JPH06326854A - Picture processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To locate a data supply source of an output picture with only the output picture when plural host computers are connected by adding information able to identify the picture data supply source to the output picture. CONSTITUTION:A subscanning counter 901 counts a main scanning synchronizing signal HSYNC and a main scanning counter 902 a picture element synchronizing signal CLK respectively and a lookup table LUT 903 is referenced to add a specific pattern representing a supply source of picture data. PS signals P1, P2, P3, P4 used to indicate a level of a specific pattern are latched in registers 906, 907, 908, 909 respectively. The PS signal is a signal with a level in response to the similarity between an input picture and a specific picture and the pattern is added in a dark density as the similarity is higher. Thus, one of the PS signals is fed to an adder 912 via an AND gate 911 and added to an input signal V as level information of the specific pattern and the result of sum V' is provided as an output.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine provided with a function of detecting a specific original.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the improvement in image quality and color of copying machines, there has been a danger of counterfeiting of specific manuscripts such as banknotes and securities. As a countermeasure against the forgery, for example, a technique has been proposed by the present applicant to add identification information such as an identification number or a serial number unique to the image reading device and the output device to the output image as a specific pattern that is difficult for human eyes to identify. There is.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since only the respective information of the image reading device and the output device can be obtained, the image data is input from an external device such as a host computer. In that case, it was impossible to determine the source. The problem is
The technology is not limited to forgery prevention, and may occur. For example, when a plurality of host computers are connected, the data source of the output image cannot be recognized only by the output image.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example, and an object thereof is to add information capable of specifying a supply source of image data to an output image. The point is to provide an image processing apparatus.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a first input unit for inputting an image signal, a second input unit for inputting identification information on an external device that generates the image signal, and the first input unit. When electrically processing the image signal input by the first input unit, an addition unit that adds a pattern based on the identification information input by the second input unit and an image signal obtained by the addition unit are output. An output means is provided.

[0006]

According to this structure, the first input means inputs the image signal, the second input means inputs the identification information on the external device generating the image signal, and the adding means is the first input means. When electrically processing the image signal input in,
A pattern based on the identification information input by the second input means is added, and the output means outputs the image signal obtained by the adding means.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following embodiments, an example of a copying apparatus is shown as an application example of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that it can be applied to various other apparatuses. In addition, each device applicable to the present invention targets a specific manuscript such as banknotes and securities as anti-counterfeiting.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing a system to which a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the figure,
Reference numeral 101 is an external device such as a host computer, 102 is a relay device (interface) that relays between the external device 101 and the image scanner unit 201, and 100 is the copying device of this embodiment. The copying apparatus 100 includes an image scanner unit 201 and a printer unit 202. In the above system, the recognition information of the external device 101 is recognized by the relay device 102. The relay device 102 communicates the recognition information to the image scanner unit 201, and the printer unit 20
The second operation is based on the operation of adding the recognition information of the external device 101 received via the image scanner unit 202 to the output image.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of the copying apparatus of this embodiment. In the figure, the image scanning unit 2
Reference numeral 01 is a portion for reading an original at a resolution of 400 dpi (dots / inch) and performing digital signal processing. In addition, the printer unit 202 is the image scanning unit 2
The image corresponding to the original image read by
This is a part that prints out in full color on paper with a resolution of 00 dpi. In the image scanner unit 201, 200 is a mirror surface pressure plate, and a document 204 on a document table glass (hereinafter referred to as a platen) 203 is irradiated with a lamp 205, guided to mirrors 206, 207, 208, and the lens 2
An image is formed on a three-line sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 210 by means of 09, and is sent to the signal processing unit 211 as full color information red (R), green (G), and blue (B) components. Note that 206 and 206 are speeds v, and 207 and 2
Reference numeral 08 scans (sub-scans) the entire surface of the original by mechanically moving the line sensor at a speed of 1/2 v in a direction perpendicular to the electrical scanning (main scanning) direction.

In the signal processing unit 211, the read image signal is electrically processed and decomposed into magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y) and black (Bk) components, and the printer unit. Send to 202. In addition, M, C, and
One component of Y and Bk is sent to the printer unit 202, and one print operation is completed by scanning the document four times in total.

The M, C, Y, and Bk image signals sent from the image scanner unit 201 are supplied to the laser driver 2.
Sent to 12. The laser driver 212 modulates and drives the semiconductor laser 213 according to the sent image signal. The laser light scans the photosensitive drum 217 via the polygon mirror 214, the f-θ lens 215, and the mirror 216.

A rotary developing device 218 includes a magenta developing unit 219, a cyan developing unit 220, and a yellow developing unit 22.
1. The black developing unit 222, four developing units alternately contact the photosensitive drum 217, and develop the electrostatic development formed on the photosensitive drum with toner. Reference numeral 223 denotes a transfer drum, which winds the paper supplied from the paper cassette 224 or 225 around the transfer drum 223 and transfers the image developed on the photosensitive drum onto the paper.

