detected.