Abstract: An image processing system includes a pattern detecting unit that detects a plurality of patterns included in a read image, a magnification determining unit that determines a magnification of the reading the read image on the basis of positional relation between adjacent patterns out of the plurality of patterns detected by the pattern detecting unit, and an information detecting unit that detects information from the read image on the basis of the magnification determined by the magnification determining unit.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a code image generating unit that generates a code image that contains plural patterns different in shape and represents predetermined information on the basis of positional relationship between adjacent patterns and a image composing unit that combines the code image generated by the code image generating unit and a document image.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a reading portion that reads an image of an original document, a detecting portion that detects a specific pattern image embedded in image data, a document size detecting portion that detects a size of the original document, and a controller that controls an output of the image data in accordance with the specific pattern image, and also controls not to output the image data if the size of the original document detected is smaller than a given size.

Abstract: An image-processing apparatus includes a scanning portion that scans a document in which information is embedded; an image-outputting portion that outputs an image of the document that has been scanned; a detecting portion that detects information from the image of the document that has been scanned; an abnormality determining portion that determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the image of the document that has been scanned; and a controller that controls outputting of the image from the image-outputting portion, on the basis of a detection result by the detecting portion and a determination result of the abnormality determining portion.

Abstract: An added information encoding part repeatedly arranges two kinds of copy inhibition code arrays of the unit two-dimensional arrays to which copy inhibition codes are assigned, and condition code arrays of the unit two-dimensional arrays to which codes for removing the copy inhibition are assigned, into a two-dimensional array according to given rules. A background image formation part generates a background image in which copy inhibition pattern image areas and condition pattern image areas are repeatedly and two-dimensionally arranged according to given rules, while referring to this array, and the pattern images corresponding to respective codes stored in the background image formation part, and stores the generated background image into a background image buffer. An image composing part reads out document images from a document image buffer, and the background image from the background image buffer, and superimposes them into a composite image.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a judgement section and a generation section. A latent image, which would be retained or eliminated by photocopying, is to be superposed with machine-readable code images, which are encoded supplementary information, to generate a superposed image. The judgement section judges overlapping of the latent image with the machine-readable code images. The generation section, on the basis of judgement results from the judgement section, determines an arrangement of the machine-readable code images and generates the superposed image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus which utilizes a first-type color material and a second-type color material which differ in reflection response to light falling within a predetermined wavelength range; which generates a code image from the first-type color material in accordance with data to be coded; which generates a modulated image from the second color material; and which combines the code image and the modulated image to generate a combined image. The combined image is recognized as different image from the code image under a light falling outside of the predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: A print control apparatus which performs printing process with a printer using coloring agents of the plurality of color components includes: an identification image controller that controls to add the identification image data to the print image data without color space conversion being performed when the printer prints the document in which the identification image is composed. The identification image includes an embedding image and an embedded image. The embedding image and the embedded image are formed to be superposed on each other, and the embedded image is processed in advance so that visual identification of the embedding image is difficult under visible light when the embedding image and the embedded image are printed.

Abstract: An image processor for combining a computer-readable coded image into a print image of a document including a document data main body and at least one associated data piece, has a print image generator that generates a print image of a document including an image of at least a part of the associated data, a coded image generator that generates a coded image to be combined into the print image, and a controller that determines whether or not the generated coded image can be combined into the image portion of the associated data by comparing a size of the generated coded image with a size of an image portion of the associated data, and combines the generated coded image into the image portion of the associated data on the generated print image, if it is determined that combining is possible.

Abstract: An image processing device processes a document including a document data body and at least one set of related data, and includes a display that displays an image of the document data body and an image of the related data overlaid on the image of the document data body at overlay positions determined for each set of related data and an image data generator that generates printing image data of the document data body of the overlay position when an instruction to print the document is received, regardless of whether or not the related data is displayed.

Abstract: Additional data is embedded in a printed image in a way that makes the additional data unrecognizable to eyes and recognizable without fail by an image input apparatus. An image processing apparatus of the present invention has: an average calculation unit as a density value detection part that detects the density value of a predetermined color component of image data representing a nearby image in the vicinity of an image to which additional data is to be added; a pattern selection unit that decides a pattern which is larger in area at the larger density value detected by the average calculation unit and has a shape corresponding to the value of the additional data to be added to the image; and an addition processing unit that superimposes the pattern decided by the pattern selection unit on image data representing the image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that generates a background pattern to be combined with document data includes a pattern generator. This pattern generator generates a background pattern that includes a first region in which patterns that correspond to a predetermined code and are to be reproduced at a time of duplication are arranged, a second region in which patterns that are not to be reproduced at a time of duplication are arranged, and camouflage patterns formed by variations of the patterns to be reproduced at a time of duplication and the patterns not to be reproduced at a time of duplication.

