WO2005002207A1 - Security image communication method, transmission side device, reception side device, communication system device, communication processing program, and recording medium containing the program - Google Patents

Abstract

There are provided a security image communication method, a transmission side device, a reception side device, a communication system device, a communication processing program, and a recording medium containing the program capable of distorting an image of an original by a transmission side device so that the image cannot be read by other than a particular receiver. The security image communication system device includes a communication line, a security image transmission side device for creating a security image by image-distorting an original and transmitting the security image, and a security image reception side device for creating a restored image of the original from the security image output and received by the communication line. The security image transmission side device is characterized by including an original reading section, a password setting section, an image distortion processing section while the security image reception side device is characterized by including a security image reading section, a password input section, and an image reverse distortion processing section.

Description

 Specification

 Security image communication method, transmitting device, receiving device, communication system device, communication processing program, and recording medium recording the program

 Technical field

 [0001] The present invention relates to a security image that is transmitted and received via a communication line, creates and transmits a security image obtained by performing image distortion processing on a document image on a transmission side, and performs reverse image distortion processing on the security image received on a reception side to obtain the document. Security image communication method for creating and outputting a restored image based on an image, and a security image transmitting device, a security image receiving device, a security image communication device, a security image communication processing program, and a security image communication processing program directly used for the implementation The present invention relates to a recording medium on which is recorded.

 Background art

 Conventionally, in order to perform secure image communication between a sender and a receiver, for example, a communication device such as a facsimile connected to a telephone line or a communication terminal connected to the Internet is separately provided. It was necessary to connect an expensive encryption / decryption device to both the transmitting device and the receiving device.

 [0003] According to such a communication method, after a transmission image to be transmitted is encoded to be transmittable on a communication line, only a header of the encoded image data, for example, a header is set in advance. The processing of the original image is performed by adding redundant data.

 [0004] Further, as a cheaper means, a large-capacity memory is mounted on both the transmitting device and the receiving device, and the transmitting device transmits a pre-set password together with the transmission image to the receiving device. The transmitted image is directly output only when the password entered in the receiving device matches, and the transmitted image is not output to anyone who cannot input the correct password except for a specific recipient. Was like that.

 [0005] The details of the image communication method and apparatus applied to the image communication are described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below.

 Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-298740

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-079862 Disclosure of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

 [0006] By the way, when an encryption / decryption device is installed in a communication device on a transmission side and a reception side using a conventional image communication method to transmit and receive images safely, it is different from the communication device. It is necessary to prepare an expensive encryption / decryption device, and the price of the device is naturally high, and it is difficult to adopt it in widely used communication equipment.

 [0007] In the method of storing images in a memory, a transmission image transmitted from a transmission-side device is not output by the reception-side device, but is kept in a memory mounted in the reception-side device. Therefore, it was not possible to easily recognize whether or not the transmission image was received from the transmission side device, and it was necessary to check each time on a display unit or the like included in the communication device.

 [0008] Further, in the above-described method, the transmitting device and the receiving device are in a one-to-one communication mode, and only the receiving device that has received the image can reproduce and output the transmitted image. However, in places where a specific receiving device is not installed, such as when traveling or staying in a hotel, there has been a strong emphasis on enabling reception with security so that only a specific recipient can reproduce and output a transmission image.

 Here, the main objects to be solved by the present invention are as follows.

 That is, a first object of the present invention is to provide a security image communication method capable of distorting an image of a document image by a transmission-side device so that it is difficult for a person other than a specific recipient to read the image. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication system device, a communication processing program, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded.

 [0010] A second object of the present invention is to provide a security image capable of recognizing that a reception side device can easily recognize that a reception has been made, after a security image is output at a receiving side device, and a read-back restored image is created again. A communication method, a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication system device, a communication processing program, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded are provided.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a security image communication method that does not require an expensive encryption / decryption device that performs complicated encryption and decryption on a document image, a transmission device, a reception device, Communication system apparatus, communication processing program, and recording program No recording media will be provided.

 [0012] A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a security image communication method capable of creating a restored image only in a receiving device having a distortion restoring function which does not limit the reception of the receiving device, a transmitting device, and a receiving device. A side device, a communication system device, a communication processing program, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded are provided.

 [0013] Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the specification, the drawings, and particularly the description of the claims.

 Means for solving the problem

 First, in the method of the present invention, the transmitting device first reads a document image and inputs a preset setting password between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the document image. Then, an image header in which the setting password is patterned and written is created. Subsequently, image distortion processing for distorting the image of the original image is performed, and the security image is created by adding the image header. The security image is transmitted to the receiving device. On the other hand, the receiving device outputs the received security image and then inputs an input password that matches the set password. Reads the setting password from the image header of the security image received and output from, and then inputs the input password. And the setting password is confirmed. If the setting password and the input password match, the security image is further read, and then the image is corrected by correcting the image distortion of the security image. A characteristic configuration method is adopted in which an image reverse distortion process for creating a restored image based on an image is performed, and finally, the restored image is output.

On the other hand, in the transmitting apparatus of the present invention, a document image reading section for reading a document image, and a setting for the document image set in advance between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the document image A password setting unit for inputting a password for each document image, a document image input from the document image reading unit, a setting password input from the password setting unit, and pattern writing of the setting password. An image distortion processing unit that generates an image header, performs image distortion processing for distorting the image of the original image, and generates a security image to which the image header is added. Take strategic configuration measures.

 On the other hand, in the receiving-side apparatus of the present invention, the security image once received or printed or displayed and output by the receiving-side image output unit, and the security image that has been added to the printed or displayed and output security image and set in advance, A security image reading unit that reads the header with the encrypted setting password, a password input unit that inputs an input password that matches the setting password, and a password that matches the setting password and the input password An image reverse distortion processing unit that performs image reverse distortion processing for correcting image distortion of the security image and creating a restored image based on the original image when the security image is present. Take.

 Further, in the system device of the present invention, a communication line, a transmitting device for creating and transmitting a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing, and the security image received or received and output via the communication line A security image communication system device configured with a receiving device that creates a restored image based on the original image, wherein the receiving device is the security image receiving device of the present invention, and the transmitting device is A characteristic configuration means that the security image transmission apparatus of the present invention is provided.

[0018] Further, in the program of the present invention, a processing procedure of inputting a setting password preset between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the original image, together with a processing procedure of reading the original image, to the transmitting side apparatus; And a procedure for creating an image header in which the setting password is written by patterning, a procedure for performing an image distortion process for distorting an image on a document image, and a security procedure for adding an image header. The processing procedure for creating the image and the processing procedure for transmitting the security image to the receiving-side device are sequentially executed. On the other hand, the receiving-side device has the image header of the security image received and output from the transmitting-side device. And a procedure for inputting an input password to be compared with the setup password, together with a procedure for reading the setup password from After that, a processing procedure for confirming that the input password entered and the setting password match is executed. Here, when the setting password matches the input password, a processing procedure for reading a security image, A procedure for performing an image inverse distortion process for correcting a distortion of a security image to create a restored image, and a process for outputting the restored image. And a characteristic configuration procedure of sequentially executing the management procedure.

 In the recording medium of the present invention, a characteristic configuration procedure is adopted in which a practice procedure of each processing procedure in the program of the present invention is recorded in a computer-readable manner.

[0020] More specifically, to solve the problem, the present invention employs a new characteristic configuration method, means, procedure, and procedure ranging from the upper concept to the lower concept, which are enumerated below. Thereby, the object is achieved.

 That is, a first feature of the method of the present invention is that a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing is created and transmitted from a transmission-side device, and the security image received and output via a communication line is converted to the document image. A security image communication method for creating and outputting a restored image based on a receiving device, wherein the transmitting device first reads a document image and sets a preset image between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the document image. Enter the setting password, create an image header in which the setting password is written in a pattern, and then perform an image distortion process for distorting the image on the original image, and copy the image header. After the security image is created by adding the security image, the security image is transmitted to the receiving device, and the received security image is transmitted to the receiving device. Once the security image is output, first, the input password that matches the setting password is entered, and the setting password is read from the image header of the security image received and output from the transmitting device. Checks whether the entered password matches the setting password. If the setting password matches the input password, the security image is further read. In other words, the security image communication method is configured to perform an image reverse distortion process of correcting the image and generating a restored image, and finally output the restored image.

[0022] A second feature of the method of the present invention is that the receiving device in the first feature of the above method of the present invention is different from a receiving device which is separately installed and cannot perform image reverse distortion processing. Instead, a security image from the transmitting device is received and output in advance, and the output security image is read by the receiving device that can perform no image reverse distortion processing to create and output a restored image. And the configuration of the security image communication method. [0023] A third feature of the method of the present invention is that, in the image processing method according to the second feature of the present invention, it is not possible to perform the image reverse distortion processing. The security computer receives the security image via the communication line from the personal computer, and notifies the printer connected to the personal computer of a print instruction of the security image. The security image is printed by printing a security image communication method.

