Patent Application
20050264852
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system and an image processing method that can be applied, for example, to a copier having an electro-photographic process, or a copier having another process, and to a computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing the method, and the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Management of confidential documents has taken various forms over the years. The simplest method has been to place the term “Confidential Information” or a similar term onto the pages of the confidential document. Another method is where the device making a copy of the confidential document, such as a digital copier, embeds a security watermark (e.g., “copying of this document is prohibited”) onto the document during the copying operation. And, in still yet another method, the original document is produced on a special type of recording medium such that when an attempt is made to copy the original, the resulting copy is all black.
The above-described conventional document management methods range from allowing an original document to be completely copied to not allowing an original document to be copied at all. For example, the method of only placing the term “Confidential Information” onto the pages of an original document does not in and of it self prevent copying of the original. It is really nothing more than a notice that the contents of the document are considered confidential. On the other hand, the method of entirely blacking out the resulting copy of an original document prevents anyone from copying the original, even if all or parts of the original are allowed to be copied.
For example, suppose a case in which it is desired to provide a required number of copies of a confidential document distributed to a director some days after it has been distributed, in order to explain the contents to junior personnel of the director. Conventionally, it has been impossible to provide such copies because, for example, the resulting copies are entirely black, or characters “copying prohibited” appear on the copies.
In addition to document security, there is a concern about the degradation in the quality of the copies as additional copies are made/needed. For example, in the case where copies of a confidential document are required at different times, typically, the initial set of copies are made from the original document. Any subsequent set is made from one of the initial set of copies. Any subsequent sets made after are made from the preceding set. Since each subsequent set of copies is made from a copy, and not the original, the quality of each subsequent set tends to degrade.
What is needed is an image processing system and method that provides a mechanism for copying an original document while maintaining the security of that document, if needed, and providing a high quality copy each time a copy is required.
One facet of the present invention is to provide an image processing system in which the above-described problems are solved.
Another facet of the present invention is to provide an image processing system in which a desired original document can be copied whenever necessary and excellent copies can be obtained while improving security.
Still another facet of the present invention is to provide an image processing system that allows provision of various output limitation conditions for original information.
Still yet another facet of the present invention is to provide an image processing system in which original information can be acquired from a desired location.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an image processing apparatus includes an input unit for inputting image information, a generating unit for generating output limitation information to the image information input by the input unit, a storing unit for storing the image information input by the input unit and the output limitation information generated by the generating unit, a reading unit for reading a document wherein the document contains output limitation information, and an output unit for outputting the image information stored by the storing unit in accordance with reading of the output limitation information by the reading unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image output method includes an input step of inputting image information, a generating step of generating output limitation information corresponding to the image information input in the input step, a storing step of storing the image information input in the input step and the output limitation information generated in the generating step, a reading step of reading a document wherein the document contains output limitation information, and an output step of outputting the image information stored in the storing step in accordance with reading of the output limitation information in the reading step.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a computer executable program, stored in a storage medium, includes an input step of inputting image information, a generating step of generating output limitation information corresponding to the image information input in the input step, a storing step of storing the image information input in the input step and the output limitation information generated in the generating step, a reading step of reading a document wherein the document contains output limitation information, and an output step of outputting the image information stored in the storing step in accordance with reading of the document limitation information in the reading step.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings).
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
Accordingly, as shown in
The configuration and the operation of the copier 100 will now be more specifically described.
Copier 100 described in the first embodiment uses an electro-photographic process. However, the present invention is not limited to this process and any process that would allow practice of the present invention is applicable.
Formation of an Original Manuscript
Before describing the configuration and the operation of the copier 100, formation of an electronic original manuscript will be described.
In step S301, an electronic image of the original document is preferably formed by reading information relating to the original image by optically scanning a physical manuscript (i.e., a sheet or sheets of paper, a book, etc.). In another embodiment, the electronic image is created using a software application running on a computer. Creation of an electronic image from an original document is not limited to either of these methods and any method that would allow practice of the present invention is applicable.
In step S302, specifying information for controlling copying of the original image information is formed/obtained. Exemplary contents of the specifying information are described below with respect to
Following generation of the original image information in step S301 and the specifying information in step S302, in step S303, the specifying information generated is associated with the original-image information. In the exemplary embodiment, the specifying information is saved as part of the image information's metadata, which is created when the original image information is created. The present invention is not limited to this method of associating the specifying information with the original image information, and any method that would allow associating the specifying information with the original image information that would allow practice of the present invention is applicable.
