JP2008277890A - Image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an image processing apparatus capable of giving specific information or recognizing even a monochrome image processing apparatus without affecting other image information.
An image forming unit for forming an image sets at least one straight line among a plurality of straight lines existing in an image to a predetermined gradient compared with other straight lines, and specifies line information having the gradient. Add as information. Thus, the specific information can be given or the specific information can be recognized even in a monochrome image processing apparatus without affecting other image information. The plurality of pieces of line information in this case are frame lines, ruled lines, underlines, and overlines.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that enables image processing to which specific information such as copy prohibition information is added.

Patent Document 1 discloses an image processing apparatus that prohibits or restricts copying of an original when it is an important confidential document. In Patent Document 1, a character in a document image is recognized from image data from an image memory, an underline drawn in the character is detected, and it is determined whether the underline is a specific underline. However, if the document is underlined in particular, the document is regarded as an important secret document, and copying is prohibited or restricted. Whether it is a specific underline is determined by the thickness and type of the underline.
JP-A-7-38747

  However, in Patent Document 1, the thickness and type of the underline for incorporating the specific information is limited to a specific one, and the degree of freedom of selection by the user who gives the specific information is reduced. For this reason, it is desired to employ a method of giving a high degree of freedom as specific information.

  Conventionally, specific information such as copy prohibition information and user information added to a document is formed by a color multifunction peripheral. For example, the specific information is added to the document with yellow toner. For this reason, when a document is read as a black and white image in the image processing apparatus, there is a problem that the yellow specific information given to the document cannot be recognized and illegal copying is possible.

  In view of the above, the present invention is different from the conventional method of giving specific information by copy prohibition information or copy-forgery-inhibited pattern, and does not affect other image information. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that can give or recognize specific information.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image and a control unit that controls the image forming unit to add specific information to the image, and the control unit exists in the image. At least one straight line among the plurality of straight lines is set to a predetermined gradient compared to other straight lines, and line information having the gradient is added as specific information.

  According to the above configuration, at least one of the plurality of straight lines is set to a predetermined gradient compared to the other straight lines, and the line information having the gradient is used as the specific information, which affects other image information. In addition, even in a black and white image processing apparatus, specific information can be given or specific information can be recognized.

  The plurality of line information in this case is any one of a frame line, a ruled line, an underline, and an overline. Since these line information are given to most originals, they are used as specific information.

  A straight line having a gradient is given to a straight line in the horizontal direction in the visual direction of the image data. At present, horizontal character arrangement originals are common, and many originals have more horizontal lines than vertical lines. Therefore, it becomes easy to give specific information.

  The angle of the straight line having the gradient is variable. By making the gradient angle variable, the specific information can be weighted.

  A straight line having a gradient is arranged in a plurality of pieces of line information. A plurality of specific information can be included by providing gradients to a plurality of straight lines, and several types of specific information can be included by varying the gradient angles of the plurality of straight lines.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus includes a recognition unit that recognizes a specific image from image data, and the control unit performs function restriction by recognizing the specific image. In the above configuration, the specific information is read from the image data read by the reading unit of the image processing apparatus or the image data sent from the client-side personal computer PC, and the apparatus is based on the specific information such as copy prohibition information. Limit functions. Therefore, even in a black and white image processing apparatus, specific information can be given or specific information can be recognized.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus includes a reading unit that reads image data, and the control unit restricts the function of the apparatus, for example, the operation of the image forming unit when the recognition unit recognizes specific information from the image data read by the reading unit.

  The plurality of line information is any one of a frame line, a ruled line, an underline, and an overline, and a straight line having the gradient is arranged in the plurality of line information.

  As described above, according to the present invention, at least one straight line of a plurality of straight lines is set to a predetermined gradient as compared with other straight lines, and the line information having the gradient is used as specific information. The specific information can be given or the specific information can be recognized even in a monochrome image processing apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a digital copying machine to which the image processing apparatus of the present invention can be applied. The image processing apparatus 10 is configured as a digital copying machine including a scanner unit 11 constituting a document reading unit and a laser printer unit 12 constituting an image forming unit.

  The scanner unit 11 includes a document table 15 made of transparent glass, a double-sided automatic document feeder (RADF) 16 for automatically supplying and transporting a document onto the document table 15, and a document table 15. And a scanner unit 20 for scanning and reading the image of the placed document.