 A fourth feature of the method of the present invention is that the image distortion processing in the first, second, or third feature of the method of the present invention is performed by reading a document image in a bitmap format and forming the document image. The present invention is to adopt a configuration of a security image communication method in which a pixel is moved by a predetermined number of pixels in a specific direction to generate an image distortion that can be restored by image reverse distortion processing on a document image.

 A fifth feature of the method of the present invention is that the transmitting apparatus according to the first, second, third or fourth feature of the method of the present invention overwrites a document image with a preset figure. Then, the present invention is to adopt a configuration of a security image communication method in which image distortion processing is performed on the original image on which the graphic is overwritten.

 [0026] A sixth feature of the method of the present invention is that the image reverse distortion processing in the fifth feature of the above method of the present invention is overwritten on the original image by the transmitting device included in the security image, and the image distortion processing is performed. By recognizing the figure part that has been overwritten and correcting the figure part to the figure before the image distortion processing, the security image is restored to the original image state where the figure is overwritten. The present invention resides in the configuration of the image communication method.

 [0027] A seventh feature of the method of the present invention is that the image distortion processing in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth feature of the method of the present invention is performed within a specific range of a document image. On the other hand, when the skip of the image distortion processing is specified, the configuration of the security image communication method is adopted in which the image is distorted only to the part excluding the specific range while the specific range is not changed. It is in.

[0028] An eighth feature of the method of the present invention is that the receiving apparatus in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh feature of the method of the present invention reads an image read by the receiving device. If an input password different from the input password that matches the set password written in the header is entered, An error notification is provided, and the image reverse distortion processing is interrupted and terminated.

 [0029] A ninth feature of the method of the present invention is that the transmitting-side communication device in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth feature of the method of the present invention includes: In reading a document image, a security image communication method is adopted in which the document image is read in page units, and a security image to which an image header in which a setting password is written is added is created for each page.

 [0030] A tenth feature of the method of the present invention is that, in the ninth feature of the method of the present invention, the receiving communication device reads a setting password from the image header for each page, and writes the password in the image header. The security image communication method employs a configuration in which an input password matching the set password to be input is confirmed for each page.

 [0031] An eleventh feature of the method of the present invention is the same as the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or tenth feature of the method of the present invention. The present invention resides in the configuration of a security image communication method in which the output of a restored image is performed by automatically deleting the restored image after the automatic output of the restored image and deleting the restored image held in the receiving device.

 On the other hand, a first feature of the transmitting apparatus of the present invention is to generate and transmit a recoverable security image created by performing image distortion processing on a document image and transmitted to the receiving apparatus via a communication line. A document image reading unit for reading a document image, and a setting password preset between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the document image for the document image for each document image. And a password setting section for inputting the original image from the original image reading section, and inputting the setting password of the password setting section to create an image header in which the setting password is written by patterning. An image distortion processing unit that performs image distortion processing for distorting the image of the original image and creates a security image to which the image header is added. That, in the configuration adopting Sekiyuri tee image transmitting device.

[0033] A second characteristic of the transmitting apparatus of the present invention is that the transmitting apparatus in the first characteristic of the transmitting apparatus of the present invention is connected to a communication line, encodes a security image, and encodes the security image. Image to transmit the security image to the receiving device connected via the communication line The present invention resides in adopting a configuration of a security image transmitting apparatus having a transmitting unit.

 [0034] A third feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is that the image distortion processing unit power S in the first or second feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is read as a bitmap format by a document image reading unit. A security image transmission function, which is configured to perform image distortion processing for generating distortion by moving each pixel constituting the original image in a specific direction by a predetermined number of pixels with respect to the original image. The configuration of the side device is adopted.

 [0035] A fourth feature of the transmitting apparatus of the present invention is that the image distortion processing unit in the first, second or third feature of the transmitting apparatus of the present invention converts a figure set in advance to a document image. The security image transmitting apparatus is configured to perform an image distortion process on the original image overwritten and overwritten with the graphic.

 A fifth feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is that the image distortion processing section in the first, second, third or fourth feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is adapted to perform , The skip setting of image distortion processing is settable for a specific range, and the image is distorted only for the original image excluding the specific range without changing the specific range. In other words, the security image transmitting apparatus has a functional configuration.

 [0037] A sixth feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is that the image distortion processing unit power S and the document image reading unit in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth features of the above transmitting device of the present invention. A security image transmission side device that is configured to receive a document image read in page units from, and create a security image with an image header with a setting password added for each page. It is in.

 [0038] A seventh feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is that the transmitting device in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth feature of the transmitting device of the present invention performs image distortion processing. The security image transmission device includes a transmission image output unit that outputs a security image created based on the document image.

An eighth feature of the transmitting device of the present invention is that the transmitting image output unit in the seventh feature of the transmitting device of the present invention can output a document image read by a document image reading unit. The security image transmission device connected to the document image reading unit is there.

 On the other hand, a first feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention is that a document image transmitted from a transmitting-side device via a communication line is subjected to image distortion processing and a restorable security image is created. A receiving-side device for creating and outputting a restored image based on an image, wherein a security image once received or printed or displayed and output by a receiving-side image output unit is added to the security image printed or displayed and output, and A security image reading unit that reads the image header with the set and patterned setting password written, a password input unit that inputs an input password that matches the setting password, and the setting password and the input password If they match, the image reverse distortion processing is performed to correct the image distortion of the security image and create a restored image. Comprising anda image reverse distortion processing unit to carry out, in the configuration adopted security image receiving device.

 [0041] The second feature of the receiving device of the present invention is that the receiving device in the first feature of the receiving device of the present invention is connected to a communication line and transmitted via the communication line. Side apparatus The security image reception side apparatus has an image receiving unit that receives encoded security image data and decodes the data into the security image.

 A third feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention is that the receiving-side image output unit in the first or second feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention uses the restored image created by the image inverse distortion processing unit. In the security image receiving device, which is configured to print out

A fourth feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention is that the image inverse distortion processing unit in the third feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention prints out a restored image at the receiving-side image output unit. Another aspect of the present invention resides in adopting a configuration of a security image receiving side device which is functionally configured to delete the held restored image.

 A fifth feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention is that the receiving-side image output unit in the third or fourth feature of the receiving-side device of the present invention includes a printer capable of printing and outputting. The configuration of the receiving device is adopted.

[0045] A sixth feature of the receiving device of the present invention is that the third, fourth or fifth aspect of the receiving device of the present invention described above. The security image receiving side device according to the above aspect, wherein the receiving side image output unit has a display capable of displaying and outputting.

 [0046] A seventh feature of the receiving device of the present invention is that the receiving image output unit in the sixth feature of the receiving device of the present invention is arranged so that the security image displayed and output on the display is read by a security image reading unit. In this case, the security image receiving-side apparatus is configured so as to be capable of inputting to the security image receiving apparatus.

 An eighth feature of the receiving device of the present invention is that the image inverse distortion processing unit in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh feature of the receiving device of the present invention is described. Is recognized in the security image, which has been overwritten on the original image by the transmitting device and subjected to image distortion processing, and a preset graphic part is recognized. The security image receiving side apparatus is configured to function so as to restore the entire security image to the original image state in which the graphic is overwritten by correcting the figure to create a restored image.

 [0048] A ninth feature of the receiving device of the present invention is that the image inverse in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth feature of the receiving device of the present invention is used. When the distortion processing unit receives an input password that is different from the input password that matches the setting password written in the read image header, an error is notified, and the image distortion processing is interrupted and terminated. The present invention resides in the adoption of the configuration of the security image receiving side device.

 [0049] A tenth feature of the receiving device of the present invention is the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth feature of the receiving device of the present invention. The image reverse distortion processing unit in (2) has a function to input a security image in units of pages from the security image reading unit, and to confirm the input password that matches the setting password written in the image header for each page. The present invention resides in adoption of the configuration of the security image receiving side device.

[0050] Further, a first feature of the system apparatus of the present invention is that a communication line, a transmission side device for creating and transmitting a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing, and a reception or reception output via the communication line. And a receiving-side device that creates a restored image based on the original image from the security image. The transmitting-side device is a first-, second-, or second-third transmitting-side device of the present invention. Third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth The security image transmission apparatus according to the aspect, wherein the reception apparatus is the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or ninth of the reception apparatus of the present invention. The tenth aspect is to adopt the configuration of a security image communication system device, which is a security image receiving side device.

 [0051] A second feature of the system device of the present invention is that the transmitting device and the receiving device in the first feature of the system device of the present invention have functions of a document image reading unit and a security image reading unit. The combined functions of the image reading unit, the password setting unit and the password input unit, the password setting / input unit, and the functions of the image distortion processing unit and the image reverse distortion processing unit And an image normal / inverse distortion processing unit connected to the image reading unit and the password setting / input unit, and configured to be able to create a security image. The security image communication device is a security image transmission / reception device configured to be able to create a restored image.

 [0052] A third feature of the system device of the present invention is that the security image transmitting / receiving device according to the second feature of the system device of the present invention is configured by combining the functions of an image transmitting unit and an image receiving unit. Another aspect of the present invention resides in a security image communication system having an image transmission / reception unit connected to a communication line and connected to an image normal / reverse distortion processing unit.

