JPH04205273A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obviate erroneous decision when an analogous original is inputted by executing image reproduction processing corresponding to possibility that an input image is a specific original. CONSTITUTION:A specific original decision circuit 403 decides whether the image data of the specific original is included in the input image signal or not. A decision signal INH 404 is set at 1 when the specific original is decided, at 0 in other occasions and at 2 when there is the possibility of the specific original. If the INH 404 signal is 0, a color signal processing section 402 sends an ordinary output signal to a printer section 202. The INH 404 signal is sent together with the output signal to the printer section 202 and the subsequent image forming operations are interrupted in the case of the 1. The output signal is applied with adequate smoothing and is sent as the data to blur the image to the extent of allowing the distinct identification of the difference between the original and a copy to the printer section 202 in the case of the 2. The erroneous decision when the doubtful original is inputted as an original image is eliminated in this way.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus having a function of identifying a specific document.

[Prior Art] In recent years, with the increase in image quality and colorization of copying machines, there has been a concern that specific documents such as gift certificates and securities may be forged. On the other hand, in the recognition of a specific document in a copying machine, methods such as pattern matching for the shape of an input image have been proposed. For example, in pattern matching, after correcting the inclination of an input document image, matching with a pre-registered image pattern is performed.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above conventional example, the degree of similarity between the input manuscript and a specific manuscript registered in advance is checked, and if the similarity exceeds a certain threshold, it is determined that there is a specific manuscript. The disadvantage of this method is that there is a high possibility of misjudgment when a similar manuscript is input.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example, and its purpose is to provide an image processing device that can perform image reproduction processing depending on the possibility that an input image is a specific original. It is in the point of providing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an input means for inputting image data representing a document, and an image processing apparatus for inputting image data representing a document. A determining means for determining the possibility that the original is a predetermined specific original based on data, and a multi-step process for reproducing image data input by the human power means based on the possibility determined by the determining means. and a processing means for processing.

[Operation] According to this configuration, the human power means manually inputs image data representing the document, the determination means determines the possibility that the document is a predetermined specific document based on the image data input by the input means, and the processing means Based on the possibility determined by the determination means, the image data inputted by the input means is reproduced in multiple stages.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following embodiments, a copying machine is shown as an example of application of the present invention, but the present invention is of course not limited to this and can be applied to various other apparatuses.

In the following explanation, gift certificates, securities, etc. are assumed to be specific documents.

<First example> FIG. 1 shows an external view of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 201 is an image scanner section, which reads an original and performs digital signal processing. Further, 202 is a printer section, and an image scanner section 2
This is a part where an image corresponding to the original image read in 01 is printed out in full color on paper. In the image scanner unit 201, 200 is a mirror pressure plate, and an original 204 on an original platen glass (hereinafter referred to as a platen) 203 is irradiated with a lamp 205, guided to mirrors 206, 207, and 208, and a 3-line sensor ( CC below
D) Image on 210, full color information red (R)
, green (G), and blue (B) components to the signal processing unit 211. In addition, 206, 206 is the speed V, 2
07 and 208 mechanically move at 1/2v in a direction perpendicular to the electrical scanning direction of the line sensor (thereby scanning the entire document surface.The signal processing unit 211 electrically processes the read signal, It is separated into magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) components and sent to the printer unit 202.
M, C, per one document scan (scanner) in
One of the Y and Bk components is sent to the printer unit 202, and one printout is completed by scanning the document four times in total.

M, C, Y sent from the image scanner unit 201
Alternatively, the Bk image signal is sent to the laser driver 212. The laser driver 212 modulates and drives the semiconductor laser 213 according to the image signal.

The laser beam is transmitted through a polygon mirror 214. f-theta lens 215
, scans the photosensitive drum 217 via the mirror 216. 218 is a rotary developing device, and a magenta developing section 219.
Cyan developing section 220. Yellow developing section 221. It is composed of a black developing section 222, and four developing devices alternately contact the photosensitive drum 217 to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 217 with toner. 223 is a transfer drum,
The paper fed from the paper cassette 224 or 225 is wound around this transfer drum 223 and transferred to the photosensitive drum 217.
Transfer the developed image onto paper.

