JP6504411B2 - Image reader - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image reading equipment.

  Since paper money, securities, etc. may be illegally reproduced, a tracking pattern may be embedded in the printed matter in order to make the printed matter traceable.

  An image forming apparatus prints an identification information pattern using magnetic toner and embeds tracking information in a printed matter (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2010-197818

  However, as described above, the identification information pattern by the magnetic toner is read by the magnetic sensor, and the read identification information pattern is embedded in another print by using the printing apparatus capable of using the magnetic toner, whereby the illegal print is It will be generated. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately specify whether the printed matter in which the identification information pattern is embedded is valid.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to obtain an image reading equipment which document predetermined magnetic additional data is embedded to accurately identify whether or not legitimate Do.

The image reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises an automatic document feeder, an image reading unit that optically reads an image of a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder, and a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder. A magnetic sensor for reading a magnetic code pattern printed, an optical image data acquisition unit for acquiring optical image data of an image of the document optically read by the image reading unit, and the read by the magnetic sensor A magnetic image data acquisition unit for acquiring magnetic image data of a magnetic code pattern, a magnetic code decoding unit for decoding the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit into magnetic additional data, and the optical image data To detect an image code pattern in the original and add an image to the detected image code pattern An image code decoding unit for decoding into data, a data combining unit for correlating the additional magnetic data, and the additional image data detected at the same position as the additional magnetic data in the original document; When a pair of the additional image data and the additional magnetic data associated with each other by the data coupling unit matches a pair of reference magnetic additional data, it is determined that the document is valid. And a data collating unit. Further, (A) the magnetic code pattern is printed at a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document, and the magnetic sensor is configured to specify the document in the main scanning direction in the transport path of the automatic document feeder. Or (B) the automatic document feeder is configured to read the document conveyance speed when the magnetic code pattern is read by the magnetic sensor, the magnetic code by the magnetic sensor, and Make it slower than the default transport speed when not reading the pattern.

Further, the image reading apparatus according to the present invention includes an automatic document feeder, an image reading unit which optically reads an image of a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder, and an image reader carried by the automatic document feeder. A magnetic sensor for reading a magnetic code pattern printed on a document, an optical image data acquisition unit for acquiring optical image data of an image of the document optically read by the image reading unit, and a magnetic sensor A magnetic image data acquisition unit for acquiring magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern, a magnetic code decoding unit for decoding the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit into magnetic additional data, and the optical image data A data coupling unit for correlating the data and the additional magnetic data, reference optical image data and reference magnetic A data collating unit that determines that the document is valid if the pair of optical image data and the magnetically additional data mutually associated by the data coupling unit match the data pair; And Further, (A) the magnetic code pattern is printed at a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document, and the magnetic sensor is configured to specify the document in the main scanning direction in the transport path of the automatic document feeder. Or (B) the automatic document feeder is configured to read the document conveyance speed when the magnetic code pattern is read by the magnetic sensor, the magnetic code by the magnetic sensor, and Make it slower than the default transport speed when not reading the pattern.

  According to the present invention, it is accurately specified whether or not a document in which predetermined magnetic additional data is embedded is valid.

  The above or other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an internal configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the positions of the image code pattern and the magnetic code pattern in the document used in the second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Embodiment 1

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing an internal configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus such as a scanner, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine.

  The image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has contact glasses 1 a and 1 b, carriages 2 and 3, an imaging lens 4, an image sensor 5, a white reference patch 6, and a document cover 7.

  The contact glass 1a is disposed on the upper surface of the image processing apparatus main body, and a document is placed when image reading is performed without using the automatic document feeder 8 of the document cover 7.

  The contact glass 1b is disposed on the upper surface of the main body of the image processing apparatus, and when the document is automatically conveyed by the automatic document feeder 8 of the document cover 7, the document passes above when the image is read. .

  When the automatic document feeder 8 passes a document so as to pass over the contact glass 1 b, and the image reading unit 21 passes over the image of the document conveyed by the automatic document feeder 8 over the contact glass 1 b Read optically.