 [0053] A fourth feature of the system device of the present invention is that the security image transmitting / receiving device according to the second or third feature of the system device of the present invention has functions of a transmitting image output unit and a receiving image output unit. The present invention resides in adopting a configuration of a security image communication system device having an image output unit configured in combination therewith.

A fifth feature of the system device of the present invention is that the security image communication system device according to the first, second, third, or fourth feature of the above-described system device of the present invention is transmitted from a transmitting device. A personal computer arranged in an arbitrary area on a communication line for receiving a security image, and a printer connected to the personal computer and printing a security image based on a print command of the personal computer. Another aspect of the present invention is to adopt a configuration of a security image communication system device that is configured so that a receiving device can read a security image printed by the printer and create a restored image. [0055] Further, a first feature of the program of the present invention is that both of the programs have basic functions of a computer, and a transmitting device for creating and transmitting a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing, and a receiving device via a communication line. A receiving-side device that creates and outputs a restored image based on the document image from the output security image, and a security-image communication processing program that is applied to a network system configured to have the transmitting-side device. And a processing procedure for reading the original image, and a processing procedure for inputting a preset setting password between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the original image, and writing the setting password in a pattern. A procedure for creating a header, a procedure for performing image distortion processing for distorting an image on a document image, The processing procedure of creating a security image by adding a header and the processing procedure of transmitting the security image to the receiving device are sequentially executed, while the receiving device receives the security image from the transmitting device. After executing the processing procedure of reading the setting password from the image header of the security image output as well as the processing procedure of inputting the input password that matches the setting password, the input processing is performed. A process for confirming a match between the password and the set password is executed. Here, when the set password and the input password match, a process for reading a security image and image distortion for the security image are performed. A processing procedure for performing an image inverse distortion process for correcting the image to create a restored image, a processing procedure for outputting the restored image, In the security image communication processing program that is executed sequentially.

 [0056] A second feature of the program of the present invention is that the processing procedure of reading the set password in the receiving device in the first feature of the program of the present invention is performed by another conventional receiving device separately installed. The present invention resides in adopting a configuration of a security image communication processing program, which is executed after a processing procedure for temporarily receiving and outputting a security image transmitted from a side device is executed in advance.

[0057] A third feature of the program of the present invention is that the procedure for once receiving and outputting the security image transmitted from the transmitting device in the second feature of the program of the present invention is different from that of another separately provided conventional technique. A procedure in which a personal computer placed in an arbitrary area on a communication line as a receiving side device receives a security image via the communication line, and Transmitting a security image print command from a personal computer to a printer connected to the personal computer, thereby causing the printer to print the security image. It is in the configuration of the processing program.

 A fourth feature of the program of the present invention is that a processing procedure for executing the image distortion processing according to the first, second or third feature of the program of the present invention is a processing procedure for reading a document image in advance. After executing the processing procedure of reading the original image as a bitmap format, the security apparatus executes a processing procedure of moving each pixel constituting the original image in a specific direction by a predetermined number of pixels. It is in the configuration of the image communication processing program.

 A fifth feature of the program of the present invention is that a processing procedure for executing the image distortion processing in the first, second, third or fourth feature of the program of the present invention is set in advance for a document image. The security image communication processing program is configured to sequentially execute a processing procedure of overwriting the overwritten figure and a processing procedure of performing image distortion processing on the original image overwritten with the figure.

 [0060] A sixth feature of the program of the present invention is that the processing procedure of executing the image inverse distortion processing in the fifth feature of the program of the present invention is overwritten on the document image by the transmitting device included in the security image. A procedure for recognizing a graphic part subjected to image distortion processing and correcting the graphic part to a graphic before the image distortion processing is performed, so that the entire security image is converted into an original image in which the graphic is overwritten. And a security image communication processing program configured to sequentially execute the steps.

[0061] A seventh feature of the program of the present invention is that the processing procedure for executing the image distortion processing in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth feature of the program of the present invention is described as follows. In the processing procedure of confirming the skip designation of the image distortion processing for the specific range of the above and the processing procedure of confirming the skip designation, if the skip designation is set, the particular range is left as it is. The security image communication processing program is configured to execute a processing procedure for distorting an image only in a portion excluding the specific range. [0062] An eighth feature of the program of the present invention is that the match between the input password and the set password in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh feature of the above-described program of the present invention. If the input password that matches the set password written in the read image header is different from the input password, an error notification is sent, the process is interrupted, and the process is terminated. It consists in adopting the configuration of the security image communication processing program to be executed.

 [0063] A ninth feature of the program of the present invention is a process of creating a security image in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth feature of the above-described program of the present invention. In the procedure for reading the original image, when the original image was read and set in page units in advance, the setting password was written for each page in the security image created in that page unit The present invention resides in adopting a configuration of a security image communication processing program for executing a processing procedure for adding an image header.

 A tenth feature of the program of the present invention is that, in the ninth feature of the program of the present invention, a processing procedure for confirming a match between the input password and the setting password is described in advance in a processing procedure for reading the setting password. When the setting password is set for each page, the security image communication processing program is configured to execute a processing procedure for checking whether the input password matches the setting password for each page.

 [0065] An eleventh feature of the program of the present invention is the same as the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or tenth feature of the program of the present invention. A processing procedure for outputting a restored image is to adopt a configuration of a security image communication processing program which is configured to execute a processing procedure for deleting the restored image held in the receiving apparatus after outputting the restored image.

The first characteristic of the recording medium of the present invention is that the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth aspects of the program of the present invention are described above. Alternatively, in the eleventh aspect, there is provided a configuration of a recording medium recording a security image communication processing program, wherein the execution procedure of each processing procedure in the security image communication processing program is recorded in a computer-readable manner. The invention's effect

 According to the present invention, it becomes difficult to read the image for a person other than the specific recipient who has been notified of the input password that matches the setting password set in the security image at the transmitting device, and the specific reception is performed. Only the user can read the contents, and it is possible to perform image communication without separately using an expensive encryption / decryption device.In addition, a security image that is once difficult to read is received and output. Above, a restored image is created by newly reading in the receiving device, so that it is possible for the receiver to easily recognize that the reception has been made.

 Further, a security image subjected to image distortion processing that performs encryption / decryption depending on a specific transmission side device and reception side device is output as it is, and the output security image subjected to the distortion processing is output. Since the image is newly read and restored, the receiver can receive the security image by any conventional receiving means without being limited to the reception by the specific receiving device. In addition, a restored image can be created by a function of performing image reverse distortion processing that is mounted simultaneously with or separately provided with the reception-side device that has received and output.

 [0069] Equipped with a display and a printer at the communication output section of the transmitting side device, check the original image, distorted image, combination image, etc. each time to ensure the accuracy of the transmitted image, and allow the other party to respond immediately to the inquiry In addition to being able to print and store various transmission record materials, the reception output of security images can be done using conventional faxes, etc., so reception output and restoration / reproduction can be performed separately, making reception easier and more convenient. It has excellent effects such as enhancing confidentiality.

 Brief Description of Drawings

 FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a security image communication system device as a device example 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing a security image communication system device as a device example 2 according to the embodiment of the above.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram showing a security image communication system device as a device example 3 according to the embodiment of the above. FIG. 4 is an example of an image header added to the security image of the above.

 [FIG. 5] As document images applied to the security image communication device of the above, “A”, “A”

Bj is an example of a document image composed of two characters.

 FIG. 6 is an example of image distortion when a moving process of one pixel is performed for each pixel row of the image distortion processing in the processing example on the original image shown in FIG.

 FIG. 7 is an image example in which a figure is overwritten on another original image example to which the security image communication system apparatus is applied.

 FIG. 8 is an example of image distortion in a case where image distortion processing by moving one pixel per pixel row is performed on the original image example shown in FIG.

 FIG. 9 is an example of image distortion when image distortion processing is performed on the example of the original image shown in FIG. 6 by moving three pixels for each pixel row.

 FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for describing a security image communication method applied to the security image transmitting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining in detail an image distortion process of the above.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram for explaining a security image communication method applied when the security image receiving side device receives and outputs a security image in the above.

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram for explaining a security image communication method applied when the security image is received and output using a personal computer and a printer.

 FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram for explaining a security image communication method applied when a restored image is created from a security image output by the security image receiving apparatus of the above.

 FIG. 15 is a flowchart for describing in detail the image inverse distortion processing described above.