After the four colors of M, C, Y, and Bk are sequentially transferred in this manner, the paper passes through the fixing unit 226, the toner is fixed on the paper, and then the paper is ejected.

<Image Scanner> FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of the image scanner 201 according to this embodiment. In the figure, 210-1, 210-2, 210
-3 is a CCD (solid-state image sensor) having spectral sensitivity characteristics of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively.
The sensor outputs 8-bit signals 0 to 255 after A / D conversion. Sensors 210-1, 210-2, 210-3 used in this embodiment
Are arranged with a constant distance therebetween, so that the spatial shifts of the delay elements 401 and 402 are corrected.

Reference numerals 403, 404 and 405 are log converters, which are constituted by a look-up table ROM or RAM and convert the luminance signal into a density signal. 406 is a known masking and UCR (under color removal) circuit,
Although a detailed description is omitted, each of the input signals is used to sequentially output each signal of magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) for output in a frame-sequential manner. A predetermined bit length, for example, 8 bits is output.

Here, CN, which is a 2-bit frame sequential signal,
The O signal will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the CNO signal is used as a control signal indicating the order of four reading operations for switching the operating conditions of the masking and UCR circuit 406.

Reference numeral 407 is a known spatial filter circuit,
The spatial frequency of the output signal is corrected. A density conversion circuit 408 corrects the density characteristics of the printer unit 202, and is composed of the same ROM or RAM as the log converters 403 to 405. Reference numeral 410 denotes a pattern adding circuit for checking the model of the copying apparatus and adding a non-visible specific pattern to the output image. The above-mentioned CNO signal is also input to the pattern adding circuit 410.

Reference numeral 414 is a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "CPU") which controls the present apparatus, and which is a relay device 102.
Receives identification information (hereinafter referred to as “IDIF”) from
The operation of outputting to the pattern adding circuit 410 is also included. 414
Reference numeral a denotes a ROM, which stores a program for operating the CPU 414. A RAM 414b is used as a work area of the program in the ROM 414a.

<Pattern Adding Circuit> FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of the pattern adding circuit 410 according to this embodiment. In the figure, 901 is a sub-scanning counter, 902 is a main scanning counter, 903 is a look-up table (hereinafter referred to as "LUT"), 905 is a flip-flop, and 91.
3 is an AND gate, 906, 907, 908, and 909 are registers that store different specific patterns,
910 is a 4to1 selector, 911 is an AND gate, 9
12 is an adder.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. First, the sub-scanning counter 901 outputs the main-scanning synchronization signal HSYNC,
The main scanning counter 902 repeatedly counts the CLK of the pixel synchronization signal with a width of 9 bits, that is, 512 cycles. Further, the LUT 903 is a RAM, and the relay device 10
2 sends the IDINF of the external device 101 sent from the CPU 2 to the CPU 4
It is received from 14 and memorized. Also this LUT903
The lower 6 bits of the count value of each of the sub-scanning counter 901 and the main-scanning counter 902 are input to each. L
Only one bit is referenced for the output of UT903, and AND
A gate 904 logically ANDs the upper 3 bits of the main scanning counter 901 and the upper 3 bits of the sub-scanning counter 902 with each other, and a flip-flop 905 synchronizes with the CLK signal. It is ANDed with both signals CNO “0” and CNO “1” before being sent to AND gate 911. The output of this LUT 903 is a signal representing a specific pattern that is valid in the AND gate 913 only when CNO = 3, that is, when it is currently printed in yellow.

On the other hand, the registers 906, 907, 908,
909 holds different values P1, P2, P3 and P4 for indicating the level of the specific pattern. A pattern level selection signal (hereinafter referred to as “PS signal”) for selecting any one of P1 to P4 is output from the CPU 414 to the selector 910.
This PS signal is, for example, a signal having a value corresponding to the degree of similarity between the input image and the specific image, and the higher the degree of similarity, the darker the pattern is added. As a result, one of P1 to P4 is only printed when printing in yellow.
It is sent to the adder 912 via the AND gate 911 and added to the input signal V as level information of the specific pattern. The addition result is output as V '. Therefore, C
Only when NO = 3, that is, when yellow is printed at present, the specific pattern held in the LUT 903 is repeatedly read and added to the signal V to be output.

Here, the relationship of the pattern levels stored in the registers 906 to 909 is set as P1 <P2 <P3 <P4. In the selector 910, when s = 00 (binary number), when Y = a s = 01 (binary number), when Y = b s = 10 (binary number), when Y = c s = 11 (binary number) In this case, the input terminals a, b, c, d corresponding to the PS signal input to the s terminal are set to be switched so that Y = d. Therefore, the relationship between the input signal V and the output signal V ′ is: when PS = 00 (binary number), V ′ = V + P1 PS = 01 (binary number), V ′ = V + P2 PS = 10 (binary number) ), V '= V + P3 When PS = 11 (binary number), V' = V + P4. In this way, the specific pattern addition condition is set.

