JPH0290188A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively prevent a banknote, etc., from being forged by providing a detecting means detecting, based on the output pattern of an image signal, that an original is one of papers inhibited from being read and recorded, an output signal control means, and a warning output means. CONSTITUTION:Based on the output pattern of the image signal from an image reading means A, the detecting means B detects that the original is one of the papers inhibited from being read and recorded; according to the detection, the output signal control means C inhibits the image signal from outputted to an outside recording means G. At the same time the warning output means D outputs warning message by using at least one of a character display means E, a voice producing means F, and the outside recording means G. This prevents banknote, etc., from being forged and gives an operator awareness that reading a banknote, etc., is an illegal action.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image reading device having a function of preventing forgery of paper sheets whose duplication is prohibited, such as banknotes, securities, and various coupons.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in an image reading device that reads a document image as an electrical image signal using an image sensor configured with a solid-state image sensor such as a C0D (charge-coupled device), regardless of the uniqueness of the document image, The image signal was output to an external recording device such as a laser beam printer.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with such conventional devices, even if the original is a banknote, all the image signals read and processed by the image sensor are output to an external recording device such as a printer. In particular, when the image sensor has a color separation filter, the output color signal of the image sensor is
Color image reading devices that perform appropriate color image signal processing have extremely low resolution and gradation reproduction capabilities for color information in original images, so it is difficult to read paper sheets that are prohibited from being copied, such as banknotes. It was possible to forge it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks and can effectively prevent counterfeiting of banknotes and the like.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image reading means for reading an image of a document and outputting an electrical image signal, and an image reading means for reading an image of a document and outputting an electrical image signal, A detection means for detecting that the paper sheet is prohibited from being read and recorded; an output signal control means for prohibiting the output of an image signal to an external recording means according to the detection by the detection means; and a detection means for the detection means. The present invention is characterized by comprising a warning output means for outputting a warning message using at least one of a character display means, a sound generation means, and an external recording means in accordance with the above.

[Function] With the above configuration, the present invention detects, based on the output pattern of the image signal from the image reading means, that the original is a paper sheet for which reading and recording (copying) is prohibited by the detection means, In response to this detection, the output signal control means prohibits (stops) the output of the image signal to the external recording means, and at the same time, the warning output means outputs at least one of the character display means, the sound generation means, and the external recording means. Since a warning message is output using one of the above methods, counterfeiting of banknotes, etc. is prevented, and the operator is made aware that counterfeiting is an illegal act so that he/she will not attempt to read banknotes, etc. ever again. be able to.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, A is an image reading means for reading an image of a document and outputting an electrical image signal.

Reference numeral B denotes a detection means for detecting, based on the output pattern of image No. 13, that the above-mentioned document is a paper sheet for which reading and recording are prohibited. C is an output signal control means for prohibiting the output of the image signal to the external recording means G in response to the detection by the detection means B. D is a warning output means for outputting a warning message using at least one of the character display means E, the sound generation means F, and the external recording means G in response to the detection by the detection means B.

A. First Embodiment FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a signal processing circuit of a color image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 1 is a document scanning unit that reads a document image and outputs an electrical image signal, and a color reading sensor (CCD sensor) 11 with a color separation color filter that reads a color image by photoelectric conversion; It has a CCD driver 12 that drives this sensor 11, an exposure lamp (not shown), etc., and these are integrally moved back and forth in the sub-scanning direction by a not-shown document scanning motor to perform document reading and scanning. 2 is a video processing unit that processes the image signal of the original read by the sensor 11 into a recordable image signal;
The analog processor 3 includes a digital processor 4 and an output signal control circuit 5 that stops outputting the image signal. It consists of a ^/D (analog-to-digital) converter 14 that digitizes it into a digital image signal. The digital processor 4 also includes an A/D converter 14.
FIFO that temporarily stores the digital image signal output from
It consists of a (fast-in/fast-out) memory 15, a black correction/white correction circuit (not shown) which will be described later, and a digital signal processing circuit 16 which performs various correction processes and the like which will be described later.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a banknote pattern detection circuit that determines whether a document is a banknote or not by comparing coefficients based on characteristic patterns, and extracts the characteristic pattern of the output image signal of the black correction/white correction circuit and outputs a similarity coefficient. The degree of correlation is determined by comparing the similarity coefficient from the computing unit 18 and the pattern memory 20, which stores reference values based on the characteristic patterns of various banknotes, with the reference values from the pattern memories 20). It has a comparator 19 that performs. Reference numeral 7 denotes a system control pulse generator that generates various timing signals necessary to drive the sensor 11 and the like, and divides and outputs a pulse signal of a constant period oscillated from the oscillator 517.