Once the specifying information and original image information have been associated, the specifying information, original image information, and association information are all outputted to and stored in storage unit 109 in step S304. The structure of the specifying information when stored in described below with respect to
In step S305, the specifying information is embedded in the original image information. The method of embedding the specifying information in the original image information can be any method known to those skilled in the art, and thus, no detailed discussion on how to embed the specifying information is provided.
As shown in
In step S304, original image information (original manuscript) 400 with embedded specifying information 401 is printed by image information output (printing) unit 112. The process of embedding specifying information 401 in original image information 400 and printing the result is described below in more detail in reference to
At that time, when intending to perform printing for the above-described copying prohibiting sheet, copying cannot be performed except for a configuration to be described later. Hence, security can be more effectively realized.
However, when the sheet to be copied is a copying prohibiting sheet that becomes entirely black when image information output unit 112 performs printing (copying), it is, of course, necessary to allow reading of only specific information. A specific method for providing such a state is embedding data relating to background (for example, white) and character information, instead of embedding only character information.
In step S306, the original image information with embedded specifying information is outputted and stored in storage unit 109.
In the first embodiment, when printing (copying) the original manuscript generated in the above-described manner by the image-information output unit 112 according to a configuration to be described later, the original image information with embedded specifying information is obtained directly from the storage unit 109. Hence, the resulting copy has less degradation of the image quality compared with the case where a copy is obtained by scanning and reading an original, printing the read image, and then scanning and printing the read image again.
As shown in
Display portion 502 in
In the exemplary embodiment, the specifying information is input (set) prior to initiating the copying operation. In another embodiment, the specifying information can be input (set) after the copying operation has concluded. The following is an exemplary list of specifying information to be input (set). However, the present invention is not limited to this list, and any combination of the below described specifying information that would allow practice of the present invention would be applicable. In addition, any specifying information in addition to the ones listed below that would allow practice of the present invention would also be applicable.
(1) “Copying prohibited/copying allowed” is used to indicate whether or not an original manuscript can be copied. When “copying prohibited” is set, an original manuscript formed using the above-described copying prohibiting sheet cannot be copied. On the other hand, when “copying allowed” is set, even if an original manuscript is formed using the copying prohibiting sheet, the manuscript can be copied using the copier 100.
(2) “Limitation of the number of copies” set when “copying allowed” is set. According to a configuration to be described later in detail, by setting a desired number of copies in the storage unit 109 as “limitation of the number of copies”, and counting the number of copies made, copying can be performed up to the set desired number of copies.
(3) “Time limit for allowance of copying” and “date for allowance of copying”. By setting information relating to “time limit for allowance of copying” and “date for allowance of copying”, it is possible to allow copying within a time limit, or after an arbitrary date. For example, when no problem arises even if a confidential document relating to a product is copied after release of the product, the date of release of the product is set as “date for allowance of copying”. In the exemplary embodiment, the format for entering the date(s) is XX/XX/XX, where the first set of “Xs” represents the month, the second set of “Xs” represents the day, and the third set of “Xs” represents the year. The present invention is not limited to this format, and any other format for representing a date that would allow practice of the present invention is applicable.
(4) “Password” set when intending to request it at copying”. By setting a password, one will be requested at the time a copying operation is initiated.
After the above-described specifying information has been input (set) through the operation unit 501, copying of the original manuscript is initiated by depressing copying start button 503. In the event the copying operation has to be terminated before it is completed, stop button 504 is depressed. Upon completion of the copying operation, both the specifying information and the original image information associated with the just copied original manuscript are stored in storage unit 109 in the manner described above.
Specifying information 401 shown in
Encrypting the specifying information does not result in the security sought to be provided by the present invention, but rather embedding the specifying information does. Accordingly, the objects of the present invention may, of course, be achieved by embedding specifying information in an original manuscript in a state in which the specifying information is not encrypted. However, if a password is included in the specifying information, the password must be encrypted depending on the situation.
Configuration and Operation of the Copier 100
As shown in
The specifying-information reading unit 101 reads specifying information relating to security that is input (set) through the operation unit 501 of
As previously described, the specifying information includes, but is not limited to,
The specifying-information comparison unit 104 receives the specifying information obtained by the specifying-information reading unit 101 as a signal 102.
The signal 102 is a signal after the specifying information reading unit 101 has read the specifying information, and the numerical value of the specifying information has been recognized. In the first embodiment, the signal 102 is, for example, “0100106291234598765” which represents the specifying information 401 shown in
Specifying information comparison unit 104 also receives the specifying information that was entered via operation unit 501 at the time the original manuscript was copied from the storage unit 109 as a signal 103.
