Image forming method and apparatus for counterfeit protection using image synthesis accounting for forming conditions

• US 5,557,412 A
• Filed: 09/24/1993
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Atsumi, Tetsuya, Sasanuma, Nobuatsu, Saito, Rie
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US08/125,809
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/401, 358/296, 358/404, 358/298, 358/406, 358/434, 358/448, 358/444, 355/202, 355/254, 355/209, 355/201, 355/204, 400/76, 400/692
• US Class Current: 358/296
• 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 1/2323 according to characteristics of the reproducing medium, e.g. type, size or availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32208 involving changing the magnitude of selected pixels, e.g. overlay of information or super-imposition H04N1/32219, H04N1/32224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32251 in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32288 Multiple embedding, e.g. cocktail embedding, or redundant embedding, e.g. repeating the additional information at a plurality of locations in the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32293 Repeating the additional information in a regular pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an input unit for inputting image data representing an image, a synthesizing unit for synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data, a forming unit for forming an image in accordance with the image data, a detecting unit for detecting a condition relating to an image forming by the forming unit, and a controlling unit for controlling the synthesis by the synthesizing unit based on the detection result of the detecting unit. An image forming method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image data representing an image;

synthesizing means for synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data;

forming means for forming an image in accordance with the image synthesized data;

detecting means for detecting a condition relating to an image forming by said forming means; and

controlling means for controlling the synthesis by said synthesizing means based on the detection result of said detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information to be unnoticeable with respect to human eyes.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information as a yellow pattern.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined pattern is information unique to the apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined information is a manufacturing number of the apparatus.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said condition is an environmental state of the apparatus.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said environmental state is a temperature or a humidity.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said condition is an image forming characteristic of said forming means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image forming characteristic is a γ

characteristic.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising reference pattern generating means for causing said forming means to form a reference pattern.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, for further comprising means for controlling at least one of a charge quantity of a charger, a developing bias of a developing unit, and a light quantity and an emission time of an exposure unit, said charger, said developing unit, and said exposure unit being included in said forming means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said condition is a use condition of the apparatus.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means detects image reproducibility of said forming means.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative rotation amount of an image carrier.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative copy count.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative use count of a developing unit.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative power-ON time.

18. An image forming method comprising steps of:

input step of inputting image data representing an image;

synthesizing step of synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data;

forming step of forming an image in accordance with the image data;

detecting step of detecting a condition relating to an image forming in said forming step; and

controlling step of controlling the synthesis in said synthesizing step based on the detection result of said detecting step.