Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium

• US 8,627,492 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishiguro, Kazuhiro, Nabeshima, Takayuki, Toriyama, Hideyuki, Suzuki, Hiroyuki, Saka, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baum, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/876,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,269 Days
• Field of Search: 726/27
• US Class Current: 726/27
• 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 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

An image processing apparatus comprising: an input portion that inputs image data of a plurality of pages of document; a password detector that detects a password given to each of the pages; a password judger that judges from the detecting results drew by the password detector whether or not different passwords are detected from each of the pages; a correlation judger that judges about each of the pages if the password judger judges that different passwords are detected from each of the pages, whether or not the passwords are correlated to each other; and an output permitting portion that permits the image data of all the pages, which are the image data inputted by the input portion, to be outputted without requesting entry of all passwords, if it is judged about each of the pages that the passwords are correlated to each other, on the other hand, requests entry of a password about each of the pages if it is judged about at least one of the pages that the passwords are not correlated to each other, then permits the image data of a certain page to be outputted, if an appropriate password is entered about that page.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input portion that inputs image data for a plurality of pages of document;

a password detector that detects a password given to each of the plurality of pages;

a password judger that judges from the detecting results drawn by the password detector whether or not different passwords are detected from each of the plurality of pages;

a correlation judger that judges, in response to the password judger judging that different passwords are detected from each of the plurality of pages, whether or not each of the passwords of the plurality of pages is correlated to each of the other passwords of the remaining plurality of pages;

wherein the correlation judger judges the passwords to be correlated to each other when the passwords include a common group of numbers, or a common code; and

an output permitting portion that;

(i) permits the image data of all the plurality of pages to be outputted without requesting entry of all passwords, in response to the correlation judger judging for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other;

(ii) requests entry of a password for each of the pages in response to the correlation judger judging for at least one of the plurality of pages that the passwords are not correlated to each other, and then permits the image data of a certain page to be outputted, in response to entry of an appropriate password for that page.

2. The image processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein in response to the correlation judger judging for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other, the output permitting portion permits the image data of all the plurality of pages, which are inputted by the input portion, to be outputted without requesting entry of a password.

3. The image processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein in response to the correlation judger judging for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other and the appropriate password is entered for at least one of the plurality of pages, the output permitting portion permits the image data of all the plurality of pages, which are the image data inputted by the input portion, to be outputted.

4. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a first password detector that detects a first password from a medium having the first password given thereto;

a document transfer device;

an image reader that reads an image on a document transferred by the transfer device;

a second password detector that detects a second password from the document;

a judger that judges whether or not the first password detected by the first password detector and the second password detected by the second password detector, are correlated to each other;

wherein the judger judges the first and second passwords to be correlated to each other when the first and second passwords include a common group of numbers, or a common code; and

an output permitting portion that;

(i) permits image data read out from the document by the image reader to be outputted in response to the judger judging that the first password and the second password are correlated to each other; and

(ii) requests entry of a password correlated to the second password, in response to the judger judging that the first password and the second password are not correlated to each other, and then permits the image data read out from the document to be outputted in response to entry of a password correlated to the second password.

5. The image processing apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein when there exist a plurality of mediums and/or the document consists of a plurality of pages, the judger judges for all the combinations whether or not a first password detected from each of the mediums and a second password detected from each of the plurality of pages are correlated to each other.

6. An image processing method comprising:

inputting image data for a plurality of pages of document;

detecting a password given to each of the plurality of pages;

judging from the detecting results whether or not different passwords are detected from each of the plurality of pages;

judging, in response to detection of different passwords from each of the plurality of pages, whether or not each of the passwords of the plurality of pages is correlated to each of the other passwords of the remaining plurality of pages;

wherein the passwords are judged to be correlated to each other when the passwords include a common group of numbers, or a common code;

permitting the inputted image data of all the plurality of pages to be outputted without requesting entry of all passwords, in response to a judgment that for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other; and

requesting entry of a password for each of the plurality of pages in response to a judgment that for at least one of the plurality of pages that the passwords are not correlated to each other, and then permitting the image data of a certain page to be outputted in response to entry of an appropriate password for that page.

