JP2008054038A - Illegal use of data prevention system, image reader, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illegal use of data prevention system, an image reader, and an image forming apparatus, which are convenient for use by preventing a user using an electronic apparatus from being puzzled by a state of not starting execution of a copying operation regardless of a user's copying instruction or mistaking this state for the fault of a copying machine in the case where the user does't know or forgets that electronic watermark data have been formed in a document. <P>SOLUTION: When electronic watermark data are extracted by an electronic watermark data extraction part, a display part is used to visually inform the user that image data of the document obtained by a reading operation of a document read part includes electronic watermark data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a data unauthorized use prevention system for preventing copying and the like by a person who does not have the authority to copy an image of a document or to output image data constituting the image to another electronic device or a recording medium, The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus.

  For example, technology that prevents copying and copying of documents that need to be kept secret (hereinafter referred to as confidential documents), such as data on documents containing confidential information of companies, etc. is widely known and related to this technical field. As a technique, for example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.

In the following Patent Document 1, in a printing system in which an image forming apparatus and a server are connected via a network, electronic data to be read is accumulated from digital watermark data included in an image read from the original by the image forming apparatus. A technique for extracting address information of a server and an ID indicating the electronic data and fetching encrypted electronic data corresponding to the ID from a server corresponding to the address information is disclosed. Patent Document 1 discloses password information included in the digital watermark data, and only when the extracted password information matches the password information input to the image forming apparatus by the user. A technique that enables data transmission / reception with a server has been proposed.
JP 2005-354141 A

  By the way, in an electronic device equipped with this kind of technology, if the user who uses the electronic device does not know or forgets that the digital watermark data is formed on the document, the user can copy it. There is a possibility that the situation in which the execution of the copying operation is not started even if the instruction is given may be cryptic or misunderstood as a failure of the multifunction device.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a data illegal use prevention system, an image reading apparatus, and an image forming apparatus that are easy to use by preventing misunderstanding by the user as described above. For the purpose.

The invention described in claim 1 is an electronic device for limiting the use of image data obtained by the reading operation of an image reading means for reading an image of a document to those who have authority to use the image data. When watermark data is included, the digital watermark data extraction means for extracting the digital watermark data from the image data is provided. When the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction means, the use of the image data is suppressed. In the prohibited data unauthorized use prevention system, when digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction unit, the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading unit It is characterized by comprising an informing means for informing.
Is.

  According to the present invention, when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extracting means, the fact that the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means is notified. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the user from being confused about the situation in which the execution of the copying operation is not started even if the user tries to copy the secret document, or misunderstanding that the device is out of order.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the data unauthorized use prevention system according to claim 1, further comprising image data output means for outputting the image data to the outside, and the use of the image data is performed by the image data output means. This is an image data output operation.

  According to the present invention, when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction means, the output operation of the image data to the outside (for example, other electronic devices and recording media) is prohibited.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the data unauthorized use prevention system according to the first or second aspect, storage means for storing a plurality of digital watermark data associated with different identification data and the identification data are input. When the identification data is input by the identification data input means and the identification data input means, the identification data storage means is referred to, and the input identification data is obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means. Determination means for determining whether or not the identification data associated with the digital watermark data extracted from the image data matches, and when the determination means determines that the data matches, the use prohibition of the image data is canceled It is characterized by this.

  According to this invention, when the identification data is input by the identification data input means, the identification data storage means is referred to, and the input identification data is obtained from the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means. It is determined whether or not it matches the identification data associated with the extracted digital watermark data. When it is determined that they match, the use prohibition of the image data is lifted. Thus, in principle, even when the use of the image data is prohibited when the digital watermark data is extracted from the image data, the user having the authority to use the image data is exceptionally Can be made available.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the data unauthorized use prevention system according to the third aspect, the identification data is set for each copy-forgery-inhibited pattern formed on the document.

  According to the present invention, since the identification data is set for each copy-forgery-inhibited pattern formed on the document, when a plurality of digital watermark data are set, a user who has authority to use image data Based on the tint block formed on the original, it is possible to determine whether or not the identification data needs to be input and the type of the identification data to be input when the input is necessary.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus for reading an image of an original, wherein the data unauthorized use prevention system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects is applied. It is.

