JP2003046768A - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and information storage medium recording the method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an image processing apparatus that stores data of an electronically created electronic document, thereby achieving high image quality at the time of copying, and prohibiting copying of a document whose copying is to be prevented. provide. SOLUTION: Image input means 1 for taking in digital image data, image registration means 2 for registering digital image data, document registration means 3 for registering document data, and images registered in both registration means 2, 3 The apparatus includes a coincidence determining means 8 for determining the degree of coincidence between data and document data, and an output image selecting means 11 for selecting output data based on the determination result of the coincidence determining means 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an information storage medium recording the method, and more particularly, to improving image quality when copying an electronically prepared document output on paper. The present invention relates to a technique for realizing a function of prohibiting copying of a specific original among originals that are electronically created and output on paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to the development of network infrastructure such as the Internet and the spread of digital devices such as personal computers and printers, there is an urgent need to protect and manage confidential documents. In particular, it is required to create a mechanism to prevent copying of printed paper documents. Further, a paper document once printed is also copied on a daily basis, but in this case, there is a problem that the image quality of the original is deteriorated. By the way, since most of the documents are created electronically at present, electronic data (document data) of a document which is a source of a paper document exists in a personal computer or the like.

Against this background, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-336357 can be cited as a related prior art. According to the gazette, "secret" is written in red in advance in a confidential document.
And "strictly prohibit copying" and the like, and a technique for preventing copying of a confidential document by identifying these is shown.

Next, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-22119 can be mentioned. This publication discloses a technique of embedding additional information in a document image by modifying the document image.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-191394 discloses a technique for mixing information into a digital image by frequency conversion (specifically, Fourier transform).

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-313206 discloses a technique for embedding information in a halftone image. According to this technique, information can be embedded in a printed (halftone) image, and improvement is achieved.

[0007]

However, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-336357 has the following problems.
There are problems that copying cannot be prevented and that the target is limited to the document image when the "secret" or "copy prohibition" is hidden.

The technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-22119 is intended for black-and-white originals in which the image is deteriorated to some extent because the embedding process is performed by modifying the original image. There is a problem that it cannot be applied to.

In addition, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-191394 describes frequency conversion processing, but in general, the frequency conversion processing has a large amount of processing and is difficult to put into practical use. Also, this is only for digital image data, and the information mixed (embedded) once printed (when converted to analog information) disappears, and it cannot be applied to printed images. There is.

Further, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-313206 discloses a technique for embedding information in a halftone image. According to this technique, it is possible to embed information in a printed (halftone) image and an improvement is attempted, but the technique is complicated in calculation processing, and is significantly different from the conventional halftone dot, so the printed image is However, there is a problem that the quality is unknown and the conventional printing device cannot be used as it is because it is largely different from the conventional halftone dot generating method, and it is extremely difficult to put it into practical use.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by storing the data of an electronic document created electronically, the image quality is improved at the time of copying, and the image processing apparatus and the image which prohibit the copying of the document whose copying is desired to be prevented are also provided. A first object of the present invention is to provide an information storage medium that stores a program that realizes a processing method and an image processing method.

That is, the copying apparatus generally has a problem that the print quality deteriorates every time copying is repeated. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and when an electronically created document is printed for the first time, it is registered in a copying machine or a computer connected to a network, and is printed on paper. When the printed output is input as a copy original, the process of determining the degree of coincidence with the document data at the first print output is performed, and if it is determined that the originals are the same, the first By outputting the document data, the same output as the first print output can be obtained.

