JP2009226669A - Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming system configured to prevent duplicated printing of base patterns. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming system 1, when a plotting instruction to plot the base pattern is added, a plotting instruction not to form an image in the image forming apparatus (non-printing/plotting instruction) is added to a job file. Information on the addition showing that the base pattern is added is written in a parameter area of the non-printing/plotting instruction. In the image forming system 1, the non-printing/plotting instruction is retrieved from the job file, and when finding out the information on the addition of the base pattern, the image forming system 1 is inhibited to add the base pattern. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image processing program.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus that determines whether a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern setting conflicts based on a job output file stored in a predetermined data format in PDL data.
In Patent Document 2, a description of a copy check pattern is detected based on a comment character string specifying a copy check pattern portion, and whether or not a copy check pattern is to be added is determined according to the detection result. An image forming system is disclosed.
JP 2007-015370 A JP 2005-252750 A

  An object of the present invention is to prevent duplication of tint blocks.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding unit for adding a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command for drawing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern to a job file including a drawing command for causing the image forming apparatus to form an image; Information adding means for adding a drawing command not printed by the image forming apparatus to the job file to which the tint block drawing command is added.

  In the present invention according to claim 2, the information adding means adds a drawing command in which added information indicating that a tint block is added is written in the parameter area to the job file.

  In the present invention according to claim 3, the information adding means adds a drawing command for drawing outside the clip region of the image.

  In the present invention according to claim 4, the image is formed by superimposing a plurality of layers, and the information adding unit adds a drawing command for drawing a transparent region of one layer.

  The present invention according to claim 5 is a file acquisition unit for acquiring a job file including a plurality of drawing commands, and a tint block drawing command for drawing a tint block for the job file acquired by the file acquiring unit. A search function for searching for added information indicating that a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is added from the drawing commands included in the job file acquired by the file acquisition unit, and the search unit. When the added information is found, the addition of the background pattern drawing command by the background pattern adding unit is prohibited. When the added information is not found by the search unit, the background pattern drawing command is not added. Control means to permit.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, when a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command is added by the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding means, information for adding a drawing command not printed by the image forming apparatus to a job file to which the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command is added Additional means are provided.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a file acquisition means for acquiring a job file including a plurality of drawing instructions, and an image forming means for forming an image according to the drawing instructions in the job file acquired by the file acquisition means. And a tint block is added to the image formed by the image forming unit from the tint block superimposing unit for superimposing the tint block and the drawing command included in the job file acquired by the file acquiring unit. A search means for searching for added information indicating the state, and when the added information is found by the search means, superposition of the ground pattern by the ground pattern superimposing means is prohibited, and the added information is not found by the search means A control unit that permits superposition of a ground pattern by the ground pattern superimposing unit.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a step of adding a tint block drawing command for drawing a tint block to a job file including a drawing command for rendering an image by the image forming apparatus, and a step of rendering the tint block Causing the computer to execute a step of adding a drawing command not printed by the image forming apparatus to the job file to which the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command is added.

  According to the present invention, duplication of a tint block is reduced.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an image forming system 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a client terminal 10 that issues a print request, a printer server 20 that relays the print request, and a printer 30. The image forming apparatus may be a multifunction machine or the like in addition to the printer 30.

The client terminal 10 is, for example, a computer device in which a printer driver 100 (described later) is installed, and is connected to a network such as a LAN. The client terminal 10 generates a print request (job file) in response to a user operation, and transmits the generated job file to the printer server 20. Here, the job file is a data file for instructing the image forming apparatus to perform an image forming process, and includes a plurality of drawing commands like a PDL file, for example. In addition to the drawing command, the job file may include a comment area and information indicating the printing conditions (the number of printed sheets, the type of printing paper, etc.) of the image forming apparatus.
Note that the client terminal 10 may directly transmit the generated job file to the printer 30.

The printer server 20 is, for example, a server device in which a server program 200 (described later) is installed, and is connected to the same LAN as the client terminal 10. The printer server 20 transmits the print request (job file) received from the client terminal 10 to the printer 30.
The printer 30 performs print processing according to a drawing command in the job file received from the client terminal 10 or the printer server 20.

  In the image forming system 1, a background pattern is superimposed on an image to be printed as necessary. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is image information such as a character string or a pattern represented in the background portion of the image to be printed, and is, for example, a copy check pattern for checking copy. The copy check pattern consists of isolated dots, which are disappeared portions that disappear during copying, and isolated dots in the disappeared portions and a group of pixels whose density is adjusted so that the overall density is substantially uniform. A latent image portion that does not disappear, and a camouflage pattern portion that is superimposed and synthesized so that the density difference between the disappeared portion and the latent image portion is not noticeable. For example, if a character “COPY” is formed using a disappeared portion made up of isolated dots and a latent image portion is formed as the background, the printed result is visually recognized as a light gray background, but once copied The image is formed so that the characters “COPY” are visually recognized as white.