Explanation of symbols

 α, β, γ ... security image communication system

· · · · Security image transmission device B: Security image receiving device

C, C '… Security image transmission / reception device

D ... Conventional receiving device

 N… Communication line

 al: Original image reading unit

 a2… Password setting section

 a3 ... Image distortion processing unit

 a4 ... Image transmission unit

 & 5

 bl ... Security image reading unit

 b2… Password input section

 133Image inverse distortion processing unit

 b4 ... Image receiving unit

 b5 ... Receiver image output unit

 cl: Image reading unit

 c2: Password setting / input section c3: Image forward / reverse distortion processing section

 c4… Image transmission / reception unit

 c5… Image output unit

 dl… Personal computer

 d2… Printer

 1… Security image

 11 ... Image header

 1 la '■' Set password pattern part l ib… Transmission date and time recording part

 1 lc ... security image clearing section

 12 ... Security image section

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [0072] Hereinafter, with respect to an embodiment of the present invention, an example in which the present invention is applied to an image transmitted and received in units of a page will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing an example of an apparatus and an example of a corresponding method. This will be described in order, followed by an example of a program and an example of a recording medium that embody the example of the method.

 (Example of apparatus 1)

 First, FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a security image communication system device as a device example 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the signal flow between the respective components shown inside the security image transmission side device A and the security image reception side device B is shown by a solid line arrow from the security image transmission side device A to the communication line N. The dotted line arrow indicates the path from the line N to the security image receiving apparatus B.

 [0074] As shown in the figure, the security image communication system device that is active in the present device example includes a communication line N and a security image transmission side device A that creates and transmits a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing. And a security image receiving device B that creates a restored image based on the original image from a security image received and output via a communication line N such as a telephone line or the Internet. A is connected to, for example, a conventional receiving-side device D together with the security-image receiving-side device B so that the security image can be transmitted.

 [0075] The security image transmitting apparatus A is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing).

Unit) and a memory, etc., to create a recoverable security image created by subjecting the original image to image distortion processing and transmitted to the security image receiving device B via the communication line N. A transmitting-side device that inputs an original image reading unit al for reading an original image, and a setting password preset for the original image between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the original image for each original image The original image is input in, for example, a bitmap format from the password setting unit a2 and the original image reading unit al, and the setting password is input from the password setting unit a2. Creates an image header written in a pattern by conversion, etc., and performs image distortion processing to distort the image on the original image, and the image header is added. And image distortion processing unit a3 to create a security image, comprising a. In short, the security image transmitting apparatus A is connected to the communication line N, encodes the security image, and is connected via the communication line N to the security image receiving apparatus B or the conventional receiving apparatus. The image transmitting unit a4 may include an image transmitting unit a4 that transmits a security image to D. The image transmitting unit a4 may be a communication device that can transmit a conventional image.

 [0077] Here, the image distortion processing unit a3 performs, for example, white and white, for example, each of which constitutes this original image with respect to the original image read in the bitmap format by the original image reading unit al. By moving bits or pixels indicating two colors of black by a predetermined number, for example, one line at a time, in a specific direction, distortion that can be restored to the image is generated, and the image distortion processing is performed. It is configured so that the original image cannot be easily read.

 Further, in performing the image distortion processing, the image distortion processing unit a3 performs image distortion processing such as, for example, a horizontal line or a vertical line, which is set in advance on the document image on the sender side and the receiver side. Is configured to overwrite easily recognizable graphics and perform image distortion processing on the original image on which the graphics are overwritten, so that when the security image receiving device B restores However, this figure may be recognized and used as an index of the image reverse distortion processing, thereby enabling more accurate restoration.

 [0079] Further, the image distortion processing unit a3 performs processing on the document image read by the document image reading unit al such that the document image includes information such as a specific range, for example, a recipient, a subject, and the number of pages. The image is not subjected to image distortion processing only for the entire image or only for one area of the image, and a preset skip specification of a specific range is held so as to be settable. The image processing apparatus may be configured to perform image distortion processing for distorting an image only in an area of a document image other than the specified range.

 When the original image reading unit al reads the original image in page units, the image distortion processing unit a3 sets the password for inputting the original image in page units. It may be configured so as to create a security image to which the written image header is added.

The security image transmission side device A further outputs a security image created based on this document image by the image distortion processing unit a3, for example, a display-capable display device. A transmission-side image output unit a5, which may have a transmission-side image output unit a5 configured to be able to output a file to a printer capable of spraying or printing, or a memory or a storage device provided separately, is an image distortion processing unit. Connected to a3.

 Further, the transmitting side image output unit a5 may be connected to the original image reading unit al, and may be configured to be capable of outputting the original image read by the original image reading unit al.

 On the other hand, the security image receiving device B includes, for example, the same CPU and memory as the security image transmitting device A, and transmits the document transmitted from the security image transmitting device A via the communication line N. A receiving device for creating a restored image based on this original image from a restorable security image created by performing image distortion processing on the image, which is once received, printed or displayed and output by the receiving image output unit b5. Security image reading unit that reads a security image that has been added to the printed or displayed security image and that has been set in advance and that has been written with a setting password patterned by, for example, binary code conversion. bl, a password input section b2 for inputting an input password to be matched with the set password, and the set password. Checks whether the password matches, and if they match, the image reverse distortion processing unit that performs image reverse distortion processing to correct the image distortion of the security image and create a restored image b3 And.

 The security image receiving apparatus B is connected to the communication line N, receives the encoded security image data from the security image transmitting apparatus A connected via the communication line N, The image receiving unit b4 may have an image receiving unit b4 for decoding the data into a security image. The image receiving unit b4 may be a communication device that can receive a conventional image.

 [0085] The receiving-side image output unit b5 may be configured to print and output the restored image created by the image inverse distortion processing unit b3. When provided together, the receiving-side image output unit b5 is configured to output the security image received by the image receiving unit b4 via the communication line N so that the security image reading unit bl can read the security image. Tore.

[0086] The restored image created by the image inverse distortion processing unit b3 is the same as the image inverse distortion processing unit b3. The function is configured to delete the restored image data stored in the image inverse distortion processing unit b3 when the image is printed out by the receiving image output unit b5 connected to the It is possible to do.

The receiving-side image output unit b5 has, for example, a printer capable of printing and outputting, and can print the security image transmitted from the security image transmitting-side device A. It may be configured so that the restored image created by the inverse distortion processing unit b3 can be printed.Furthermore, even if the receiving side image output unit b5 has a display capable of displaying and outputting, for example, Of course, both the printer and the display may be provided together, and the security image that is printed out or the security image that is received and printed by the conventional receiver 0 installed separately is read as the security image. It is configured to read by the bl.

 Here, when the receiving-side image output unit b5 has a display and is configured to be capable of inputting the security image displayed and output on this display to the security image reading unit bl, the receiving-side image output unit b5 The output unit b5 may be connected to the security image reading unit bl.

 [0089] The image inverse distortion processing unit b3 includes the security image, the image distortion processing unit a3 of the security image transmitting apparatus A overwrites the original image and performs image distortion processing. For example, the horizontal and vertical lines, etc., recognize the graphic part subjected to image distortion processing, and use this graphic part as an index to combine the image distortion-processed part of the security image with the image distortion processing. Is a function that performs image reverse distortion processing to distort the image in the reverse direction and restores the entire security image to the original image state with the figure overwritten to create a restored image. Accordingly, even when distortion occurs due to external factors, it is possible to accurately correct the image before the image distortion processing.

[0090] In the image inverse distortion processing unit b3, an input password different from the input password that matches the set password written in the image header added to the security image read by the security image reading unit bl is input. In such a case, a function may be configured to notify an error, interrupt the image distortion processing, and end the processing. Further, when the security image is input in units of pages from the security image reading unit bl, the image inverse distortion processing unit b3 reads the image header of each page for each page of the security image, and The function may be configured such that the input confirmation of the input password that matches the set password in the header is repeatedly performed over all pages.

 [0092] (Device example 2)

 Next, FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing a security image communication system device as a device example 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the connection relationship between the respective components inside the security image transmitting / receiving apparatus C shown in FIG. 3 is represented by a solid arrow indicating the flow of the transmitting signal and a dotted arrow indicating the flow of the receiving signal shown in FIG. Are the same or equivalent.

 FIG. 2 shows a case where a security image transmission / reception device C, which simultaneously has the respective functional components of the security image transmission device A and the security image reception device B shown in FIG. 1, is connected to the communication line N. And a security image communication system device β capable of transmitting and receiving security images.

 [0094] As shown in the figure, the security image transmission / reception device C includes, for example, the same CPU and memory as the security image transmission side device Α and the security image reception side device Β, and is shown in FIG. , An image reading unit cl that combines the functions of the original image reading unit a1 and the security image reading unit b1, and a password that combines the functions of the password setting unit a2 and the password input unit b2. It has a setting / input unit c2 and an image forward / reverse distortion processing unit c3 that combines the functions of the image distortion processing unit a3 and the image inverse distortion processing unit b3, and functions to create security images. On the other hand, the function is configured so that a restored image can be created from the output security image.

 [0095] The security image transmission / reception device C is configured by combining the functions of the image transmission unit a4 and the image reception unit b4 shown in FIG. 1 and is connected to the communication line N and performs image forward / reverse distortion processing. The image transmitting / receiving unit c4 may include an image transmitting / receiving unit c4 connected to the unit c3. The image transmitting / receiving unit c4 may be a communication device capable of transmitting / receiving an image using conventional means.

