Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming unit configured to fix a developer image on a sheet medium and to output the sheet medium, and an output-image storing unit configured to store, on the inner side of a door involving a lock mechanism, the sheet medium on which the developer image is fixed by the image forming unit.

Abstract: A system is provided for managing asset access. The system includes a processor, a user manager interface, an asset manager interface, and an access tool. The access tool, when executed by the processor, compiles a user list of user access to restricted assets, provides the user list to the user manager interface, and receives a modified user list of user access to the restricted assets from the user manager interface. The access tool also compiles an asset list of user access to the restricted assets, provides the asset list to the asset manager interface, and receives a modified asset list of user access to the restricted assets from the asset manager interface. Additionally, the access tool modifies the user access to at least one of the restricted assets based on at least one of the modified user list and the modified asset list.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus outputting a document, a copy condition of the output document and the order of priority among the set copy condition, a condition on the part of the machine, and a condition input by the user to be actually decided on as a copy condition are set. The information is then embedded and output. In an image forming apparatus making a copy, the output printed material is scanned and the embedded copy condition and order of priority are extracted and restored. Then, for each item of the copy conditions, a condition having a higher priority among the aforementioned conditions is decided on as a copy condition of the printed material, so that the printed material is copied under the decided condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit for acquiring information for identifying a user, a log-in unit for allowing the user to log in the image forming apparatus when the acquisition unit acquires the information for identifying the user, a log-off unit for causing the logged-in user to log off from the image forming apparatus after a first predetermined time period elapses, a determination unit for determining whether a secure printing job to be performed based on the acquired information for identifying the user is present in the image forming apparatus, and a control unit for controlling the log-off unit to cause the user to log off from the image forming apparatus within a second predetermined time period which is shorter than the first predetermined period time, when the determination unit determines that the secure printing job is present in the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to steganography, digital watermarking and data hiding. In one embodiment a method is provided including: processing data representing content; analyzing the data to determine whether a plural-bit identifier is steganographically encoded therein, the plural-bit identifier encoded in the data through modifications to the data, the modifications steganographically hiding the presence of the plural-bit identifier; and upon detection of the plural-bit identifier, redundantly carrying out an action while attempting to conceal the action from one or more users of the content. Of course, other embodiments are described and claimed as well.

Abstract: A detecting unit detects output-prohibit area information indicating an output-prohibit area from image data. An identifying unit identifies the output-prohibit area in the image data based on the output-prohibit area information detected by the detecting unit. A masking unit performs a masking on the output-prohibit area identified by the identifying unit. A rearranging unit rearranges an image of an area other than the output-prohibit area over the output-prohibit area on which the masking is performed by the masking unit. An outputting unit outputs image data obtained by rearranging the image by the rearranging unit.

Abstract: Provided is a device that prevents unauthorized copying of a document to which copy inhibition information is added.

Abstract: High speed printing system for printing magnetic ink systems and associated methods are disclosed. A color of the magnetic ink may be designed to resemble one of the non-magnetic inks so that instead of ejecting the one non-magnetic ink, the printing system ejects the magnetic ink. Nozzles in a printhead may also be arranged to be adjacent to each other and may be appropriately spaced without causing the inks to be mixed in the printhead. Additionally, a color transform system may be provided to transform a sheet image in accordance with ejecting at least the magnetic and the non-magnetic ink from the printhead.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read an open document. The open document includes a first page including a first image and a second page including a second image. The apparatus also includes a storing unit configured to store the first page read by the reading unit as first page image data including the first image, and to store the second page read by the reading unit as second page image data including the second image.

Abstract: A document processing apparatus which is capable of causing predetermined processes to be performed using sheets of one fixed format, in both of the case of scanning a fixed format sheet which has a description entered therein and the case of scanning a sheet which has a description entered therein but is other than the fixed format sheet. When a fixed format sheet having an entry made thereto is scanned in, a multifunction machine executes a first document processing process. When a fixed format sheet has been previously scanned in, if a sheet other than the fixed format sheet is scanned in, the multifunction machine executes s second document processing process. When no fixed format sheet has not been previously scanned in, if a sheet other than the fixed format sheet is scanned in, the multifunction machine executes a usual process.