  A function for adding such a copy check pattern can be provided in any of the client terminal 10, the printer server 20, and the printer 30. For example, the client terminal 10 and the printer server 20 add a background pattern to an image to be printed by adding a drawing command for drawing a background pattern (hereinafter referred to as a background pattern drawing command) to the job file. Similarly, the printer 30 may add a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command. Alternatively, the printer 30 may hold a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image and hold a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image for an image to be printed formed based on the drawing command in the received job file. An image may be superimposed and printed, or a print sheet on which a background pattern is represented may be prepared in advance, and an image may be formed using the print sheet to overlap the background pattern and the image. .

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional configurations of the printer driver 100, the server program 200, and the controller 300. The printer driver 100 is a program installed on the client terminal 10, and the server program 200 is installed on the printer server 20. The controller 300 is provided in the printer 30 and performs control on each component of the printer 30 and image processing on input image data.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the printer driver 100 includes a job generation unit 102, a background pattern addition unit 104, and a completed information addition unit 106.
The server program 200 includes a job reception unit 202, a search unit 204, a control unit 206, a background pattern addition unit 208, a completed information addition unit 210, and a job management unit 212.
The controller 300 includes a job receiving unit 302, a search unit 304, a control unit 306, a tint block superimposing unit 308, and an image forming unit 310.

In the printer driver 100, the job generation unit 102 generates a job file in response to a print request from a user. The job file includes a drawing command for an image to be printed and information for specifying printing conditions (for example, the number of printed sheets, necessity of correction, print size, type of print paper, and the like).
The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding unit 104 adds a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command to the job file generated by the job generating unit 102 in response to a request from a user or the like. For example, when the security level set for an image to be printed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the background pattern adding unit 104 adds a background pattern bitmap drawing command as a background pattern drawing command.

The completed information adding unit 106 adds a drawing command (non-printing drawing command) that is not printed by the image forming apparatus when the tint block drawing command is added by the tint block adding unit 104. Here, the non-printing drawing command (drawing command not printed by the image forming apparatus) is a drawing command for the outside of the clip area as illustrated in FIG. 3, for example. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the area actually printed by the printer 30 is an area set as the clip area 802 in the entire image area 800, and a character string “added” (added information) The drawing command for drawing () may normally exist as the drawing command, but the “added” character string is not printed by the printer 30.
Further, the completed information adding unit 106 of this example adds a non-print drawing command only to the job file to which the tint block drawing command is added. More preferably, the completed information adding unit 106 adds a non-printing drawing command in which added information 804 (FIG. 3) indicating that a tint block is added to the parameter area. The added information is, for example, a character code corresponding to the “added” character string or bitmap data of the “added” character string.

  In the server program 200, the job receiving unit 202 receives a job file from the client terminal 10 (printer driver 100).

  The searching unit 204 searches for added information indicating that a background pattern has been added from the drawing commands included in the job file received by the job receiving unit 202. The search unit 204 in this example searches for added information written in the parameter area of the drawing command. However, the search unit 204 is not limited to this. For example, a non-printing drawing command itself is added with a ground pattern. You may search as information which shows.

  When the added information is found by the search unit 204, the control unit 206 prohibits the addition of the background pattern by the background pattern adding unit 208, and when the added information is not found by the search unit 204, the control unit 206 adds the background pattern. Allows the addition of a background pattern.

The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding unit 208 applies a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern rendering command to the job file received by the job receiving unit 202 according to the security level of the image included in the job file only when permission is given by the control unit 206. Add
When the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding command is added to the job file by the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding unit 208, the completed information adding unit 210 adds a non-printed drawing command in which the added information is written in the parameter area to the job file. .
The job management unit 212 holds the job file received by the job receiving unit 202, enables the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding unit 208 and the completed information adding unit 210 to edit the job file, and sequentially stores the held job file to the printer 30. Send.

  In the controller 300 of the printer 30, the job receiving unit 302 receives a job file from the printer server 20 (server program 200).

The search unit 304 searches for the added information from the parameter area of the drawing command included in the job file received by the job reception unit 302.
When the added information is found by the search unit 304, the control unit 306 prohibits the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern superimposition by the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern superimposing unit 308, and when the added information is not found by the search unit 304, the control unit 306 Allows superimposition of the tint block.

