JP4012539B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having an anti-counterfeit function.

  In recent years, due to dramatic performance improvements in color copiers, MFPs (Multi Function Products), color scanners, and color printers, the image quality of copied images has reached a high level that is indistinguishable from that of original images. It is now possible to make faithful copies of the manuscript.

  On the other hand, there is an increased risk of being used for counterfeiting of prohibited items such as banknotes and securities, and various anti-counterfeiting techniques have been developed to prevent such danger.

  As one of such techniques, when an image obtained by reading a document is detected whether a specific image included in banknotes or securities is not included, and the specific image is included There is also a technique for prohibiting image reading and output.

  However, the position and tilt of the document placed on the document table are not constant, and the document itself may be in various states such as wrinkles. If an attempt is made to detect, even an image similar to the specific image may be erroneously detected.

  In order to solve such problems, even in the case of regular copying that is not intended for counterfeiting of banknotes, etc., even if the anti-counterfeiting process malfunctions, the image forming system can cancel the forgery-preventing process and execute copy output Has been proposed, and is specifically configured as shown below.

  If the copy output is prohibited due to a malfunction of the counterfeit prevention process of the copying machine, the customer of the copying machine notifies the control center to that effect.

  The control center that has received the notification notifies the customer management database of the control center of the password managed for each customer of the copying machine.

This is a technique in which a customer of the copying machine inputs the notified password to the copying machine to cancel the forgery prevention process and execute copying output (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-50525 A

  However, in the above-described conventional technology, since the password is disclosed to the customer in order to cancel the forgery prevention process, there is a risk of password leakage to a third party.

  In addition, even if the disclosed password has a limitation on the usable period, if the password once used is leaked, the unauthorized use later by a third party during the usable period Is possible.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus capable of improving the security of a password for canceling a forgery prevention process.

  The present invention presupposes an image forming apparatus that reads an original and prohibits output by an output control means when it detects that the read image data includes specific image data.

  The present invention provides current information acquisition means for acquiring current information when output is prohibited by the output control means; password generation means for generating a password based on the current information acquired by the current information acquisition means; A transmission / reception unit for transmitting image data when output is prohibited by the output control unit and receiving output permission / non-permission information; and a recognition unit for recognizing output permission / non-permission information received by the transmission / reception unit And an output permission image generating means for generating an output permission image in which the password generated by the password generation means is embedded so that the user cannot recognize when the recognition means recognizes the output permission, and the output permission image An output unit that outputs the output permission image generated by the generation unit; a reading unit that reads the output permission image output by the output unit; The extraction means for extracting the password data embedded in the output permission image data read by the means, and whether or not the password extracted by the extraction means matches the password generated by the password generation means Determination means, and the output control means cancels the prohibition of output when the determination means determines that they match.

  The output permission image generation unit may generate an output permission image in which the password generated by the password generation unit is embedded with one of a digital watermark, a two-dimensional code, and a barcode.

  The current information may be current information including at least one of an output sheet counter value and a date and time.

  In this way, when canceling the prohibition of output by anti-counterfeiting processing, the user uses a password unrecognizable, so it is possible to reduce the risk of password leakage to a third party, Password security can be increased.

  In addition, since the password is generated based on the current information when the output is prohibited, the password is not unique, and even if the password once used is leaked, it becomes possible to prevent unauthorized use later. Password security can be increased.

  When canceling the prohibition of output by forgery prevention processing, the password is used unrecognizable by the user, so the risk of password leakage to a third party can be reduced and the security of the password is improved. be able to.

  In addition, since the password is generated based on the current information when the output is prohibited, the password is not unique, and even if the password once used is leaked, it becomes possible to prevent later unauthorized use. Password security can be increased.

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

  FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an image forming system constituting an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a color copying machine, for example, and is connected to an administrator terminal 2 via a network.

  With the above configuration, when the user sets a document on the document table of the image forming apparatus 1 and presses the reading key, the reading unit 3 reads the document (S1).

  The image data read by the reading unit 3 is stored in the image memory 4, and the detection unit 5 refers to the image data in the image memory 4.

  The detection means 5 holds specific image data of characteristic portions of various banknotes and various securities, and compares the specific image data with the image data in the image memory 4 at the time of reference. .