Abstract: A print device includes a print data acquisition unit that acquires print data having a plurality of signature attachment areas defined thereon, each signature attachment area having electronic signature data produced therefor and attached thereto, a range data acquisition unit that acquires data indicative of a range of a print target area defined on the print data, and a verification unit that verifies, before completion of acquisition of the print data by the print data acquisition unit, the electronic signature data attached to the signature attachment area containing at least a part of the print target area.

Abstract: Whether a job-lock function is enabled is determined. Whether a current mode is a mode for outputting an image of an area on an original document onto a recording paper is determined. When the job-lock function is determined to be enabled, and when the current mode is the mode for outputting the image of the part of the area of the original document on the recording paper, the image of an area larger than the part of the area is read. It is possible to improve accuracy of recognizing a copying protection pattern, and to improve security, even when density unevenness is present on a copying prevented original document.

Abstract: An image area detecting portion detects an area (image area) in a sheet subjected to printing where characters and images take up. A pattern creating portion creates a copy prevention pattern in such a manner that a latent image is embedded only to a detected image area with respect to a mask pattern into which a dot pattern is incorporated. A print image creating portion superimposes the generated copy prevention pattern and the document image to each other. When the printed object is read in a copying machine having a copy guard function, detection of the dot pattern can be performed without being interfered by a latent image since only a mask pattern is printed in an area corresponding to a reading start position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof that outputs an image of currency wherein a portion of the image of the currency is replaced with another image such that the counterfeiting of currency is prevented, the method including: determining whether a printing object is currency; selecting an alternate image corresponding to identification information of the currency if the printing object is the currency; and printing the selected alternate image information.

Abstract: An image-forming system includes: a data-reading unit, an image-forming unit, and a restricting unit. The data-reading unit reads first additional data from a first storing member of a sheet member. The image-forming unit forms a first image based on the read first additional data by the data-reading unit. The restricting unit gives a restriction to the first additional data stored in the first storing member after the first additional data is read, in order to restrict the first image from being formed based on the first additional data stored in the first storing member subsequently.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the reproduction of documents containing sensitive information includes an input for receiving a document; a device for storing a digitized document; a detector for identifying encoded sensitive information; a decoder operatively connected to the detector, which extracts digitally encoded information from the sensitive information; a processor operatively connected to the decoder, which receives digitally decoded sensitive information; a user interface module for receiving a user identity and an access mediator for receiving decoded sensitive information from the processor, comparing the user identity with a decoding scheme associated with the document and allowing or disallowing the decoded sensitive information to be reproduced.

Abstract: Even when multiple document-data images are imposed on a sheet, a paper fingerprint registration can be performed securely with single processing and collation processing can be performed also after cutting of the sheet. An image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the image forming apparatus including: a imposition information acquisition unit acquiring imposition information specified for a sheet to perform acquisition of paper fingerprint; a paper fingerprint acquisition region calculation unit that calculates a region for the paper fingerprint acquisition according to the imposition information acquired by the imposition information acquisition unit; and a paper fingerprint information acquisition unit that acquiring region of paper fingerprint according to the region calculated by the paper fingerprint acquisition region calculation unit.

Abstract: The image processor includes: an acquisition unit acquiring a read-out image read out by an image reading apparatus; a detection unit detecting, from the read-out image, an embedded image including a first specified image having a first shape and a second specified image having a second shape; an adding unit adding attribute information to a specified region in the embedded image, in accordance with an appearance ratio of the first specified image in the specified region, and adding attribute information to other region surrounding the specified region, in accordance with an appearance ratio of the first specified image in the other region; and a determination unit determining whether or not the specified region is to be subjected to a predetermined processing using the first specified image based on whether or not the attribute information added to the specified region corresponds to the attribute information added to the other region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a combining unit configured to combine a document image and a coded image; a setting determining unit configured to determine whether a setting for combining a document image including a previously combined coded image and an other coded image is made when a reproduction of the document image is instructed; and a prohibiting unit configured to prohibit the combining unit from combining the document image including the previously combined coded image and the other coded image according to the setting when the result of the determination indicates that the setting is made.

