Image processor, image processing method, and computer program product

• US 20090034723A1
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yanazume, Shinsuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,259,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/54
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0084 Determining the necessity for prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3281 Encryption; Ciphering

Abstract

In an MFP, an image on an original is read and the image is stored as a document (input image) in an HDD. A marking-information generation module generates marking information (two-dimensional code information) expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the document and an output parameters of the document. A document-relevance-information management module relates the marking information to the stored image, and an encryption/decryption module encrypts the marking information. A marking generation module generates a marking image from the encrypted marking information, and the marking image is printed out.

Claims

1. An image processor comprising:

a code-information recognizing unit that recognizes predetermined code information expressing information of an input image;

a storage control unit that stores the input image in a predetermined storage device;

a code-information generating unit that, in response to a notification that the input image has been stored in the storage device received from the storage control unit, generates two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image and an output parameters of the input image;

a relating unit that relates the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit and the input image stored in the storage device to each other;

a printing unit that prints out the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit onto a recording medium;

an operating unit that receives input of two-dimensional code use information for using the two-dimensional code information; and

a processing unit that retrieves an input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized by the code-information recognizing unit from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information input from the operating unit, and performs processing with respect to retrieved input image based on the two-dimensional code information.

2. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising a code encrypting unit that encrypts the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit, wherein

the operating unit displays decryption information for decrypting the two-dimensional code information encrypted by the code encrypting unit and receives an input of decryption information, and

the processing unit performs retrieval of the input image and processing based on the two-dimensional code information with respect to retrieved input image, when the decryption information received by the operating unit is correct.

3. The image processor according to claim 2, wherein when the decryption information received by the operating unit is incorrect, the processing unit outputs a message indicating that the decryption information is incorrect as a log.

4. The image processor according to claim 3, wherein when number of times that the decryption information received by the operating unit is incorrect exceeds a predetermined number of times, the processing unit makes the corresponding two-dimensional code information unavailable.

5. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein

the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image, and

the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image.

6. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the storage device includes a storage unit of the image processor or a predetermined computer device.

7. The image processor according to claim 5, further comprising a unit that causes the code encrypting unit to encrypt the two-dimensional code information and the operating unit to display the decryption information, when a predetermined period has passed since the date and time of generation of the two-dimensional code information by the code-information generating unit.

8. The image processor according to claim 5, further comprising a unit that causes the code encrypting unit to encrypt the two-dimensional code information and the operating unit to display the decryption information, when number of times of use of the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit exceeds a predetermined number of times.

9. An image processing method comprising:

recognizing predetermined code information expressing information of an input image;

storing the input image in a predetermined storage device;

generating, in response to completion of storing of the input image in the storage device at the storing, two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image and an output parameters of the input image;

relating the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating and the input image stored in the storage device to each other;

printing out the two-dimensional code information generated at generating onto a recording medium;

receiving input of two-dimensional code use information for using the two-dimensional code information; and

retrieving an input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized at the recognizing from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information received at the receiving, and performing processing with respect to an input image retrieved at the retrieving based on the two-dimensional code information.

10. The image processing method according to claim 9, further comprising encrypting the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating unit, and displaying decryption information for decrypting the two-dimensional code information encrypted at the encrypting, wherein

the receiving includes receives input of decryption information, and

the retrieving includes retrieving the input image and performing processing based on the two-dimensional code information with respect to retrieved input image, when the decryption information received at the receiving is correct.

11. The image processing method according to claim 10, wherein when the decryption information received at the receiving is incorrect, the performing includes outputting a message indicating that the decryption information is incorrect as a log.

12. The image processing method according to claim 11, wherein when number of times that the decryption information received at the receiving is incorrect exceeds a predetermined number of times, the performing includes making the corresponding two-dimensional code information unavailable.

13. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein

the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image, and

the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image.

14. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein the storage device includes a storage unit of an image processor or a predetermined computer device.

15. The image processing method according to claim 13, further comprising executing the encrypting to encrypt the two-dimensional code information and the displaying to display the decryption information, when a predetermined period has passed since the date and time of generation of the two-dimensional code information at the generating.

16. The image processing method according to claim 13, further comprising executing the encrypting to encrypt the two-dimensional code information and the displaying to display the decryption information, when number of times of use of the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating exceeds a predetermined number of times.

17. A computer program product that includes computer program codes stored on a computer-readable recording medium which when executed on a computer causes the computer to execute:

recognizing predetermined code information expressing information of an input image;

storing the input image in a predetermined storage device;

generating, in response to completion of storing of the input image in the storage device at the storing, two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image and an output parameters of the input image;

relating the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating and the input image stored in the storage device to each other;

printing out the two-dimensional code information generated at generating onto a recording medium;

receiving input of two-dimensional code use information for using the two-dimensional code information; and

retrieving an input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized at the recognizing from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information received at the receiving, and performing processing with respect to an input image retrieved at the retrieving based on the two-dimensional code information.