JPH11261811A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To reduce the processing time for recognizing whether or not it is forged data. When print data from a host computer is image data, the size of the print data is compared with the size of illegal image data stored in a forgery data memory in advance. By comparing the illegal image data stored in the forgery data memory 109 in advance, the forgery data recognition process is performed. If they do not match, no recognition is performed. In the case of character data, the font is converted to a character image by referring to the ROM 102 without recognition. In the case of control data, the recognition is not performed. The control data is processed. Next, the image data is stored in a frame memory (RAM 10
3) The image data is converted into image data. If the recognition results match, the input image data is not output as it is by rewriting the image to a solid black image of the same size or changing a part of the color.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a color printer for preventing printing of illegal image data such as bills.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of apparatus, for example, a time when an input RGB signal is converted into a YUV signal and a time when a YUV signal is subjected to discrete cosine transform and quantization as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-123249. There has been proposed a method in which each data is compared with data stored in a memory at two points in time, and when they match, the data is rewritten to invalid data.

[0003]

However, in this type of conventional apparatus, all input image data is recognized by an image recognition unit to determine whether or not the data is forgery data. Unrelevant data is recognized by the image recognition unit, so that there is a problem that extra processing time is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the processing time for recognizing whether or not it is forged data in view of the problems of the conventional example.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus provided with an image forming means for forming an image based on an input signal in order to achieve the above object. Storage means, classification means for classifying the input print data into image data and other types of data, and whether the image data classified by the classification means is illegal based on the illegal image data stored in the storage means. And forgery prevention means for recognizing whether or not other types of data are recognized.

The second means is a storage means in which illegal image data and its size are stored in advance in an image forming apparatus on the same premise, and a classification for classifying input print data into image data and other types of data. Means, and comparing the size of the image data classified by the classification means with the size of the illegal image data stored in the storage means, and when they match or is an integral multiple, the image data is stored in the storage means. It is provided with anti-counterfeiting means for recognizing whether or not the image data is illegal based on the obtained illegal image data, and not performing the above-described recognition for image data of which size does not match or image data which is not an integral multiple and other types of data. It is characterized by.

A third means is a storage means in which illegal image data and its size are stored in advance in an image forming apparatus on the same premise, and a classification for classifying input print data into image data and other types of data. Means, and comparing the size of the image data classified by the classification means with the size of the illegal image data stored in the storage means, and when they match or is an integral multiple, the image data is stored in the storage means. Recognizing whether or not the image is illegal at a relatively high recognition level based on the illegal image data obtained, and when the image data does not match or is not an integral multiple, the image data is relatively recognized based on the illegal image data stored in the storage means. Forgery prevention means for recognizing whether or not the data is illegal at a low recognition level and not performing the recognition for other types of data is provided.

According to a fourth aspect, in the first to third aspects, the input signal is image data transferred from a host device.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a color printer as an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of input print data and storage data of the color printer of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing of the color printer device of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, image data is transmitted from a host computer 1 to a printer engine 200 as image forming means via a printer controller 100, and is printed out by the printer engine 200. The printer controller 100 includes a CPU 101 and a ROM 1
02, RAM 103, nonvolatile memory 104, engine I / F 105, and forged data recognition unit 106
, A host I / F 107, an operation unit 108, and a forged data memory 109.

The controller 102 is stored in the ROM 102 in advance.
The CPU 103 stores a control program and font data. The RAM 103 stores print data transferred from the host computer 1 and image data (font data) converted from the print data.
Used as a work area of the PU 101. The operation unit 108 has a display for displaying the status of the printer and an operation instruction switch. The engine I / F 105 exchanges commands with the printer engine 200 and transfers image data. The nonvolatile memory 104 stores in advance ID information of the printer controller 100 and the printer engine 200 and user setting information for the printer.

In FIG. 2, data input from the host computer 1 includes types such as image data, character data, and control data. The image data has a number, a type, a position (X, Y), and a size. (W, L), attributes, and actual image data. The character data includes its number, type, position (X, Y), type, size, attribute, etc., actual character data, and the like, and control data includes its number, type, and actual control. It is composed of data and the like. The counterfeit data stored in the counterfeit data memory 109 in advance includes, for example, a number, a type, a size (W, L), actual counterfeit data (illegal image data such as bills), and the like. Although only one host computer 1 is shown here as a host device, a system in which a plurality of computers are connected via a network and printed out by the printer engine 200 can be provided. Needless to say.

In FIG. 3, print data input from the host computer 1 is stored in an input buffer (RAM 103) via the host I / F 107 (step S).
1) Then, the print data is classified into image data, character data, and control data (step S2). In the case of image data, the size of the image data is compared with the size of the illegal image data stored in the forgery data memory 109 in advance (step S3). The unit 106 performs recognition processing of the forged data by comparing the image data with the illegal image data stored in the forged data memory 109 in advance (step S4).

On the other hand, if they do not match (and if they are not integral multiples), no recognition is performed.
And converts it to a character image (step S5),
In the case of the control data, the control data is processed without recognition (step S6). Next, the image data is converted into image data on the frame memory (RAM 103) (step S7). At this time, if the recognition result matches, the image is rewritten to a solid black image of the same size,
The input image data is not output as it is by changing some colors. Next, the image data is transmitted to the engine I / F.
The data is transferred to the printer engine 200 via the network 105 (step S8).

Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the processing of recognizing forged data is performed by recognizing forged data such as banknotes whose input data is image data and whose size is stored in the forged data memory 109 in advance. It is performed only when the sizes match, etc., and when the sizes do not match, it is not performed when the input data is character data or control data.
The processing time for recognizing whether or not it is forged data can be reduced.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In this color printer apparatus, instead of one type of forged data recognition unit 106, a forged data recognition unit 106-1 for performing recognition at a high level and a forged data recognition unit 106-2 for performing recognition at a low level as shown in FIG. Is provided. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The processing will be described with reference to FIG.
As in the first embodiment, print data input from the host computer 1 is stored in the input buffer (RAM 103) via the host I / F 107 (step S1).
Next, the print data is classified into image data, character data, and control data (step S2). In the case of image data, the size and the forgery data memory 109
The size of the illegal image data stored in advance is compared (step S3).
Selects the high-level forged data recognition unit 106-1 (step S3-1), and on the other hand, if they do not match (and is not an integral multiple), the low-level forged data recognition unit 106-2 is selected (step S3-1). Step S3-2). Next, the forged data recognition unit 106-1 or 106-2
Performs the forgery data recognition process by comparing the image data with the illegal image data stored in advance in the forgery data memory 109 (step S4).

On the other hand, in the case of character data, the font is converted to a character image by referring to the ROM 102 without performing recognition processing (step S5), and the recognition processing is also performed in the case of control data. Then, the control data is processed (step S6). Next, the image data is converted into image data on the frame memory (RAM 103) (step S7). At this time, if the recognition result matches, the image data is rewritten to a solid black image of the same size or a part of the color is changed. It does not output the input image data as it is. Next, the image data is transferred to the printer engine 200 via the engine I / F 105 (step S).
8).

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the recognition process of the forged data is performed by using the input data as the image data and the size of the forged data such as a bill stored in the forged data memory 109 in advance. If the size matches, etc., the recognition is performed at a high level, and if the size does not match, the recognition is performed at a low level. Can be prevented. In addition, the processing time for low-level recognition is usually shorter than that for high-level recognition, so that the processing time can be reduced.

[0020]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, input print data is classified into image data and other types of data, and it is recognized whether or not the image data is illegal. Since the recognition is not performed in the case of other types of data, the processing time for recognizing whether or not the data is counterfeit data can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the input print data is classified into image data and other types of data, and it is recognized whether or not the image data is illegal when the size of the image data matches or when the size of the image data is an integral multiple. Since recognition is not performed when the size does not match or when the size is not an integral multiple and when data of another type is used, the processing time for recognizing whether or not the data is counterfeit data can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the input print data is classified into image data and other types of data, and a relatively high recognition level is obtained when the sizes of the image data match or are integral multiples. Recognition of illegal or not, if they do not match or are not integral multiples, it is recognized at a relatively low recognition level whether or not illegal, and recognition is not performed for other types of data. The processing time for recognizing whether or not it is possible can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since an image is formed based on image data transferred from a host device, it can be applied to a printer or a copier connected to a network. It can be processed in a short time as a response.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a color printer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of input print data and storage data of the color printer device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the color printer device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a color printer device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing of the color printer device of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Host Computer 100 Printer Controller 101 CPU 106, 106-1, 106-2 Counterfeit Data Recognition Unit 109 Counterfeit Data Memory 200 Printer Engine

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having an image forming means for forming an image based on an input signal, a storage means in which illegal image data is stored in advance, and input print data being converted into image data and another type of data. Classifying means for classifying the image data into the image data, and recognizing whether or not the image data classified by the classifying means is illegal based on the illegal image data stored in the storage means, and not performing the recognition for other types of data. An image forming apparatus comprising: a forgery prevention unit. 2. An image forming apparatus having image forming means for forming an image based on an input signal, a storage means in which illegal image data and its size are stored in advance, and input print data is stored in the image data. Classifying means for classifying the data into the types of data, comparing the size of the image data classified by the classifying means with the size of the illegal image data stored in the storage means, Recognize whether or not the image data is illegal based on the illegal image data stored in the storage means, and do not perform the recognition on image data having a size that does not match or image data that is not an integral multiple and other types of data. An image forming apparatus comprising: a forgery prevention unit. 3. An image forming apparatus having an image forming means for forming an image based on an input signal, a storage means in which illegal image data and its size are stored in advance, and input print data is stored as image data. Classifying means for classifying the data into the types of data, comparing the size of the image data classified by the classifying means with the size of the illegal image data stored in the storage means, Recognizing whether or not the image data is illegal at a relatively high recognition level based on the illegal image data stored in the storage unit, and when the image data does not match or is not an integral multiple, the image data is stored in the storage unit. Anti-counterfeiting means for recognizing whether or not the image is illegal at a relatively low recognition level based on the illegal image data, and not performing the recognition for other types of data. An image forming apparatus comprising: 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input signal is image data transferred from a host device.
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.