  According to this invention, in the image reading apparatus, the action of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4 can be obtained.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the image forming means for forming an image on a sheet and the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means for reading the image of the original are copied with the authority for copying. Digital watermark data extraction means for extracting the digital watermark data from the image data when the digital watermark data is limited to those who have the digital watermark data, and the digital watermark data extraction means extracts the digital watermark data Then, the image forming apparatus prohibits the image forming operation based on the image data by the image forming unit, and when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extracting unit, the reading operation of the image reading unit And an informing means for informing that the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by .

  According to the present invention, when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extracting means, the fact that the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means is notified. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from being confused about the situation in which the execution of the copying operation is not started even if the user tries to copy the secret document, or to misunderstand that the device is malfunctioning.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a user-friendly system and apparatus by preventing a user from misunderstanding about a situation in which execution of a copying operation is not started even when a user tries to copy a secret document.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the internal configuration of the multifunction machine. The multifunction device 1 has functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The multifunction device 1 has a main body 2, a stack tray 3 disposed on the left side of the main body 2, and a main body 2. The document reading unit 4 is disposed above the document reading unit 4 and the document feeding unit 5 is disposed above the document reading unit 4.

  An operation unit 6 is provided on the front part of the multifunction machine 1. The operation unit 6 displays a start key 7 for a user to input a print execution instruction, a numeric keypad 8 for inputting the number of copies to be printed, operation guide information for various copying operations, and the like. Display unit 9 including a liquid crystal display or the like having a touch panel function, a reset key 10 for resetting setting contents set on display unit 9, and a stop key for stopping a printing (image forming) operation being executed 11 and a function switching key 12 for switching between a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function.

  The document reading unit 4 includes a scanner unit 13 including a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor and an exposure lamp, and a document table 14 and a document reading slit 15 made of a transparent member such as glass. The scanner unit 13 is configured to be movable by a drive unit (not shown). When reading a document placed on the document table 14, the scanner unit 13 is moved along the document surface at a position facing the document table 14, and the document image is displayed. The image data acquired while scanning is output to the control unit 35 (FIG. 2). When reading the document fed by the document feeding unit 5, the document is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 15 and synchronized with the document feeding operation by the document feeding unit 5 via the document reading slit 15. The image of the original is acquired and the image data is output to the control unit 35.

  The document feeder 5 includes a document placement unit 16 for placing a document, a document discharge unit 17 for ejecting an image-read document, and a document placed on the document placement unit 16. A document transport mechanism 18 including a paper feed roller, a transport roller (not shown), and the like for feeding the paper one by one to a position facing the document reading slit 15 and discharging it to the document discharge section 17 is provided. The document transport mechanism 18 further includes a sheet reversing mechanism (not shown) that reverses the document and reversely transports the document to a position facing the document reading slit 15, and scans the images on both sides of the document via the document reading slit 15. It is possible to read from the unit 13.

  Further, the document feeding unit 5 is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body unit 2 so that the front side thereof can move upward. By moving the front side of the document feeder 5 upward to open the upper surface of the document table 14, the operator can place a read document, for example, a book in a spread state, on the upper surface of the document table 14. It has become.

  The main body 2 includes a plurality of paper feeding cassettes 19, a paper feeding roller 20 that feeds recording paper from the paper feeding cassette 19 one by one and transports it to the image forming unit 21, and a recording paper transported from the paper feeding cassette 19. And an image forming unit 21 for forming an image.

  An image forming unit 21 outputs an optical unit 23 based on the image data acquired by the scanner unit 13 to expose the photosensitive drum 22 and a developing unit 24 that forms a toner image on the photosensitive drum 22. And a transfer unit 25 for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum 22 to the recording paper, and a fixing unit including a pair of rollers 26 and 27 for heating the recording paper to which the toner image has been transferred and fixing the toner image to the recording paper. The apparatus 28 includes a pair of conveyance rollers 30 and 31 that are provided in the sheet conveyance path in the image forming unit 21 and convey the recording sheet to the stack tray 3 or the discharge tray 29.