  In the image reading unit 21, the carriage 2 is installed so as to be movable in the sub scanning direction by a drive source (not shown). The carriage 2 has a light source 11 and a mirror 12. The light source 11 is disposed along the main scanning direction, and emits light using, for example, a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged. The light emitted from the light source 11 is reflected by an original placed on the contact glass 1a, an original passing on the contact glass 1b, or the like according to the position of the carriage 2. The mirror 12 reflects light reflected from a document or the like. When image reading of a document is performed using the automatic document feeder 8 of the document cover 7, the carriage 2 is fixedly disposed under the contact glass 1b.

  Further, the carriage 3 is installed movably in the sub scanning direction together with the carriage 2 by a drive source (not shown). The carriage 3 has mirrors 13 and 14. The mirrors 13 and 14 reflect the light from the mirror 12 of the carriage 2 and emit it along the sub-scanning direction.

  The imaging lens 4 focuses the light from the mirror 14 on the image sensor 5. The image sensor 5 is a one-dimensional image sensor having light receiving elements of a predetermined number of pixels arranged in the main scanning direction, and outputs, for each line, an electric signal corresponding to the amount of light received for the number of pixels. As the image sensor 5, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is used.

  The white reference patch 6 is a plate-like member disposed on the top surface inside the device and used to acquire white reference data.

  The document cover 7 is a member rotatably mounted on the contact glass 1a so that the document can be in surface contact with the contact glass 1a, and the document is closely attached to the contact glass 1a. To prevent. Further, the document cover 7 is provided with an automatic document feeder 8 which conveys the documents placed on the document tray 7a one by one by the conveyance roller 7b and passes over the contact glass 1b.

  Furthermore, the automatic document feeder 8 is provided with a magnetic sensor 7c.

  The magnetic sensor 7 c reads the magnetic code pattern printed on the document conveyed by the automatic document feeder 8. The magnetic sensor 7c is a magnetic head that detects a change in magnetic intensity in the measurement area, and detects a change in magnetic intensity accompanying the passage of the magnetic code pattern.

  In the first embodiment, the magnetic code pattern is printed with magnetic toner at a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document, and the magnetic sensor 7 c is in the main scanning direction of the document in the transport path of the automatic document feeder 8. It is arranged at a position corresponding to a specific position.

  That is, the width (width in the main scanning direction) of the magnetic sensor 7c is narrower than the width (width in the main scanning direction) of the document, and the magnetic sensor 7c is provided only at the location where the magnetic code pattern passes in the main scanning direction. There is.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  The image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 further includes a controller 22 and a storage device 23.

  The controller 22 includes a processor that executes a program, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the like, and an optical image data acquisition unit 31, a magnetic image data acquisition unit 32, a magnetic code decode unit 33, a data combination unit 34, and a data comparison unit Acts as 35. The storage device 23 is a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory, and stores reference data 41. The reference data 41 includes a pair of reference image data and reference magnetic additional data.

  In this embodiment, the controller 22 is capable of adjusting the document transport speed by the automatic document feeder 8, and the automatic document feeder 8 determines the document transport speed when the magnetic code pattern is read by the magnetic sensor 7c. Or lower than the default transport speed when the magnetic code pattern is not read by the magnetic sensor 7c. By doing this, the reading error of the magnetic code pattern is reduced.

  The optical image data acquisition unit 31 acquires optical image data of an image of a document optically read by the image reading unit 21.

  The magnetic image data acquisition unit 32 acquires magnetic image data of a magnetic code pattern magnetically read by the magnetic sensor 7 c. The magnetic image data has, for example, a value obtained by binarizing the magnetic intensity detected at each position of the measurement area of the magnetic sensor 7c.

  The magnetic code decoding unit 33 decodes the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit 32 into magnetic additional data. For example, the magnetic code pattern has a shape of a one-dimensional bar code disposed along the sub scanning direction (the document conveyance direction), and based on the presence or absence of the magnetic detection of the magnetic sensor 7c at each position. Magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern is acquired.

  The data combining unit 34 associates the optical image data described above with the magnetic additional data described above.

  The data collating unit 35 matches the pair of the optical image data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the data combining unit 34 with the reference optical image data and the reference magnetic additional data in the reference data 41. To determine that the manuscript is valid.

