WO2005022896A1

WO2005022896A1 - Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing program

Info

Publication number: WO2005022896A1
Application number: PCT/JP2004/012096
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kazuyuki Nako
Original assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2003-08-28
Filing date: 2004-08-24
Publication date: 2005-03-10
Also published as: JP2005079628A; JP3993845B2

Abstract

A CPU (10), a ROM (11), a RAM (12), an operation panel (13), an external I/F (14), and a printing engine (15) are connected to one another via a bus (16). The CPU (10) specifies a copy inhibit area in the image data which has been read in via the external I/F (14) and combines a first pattern (20) with this area so as to form a first combined image (30). Moreover, the CPU (10) reads in the first combined image (30) via the external I/F (14), detects the area where the pattern(20) has been combined, and combines a second pattern with the detected area (22), so as to form second combined images (32, 33). The printing engine (15) receives the second combined images and prints the second combined images (32, 33). By using an image painted in solid black as the second pattern, it is possible to prevent copying of the copy inhibit area.

Description

Specification

Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing:

Technical field

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus and the like that can suppress copying of a desired area in an entire image.

Background art

[0002] With the recent development of copying machine technology, forgery of documents, bills, securities, and the like has become possible easily, which has become a major social problem. For this reason, many technologies for preventing forgery of the above documents and the like have been developed.

[0003] For example, in an image processing apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a first conventional example) disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-210481 (Patent Document 1), data generated by reading an image represents an image such as a bill. If it is detected that the data is a forgery, the output of faithful data to the image forming unit is prohibited to prevent forgery of bills and the like.

[0004] Further, in an image processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a second conventional example) disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-212584 (Patent Document 2), a predetermined specific pattern is inserted into a document for which copying is prohibited. When it is recognized that the specific pattern is included in the original to be copied, the copying of the original is stopped.

[0005] However, in the first conventional example, there is a problem that only copying of a specific image such as a bill is suppressed, and copying of a general document cannot be suppressed. .

In the second conventional example, copying of a document including the specific pattern is stopped, so that it is impossible to suppress copying only in an arbitrary area of the document. That is, for one document, it is impossible to copy a part of the original while copying the other part. Further, if the image input is performed while hiding the specific pattern, there is a problem that the stop of the copying can be avoided and the illegal copying is easily performed.

Patent Document 1: JP-A-2-210481

Patent Document 2: JP-A-7-212584 Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program which can suppress copying of an image including a general document in a desired area of the entire image. It is in. Means for solving the problem

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a first pattern storage unit that stores data representing a first pattern in advance,

An image data storage unit that stores image data representing an image;

A prohibited area specifying unit that specifies an area where copying should be prohibited for an image represented by the image data stored in the image data storage unit;

A first pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing the first pattern with the area specified by the prohibited area specifying unit of the image to form a first synthesized image;

It is characterized by having.

[0009] According to the configuration, for the image represented by the image data stored in the image data storage unit, the prohibited area specifying unit specifies an area where copying should be prohibited. A first pattern previously stored in the first pattern storage unit is combined with the specified area by the first pattern combining unit to form a first combined image. In the area where the first pattern is combined in the first combined image, the power of the original image in the area is reduced by deforming the image or further combining other patterns. You. Therefore, copying of a desired portion of the image is suppressed.

[0010] Here, the image represented by the image data refers to any image to be copied, such as characters, figures, and tables.

[0011] Here, the term "combining" means that, of all the pixels included in the image data, all the pixels corresponding to the pixels constituting the first pattern are included in the pixels constituting the first pattern. Means rewriting. Alternatively, of all the pixels included in the image data, for pixels that do not form an image, it also means that pixels corresponding to the pixels that form the first pattern are rewritten to the pixels that form the first pattern. I do. Ie Rewriting the first pattern on the front side of the image represented by the image data, and rewriting the first pattern on the back side of the image represented by the image data. Means to rewrite to

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention, the first pattern synthesizing unit synthesizes the first pattern in a mosaic shape in an area specified by the specific data of an image represented by the image data.

[0013] According to the embodiment, the first pattern is combined with the area specified by the prohibited area specifying unit of the image in a mosaic manner, so that data representing the first pattern is stored. The storage capacity of the first pattern storage section can be made relatively small.