  When images are formed on both sides of the recording paper, the image forming unit 21 forms an image on one side of the recording paper, and then the recording paper is nipped by the pair of conveying rollers 30 on the discharge tray 29 side. And In this state, the conveyance roller pair 30 is reversed to switch back the recording paper, and the recording paper is sent to the paper conveyance path 32 and conveyed again to the upstream area of the image forming unit 21. Then, the recording paper is discharged to the stack tray 3 or the discharge tray 29.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the multifunction machine 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the MFP 1 includes a document reading unit 4, an image processing unit 33, an image forming unit 21, a data memory 34, a control unit 35, an operation unit 6, a facsimile communication unit 36, and a network I / F unit 37. , A parallel I / F unit 38, a serial I / F unit 39, and an HDD (hard disk drive) 40.

  The document reading unit 4, the image processing unit 33, the data memory 34, the control unit 35, the operation unit 6, and the network I / F unit 37 realize a network scanner function for transmitting the captured image data to a pre-specified IP address. Is done. The document reading unit 4, the image processing unit 33, the image forming unit 21, the data memory 34, the control unit 35, the operation unit 6, and the facsimile communication unit 36 realize a facsimile function. Further, the image processing unit 33, the image forming unit 21, the control unit 35, the operation unit 6, the network I / F unit 37, and the parallel I / F unit 38 realize a printer function. The document reading unit 4, the image processing unit 33, the image forming unit 21, the control unit 35 and the operation unit 6 implement a copy function.

  The operation unit 6 corresponds to the operation unit 6 shown in FIG. 1, and is used by a user to perform operations related to a copy function, a printer function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, and the like. ) And the like are given to the control unit 35. The operation unit 6 includes a display unit 9 having a touch panel and the like, and an operation key unit 41 including the start key 7 and the numeric keypad 8 described above. The operation key unit 41 is used for inputting various instructions such as a copy execution start command or a facsimile transmission start command by the user, and for inputting a password to be described later.

  The document reading unit 4 corresponds to the document reading unit 4 shown in FIG. 1, and optically acquires an image of a document and generates image data.

  The image processing unit 33 performs various image processing on the image data. For example, the image processing unit 33 performs predetermined correction processing such as level correction and γ correction, image data compression or expansion processing, enlargement or reduction on image data obtained by being read by the document reading unit 4. Various image processing (processing) such as processing is performed. The image processing unit 33 includes an image memory 51, and stores processed image data or the like in the image memory 51 or outputs the image data to the image forming unit 21, the facsimile communication unit 36, the network I / F unit 37, or the like. .

  The image forming unit 21 corresponds to the image forming unit 21 described above, and includes image data of a document read by the document reading unit 4 and an image received from an external personal computer or the like via the network I / F unit 37. Data and an image corresponding to image data such as fax data received from an external facsimile apparatus by the facsimile communication unit 36 are printed on a predetermined recording sheet.

  The data memory 34 is a storage means for previously storing the destination name and the facsimile number of the abbreviated button registration when performing facsimile communication, and also the IP address of the transmission destination when used as a network scanner. Pre-stored. In addition, the data memory 34 includes a table storage unit 50 that stores a table in which electronic watermark data and a password described later are associated with each other.

  The control unit 35 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory) that store programs that define the operation of the CPU, and temporarily. Peripheral devices such as a storage unit such as a RAM for storing data are included. As a result, the control unit 35 controls the entire multifunction device 1 in accordance with the instruction information received by the operation unit 6 and the like and the detection signals from the sensors provided in various parts of the multifunction device 1. More specifically, the control unit 35 functions as a scanner controller 42, a facsimile controller 43, a printer controller 44, and a copy controller 45.

  A program for realizing the above-described functions by being read by a computer as the control unit 35 is stored in a non-volatile and large-capacity external storage device such as the HDD 40, and is appropriately transferred to the main storage device such as the RAM. By doing so, it is also possible to provide execution by the CPU. The program can be supplied through a recording medium such as a ROM or a CD-ROM, or can be supplied through a transmission medium such as a network connected to the network I / F unit 37. The transmission medium is not limited to a wired transmission medium, and may be a wireless transmission medium. The transmission medium includes not only a communication line but also a relay device that relays the communication line, for example, a communication link such as a router.