  The tint block superimposing unit 308 draws a tint block pattern on the job file received by the job receiving unit 302 according to the security level of the image included in the job file when superimposition of the tint block is permitted by the control unit 306. When a command is added and superimposition of the tint block is prohibited by the control unit 306, the job file received by the job receiving unit 302 is output to the image forming unit 310 as it is. Note that the background pattern superimposing unit 308 may superimpose the background pattern by selecting a print sheet on which the background pattern is displayed.

  The image forming unit 310 generates print data based on the job file drawing command input from the tint block superimposing unit 308, and controls the print engine of the printer 30 according to the generated print data to print paper Print an image on

Next, an operation example of the image forming system 1 will be described. In this example, a mode in which a job file is generated by the client terminal 10 and the generated job file is input to the printer 30 via the printer server 30 will be described as a specific example.
First, the operation of the client terminal 10 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation (S10) of the client terminal 10.
As shown in FIG. 4, in step 100 (S100), the client terminal 10 activates the printer driver 100 in response to a user's print instruction operation.
The job generation unit 102 of the printer driver 100 generates a job file of an image designated by the user.

In step 110 (S110), the background pattern adding unit 104 determines whether a background pattern is necessary. For example, the background pattern adding unit 104 determines whether a background pattern is necessary based on the presence / absence of a user instruction or the security level of image data.
When the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is necessary, the printer driver 100 proceeds to the process of S120, and when the tint block is unnecessary, the process proceeds to the process of S140.

In step 120 (S120), the background pattern adding unit 104 adds a background pattern rendering command for rendering the background pattern to the job file generated by the job generation unit 102.
In addition, the background pattern adding unit 104 notifies the completed information adding unit 106 that the background pattern rendering command has been added.

  In step 130 (S130), the completed information adding unit 106 adds a non-print drawing command in which the added information is written to the job file generated by the job generating unit 102 in response to the notification from the background pattern adding unit 104. To do.

  In step 140 (S140), the job generation unit 102 transmits the generated job file (which may include a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command and a non-print drawing command) to the printer server 20.

Next, the operation of the printer server 20 will be described.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation (S20) of the printer server 20.
As shown in FIG. 5, in step 200 (S <b> 200), the job receiving unit 202 receives a job file from the client terminal 10.

In step 210 (S210), the tint block adding unit 208 determines whether a tint block is necessary.
The server program 200 proceeds to the process of S220 when the ground pattern is necessary, and proceeds to the process of S260 when the ground pattern is not necessary.

  In step 220 (S220), the search unit 204 searches for added information from the job file drawing command received by the job receiving unit 202, and notifies the control unit 206 of the search result.

In step 230 (S230), the control unit 206 determines whether or not the added information has been found based on the search result notified from the search unit 204, and if the added information is found, the tint block drawing is performed. The addition of the instruction is prohibited, and the addition of the tint block drawing instruction is permitted when the added information is not found.
When the added information is found (that is, when the addition of the tint block drawing command is prohibited), the server program 200 proceeds to the processing of S260, and when the added information is not found (that is, the tint block drawing). When the addition of the instruction is permitted), the process proceeds to S240.

In step 240 (S240), the background pattern adding unit 208 adds a background pattern rendering command for rendering the background pattern to the job file held by the job management unit 212, and
Further, the completed information adding unit 210 is notified that the tint block drawing command has been added.
In step 250 (S250), the completed information adding unit 210, in response to the notification from the tint block adding unit 210, adds the non-print drawing command in which the added information is written to the job file held by the job management unit 212. to add.

  In step 260 (S260), the job management unit 212 transmits the held job file (which may include a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command and a non-print drawing command) to the printer 30.

Next, the operation of the printer 30 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation (S30) of the printer 30.
As shown in FIG. 6, in step 300 (S <b> 300), the job receiving unit 302 of the controller 300 receives a job file from the printer server 20.

In step 310 (S310), the background pattern superimposing unit 308 determines whether a background pattern is necessary.
When the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is required, the controller 300 moves to the process of S320, and when the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is unnecessary, the controller 300 moves to the process of S350.

  In step 320 (S320), the search unit 304 searches for added information from the job file drawing command received by the job reception unit 302, and notifies the control unit 306 of the search result.

In step 330 (S330), the control unit 306 determines whether or not the added information is found based on the search result notified from the search unit 304. If the added information is found, the control unit 306 Superimposing is prohibited, and superimposing of a tint block is permitted when added information is not found.
When the added information is found (that is, when superimposition of the ground pattern is prohibited), the controller 300 proceeds to the processing of S350, and when the added information is not found (that is, superposition of the ground pattern is permitted). If so, the process proceeds to S340.

In step 340 (S340), the tint block superimposing unit 308 adds a tint block drawing command to the job file received by the job receiving unit 302, and outputs the job file to which the tint block drawing command is added to the image forming unit 310. To do.
Note that the tint block superimposing unit 308 outputs the job file received by the job receiving unit 302 to the image forming unit 310 as it is when the tint block superimposition is prohibited or when the tint block is unnecessary.