7. The image processing method recited in claim 6, wherein pages in response to a judgment that for each of the plurality of pages that the password are correlated to each other, the inputted image data of all the plurality of pages are permitted to be outputted without a password requested to be entered.

8. The image processing method recited in claim 6, wherein pages in response to a judgment that for each of the plurality of pages that the password are correlated to each other, the inputted image data of all the plurality of pages are permitted to be outputted under the condition that at least one appropriate password is entered.

9. An image processing method comprising:

detecting a first password from a medium having the first password given thereto;

reading by an image reader, an image on a document transferred by a document transfer device;

detecting a second password from the document;

judging whether or not the detected first password and second password are correlated to each other;

wherein the first and second passwords are judged to be correlated to each other when the first and second passwords include a common group of numbers, or a common code; and

permitting image data read out from the document by the image reader to be outputted in response to a judgment that the first password and the second password are correlated to each other; and

requesting entry of a password correlated to the second password, in response to a judgment that the first password and the second password are not correlated to each other, and then permitting the image data read out from the document to be outputted in response to entry of a password correlated to the second password.

10. The image processing method recited in claim 9, wherein when there exist a plurality of mediums and/or the document consists of a plurality of pages, it is judged for all the combinations whether or not a first password detected from each of the mediums and a second password detected from each of the plurality of pages are correlated to each other.

11. A non-transitory recording medium having an image processing program stored therein to make a computer of an image processing apparatus execute:

inputting image data for a plurality of pages of document;

detecting a password given to each of the plurality of pages;

judging from the password detecting result whether or not different passwords are detected from each of the plurality of pages;

judging, in response to detection of different passwords from each of the plurality of pages, whether or not each of the passwords of the plurality of pages is correlated to each of the other passwords of the remaining plurality of pages;

wherein the passwords are judged to be correlated to each other when the passwords include a common group of numbers, or a common code; and

permitting the inputted image data of all the plurality of pages to be outputted without requesting entry of all passwords, in response to a judgment that for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other; and

requesting entry of a password for each of the plurality of pages in response to a judgment that for at least one of the plurality of pages that the passwords are not correlated to each other, and then permitting the image data of a certain page to be outputted in response to entry of an appropriate password for that page.

12. The non-transitory recording medium recited in claim 11, wherein in response to a judgment that for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other, the inputted image data of all the plurality of pages are permitted to be outputted without a password requested to be entered, according to the program.

13. The non-transitory recording medium in claim 11, wherein in response to a judgment that for each of the plurality of pages that the passwords are correlated to each other, the inputted image data of all the plurality of pages are permitted to be outputted under the condition that at least one appropriate password is entered, according to the program.

14. A non-transitory recording medium having an image processing program stored therein to make a computer of an image processing apparatus execute:

detecting a first password from a medium having the first password given thereto;

reading by an image reader an image on a document transferred by a document transfer device;

detecting a second password from the document;

judging whether or not the detected first password and second password are correlated to each other;

wherein the first and second passwords are judged to be correlated to each other when the first and second passwords include a common group of numbers, or a common code; and

permitting image data read out from the document by the image reader to be outputted, in response to a judgment that the first password and the second password are correlated to each other; and

requesting entry of a password correlated to the second password in response to a judgment that the first password and the second password are not correlated to each other, and then permitting the image data read out from the document to be outputted in response to entry of a password correlated to the second password.

15. The non-transitory recording medium recited in claim 14, wherein when there exit a plurality of mediums and/or the document consists of a plurality of pages, it is judged for all the combinations whether or not a first password from each of the mediums and a second password from each of the plurality of pages are correlated to each other, according to the program.