Abstract: Techniques for positioning images in an electronic document. The images may encode information that can be decoded by devices configured to read the images. An area within the electronic document for positioning the image and a set of one or more colors to be used for the image are determined. The determined area and set of colors are such that the image when positioned in the electronic document blends in with the contents of the electronic document while still being clearly visible for reading by reader devices that are configured read and decode the information encoded by the image.

Abstract: A communication device has a reading unit, a wireless tag reading unit, and a transmitting unit. The reading unit reads image data from an original document. The original document has a first wireless tag including wireless tag data. The wireless tag data has data size. The wireless tag reading unit reads the wireless tag data from the wireless tag. The transmitting unit associates the image data with the wireless tag data to transmit the associated image data and wireless tag data to another device.

Abstract: A disclosed image processing apparatus is capable of shifting an illegal copy preventing pattern so that an image reading device can recognize the pattern printed at the edge end of the printing range on a paper even when the printing range on the paper is changed by, for example, trimming and user settings. The apparatus includes an image output unit outputting an image to a prescribed region; an output position setting unit acquiring output region information, comparing the output region information with the illegal copy preventing pattern; and determining an output position of the illegal copy preventing pattern based on the comparison result, and a combining unit combining the illegal copy preventing pattern and image data based on the output position determined by the output position setting unit. The image output unit outputs the image combined by the combining unit.

Abstract: An image forming system including: an image reading portion, which reads an image on an original; an image forming portion, which forms an image on a sheet; and a storage device, which stores an original before the image reading portion reads an image thereon and a sheet before the image forming portion forms an image thereon, the storage device being detachably mounted to the image forming system.

Abstract: A primary test printing process of a plurality of copy-forgery-inhibited pattern images generated by changing one or both of print densities of the latent-image and background-image parts in a first pattern on the basis of a predetermined parameter is performed. The user selects one copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image which has the latent-image and background-image parts with approximate print densities from the plurality of copy-forgery-inhibited pattern images generated by the primary test printing process. A secondary test printing process of a plurality of copy-forgery-inhibited pattern images generated by changing one or both of print densities of the latent-image and background-image parts in a second pattern on the basis of the parameter used to determine the print densities of the latent-image and background-image parts of the selected copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is performed.

Abstract: A combination of a latent-image pattern which forms a latent-image part and a background pattern that forms a background-image part is determined so that the latent-image part and background-image part have equal print densities. The determined latent-image pattern and background pattern, color information used to determine a color of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image, input image information as an image to be processed, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern basic information used to designate the latent-image part and background-image part, and camouflage region designation image information used to designate a camouflage region are input. A copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is generated on the basis of the input information.

Abstract: A digital watermark is added to audio or visual content. An illustrative embodiment segments the content, permutes the segments, and transforms such data into another domain. The transformed data is altered slightly to encode a watermark. The altered data can then be inverse-transformed, and inverse-permuted, to return same to substantially its original form. Related watermark decoding methods are also detailed, as are ancillary features and techniques.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a background image generation section and a combining section. The background image generation section generates a background image, which represents (i) background information containing copy prohibition information indicating copy is prohibited and (ii) copy prohibition release information indicating a condition to release copy prohibition, by predetermined patterns. The combining section combines a target image to be formed and the background image generated by the background image generation section to generate a composite image and that outputs the composite image to a formation section that forms an image on a recording medium. When generating the background image, the background image generation section arranges the pattern of the copy prohibition release information in an end region of the recording medium.

Abstract: Various improvements to steganographic systems, and applications therefore, are disclosed. Among these are analyzing content data (e.g., audio, image data) in a computer memory automatically, without user intervention, so as to detect steganographically embedded information. The results of such analysis can be used to alter an aspect of the computer device's operation with respect to such content data. One application of the technology is to check the “clipboard” of a computer and alert the user when copyrighted material is found therein.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing protection for a document is presented. Document content of the document is obtained. An occurrence of a security code within the document content is detected, the security code associated with the document content. A security policy associated with the security code is identified. The identified security policy is then applied to the document content.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of restricting copying using, as a master copy, a copy of a produced work such as a book. An MFP is provided with a printing permission/prohibition judging section and an output paper sheet selection section. The printing permission/prohibition judging section judges whether or not restriction information for restricting image formation is contained in either (i) an information tag provided in a document, or (ii) image data acquired by an image scanning section. The output paper sheet selection section selects a regulatory-information-containing recording paper sheet (i.e.