Abstract: An image, in which a pattern image is arranged so as to express a control information for inhibiting copying or for removing the inhibition, is defined as an image to be read. A copy inhibition code or a condition code for removing the inhibition is assigned for the pattern image. In a “normal copy mode” of a copier, a copy inhibition information detecting part detects the copy inhibition code in an obtained image, and a controller halts the copying when the copy inhibition code is detected. A condition information detecting part detects the condition code in the obtained image. A copy mode is provided in which the copying operation is permitted when the condition matches. The controller permits copying when a condition, such as permitting a specific user to perform copying or the elapse of a predetermined day and time delimited period, is established.

Abstract: An added information encoding part repeatedly arranges two kinds of copy inhibition code arrays of the unit two-dimensional arrays to which copy inhibition codes are assigned, and condition code arrays of the unit two-dimensional arrays to which codes for removing the copy inhibition are assigned, into a two-dimensional array according to given rules. A background image formation part generates a background image in which copy inhibition pattern image areas and condition pattern image areas are repeatedly and two-dimensionally arranged according to given rules, while referring to this array, and the pattern images corresponding to respective codes stored in the background image formation part, and stores the generated background image into a background image buffer. An image composing part reads out document images from a document image buffer, and the background image from the background image buffer, and superimposes them into a composite image.

Abstract: If additional data is embedded in electronic image data with a low embedding strength such that images based on the image data are displayed without degradation of image quality, the additional data could not be extracted from printed images. An image processing apparatus that processes electronic image data to which additional data representing additional information such as copyright ID information is appended is provided with an additional data recognition unit for recognizing that first additional data representing additional information is appended to image data from which to form images, and an additional data embedding unit, when it is recognized by the additional data recognition unit that the first additional data is appended, for embedding second additional data representing additional information in the image data, wherein the additional information is extractable from formed images.

Abstract: A method of outputting a recording medium on which forgery-inhibited data of a certificate of residence, securities, or the like which is obtained through a communication network such as a computer network and is inhibited to be forged by copying is printed directly from a printer without using a copy forgery preventing sheet. A recording medium outputting system of the invention is constructed by connecting a LAN having a DB server managing transmission/reception of data to/from a database disposed in a city office or the like, and a number of LANs each having a terminal and a printer installed in stores such as convenience stores via a communication line and the internet.

Abstract: Image data combined of a first piece of and a second piece of image data and selection data to selectively designate one of the first piece or the second piece of image data is input to an input portion 1. Those data are expanded by an expanding portion 4. A first image-structure recognizing portion 2 (second image-structure recognizing portion 3) recognizes the image structure of the first (second) piece of image data. A first image-structure converting portion 5 (second image-structure converting portion 6) converts the recognized image structure of the first (second) piece of image data to the image structure of an output device 9. Those image data and the selection data are expanded. A combining portion 7 combines the first piece and the second piece of image data having the same image structure as of the output device while successively selecting the first piece or the second piece of image data on a basis of the selection data, and outputs the combined image data to the output device 9.

Abstract: An image data outputting apparatus and method form satisfactory images regardless of characteristics of an image forming apparatus by outputting copy forgery preventing image data for preventing copy-based forgery to the image forming apparatus. For example, a recording medium outputting system is constructed by connecting a LAN having a DB server managing transmission/reception of data to/from a database in the city office, and many LANs each having a terminal and a printer installed in a convenience store via a communication line and the Internet. Document data of a certificate is retrieved from the database in the city office by operating a terminal in a store, the retrieved document data is merged with copy forgery preventing image data corresponding to characteristics of a printer in the same store, and the merged data is outputted from the printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of outputting a recording medium on which forgery-inhibited data of a certificate of residence, securities, or the like which is obtained through a communication network such as a computer network and is inhibited to be forged by copying is printed directly from a printer without using a copy forgery preventing sheet. A recording medium outputting system of the invention is constructed by connecting a LAN having a DB server managing transmission/reception of data to/from a database disposed in a city office or the like, and a number of LANs each having a terminal and a printer installed in stores such as convenience stores via a communication line and the Internet.

Abstract: Formatted code data are sequentially input to an input terminal A. A receiving section 11 passes a header portion etc. to a control section 16, and causes selection codes (output to CDS) and text color codes (output to CDC) to be stored sequentially in a storage section 15. When pattern codes are output to CDI and input to an expansion section 12b, the control section 16 reads out the selection codes and the text color codes from the storage section 15 with such timing that pixels at the same position are output simultaneously from image conversion sections 13a-13c, and inputs those codes to expansion sections 12a and 12c. The respective compressed codes are expanded by the expansion sections 12a-12c, converted by the image conversion sections if necessary, and then input to a composing section 14. At this time point, respective data corresponding to pixels are timed with each other, which allows a correct composing process to be executed in the composing section 14.