After the four colors M, C, Y, and Bk have been sequentially transferred in this manner, the paper passes through the fixing unit 226 and is discharged.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the signal processing section (image processing unit) 211 shown in FIG. 1, and the same units as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 2, CLK is a clock signal for transferring pixels, HSYNC is a horizontal synchronization signal, and is a synchronization signal for starting main scanning. 401 is a control unit, which includes a CPU for controlling the entire device, a ROM that stores an operating program, a RAM that has a work area for the program,
CLK (clock signal that transfers pixels) and HSYN
It consists of a circuit that generates C (main scanning start synchronization signal). 402 is a color signal processing unit, which inputs R, G, B
A print signal is generated from the signal and sent to the printer unit 202. Reference numeral 403 denotes a specific original determination unit, which detects color signals R, G, and
Based on B, it is determined whether or not it is a specific document, and the color signal processing unit 402 is notified of the determination result.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the color signal processing section 402 according to the first embodiment. In the figure, 101 is an input masking circuit that inputs color signals R, G, and B from the image scanner section 201 and performs optical correction (masking) on these input signals during reading, and 102 is a masked circuit. A LOG converter converts the luminance signals R, G, and B, which are color signals, into corresponding density signals C, M, and Y. 103 extracts the black component from the density signals C (cyan), 1M (magenta), and Y (yellow). A black extraction circuit 104 generates (black) for the density signals C1゜M, , Y, , and 104 performs color correction of 1 on the density signals C+, M+, Y+, respectively;
A 4×4 masking circuit outputs 2 to the density signals Cx, M-, Ya, and 105 removes the undercolor according to the density signals C,,M,,Ya,Km, which are input as 1 to the density signals before color correction. 106 is a smoothing circuit that performs smoothing processing on the density signal from which the undercolor has been removed using the lNH404 signal.

According to the above configuration, the R, G, and B input signals inputted to the image scanner section 201 are transmitted to the input masking circuit 101.
After masking is completed, the LOG converter 102 converts the signals into density signals Y, M, and C. The black extraction circuit 103 performs black extraction based on the Y, M, and C signals, and the 4×4 masking circuit 104 performs color correction. At that time, 4×4
In addition to the signal sent to the masking circuit 104, a K signal is sent to the OCR circuit 105. Y, M, C.

The K signal and the other signals cause the YCR circuit 105 to remove the undercolor. After that, output C, M, Y.

A K signal is sent to printer section 202.

FIG. 5B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the specific document determining unit 403 shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining the method of determining a specific document according to the first embodiment, and FIGS. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a specific document and color space, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between color space data of a specific document and data in the judgment ROM 501, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a specific document and the recognition area. FIG.

In FIG. 5B, the determination ROM 501 is composed of a read-only memory with a data width of 8 bits and an address width of 15 bits, and stores data corresponding to eight types of specific originals.

R and G input by the image scanner unit 201.

The B color image signal is input as an address signal to the determination ROM 501. The determination ROM 501 has information written therein as to whether or not the image data of a specific document shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 9 exists in the corresponding R, G, and B spaces. The input color signals 313, 314, 315 are the 8th
Specific document A in the shaded area in the RGB space shown in Figures A and 8B
, B, 1 is the determination ROM.
501 is the output signal, otherwise O is the output signal.

The above judgment information outputted from the judgment ROM 501 passes through the latch circuit 502 and is sent to the integrators 5011 to 5018.
is input.

Since the integrators 5011 to 5018 have the same configuration, the integrator 5011 will be explained as an example.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating the integrator 5011.

In FIG. 14, 601 and 602 are multipliers, 603 is an adder, and 604 is a latch circuit for timing adjustment. In the multiplier 602, the input i-th signal x (0 or 1) is multiplied by Xt It is input to the B side of 603. On the other hand, the (i-1)th output signal y1- output from the latch circuit 604
1 is multiplied by y, −, and Xβ in the multiplier 601, and is input to the A side of the adder 603.