[0096] Further, the image output unit c5 may have an image output unit c5 configured to combine the functions of the transmission-side image output unit a5 and the reception-side image output unit b5. The restored image created by the forward / reverse distortion processing unit c3 is output and received by the image transmitting / receiving unit c4. The security image can be output.

[0097] For example, when the image output unit c5 is configured to include a printer or the like so as to be able to print out in transmission and reception of facsimile and the like, the security image received by the image transmission and reception unit c4 is printed out. The image reading unit cl is configured to read the security image printed and output or the security image received and output by the conventional receiving device D separately installed.

 [0098] On the other hand, when the image output unit c5 is configured to include a display or the like so as to be able to display and output, for example, transmission and reception of e-mail and the like, the security image received by the image transmission and reception unit c4 is displayed on this display. May be constructed so that the security image can be output as it is to the connected image reading unit cl.

 The security image transmitting / receiving apparatus C configured as described above creates a security image from a document image, and has the same configuration as the security image transmitting / receiving apparatus B or the security image transmitting / receiving apparatus C. The security image transmitted from the security image transmission device 送信 or the security image transmission / reception device is received, or the other reception device D receives and outputs the security image. It is configured so that a restored image can be created from the utility image.

 [0100] (Device example 3)

 Subsequently, FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram showing a security image communication system device as a device example 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

 [0101] As shown in the figure, the security image communication system γ according to the example of the present apparatus is different from the conventional receiver D shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that, for example, a communication line such as the Internet is used. The security image transmission device via the security image transmission device or the security image transmission / reception device C via a personal computer dl equipped with the basic functions of a computer capable of receiving a security image, and prints predetermined data in accordance with a print command from the personal computer dl And a possible printer d2.

[0102] At this time, security image communication system device _を transmits the security image printed out by printer d2 to security image receiving device B or security image transmitting / receiving device C 'shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. Read and readable by the receiving user It is preferable that the system be constructed so that a restored image can be created and output.

 [0103] With this, the security image receiving side does not require a dedicated device equipped with a security image receiving function, so that any personal computer dl connected to the communication line N, such as the Internet, does not require a security image receiving function. Can be received and printed out, and since the only images that can be received by this personal computer dl are security images that are difficult to read, confidentiality and privacy must be sufficiently ensured. Can be.

 [0104] [Example of security image]

 Subsequently, an example of a security image applied in this example of the apparatus will be described. First, FIG. 4 shows an example of an image header added to the present image example. Hereinafter, in this image example, the security image transmitting apparatus A and the security image receiving apparatus B of the apparatus example 1 will be described, but the security image communication apparatus j3 or the security image communication apparatus of the apparatus example 2 will be described. It may be applied to γ.

 [0105] As shown in the figure, the security image 1 in the present image example is, for example, an image header 11 added by the image distortion processing unit a3 to the head of the security image 1 such as the top of the page. The security image section 12 includes an image in which the original image is distorted by the distortion processing section a3.

 [0106] Here, the image header 11 stores, in the image distortion processing unit a3, the setting password previously set on the transmitting side and the receiving side, which is set and input by the password setting unit a2 of the security image transmitting side device A. Then, a setting password pattern portion in an unreadable format, for example, by converting it into a binary code or the like, a transmission date / time recording portion l ib in which the transmission date / time is described, and To prevent misunderstanding by notifying the recipient that the subsequent unreadable image is a security image, it is composed of, for example, a “security image” and an explicit security image specification unit 1lc.

[0107] The setting password pattern section 11a is read by the security image reading section bl of the security image receiving apparatus B, and the image reverse distortion processing section b3 sets the transmitting side and the receiving side that match the setting password in advance. Only when an input password set by the user is input, a restored image can be created from the security image section 12. The

 [Example of Image Distortion Processing]

 On the other hand, the security image section 12 is created by performing image distortion processing on a document image in the image distortion processing section a3. Here, an example of the image distortion processing will be described in detail.

 FIG. 5 shows an example of an original image composed of two characters “A” and “B” as an original image to which the present processing example is applied. FIG. 5 shows an example of the original image shown in FIG. FIG. 9 shows an example of image distortion in a case where a moving process of one pixel is performed, for example, of the image distortion processing example in the present processing example.

[0110] In this processing example, the simplest way is to translate each pixel row one pixel at a time with respect to the original image as shown in Fig. 4 read in bitmap format by the original image reading unit al. By applying an arbitrary value to the number of pixels to be moved in each pixel row and performing image distortion processing, it is difficult to read the information described in the original image. Shall be.

 [0111] Note that, in Fig. 6, when the image size of a force facsimile or the like, which is the image size expanded in the moving direction of the pixel as compared with Fig. 5, is expanded as described later. By arranging the portion in the added blank portion opposite to the moving direction of the pixel, the same image size as the original image can be maintained.

 Next, an example of image distortion processing will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

 Figure 7 is an example of an image in which a figure consisting of two straight lines crossing the center is overwritten on another original image example to which this processing example is applied.Figures 8 and 9 overwrite the figure shown in Figure 7. This is an example of image distortion in the case where an example of image distortion processing is performed on the example of the original document image.

 [0113] In the document image of Fig. 7, two oblique lines intersecting at the center of the document image are separately overwritten on the document image so that the image reverse distortion processing unit b3 can easily restore the document image. Figure 8 shows the original image with this figure overwritten, with each row of each pixel constituting the original image shifted by one pixel, and Figure 3 shifted by three pixels. is there.

[0114] As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, by increasing the number of pixels to be moved in each pixel row, It is possible to make the reading of the original image difficult, and the number of pixels to be moved may be an arbitrary number of pixels set in advance between the security image transmitting device A and the security image receiving device B.

 [0115] Here, Figs. 7 to 9 show a case where an arbitrary image is separately overwritten on an original image and then image distortion processing is performed. When the security image is restored by the image inverse distortion processing unit b3, the image is inversely distorted even if the image is distorted during reception, output, or reading. The pixel position can be properly recognized, and a more accurate restored image can be obtained.

 Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, graphics generated in accordance with the movement of each pixel and extending in comparison with the original graphics are in a blank portion of the graphics generated by the same image distortion processing. As a result, the image size of the document image and the security image are kept the same.

 [0117] Here, the image distortion processing is performed on the original image read in the bitmap format described in the image distortion processing example and the image inverse distortion processing example in the pixel unit, and subsequently, It is also possible to perform image inverse distortion processing in bit units on the created security image.

 [0118] The security image receiving apparatus B that reads the security image 1 shown in Fig. 8 or Fig. 9 creates a restored image based on the document image subjected to the image distortion processing from the security image 1. The restored image created here is readable by a user using the security image receiving apparatus B, for example, is equivalent to a document image, and is shown in FIG. The original image may be overwritten with a figure.

 [0119] (Example of method)

Using the security image communication system constructed as described above, a security image 1 in which the original image is subjected to image distortion processing is created and transmitted from the security image transmitting device A, and transmitted via the communication line N. This example describes a security image communication method in which a security image receiving side apparatus B creates and outputs a restored image based on the original image from the security image 1 received and output by the security image communication apparatus 1. The same applies to the device i3 or the security image communication device γ.

First, FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining a security image communication method in the security image transmission side device of the present invention.

[0121] As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, in the document image reading unit al of the security image transmitting device #, the document image is first read by, for example, a scanner or the like, and is output to the image distortion processing unit a3. Along with (ST1), a password set in advance between the transmitting side and the receiving side of this document image is input from the password setting section a2 to the image distortion processing section a3 (ST2).

 Next, in the input image distortion processing unit a3, the setting password is patterned, for example, an image header 11 in which the setting password pattern unit 11a is written is created (ST3). Here, in addition to the set password pattern section 11a, the image header 11 may be set to write, for example, a transmission date / time recording section lib, a security image identification section 11c, and the like.

 [0123] Subsequently, for the original image input to the image distortion processing unit 3a, for example, an image for a specific range such as an entire page or a specific area in which the number of recipient pages, the subject, etc. are described. Check whether the image distortion processing skip specification that does not perform image distortion processing is set beforehand (ST4). If the skip specification has been set, this specific range For the original image without performing the image distortion processing to be performed next, leaving the image state of the original image as it is, and only for the other area excluding this specific range, or when the skip designation is not set, the original image is Then, image distortion processing is performed by the image distortion processing unit a3 (ST5), and the security image unit 12 of the security image 1 is created.

[0124] Subsequently, in the image distortion processing unit a3, the image header 11 in which the setting password pattern unit 11a, which is the patterned setting password created in ST3, was written, was subjected to the image distortion processing created in ST5. The security image 1 is created by adding the security image 1 to the security image section 12 (ST6). For example, at this time, the security image 1 is output to the image transmission section a4, and the security image 1 output from the image transmission section a4 is output. Is encoded so that it can be transmitted to the desired security image receiving device B via the connected communication line N (ST7), and transmitted to the security image receiving device B (ST8). [0125] For example, in ST1, when a document image is read in page units by the document image reading unit al and transmitted over a plurality of pages in each page unit, the image distortion processing unit a3 In step ST6, after creating the security image 1 for each page, it is checked whether all pages have been processed (ST9). ST4 to ST6 of image distortion processing should be repeated.