  On the other hand, when the reference data 31 does not have a pair of reference optical image data and reference magnetic additional data that matches the above-described pair of optical image data and magnetic additional data, the data collating unit 35 determines that the document is valid. It is not determined.

  Next, the operation of the image reading apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described.

  The user places an original on the original tray 7a and performs a predetermined user operation on an operation panel (not shown). When the controller 22 receives the user operation, the controller 22 uses the automatic document feeder 8 to start conveying the document.

  Then, the optical image data acquisition unit 31 acquires image data of an image of an optically readable document based on an output signal from the image reading unit 21.

  Further, the magnetic image data acquisition unit 32 acquires magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern of the magnetically readable document based on the output signal from the magnetic sensor 7c. The magnetic code decoder 33 decodes the magnetic image data into magnetic additional data. For example, the magnetic additional data includes identification information of a document or a document creator, date information, version information, and the like.

  Then, the data combining unit 34 associates the optical image data described above with the magnetic additional data described above.

  The data collating unit 35 matches the pair of the optical image data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the data combining unit 34 with the reference optical image data and the reference magnetic additional data in the reference data 41. To determine that the manuscript is valid.

  On the other hand, if there is no pair of reference optical image data and reference magnetic additional data that matches the pair of optical image data and magnetic additional data described above, the data collating unit 35 determines that the document is not valid. Do.

  Then, the data collating unit 35 displays, for example, a determination result indicating whether the document is valid on an operation panel (not shown).

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the magnetic sensor 7c reads the magnetic code pattern printed on the document conveyed by the automatic document feeder 8, and the optical image data acquisition unit 31 receives the image The optical image data of the image of the document optically read by the reading unit 21 is acquired, and the magnetic image data acquisition unit 32 acquires magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern read by the magnetic sensor 7 c. The magnetic code decoding unit 33 decodes the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit 32 into magnetic additional data. The data combining unit 34 associates the optical image data and the magnetic additional data with each other, and the data collating unit 35 generates the optical data associated with each other by the data combining unit 34 for the reference optical image data and the reference magnetic additional data. If the pair of the image data and the magnetic additional data match, it is determined that the document is valid.

  As a result, since the magnetic additional data is associated with the optical image data, in the case of a non-regular document, even if the magnetic code pattern is added to another document, the optical image data is different. It is determined not to be a thing. In this way, it is accurately specified whether or not the original in which the predetermined magnetic additional data is embedded is valid.

Second Embodiment

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the controller 22 further operates as an image code decoding unit 51. The image code decoding unit 51 detects and detects an optically readable image code pattern (one-dimensional bar code, two-dimensional code such as QR code (registered trademark), etc.) in a document based on optical image data. The decoded image code pattern is decoded into image additional data.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the positions of the image code pattern and the magnetic code pattern in the document used in the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of a regular original document 101, an image code pattern 111 and a magnetic code pattern 112 are printed at the same position. For example, the magnetic code pattern 112 is optically printed at a low density so as not to interfere with the optical reading of the image code pattern 111. Also, for example, since the magnetic code pattern 112 is generally black, the image code pattern 111 has, for example, a chromatic color and a high optical density so as not to interfere with the optical reading of the image code pattern 111. It is printed.

  Further, for the normal document 101, the reference image additional data obtained by decoding the image code pattern 111 and the reference magnetic additional data obtained by decoding the magnetic code pattern 112 are associated in advance, and In the second embodiment, the reference data 41 includes a pair of the reference image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data. The reference image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data may have the same value.

  In the second embodiment, the data combining unit 34 associates the magnetic additional data obtained from the original with the additional image data detected at the same position as the magnetic additional data in the original.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the data collating unit 35 adds the additional image data and additional magnetic data associated with each other by the data combining unit 34 to the reference image additional data in the reference data 41 and the reference magnetic additional data. If there is a match, it is determined that the manuscript is valid.

  On the other hand, when there is no pair of reference image additional data and reference magnetic additional data that matches the above-described image additional data and magnetic additional data, data collating unit 35 determines that the document is not valid. Do.

  Then, the data collating unit 35 displays, for example, a determination result indicating whether the document is valid on an operation panel (not shown).