In the adder 603, x, X255 (1-β)+
The addition yl−+Xβ is performed, and the result is y
, will be output. That is, the integrator 5011 has the following equation (0
). That is, '/l=X, X255 (1-β) y+-+X
This is a circuit that performs the integral β...(0) on all input data.

By executing the above calculation, when the input value 1 to the integrator 5011 is continuous as shown in FIG. 15B, the output value from the integrator 5011 becomes 25 as shown in FIG. 15A.
5, and when the input value 0 continues, the output value approaches 0.

Comparison computing units 5001 to 5008 have the same configuration, so to explain the comparison computing unit 5001 as an example, integrator 501
1 and a predetermined constant value B stored in the register 5021, and outputs a judgment signal indicated by C. That is, according to equation (1), if the input color signal continuously matches the image data of the specific document by the above processing, the output C1 from the comparator 5001 becomes 1. In addition, the comparison calculator 5
002-5008. Registers 5022-5028 function similarly.

The counters 521 to 528 have the same configuration, and the counter 521 is a counter that counts up only when the output C3 is 1. This counter 621 allows the 10th
The number of pixels included in the specific document recognition area shown in the shaded area in the figure is calculated.

The OR write circuit 511 includes comparison calculation units 5001 to 5'
This is a circuit for OR writing the output signals C1 to C8 of OO8 into the RAM 521. Also, RAM 512 is judgment ROM 5.
Same size as 01, bit width 8 bits, address width 16
This is BIT's RAM.

FIG. 5C is a block diagram showing the configuration of the OR write circuit 511. 5111 is an SRAM in 32, and 5-bit signals of each of R, G, and B are input to 80 to AI4 as an address bus, and are used as data. ~D, the OR described later
Data 5021 to 5028 after the calculation are input. 51
Reference numeral 12 denotes a timing generation circuit that generates the timing signal shown in FIG. 5D.

In the OR calculation section inside the diagonal line, the data stored in accordance with the read enable OE at the timing of CLK' with respect to the addresses specified by A0 to AI4 is D
is read from the buffer and latched into each latch circuit. On the other hand, the input signals 5021 to 5028,
The latched memory data is ORed by each OR circuit, and output from the buffer at Rio's inverter timing.

In this way, for each address defined by 5 bits each of R, G, and B, if at least one of the data sequentially input from 5021 to 5028 is 1, the SR
The data is stored in AM51.11.

Since D o ''-D t are stored in independent addresses, it is possible to perform judgment processing on eight types of specific originals in parallel.

By measuring the number of bits of the determination result "1" stored in the RAM 512, the volume in the R, G, and B space of the shaded area, which is the observation data in FIG. 7, is calculated.

515 is a CPU that controls the entire specific document determination unit 403;
515a indicates a ROM that stores programs and the like according to the flowchart of FIG. 6 for operating the CPU 515, and 515b indicates a RAM used as a work area for various programs. The CPU 515 mainly reads data in the counters 521 to 528 and the RAM 512, and determines whether a target document exists among the input documents.

The input of the integrator in FIG. 14 is indicated by Xl, and the output is indicated by Yl (1≦i≦8). As processing, calculation according to the following equation (2) is performed.

Y,,,=β−Y,+255　(1−β)X.

(2) In the above equation (2), β is a constant that controls the integration effect of the integrator. Further, in the range of O x β x 1, the following relationship holds true.

0 ← β → 1 (small) (integral effect) (large) In other words, the integral value change curve changes more gradually as the set value of β approaches 1, as shown in Figure 15B, and when the set value of β approaches 0.
When approaching , it changes rapidly. In the first example, β=31/32.

The recognition target is assumed to be a document about the size of a banknote, but
When a smaller original image, such as a stamp, is to be recognized, a smaller value of β, such as n=7/8, is appropriate. The value of β may be arbitrarily set by a scanning unit (not shown) depending on the recognition target.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining the operation by the CPU of the first embodiment.

