JP2006165749A - Copyrighted image data management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for copying a deteriorated image by optically reading printed image data when a user copies DRM image data printed on a paper medium to another paper medium. It was.
Copyrighted image data has a duplication permission attribute as well as a browsing permission attribute and a printing permission attribute for each user, and the user copies and prints the copyrighted image data printed on the paper medium from the image forming apparatus. In this case, the image forming apparatus communicates with the management server to perform print control or restriction based on the copy permission attribute.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a multifunction printer (MFP) having multifunctional functions such as printing, copying, faxing, and scanning, and a digital rights management (DRM) system as a copyright protection measure for digital image data.

  The market for developing business based on image data such as photographs and designs has been increasing year by year, and the development of application software that handles such data and the advancement of printing technology have resulted in high-definition image data being distributed to the market. It is coming. Along with this, the volume of image data to be distributed has increased, and the quantity of data handled has been steadily increasing.

  On the other hand, one of the things that must be noted in business based on image data is the protection of the copyright of the distributed data. As the data capacity and the data quantity increase, the system for handling data becomes more burdensome and complicated, while the construction of a system that takes copyright protection into consideration has been desired. As an example of a system that was developed to answer the needs of a system that had some problems like this, a high-definition, high-quality image format called “VFZ” (sometimes called the DRM format) There is an adopted Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. This image format has an advantage that the data capacity is small due to a special compression technique, although it is a high-definition and high-quality image. Furthermore, by linking this "VFZ" data and protecting the data file protected by the user ID and password with the management server that manages these data files, data file operations such as opening and closing files, It is possible to finely limit enlargement and reduction, image display and print quality level setting, storage and printing, and the like. This system can prevent duplication and unauthorized use of digital image data, and realizes distribution (pay) of copyright-protected digital image data.

  However, in the above-described conventional technique, the “copy right” of the user is not taken into consideration. In other words, when DRM image data printed on a paper medium is copied to another paper medium by a user, it is printed even if an apparatus equipped with communication means such as a network MFP for obtaining original DRM data is used. The only means available was to optically read the image data and copy the degraded image. Even if “copy right” is provided as an attribute of the DRM data, there is no means for restricting / operating this.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the copyrighted image data management system of the present invention, copyrighted image data, and a management server that manages a user ID of a user who purchases and uses the copyrighted image data, A copyrighted image data management system comprising an image forming apparatus for printing the copyrighted image data on a paper medium, wherein the copyrighted image data is a viewing permission attribute and a printing permission attribute for each user. The image forming apparatus communicates with the management server to copy and print the copyrighted image data printed on a paper medium from the image forming apparatus. Print control or restriction is performed based on the copy permission attribute.

  Further, the image forming apparatus is an information recording means for simultaneously recording on the paper medium the user ID or previous period permission attribute information for each user based on the user ID when the copyrighted image data is printed on the paper medium. Have

  The image forming apparatus further includes an information reading unit that reads information recorded by the recording unit when the paper medium on which the copyrighted image data is printed is copied and printed on another paper medium. Based on the information read by the information reading means, the copy printing operation on another paper medium is controlled or restricted.

  Further, the image forming apparatus includes a copyrighted image data obtaining unit that communicates with the management server and obtains the original copyrighted image data, and copying is permitted based on information read by the information reading unit. If it is, copy printing is performed using original image data.

  In addition, the management server includes management means for managing the number of copies for each user ID and billing information corresponding to the number of copies based on communication with the image forming apparatus.

  Further, the copyrighted image data is encrypted image data that can be decrypted with a specific expansion key, and when printing on the image forming apparatus, the user ID and permission attributes are sent from the management server. The specific expansion key needs to be obtained based on the above.

  Further, the copyrighted image data is held in an encrypted state in the nonvolatile memory area of the image forming apparatus once printed, and the copyrighted image data obtaining means at the time of copy printing Control is to read from the non-volatile memory area.

  Further, when storing the copyrighted image data in the non-volatile memory area, control is performed to discard the specific expansion key, and copying or reprinting is attempted when copying or reprinting. Based on the user ID of the user and the attribute information, a development key is obtained again from the management server and the image is developed.

  The information recording means is means for recording information on an IC tag chip embedded in the paper medium.