  Here, as a result of the comparison by the detection means 5, if specific image data found in banknotes, securities, etc. is not detected, the output control means 6 indicates that the output of the image data in the image memory 4 is executed. Notify

  Upon receiving the notification that the output is to be executed, the output control means 6 instructs the output means 7 to access the storage location of the image data in the image memory 4, and the image data in the image memory 4 is stored. Output by the output means 7 (S2 → S14). Note that the output may be executed even if there is no notification that the output is executed.

  On the other hand, as a result of the comparison by the detection means 5, when specific image data found in banknotes, securities, etc. is detected, output of the image data in the image memory 4 where the specific image data is detected is prohibited. This is notified to the output control means 6.

  The output control means 6 that has received the notification to prohibit the output prohibits the output means 7 from accessing the storage location of the image data for which output is prohibited in the image memory 4, and The output by the output means 7 of the image data prohibited from being output in the memory 4 is prohibited (S2 → S3).

  Further, the output control means 6 that has received the notification to prohibit the output instructs the current information acquisition means 8 to acquire current information. The current information is, for example, current information such as the output number counter value indicated by the counter built in the output means 7 when the output is prohibited, and the date and time indicated by the clock means 9.

  The current information acquisition unit 8 that has received the instruction acquires the current information (S4), and inputs the acquired current information to the password generation unit 10.

  The password generation unit 10 that has acquired the current information generates a password by arranging the numerical values in the order of the serial number, the output sheet counter value, and the date and time of the image forming apparatus 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 (S5). . It should be noted that the order of arrangement of the serial number, the output sheet counter value, and the date and time value when generating the password is not particularly limited as long as it is determined in advance. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which produces | generates a password by the combination of specific information and single current information like the combination of a serial number and output number counter value, serial number, and date, etc., or a password can be generated with single current information. It is good also as composition to generate.

  When the password generation unit 10 generates a password as described above, the password generation unit 10 notifies the transmission / reception unit 11 that the generation of the password is completed, and determines the password data of the generated password from the determination unit 12 and an output permission image described later. Each is input to the generation means 13 and held.

  Upon receiving the notification that the password generation is complete, the transmission / reception means 11 accesses the storage location of the image data prohibited from output in the image memory 4, and reads and manages the image data prohibited from output. To the user terminal 2 (S6).

  The administrator who has received the image data whose output is prohibited by the transmission / reception unit 14 of the administrator terminal 2 confirms, for example, the image displayed on the display / input unit 15 of the administrator terminal 2 by visual observation. .

  When the administrator performs visual confirmation and outputs permission / non-permission information indicating whether output is permitted or not by the display / input means 15, the transmission / reception means 14 displays the permission / non-permission information of the input output. The transmission / reception unit 11 that has transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 and received the transmitted permission / inhibition information inputs the permission / inhibition information to the recognition unit 16.

  Here, the recognizing means 16 holds identification information for distinguishing output permission and output non-permission, and compares the held identification information with the input permission non-permission information for output. Recognize whether the output is permitted or not.

  When the recognition means 16 recognizes that output is not permitted, as shown in FIG. 4, the recognition means 16 displays on the display means 17 that output is not permitted and ends the processing (S7 → S16).

  On the other hand, when the recognizing means 16 recognizes that the output is permitted, as shown in FIG. 5, the display means 17 displays a guidance message indicating that the output is permitted and the subsequent processing procedure (S7 → S8). ) Instructing the output permission image generation means 13 to generate the output permission image 20 necessary for canceling the prohibition of output by the forgery prevention process.

  Upon receiving the instruction to generate the output permission image, the output permission image generation means 13 outputs the password data of the password generated by the password generation means 10 embedded in the image data of the guidance message held in advance with a digital watermark. A permission image 20 is generated (S9).

  The output permission image 20 is, for example, an image in which a password is embedded in an image of a guidance message as shown in FIG. 6 with a digital watermark that cannot be perceived by humans, and the user cannot recognize the password.

  When the generation of the output permission image 20 is completed, the output permission image generation means 13 stores the image data of the output permission image 20 in the image memory 4 and the image data of the output permission image 20 in the image memory 4. Storage location information and the output control means 6 are notified of the completion of generation of the output permission image 20.

  Upon receiving the notification that the generation of the output permission image 20 has been completed, the output control means 6 accesses the output means 7 to the storage location of the notified image data of the output permission image 20 in the image memory 4. And the output means 7 outputs the image data of the output permission image 20 in the image memory 4 (S10).