  In step 350 (S350), the image forming unit 310 generates print data according to the job file drawing command input from the tint block superimposing unit 308, and prints the image according to the generated print data.

  As described above, according to the image forming system 1 of the present embodiment, even when there is no function dedicated to the tint block drawing or the comment function of the PDL, duplication of the tint block is suppressed.

In the above-described embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a form in which a drawing command for outside the clip area is used as a non-printing drawing command has been described as a specific example. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, in the case of a data file in the MRC format (Mixed Raster Content format) illustrated in FIG. 7A, the image area 900 including a plurality of layers includes a transparent area that is not actually printed. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 7A, when the image data includes a foreground layer 910 and a background layer 930 to which image elements are assigned, and a selection layer 920 that selects a layer to be output. The image area of the layer selected by the selection layer 920 becomes a transparent area.
Specifically, in the selection layer 920 in FIG. 7B, the hatching area selects the foreground layer 910 and the other areas select the background layer 930. In this case, in the foreground layer 910, the area other than the area corresponding to the hatched area of the selected layer 920 is a transparent area. Therefore, the tint block adding unit 104 or the like can use a drawing command for such a transparent area as a non-printing drawing command.
When such MRC format image data is actually output (printed or the like), an output image as shown in FIG. 7C is obtained. That is, an image “ABC” assigned to the foreground layer 910 and a human image of the background layer 930 are combined, and a drawing command for a transparent area not selected by the selection layer 920 (eg, an “added” drawing command) Is not actually printed.

1 is a diagram illustrating an image forming system 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional configurations of a printer driver 100, a server program 200, and a controller 300. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates typically the drawing command with respect to the outside of a clip area. It is a flowchart which illustrates operation | movement (S10) of the client terminal 10. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation (S20) of the printer server 20. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation (S30) of the printer 30. It is a figure which illustrates typically the drawing command with respect to a transmissive area | region.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming system 10 ... Client terminal 100 ... Printer driver 102 ... Job generation part 104 ... Background pattern addition part 106 ... Completed information addition part 20 ... Printer server 200 ... Server program 202: job receiving unit 204 ... search unit 206 ... control unit 208 ... tint block adding unit 210 ... completed information adding unit 212 ... job management unit 30 ... printer 300 ... Controller 302 ... Job receiver 304 ... Searching unit 306 ... Control unit 308 ... Background pattern superimposing unit 310 ... Image forming unit

Claims (8)

A tint block adding means for adding a tint block drawing command for drawing a tint block to a job file including a drawing command for causing the image forming apparatus to form an image;
An image processing apparatus comprising: an information adding unit that adds a drawing command that is not printed by the image forming apparatus to a job file to which a tint block drawing command is added by the tint block adding unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information adding unit adds, to the job file, a drawing command in which added information indicating that a tint block is added is written in a parameter area. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information adding unit adds a drawing command for drawing outside the clip region of the image. The image is formed by superimposing a plurality of layers,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information adding unit adds a drawing command for drawing a transparent area of one layer. A file acquisition means for acquiring a job file including a plurality of drawing instructions;
A tint block adding unit for adding a tint block drawing command for drawing a tint block to the job file acquired by the file acquiring unit;
Search means for searching for added information indicating that a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is added from the drawing commands included in the job file acquired by the file acquisition means;
When added information is found by the search means, addition of a background pattern drawing command by the background pattern adding means is prohibited, and when added information is not found by the search means, a background pattern drawing by the background pattern adding means is prohibited. An image processing apparatus comprising: control means for permitting addition of instructions. 6. The information adding unit according to claim 5, further comprising: a drawing command that is not printed by the image forming apparatus to a job file to which the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command is added by the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern adding unit. The image processing apparatus described. A file acquisition means for acquiring a job file including a plurality of drawing instructions;
An image forming unit that forms an image in accordance with a drawing command in the job file acquired by the file acquiring unit;
A tint block superimposing unit that superimposes a tint block on an image formed by the image forming unit;
Search means for searching for added information indicating that a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is added from the drawing commands included in the job file acquired by the file acquisition means;
When the added information is found by the search means, superimposition of the background pattern by the background pattern superimposing means is prohibited, and when the added information is not found by the search means, the background pattern is superimposed by the background pattern superimposing means. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit to permit. Adding a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern drawing command for drawing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern to a job file including a drawing command for drawing an image in the image forming apparatus;
An image processing program for causing a computer to execute a step of adding a drawing command that is not printed by an image forming apparatus to a job file to which a tint block drawing command for drawing a tint block is added.

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