  Alternatively, the information recording means is means for recording the image data to be recorded on the paper medium by converting the information into image data embedded in a state invisible to humans and combining it. To do.

  According to the present invention, in the DRM image data management system, it is possible to provide a copying right in addition to the conventional browsing right and printing right to the user who uses the copyright while managing the copyright. A user who obtains a copy right according to the purchase level of image data can obtain a copy product having the same image quality as the original when the paper medium on which the data is printed is copied and printed. In addition, when re-distributing image data printed by the user after purchasing a copy right, it is possible to print a copy product with the same image quality as the original at the re-distribution destination, and the copy right is limited. It is also possible to perform management and operation such as attaching a fee or charging the user according to the number of copies. Users who have purchased a print right but have not purchased a copy right can be restricted to allow only optical hard copy with image degradation, and various management of copyrighted image data -Enable operation.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the entire system for explaining the present embodiment.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a multifunction printer (MFP) having multiple functions such as printing, copying, faxing, and scanning. DRM data is converted into raster image data by using a key obtained from the server or communicating with the DRM server, which will be described later. Built-in DRM processing function (11) for deployment.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a user PC used by a user who uses DRM image data (content), and has a DRM Viewer (21) installed therein, which is an application program for handling DRM image data. The user has a unique user ID and password, and can search or purchase DRM image data from the DRM Viewer (21) application on the user PC via the network (WAN). The purchased DRM data can be browsed / printed or format-converted / enlarged / reduced using the DRM Viewer (21) according to the purchased rights. The user PC (2) is connected to the MFP 1 via a network (LAN) and can use functions such as network printing and scanning. When printing the DRM image data, in addition to the DRM image data, accompanying information such as finishing designation and user information is transmitted from the DRM Viewer to the MFP via a printer driver (not shown). Normally, the MFP 1 and the user PC 2 are directly connected to the LAN, and the connection to the WAN is made via a proxy server (not shown) on the LAN.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a DRM content server (management server) that operates a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system, which is a copyright protection measure for DRM digital image data. 31 is a DRM management server unit that controls the overall operation of the DRM content server 3, and when the user opens a file in the DRM content server 3 from the user PC 2 via the network WAN, content access is restricted based on the user information. Do it. Reference numeral 32 denotes a digital image data DB, which is a DB where digital image data is registered. Reference numeral 33 denotes a user DB which holds user information (image data access right, detailed access restriction of contents, user purchase information, etc.). Detailed access restrictions for content are the maximum magnification for browsing and printing, quality level for browsing and printing (divided into several levels), whether printing is possible, and whether external storage is possible The copy right related to the essence of the present invention is also a part of this. 34 is the log DB, who, when, from where, to what size, externally saved, printed, how many copies were printed on the DRM image purchased up to the copy right, etc. As a log.

  A content holder 4 registers digital image data information, user information, and the like in the management server. In other words, it is a copyright holder or administrator of copyrighted image data, and uses the DRM client application to register the digital image data in the digital image data DB (32), and user access information to the user DB (33) Registered in the database, charging information is acquired from the user DB (33), and log information is acquired from the log DB (34).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the components related to the present invention of the DRM Veiwer application 21 operating on the DRM management server 31 and the user PC 2.

  A DB access management unit 201 accesses the digital image data DB (32), the user DB (33), and the log (DB), reads and writes data, and manages data. Reference numeral 202 denotes user information and request receiving means for receiving user information such as a user ID from an external device such as the user PC (2) or MFP (1) or receiving a request command from the external device. Reference numeral 203 denotes DRM data and related information transmission means for transmitting related information such as DRM data read from the DB access management means (201), expansion key, and user information to an external device.