First, when information to start reading the original is detected, 5120
1, the lNH404 signal is turned O at the start of document reading.
Set to . After this, in 51202, an instruction is given to read the document. At 51202, a variable n is set to 1. That is, the counter values of the n-th counter are stored in the RAM 512 in order. 51204, No. 5B
The counter in the figure, in this case the counter 521 because n=1
The value is read and stored in the variable area set on the RAM 512.

51205, the variable a of the RAM 512 in FIG. 5B
The total number of l stored in rea is calculated, and this value is set as the variable v
It is set to ol.

Here, the variable vol is a value indicating the volume of the shaded area in FIG. 7, that is, vol=Tjd.

51206, the value of the variable area is a predetermined constant K
Determine whether or not it exceeds.

The value of the variable area corresponds to the number of pixels in the recognition area shown in the shaded area in FIG. Therefore, by comparing and determining the size of the value of the variable area with a constant, it is determined whether or not there is a possibility that the document is a banknote document.

That is, if the variable area>K, it is determined that there is a possibility that the document is a bill document.

In 51027, the variable v set in S L 205
The similarity r between the olO value, the observed image data in the color space expressed by the following equation (3), and the image data of the specific original is calculated and compared with a constant β.

In FIG. 7, TORG is image data of a specific document registered in advance (hereinafter referred to as specific image data), and R
, G, B space, and indicates the volume between R, G, and B coordinates. In addition, Tjd is the image data of the read original (hereinafter referred to as observation image data), and the shaded area is the observation image data in which the output signals of the comparators 5001 to 5008 are 1, expressed in R, G, and B space. , and shows the volume in the R, G, B coordinate space.

The similarity r at this time is expressed by the following equation (3). The closer the value of similarity r is to 1 (the closer the value is to 1), the higher the similarity between the observed image data and the specific image data.

Here, from Vol = Tjd, determine (gamma, that is, γ is a constant determined by experiment and indicates the matching rate in the color space: γ = 0.7), and if true, the observation It is determined that the similarity between the image data and the specific image data is high and that duplication should be prohibited.

The specific document determination circuit 403 having the above configuration uses input signals R, G,
, it is determined from the B signal whether the input image signal contains the image data of the specified original document. lNH404
is a determination signal determined by the specific document determining unit 403, which is set to O at the start of document reading, and is set to 1 if it is determined to be a specific document, and to 0 otherwise. Further, it is set to 2 when it is determined that there is a possibility that the input image is a specific original.

When the lNH404 signal is 0, a normal output signal is sent to the printer section 202, and the printer section 202 also performs a normal copying operation. When the lNH404 signal is 1, the INH404 signal is output to the printer unit 2 along with the output signal.
02, the subsequent image forming operation is interrupted, and the copy paper is ejected. When the lNH404 signal is 2, appropriate smoothing is applied to the output Y, M, and C signals, and data is sent to the printer unit 202 to blur the difference between the original and the copy.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the smoothing circuit 106 according to the first embodiment. In the same figure, 601
A to 601C are smoothing filters, and 602 is a selector.

The frame sequential video signal sent from UCRI O5 is smoothed by a plurality of smoothing filters 601,
Each signal is sent to selector 602. The selector 602 receives the determination result lNH from the specific health determination unit 403.
404 signal is sent, and by this signal, one corresponding to the lNH404 signal is selected from a plurality of smoothed signals, and the signal is sent to the printer section 202. The printer unit 202 that receives the copy performs a normal copying operation and outputs a blurred image.

As described above, changing the process based on the touch determination result based on the determination degree has the effect of eliminating erroneous determination when a suspicious document is input as an original image.

Note that the smoothing is not limited to the above-mentioned three steps, but may be changed to more steps. In addition to changing only the coefficients, the matrix size may also be changed.

<Second Embodiment> Now, in the embodiment shown in FIG. In cases other than cases where there is a manuscript, that is, when there is a possibility that a specific manuscript is included, n types (2 to n) of lNH4 depending on the similarity
04 signal is generated and sent to the color code processing unit 402, and the lNH
In accordance with the 404 signal, the greater the possibility that a specific document exists, the greater the amount of blurring.

Third Embodiment> FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing section of a third embodiment.

