JPH04218868A - Burglary preventing device for electronic seal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an electronic seal from being stolen by applying specific working to a seal imprinted on an electronic document and clarifying the fact that the seal is imprinted officially in the case of confirming the document by a password, etc., when the document is printed out by a device capable of performing electronic imprinting on the electronic document. CONSTITUTION:In imprinting registration, the name of an imprinter, that of a seal image file, etc., are set on a document managing data base 6 by response from an individual name in accordance with a log-in name from a password file 4 and an OS. Print is performed by fetching document substance data and seal image data by the information of the document managing data base 6 of the document, and applying the specific working to the seal. Such specific working is performed by synthesizing seal image data with the mask pattern of a watermark pattern, etc., by using a data file 13 for specific working. Thereby, the print is performed based on document substance written and copied on copy files 11, 12 and the seal image data to which the specific working is applied.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plagiarism prevention device for preventing the plagiarism of a seal image electronically affixed on an electronic document such as a word processor or a desktop publishing device.

0002

[Background Art] In recent years, with the development of word processing technology, desktop publishing technology, etc., it has become possible to freely mix and edit electronic information such as image information, graph information, table information, general document information, etc. ing.

[0003] Furthermore, a technology has been developed that allows an electronic document created using such technology to be stamped with an electronic seal image on a terminal displaying the document.

[0004] When stamping a personal seal on an electronic document,
In order to prevent theft of seals, the user is normally asked to enter and check a password, and the system automatically selects the individual's own seal image data based on the login name of the individual, thereby preventing theft of another person's seal. The mechanism is such that this is not possible.

However, once a seal image is placed on an electronic document, it is incorporated into the document data as a part of the document. Therefore, the data of the seal image portion stamped on the electronic document can be easily stolen by copying it from that document to another document.

[0006] Generally, stamped documents are circulated using communication means such as e-mail, or are centrally managed for viewing and reuse, so that anyone can search and display them. In many cases, it is easy to plagiarize someone else's stamp image data.

[0007] Furthermore, if a function is provided to restrict the copying of only a part of the image on a document (sealed seal image) to other documents, it becomes necessary to manage that that part is an image that cannot be reused. However, in general document editing functions, this type of management is not adopted because the document structure becomes too complicated and the disadvantage is greater.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, conventionally, it is possible to plagiarize a sealed seal image by copying it from the document, and by editing the plagiarized seal image into a different document and printing out that document. It could be used as if it were an officially sealed document.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and when a document with an electronic seal is printed out, it is difficult to determine whether the seal stamped on the document is officially stamped or has been plagiarized. To provide an electronic seal plagiarism prevention device that can clearly distinguish whether a seal image is a genuine seal image and can prevent plagiarism of an electronic seal without complicating the document structure.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a means for storing document substance data of each registered document, a means for storing a seal image, and a means for retrieving the document substance data. a means for storing document management information that can be created, a means for displaying document entity data of a specified document and a stamp image obtained with permission on the screen, and a means for requesting a seal image from a terminal for the displayed document entity data. a means for registering a seal record of the seal image incorporated in the document into the document management information; and a means for registering the seal image incorporated in the document requested to be printed. A special processing means for searching records from the document management information and special processing only the seal image in which a seal record is registered, and copying the document entity data of the document requested to be printed, and storing this copy data. , means for storing processed seal image data output from the special processing means as a seal image in the document;
The apparatus is provided with a printing means for printing the document entity data and the processed seal image stored in the means.

[0011]

According to the present invention, when a seal image displayed on the screen is incorporated into a document with permission, a record of the seal is recorded on the document management information. When a print request is made for a given document, the seal record of the seal image incorporated in the document is searched from the document management information, and if it is registered, the seal image is specially processed and printed. . Therefore, it is easy to distinguish whether the stamp is officially stamped or not.

0012

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an electronic seal theft prevention device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This device includes a stamping means 1 that manages operations when stamping a seal image on an electronic document, and a document data storage device that has the functions of displaying document entity data and seal images, printing, and incorporating the seal image into a document. An electronic seal plagiarism prevention function is constituted by the handling means 2 and the printing request means 3 which performs special processing only on the seal image stamped through formal stamping processing.