Specifying-information comparison unit 104 then compares the signal 102 from the specifying-information reading unit 101 with the signal 103 from the storage unit 109. If the two signals coincide, specifying information comparison unit 104 transmits a signal (Good) 105 to the storage unit 109 and the output-copy-number managing unit 106. If the two signals do not coincide, specifying information comparison unit 104 transmits a signal (NG) 105 indicating the fact to the storage unit 109 and the output-copy-number managing unit 106. The particular method of comparing signals 102 and 103 can be any method known to those skilled in the art, and thus, no detailed discussion how signals 102 and 103 are compared is provided.
When the storage unit 109 receives the signal (Good) 105 from the specifying-information comparison unit 104, the storage unit 109 extracts image information corresponding to the specifying information from the image-information storage unit 111, and transmits the extracted information to the image-information output unit 112.
The image-information output unit 112 prints the image information from the storage unit 109 onto a recording medium.
When the output-copy number managing unit 106 that is a feature of the first embodiment receives the signal (Good) 105 from the specifying-information comparison unit 104, the output-copy managing unit 106 counts the number of copies output from the image-information output unit 112.
The output-copy-number managing unit 106 adds the count value to the number of past output copies transmitted from the storage unit 109 as a signal 108, and transmits the resultant value to the storage unit 109 as a signal 107.
The storage unit 109 stores the signal 107 from the output-copy-number managing unit 106 in the specifying-information storage unit 110 as a total number of printouts for each manuscript.
In the first embodiment, the output-copy-number managing unit 106 counts the number of printouts that are provided from the image-information output unit 112. More specifically, for example, the counting control is performed while confirming printouts from the image-information output unit 112 via a CPU having a computer function. In the first embodiment, the specifying-information storage unit 110 and the image-information storage unit 111 are independently provided. However, a single storage unit may manage specifying information and image information by embedding specifying information in a header portion of a corresponding image information.
Operation of the Specifying-Information Comparison Unit 104
In step S601, the specifying-information comparison unit 104 determines whether or not copying-prohibiting information is included in the specifying information embedded in the original information 400 by comparing signals 102 and 103. If the result of the determination in step S601 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S606. If the result of the determination in step S601 is negative, the process proceeds to step S602.
The specifying-information comparison unit 104 in step S602 determines whether or not a password is included in the specifying information embedded in original information 400 by comparing signals 102 and 103. If the result of the determination is affirmative, then, for example, when a password is requested to the user through the operation unit 501 shown in
In step S603, the specifying-information comparison unit 104 determines whether or not information relating to the time limit for copying is included in the specifying information embedded in original image information 400 by comparing signals 102 and 103. If the result of the determination is affirmative, and the present time is within the time limit, the process proceeds to step S604. In other cases, the process proceeds to step S606.
In step S604, the specifying-information comparison unit 104 determines whether or not information relating to the allowed number of copies is included in the specifying information embedded in original image information 400 by comparing signals 102 and 103. If the number of past copies stored in the above-described manner exceeds the allowed number of copies included in the specifying information, the process proceeds to step S606. In other cases, the process proceeds to step S607.
The specifying-information comparison unit 104 in step S606 outputs the signal 105 indicating NG in order to immediately prohibit copying.
In step S605, the specifying-information comparison unit 104 outputs the signal 105 indicating Good in order to immediately allow copying (Step S607). The image-information output unit 112 thereby executes a copying operation. At that time, the output-copy-number managing unit 106 counts the number of copies (step S605).
Accordingly, the specifying-information comparison unit 104 determines in step S604 whether or not the number of copies (the number of printouts) exceeds the allowed number of copies (the set number of copies) included in the specifying information based on the count value of the output-copy-number managing unit 106. When the number of printouts exceeds the set number during a copying operation as a result of the determination in step S604, the process proceeds to step S606 for immediately interrupting the copying operation.
Basic Configuration and the Operation of the Image-Information Output Unit 112
The basic configuration of the image-information output unit 112, and the operation of the image-information output unit 112 in the case of allowance of copying will now be described with reference to
As shown in
When executing the original-manuscript forming processing shown in
In the color scanner unit A, a manuscript-feeding unit 201A individually feeds sheets of a manuscript onto platen glass 202A starting from the final page, and discharges each of the sheets of the manuscript on the platen glass 202A after completing an operation of reading that sheet.
A lamp 203A is lit when the manuscript is conveyed onto the platen glass 202A. A scanner unit 204A that mounts the lamp 203A performs exposure scanning of the manuscript while moving.
Reflected light from the manuscript caused by the scanning is guided to a charge-coupled device (CCD) color image sensor 209A by mirrors 205A, 206A and 207A, and a lens 208A.