  The RADF 16 includes a document tray (not shown), and automatically feeds a plurality of documents set on the document tray at a time onto the document placement table 15 of the scanner unit 20 one by one. The RADF 16 also includes a conveyance path for a single-sided document, a conveyance path for a double-sided document, a conveyance path switching unit that switches between these conveyance paths, a sensor group that grasps and manages the state of the document that passes through each unit, and a control unit. The scanner unit 20 scans one side or both sides of the document according to the operator's selection.

  The scanner unit 20 includes a lamp reflector assembly 21 that exposes an original surface, a photoelectric conversion element (CCD) 24, a first scanning unit 20a for guiding a reflected light image from the original to the CCD 24, and a second scanning unit. 20b and an optical lens 23.

  The reflected light image from the original is reflected by the first reflecting mirror 22a included in the first scanning unit, and further reflected by the second and third reflecting mirrors 22b and 22c included in the second scanning unit 20b. The lens 23 forms an image on the CCD 24. The CCD 24 converts the reflected light image from the original image formed by the optical lens 23 into an electrical image signal.

  The scanner unit 11 moves the scanner unit 20 along the lower surface of the document placing table 15 while sequentially placing the documents to be read on the document placing table 15 by operations related to the RADF 16 and the scanner unit 20. Read the image.

  In particular, the first scanning unit 20a travels at a constant speed V from the left to the right along the document placing table 15, and the second scanning unit 20b is in the same direction at a speed of V / 2 with respect to the speed V. It is controlled to run in parallel. As a result, the image of the document placed on the document placement table 15 can be sequentially imaged on the CCD element 24 for each line and read.

  Image data obtained by reading an original image with the scanner unit 20 is subjected to various processes and then temporarily stored in an image memory. Then, an image in the image memory is read in response to an output instruction to the image forming apparatus 10 and transferred to the laser printer unit 12.

  The laser printer unit 12 includes a sheet conveyance system that is a recording material for forming an image, a laser writing unit 26, and an electrophotographic process unit 27 for forming an image.

  The laser writing unit 26 includes a semiconductor laser light source that emits laser light in accordance with image data read by the scanner unit 20 and stored in an image memory, or image data transferred from an external device, laser light, etc. It has a polygon mirror that deflects angular velocity, and an f-θ lens that corrects the laser beam deflected at a uniform angular velocity so that it is deflected at a uniform angular velocity on the photosensitive drum 28 constituting the electrophotographic process unit 27. .

  The electrophotographic process unit 27 includes a charging device, a developing device, a transfer device, a peeling device, a cleaning device, and a static eliminator around a known photosensitive drum 28.

  On the other hand, the above-described sheet conveyance system includes a conveyance unit 13 that conveys a sheet to the transfer position of the electrophotographic process unit 27, in particular, a transfer unit, and a cassette paper feed for feeding the sheet to the conveyance unit 13. Devices 31, 32, 33, a manual sheet feeding device 34 for feeding a sheet of a required size as appropriate, a fixing device 29 for fixing an image formed by toner formed on the sheet after transfer, and after fixing And a refeed path 35 for refeeding the sheet to form an image again on the back side of the sheet.

  Further, a post-processing device 14 that receives a sheet on which an image is recorded and performs a predetermined process on the sheet is disposed downstream of the fixing device 29.

  In the laser writing unit 26 and the electrophotographic processing unit 27 as described above, the image data read from the image memory is scanned as a laser beam by the laser writing unit 26 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The toner image formed and visualized with toner is electrostatically transferred and fixed onto the surface of the paper transported from any paper feed unit of the multi-stage paper feed unit. The paper on which the image is formed is conveyed from the fixing device 29 into the post-processing device 14 via the paper discharge roller 36.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining functions provided in an image processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, and shows an example in which the image forming apparatus is configured as a multifunction machine having functions of a copying machine, a printer device, a facsimile device, a scanner device, and the like. FIG.

  The configuration shown in FIG. 2 can be applied to the digital copying machine shown in FIG. The image processing apparatus 10 includes a control unit 101 including a CPU that performs a calculation and a RAM that stores temporary information associated with the calculation.

  Connected to the control unit 101 are a ROM 108 that stores a control program for controlling the image processing apparatus 10 and a management unit 109 that is a memory for storing management information for managing processing performed by the image forming apparatus 10. Has been.

  The control unit 101 is connected to an image reading unit 102 that reads an image recorded on a recording sheet and generates image data.

  The control unit 101 is connected to an image memory 105 that temporarily stores image data, and an image forming unit 104 that forms an image from the image data stored in the image memory 105 and records the image on a recording sheet. .