[0014] The stamping means 1 includes a password file 4,
A terminal device 5, a document management database 6, etc. are each connected. In the password file 4, data such as a password for each individual used for password checking at the time of sealing, the personal name set at the time of sealing in the document management database 6, and the name of a seal image file for sealing are registered. An example of the structure of the password file 4 is shown in FIG. A password, personal name, and seal file name are preset in a record that can be searched by login name. In the document management database 6, document search information for retrieving a desired document is registered, and at the time of stamping, the name of the stamper, the date, and the file name of the stamp image that was stamped are stored as stamp information. Figure 9 shows an example of the structure of this document management database 6.
Shown below. The name of the file where the document entity data exists in the record specified by the document name as the search key, the name of the sealer,
There are fields such as date and seal file name. The file name of the document entity data set in this document management database 6 is linked to the document entity data. The terminal device 5 is used as a screen display and conversation terminal, and is used for displaying documents on the screen, interacting with functions such as stamping and printing, displaying stamps that have been stamped, and the like.

The document data handling means 2 also includes a document entity data file 7 and a seal image file 8.
, a printing work area 9, and a printer 10 are connected. The document entity data file 7 is a file in which document entity data of each registered document is registered for each document. The data structure of the document entity data file 7 is such that it can be handled by the document data handling means 2, and contains information for linking with a seal image file imported onto a document, such as a stamped seal image. have. In the seal image file 8, seal images linked to the stamped seal image incorporated in the document entity data and other seal images are registered. This seal image file 8 has a structure in which it is stored as raster image information of a seal image read from, for example, an image scanner. The printing work area 9 includes a document entity data copy file 11 and a processed impression image copy file 12 linked from this document entity data copy file 11. The document entity data copy file 11 stores document entity data copied from the document entity data file 7. Further, the processed impression image copy file 12 uses the impression image file 8 as original data and the special processing data file 13.
The impression image processed by the print requesting means 3 using the image data is stored. Copying the document entity data and the processed impression image data to each copy file 11, 12 in the print work area in this way is difficult if special processing is applied to the impression image file 8, which is the original data.
This is to prevent a specially processed impression image from being displayed when the document is displayed on the screen. printer 1
0 is a printer for printing, and is an image printer that can also print image information.

The print requesting means 3 has a function of applying special processing to the stamped impression image included in the document requested to be printed, only to those that have been officially stamped. The machining pattern is stored in the special machining data file 13. The special processing pattern is, for example, a mask pattern image such as a watermark pattern. Below, the stamping means 1 constituting the electronic impression plagiarism prevention function,
The specific configuration of each of the document data handling means 2 and print requesting means 3 will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of the document data handling means 2. As shown in FIG. The document data handling means 2 may be of any type as long as it has general document display and printing functions as well as the function of importing an image file into a document. Recently, many document editing functions for desktop publishing have become available, and most of them have an image import function. Therefore, in the present invention, there is no need to specify the internal structure of the document data huddler 2, and what is shown in the figure is an example of the internal functional structure.

This document data handling means 2 includes a communication means 21 with other processes (functional blocks 1 and 3),
Document storage means 22 and document data retrieval and analysis means 2
3, an external image file importing means 24, a document displaying means 25, and a printed document analysis/processing/printing means 26.

The communication means 21 with other processes receives "notification of stamp image name and stamping instruction" and "document storage instruction" from the stamping means 1, and receives "notification of copied file name and printing instruction" from the print requesting means 3. ” is input. and,
This communication means 21 inputs a stamping instruction to the external image file importing means 24 according to the received data, and
A document storage instruction is input into the document storage means 22, and a print instruction is input into the printing means 26, respectively. The document storage means 22 receives a document storage instruction from the communication means 21, converts the document information 101 on the screen into a format of a document entity data file 7, which is a storage format, and stores it in the file 7. The document data extraction and analysis means 23 extracts the document substance data from the document substance data file 7, converts it into document information 101 on the screen, and requests the document display means 25 to display the document information 101 on the screen. . When receiving a seal instruction from the communication means 21, the external image file importing means 24 imports external image information such as the seal image file 8 onto the document information 101 into the document. The document display means 25 displays the document information 101 on the screen on the screen of the terminal device 5. When a print instruction is input through the communication means 21, the printing document analysis/processing/printing means 26 converts the document entity data file 7, seal image file 8, etc. into a data format for printing, and prints the data.

Next, a specific internal functional configuration of the stamping means 1 is shown in FIG. The stamping means 1 includes a password inquiry screen display means 31, a password check/sealing instruction means 32, a document data storage instruction means 33, and a sealing recording means 34.