  211 of the DRM viewer (21) is user information input means for allowing a user to input a user ID and password via the user I / F. The input user ID and password are temporarily stored in 215 data / information storage means constituted by a storage device such as a memory or HDD. 214 denotes user information read from the data / information storage means 215 and user information and request transmission means for transmitting various request commands to the DRM management server (31). Here, the various requests are requests according to the user's operation from the user I / F, such as a request for transmitting DRM data list information that can be purchased or a request for downloading individual DRM data. Reference numeral 216 denotes DRM data and related information receiving means for receiving DRM data and related information sent from the server (31) based on the request transmitted by the transmitting means 214. The received data and information are temporarily or permanently stored in the data / information storage means 215 depending on the type. Reference numeral 212 denotes a purchase and high-level determination unit that displays a list of DRM image data that can be purchased by the user via the user I / F, and allows the user to select the DRM image data that the user wants to purchase and determine the authority to purchase. When it is determined, a request is sent from the transmission means 214 to the server 31 using this as a trigger, and the data and accompanying information are received by the reception means 216 and stored in the storage means 215. The user can give support such as browsing and printing to each DRM image data stored in 215 according to the accompanying authority. For example, reference numeral 213 denotes print instruction means for instructing printing of DRM image data by an external printing apparatus. When a print instruction is issued to the print instruction unit 213 via the UI, the instructed DRM image is read from the storage unit 215 and output as a print job to the external printing apparatus by the DRM data print job output unit 217. Prior to this, when the printing device information is acquired by the output device information acquisition means 218, and the printing device is an MFP with the DRM information recording function described below, the user information is also stored in the MFP together with the print job. Is output.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing components related to the present invention of the MFP (1) having the DRM printing function and the copying function. Reference numeral 303 denotes DRM data job reception means for receiving a print job of DRM data from the DRM viewer (21) of the user PC (2). The received DRM data and accompanying user information such as the user ID are held in the data / information storage means 306. When a DRM job is received by the receiving means 303 by an MFP control means such as a CPU (not shown), DRM data and accompanying information are read from the storage means 306. The read user ID and print request are transmitted together with the image data ID to the DRM management server 31 by the user information and request transmission means 301, and if the user with the user ID has print authority for the image data, the DRM image is expanded. The key is sent from the DRM management server. This expansion key is received by 302 DRM data and related information receiving means. The DRM image data for which the expansion key has been obtained is decrypted by using the expansion key by the DRM image expansion means 307 to become a bitmap (raster) image. The developed image is transmitted to the 320 printer unit together with the user information. The 320 printer unit prints the image data on the sheet by the printing unit 321 and simultaneously on the sheet by the user information recording unit of the user information recording unit 322. User information including at least a user ID and an image ID is recorded. The user information recording means includes, for example, a method in which the paper is an IC chip built-in paper and is recorded on the IC chip limited to the IC chip built-in paper at the time of DRM printing, and the raster image that is developed and sent is light yellow or the like. For example, there is a method of simultaneously printing with the embedded 321 as an image change amount (add-on) that is invisible to humans, such as by using or slightly changing the interval between bits.

  Further, the MFP (1) in FIG. 3 can receive a copy print (copy) instruction from the user by means of 308 copy print instruction means. The user sets a document to be copied to the scanner unit 310 and then instructs the 308 to copy. The MFP control unit (not shown) that receives the copy instruction instructs the scanner unit 310 to read the document image. The MFP includes an optical image reading unit 311 that optically reads an image and converts it into image data in the scanner unit 310, and reads user information recorded on a paper medium by the user information recording unit 322 described above. User information reading means 312 is provided. When the document is a DRM image document, the user ID and the image ID are read, and it is determined that the document is a DRM document. If it is determined that the document is a DRM document, if there is original DRM image data in the data / information storage unit 306, the original DRM image data is used. Obtain image data. In either case, the user ID and the image ID are transmitted to the DRM server to confirm whether or not there is a copy right, and in some cases, an image expansion key is obtained. The copy right can be set with a limited number of sheets, a period, etc., but these are managed on the DRM management server, so that the server returns a reply that the copy right is present only when the copy right is possible. In addition, information on the number of copies desired to be copied is also transmitted to and received from the server. If there is a copy right, the DRM image data is expanded by the expansion unit 307 and printed by the printer unit 320. At this time, since it is a copy product in this embodiment, it is assumed that user information is not recorded on paper. If it is not a DRM image, or if it is a DRM image, there is no copy right, the raster image read by the optical image reading means 311 is sent to 320, and the printing means 321 controls printing on the paper. .

  FIG. 9 is a data flow diagram showing an example of the data flow accompanying the operations of the DRM content server (3), the user PC (2) on which the DRM Viewer operates, and the MFP (1) described above.

  Hereinafter, the purchase, printing, and copying operations of the DRM image related to the copy right will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the DRM Viewer application (21) operating on the user PC (2) when purchasing DRM image data. In order to use the DRM Viewer, the user needs to start the DRM Viewer application, enter his / her user ID and password using the user information input unit 211 in FIG. 2, and log in. Each user is registered in advance in the database of the server (3) through predetermined means, and charging means such as a charge debit account is also registered for each user.