8 is a display device for outputting and displaying warning information based on the determination result of the detection circuit 6;
1 and a display controller 22 that drives a display section 21. Reference numeral 9 denotes a system controller (CPU) that controls the entire calculation of the wood device, and is composed of a microcomputer and the like. 1O is an electrophotographic color laser beam printer (LBP) that reproduces and records a color image of toner on transfer paper (paper) based on a video signal supplied from the video processing unit 2.

In the above configuration, the document platen glass (original 1F) shown in the figure is
The original document placed on the document scanning unit 1 is first irradiated with an exposure lamp (not shown), and the reflected light passes through an imaging optical system (not shown) and is sent to the color reading sensor (CCD sensor) 11 in the original scanning unit 1. Each image (one screen at a time) is separated into R (red IG (green) and B (blue)) and read. At this time, the pulses of the CCD driver 12 supply pulse signals to drive the color reading sensor 11. The source is generated by the system control pulse generator 7.The color reading sensor 11 used in this example has one pixel of 62.5 μm (1/16 mm) in order to read the main scanning direction divided into five parts. 97G pixels, that is, 1 pixel is G in the main scanning direction.

Since it is divided into 3 parts by B and R, the total is 1024X3=
It has 3072 effective pixels.

The first sensor drive pulse (ODRV) 502 output from the COD driver 12 is applied to the color reading sensor 11.
The second sensor driving pulse (EDRV) 501 outputted from the CCD driver 12 is supplied to the 1st and 3.5th sensors 26°28.30 in the color reading sensor 11 and is supplied to the 2nd and 4th sensor 27 in the color reading sensor 11. .29, and from each of these sensors 26, 27, 28, 29.30,
Video signals v1 to v5 are independently output in synchronization with the drive pulses and input to the video processing unit 2 through coaxial cables 503 to 507.

The 5ch sensor signals Vl-V5 inputted to the video processing unit 2 are inputted to an analog signal processing circuit 13 having a sample hold circuit, a gain control amplifier, an offset control amplifier, etc.
The white level when reading a standard white board (not shown) is amplified by the above gain control amplifier until it reaches a predetermined level, and the black level when reading a standard black board (not shown) is amplified by the above offset control amplifier. The signal is amplified by varying the DC level until it reaches a predetermined level, and then inputted to the next stage A/D converter 14 as a signal within a dynamic range to become a digital image signal.

The dot-sequential color signals 508 to 512 of each channel digitally converted by the A/D converter 14 enter the digital processor 4, and the FIFO memory 15 connects the images between the channels, and the dot-sequential color signal of each channel is converted into R. , G, resulting in a parallel signal of 83 colors.

Next, R and G are read out from the FIFO memory 15.

Each of the B digital color signals enters a black correction/white correction circuit (not shown in FIG. 2), where black and white output variations are removed. The three-color image signals (513 to 515) that have been subjected to black correction and white correction then enter the digital signal processing circuit 16, and are sent to a logarithmic conversion circuit, CCOCC, which converts the luminance data in this processing circuit 16 into density data.
Spectral characteristic correction circuit (manual masking circuit) of the color separation filter of the sensor, image data of each color component Yi, Mi, Ci
The minimum value Mfn(Yi,
Under color removal (l]CR) that calculates the amount of each coloring material (Mi, Ci) and uses this as black data to reduce the amount of each coloring material added according to the black component added in the black inking circuit and black toner circuit that adds black toner later.
circuit, and color toner (Y.

The image is processed through the unnecessary absorption characteristic correction circuit (output masking circuit) of M and C).