The password inquiry screen display means 31, when activated, performs a password inquiry on the screen of the terminal device 5 to inquire about password input. The password check/seal instruction means 32 performs a consistency check between the input password and the password set in the password file 4, and issues a seal instruction to the communication means 21. The document data storage means 33 issues a storage instruction to the communication means 21 for automatic storage of the stamped document. The seal recording means 34 records the seal image for which the password check/seal instruction means 32 has issued a seal instruction.
After sealing, "sealer's name", "date", and "seal file name" are sent to the document management database 6 from the contents of the password file 4.
etc., set the stamp record.

Next, the internal functional configuration of the print requesting means 3 is shown in FIG. This print requesting means 3 includes a reading means 41;
It consists of special processing means 42, copy generation means 43, and print request means 44.

The reading means 41 reads a desired file from the document entity data file 7 and the seal image file 8 based on the document management information registered in the document management database 6.

The special processing means 42 performs special processing on the read seal image data using the special processing data file 6, such as combining it with a mask pattern such as a watermark, and To generate a specially processed seal image that is clearly distinguished from a seal image.

The copy generation means 43 is a special processing means 42
When a copy generation request is issued from the reading means 41, the
The document entity data and the specially processed seal image 103 read out are written to the document entity copy file 11 and the processed seal copy file 12 as print-only data files. The print requesting means 44 notifies this copy file name and requests the document data handling means 2 to print.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the equipment configuration of the embodiment composed of the above-mentioned functional blocks. Three functions 1 to 3 (application programs) constituting each electronic seal theft prevention function are realized on computer A, and various files and databases are stored in auxiliary storage device B. Connected to the terminal device 5 are a keyboard C for key input, and a mouse D as a pointing device for specifying functions. Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. First, the operation at the time of stamping will be explained using the outline flowchart shown in FIG.

First, according to a document display request from the terminal 5,
A document data retrieval and analysis means 23 retrieves document entity data, analyzes its contents, and generates document information 101 on the screen. This document information 101 is generally developed into a bitmap pattern, and also has related information about what, where, and how the original data is developed. After completing the creation of this screen information 101, a display request is made to the document display means 25. The document display means 25 reads the document information 101 on the screen,
Display this as a document on the screen. This completes the process (S1) of displaying the document on the screen.

Next, the operator selects and activates the stamp function from the menu in order to stamp the document. The activated stamping means 1 displays the password inquiry screen display means 31.
displays a screen prompting you to enter your password (S2
).

When the operator inputs a password in response to this, the password check/seal instruction means 32 accepts this, reads the password file, and based on the operator's login name, inputs the previously registered password and the input password. The passwords are compared and checked to confirm their validity (S3).

Note that the login name is generally input as a procedure when an operator uses a terminal, and is managed by basic software called an operating system (hereinafter abbreviated as OS). An application program such as a stamping process that operates under the OS can obtain the operator's login name by querying the OS. This password check is the most basic mechanism to prevent seal theft and is commonly used.

Next, if the password is correct, the stamping means 1 notifies the document data handling means 2 of the seal image file name necessary for stamping and instructs the document data handling means 2 to stamp. The document data handling means 2 receives this stamping instruction through the notification means 21 for communicating with other processes, and issues a stamping instruction to the external image file importing means 24. The external image file importing means 24 takes out the specified seal image file and incorporates it into the document information 101 on the screen as a seal image (bit pattern). Thereafter, when a display request is made to the document display means 25, the document display means 25 displays the stamping result. As a result, a seal image stamped on the screen document is displayed (S4).

[0032] The document information 101 on the screen is generally as follows.
Since this is temporary data stored in main memory, it is necessary to write it back to the original data file. For this reason, after the stamping instruction, the document data storage instructing means 33 of the stamping means 1 instructs the document data handling means 2 to store the document. This document storage instruction is received by the communication means 21 with other processes, and the storage instruction is issued to the document storage means 22. In response to this, the document storage means 22 converts the document information 101 on the screen into a document entity data structure for storage, then stores the document entity data, and the stamped document is automatically saved (S5).

After that, the seal recording means 34 in the seal means 1
sets the personal name corresponding to the operator's login name, the system date obtained by querying the OS, and the seal image file name used for stamping into the document management database 6 from the password file 4 that has been read (S
6). With this, the stamping operation is completed. Next, the operation during printing will be explained using the outline flowchart of FIG.

First, a document is displayed on the screen in the same way as the above-described stamping operation (T1). Then, the operator selects and activates the print function from the menu in order to print this (T2).