The lNH404 signals in the second embodiment are 1 and 2 to
In the case of n, that is, as shown in FIG. , outputs a solid black image.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing section of a fourth embodiment.

When the INH404 signal in the second embodiment is 2 to n, that is, as shown in FIG.
When the output to the 4X4 masking circuit 104 is added, the masking coefficient of the 4X4 masking circuit 104 is automatically changed according to the probability of existence of a specific document,
Change the color of the output. The color tone is changed to such an extent that the difference between the specific original and the copy image can be clearly seen, and the image is output to such an extent that the purpose of copying the specific original cannot be achieved. For example, when the lNH404 signal is 1, a solid image (Ro
rGorB, etc.).

<Fifth Embodiment> FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing section of a fifth embodiment.

The lNH404 signal in the second embodiment is 1 and 2~n
In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, when the output of the lNH404'' signal to the LOG conversion 102 is added, the LOG conversion 102 in the color signal processing section 402 automatically changes γ according to the lNH404 signal. , and then performs normal processing.

Thereby, it is possible to output an image that is clearly different from the specific original.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention has the effect of eliminating erroneous determinations when a suspicious original is input as an original image.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an external view of the device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the signal processing section (image processing unit) 211 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a CCD
4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the smoothing circuit 106 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 5A is a diagram showing the color signal processing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the specific document determining section 403 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 5C is a block diagram showing the configuration of the specific document determining section 403 according to the first embodiment.
A block diagram showing the configuration of FIG. 5D is a timing generation circuit 51 according to the first embodiment.
12 is a timing chart, FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining the operation by the CPU of the first embodiment, FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining a method of determining a specific document using color space, and FIGS. 8A and 8B are FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the color space data of the specific document and data in the determination ROM 501; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the specific document and the recognition area. , '1iS11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the signal processing section of the third embodiment, 1412 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the signal processing section of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 13 is the fifth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the integrator 5011, and FIGS. 15A and 1J15B are diagrams explaining the integration effect. In the figure, 101...input masking circuit, 102...
10g converter, 103... Black extraction circuit, 104...
4×4 masking circuit, 105...UCR circuit, 10
6... Smoothing circuit, 201... Image scanner section, 202... Printer section, 203... Platen, 204... Document, 205...-7:/b,
206,207.208...Mirror, 12o9...
Lens, 210...3 line sensor, 211...signal processing section, 212...laser driver, 213...
Semiconductor laser, 214... polygon mirror, 215...
...f-theta lens, 216...mirror, 217...
Photosensitive drum, 218... Rotating developer, 219... Magenta developing section, 220... Cyan developing section, 221...
・Yellow developing section, 222...Black developing section, 22
3... Transfer drum, 224, 225... Paper cassette, 226... Fixing unit, 4o1... Control unit,
402...Color signal processing section, 403...Specific original judgment section, 406...Copy output, 501...Judgment ROM
, 511/OR writing circuit, 512.515b...
RAM, 515...CPU, 521-528...
Counter, 601a, 601b, 601C...Smoothing filter, 602...Selector, 5001-5
008...Selector, 5011-5018...Integrator, 5021-5028...Register.

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) an input means for inputting image data representing a manuscript; a determination means for determining the possibility that the manuscript is a predetermined specific manuscript based on the image data input by the input means; and processing means for changing the reproduction processing of the image data inputted by the input means in multiple stages based on the possibility that the image data is inputted by the input means. (2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination means outputs a multivalued signal indicating the possibility as a determination signal. (3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing means performs reproduction processing so that the difference between the output image and the document becomes larger as the possibility becomes larger. (4) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction processing includes multi-stage smoothing processing depending on the possibility. (5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing means includes selection means for selecting one of the smoothing processes from a plurality of matrices. (6) The processing means performs U processing in multiple stages according to the possibility.
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising UCR processing in which the CR amount is changed. (7) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing means includes a masking process in which a masking coefficient is changed in multiple stages according to the possibility. (8) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing means includes log transformation processing in which coefficients are changed in multiple stages according to the possibility.