A second purpose is to copy an original document whose copying is prohibited by registering the electronic document in a copying machine or a network-connected computer in advance. The present invention also provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for suppressing the output of data, and further an information storage medium for storing a program that realizes the image processing method.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to an image input means for taking in digital image data, an image registering means for registering digital image data, and a document data. Document registration means to
An image processing apparatus provided with a coincidence degree judging means for judging the coincidence degree between the image data registered in both the registering means and the document data, and an output image selecting means for selecting output data according to the judgment result of the coincidence degree judging means. Is the most important feature.
According to this apparatus, when the original document to be copied matches the already registered document data, the registered document data can be output to obtain an output image without deterioration.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the main feature of the image processing apparatus is that the document data registered in advance by the document registration means is stored in a device connected via the network. According to this apparatus, the document data need not be stored in a copying machine, but may be stored in a computer or the like connected via a network, and can be used in a wider range.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the document image converting means for converting the document data into image data is provided, and the coincidence determining means has a function of determining the coincidence degree based on the difference between the image data. The image processing apparatus according to item 1 is a main feature. According to this apparatus, the degree of coincidence of images can be calculated by a very simple process, and can be processed at high speed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, document image converting means for converting document data into image data is provided, and the coincidence determining means has a function of determining the coincidence degree based on the correlation between the image data. The image processing apparatus according to item 1 is a main feature. According to this apparatus, the degree of coincidence of images can be calculated with extremely accurate processing, and even if some noise or the like is added to image data, it is not affected.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the document print permission attribute registration means for registering the print permission attribute of the document registered by the document registration means, and the image data and the document data are matched by the matching degree determination means. A control means for reading the print permission attribute registered by the document print permission attribute registration means when the determination is made, and suppressing the output of the document data when the print permission attribute indicates that printing is not permitted. The image processing apparatus described in 1 is a main feature. According to this device, it is possible to discriminate a manuscript for which copying is prohibited at the time of copying,
Copying can be suppressed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the first step of capturing the digital image data, the second step of registering the captured digital image data, the registered image data and the document data registered in advance. Third to determine the degree of coincidence
The most main feature is the image processing method including the step (4) and the fourth step of selecting output data according to the determination result. According to this method, when the document to be copied matches the already registered document data, it is possible to obtain an output image without deterioration by outputting the registered document data.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a first processing procedure for capturing digital image data, a second processing procedure for registering the captured digital image data, registered image data and a document registered in advance. A computer-readable information storage medium having a program for executing a third processing procedure for determining the degree of coincidence with data and a fourth processing procedure for selecting output data according to the determination result is the most main feature. And According to the program stored in this information storage medium, when the original document to be copied matches the already registered document data, the registered document data is output to obtain an output image without deterioration. be able to.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention stores printed document data and performs matching between image data acquired from a scanner (scanner data) and stored document data when a user tries to copy. If there is matching data, the image quality is improved by outputting the document data instead of the scanner data.
Further, in order to prevent copying, it is possible to specify an attribute of copy prohibition in advance in the document data and prohibit the copy operation when the data matches the scanner data.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This image processing apparatus includes an image input section 1 for taking digital image data into the apparatus, an image registration section 2 for registering digital image data, a document registration section 3 for registering document data, and a document for inputting a print permission attribute of a document. A print permission attribute input unit 4, a document print permission attribute registration unit 5 for registering print permission attributes of a document, a memory 6 for storing document data, image data, programs, determination results, etc., and a document for converting document data into image data The image conversion unit 7, the coincidence degree determination unit 8 for determining the degree of coincidence of image data, the control unit 9 for performing various controls, the data display unit 10 for displaying each data such as an image, and the output image selection unit for selecting the image data to be output. 11, an external storage device 12 that drives an information storage medium.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the image quality improving process at the time of copying. The image quality enhancement process during copying will be described step by step with reference to FIG. In processing step S101, digital image data is loaded from the image input unit 1 into the memory 6. In processing step S102, one piece of document data registered in advance in the document registration unit 3 is taken out, and the document image conversion unit 7 converts the document data into image data.
In processing step S103, the matching degree determination unit 8 calculates the matching degree between the image data input in processing step S101 and the image data converted from the document data in processing step S102.

The degree of coincidence can be calculated, for example, by the sum of the differences in pixel values between corresponding positions in both images.
The smaller the difference value, the higher the degree of coincidence. Alternatively, in order to obtain it with higher accuracy, it can be obtained by the correlation value of pixel values between corresponding positions in both images. The correlation value takes a value in the range of -1 to 1, and the closer it is to 1, the higher the degree of coincidence. In process step S104, the process proceeds to process step S105 if the degree of coincidence obtained in process step S103 is compared with a predetermined threshold value and it is determined that they do not match, and to process step S107 if it is determined to match.

