JPH01316782A - Image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image processing device that reads an image on a document and records it on a recording medium, and particularly to a color copying device that can make color copies of the document image. It is suitable for application.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, an image processing apparatus has read an image on a document placed on a document table or the like and faithfully performs a recording (copying) operation in response to instructions from an operator.

On the other hand, recent advances in copying technology, combined with color image recording technology, have made it possible to output copied images that closely resemble original images.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, with the conventional device, it is difficult to place items that should be prohibited from being reproduced, such as money or securities, on the document tray by abusing the device or by “mischief.” Even if the machine is placed in a machine and the machine is made to copy, it will copy according to the operator's instructions, which may easily lead to forgery and cause a major social problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device that can prevent counterfeiting of money or securities.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To this end, the present invention provides a reading means for reading image information from a document, an image forming means for forming the read image information on a recording medium, and a copy of the document for reading. The present invention is characterized by comprising an evaluation means for evaluating whether the image information is prohibited according to a predetermined standard, and a conversion processing means for converting the read image information to a degree corresponding to the evaluation.

[Function] According to the present invention, when images are formed on items whose duplication is prohibited, such as banknotes and securities, the images formed change depending on their suspiciousness. In other words, the higher the degree, the more the formed image differs from the original.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a schematic internal configuration of a digital color image processing system as an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this system includes a digital color image reading device (hereinafter referred to as a color reader) 1 at the top and a digital color image printing device (hereinafter referred to as a color printer) 2 at the bottom. This color reader 1 reads color image information of a document for each color using color separation means and a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD, which will be described later, and converts it into an electrical digital image signal. Also, color printer 2
is an electrophotographic laser beam color printer that reproduces a color image in each color according to the digital image signal and records the image by transferring it to a recording medium in the form of digital dots multiple times.

First, an overview of the color reader section 1 will be explained.

3 is a document, 4 is a platen glass on which the document is placed, and 5 is a rod lens for condensing the reflected light image from the document exposed and scanned by the halogen exposure lamp 10, and transmitting the image to the 1-magnification full color sensor 6. An array of 5, 6, 7 .
10 is the manuscript run! Arrow A as unit 11
Exposure scans in one direction. The color separation image signals read line by line during exposure scanning are amplified to a predetermined voltage by the sensor output signal amplification circuit 7 and then sent to the signal line 50.
1, the signal is input to a video processing unit 12, which will be described later, and is subjected to signal processing. Details will be described later. Note that the signal line 501 is a coaxial cable to ensure faithful signal transmission.

Reference numeral 502 is a signal line that supplies drive pulses for the full-color sensor 6 of the same magnification type, and all necessary drive pulses are generated within the video processing unit 12. Reference numerals 8 and 9 denote a white plate and a black plate used for white level correction and black level correction of the image signal, and by irradiating them with a halogen exposure lamp 10, a signal level of a predetermined density is obtained, and this is used as a video signal. Can be used for white level correction and black level correction.

13 is a control unit having a microcomputer, which is connected to the operation panel 2 via a bus 508.
0, key manual control, control of the video processing unit 12, control of the banknote/securities characteristic extraction circuit 52, position sensor 51. Detection of the position of the document scanning unit 11 by S2 via signal lines 509 and 510;
Stepping motor 14 for moving the scanning body 11
0N10FF control of the halogen exposure lamp 10 by the exposure lamp driver 21 via the signal line 504, light amount control, and digitizer via the signal line 505. 16, internal keys, display section, and all other controls of the color reader section 1.

The color image signal read by the exposure scanning unit 11 mentioned above during document exposure scanning is inputted from the amplifier circuit 7 to the video processing unit 12 via the signal line 501.
The image is subjected to various processes described later in this unit 12 and sent to the printer section 2 via the interface circuit 56.

Next, an outline of the color printer 2 will be explained.

711 is a scanner, which includes a laser output unit that converts the image signal from the color reader 1 into an optical signal, and a polyhedron (for example, 8
It includes a polygon mirror 712 (a face piece), a motor (not shown) for rotating this mirror 712, an f/θ lens (imaging lens) 713, and the like. 714 is a reflecting mirror that changes the optical path of the laser beam, and 715 is a photosensitive drum. The laser beam emitted from the laser output section is reflected by a polygon mirror 712, passes through a lens 713 and a mirror 714, and linearly scans the surface of the photosensitive drum 715 (raster scan).
Then, a latent image corresponding to the original image is formed.