  When the image code pattern is not detected at the same position as the magnetic code pattern in the document, the data collating unit 35 determines that the document is not valid.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, image code decoding unit 51 detects an image code pattern in a document based on optical image data, and decodes the detected image code pattern into image additional data. . The data combining unit 34 associates the magnetic additional data with the additional image data detected at the same position as the magnetic additional data in the document. The data collating unit 35 determines that the document is valid if the pair of the image additional data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the data combining unit 34 match the pair of the reference image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data. Determined to be

  Thereby, since the magnetically added data is associated with the image additional data, in the case of a non-normal document, the image additional data is different even if the magnetic code pattern is added to another document, such a document is valid. It is determined not to be a thing. In this way, it is accurately specified whether or not the original in which the predetermined magnetic additional data is embedded is valid.

Third Embodiment

  The image reading system according to the third embodiment includes a server connected to a network such as the Internet or a local area network, and an image reading apparatus connected to the network. In the third embodiment, the data collating unit 35 and the reference data 41 in the first embodiment are provided not in the image reading apparatus but in the server.

  The server includes, for example, a computer that executes a server program and a storage device similar to the storage device 23, and includes a data collating unit 35 similar to the first embodiment that is realized by the computer. Also, reference data 41 is stored in the storage device of the server. The image reading apparatus in the third embodiment includes components other than the data collating unit 35 in the image reading apparatus according to the first embodiment. Then, in the third embodiment, the data combining unit 34 of the image reading apparatus associates the magnetic additional data with the additional image data detected at the same position as the magnetic additional data in the document, and transmits the additional data to the server. The data collating unit 35 of the server receives the pair of the additional image data and the additional magnetic data associated with each other by the data combining unit 34, and the pair of the standard image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data in the reference data. On the other hand, if the pair of the image additional data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the data combining unit 34 match, it is determined that the original is valid, and if not, the original Is determined not to be valid, and the determination result is transmitted to the image reading apparatus.

  The other operations of the image reading apparatus in the third embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

Fourth Embodiment

  The image reading system according to the fourth embodiment includes a server connected to a network such as the Internet or a local area network, and an image reading apparatus connected to the network. In the third embodiment, the data collating unit 35 and the reference data 41 in the second embodiment are provided not in the image reading apparatus but in the server.

  The server includes, for example, a computer that executes a server program and a storage device similar to the storage device 23, and includes a data collating unit 35 similar to the second embodiment that is realized by the computer. Also, reference data 41 is stored in the storage device of the server. The image reading apparatus in the fourth embodiment includes components other than the data collating unit 35 in the image reading apparatus according to the second embodiment. Then, in the fourth embodiment, the data combining unit 34 of the image reading apparatus associates the optical image data and the magnetic additional data with each other and transmits them to the server, and the data collating unit 35 of the server combines the data combining unit 34. And the pair of optical image data and magnetic additional data mutually associated with each other, and for the pair of reference optical image data and reference magnetic additional data, the optical image data and magnetic mutually associated by the data combining unit 34 If the pair with the additional data matches, it is determined that the document is valid; otherwise, it is determined that the document is not valid, and the determination result is transmitted to the image reading apparatus Do.

  The other operations of the image reading apparatus in the fourth embodiment are the same as those in the second embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  Note that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing the intended advantages. That is, such changes and modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the claims.

  For example, in the first and second embodiments, the data collating unit 35 determines that the document is valid by using the reference data 41 stored in the storage device 23. The reference data 41 may be stored, and the data collating unit 35 may download the reference data 41 from the server and use it.

  Further, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the data collating unit 35 is an optical image data associated with each other by the data combining unit 34 with respect to a pair of reference optical image data and reference magnetic additional data. It is determined whether the pair of the magnetic image data and the magnetic additional data matches, the pair of the optical image data and the magnetic additional data matches, and the data combination is performed for the reference image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data pair If the pair of the image additional data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the unit 34 match, it is determined that the document is valid, and if not, the document is not valid It may be determined.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the data collating unit 35 uses the reference data indicating the normal position of the magnetic code pattern in the image based on the optical image data to generate the magnetic code pattern in the image of the document. The position where the document is detected may be compared with the normal position indicated by the reference data, and in addition to the above-described conditions, it may be determined that the document is valid only when the both match.

