Image forming apparatus and copy management system

• US 6,738,491 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1997
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikenoue, Yoshikazu, Nakatani, Munehiro, Kumashiro, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, JON CARLTON
• Application Number:
  US08/911,101
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/135, 382/195, 382/232, 382/317, 283/72, 283/93, 283/902, 283/901, 399/366, 380/51, 380/54, 380/3, 358/1.14
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0061 Embedding of the watermark in each block of the image, e.g. segmented watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0064 for copy protection or copy management, e.g. CGMS, copy only once, one-time copy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0084 Determining the necessity for prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• 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 1/00877 Recording information, e.g. details of the job
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• 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 1/32213 Modulating the least significant bits of pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32251 in multilevel data, e.g. greyscale or continuous tone data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• 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 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 : of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 : of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3232 : of a page, copy or picture number
• 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 2201/3246 : 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 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3283 : Compression
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 : Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/902 : Anti-photocopy

Abstract

Additional data useful for the management of copies of a document for an image forming apparatus is embedded in a hard copy of the document. The additional data is embedded in an image of a document as discrete dots arranged in a prescribed format. Preferably, the size of each of said discrete dots is such as not to be recognized easily with the naked eye. The image data for embedding the additional data can be obtained by reading a document, or by receiving data sent from a computer. Additional data embedded in a hard copy can be extracted from the image data on the hard copy. Further, the production of a copy according to the image data, can be controlled according to the extracted additional data. Additional data is generated for each copy according to the extracted additional data for embedding it in a hard copy to identify each copy.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an input device for inputting image data;

an extracting device for extracting additional data embedded in input image data; and

an analyzer for analyzing a distribution path from original image data, which corresponds to such input image data, to the input image data by said input device based on that additional data extracted by said extracting device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein additional data have a plurality of kinds of information, and said analyzer is adapted to make an analysis based on the plurality of kinds of information in additional data extracted by said extracting device.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an input device to input image data;

an extracting device to extract additional data embedded in input image data inputted by said input device; and

an embedding device to prepare new additional data, based on additional data extracted by said extracting device, and to embed the new additional data in image data inputted by said input device.

4. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an input device to input first image data;

a search means to search for an area to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device; and

an embedding device to change density levels of pixels of image data included in an area searched by said search means, in a manner representative of additional data to be embedded, and to embed the additional data in the image data inputted by said input device.

5. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an input device for inputting image data;

an embedding device to embed at least first additional data and second additional data in image data inputted by said input device,

wherein the first additional data and the second additional data are the same,

wherein the embedding device is adapted to synthesize the first and second additional data and the image data inputted by said input device such that an output image data provided by the embedding device includes the image data, at least a first pixel group and at least a second pixel group within the input image data, the first and second pixel groups having a predetermined pattern and having selected ones of the pixels in each pixel group altered or unaltered, wherein at least one pixel in the first pixel group represents a binary digit of the first additional data indicated by whether the one pixel in the fires pixel group is altered or unaltered and at least one pixel in the second pixel group represents a binary digit of the second additional data indicated by whether the one pixel in the second pixel group is altered or unaltered,

wherein the output image is substantively identical visually to an image representative of image data inputted by said input device; and

wherein in the output image the first additional data assumes a first orientation and the second additional data assumes a second orientation, and said first orientation and said second orientation are different.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the embedding device is adapted to embed the first additional data at a first position in a reproduced image representative of the image data including the first additional data and the second additional data and to embed the second additional data at a second position in such reproduced image, and the first position differs from the second position.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each pixel of the first and second pixel groups corresponds to a pixel of the image data.

8. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an input device for inputting image data; and

an embedding device to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device,

wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and

wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

9. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an extracting device for extracting additional data embedded in inputted image data; and

an analyzer for analyzing a distribution path from original image data, which corresponds to such input image data, to the inputted image data based on extracted additional data.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein additional data have a plurality of kinds of information, and said analyzer is adapted to make an analysis based on the plurality of kinds of information in additional data extracted by said extracting device.

11. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an extracting device to extract additional data embedded in inputted image data; and

an embedding device to prepare new additional data, based on extracted additional data, and to embed the new additional data in inputted image data.

12. An image processing apparatus comprising:

search means to search for an area to embed additional data in input image data; and

an embedding device to change density levels of pixels of image data included in an area searched by said search means, in a manner representative of additional data to be embedded, and to embed the additional data in the input image data.

13. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input device for inputting image data; and

an embedding device to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device,

wherein the embedding device is adapted to embed the additional data within the image data inputted by said input device such that an output image data provided by the embedding device includes the image data and at least one pixel group within the image data, the one pixel group having a predetermined pattern and having selected ones of the pixels in the one pixel group altered or unaltered, wherein at least one pixel in the one pixel group represents a binary digit of the additional data indicated by whether the one pixel is altered or unaltered, and

wherein the output image data including the additional data is substantively identical visually to an image representative of image data inputted by said input device.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the embedding device is adapted to embed the first additional data at a first position in said reproduced image representative of the image data including the first additional data and the second additional data and to embed the second additional data at a second position in such reproduced image, and the first position differs from the second position.

15. An image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each pixel of the at least one pixel group corresponds to a pixel of the image data.

16. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input device for inputting image data; and

an embedding device to embed additional data in image data inputted by said input device,

wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and

wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

17. A data processing apparatus comprising:

an extracting device for extracting embedded additional data in inputted data; and

an analyzer for analyzing a distribution path from original data, which corresponds to such input data, to the inputted data,

wherein the distribution path is derived from extracted additional data.

18. A data processing apparatus comprising:

an extracting device to extract embedded additional data in inputted data; and

an embedding device to prepare new additional data, based on extracted additional data, and to embed the new additional data in inputted data.

19. A data processing apparatus comprising:

search means to search for an area to embed additional data in input data; and

an embedding device to change a prescribed characteristic level included in an area searched by said search means, in a manner representative of additional data to be embedded, and to embed the additional data in the input data.

20. A data processing apparatus comprising:

an input device for inputting data; and

an embedding device to embed additional data in data inputted by said input device,

wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and

wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

21. A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

inputting image data;

extracting additional data embedded in inputted image data; and

analyzing a distribution path from original image data, which corresponds to such inputted image data, to the inputted image data based on extracted additional data.

22. A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

inputting image data;

extracting additional data embedded in inputted image data; and

preparing new additional data, based on extracted additional data, and embedding the new additional data in said inputted image data.

23. A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

inputting first image data;

searching inputted first image data for an area to embed additional data; and

changing density levels of pixels of the inputted first image data included in a searched area, in a manner representative of additional data to be embedded, so as to embed the additional data in the inputted first image data.

24. A method of processing data so as to embed additional data in image data comprising the steps of:

inputting image data; and

embedding additional data in inputted image data,

wherein the additional data are a plurality of predefined, discontinuous data units, and each data unit includes at least one indicator that establishes a predefined relationship with respect to at least one other data unit, and

wherein at least a portion of said plurality of data units are combinable, based on said predefined relationship, to form a single set of information.

25. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input device to input image data;

an extracting device to extract additional data embedded in input image data;

a generator to generate new additional data, wherein the new additional data has a relationship with extracted additional data; and

an embedding device to embed new additional data in input image data.

26. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data;

extracting additional data embedded in input image data;

generating new additional data having a relationship to extracted additional data; and

embedding new additional data in input image data.