The CCD 209A reads the reflected light and outputs luminance signals for respective colors, i.e., R, G and B, by performing color separation.
The luminance signals output from the CCD 209A are converted into digital signals (analog-to-digital-conversion), for example, according to a computer function of the copier 100. After being subjected to image processing, such as shading correction, gradation correction and the like, the digital signals are transferred to the storage unit 109 and the printer unit B as digital image data.
The storage unit 109 stores specifying information and image information as described above, based on the transferred image data.
It is, of course, possible to read the image on the manuscript without using the manuscript feeding unit 201A by placing the manuscript on the platen glass 202A.
In the printer unit B, a laser driver 221B drives a laser emission unit 201B, and causes the laser emission unit 201B to emit a laser beam corresponding to image data for each color.
The laser beam emitted from the laser emission unit 201B is projected onto a photosensitive drum 202B. A latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 202B.
Particles of a toner, serving as a developer, are caused to adhere to the portion of the latent image on the photosensitive drum 202B by a developing unit 203B.
In
At a timing synchronized with start of projection of the laser beam, a recording sheet is fed from a selected one of cassettes 204B and 205B, and is conveyed to a transfer unit 206B. Thus, the developer adhering to the photosensitive drum 202B can be transferred onto the recording sheet.
The recording sheet onto which the developer has been transferred is conveyed to a fixing unit 207B, where fixing of the developed image on the recording sheet is performed by heat and pressure.
The recording sheet passing through the fixing unit 207B is discharged by discharge rollers 208B. A sorter 220B sorts recording sheets by accommodating the discharged recording sheet in a predetermined bin. When sorting of recording sheets is not set, the sorter 220B accommodates the discharged recording sheet in the uppermost bin.
When duplex recording is set, after being conveyed to the discharge rollers 208B, the recording sheet is again fed to a r-feeding conveying path by a flapper 209B by inversion of the direction of rotation of the discharge rollers 208B.
When multiplex recording is set, the recording sheet is guided to a re-feeding conveying path 210B by the flapper 209B so as not be conveyed to the discharge rollers 208B.
The recording sheet guided to the r-feeding conveying path is fed to the transfer unit 206B with the above-described timing.
Formation of latent images of respective colors, development of the latent images, and fixing of the developed images are realized by repeating the above-described processing four times using the above-described recording-sheet conveying mechanism.
According to the first embodiment, since detailed copying conditions can be set as specifying information, it is very effective from the viewpoint of security. A manuscript formed using a copying prohibiting sheet such as one that becomes entirely black when being copied cannot be copied without using the copier 100, thus, unauthorized copies can be prevented.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, instead of providing the main body of the copier 100 with the function relating to the storage unit 109 for storing specifying information, which is a feature of the present invention and image information, a server on a network is provided with such a function.
In the second embodiment, only the configuration and the operation different from those in the first embodiment will be specifically described.
More specifically, for example, in a system 700 shown in
Each of the networks 701 and 702 (network cables) is, for example, Ethernet (R). This is a network that can exchange information and transfer data between connected units according to a protocol, such as TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol) or the like, using a physical cable, such as 10BaseT, 10Base5 or the like.
The present invention is not limited to a configuration in which respective units are connected with wires using network cables, such as the networks 701 and 702. For example, an environment as shown in
A public network 704, such as a telephone network or the like, has the role of interconnecting connection environments (network environments) of respective units constructed by the networks 701 and 702.
Specifying information includes information specifying an apparatus that stores image information (for example, an IP address or the like), and information indicating a location where the image information is stored within the apparatus (generically represented by a uniform resource locator (URL)).
In the above-described environment, by providing a configuration in which specifying information, that is a feature of the present invention, and image information are stored in the server 703, copying can be performed using any one of the copiers 100(1)-100(3) of the second embodiment that are connected to the networks 701 and 702. That is, copying in which security management is executed can be performed at any location.
More specifically, for example, an arbitrary one 100(x) of the copiers 100(1)-100(3) first provides the server 703 with a request to refer to specifying information via the network 701 or 702.
The server 703 executes the processing shown in
The copier 100(x) performs a series of image forming processes for the image information from the server 703, and prints the corresponding image.
In the above-described second embodiment, since security management is also performed based on specifying information, copying is not performed without permission as in conventional cases. Furthermore, since a manuscript formed using a copying prohibiting sheet cannot be copied without using the system 700, unauthorized copying can be prevented.
In the first and second embodiments, in the original-manuscript forming processing shown in
In a third embodiment of the present invention, however, a personal computer (PC) causes a printer to perform printing, where the specifying information is embedded in advance of the printing operation.