  When the user's instruction from the viewer UI is received by the purchase and purchase level determining means (212) of FIG. 2 and the purchase flow is entered, first in S501, the user information and request transmitting means of 214 sends the user to the DRM management server 31. A request for obtaining a list of user information such as an ID and DRM image data that can be purchased by the user is made. The list information is acquired by the receiving means 216. In addition to the image ID, the list information includes thumbnails, purchaseable rights, and the like.

  In S502, a list of list images that can be purchased and a purchaseable right associated with each list image are displayed on the UI. This right is managed by the DB access management means 201 of the DRM management server 31 as shown in the table of FIG. 4, for example, and permits viewing of images and saving of images in a format other than DRM. In addition to the right or not, it includes permission to print, number of copies / duration, and copying permission to allow high-quality copying of images printed on paper media, and number of copies / duration Yes.

  In S503, the user selects an image and determines which of these rights to purchase. Of course, charging usually varies depending on the right to purchase.

  In S504, the transmission unit (214) transmits the determined image ID, right, and purchase user ID together with the purchase request to the server. In the server (31), based on these pieces of information received by the receiving means 202, it is registered in the DB using the DB access management means 201, and appropriate charging processing is performed, so that 203 DRM data and related information are obtained. The purchased DRM image is transmitted to the user PC (2) by the transmission means. At this time, in accordance with the purchased right, for example, accompanying information such as a key for decoding an image for browsing and a key for developing an image for printing are also transmitted.

  In S505, the DRM Viewer receives the DRM image data and these information by the receiving means 216 and stores them in the data / information storage means 215. Note that the received DRM image data file itself is stored in an accessible state on the HDD or the like using another application or the like, but the information associated with the rights for each user such as the user ID and the expansion key is as follows. , Making it inaccessible from other apps.

  Next, the printing process in the DRM Viewer (21) for the purchased DRM image data in FIG. 6 will be described.

  When the print processing flow is entered by the print instruction means 213 in FIG. 2, first, a list of DRM image data that can be accessed by the DRM Viewer stored in the HDD is displayed in S601, and a DRM image to be printed by the user is selected. Let

  Next, in S602, communication with the management server (31) is made to inquire whether the user with the user ID has the print right for the selected image ID. In the example of the management DB table in FIG. 4, for example, user A is permitted to print and there is no limit on the number of sheets. Therefore, if the current time is within the period limit, information indicating that the print right exists is returned from the server. . Since user B has a limit on the number of prints, permission is returned if 10 or more pages have not been printed so far, and permission is returned if it has been printed. That is, in the user DB of FIG. 1, in addition to the access right list of the table of FIG. 4, the information on the number of printed pages so far is managed for each user.

  In step S604, the presence / absence of the user right is determined based on the inquiry result from the server. Note that this predetermined non-printable process can be implemented, for example, as a UI display for prompting the user to purchase printing rights, or to proceed to a purchase flow equivalent to that described with reference to FIG. It is.

  If the user has the print right, the process proceeds to step S605, and a printable device is displayed based on the device information acquired by the output device information acquisition unit 218 in FIG. At this time, information indicating whether the device is an MFP capable of DRM processing shown in FIG. 3 or a printer that simply receives a raster image and prints it on paper, a finishing function of the device, etc. Also get.

  In S606, the user selects a device to print, and also selects a print option such as finishing. This is done by using a print driver corresponding to the device.

  When the device is determined, the function of the device acquired in S607 is checked and the presence / absence of the DRM printing function is checked. The DRM printing function refers to the DRM image processing and communication function with the DRM server that the MFP described in FIG. 3 has.

  If the device has a DRM printing function, in S608, the job is output to the device as a print job including user information including the user ID and DRM image data, and the process ends.

  If the device does not have the DRM printing function, in S610, the DRM Viewer has 214 transmission means to transmit the image ID and user ID to the DRM management server, and obtains the image development key for printing from the DRM server. .

  In S611, the DRM image data is decrypted using the expansion key, the image is expanded, raster image data is generated and output to the device as a print job including the raster image data. Send the number of printed DRM data. The DRM management server (31) uses the DB access management means (201) to record the number of printed pages in the user DB.