[0014] An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a second pattern storage unit that stores data representing a second pattern in advance,

The first pattern exists for a composite image data storage unit that stores the image data representing the first composite image, and for the first composite image represented by the image data stored in the composite image data storage unit. An area detection unit that detects an area;

A second pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing the second pattern with the area detected by the area detecting unit to form a second synthesized image;

Is provided.

[0015] According to the embodiment, the composite image data storage unit stores image data representing the first composite image, and for the image represented by the image data, the region detection unit converts the first pattern into the first pattern. An existing area is detected. The second pattern is combined with the second pattern by the second pattern combining unit to form a second combined image. By using, for example, a stamp, filling, or a character prohibiting copying as the second pattern, an original image is formed in the portion of the image in which the second pattern is synthesized. Is hindered. In addition, it is specified that copying is prohibited. Therefore, copying of the image is partially suppressed in the area where the first pattern exists.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the area detection unit detects the first pattern. An area correction unit that corrects an area that is not present and is surrounded by the area where the first pattern is detected to an area where the first pattern is detected.

According to the above-described embodiment, an area where the first pattern is not detected and which is surrounded by the area where the first pattern is detected is determined by the area correction unit. The first pattern is modified to the detected area. Therefore, for example, when there is a portion where the first pattern is interrupted or missing, this portion is corrected as a region where the first pattern is detected. Thus, for example, even when the first pattern is interrupted by an image superimposed on the first pattern, the second pattern is synthesized without interruption or chipping. Therefore, the second pattern is reliably combined with the area where copying is prohibited, and copying of this area is appropriately prevented.

[0018] The image processing method according to the present invention includes storing in advance data representing a first pattern; storing image data representing an image;

Specifying an area for which copying is prohibited for the image represented by the image data; and forming a first composite image by combining the first pattern with the area for which copying is prohibited in the image. When

It is characterized by having.

According to the above configuration, data representing the first pattern is stored in advance, and image data representing the image is read. With respect to the image represented by the image data, an area where copying is prohibited is specified. The first pattern is combined with an area where the copying of the image is to be prohibited to form a first combined image. By performing image deformation, insertion of another pattern, and the like on the area where the first pattern is synthesized, formation of an original image of the area is suppressed. Therefore, by specifying a desired region in the image, copying of a desired portion is suppressed.

[0020] An image processing method according to an embodiment includes: storing in advance data representing a second pattern; storing image data representing the first composite image;

For the first composite image represented by the image data, the first pattern exists Detecting the area;

Combining the second pattern with an area where the presence of the first pattern is detected to form a second combined image;

Is provided.

According to the embodiment, data representing the second pattern is stored in advance. Then, image data representing the first composite image is read, and an area where the first pattern exists is detected in the first composite image. The second pattern is combined with this area to form a second combined image. By using, for example, a stamp, fill-in, or a character prohibiting copying as the second pattern, formation of an original image is prevented in a portion where the second pattern is combined. In addition, it is specified that copying is prohibited. Therefore, copying of an image is partially suppressed in the area where the first pattern exists.

[0022] The image processing program of the present invention stores

Storing in advance data representing the first pattern;

Storing image data representing the image;

Is executed.

According to the configuration, the computer previously stores data representing the first pattern by the image processing program. Further, the image data representing the image is read, and an area for which copying is prohibited is specified for the image. The first pattern is combined with the specified area to form a first combined image. The original image of the area is prevented from being copied by deforming the image or inserting another pattern in the area where the first pattern is synthesized. Accordingly, by specifying a desired area in the image, copying of a desired portion is suppressed.

[0024] The image processing program according to one embodiment includes:

Storing in advance data representing the second pattern; Storing image data representing the first composite image;

Detecting a region where the first pattern exists in the first composite image represented by the image data;

Combining the second pattern with the area where the presence of the first pattern is detected to form a second combined image;

Is executed.

According to the embodiment, the computer stores in advance the data representing the second pattern by the image processing program. Then, an area where the first pattern exists is detected in the read first synthesized image. The second pattern is combined with the region where the presence of the first pattern is detected to form a second combined image. By using, for example, a stamp, filling, or a character prohibiting copying as the second pattern, formation of an original image is prevented in a portion where the second pattern is combined. In addition, it is specified that copying is prohibited. Therefore, copying of the image is partially suppressed in the region where the first pattern exists.