  When the program is supplied through the ROM, it can be used for execution by the CPU by mounting the ROM on which the program is recorded in the control unit 35. When the program is supplied through a CD-ROM, the CD-ROM reader is connected to, for example, the parallel I / F unit 38 and transferred to the RAM or HDD 40 for execution by the CPU. it can. When the program is supplied through a transmission medium, the program received through the network I / F unit 37 can be transferred to the RAM or the HDD 40 for execution by the CPU.

  The scanner controller 42 controls the operation of each unit used to realize the scanner function. The facsimile controller 43 controls the operation of each unit used to implement the facsimile function. The printer controller 44 controls the operation of each unit used for realizing the printer function. The copy controller controls the operation of each unit used for realizing the copy function.

  The facsimile communication unit 36 includes an encoding / decoding unit (not shown), a modem unit (not shown), and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown). The image data is transmitted to another facsimile apparatus via a telephone line or an Internet line, and the image data transmitted from another facsimile apparatus is received. The encoding / decoding unit compresses / decodes image data to be transmitted and expands / decodes received image data. The modem unit modulates the compressed / decoded image data into an audio signal. Or the received signal (audio signal) is demodulated into image data. The NCU controls connection with a facsimile machine as a transmission destination via a telephone line.

  The network I / F unit 37 uses a network interface (for example, 10 / 100base-TX) or the like to control transmission / reception of various data to / from a user side server connected via the network. When one or more terminal devices (not shown) such as a personal computer are connected to the network, the network I / F unit 37 controls transmission / reception of various data to / from these terminal devices. For example, the network I / F unit 37 transmits document image data read by the document reading unit 4 to the terminal device, or receives image data sent from the terminal device for printing by the image forming unit 21. To do.

  The parallel I / F unit 38 uses a high-speed bidirectional parallel interface (for example, IEEE1284 compliant) or the like to transmit print data from an external device or the like by parallel transmission in which data is transmitted in units of a plurality of bits using a plurality of signal lines. It is something to receive. The serial I / F unit 39 uses a serial interface (for example, RS-232C) or the like, and receives various data from an external device or the like by serial transmission that sequentially transmits data bit by bit using a single signal line. To do.

  The HDD 40 stores image data read by the document reading unit 4, image data transmitted via a network, an output format set for the image data, and the like. The image data stored in the HDD 40 is not only used by the multifunction device 1 but also confirmed by the terminal device via the network I / F unit 37 or transferred to a predetermined folder of the terminal device. Or used in the terminal device.

  In the multifunction machine 1, various functions are realized by combining the above-described functions. For example, as the scanner function, a PC transmission function, an E-mail transmission function, a FAX transmission function, or the like may be realized. Here, the PC transmission function is a function for directly transmitting image data read from a document to an arbitrary terminal device or the like via a network. The E-mail transmission function transmits image data read from a document as an attached file of an e-mail directly to, for example, an SMTP server (not shown) via a network, and from the SMTP server to an arbitrary external terminal device via the network This is a function for transmitting image data read from a document as an attached file of the e-mail by transmitting the e-mail to the e-mail. The FAX transmission function is a function for directly transmitting image data read from a document to an arbitrary facsimile machine or the like via a telephone line or the like.

  In addition to the above configuration, the MFP 1 of the present embodiment, as a rule, prohibits copying of confidential documents when digital watermark data indicating that the original is a confidential document is formed on the original. And has a function of accepting a copy instruction of the user as an exception only when the user has authority to handle confidential documents. Further, it is determined whether or not the user is authorized to handle confidential documents based on a password input by the user.

  In order to achieve the function, the control unit 35 functionally includes a digital watermark data extraction unit 46, a notification unit 47, an output prohibition unit 49, and a user authentication unit 48. The data memory 34 has a table storage unit 50.

  The digital watermark data extraction unit 46 extracts digital watermark data from the image data when the digital watermark data is included in the image data of the document obtained by the reading operation of the document reading unit 4.

  When the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction unit 46, the notification unit 47, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, adds digital watermark data to the image data of the original obtained by the reading operation of the original reading unit 4. For example, the display unit 9 is used to visually notify that it is included. This is a situation in which when there is a user who does not know that the electronic watermark data is formed in the document or forgets it, the execution of the copy operation is not started even if the user gives a copy instruction. This is done to prevent it from being confused or misunderstood as a malfunction of the multifunction device.