The activated print requesting means 3 reads the document management database 6 using the reading means 41 for reading out the document entity and the seal image file, and uses the file name set here to retrieve the corresponding document entity data. A file and a seal image file stamped on the document are read. Here, the seal record registered on the document management database 6 is searched for the read seal image file name. If the stamp is officially stamped by the stamping means 1, the stamp record is registered, but for other stamps, no stamp record is registered. Therefore, only the seal image for which the seal record is registered is passed to the special processing means 42. The special processing means 42 performs special processing on the seal image for which the special processing request has been received using the special processing data file 13 to generate a specially processed seal image 103 (T3).

Various processing methods can be considered for this special processing, and any method may be used as long as it can clearly distinguish it from the original seal image. For example, some kind of watermark-like pattern may be masked on the background of the seal image. For example, the black and white pattern of the seal image may be inverted, or the seal image bit pattern may be thinned out at certain intervals to create a striped pattern. Further, it is even better if the processing method cannot be easily realized using an on-screen document editing function. A data file for special processing is not essential, and there are processing methods that do not require such a data file (for example, black and white inversion, bit thinning, etc.). However, when considering processing that is more difficult to imitate, using special data (for example, a unique logo mark that is difficult to create) for processing can further improve the effectiveness of preventing plagiarism. Figure 10
shows a specially processed pattern and an example of a seal image specially processed using this pattern. In order to prevent the specially processed mask pattern from being stolen, if the processed seal image is read with an image scanner, the density of the critical dot pattern that cannot be converted into a clear dot matrix pattern due to the resolution of the scanner is important. required.

Specially processed seal image file 10
3 is written as a print-only copy file in the print work area by the copy generation means 43 while being linked to the document entity data 102 (T4).

Thereafter, the print request means 44 sends a notification of the copied file name and a print instruction to the document data handling means 2, and the communication means 21 of the document data handling means 2 that receives this sends the print instruction to the document data handling means 2. Means 26
Served on. The printing means 26 takes out the specified document entity and processed seal image copy file, analyzes and processes them into a print format, and prints them through the printer 10 (T5). In this way, it is possible to print a seal image stamped on the screen and, at the time of printing, a seal image that has been specially processed.

On the other hand, a seal image obtained by copying an already stamped seal image from another document without going through a formal sealing action is treated as a special seal image because the seal image file name is not registered in the document management database 6. It is not subject to processing, and when printed, it will be printed with the same image as it is displayed on the screen. This makes it possible to clearly determine whether the seal has been plagiarized or not.

[0040] Furthermore, when stamping, the document management database 6
It is also possible to omit setting the stamper's name and date. However, for determining whether the seal stamped in the screen display state is official,
It may be possible to provide a method of searching the relevant document management database and determining whether or not the sealer's name, date, etc. are set, and this can also be considered as a plagiarism prevention mechanism.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when a digital seal is officially placed on a document, the seal record is registered in the document management database 6, and when printing out the document, the seal image is We searched for seal records, and those with a seal record were printed with special processing.For those that were officially stamped, the seal part was specially processed, and for other items, the display screen and You can tell the difference because they are printed in the same regular shape. Generally, when submitting a prepared document to an external party as an official document, it must be submitted in printed paper form.
When printing on paper, it is possible to clearly distinguish between a stamp image stamped in an official stamping process and a plagiarized stamp image.

[0042]

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, when a document with an electronic seal is printed out, it is possible to determine whether the seal stamped on the document is an official seal or a plagiarized seal. It is possible to provide an electronic seal theft prevention device that can clearly distinguish whether it is an image or not and can prevent the electronic seal from being stolen without complicating the document structure.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an electronic seal theft prevention device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of document data handling means.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a stamping means.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of print requesting means.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a stamping operation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a printing operation.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a device configuration of an electronic seal theft prevention device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a password file.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a document management database.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing before and after special processing using a mask pattern.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Stamping means, 2... Document data handling means, 3...
Print request means, 4...Password file, 5...Terminal device, 6...Document management database, 7...Substantive document data file, 8...Seal image file, 9...Print work area, 10...Printer, 13...Special processing data File.

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Means for storing document entity data of each registered document; means for storing a seal image;
means for storing document management information by which the document substance data can be searched; means for displaying the document substance data of the specified document and the image of a stamp obtained with permission on a screen; means for importing a seal image into the document upon request from a terminal; means for registering a seal record of the seal image imported into the document on the document management information; A special processing means for searching the seal record of the captured seal image from the document management information and special processing only the seal image for which the seal record is registered, and copying the document substance data of the document requested to be printed. and means for storing this copy data as well as processed seal image data outputted from the special processing means as a seal image in the document, and document entity data and processed seal image stored in this means. What is claimed is: 1. A device for preventing theft of an electronic seal, comprising: printing means for printing an electronic seal;