  When the user who has acquired the output-permitted document output as described above sets the output-permitted document on the document table and presses the permission reading key according to the guidance message described in the output-permitted document, the reading unit 3 The output-permitted document with the password embedded in the electronic watermark is read (S11).

  When the reading unit 3 reads the output-permitted document, the read output-permitted image data is input to the extraction unit 18, and the extraction unit 18 receives the password data embedded in the input output-permitted image data. Extract (S12).

  When the password data is extracted, the extraction unit 18 inputs the extracted password data to the determination unit 12.

  At this time, the determination unit 12 determines whether or not the password generated by the password generation unit 10 matches the password extracted by the extraction unit 18 (S13).

  If it is determined in the determination process S12 that the passwords do not match, such as when a document different from the regular output permitted document is read, the process ends.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in the determination process S12 that they match, the determination means 12 notifies the output control means 6 that the prohibition of output is to be released.

  The output control means 6 that has received the notification to cancel the prohibition of the output releases the access to the storage destination of the image data prohibited from the output in the image memory 4 to the output means 7. The prohibition of the output by the output means 7 of the image data prohibited from the output in the image memory 4 is canceled (S14).

  As described above, when the prohibition of output is canceled, the output means 7 accesses the storage location of the image data whose prohibition of output in the image memory 4 is canceled, and outputs the output in the image memory 4. The image data for which the prohibition is canceled is output (S15).

  In this way, when canceling the prohibition of output by anti-counterfeiting processing, the user uses a password unrecognizable, so it is possible to reduce the risk of password leakage to a third party, Password security can be increased.

  In addition, since the password is generated based on the current information when the output is prohibited, the password is not unique, and even if the password once used is leaked, it becomes possible to prevent later unauthorized use. Password security can be increased.

  In the above-described embodiment, the output permission image generation unit 13 has been described as being configured to embed a password with a digital watermark, but may be configured to be embedded with a two-dimensional code, a barcode, or the like.

  Also, apart from the configuration in which the user as described in the above embodiment reads the output permission document and cancels the prohibition of output by the forgery prevention process, the serviceman manually inputs the password on the spot, Of course, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the prohibition of output by the forgery prevention process can be canceled and the user can select which configuration to use.

  In this case, the service person visits the image forming apparatus 1 to obtain current information, and the password obtained by arranging the current information based on the same arrangement order as that performed by the password generation unit 10 determined in advance. May be configured to input.

  The configurations described in the above embodiments merely show specific examples, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Any configuration can be employed within the scope of the effects of the present application.

  Since it is possible to improve the security of the password for canceling the forgery prevention process, the image forming apparatus having a forgery prevention function is useful.

FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram illustrating an image forming system included in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a password. It is a figure which shows a display screen. It is a figure which shows a display screen. It is a figure which shows the example of an output permission image.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 3 Reading means 4 Image memory 5 Detection means 6 Output control means 7 Output means 8 Current information acquisition means 9 Clock means 10 Password generation means 11 Transmission / reception means 12 Determination means 13 Output permission image generation means 16 Recognition means 17 Display means 18 Extraction means

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus that reads an original and prohibits output by an output control means when detecting that the read image data includes specific image data.
Current information acquisition means for acquiring current information when output is prohibited by the output control means;
Password generating means for generating a password based on the current information acquired by the current information acquiring means;
Transmission / reception means for transmitting image data when output is prohibited by the output control means and receiving permission / non-permission information of output;
Recognizing means for recognizing output permission / non-permission information received by the transmitting / receiving means;
An output permission image generation means for generating an output permission image in which a password generated by the password generation means is embedded in an unrecognizable manner when the recognition means recognizes output permission;
Output means for outputting the output permission image generated by the output permission image generation means;
Reading means for reading the output permission image output by the output means;
Extraction means for extracting password data embedded in the output-permitted image data read by the reading means;
Determining means for determining whether or not the password extracted by the extracting means and the password generated by the password generating means match,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output control unit cancels the prohibition of output when the determination unit determines that they match.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output permission image generation unit generates an output permission image in which the password generated by the password generation unit is embedded with one of a digital watermark, a two-dimensional code, and a barcode. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current information is current information including at least one of an output number counter value and a date.