  The present invention is applicable to, for example, authenticity verification of a manuscript for which copying is prohibited.

7c Magnetic Sensor 8 Automatic Document Feeder 21 Image Reading Unit 31 Optical Image Data Acquisition Unit 32 Magnetic Image Data Acquisition Unit 33 Magnetic Code Decode Unit 34 Data Combination Unit 35 Data Verification Unit 51 Image Code Decode Unit

Claims (4)

Automatic document feeder,
An image reading unit that optically reads an image of a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
A magnetic sensor for reading a magnetic code pattern printed on a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
An optical image data acquisition unit that acquires optical image data of an image of the document optically read by the image reading unit;
A magnetic image data acquisition unit that acquires magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern read by the magnetic sensor;
A magnetic code decoding unit that decodes the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit into magnetic additional data;
An image code decoding unit that detects an image code pattern in the original based on the optical image data and decodes the detected image code pattern into image additional data;
A data combining unit for mutually associating the magnetic additional data and the image additional data detected at the same position as the magnetic additional data in the document;
When a pair of the additional image data and the additional magnetic data associated with each other by the data combining unit matches a pair of the reference image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data, the document is valid. A data collating unit that determines that
Equipped with
The magnetic code pattern is printed at a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document.
The magnetic sensor is disposed at a position corresponding to a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document on the transport path of the automatic document feeder.
An image reading apparatus characterized by Automatic document feeder,
An image reading unit that optically reads an image of a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
A magnetic sensor for reading a magnetic code pattern printed on a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
An optical image data acquisition unit that acquires optical image data of an image of the document optically read by the image reading unit;
A magnetic image data acquisition unit that acquires magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern read by the magnetic sensor;
A magnetic code decoding unit that decodes the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit into magnetic additional data;
A data coupling unit for mutually associating the optical image data and the magnetic additional data;
When a pair of the optical image data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the data coupling unit matches a pair of the reference optical image data and the reference magnetic additional data, the document is valid. A data collating unit that determines that
Equipped with
The magnetic code pattern is printed at a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document.
The magnetic sensor is disposed at a position corresponding to a specific position in the main scanning direction of the document on the transport path of the automatic document feeder.
An image reading apparatus characterized by Automatic document feeder,
An image reading unit that optically reads an image of a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
A magnetic sensor for reading a magnetic code pattern printed on a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
An optical image data acquisition unit that acquires optical image data of an image of the document optically read by the image reading unit;
A magnetic image data acquisition unit that acquires magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern read by the magnetic sensor;
A magnetic code decoding unit that decodes the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit into magnetic additional data;
An image code decoding unit that detects an image code pattern in the original based on the optical image data and decodes the detected image code pattern into image additional data;
A data combining unit for mutually associating the magnetic additional data and the image additional data detected at the same position as the magnetic additional data in the document;
When a pair of the additional image data and the additional magnetic data associated with each other by the data combining unit matches a pair of the reference image additional data and the reference magnetic additional data, the document is valid. A data collating unit that determines that
Equipped with
The automatic document feeder makes the conveyance speed of the document when reading the magnetic code pattern by the magnetic sensor slower than the default conveyance speed when the magnetic code pattern is not read by the magnetic sensor.
Images reader said. Automatic document feeder,
An image reading unit that optically reads an image of a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
A magnetic sensor for reading a magnetic code pattern printed on a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder;
An optical image data acquisition unit that acquires optical image data of an image of the document optically read by the image reading unit;
A magnetic image data acquisition unit that acquires magnetic image data of the magnetic code pattern read by the magnetic sensor;
A magnetic code decoding unit that decodes the magnetic image data acquired by the magnetic image data acquisition unit into magnetic additional data;
A data coupling unit for mutually associating the optical image data and the magnetic additional data;
When a pair of the optical image data and the magnetic additional data mutually associated by the data coupling unit matches a pair of the reference optical image data and the reference magnetic additional data, the document is valid. A data collating unit that determines that
Equipped with
The automatic document feeder makes the conveyance speed of the document when reading the magnetic code pattern by the magnetic sensor slower than the default conveyance speed when the magnetic code pattern is not read by the magnetic sensor .
Images reader said.

Images