Here, the specific pattern to be added is added only by the yellow toner so that it is difficult for the human eye to identify it. This is because the human eye is different from the pattern drawn by the yellow toner by the human eye. This is because the weak identification ability is used.

In the present embodiment, the level of the pattern to be added is made variable according to the possibility that a specific original exists in the input image, so that the pattern is not visible to the human eye in a normal copy. It is made almost indistinguishable, and sticking and a pattern are added as the possibility that a specific document exists increases.

<Copy Result> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the copy result in this embodiment. In the figure, 1001 is a specific pattern of this embodiment, and the contents held in the LUT 903 are added. In the example shown in FIG. 10, “A
A pattern of BCD1234 ″ is added in a pattern of 64 pixels × 64 pixels so as to be difficult for the human eye to identify, and is repeated every 512 pixels of the main scanning and 512 lines of the sub-scanning. By encoding the number or the manufacturing number, it is possible to identify the copy and specify (or limit) what type of external device the data of the copy was output from.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
As a method for limiting the device in a copy, if a specific original (for example, a banknote) that should not be copied is added by adding a specific pattern that is difficult for human eyes to identify, the copy is copied. Can be used as a clue to limit from which external device the image data of was output.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the pitch to which the pattern is added is set for each 512 pixels (or lines) of the main operation, but in the present embodiment, it is 400 dpi (dots / dots /
Inch) resolution, so a pattern is added about every 32.5 mm. On the other hand, the width of banknotes (Bank of Japan notes) in the lateral direction is about 76 mm, and the width in the lateral direction of banknotes of major countries is also between about 60 mm and 120 mm, so the banknotes are copied. If this happens, this pattern will always be added to the inside of the copied bill. Therefore, even if only a banknote portion is taken and misused, it is possible to limit the machine number of the copying machine used for copying by validating the copy and reading the added pattern. .

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned present embodiment. For example, in the present embodiment, as the specific pattern to be added, the manufacturing number peculiar to the device or a coded version thereof is added, but the information is not limited to this as long as it is information for limiting the device. The limiting information may be information for limiting the device, such as the manufacturing date of the device, the lot number of the device, the version of the device, or the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the copying apparatus is specified (or limited), but the present invention is not limited to this, and the copied person is specified (or limited).
It may be done. In this case, for example, a device that requires insertion of an ID card for limiting the user or a device that requires input of an ID number is already known when using the device. In the device, the recognized ID number or the encoded ID number can be added as a specific pattern.

Further, in the present invention, the copied date or the encoded date may be added as a specific pattern.

From the above modification example, by repeatedly adding a specific pattern with a pitch shorter than the length of the banknote in the lateral direction, a part of the copy can be worn, and the copy can be misused. A specific pattern is always added in the box, and by identifying this, it is possible to identify or narrow down the copied device or the copied person. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the description has been made with respect to the external device that can provide the IDINF to the present apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the image output request from the external device that does not provide the IDINF is performed. The copying operation may be stopped.

Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

As described above, according to the present invention,
The source of the output image can be specified from the output image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view showing a system to which a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the copying apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image scanner unit 201 according to this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a pattern adding circuit 410 according to this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a copy result in the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a CNO signal according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 External Device 102 Relay Device 210-1 to 210-3 CCD 200 Mirror Surface Plate 201 Image Scanner Part 202 Printer Part 203 Platen 204 Original Document 205 Lamps 206, 207, 208 Mirror 209 Lens 210 3 Line Sensor 211 Signal Processing Unit 212 Laser Driver 213 Semiconductor laser 214 Polygon mirror 215 f-θ lens 216 Mirror 217 Photosensitive drum 218 Rotational developing device 219 Magenta developing part 220 Cyan developing part 221 Yellow developing part 222 Black developing part 223 Transfer drum 224, 225 Paper cassette 226 Fixing unit 401,402 Delay 403 to 405 log converter 406 Masking / UCR circuit 407 Spatial filter 408 Density conversion circuit 410 Pattern addition circuit 414 C U 414a ROM 414b RAM 901 sub-operation counter 902 main-scan counter 903 LUT 904,911 AND gates 905 flip-flops 906 to 909 register 910 selector 912 adder 1001 specific pattern

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first input unit for inputting an image signal, a second input unit for inputting identification information about an external device for generating the image signal, and an image signal input by the first input unit. An image characterized by comprising an addition means for adding a pattern based on the identification information inputted by the second input means and an output means for outputting the image signal obtained by the addition means when electrically processing. Processing equipment. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adding means repeatedly adds a pattern at a constant cycle. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixed period is a period smaller than a lateral width of a document corresponding to an image signal input by the first input means. 4. The full color is at least magenta,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific pattern includes three color components of cyan and yellow, and the specific pattern includes the yellow component.