  The processing flow of the DRM print job in the MFP of FIG. 3 is as shown in FIG.

  First, as the process shown in S701, the DRM data print job is received from the DRM Viewer (21) in a format including the user ID by the receiving means indicated by 303 in FIG.

  In step S702, the user ID and the image ID are transmitted to the management server. In step S703, the image development key for printing is received from the server. For the sake of simplification in the flow, it is assumed that a DRM job is sent only when there is print permission in advance as shown in FIG. However, for example, if it is assumed that a DRM print job already exists in a document box in the HDD of the MFP and this is to be printed, as shown in FIG. 6, prior to (or simultaneously with) S703. Inquiry operation for permission is required.

  In S704, the paper specification and finishing specification of the job are analyzed, the job sequence is assembled, and the DRM image is encrypted by the DRM image expansion means 307 in FIG. 3 using the expansion key obtained from the server. The image data is decoded and developed into a raster image.

  In S705, in accordance with the developed raster image and the control sequence, user information including a user ID is transmitted to the printer unit 320, and in S706, an image is formed by the printing unit 321 and by the user information recording unit 322, User information is recorded on an IC chip on a paper medium.

  Finally, in S707, the number of printed pages is notified to the management server, and the process ends.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 8, a description will be given of a copy printing process of a DRM image printed on a paper medium in the MFP (1) of FIG.

  The user sets a document sheet on which a DRM image to be copied is printed on the scanner unit platen 310 in FIG. 3, and instructs copying printing from the UI of the MFP.

  In step S801, the MFP (1) receives a copy print instruction from the copy print instruction unit (308).

  Then, in S802, using the optical reading means 311 and the user information reading means 312, the image of the original is optically read to generate raster image data and recorded on an IC chip or the like on the paper medium. Read user information including the current user ID. The read data and information are temporarily stored in the storage unit 306.

  In step S804, it is determined whether or not the document to be copied and printed is a DRM image depending on whether or not user information such as a user ID has been read from an IC chip or the like. If it is determined that the image is not a DRM image, the process proceeds to S814 to perform a normal optical copy printing process.

  In S814, the raster data read first and stored in 306 is transferred to the printer unit, and the printer unit 320 performs printing processing in S815. Of course, as shown in S610 to S612 in FIG. 6, when the user information is not recorded even if the original is DRM image data, it is determined as non-DRM, and this optical copy printing operation is performed.

  If it is determined that the image is a DRM image, the user ID and the image ID to be copied and printed (also read from the IC chip) are sent to the DRM management server (31) using the transmission means 301 in S804. The copy right information is acquired from the server in S805. Similar to the printing right, as shown in the example of FIG. 4, it is possible to set a copy number restriction and a period restriction for the copying right, and the server returns from the server as having the copying right only when these conditions are satisfied.

  If it is determined in S806 that there is no copy right from the server, the process proceeds to S814, where the normal optical copy processing operation is performed and the process ends.

  When there is a copy right, it is checked whether or not the DRM data of the image ID to be copied and printed is stored in the storage means 306 of the MFP (1). If the MFP you are trying to copy is an MFP that has received a DRM print job from the DRM Viewer (21) described above and printed it, it may be saved, but you are trying to copy and print with another MFP. In the case, of course not saved. Therefore, in this case, a process of downloading the image data of the image ID from the management server is added as a step of S808.

  Next, as a step of S809, a key for decrypting and decrypting the DRM image for printing is acquired from the management server. This expansion key is implemented so that even if it is an MFP that has printed a DRM document, it is discarded when printing is completed, and security is improved. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain them sequentially from the server at the time of printing or copying.

  In step S810, designation of the number of copies, finishing settings, and the like from the UI is analyzed (job analysis), a job sequence is assembled, and DRM image data is decrypted with a development key and developed into a raster image.

  In step S811, the developed raster image data is transmitted to the printer unit, and the image is printed in step S812 by the printing unit 321. In this embodiment, user information is not recorded during copy printing.

  After completion of printing, in S813, the server notifies the server of the number of copies to be output, and the process ends. That is, the management server 31 registers and manages the number of copies in the DB at the time of copy printing as well as at the time of printing.