The invention's effect

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, for the image represented by the image data stored in the image data storage unit, the area for which copying is prohibited is specified by the prohibited area specifying unit. . The first pattern is synthesized by the first pattern synthesizing unit in the specified area, and a first synthesized image is formed. The original image in the area can be prevented from being copied by deforming the image or inserting another pattern in the area where the first pattern is synthesized. Therefore, copying of a desired portion of the image can be suppressed.

[0027] Further, according to the image processing method of the present invention, for an image represented by the read image data, an area for which copying is to be prohibited is specified, and the first area in which data is stored in advance is specified in this area. The patterns are combined to form a first combined image. The original image in the area can be prevented from being copied by deforming the image or inserting another pattern in the area where the first pattern is synthesized. Therefore, copying of a desired portion of the image can be suppressed. According to the image processing program of the present invention, it is possible to previously store data representing the first pattern in the computer, store image data representing an image, and store the image represented by the image data in the computer. For this purpose, it is necessary to specify an area in which copying is to be prohibited and to combine the first pattern with the area in which copying of the image is to be prohibited to form a first combined image. On the other hand, by modifying the image or inserting another pattern into the area where the first pattern is synthesized, it is possible to prevent the original image of the area from being copied. Therefore, copying of a desired portion of the image can be suppressed.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a printer as an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure executed by a CPU by first software.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first pattern.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a receipt for which copying of a copy should be suppressed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a receipt in which the first pattern is synthesized.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure executed by a CPU by second software.

FIG. 8A is a diagram showing an area where a first pattern is actually detected.

FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a corrected detection area.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a receipt in which a second pattern is synthesized.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a receipt in which another second pattern is synthesized.

Explanation of symbols

[0030] 1 Printer

11 ROM

12 RAM

13 Operation panel

14 Outside / F (Interface)

15 Print Engine

16 bus BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a printer as an image processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printer 1 includes an operation panel 13 on which operation-related settings are input and an external IZF (interface) 14 based on standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark). It is connected to a personal computer (not shown) via a network line connected to the external I / F 14.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the printer 1. The printer 1 has a CPU (central processing unit) 10, a ROM (read only memory) 11, a RAM (random access memory) 12, and an image in addition to the operation panel 13 and the external I / F 14. It prints data and is connected to the print engine 15 by a bus 16. The RAM 12 is used not only as a storage location for programs and data but also as a work area necessary for executing software (programs).

[0034] The printer of the present embodiment includes printer hardware and software executed by the CPU 10. The above software is stored in the ROM 11 and is loaded into the RAM 12 and executed. The hardware of the printer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is generally known, and an essential part of the present embodiment is software stored in the ROM 11 and loaded into the RAM 12. Since the hardware configuration and operation of the printer are general, detailed description is omitted in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure executed by the CPU 10 by the first software stored in the ROM 11.

First, in step S11, the CPU 10 receives data representing a document (hereinafter, referred to as document data) from a personal computer or the like via the external IZF 14, and stores it in the RAM 12. Here, the document data corresponds to image data, and the RAM 12 functions as an image data storage unit. The document data may be data representing the image itself, such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) format data, or data representing characters or images in a description language called PDL (Page Description Language). There may be. [0037] In step S12, the CPU 10 extracts data representing an area where copying is prohibited from the data embedded in the document data, and writes the data representing this copying prohibited area into the RAM2. In addition to extracting the data representing the copy prohibited area from the document data, a preview image is displayed on a display device of a personal computer at the time of printing, and a user who visually recognizes the image receives a designation of a copy prohibited area from the user. May

Subsequently, in step S 13, the CPU 10 reads the data indicating the copy prohibited area from the RAMI 2, and reads the data of the pattern 20 as shown in FIG. 4 from the ROM 11 or the RAMI 2. Then, in the image represented by the document data, an area where copying is prohibited is specified, and the pattern 20 is superimposed in this area to form a composite image. Here, the CPU 10 functions as a prohibited area specifying unit and a first pattern combining unit. Further, the pattern 20 corresponds to a first pattern, and the RM 11 or the RAM 12 in which the pattern 20 is stored corresponds to a first pattern storage unit. Further, the composite image corresponds to a first composite image.