In the processing step S105, it is determined whether or not all the registered target documents have been examined. If it is determined that all the documents have been examined, the process proceeds to the processing step S106, and the target document still remains. If it is determined, the target document is changed and the process proceeds to step S102. In processing step S106, the image data input in processing step S101 is selected by the output image selection unit 11 and output. In the processing step S107, the document data registered in the document registration unit 3 is selected by the output image selection unit 11 and output.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the control processing when copying is prohibited. The control processing when copying is prohibited will be described step by step with reference to FIG. In processing step S201, digital image data is loaded from the image input unit 1 into the memory 6. In processing step S202, one piece of document data registered in advance in the document registration unit 3 is taken out, and the document image conversion unit 7 converts the document data into image data.
In processing step S203, the matching degree determination unit 8 calculates the matching degree between the image data input in processing step S201 and the image data converted from the document data in processing step S202.

The degree of coincidence can be calculated, for example, by summing the differences in pixel values between corresponding positions in both images.
The smaller the difference value, the higher the degree of coincidence. Alternatively, in order to obtain it with higher accuracy, it can be obtained by the correlation value of pixel values between corresponding positions in both images. The correlation value takes a value in the range of -1 to 1, and the closer it is to 1, the higher the degree of coincidence. In process step S204, the process proceeds to process step S205 if the degree of coincidence obtained in process step S203 is compared with a predetermined threshold value and it is determined that they do not match, and to process step S207 if it is determined to match.

In the processing step S205, it is determined whether or not all the registered target documents have been examined. If it is determined that all the documents have been examined, the process proceeds to the processing step S206, and the target document still remains. If it is determined, the target document is changed and the process proceeds to step S202. In processing step S206, the output image selection unit 11 selects and outputs the image data input in processing step S201. In processing step S207, the print permission attribute of the document data registered in the document registration unit 3 is set to the document print permission attribute registration unit 5
If the print permission is given, the process proceeds to step S208,
If printing is not permitted, the process ends. Processing step S20
In 8, the document data registered in the document registration unit 3 is selected by the output image selection unit 11 and output.

[0029]

According to the present invention, the document data to be printed out is stored in a copying machine, a computer connected to a network or the like, and an image processing apparatus and image processing capable of obtaining the same high image quality output as the first printed output can be obtained. A method and an information storage medium can be provided.

Further, when it is desired to prohibit copying of a document that outputs document data, the electronic data can be registered in a copying machine, a computer connected to a network, or the like.
It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an information storage medium capable of prohibiting copying of a document without requiring any change to the document.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of image quality improvement processing during copying.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control process when copying is prohibited.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 Image input section (image input means) 2 Image registration section (image registration means) 3 Document registration section (document registration means) 8 Consistency Determining Section (Consistency Determining Means) 11 Output image selection unit (output image selection means)

Continued front page    F term (reference) 2C087 AA09 AB06 BA03 BA06 BB10                       BC07 BD02 CB02 DA13                 5B017 AA06 BA09 CA16                 5B050 BA10 BA16 EA18 FA03 GA07                       GA08                 5C077 LL14 MP06 NP07 PP47 PP55                       PP65 PP66 PQ08 PQ20 PQ22                       RR11 SS05 TT06                 5L096 BA17 DA04 FA34 GA08 HA07                       JA03

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit for taking in digital image data, an image registering unit for registering digital image data, a document registering unit for registering document data, and image data and document data registered in both registering units. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a matching degree determining unit that determines the matching degree of 1. and an output image selecting unit that selects output data according to a determination result of the matching degree determining unit. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document data registered in advance by the document registration means is stored in a device connected via a network. 3. A document image converting means for converting document data into image data, wherein the coincidence degree judging means has a function of judging the coincidence degree based on the difference between the image data. 1. The image processing device according to 1. 4. A document image converting means for converting document data into image data, and the coincidence degree judging means has a function of judging the coincidence degree based on the correlation between the image data. 1. The image processing device according to 1. 5. The document print permission attribute registration means for registering the print permission attribute of the document registered by the document registration means together with the image data and the document data determined by the coincidence determination means, The control means for reading the print permission attribute registered by the document print permission attribute registration means and suppressing the output of the document data when the print permission attribute indicates that printing is not permitted. The image processing device described. 6. A first step of capturing digital image data, and a second step of registering the captured digital image data.
And a third step of determining the degree of coincidence between registered image data and previously registered document data, and a fourth step of selecting output data according to the determination result. Image processing method. 7. A first processing procedure for capturing digital image data, a second processing procedure for registering the captured digital image data, and a degree of coincidence between the registered image data and pre-registered document data. A computer-readable information storage medium recording a program for executing a third processing procedure for determining and a fourth processing procedure for selecting output data according to the determination result.