 [0126] At this time, for each page of the security image 1 created here, it is possible to add an image header 11 in which the setting password pattern portion 1 la, which is an imaged setting password, is written. The setting password to be written in the image header 11 to be deleted can be arbitrarily set and changed for each page.

 [0127] Note that the image transmission unit a4 may enable the line connection and the line disconnection with the communication line N at an appropriate time.

 [0128] In the case where the security image transmitting device A is provided with the transmitting image output unit a5, the security image 1 created in ST6 is output to the image transmitting unit a4 (ST6a). By outputting the image to the transmission-side image output unit a5, the security image 1 created on the transmission side can be confirmed. Alternatively, the document image may be read in ST1, output to the image distortion processing unit a3, and output to the transmission-side image output unit a5 (STla).

 Further, since the security image 1 created in ST6 of the security image transmitting apparatus A is existing image format data such as a bitmap format, the security image receiving side after creating the security image 1 It is also easy to directly edit the security image by pasting it to another image using a computer or the like before sending it to device B.

 Subsequently, FIG. 11 is a flowchart for describing the image distortion processing shown in FIG. 10 in detail. Here, the implementation of the image distortion processing shown in ST5 will be described in detail.

[0131] The image distortion processing in ST5 is performed, for example, on the document image held in the bitmap format read by the document image reading unit al reading the document image in the bitmap format in ST1. Alternatively, a figure such as a vertical line or a horizontal line may be overwritten with a figure in a range that does not render the contents of the original image illegible (ST51). Here, the figure to be overwritten on the original image between the security image transmitting apparatus A and the security image receiving apparatus B is preferably overwritten by a previously set figure. In performing the subsequent image distortion processing on the original document image that has been subjected to the image distortion processing, it is preferable that the original image be recognizable separately from the image subjected to the image distortion processing.

 Subsequently, the respective pixels constituting the original image or the original image in which the specific graphic is overwritten in ST51 are moved in a specific direction by the number of pixels set in advance for each pixel row, for example. (ST52) Then, the image reverse distortion processing unit b3 of the security image receiving side device B generates regular image distortion such that a restored image of the original image can be created by the receiver side. Thus, the image distortion processing for creating the security image section 12 shown in ST5 is performed.

 Next, FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram for explaining a security image communication method applied when the security image receiving side device of the present invention receives and outputs a security image.

 [0135] As shown in the figure, in order for the security image receiving side device B to receive and output the security image 1 from the security image transmitting side device A, the security image receiving side device B first requires a communication line. The image receiving unit b4 connected to N receives the security image 1 transmitted from the security image transmitting device A (ST11), and subsequently encodes the encoded data to be transmitted / received via the communication line N. Is decoded (ST12), and security image 1 is passed to the receiving-side image output unit b5.

 Upon receiving the security image 1, for example, the receiving-side image output unit b 5 such as a printing unit or a display unit outputs the security image 1 having the security image unit 12 that has been subjected to the image distortion processing to a printer, for example. Then, print output, display output on a display, and file output to a storage device are output (ST13). In the above-described steps ST11 to ST13, the security image 1 is received and output by the conventional receiving device D, and then the security image 1 is separately read by the security image receiving device B, and the image reverse process described later is performed. It is okay to perform distortion processing.

[0137] Here, Fig. 13 is for explaining a security image communication method applied when receiving and outputting the security image shown in Fig. 12 using a personal computer and a printer. FIG.

 [0138] As shown in the figure, when the method example is applied to the security image communication system γ, the reception and output of the security images of ST11 to ST13 shown in FIG. The security image 1 is received (ST1 la) and decoded (ST12a) by the personal computer dl arranged in an arbitrary area on N1, and the image data of the security image 1 is transmitted to the connected printer d2. By notifying the print command, the printer d2 prints the image data of the desired security image 1 (ST13a).

 Subsequently, FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram for explaining a security image communication method applied when a restored image is created from an output security image in the security image receiving side device of the present invention.

 [0140] As shown in the figure, first, in the security image receiving side device B, the received security image 1 is transmitted to the security image receiving side device B, the conventional receiving side device D, the security image transmitting / receiving device C, or the like. After the output, the password input unit b2 first inputs an input password that matches a preset password between the transmission side and the reception side of the security image 1 (ST21). This input password is passed to the inverse distortion unit b3.

 [0141] Further, together with ST21, the security image reading unit bl outputs the security image received and output from the security image transmitting device A, for example, the output at ST13 and the security image output from another receiving device D. From step 1, the setting password is read from the setting password pattern section 11a in the image header 11 (ST22), and this image header is passed to the image reverse distortion section b3.

Subsequently, the image inverse distortion unit b3 checks whether the input password input in ST21 matches the setting password read in ST22 (ST23). Here, if the combination of the input password and the set password is different from the one set in advance on the transmitting side and the receiving side, the subsequent reading of the security image 1 and the image reverse distortion for the security image 1 are performed. Without performing the processing, for example, an error is notified to the user using the security image receiving apparatus B, and the subsequent processing is terminated.

[0143] On the other hand, if the entered password matches the set password, The security image 1 is read by the security image reading unit bl (ST24), and the security image 1 is transferred to the image inverse distortion processing unit b3, and the image distortion processing of the security image transmitting apparatus A is performed by the image inverse distortion processing unit b3. For the security image unit 12 that has been subjected to the image distortion processing by the unit a3, a restored image that makes the original image legible is created by image reverse distortion processing such as distorting the image in the opposite direction to this image distortion processing ( ST25), the created restored image is passed to the receiving-side image output unit b5, and the restored image is output by the receiving-side image output unit b5 (ST26).

 [0144] For example, when security image 1 read by security image reading unit bl of ST24 is transmitted over a plurality of pages in page units, only the first page is read in ST22. Instead, the setting password is read from the setting password pattern section 11a in the image header 11 for each page by the security image reading section bl, and then the setting password and the input password are set in the image reverse distortion processing section b3 of ST23. I'll try to make sure that it matches with you.

 [0145] Therefore, the image inverse distortion processing unit b3 checks whether all pages have been processed after creating the restored image in ST25 (ST27), and if there is an unprocessed original image page, By repeating ST21 to ST26 again sequentially, it becomes possible to output restored images corresponding to all original images.

 [0146] Here, the security image read in ST22 and ST24 and the image header 11 added to the security image 1 are simultaneously received by the image receiving unit b4 mounted on the security image receiving side device B, and For example, the security image 1 from the security image transmission side device A is not limited to the printout or data output in the reception side image output unit b5, and is installed in another reception side device D separately installed. In advance, for example, a device that reads a received print output or a data output may be used.

 [0147] Also, the security image reading unit bl that implements ST22 and ST24 reads the security image 1 output as data by the receiving image output unit b5 that is simultaneously mounted on and connected to the security image receiving device B. It doesn't matter.

Next, FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining in detail the image inverse distortion processing shown in FIG. 14. Here, the image inverse distortion processing shown in ST5 will be explained in detail. The

 [0149] As shown in the figure, the image inverse distortion processing of ST5 is performed, for example, by performing the ST51 shown in FIG. 11 on the security image 1 read by the security image reading unit bl in the bitmap format in ST24. For example, if the security image 1 is created by performing image distortion processing on a document image in which a specific figure such as a vertical line or a horizontal line is overwritten, first, Recognize the overwritten specific graphic part in Image 1 (ST251).

 [0150] Next, using the recognized specific figure as an index, in restoring the specific figure subjected to image distortion processing to the original overwritten figure shape, other areas subjected to image distortion processing are also used. Perform image reverse distortion processing by correcting image distortion integrally, create data of the restored image (ST252), and when distortion occurs during transmission / reception of security image 1, read / output, etc. For example, since the image reverse distortion processing can be performed, for example, the pixel position can be accurately recognized, the original image can be more accurately restored.

 [0151] Subsequently, the created restored image data may be passed to the receiving-side image output unit b5 (ST253) and output to the receiving-side image output unit b5, and the image inverse distortion processing (ST25) may be ended. However, by continuing to delete the data of the restored image created and held by the image inverse distortion processing unit b3 (ST254), more secure security can be ensured.

 [0152] (Example of program and recording medium)

 Finally, both devices have the basic functions of a computer, a security image transmitting device A that creates and transmits a security image 1 in which a document image is subjected to image distortion processing, and the security image that is received and output via a communication line N. And a security image receiving apparatus B for generating and outputting a restored image based on the original image from a security image communication apparatus constructed to include the security image receiving apparatus B. An example will be described. Note that this example program may be applied to the security image communication system device / 3.

[0153] First, the security image transmission side device A inputs a setting password preset between the transmission side and the reception side of the document image along with the processing procedure of reading the document image. And a processing procedure for creating an image header 11 in which the setting password pattern portion 1 la in which the setting password is patterned is written, and an image distortion process for distorting the image with respect to the document image. Together with the processing procedure for generating the security image 1 by attaching the image header 11 and the processing procedure for transmitting the security image 1 to the security image receiving apparatus B.