  Here, the table storage unit 50 will be described. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a secret document is set for each department and digital watermark data is set for each department in a certain company. Therefore, the table storage unit 50 of the present embodiment stores a plurality of digital watermark data, and stores a table in which the digital watermark data and the password are associated as shown in FIG. In this table, for example, the password “a” is associated with the digital watermark data “A”.

  The user authentication unit 48 performs authentication processing as to whether or not the user is authorized to handle confidential documents. Specifically, when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction unit 46, the user authentication unit 48 requests the user to input a password together with the notification as shown in FIG. When the password is input by, the table storage unit 50 of the data memory 34 is referred to, a password corresponding to the digital watermark data is derived, and it is determined whether or not the password matches the input password. To do. The user authentication unit 48 outputs a signal indicating the determination result to the output prohibition unit 49.

  When the user authentication unit 48 receives a signal indicating that both passwords match, the output prohibiting unit 49 performs the image forming operation on the image data of the document obtained by the reading operation of the document reading unit 4. When the signal indicating that they do not match is received, the image forming operation by the image forming unit 21 is prohibited, and the notification unit 47 notifies the user to that effect (for example, an error) indicate.

  For example, when the electronic watermark data included in the image data of the document obtained by the reading operation of the document reading unit 4 is “A”, when the password “a” is input by the user, the table storage unit 50 Since the stored password corresponding to the digital watermark data “A” matches the input password, the output prohibition unit 49 permits the image forming unit 21 to perform an image forming operation on the image data. .

  On the other hand, when the digital watermark data is “A” and the password “b” is input by the user, the password corresponding to the digital watermark data “A” stored in the table storage unit 50 is input. Since the password does not match, the output prohibition unit 49 prohibits the image forming operation by the image forming unit 21, and the notification unit 47 notifies the user (for example, an error display).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a user authentication operation in the multifunction machine 1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the user inputs a copy execution instruction using start key 7 (YES in step # 1), control unit 35 causes document reading unit 4 to execute a document image reading operation (step S1). # 2). Next, the control unit 35 determines whether or not digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation (step # 3). If not included (NO in step # 3). ) On the other hand, image forming processing is executed for the image data (step # 6). On the other hand, if digital watermark data is included (YES in step # 3), digital watermark data is formed on the document. In addition, the display unit 9 requests the user to input a password (step # 4).

  Then, the control unit 35 determines whether or not the password input by the user matches the password corresponding to the digital watermark data stored in advance in the data memory 34 (table storage unit 50) (Step #). 5) If they match (YES in step # 5), the process of step # 6 (image forming process) is executed. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), as shown in FIG. 6 (b), as shown in FIG. For example, a character such as “copy” is visually printed on the document in addition to the character indicating the secret content. In FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), characters indicating secret contents and illustrations are omitted.

  On the other hand, if they do not match (NO in step # 5), the control unit 35 prohibits the image forming operation by the image forming unit 21 and notifies (error display) to that effect.

  As described above, when the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation, the fact is notified so that it is not known that the digital watermark data is formed on the document. If there is a user who has forgotten that the copy operation is not started, the user will not be confused or misunderstood as a malfunction of the multifunction device. can do.

  In addition, the digital watermark data and the password are associated with each other and stored in the multifunction device 1 in advance, and when the digital watermark data is extracted from the image data obtained by the image reading operation on the document, the stored data is stored. When the password corresponding to the digital watermark data matches the password entered by the user, the prohibition of image formation processing is canceled. Printing for the image data is executed. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in operability of the multifunction device as compared with a multifunction device that completely prohibits copying confidential documents.

  In this case, the following embodiment can also be adopted in addition to or instead of the contents of the embodiment.

  (1) Since the electronic watermark data is invisible, there is a possibility that the presence or absence of the electronic watermark data in the document and the password to be input may be unknown. Considering this, for example, a background pattern (pattern or pattern) may be formed on the document in correspondence with the electronic watermark data.

  For example, when a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern as shown in FIG. 7A is formed on a document, only a user who has acquired a password corresponding to the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern can copy the document by inputting the password. When a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern as shown in FIG. 7B is formed on a document, only a user who has acquired a password corresponding to the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern can input the password to copy the document. Good.

