IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can print material by which specific information is not revealed without prohibiting printing, even where the printing data contains information that causes problems by printing specific information. By detecting information to be restricted in the printing data and restricting the image formation of the detected information, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can form the image in which the image of the information is not formed. Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus that can print material by which specific information is not revealed without prohibiting printing, even where the printing data contains specific information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangements of parts, a preferred embodiment and method of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of the image forming apparatus described in a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the specific information and additional information stored in a specific information database of the image forming apparatus described in the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the additional information stored in an additional information search table of the image forming apparatus described in the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the printing data;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the printing data written in PostScript (registered trademark: Adobe corporation);

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of an expression of the printing data and character identification;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of printed material before image formation of the specific information and additional information is restricted as a specific example described in the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the specific information database used in the restriction of the image formation of the printed material of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the process relating to detection and replacement of the specific information and additional information executed by the image forming apparatus described in the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the process of analyzing the printing data performed by a printing data analysis unit of the image forming apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the printed material in which the specific information and additional information of the printed material of FIG. 7 is replaced with unreadable characters;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the structure of the image forming apparatus described in a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the specific information and additional information stored in a specific information database of the image forming apparatus described in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the specific data and character data of the printing data in a range of the specific data set as a detection target of the specific information detection unit in the image forming apparatus described in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a condition before and after the specific information and the printing data in the range of the specific information is replaced by the specific information replacement unit of the image forming apparatus described in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of printed material before image formation of the specific information, additional information, and character data of the printing data in the range of the specific information is restricted as a specific example described in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the specific information database used in the restriction of the image formation of the printed material of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the process relating to detection and replacement of the specific information, additional information, and character data of the printing data in the range of the specific information executed by the image forming apparatus described in the second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the printed material in which the specific information, additional information, and character data of the printing data in the range of the specific information of the printed material of FIG. 7 is replaced with unreadable characters.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a reception unit for receiving printing data;a primary storage unit for storing the printing data received by said reception unit;a secondary storage unit for storing specific information included in the printing data;a specific information detection unit for detecting from the printing data stored in said primary storage unit the specific information stored in said secondary storage unit;an image formation unit for executing image formation based on the printing data stored in said primary storage unit; anda data processing unit for restricting the image formation of the specific information detected by said specific information detection unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data processing unit contains a specific information replacement unit for replacing the specific information detected by said specific information detection unit with the prescribed printing data.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific information is personal information.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specific information detection unit detects the specific information from character data in the printing data.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said secondary storage unit also stores additional information linked to the specific information, said image forming apparatus further comprises an additional information detection unit for detecting from the printing data stored in said primary storage unit the additional information linked to the detected specific information upon detection of the specific information by said specific information detection unit, and wherein said data processing unit restricts image formation of the additional information detected by said additional information detection unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said data processing unit contains an additional information replacement unit for replacing the additional information detected by said additional information detection unit with the prescribed printing data.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the additional information is personal information.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said additional information detection unit detects the additional information from the character data in the printing data.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising: a reception unit for receiving printing data;a primary storage unit for storing the printing data received by said reception unit;a secondary storage unit for storing specific information included in the printing data;a specific information detection unit for detecting from the printing data stored in said primary storage unit the specific information stored in said secondary storage unit;an image formation unit for executing image formation based on the printing data stored in said primary storage unit; anda data processing unit for restricting the image formation of printing data of a prescribed area around the specific information detected by said specific information detection unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said data processing unit contains an information area replacement unit for replacing the printing data of the prescribed area around the specific information detected by the specific information detection unit with the prescribed printing data.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the printing data of the prescribed area around the specific information is character information.