Subsequently, in step S 14, the CPU 10 outputs the data of the composite image to the print engine 15. The print engine 15 prints the composite image represented by the data on printing paper.

The processing performed when the pattern 20 is combined with the image of the document in step S13 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a receipt as an example of the document. In this receipt, if the portion representing the amount of money is designated as the copy prohibited area, the pattern 20 of FIG. 4 is combined with the portion representing the amount of money in a mosaic form. That is, the pattern of FIG. 4 stored as the basic pattern is repeatedly arranged in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the portion indicating the amount of money. Then, of all the pixels constituting the image of the portion representing the amount of money, the white pixels are replaced with the pixels constituting the above pattern. As a result, a composite image 30 as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained. That is, in the portion representing the amount of money, a composite image is obtained in which the pattern 20 is superimposed on the back side of the paper surface with respect to the image (characters) representing the amount of money.

Note that the pattern 20 shown in FIG. 4 is an example of the first pattern of the present invention, Alternatively, a pattern having a different color from the image of the document may be used in order to make it easier to detect when a pattern described later is detected. Further, the pattern 20 may be synthesized so as to be superimposed on the front side of the paper rather than the image indicating the amount of money.

It is very difficult to remove only the pattern 20 from the portion indicating the amount of money as shown in FIG. Therefore, by preventing copying of the portion including the pattern 20 as described later, it is possible to effectively prevent unauthorized copying of only the portion indicating the above-mentioned amount.

The printer 1 of the present embodiment includes the ROM 11 with second software. The processing executed by the second software when printing the composite image will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S21, the CPU 10 reads image data representing the composite image 30 from the personal computer or the like via the external I / F 14 into the RAM 12, and stores the image data. This image data may be data representing an image itself, or may be data representing an image and characters in a descriptive language such as PDL. Here, the RAMI 2 functions as a composite image data storage unit.

Subsequently, in step S22, the CPU 10 detects an area where the pattern 20 exists in the image represented by the image data read into the RAM 12. Here, the CPU 10 functions as an area detection unit.

In step S23, the CPU 10 forms second combined images 32 and 33 by combining a second pattern different from the pattern 20 with an area where the pattern 20 is detected. The second pattern is stored in the ROM 11 or the RAM 12, and the ROM 11 or the RAM 12 corresponds to a second pattern storage unit. Further, the CPU 10 functions as a second pattern synthesizing unit.

[0048] In step S24, the CPU 10 outputs the data of the second composite images 32 and 33 to the print engine 15, and the print engine 15 prints the second composite images 32 and 33. Print on paper.

The processing performed when the CPU 10 detects the pattern 20 in step S22 will be described with reference to FIG. This will be specifically described. Image power of the image data read in step S21 As shown in Fig. 6, if the receipt image 30 has the pattern 20 combined with the amount indicating the amount, the pattern is obtained by a general technique such as pattern matching. Detect 20. Here, since the pattern 20 is superimposed on the character indicating the amount of money, as shown in FIG. 8A, the part constituting the character is not detected and becomes the non-detection area 21 while the character is changed. A part other than the constituent part is detected and becomes a detection area 22. Therefore, the detection area of the pattern 20 is an area in which the component part of the character is omitted. Here, the non-detection area 21 is corrected to a detection area by performing an expansion process on the area where the pattern 20 is actually detected. For example, when the non-detection area 21 is surrounded by the detection area 22, the non-detection area 21 is corrected to a detection area. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8B, all of the portion indicating the amount of money of the receipt is specified as the detection area of the pattern 20, and omission of detection of the copy prohibited area can be prevented. In FIG. 8B, the detection target area 21 before performing the expansion processing is indicated by a broken line. Here, the CPU 10 functions as an area correction unit.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams showing examples of the second combined images 32 and 33 formed in step S23.

FIG. 9 shows a composite image 32 in which a second pattern in which all of the constituent pixels are made of black is composited. According to the second pattern, the portion showing the amount of money is painted out in black to hide the copy-prohibited area, so that the copy of the receipt can be partially suppressed.

FIG. 10 shows a composite image 33 in which the second pattern composed of the backing marks is composited. With this second pattern, it is possible to clearly indicate that the portion indicating the amount of money is a portion where copying is prohibited, thereby partially suppressing copying of the receipt. Note that the second pattern may be a pattern formed of characters such as “copy prohibited”.

