IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20090097063A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Yoshitake
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/043 by using an original which is not reproducible or only reproducible with a different appearence, e.g. originals with a photochromic layer or a colour background
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00867 with additional data, e.g. by adding a warning message details of embedding additional information in an image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0087 with hidden additional data, e.g. data invisible to the human eye
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00883 Auto-copy-preventive originals, i.e. originals that are designed not to allow faithful reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3256 colour related metadata, e.g. colour, ICC profiles for use made of colour related metadata see the appropriate place, e.g. H04N1/60, H04N1/60 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an identifying unit configured to identify a printing capability of an apparatus that is a transmission destination of first image data, and a converting unit configured to convert the first image data, which has been instructed to be printed with a transparent recording material, into second image data that can be printed by the transmission destination apparatus, on the basis of the identification result of the identifying unit and information attached to the first image data.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an identifying unit configured to identify a printing capability of an apparatus that is a transmission destination of first image data; and

a converting unit configured to convert the first image data, which has been instructed to be printed with a transparent recording material, into second image data that can be printed by the transmission destination apparatus, on the basis of the identification result of the identifying unit and information attached to the first image data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the converting unit is configured to convert the first image data into second image data of one of the following types:

image data to be formed by printing dots having a predetermined size that can be removed at the time of copying;

image data to be formed by printing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern including a latent image portion and a background portion;

image data to be formed by stamp printing; and

transparent image data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information attached to the first image data is information regarding an original guarantee level indicating a security level of the first image data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information attached to the first image data is information regarding at least one of:

a character string included in the image data; and

a color density of an image of the image data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, if the conversion indicated by the original guarantee level is not available with the printing capability identified by the identifying unit, a printing operation is aborted.

6. An information processing method comprising:

identifying a printing capability of an apparatus that is a transmission destination of first image data; and

converting the first image data, which has been instructed to be printed with a transparent recording material, into second image data that can be printed by the transmission destination apparatus, on the basis of the identification result of the step of identifying and information attached to the first image data.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of converting includes converting the first image data into second image data of one of the following types:

image data to be formed by printing dots having a predetermined size that can be removed at the time of copying;

image data to be formed by printing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern including a latent image portion and a background portion;

image data to be formed by stamp printing; and

transparent image data.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the information attached to the first image data is information regarding an original guarantee level indicating a security level of the first image data.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the information attached to the first image data is information regarding at least one of:

a character string included in the image data; and

a color density of an image of the image data.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, if the conversion indicated by the original guarantee level is not available with the printing capability identified at the step of identifying, a printing operation is aborted.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when loaded into a computer and executed, performs an information processing method comprising:

identifying a printing capability of an apparatus that is a transmission destination of first image data; and

converting the first image data, which has been instructed to be printed with a transparent recording material, into second image data that can be printed by the transmission destination apparatus, on the basis of the identification result of the step of identifying and information attached to the first image data.