Further, the three color image signals (513 to 515) subjected to black correction and white correction in the black correction/white correction circuit described above also enter the detection circuit 6 at the same time. In this detection circuit 6, first, an arithmetic unit 18 receives manually input three color image signals (513 to 515).
performs calculations to extract feature patterns and outputs similarity coefficients. If the comparator 19 compares this output similarity coefficient with the standard values of various banknotes stored in advance in the pattern memory 20 and determines that there is a correlation, then
The result of determining whether there is a correlation is output to the CPU data bus 523. The CPt 19 disables the output signal control circuit 5 from the CPU data bus 523 in accordance with the determination result of the comparator 19 so as not to output the image signal to the external color printer 10, and also disables the output signal control circuit 5 from outputting the image signal to the external color printer 10.
By sending a signal to the display controller 22 of
A message meaning a warning, for example, ``Copying of banknotes is prohibited.'' is displayed on the display section 21, thereby instructing the operator to prevent forgery of banknotes and with a warning.

B. Second Embodiment In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, the warning information is output to a display device such as a liquid crystal display, but the warning information may also be given to the operator by voice instead of the display device. good. An example of the configuration of the signal processing circuit in this case is shown in FIG.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, if the detection circuit 6 determines that there is a correlation based on the comparison result between the butter of the human image signal and the reference value of various banknotes stored in the pattern memory 20, the determination result that there is a correlation is determined. CPU data bus 523
Output to. According to the determination result input from the CPU data bus 523, the CPt 19 disables the output signal control circuit 5 so as not to output the image signal to the external color printer IO, and also sends the signal ( 524) to the speech synthesis circuit 2.
3, an audio pattern signal (525) with contents representing a pre-stored warning is generated, and this audio pattern signal is output as a sound by the speaker 24 to give a warning to the operator.

C8 Third Embodiment Also, when a color printer IO is connected, warning information may be output on transfer paper. An example of the configuration of the signal processing circuit in this case is shown in FIG.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, if the detection circuit 6 determines that there is a correlation based on the comparison result between the pattern of the human image signal and the reference value of various banknotes recorded in the pattern memory 2o, it is determined that there is a correlation. The determination result is output to the CPU data bus 523. In accordance with the above-mentioned determination result manually input from this cPU bus 523, the CPU 9 enables the add-on circuit 25 and outputs the human input image (character data (527) of warning information synchronized with No. 3) to the output signal control circuit 5. In addition, the output signal control circuit 5 prohibits the output of the human-powered image signal to the external color printer 1O, and allows the output of character data (common text) from the add-on circuit 25 to the external color printer 10. Then, a warning is given to the operator as text information formed on the transfer paper.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the original is a paper sheet whose reading and recording (copying) are prohibited by the detection means based on the output pattern of the image signal from the image reading means. In response to this detection, the output signal control means prohibits (stops) the output of the image signal to the external recording means, and at the same time, the warning output means controls the character display means,
By using at least one of the sound generation means and the external recording means to output the GI warning message, counterfeiting of banknotes, etc. is prevented, and the counterfeiting of banknotes, etc., is prevented, and the forgery of banknotes is prohibited to the operator. This has the effect of being able to be recognized so as to prevent reading such as the above from occurring again.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a signal processing circuit of an image reading device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a signal processing circuit of an image reading apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12... CCD driver, 18... Arithmetic unit, 19... Comparator, 20... Pattern memory, 23... Voice synthesis circuit, 24... Speaker, 25... Add-on circuit. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Document scanning unit, 2... Video processing unit, 3... Analog processor, 4... Digital processor, 5... Output signal control circuit, 6... Banknote pattern detection circuit, 7. ...System control pulse generator, 8
...Display device, 9...System controller (CPU), 10...
Color printer, 11... CCD sensor,

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) An image reading unit that reads an image of a document and outputs an electrical image signal; and the document is a paper sheet whose reading and recording are prohibited based on the output pattern of the image signal. a detection means for detecting a certain thing; an output signal control means for prohibiting output of the image signal to an external recording means in response to the detection by the detection means; and a character display in response to the detection by the detection means. 1. An image reading apparatus comprising: a warning output means for outputting a warning message using at least one of a sound generating means, a sound generating means, and the external recording means.