Abstract: In order to shorten the waiting time and to prevent confidential data from being seen by others, an MFP has a distance measuring portion to communicate with a radio communication terminal and measure a distance between the MFP and the radio communication terminal, a print-job acquiring portion to acquire print data, an image-forming portion to form an image, and an image forming control portion to start a preparation operation to cause the image-forming portion to form an image, upon reduction of the measured distance equal to or below a first threshold value, and to cause the image-forming portion to form an image based on the acquired print data, upon reduction of the measured distance equal to or below a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value.

Abstract: Conventionally, it is impossible to securely and efficiently implement the judgment of specific images. In order to solve this task, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in including an input unit (in these embodiments, this corresponds to, for example, the interface unit in FIG. 1) for inputting color image data, an judging unit (this corresponds to, or example, the forgery judging unit in FIG. 1) for judging whether the judgment of whether a color image composed of the color image data is a specific image has been already performed, and an image judging unit (this corresponds to, for example, the forgery judging unit in FIG. 1) for judging whether the color image include the specific image if the judgment has not been performed yet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which includes an input unit to receive an input image; an area determination unit to divide the input image into a plurality of areas, to compute a weight for at least one of a position, a density and a color of each of the plurality of divided areas and to determine an area on which a copy prevention pattern is to be superimposed among the plurality of divided areas; a generation unit to superimpose the copy prevention pattern on the determined area of the input image and to generate a copy prevention image; and an output unit to output the generated copy prevention image. Therefore, it is possible to select a position of a document into which the copy prevention pattern is to be inserted.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus generates printing image data of a printing image and copy-forgery-inhibited-pattern-image data of a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image to be added to the printing image. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image includes a latent image and a background image. The apparatus includes a selecting unit and a printing-data generating unit. The selecting unit selects either the transparent-printing designation or overlay-printing designation, the transparent-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is superimposed on the printing image, and the overlay-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the printing image is superimposed on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. The printing-data generating unit generates printing data based on the printing designation selected by the selecting unit.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus and a monitoring system monitor a person who removed an output sheet for a print job or a copy job from an image forming apparatus that can be used by a plurality of users. With the use of a job-start notification, a job-end notification, and a sheet-removal notification received from the image forming apparatus, a video image during a period including the time at which the sheet output from the image forming apparatus was removed by a person can be recorded, and the video image can be managed in association with job information.

Abstract: A document is made which consists of a large number of recording sheets whose originality can be certified with reliability. Different specific images are respectively formed on a plurality of recording sheets of recording sheets outputted in constant order. Confirmation holes are formed on recording sheets at higher levels than the recording sheets with the specific images formed thereon, in positions in conformity with the positions of the specific images. When a document made by stacking those recording sheets is seen from the top, and the specific images are visible through the confirmation holes, the originality of the document can be certified. When the specific image is invisible through the confirmation hole, it is found that the document has been changed due to missing of part of the recording sheets, a change in order of the recording sheets, or the like, and hence the originality of the document cannot be certified.

Abstract: A duplex printing instruction is accepted. When duplex printing is performed in accordance with the single-side printing and duplex printing is performed for a job of one page is decided in accordance with a condition.

Abstract: The presence/absence of a printing failure on a printed product is accurately detected to prevent a defective product from mixing in printed products to be delivered to a customer. In order to achieve this object, a printing processing method according to this invention includes steps of inputting first image data, executing the printing process for a printing medium based on the first image data, reading the printing medium on which the first image data is printed to obtain second image data, specifying a determination area to be used to determine the presence/absence of a printing failure in the second image data based on a processing content after the printing process for the printing medium, and determining the presence/absence of the printing failure by comparing the first image data and the second image data corresponding to the determination area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading section for reading an image of a book, to which an information tag is added, so as to acquire image data. Based on information stored in the information tag, the image forming apparatus controls an image forming section. The image forming apparatus further includes a tag addition determining section, an added information determining section, and a control section. The tag addition determining section determines whether or not the information tag is added to the book, and the added information determining section determines whether or not the image data contains added information indicating that the information tag is added to the book. Further, the control section controls the image forming section not to carry out image forming, both when the added information determining section determines that the added information is contained and the tag addition determining section determines that the information tag is not added to the book.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus performs a density adjustment process for generating an image containing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image for warning against the use of copy products. To help users to easily adjust the density of a latent image portion and a background portion in the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image, the image processing apparatus determines a density relationship of the latent image portion and the background portion by performing a plurality of adjustment operations, in combination, different in the amount of adjustment relating to the range of variable density in at least one of the latent image portion and the background portion, and sets, based on the density relationship, the density data of each of the latent image portion and the background portion in the data of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling copying of documents. The method includes optically capturing a document. At least one object of the captured document is recognized. A content output is determined based on the recognized object and at least one output rule. The content output is provided based on the determination.