  The image processing apparatus 10 can form an image with the image forming unit 104 after temporarily storing the image data generated by the image reading unit 102 in the image memory 105. In this way, the image processing apparatus 10 functions as a copying machine.

  In FIG. 2, a modem unit 106 that performs facsimile communication is connected to the control unit 101, and the modem unit 106 is connected to the public network N3. The image processing apparatus 10 can transmit the image data generated by the image reading unit 102 to another facsimile apparatus 44 through facsimile communication via the public line network N3 connected to the modem unit 106.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 10 can receive image data transmitted from another facsimile apparatus 44 via the public network N3 by the modem unit 106 and form an image by the image forming unit 104 from the received image data. it can. In this way, the image processing apparatus 10 functions as a facsimile machine.

  The control unit 101 is connected to a communication unit 107 for the image processing apparatus 10 to transmit and receive information to and from the outside. The communication unit 107 can be connected to a communication network N1 such as an in-house LAN, and one or a plurality of personal computers 41 can be connected to the communication network N1. In a normal state where the image processing apparatus 10 is operating alone, the communication unit 107 is connected to the communication network N1, and exchanges information with the PC 41 via the communication network N1.

  The image processing apparatus 10 can transmit the image data generated by the image reading unit 102 from the communication unit 107 to the PC 41. In this way, the image forming apparatus 10 functions as a scanner device.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 10 can receive the image data transmitted from the PC 41 by the communication unit 107 and form an image by the image forming unit 104 from the received image data. In this way, the image processing apparatus 10 functions as a printer apparatus.

  The communication network N1 is further connected to a wide area communication network N2 such as the Internet. The communication unit 107 attaches image data to an e-mail and transmits it to the information processing apparatus 42 connected to the wide area communication network N2 or another facsimile apparatus 43 to communicate with the communication network N1 and the wide area communication network. Image data can be received via N2. In this way, the image processing apparatus 10 functions as an Internet facsimile machine.

  The control unit 101 is connected to an operation unit 103 that receives an operation from a user. The operation unit 103 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel that displays information necessary for operation, and an input unit such as a touch panel or a numeric keypad on which information such as a control command is input by a user operation.

  The control unit 101 is connected to a storage unit 110 made of a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 110 stores image data related to image processing such as image data generated by the image reading unit 102.

  When the configuration of FIG. 2 is applied to the digital copying machine of FIG. 1, the scanner unit 11 corresponds to the image reading unit 102, and the laser printer unit 12 corresponds to the image forming unit 104. That is, the image data of the original image read by the scanner unit 11 of FIG. 1 is stored in the image memory 105 shown in FIG. 2, and the image data is read from the image memory 105 in response to an output instruction to the digital copying machine. It is sent to the laser printer unit 12. The laser printer unit 12 forms an image on a sheet according to the image data.

  The image processing apparatus of the present invention includes the image forming unit 104 that forms the image and the image data reading unit 102, and the control unit 101 that controls them reads specific information from the image data. A recognition unit for recognizing the image and controlling various functional units such as the image forming unit 104 based on the recognition result.

  In particular, the control unit 101 controls the image forming unit 104 to add specific information to the image. The specific information is added by setting at least one straight line of a plurality of straight lines existing in the image to a predetermined gradient compared to the other straight lines, and adding line information having the gradient as specific information.

  The plurality of straight lines can be exemplified by frame lines, ruled lines, underlines, and overlines. Since these line information are given to most originals, they are used as specific information. A straight line having a gradient is given to a straight line in the horizontal direction in the visual direction of the image data. At present, horizontal character arrangement originals are common, and many originals have more horizontal lines than vertical lines. Therefore, it becomes easy to give specific information to the horizontal straight line.

  Further, the angle of the straight line having the gradient is variable. By making the gradient angle variable, the specific information can be weighted.

  A straight line having a gradient is arranged in a plurality of pieces of line information. A plurality of specific information can be included by providing gradients to a plurality of straight lines, and several types of specific information can be included by varying the gradient angles of the plurality of straight lines.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus includes a reading unit that reads image data, and the control unit restricts the function of the apparatus, for example, the operation of the image forming unit when the recognition unit recognizes specific information from the image data read by the reading unit.

  The control unit 101 performs function restriction based on the specific information recognized by the recognition unit. For example, when the specific information is handled as a confidential document, the control unit 101 controls the image forming unit 104 to prohibit copying of the original.

  FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the forms when printing on the recording paper 50. In FIG. 3, a frame line 51 is provided on the outer periphery of the recording paper 50, and a table 53 including ruled lines 52 is provided.

  In FIG. 4, a table 54 is provided in the upper right, underline 57 and 58 is provided in the destination 55 and title 56, and a partition line 59 is provided in the lower part of the recording paper 50.

  FIG. 5 shows a table 53 created by intersecting a plurality of horizontal ruled lines 61 and a plurality of vertical ruled lines 63.

  In this way, even in an ordinary document or document, a straight line component is often used. Therefore, by providing a predetermined gradient on at least one of a plurality of straight lines, hidden information (specification such as copy prohibition information) is specified. Information) can be added. Therefore, since hidden information (specific information) can be added without changing the form of the document, the user does not feel uncomfortable.

  Here, the specific information to be given is specific information by giving a predetermined gradient to at least one of the plurality of straight lines existing in the image.

  In FIG. 6, a straight line 70 such as a frame line, a ruled line, an underline, and an overline is provided with a gradient, and “0 °”, “0.1 °”, “0. “2 °”, “0.3 °”, “0.4 °”, “0.5 °” “0 °” “0.6 °” “0.7 °” “0.8 °” “0.9” An example in which gradient angles of “°” and “0 °” are given is shown. Here, the straight line of “0 °” indicates a horizontal straight line.

  As is clear from FIG. 6, even the straight line of “0.9 °” that is the largest of the illustrated gradient angles does not affect other image information and does not feel uncomfortable. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the type of specific information to be included can be changed by making the gradient angle of the straight line variable. Further, the weighting can be changed depending on the gradient angle.

  If the entire original is read while the image is read, the plurality of straight lines existing in the image are all read in a tilted state. Therefore, the inclination of the document is calculated from the inclinations of a plurality of straight lines in the image and corrected to a horizontal state, and then the specific information is obtained from the inclination angles of the straight lines in which specific information different from these straight lines is included. be able to.

  As described above, by adding specific information such as copy prohibition information to line components that exist in normal recording documents, hidden information can be displayed without affecting the user and without affecting the printed image. It becomes possible to add.

  In addition, when adding hidden information to a frame line or ruled line, by specifying the position to be added such as the upper right of the recording paper, detection becomes easy when reading hidden information. Further, the degree of influence on the image can be further suppressed by dispersing the hidden information throughout the recording paper.

1 is a configuration diagram of a digital copying machine to which an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. Configuration block diagram for explaining functions provided in an image processing apparatus to which the present invention is applicable The figure which shows the example which forms the frame line and the ruled line on the recording paper Diagram showing an example of forming an underline on a recording sheet The figure which showed the example which provides a predetermined gradient in horizontal ruled lines, such as a table The figure which shows the example which gave various different gradients to a horizontal ruled line

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image processing apparatus 11 Scanner part 12 Laser printer part 15 Document mounting stand 16 Automatic document feeder (RADF) corresponding to both sides
20 Scanner unit 41 PC (personal computer)
44 Facsimile Device 101 Control Unit 102 Image Reading Unit 104 Image Forming Unit 105 Image Memory 106 Modem Unit 107 Communication Unit (Transmission / Reception Unit)
108 ROM
109 Management Department

Claims (10)

An image forming unit that forms an image; and a control unit that controls the image forming unit to add specific information to the image, wherein the control unit includes at least a part of a plurality of straight lines existing in the image. An image processing apparatus characterized in that a predetermined gradient is set in comparison with the straight line, and line information having the gradient is added as specific information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of line information are any one of a frame line, a ruled line, an underline, and an overline.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the straight line having the gradient is given to a straight line in a horizontal direction in a visual direction of the image data.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an angle of the straight line having the gradient is variable.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the straight line having the gradient is arranged in a plurality of pieces of line information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recognition unit that recognizes a specific image from image data, wherein the control unit performs function restriction by recognizing the specific image. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a reading unit that reads image data, wherein the control unit restricts a function of the device when the recognition unit recognizes specific information from an image read by the reading unit. Image processing device.   Image processing characterized in that at least one line information among a plurality of line information existing in an image is set to a predetermined gradient compared to other straight lines, and line information having the gradient is added as specific information Method.   The image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of line information is any one of a frame line, a ruled line, an underline, and an overline.   The image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the straight line having the gradient is arranged in a plurality of pieces of line information.

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