On the other hand, the security image receiving device B reads the setting password from the setting password pattern portion 11a written in the image header 11 of the security image 1 received and output from the security image transmitting device A. Along with the procedure, a processing procedure of inputting an input password to be collated with the setting password, and a processing procedure of confirming that the input password matches the setting password are sequentially executed.

 [0155] Here, when the setting password and the input password match, a processing procedure for reading the security image, and an image for correcting the distortion of the security image and creating a restored image based on the original image, A processing procedure for executing the inverse distortion processing and a processing procedure for outputting the restored image are sequentially executed.

 The processing procedure for reading the setting password from the setting password pattern portion 11a written in the image header 11 in the security image receiving apparatus B is performed by another conventional receiving apparatus D installed separately. The security image 1 transmitted from the side device A may be temporarily received, and may be executed, for example, after a printout processing procedure is executed in advance.

 [0157] When the processing procedure of once receiving and printing out the security image 1 in the security image receiving side apparatus B is applied to the security image communication system apparatus γ, the security image communication apparatus apparatus γ may be applied to any area on the communication line Ν. A procedure for causing the deployed personal computer dl to receive the security image 1 via a communication line, and notifying the printer d2 of a print instruction for the security image 1 from the personal computer dl, thereby allowing the printer d2 to transmit the security image 1. The procedure for printing 1 may be sequentially executed.

[0158] Further, the processing procedure for executing image distortion processing on the document image read by security image transmitting apparatus A is performed in advance as a processing procedure for reading the document image. After executing the processing procedure of reading as a bitmap format, the processing procedure of moving each pixel constituting the original image in a specific direction by the number of pixels set in advance for each pixel row, for example, is described. Let it run.

 [0159] In short, the processing procedure of executing the image distortion processing includes a processing procedure of overwriting a document image with a preset figure and an image distortion processing of the document image overwritten with this figure. The processing procedure to be performed may be sequentially executed.

 [0160] In this case, the processing procedure for executing the image reverse distortion process to be executed by the security image receiving apparatus B is overwritten on the original image by the security image transmitting apparatus A included in the security image 1. The procedure for recognizing a graphic part that has been subjected to image distortion processing, and correcting this graphic part to a figure that has not been subjected to image distortion processing further changes the entire security image 1 to the state of the original image with the figure overwritten. By sequentially executing the processing procedure for restoring the image, a restored image can be created.

 [0161] On the other hand, the processing procedure for executing the image distortion processing to be executed by the security image transmission side device A is a processing procedure for confirming the skip designation of the image distortion processing for a specific range of the document image, and the skip designation. If the skip specification is set in the processing procedure for checking the image, the processing procedure that distorts the image only to the part excluding the specific area may be executed while leaving this specific area as it is. ,.

 [0162] Further, the processing procedure for confirming that the input password to be executed by the security image receiving apparatus B and the setting password match each other is as follows: the setting password in the setting password pattern portion 11a written in the read image header 11 matches the setting password. If an input password different from the input password to be input is entered, an error may be notified, the processing may be interrupted, and the processing may be terminated.

 [0163] Also, the processing procedure for creating a security image to be executed by the security image transmitting apparatus A is described in the following. The processing procedure of adding an image header 11 in which the set password pattern portion 1 la is written for each page to the security image 1 to be executed may be executed.

In this case, the input password and the setting pass to be executed by the security image receiving side device B When the setting password is set for each page in advance in the processing procedure for reading the setting password, the matching procedure between the input password and the setting password is checked for each page. It is preferable to execute a processing procedure for checking.

 [0165] Further, the processing procedure for outputting a restored image to be executed by the security image receiving apparatus B is a processing procedure for deleting the restored image data held in the security image receiving apparatus B after the output of the restored image. By executing the above, it is possible to secure more certainty and security.

 At this time, there is obtained a recording medium which records the above-described program example consisting of a series of processing procedures as a computer-readable practice procedure.

 [0166] In the present embodiment, an object to be transmitted / received is called an image, but transmission / reception of a security image is not limited to the content of the original image. It may be a photograph, an image, a mixture of them, or a fax document.

 As described above, the embodiment of the present invention has been described by taking as an example the case where the present invention is read in the bitmap format and the image distortion processing and the image inverse distortion processing are applied. The present invention is not limited to the means, methods, procedures, and procedures described above, but can be appropriately changed and implemented within a range having the above-described effects. It is applied to transmission / reception and facsimile.

Claims

The scope of the claims

 [1] Create and transmit a security image from the original device image with image distortion processing from the transmitting device, and create a restored image based on the original image from the security image received and output via the communication line in the receiving device. A security image communication method to output,

 In the transmitting device,

 First, while reading the original image,

 A preset setting password is input between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the original image, and then an image header in which the setting password is patterned and written is created. After performing the image distortion process to distort the, and after creating the security image by adding the image header,

 Transmitting the security image to the receiving device,

 On the other hand, in the receiving device,

 After once outputting the received security image,

 First, while inputting an input password that matches the setting password, the setting password is read from the image header of the security image received and output from the transmitting device,

 Next, a check is made to see if the input password entered matches the setting password. If the setting password matches the input password,

 Further, reading the security image,

 Then, an image reverse distortion process is performed on the security image to correct the image distortion and create the restored image,

 Finally, output the restored image,

 A security image communication method, comprising:

 [2] The receiving device,

 In a receiving apparatus that cannot perform image reverse distortion processing separately installed, the security image from the transmitting apparatus is received and output in advance, and is placed.

Thereafter, the output security image is transmitted to a receiving-side device capable of not performing the image inverse distortion processing. By reading in the above, to create and output the restored image,

 2. The security image communication method according to claim 1, wherein:

[3] The receiving device that cannot perform the image inverse distortion processing includes:

 A personal computer arranged in an arbitrary area on the communication line, wherein the personal computer receives the security image via the communication line,

 The security image communication according to claim 2, wherein said security image is printed by said printer by notifying a printer connected to said personal computer of a print instruction of said security image. Method.

[4] The image distortion processing includes:

 Reading the original image as a bitmap format,

 By moving each pixel constituting the original image in a specific direction by a predetermined number of pixels,

 Generating an image distortion that can be restored to the original image by the image inverse distortion processing;

 4. The security image communication method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein:

[5] The transmitting device,

 Overwriting a previously set figure on the original image,

 4. The security image communication method according to claim 1, wherein the image distortion processing is performed on the original image on which the graphic is overwritten.

 [6] The image inverse distortion processing includes:

 Recognizing the graphic portion included in the security image and overwritten on the original image by the transmitting device and subjected to the image distortion processing,

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the graphic portion is corrected to a graphic before the image distortion processing is performed, thereby restoring the entire security image to a state of the original image in which the graphic is overwritten. The security image communication method according to Item 5. [7] The image distortion processing includes:

 When skipping of the image distortion processing is performed for a specific range of the original image,

 Distorting the image only for the part excluding the specific area, leaving the specific area as it is,

 4. The security image communication method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein:

[8] The receiving device,

 If an input password different from the input password that matches the set password written in the read image header is input, an error is notified, the image reverse distortion process is interrupted, and the process ends.

 4. The security image communication method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein:

 [9] The transmitting communication device,

 In the reading of the document image, the document image is read in page units, and the security image to which the image header in which the setting password is written is added is created for each page.

 4. The security image communication method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein:

 [10] The receiving communication device,

 Reading the setting password from the image header for each page, and performing input confirmation of the input password matching the setting password written in the image header for each page;

 10. The security image communication method according to claim 9, wherein:

[11] The output of the restored image is

 After the automatic output of the restored image, delete the restored image held in the receiving device,

The security image communication as set forth in claims 1, 2, or 3 Trust method.

 [12] A transmission-side device for creating and transmitting a recoverable security image created by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing and transmitted to a reception-side device via a communication line. A document image reading unit to be read;

 A password setting unit for inputting, for each document image, a setting password preset between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the document image for the document image;

 The original image is input from the original image reading unit, and the setting password is input from the password setting unit to create an image header in which the setting password is patterned and written. An image distortion processing unit that performs an image distortion process of distorting the image by performing the image distortion process and creates the security image to which the image header is added.

 A security image transmission side device characterized by the above-mentioned.

[13] The transmitting device,

 Connected to the communication line,

 An image transmission unit that encodes the security image and transmits the security image to the reception-side device connected via the communication line;

 13. The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, wherein:

[14] The image distortion processing unit,

 With respect to the original image read in the bitmap format by the original image reading unit, each pixel constituting the original image is moved in a specific direction by a predetermined number of pixels to generate distortion. Functionally configured to perform image distortion processing,

 13. The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, wherein:

[15] The image distortion processing unit,

 A function configured to overwrite a predetermined figure on the document image and perform the image distortion process on the document image on which the figure is overwritten;

 13. The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, wherein:

[16] The image distortion processing unit, For the read original image, a skip designation of the image distortion processing for a specific range is held so as to be settable,

 Is configured to perform the image distortion process of distorting an image only for the document image excluding the specific range while leaving the specific range as it is,

 13. The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, wherein:

[17] The image distortion processing unit,

 The document image read in the page unit is input from the document image reading unit, and is configured to create the security image to which the image header in which the setting password is written is added for each page.

