Image processing apparatus, image processing method and storage medium

• US 20020018228A1
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Torigoe, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 6,876,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/40 Extraction of image or video features

Abstract

There is disclosed an image processing apparatus for solving a problem that much time is required for judging specific information when the specific information such as a digital watermark is judged and printing is controlled, the apparatus comprising: indication means for indicating a mode from a first printing mode and a second printing mode higher in speed than the first printing mode; judgment means for judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and printing means for, when the indication means indicates the second printing mode, printing an image in accordance with the original without performing the judgment by the judgment means.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

judgment means for judging, in a state in which a drawing command is rasterized, whether said rasterized image includes specific information; and

control means for controlling printing of said rasterized image according to a result of said judgment.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specific information is judged by detecting a digital watermark.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said program is included in a printer driver.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing is performed in an ink jet mode.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said digital watermark includes an invisible digital watermark or a visible digital watermark.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising image conversion means for subjecting said rasterized image to image conversion, wherein said judgment is performed on the image before the image conversion by said image conversion means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said image conversion is either one of a color noise reduction processing or a space scaling processing of said image.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said judgment means judges that the image is not a specific image, the printing is performed in accordance with said image, and when said judgment means judges that the image is said specific image, abnormal printing or printing in accordance with said image is discontinued, or a warning is displayed.

3. An apparatus according to claim if wherein said judgment processing is performed by a software processing in which a program is used.

10. An image processing method comprising steps of:

judging, in a state in which a drawing command is rasterized, whether said rasterized image includes specific information; and

controlling printing of said rasterized image according to a result of said judgment.

11. A storage medium which stores a program for executing steps of:

judging, in a state in which a drawing command is rasterized, whether said rasterized image includes specific information; and

controlling printing of said rasterized image according to a result of said judgment.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said specific information is judged by detecting a digital watermark.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said judgment processing is performed by a software processing in which a program is used.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said program is included in a printer driver.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said printing is performed in an ink jet mode.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said digital watermark includes an invisible digital watermark or a visible digital watermark.

18. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein for said judgment, it is judged from said histogram that a distribution displaced to a specific gradation, a dark distribution in a gradation manner, or a high-chroma portion is not the specific image.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said original image is subjected to any one of color balance correction, contrast correction, and chroma correction based on said histogram, and printed by said printing means.

20. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when it is judged from said histogram that there is a possibility of the specific image, and said judgment means judges that the image is not said specific image, the printing is performed in accordance with said original image, and when said judgment means judges that the image is said specific image, abnormal printing or printing in accordance with said original image is discontinued, or a warning is displayed.

21. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said histogram is created for channels of a plurality of components constituting said original image.

12. An image processing apparatus comprising:

histogram creation means for creating a histogram based on an original image;

judgment means for using specific information to judge whether said original image is a specific image; and

printing means for, when it is judged from said histogram that said original image is not the specific image, printing said original image without performing the judgment by said judgment means.

22. An image processing apparatus comprising:

judgment means for judging color information of an original image;

judgment means for using specific information to judge whether said original image is a specific image; and

printing means for, when it is judged from the judgment of said color information that said original image is not the specific image, printing said original image without performing the judgment by said judgment means.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said specific information is judged by detecting a digital watermark.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said judgment processing is performed by a software processing in which a program is used.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said program is included in a printer driver.

26. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said printing is performed in an ink jet mode.

27. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said digital watermark includes an invisible digital watermark or a visible digital watermark.

28. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein in said judgment, it is judged, from the color information of an image signal generated by rasterizing a drawing command in accordance with said original image, that said original image is not said specific image.

29. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein in said judgment, it is judged, from the color information of a drawing command without rasterizing the drawing command in accordance with said original image, whether said original image is said specific image.

30. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein when it is judged from said color information that there is a possibility of said specific image, and said judgment means judges that the image is not said specific image, the printing is performed in accordance with said original image, and when said judgment means judges that the image is said specific image, abnormal printing or printing in accordance with said original image is discontinued, or a warning is displayed.

31. An image processing method comprising steps of:

creating a histogram based on an original image; and

when it is judged from said histogram that said original image is not a specific image, printing said original image without using specific information to judge whether the original image is the specific image.

32. An image processing method comprising steps of:

judging color information of an original image; and

when it is judged from the judgment of said color information that said original image is not a specific image, printing said original image without using specific information to judge whether said original image is the specific image.

33. A storage medium which stores a program for executing steps of:

creating a histogram based on an original image;

using specific information to judge whether said original image is a specific image; and

when it is judged from said histogram that said original image is not the specific image, printing said original image without judging whether said original image is the specific image.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said first printing mode is a high image quality printing mode, and said second printing mode is a high speed printing mode.

37. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said specific information is a digital watermark.

38. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said judgment processing is performed by a software processing in which a program is used.

39. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said program is included in a printer driver.

40. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said digital watermark includes an invisible digital watermark or a visible digital watermark.

41. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said printing is performed in an ink jet mode.

42. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein when said first printing mode is indicated, as a judgment result by said judgment means, said printing means normally prints the image in accordance with said original in a case in which said specific information does not exist, and performs at least one of abnormally printing the image in accordance with said original, generating a warning in a monitor, and performing no printing in a case in which said specific information exists.

43. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said indication is determined by manual indication by an operator.

44. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said first printing mode is higher in image quality, but slower in processing speed than the second printing mode.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said second printing mode is a mode for printing the image in a gray scale.

47. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said specific information is a digital watermark.

48. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said judgment processing is performed by a software processing in which a program is used.

49. An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein said program is included in a printer driver.

50. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said digital watermark includes an invisible digital watermark or a visible digital watermark.

51. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said printing is performed in an ink jet mode.

52. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein when said first printing mode is indicated, as a judgment result by said judgment means, said printing means normally prints the image in accordance with said original in a case in which said specific information does not exist, and performs at least one of abnormally printing the image in accordance with said original, generating a warning in a monitor, and performing no printing in a case in which said specific information exists.

53. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said indication is determined by manual indication by an operator.

54. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said first printing mode is higher in image quality, but slower in processing speed than the second printing mode.

34. A storage medium which stores a program for executing steps of:

judging color information of an original image;

using specific information to judge whether said original image is a specific image; and

when it is judged from the judgment of said color information that said original image is not the specific image, printing said original image without judging whether said original image is the specific image.

35. An image processing apparatus comprising:

indication means for indicating a mode from a first printing mode and a second printing mode higher in speed than the first printing mode;

judgment means for judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and

printing means for, when said indication means indicates the second printing mode, printing an image in accordance with said original without performing the judgment by said judgment means.

45. An image processing apparatus comprising:

indication means for indicating a mode from a first printing mode for performing printing with a high image quality and a second printing mode for performing monochromatic printing;

judgment means for judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and

printing means for, when said indication means indicates the second printing mode, printing an image in accordance with said original without performing the judgment by said judgment means.

55. An image processing apparatus comprising:

indication means for indicating any recording medium from a plurality of recording media;

judgment means for judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and

printing means for, when said indication means indicates a predetermined recording medium, printing an image in accordance with said original without performing the judgment by said judgment means.

56. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said predetermined recording medium is other than a common sheet.

57. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said specific information is a digital watermark.

58. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said judgment processing is performed by a software processing in which a program is used.

59. An apparatus according to claim 58, wherein said program is included in a printer driver.

60. An apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said digital watermark includes an invisible digital watermark or a visible digital watermark.

61. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein when said printing is performed in an ink jet mode.

62. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein when said predetermined recording medium is indicated, as a judgment result by said judgment means, said printing means normally prints the image in accordance with said original in a case in which said specific information does not exist, and performs at least one of abnormally printing the image in accordance with said original, generating a warning in a monitor, and performing no printing in a case in which said specific information exists.

63. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said indication is a manual indication by an operator or an indication as a result of automatic judgment of the recording medium.

64. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein during printing in said predetermined recording medium, an ink ejection amount per unit area is larger than when said recording medium is a common sheet.

65. An image processing method comprising steps of:

indicating a mode from a first printing mode and a second printing mode higher in speed than the first printing mode; and

when said second printing mode is indicated, printing an image in accordance with an original without judging whether or not specific information exists in said original.

66. An image processing method comprising steps of:

indicating a mode from a first printing mode for performing printing in a high image quality and a second printing mode for performing monochromatic printing; and

when said second printing mode is indicated by said indicating step, printing an image in accordance with an original without judging whether or not specific information exists in said original.

67. An image processing method comprising steps of:

indicating any recording medium from a plurality of recording media; and

when a predetermined recording medium is indicated by said indicating step, printing an image in accordance with an original without judging whether or not specific information exists in said original.

68. A storage medium which stores a program for executing steps of:

indicating a mode from a first printing mode and a second printing mode higher in speed than the first printing mode;

judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and

when said indication means indicates the second printing mode, printing an image in accordance with said original without judging whether or not the specific information exists in the original.

69. A storage medium which stores a program for executing steps of:

indicating a mode from a first printing mode for performing printing with a high image quality and a second printing mode for performing monochromatic printing;

judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and

when said indication means indicates the second printing mode, printing an image in accordance with said original without judging whether or not the specific information exists in the original.

70. A storage medium which stores a program for executing steps of:

indicating any recording medium from a plurality of recording media;

judging whether or not specific information exists in an original; and

printing means for, when said indication means indicates a predetermined recording medium, printing an image in accordance with said original without judging whether or not the specific information exists in the original.