For that purpose, in the third embodiment, a printer has not only the function of outputting image information on a sheet (the function of the image-information output unit 112), but also the function of printing image information by embedding specifying information therein, similar to function described in the first embodiment. The printer, or a PC for generating image information has the function of simultaneously storing the image information and specifying information embedded therein in the storage unit 109 or the server 703.
The above-described functions can be realized without having to execute the process of step S301 (reading of an original image) in the original-manuscript forming processing shown in
In the above-described third embodiment, security management can also be performed for a printed image. As in the first and second embodiments, by utilizing a copying prohibiting sheet when outputting an original manuscript using a printer, copying without using the system of the third embodiment is prohibited, and unauthorized copying can be prevented.
In the embodiments discussed above, an original manuscript that has been subjected to electronic processing is acquired and printed by recognizing specifying information in the original manuscript. Accordingly, when the original manuscript subjected to electronic processing is a color image and a manuscript used for acquisition is a monochrome image, it is also possible to acquire the color image by reading the monochromatic image.
When an original manuscript has a plurality of pages, only the first page where specifying information is embedded suffices for acquiring the original manuscript. Hence, it is possible to acquire an original manuscript having a plurality of pages from a single manuscript. In this case, the number of copy sets (the number of sets, each comprising a plurality of pages) is managed, so that copying can be performed only up to the number of copy sets that do not exceed the assigned number.
Although each of the above embodiments have described acquiring original information via copying or printing, original information may also be obtained via other mechanisms of transferring information, such as facsimiles and electronic mail.
The objects of the present invention may, of course, be achieved by supplying a system or an apparatus with a storage medium storing program codes of software for realizing the functions of the host apparatus and the terminals of each of the above embodiments, and reading and executing the program codes stored in the storage medium by means of a computer (e.g., CPU or micro-processor (MPU)) of the system or apparatus.
In such a case, the program codes realize the functions of each of the above embodiments, such that the storage medium storing the program codes and the program codes constitute the present invention.
A read-only memory (ROM), a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a read-only compact disc (CD-ROM), a read/write compact disc CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card or the like may be used as the storage medium for supplying the program codes.
The present invention may, of course, also be applied not only to a case in which the functions of each of the above embodiments are realized by executing program codes read by a computer, but also to a case in which an operating system (OS) or the like operating in a computer executes a part or the entirety of actual processing, and the functions of each of the above embodiments are realized by the processing.
Still yet another application of the present invention may be a case in which, after writing program codes read from a storage medium into a memory provided in a function expanding board inserted into a computer or in a function expanding unit connected to the computer, a CPU or the like, the function expanding board or the function expanding unit perform a part or the entirety of actual processing, and the functions of each of the above embodiments are realized by the processing.
As shown in
The CPU 801 controls the respective components connected to the system bus 804 by executing software stored in the ROM 802, the HD 811, or software supplied from the FD 812.
That is, the CPU 801 performs control for realizing the operations in the above embodiments by reading a process program conforming to a predetermined process sequence from the ROM 802, the HD 811 or the FD 812 and executing the read program. The RAM 803 operates as a main memory, a working area, and the like of the CPU 801. The KBC 805 controls instruction input from the KB 809, a pointing device (not shown), or the like. The CRT 806 controls display on the CRT 810. The DKC 807 controls access to the HD 811 and the FD 812, storing boot programs, various application programs, editing files, user files, network managing programs, predetermined processing programs in the embodiments, and the like. The NIC 808 performs two-way data exchange with an apparatus or a system on the network 820.
According to the above-described embodiments, first predetermined information (specifying information) is added to an original manuscript. When copying the original manuscript, corresponding image information (image information of the original manuscript) that has been stored in advance is output (copied or transmitted), based on the result of comparison of the first predetermined information of the original manuscript with second predetermined information that has been stored in advance.
As indicated earlier, according to the above-described configuration, by setting detailed copying conditions as specifying information, very effective security management can be performed.
More specifically, an original manuscript formed using a copying prohibiting sheet that becomes entirely black when being copied cannot be copied without using an apparatus or a system having the above-described configuration. Furthermore, by assigning various types of information relating to security, such as the allowed number of printouts (copies), a password, a date for allowing copying, and the like, unauthorized use can be prevented.
Since copying is performed using image information that has been stored in advance, copies having excellent picture quality can be repeatedly provided.
The individual components shown in outline or designated by blocks in the drawings are all well known in the image processing system arts and their specific construction and operation are not critical to the operation or the best mode for carrying out the invention.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-251712 | Aug 2002 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/650,328, filed Aug. 8, 2003, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10650328 | Aug 2003 | US |
| Child | 11201681 | Aug 2005 | US |