  As a result, the user can easily determine the presence or absence of digital watermark data in the document, and can recognize the password to be input by visually checking the background pattern. When the document shown in FIG. 7A is copied, as shown in FIG. 7C, the document is visually shown as a copy together with characters and diagrams indicating the secret contents. When characters such as “Copy” and a background pattern substantially the same as the background pattern shown in FIG. 7A are formed, and the original shown in FIG. 7B is copied, as shown in FIG. In addition to the characters and diagrams indicating the secret content, characters such as “copy is” that visually indicate that the copy is made, and a ground pattern substantially the same as the ground pattern illustrated in FIG. 7B are formed. .

  (2) This application is applicable not only to the above-mentioned multifunction peripherals but also to image forming apparatuses and image reading apparatuses such as facsimile machines and scanners. In addition, digital watermark data is added to image data obtained by reading operations. The object to be prohibited when it is included is copying on paper, but is not limited to this.

  For example, when an image reading device such as a scanner and another electronic device are connected to be able to communicate with each other via a communication line (including a communication mode using the Internet), a password corresponding to the document is input to the image reading device. Until then, the output (transmission) of the image data acquired by the image reading device from the image reading device to the other electronic device is prohibited, and the output is performed when the password is input. The

  In addition, when the image forming apparatus and the image reading apparatus are configured to write (output) image data on a recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disk) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), for example, Until the password corresponding to the image data input to is input to the device, writing (output) of the image data acquired by the device to the recording medium is prohibited, and when the password is input, A mode in which the writing is performed is assumed.

  (3) In the above embodiment, when digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction unit, it is displayed that the digital watermark data is included in the image data of the document obtained by the reading operation of the document reading unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to employ notification by voice and notification by both display and voice.

FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing an internal configuration of the multifunction machine. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the multifunction machine. 6 is an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit when digital watermark data is included in the image data of the document obtained by the reading operation of the document reading unit. It is a figure which shows the table with which electronic watermark data and the password were matched. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a user authentication operation in the multifunction machine. It is a figure which shows a manuscript and its copy. It is a figure for demonstrating other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction device 4 Document reading part 6 Operation part 9 Display part 13 Scanner part 21 Image formation part 32 Paper conveyance path 35 Control part 46 Data extraction part 47 Notification part 48 User authentication part 49 Output prohibition part 50 Table storage part

Claims (6)

When the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means for reading the image of the document includes digital watermark data for limiting the use of the image data to those who have the authority to use the image data, A data fraud prevention system that includes digital watermark data extraction means for extracting the digital watermark data from the image data, and prohibits the use of the image data when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction means. And
When digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction unit, the digital watermark data extraction unit includes a notification unit that notifies that the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading unit. To prevent unauthorized use of data. Image data output means for outputting the image data to the outside,
The system for preventing unauthorized use of data according to claim 1, wherein the use of the image data is an output operation of image data by the image data output means. Storage means for storing a plurality of digital watermark data associated with different identification data;
Identification data input means for inputting the identification data;
When the identification data is input by the identification data input unit, the identification data storage unit is referred to, and the input identification data is extracted from the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading unit. Determining means for determining whether or not it matches the identification data associated with
3. The system for preventing unauthorized use of data according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the prohibition of use of the image data is canceled when it is determined by the determination means that they match.   4. The data unauthorized use prevention system according to claim 3, wherein the identification data is set for each copy-forgery-inhibited pattern formed on the document. An image reading apparatus for reading an image of a document,
An image reading apparatus, to which the data unauthorized use prevention system according to claim 1 is applied. An image forming means for forming an image on a sheet and electronic data for limiting the copying of the original image to those who have the authority to copy the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means for reading the image of the original. A digital watermark data extraction unit that extracts the digital watermark data from the image data when the watermark data is included, and when the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction unit, An image forming apparatus that prohibits an image forming operation based on the image data,
When the digital watermark data is extracted by the digital watermark data extraction means, it comprises notification means for notifying that the digital watermark data is included in the image data obtained by the reading operation of the image reading means. An image forming apparatus.

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