 13. The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, wherein:

[18] The transmitting device,

 A transmitting-side image output unit that outputs the security image created based on the document image in the image distortion processing unit.

 13. The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, wherein:

[19] The transmission-side image output unit includes:

 The document image reading unit is connected to the document image reading unit so that the document image read by the document image reading unit can be output.

 19. The security image transmitting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

[20] A receiving-side device for creating and outputting a restored image based on the original image from a restorable security image created by performing image distortion processing on a document image transmitted from a transmitting-side device via a communication line. And

 The security image once received or printed or displayed and output by the receiving-side image output unit, and the image header in which the setting password added to the printed or displayed and output security image and written in a predetermined and patterned pattern are written. Security image reading unit to read,

A password input unit for inputting an input password to be matched with the set password, and, if the set password and the input password match, correcting the image distortion of the security image and reconstructing the restored image. Create image reverse distortion And an image inverse distortion processing unit that performs only the processing.

 A security image receiving side device characterized by the above-mentioned.

 [21] The receiving device,

 Connect to the communication line,

 An image receiving unit that receives encoded security image data from the transmitting device connected via the communication line and decodes the data into the security image;

 21. The security image receiving device according to claim 20, wherein:

[22] The receiving side image output unit,

 It is configured to print out the restored image created by the image inverse distortion processing unit as well.

 21. The security image receiving device according to claim 20, wherein:

[23] The image inverse distortion processing unit,

 After the restored image is printed out by the receiving image output unit, the restored image to be retained is configured to be deleted.

 23. The security image receiving side device according to claim 22, wherein:

[24] The receiving side image output unit,

 Having a printer capable of printing output,

 23. The security image receiving side device according to claim 22, wherein:

[25] The receiving-side image output unit,

 Having a display capable of displaying and outputting,

 23. The security image receiving side device according to claim 22, wherein:

[26] The receiving-side image output unit includes:

 The security image displayed and output on the display is connected to the security image reading unit so as to be inputtable.

 26. The security image receiving device according to claim 25, wherein:

[27] The image inverse distortion processing unit,

Overwrites the document image by the transmitting device included in the security image Then, by recognizing a preset graphic portion subjected to the image distortion processing and correcting the graphic portion to a graphic before the image distortion processing, the entire security image is processed by the graphic. Configured to restore the overwritten original image state to create the restored image;

 21. The security image receiving device according to claim 20, wherein:

[28] The image inverse distortion processing unit,

 If an input password different from the input password that matches the set password written in the read image header is input, an error is notified, and the image distortion processing is interrupted and terminated. Be done

 21. The security image receiving device according to claim 20, wherein:

[29] The image inverse distortion processing unit,

 The security image is input in units of pages from the security image reading unit, and is configured to perform input confirmation of the input password that matches the setting password written in the image header for each page.

 21. The security image receiving device according to claim 20, wherein:

[30] A communication line, a transmitting device that creates and transmits a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing, and a restored image based on the document image from the security image received or received and output via the communication line. A security image communication system constructed with a receiving apparatus to be created,

 The transmitting device,

 The security image transmitting device according to claim 12, claim 13, claim 14, claim 15, claim 16, claim 17, claim 18 or claim 19,

 The receiving device,

 The security image receiving side according to claim 20, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 or 29. Device,

 A security image communication system device characterized by the above-mentioned.

[31] The transmitting device and the receiving device,

The document image reading unit and the security image reading unit have the same functions. An image reading unit;

 A password setting / input unit configured to combine functions of the password setting unit and the password input unit;

 The image distortion processing unit and the image inverse distortion processing unit are configured to have the functions of the image reading unit and the password setting Z input unit. ,

 A security image transmission / reception device configured to be capable of creating the security image, and configured to be capable of creating the restored image from the output security image;

 31. The security image communication system according to claim 30, wherein:

[32] The security image transmission / reception device,

 The image transmitting unit and the image receiving unit are configured to have a combined function, and further include an image transmitting / receiving unit connected to the communication line and connected to the image forward / reverse distortion processing unit. 32. The security image communication system according to item 31.

[33] The security image transmission / reception device,

 An image output unit configured to combine functions of the transmission-side image output unit and the reception-side image output unit;

 32. The security image communication system according to claim 31, wherein:

[34] The security image communication system,

 A personal computer arranged in an arbitrary area on the communication line for receiving the security image transmitted from the transmitting side device;

 A printer that is connected to the personal computer and prints the security image based on a print instruction of the personal computer.

 The receiving side device reads the security image printed by the printer, and is configured to be able to create the restored image.

 31. The security image communication system according to claim 30, wherein:

[35] Both of them have the basic functions of a computer, and transmit and receive via a communication line a transmission-side device that creates and transmits a security image obtained by subjecting a document image to image distortion processing. A receiving device for creating and outputting a restored image based on the document image from the security image, and a security image communication processing program applied to a network system constructed having

 In the transmitting device,

 Along with a processing procedure for reading the original image,

 Inputting a preset setting password between the transmitting side and the receiving side of the document image.

 A processing procedure for creating an image header in which the setting password is patterned and written,

 A processing procedure for performing image distortion processing for distorting an image on the document image, a processing procedure for creating the security image by adding the image header, and a processing procedure for transmitting the security image to the receiving-side device And are executed sequentially

On the other hand, in the receiving device,

 From the image header of the security image received and output from the transmitting device, along with a processing procedure for reading the setting password,

 After executing the processing procedure of inputting the input password to be matched with the setting password,

 Execute the processing procedure for confirming that the input password entered matches the setting password,

 Here, if the setting password and the input password match,

 A processing procedure for reading the security image,

 A processing procedure for performing image reverse distortion processing for correcting the image distortion of the security image to create the restored image;

 And a processing procedure for outputting the restored image.

 A security image communication processing program characterized by the above-mentioned.

The processing procedure for reading the setting password in the receiving device is performed by the transmitting device in another conventional receiving device separately installed. The processing procedure for receiving and outputting the security image once is executed in advance,

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 35, characterized in that:

[37] The processing procedure for once receiving and outputting the security image transmitted from the transmitting device is as follows:

 A step of causing a personal computer arranged in an arbitrary area on the communication line as the other conventional receiving side device separately installed to receive the security image via the communication line;

 By notifying the printer connected to the personal computer of a print instruction for the security image from the personal computer, thereby causing the printer to print the security image sequentially.

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 36, characterized by:

[38] The processing procedure for performing the image distortion processing includes:

 In advance, as a processing procedure for reading the document image, a processing procedure for reading the document image in a bitmap format is executed,

 Executing a processing procedure of moving each pixel constituting the document image in a specific direction by a preset number of pixels;

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 35, characterized in that:

[39] The processing procedure for executing the image distortion processing includes:

 A processing procedure of overwriting a previously set graphic on the original image, and a processing procedure of performing the image distortion processing on the original image overwritten with the graphic.

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 35, characterized in that:

[40] The processing procedure for executing the image inverse distortion processing includes: A processing procedure for recognizing the graphic portion included in the security image and overwritten on the original image by the transmitting device and subjected to the image distortion processing;

 And correcting the graphic portion to a graphic before the image distortion processing is performed, thereby restoring the entire security image to the original image state in which the graphic is overwritten. ,

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 39, wherein

[41] The processing procedure for performing the image distortion processing includes:

 A processing procedure for confirming a skip designation of the image distortion processing for a specific range of the document image;

 In the processing procedure for confirming the skip specification, if the skip specification is set,

 The specific range is left as it is, and a processing procedure for distorting the image is performed only on a portion excluding the specific range.

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 35, characterized in that:

[42] The processing procedure for confirming a match between the input password and the setting password includes:

 If an input password different from the input password that matches the set password written in the read image header is input, an error is notified, the processing is interrupted, and a processing procedure for terminating is executed.

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 35, characterized in that:

[43] The processing procedure for creating the security image is as follows:

 When the original image is set to be read in page units in the processing procedure for reading the original image,

36. The security according to claim 35, wherein a processing procedure of adding the image header in which the setting password is written for each page to the security image created for each page is executed. Image communication processing program [44] A processing procedure for confirming a match between the input password and the setting password is performed when the setting password is set for each page in advance in the processing procedure for reading the setting password.

 Executing a processing procedure for confirming that the input password matches the setting password for each page;

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 43, characterized in that:

[45] The processing procedure for outputting the restored image includes:

 After the output of the restored image, a process of deleting the restored image held in the receiving device is executed.

 The security image communication processing program according to claim 35, characterized by:

[46] Claims 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 A computer-readable record of the actual procedures of each processing procedure in the security image communication processing program described in

 A recording medium on which a security image communication processing program is recorded.