Image processing apparatus and method for applying selected security processing to user selected first and second image

• US 8,040,572 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikami, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; Scott A
• Application Number:
  US13/099,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 168 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/3.28, 358/1.14, 358/1.18, 358/450, 358/468, 283/113, 283/902, 399/366, 382/100, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 726/26, 726/32
• US Class Current: 358/3.28
• 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: G03G 2215/00299 Confidential, e.g. secret documents
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00932 Security copies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00883 Auto-copy-preventive originals, i.e. originals that are designed not to allow faithful reproduction

Abstract

A processing apparatus, method and medium storing a computer program that combine two or more designated images (S1254), and input the type of security process to be performed for the combined image (S1253). The security process is performed for the combined image using the information associated with the input type of security process (S1255).

Claims

1. A processing apparatus comprising:

a first selection unit that selects a first image and a second image according to a users instruction;

a second selection unit that selects one of a first security processing related to the first image or a second security processing related to the second image; and

a processing unit that applies the selected security processing to both the selected first image and the selected second image.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first selection unit selects the first image and the second image to combine the first image and the second image, and

the processing unit applies the selected security processing to a third image including both the selected first image and the selected second image, the third image being a combination of the selected first image and the selected second image.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selected security processing applied to both the selected first image and the selected second image is the selected security processing to an image including both the selected first image and the selected second image.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second selection unit selects a security processing according to a user'"'"'s instruction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit that stores priority level information for each security processing,

wherein the second selection unit selects a security processing according to the priority level information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each security processing is defined by commands.

7. A method of processing an image for a processing apparatus, the method comprising:

a first selection step of selecting a first image and a second image according to a users instruction using the processing apparatus;

a second selection step of selecting one of a first security processing related to the first image or a second security processing related to the second image using the processing apparatus; and

a processing step of applying the selected security processing to both the selected first image and the selected second image using the processing apparatus.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein:

the first selection step selects the first image and the second image to combine the first image and the second image, and

the processing step applies the selected security processing to a third image including both the selected first image and the selected second image, the third image being a combination of the selected first image and the selected second image.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the selected security processing applied to both the selected first image and the selected second image is the selected security processing to an image including both the selected first image and the selected second image.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second selection step selects a security processing according to a user'"'"'s instruction.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a storing step of storing, in a storage unit, priority level information for each security processing,

wherein the second selection step selects a security processing according to the priority level information.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein each security processing is defined by commands.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a computer to process images, the computer program comprising:

a first selection code programmed to select a first image and a second image according to a user'"'"'s instruction;

a second selection code programmed to select one of a first security processing related to the first image or a second security processing related to the second image; and

a processing code programmed to apply the selected security processing to both the selected first image and the selected second image.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein:

the first selection code is programmed to select the first image and the second image to combine the first image and the second image, and

the processing code is programmed to apply the selected security processing to a third image including both the selected first image and the selected second image, the third image being a combination of the selected first image and the selected second image.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the selected security processing applied to both the selected first image and the selected second image is the selected security processing to an image including both the selected first image and the selected second image.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the second selection code is programmed to select a security processing according to a user'"'"'s instruction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, further comprising:

a storing code programmed to store, in a storage unit, priority level information for each security processing,

wherein the second selection code is programmed to select a security processing according to the priority level information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein each security processing is defined by commands.