Abstract: An image forming device including a document tag reader that detects a contactless IC tag (document tag) attached to the document. If the document tag reader detects a document tag attached to a document, the tagged document is recognized as having a high management level, and a tagged recording sheet is fed (selected) from a sheet tray storing tagged recording sheets to which a contactless IC tag (sheet tag) is attached. On the other hand, if the document tag reader does not detect a document tag, the document is recognized as having a low management level, and a not-tagged recording sheet is fed (selected) from a sheet tray storing not-tagged recording sheets to which a contactless IC tag (sheet tag) is not attached.

Abstract: An information reading device for reading identification information from a medium to which at least one magnetic element for generating a signal upon receiving a magnetic field is provided, which includes a plurality of detecting parts that detect a signal generated from the magnetic element according to the magnetic field applied to the medium, and an information reading part that reads information formed by the magnetic element based on a combination of detecting parts which have detected the generated signal.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus generates printing image data of a printing image and copy-forgery-inhibited-pattern-image data of a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image to be added to the printing image. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image includes a latent image and a background image. The apparatus includes a selecting unit and a printing-data generating unit. The selecting unit selects either the transparent-printing designation or overlay-printing designation, the transparent-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is superimposed on the printing image, and the overlay-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the printing image is superimposed on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. The printing-data generating unit generates printing data based on the printing designation selected by the selecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming device which forms an image based on image data, and an image processing device such as a personal computer, and the image forming system is capable of restricting image output of the image forming device. In the image forming system, data information of the output image data or working environment of the image forming device is judged, so as to allow or disallow image output based on the working environment so judged. This judges whether or not devices such as digital complex device or scanner device in the image forming system are used properly, thus providing an image processing system which can be used efficiently.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and an image forming system of the invention have: a discriminating section which discriminates necessity of a security pattern for suppressing illegal use of image creation data on the basis of a security level; a security pattern forming section which forms security pattern data on the basis of attribute data when it is determined that the security pattern is necessary; and an image forming section which forms the security pattern onto a record medium together with an image on the basis of the formed security pattern data. A consumption amount of a coloring agent which is consumed when the security pattern to suppress the illegal use of the image creation data is formed can be reduced.

Abstract: Signals from a color (multi-row) full width array sensor are used to detect and correct for motion quality issues in a constant velocity transport or platen document scanner. This capitalizes on the geometry of the full width array sensor, in which three or four rows of photo sites are arranged in the slow scan direction. For example, the arrival time of an image edge of the red sensor row may be compared to the slightly later arrival time at the blue sensor row, and the difference yields the velocity. The velocity can then be fed back to control the transport.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus generates printing image data of a printing image and copy-forgery-inhibited-pattern-image data of a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image to be added to the printing image. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image includes a latent image and a background image. The apparatus includes a selecting unit and a printing-data generating unit. The selecting unit selects either the transparent-printing designation or overlay-printing designation, the transparent-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is superimposed on the printing image, and the overlay-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the printing image is superimposed on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. The printing-data generating unit generates printing data based on the printing designation selected by the selecting unit.

Abstract: One or more character strings are extracted from within an inputted image. The extracted character strings are retrieved to find one or more identical character strings. A determination is then made as to whether or not the identical character strings are laid out regularly, with processing performed on the inputted image depending on the findings of the determination.

Abstract: A printing method and apparatus includes fingerprinting a sheet of printable media such as paper to obtain a fingerprint. The fingerprint is encrypted using an encryption key known only to the user wanting to print the document. The encrypted fingerprint is then encoded and transferred to the document as machine readable information.