Apparatus for image reading or processing

• US 5,216,724 A
• Filed: 08/28/1992
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yoshiyuki, Funada, Masahiro, Kawase, Michio, Outa, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Application Number:
  US07/939,544
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 382/17, 382/7, 382/16, 382/20, 382/45, 382/46, 382/62, 358/75, 358/78, 358/80, 355/133, 355/201, 356/71, 356/394, 356/402, 250/226
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/507 being interleaved with the original or directly written on he original, e.g. using a control sheet
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/046 by discriminating a special original, e.g. a bank note
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/17 Apparatus characterised by positioning means or by means responsive to positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00838 Preventing unauthorised reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00843 based on recognising a copy prohibited original, e.g. a banknote pattern authentication and markers therefor, forgery detection G06V20/95; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40; testing paper currency or similar valuable papers for genuineness G07D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00848 by detecting a particular original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00859 Issuing an alarm or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00872 by image quality reduction, e.g. distortion or blacking out

Abstract

There is disclosed an apparatus for image reading or processing, that can precisely identify a particular pattern, such as of banknotes or securities faithful copying of which is to be prohibited. The apparatus is provided with a detecting unit for detecting positional information of an original image, and a discriminating unit for extracting the pattern data of a certain part of the original image and discriminating whether the original image is the predetermined image, based on the similarity between the pattern data and the predetermined pattern.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a) scanning means for scanning an object image plural times and for generating a first color component signal in a first scanning and a second color component signal, different from the first color component signal, in a second scanning;

b) first discrimination means for discriminating whether the object image is a predetermined image by using a first discriminating standard in the case where said scanning means generates the first color component signal; and

c) second discriminating means for discriminating whether the object image is a predetermined image by using a second discriminating standard, different from the first discriminating standard, in the case where said scanning means generates the second color component signal.

2. An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means comprises a CCD line sensor.

3. An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means is adapted to detect the positional information of the object image in a first scanning operation.

6. An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image is a banknote.

4. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a) scanning means for scanning an object image plural times; and

b) discrimination means for discriminating whether the object image is a predetermined image in stepwise manner in each of said scanning operations, utilizing the outputs of said scanning means in the plural scanning operations,

wherein said discrimination means is adapted to detect positional information of the object image in first and second scanning operations and angular information of the object image in the second scanning operation.

5. An image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said discrimination means is adapted to detect a predetermined pattern of the object image in a third scanning operation.

7. An image processing method comprising:

a) a first scanning step of scanning an object image in order to generate a first color component signal representing the object image;

b) a first discriminating step of discriminating whether the object is a predetermined image by subjecting the first color component signal to a first discriminating standard;

c) a second scanning step of scanning an object image in order to generate a second color component signal, different from the first color component signal, representing the object image; and

d) a second discriminating step of discriminating whether the object image is a predetermined image by subjecting the second color component signal to a second discriminating standard which is different from the first discriminating standard.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said scanning step is performed using a CCD sensor.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined image is a banknote.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein a standard of discrimination used in said discriminating step is different in each repetition of said discriminating step.

11. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of processing the image data in accordance with the combined discriminated results.