  In this embodiment, the copy right and the print right are managed separately. However, the copy right is included in the print right to manage the number of sheets and the period, and the copy right is also copied. Of course, user information can be written to an IC chip or the like during copying and printing so that rights can be managed.

1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating an entire system for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a DRM viewer operating on a DRM management server and a user PC. It is the block diagram which showed each means of the multifunction printer. It is the table | surface which showed the example of the relationship between the authority (: access authority) for every user who is managed in the DRM management server and is permitted with respect to each user. It is the flowchart which showed the processing operation of DRM Viewer at the time of DRM image purchase. It is the flowchart which showed the processing operation of DRM Viewer at the time of DRM image printing. 6 is a flowchart showing processing operations of the MFP during DRM image printing. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the MFP when copying and printing a DRM image original printed on a paper medium. It is the figure which showed an example of the flow of each information and each data in a system block diagram.

Explanation of symbols

1 Multifunction printer (MFP)
11 DRM processing function 2 User PC
21 DRM Viewer Application 3 DRM Content Server (Management Server)
31 DRM management server 32 Digital image data DB
33 User DB
34 Log DB
4 Content Holder 201 DB Access Management Unit 202 User Information and Request Receiving Unit 203 DRM Data and Related Information Transmitting Unit 211 User Information Input Unit 212 Purchase and Purchase Level Determination Unit 213 Print Instruction Unit 214 User Information and Request Transmitting Unit 215 Data / Information Storage unit 216 DRM data and related information reception unit 217 DRM data print job output unit 218 Output device information acquisition unit 301 User information and request transmission unit 302 DRM data and related information reception unit 303 DRM data print job reception unit 304 Device information output unit 306 Data / Information Storage Unit 307 DRM Image Expansion Unit 308 Copy Printing Instruction Unit 310 Scanner Unit 311 Optical Image Reading Unit 312 User Information Reading Unit 320 Printer Unit 321 Printing Hand Stage 322 User information recording means

Claims (10)

  Copyrighted image data, a management server that manages a user ID of a user who purchases and uses the copyrighted image data, and an image forming apparatus that prints the copyrighted image data on a paper medium The copyrighted image data management system, wherein the copyrighted image data has a duplication permission attribute together with a viewing permission attribute and a printing permission attribute for each user, and the copyrighted image printed by a user on a paper medium When copying and printing data from the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus communicates with the management server to perform printing control or restriction based on the copy permission attribute. system.   The image forming apparatus includes an information recording unit that simultaneously records on the paper medium the user ID or previous period permission attribute information for each user based on the user ID when the copyrighted image data is printed on the paper medium. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 1.   The image forming apparatus includes an information reading unit that reads information recorded by the recording unit when copying and printing a paper medium on which the copyrighted image data is printed on another paper medium, and the information reading unit 3. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 2, wherein a copy printing operation on another paper medium is controlled or restricted based on information read by the means.   The image forming apparatus includes a copyrighted image data obtaining unit that communicates with the management server and obtains the original copyrighted image data, and copying is permitted based on information read by the information reading unit. 4. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 3, wherein the original image data is used for copying and printing.   2. The work according to claim 1, wherein the management server has management means for managing the number of copies for each user ID and billing information corresponding to the number of copies based on communication with the image forming apparatus. Rights image data management system.   The copyrighted image data is encrypted image data that can be decrypted with a specific expansion key. When printing in the image forming apparatus, the copyrighted image data is based on a user ID and a permission attribute from the management server. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 1, wherein the specific expansion key needs to be obtained.   The copyrighted image data is held in an encrypted state in a nonvolatile memory area of the image forming apparatus once printed, and the copyrighted image data obtaining means at the time of copying is the nonvolatile memory. 5. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 4, wherein the image data management system is a control to read from the volatile memory area.   When storing the copyrighted image data in the nonvolatile memory area, control is performed to discard the specific expansion key, and when copying or reprinting, the user who intends to copy or reprint the copy 8. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a development key is obtained again from the management server and an image is developed based on a user ID and the attribute information.   3. The copyrighted image data management system according to claim 2, wherein the information recording means is means for recording information on an IC tag chip embedded in the paper medium.   The information recording means is means for recording the image data to be recorded on the paper medium by converting the information into image data embedded in a state invisible to humans and combining it. Item 3. A copyrighted image data management system according to item 2.

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