As described above, according to the printer 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to set a desired area as a copy-inhibited area, and to prevent copying only in this copy-inhibited area.

In the above embodiment, the printer 1 may include only one of the first software and the second software. That is, a personal computer The above first software is provided, and a predetermined prohibited area is designated by this personal computer, and data of the first composite image 30 is created. Then, when printing the first composite image 30, the second software included in the printer can fill the area with black or the like, thereby suppressing copying of this area.

In the above embodiment, the image processing of the present invention is executed by the hardware of the printer 1 and the software executed by the CPU 10, the hardware such as a personal computer and a workstation, and executed by the hardware. It may be executed with software such as a printer driver to be executed. In this case, the software is distributed and stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory) or FD (Flexible Disk), or distributed via a computer network, and Or loaded and executed on a workstation. Further, the first and second software may be stored and executed in a portable electronic device such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), for example.

Further, the printer 1 may be controlled by hardware such as a dedicated circuit, in addition to being controlled by the CPU 10 and software. Further, a copying machine may be configured by adding a scanner to the components of the printer 1. In this case, the scanner reads an image for which copying is to be suppressed, the first composite image 30, and the like.

The image provided with the copy prohibited area is not limited to a receipt, and may be another document. Further, the present invention is not limited to documents, and may be banknotes, securities, or the like. Regardless of the image, it is possible to set a desired copy-inhibited area for a part of the image and suppress copying in this area.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] a first pattern storage unit (11, 12) for storing data representing the first pattern (20) in advance, an image data storage unit (12) for storing image data representing an image,

A prohibited area specifying section (10) for specifying an area where copying should be prohibited for the image represented by the image data stored in the image data storage section (12);

A first pattern synthesizing unit (10) for synthesizing the first pattern (20) with an area of the image specified by the prohibited area specifying unit (10) to form a first synthesized image (30); An image processing apparatus comprising:

[2] The image processing device according to claim 1,

The first pattern synthesizing unit (10) synthesizes the first pattern (20) in a mosaic pattern with the area of the image specified by the prohibited area specifying unit (10).

[3] The image processing device according to claim 1,

A second pattern storage unit (11, 12) for storing data representing the second pattern in advance; a composite image data storage unit (12) for storing image data representing the first composite image (30);

An area detector (10) for detecting an area where the first pattern (20) exists, for the first composite image (30) represented by the image data stored in the composite image data storage; A second pattern synthesizing unit (10) for synthesizing the second pattern with the area (22) detected by the unit (10) to form second synthesized images (32, 33);

An image processing apparatus comprising:

[4] The image processing apparatus according to claim 3,

The area detection unit (10) is configured to detect an area (21) that does not detect the first pattern (20) and that is surrounded by the area where the first pattern (20) is detected. An image processing device comprising an area correction unit (10) for correcting an area (22) in which a pattern (20) is detected.

[5] storing in advance data representing the first pattern (20); Storing image data representing the image;

For the image represented by the image data, an area for which copying is to be prohibited is specified, and the first pattern (20) is combined with the area for which copying is prohibited in the image to form a first combined image ( 30) and forming

An image processing method comprising:

[6] The image processing method according to claim 5,

Storing in advance data representing the second pattern;

Storing image data representing the first composite image (30);

Detecting a region where the first pattern (20) exists in the first composite image (30) represented by the image data;

Combining the second pattern with the area (22) where the presence of the first pattern (20) is detected to form a second combined image (32, 33);

An image processing method comprising:

[7] on the computer,

Storing in advance data representing the first pattern (20);

Storing image data representing the image;

For the image represented by the image data, specifying an area where copying should be prohibited, and combining the first pattern (20) with the area where copying of the image should be prohibited.

Forming one composite image (30)

Image processing program for executing

[8] In the image processing program according to claim 7,

In the above computer,

Storing in advance data representing the second pattern;

Storing image data representing the first composite image (30);

Detecting, in the first composite image (30) represented by the image data, an area where the first pattern (20) exists;

Combining the second pattern with the area (22) where the presence of the first pattern (20) is detected to form a second combined image (32, 33); Image processing to execute