In addition, 717 is a primary charger, 718 is a full exposure lamp,
723 is a cleaner section that collects residual toner after transfer; 724 is a pre-transfer charger; these members are arranged around the photosensitive drum 715.

726 is a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 715 by laser exposure;
y:+ry, 73tM, y3xc, 7:nak is a developing sleeve that directly performs development in contact with the photosensitive drum 715, 73
0Y, 730M, 730C, and 7308 are toner hoppers that hold spare toner, and 732 is a screw that transports the developer, and these sleeves 731Y to 7
318k, a developer unit 726 is constituted by the toner hoppers 730Y to 7308 and the screw 732, and these members are arranged around the rotation axis P of the developer unit. For example, when forming a yellow toner image, develop the yellow toner at the position shown in this diagram.
When forming a magenta toner image, the developer unit 7
26 is rotated around the axis P in the figure, and the developing sleeve 731M in the magenta developing device is disposed at a position in contact with the photoreceptor 715. Cyan and black development is performed in the same way.

Further, 716 is a transfer drum that transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 715 onto paper, 719 is an actuator plate for detecting the moving position of the transfer drum 716, and 720 is a drum that is in close proximity to this actuator plate 719. 725 is a transfer drum cleaner, 728 is a static eliminator, and 729 is a transfer electric device, and these members 719, 720, 725
, 729 are arranged around the transfer roller 716.

On the other hand, 735 and 736 are paper feed cassettes that store paper (sheets of paper) as recording media, 737 and 738 are paper feed rollers that feed paper from the cassettes 735 and 736, and 739
Reference numerals 740 and 741 are timing rollers that take the timing of paper feeding and conveyance, and the paper fed and conveyed via these is guided to a paper guide 749 and wrapped around the transfer drum 716 while its leading edge is supported by a gripper. Shift to image formation process.

Further, 550 is a drum rotation motor, and the photosensitive drum 7
15 and the transfer drum 716 are rotated synchronously.

750 transfers the paper to the transfer drum 7 after the image forming process is completed.
742 is a conveyor belt that conveys the removed paper, 743 is an image fixing unit that fixes the paper conveyed by the conveyor belt 742, and the image fixing unit 743 includes a pair of thermal pressure rollers 744 and It has 745.

Furthermore, 700 is a printer controller that controls each part of the printer section 2, and includes a PWM circuit 778 that performs pulse width modulation on the image information transferred from the reader section 1 and supplies it to the scanner 711.

Next, details of the control section 13 of the reader section 1 according to the present invention will be explained according to FIG.

(Control Unit) The control unit 13 is in the form of a microcomputer (:
It includes a lamp driver 21 .PU 22 for exposure and scanning as well as control of video signal processing in order to obtain the desired copy. Stepping motor driver 15. Digitizer 16. The control of the operation panel 20 is controlled by a signal line 508.
(bus), 504, 503, 505, etc., in accordance with the stored contents of the program ROM 23, RAM 24, RAM 25. It is assumed that the non-volatility of the RAM 25 is guaranteed by the battery 31. 50
5 is a commonly used signal line for serial communication,
The operator manually operates the digitizer 16 according to a protocol between the CPU 22 and the digitizer 16. In other words, the signal line 505 is used for editing the manuscript, for example, coordinates for movement 9 composition, etc.
This is a signal line for manually inputting area instructions, copy mode instructions, magnification ratio instructions, etc. A signal line 503 transmits scanning speed and distance from the CPU 22 to the motor driver 15.

This is a signal line for instructing forward movement, backward movement, etc., and the motor driver 15 manually applies predetermined pulses to the stepping motor 14 according to instructions from the CPt 122, thereby giving the motor rotation operation. Serial interface (I/F) 29.
30 is a serial T/ such as Intel 8251.
Although not shown, this is a general device realized by an LSI for F, etc., but the digitizer 16. The motor driver 15 also has a similar circuit.

Further, Sl and Sl are sensors for detecting the position of the original exposure scanning unit (numeral 11 in FIG. 1), and Sl is the home position, and the white level correction of the image signal is performed at this location. Sl is a sensor that detects the presence of the original exposure scanning unit at the leading edge of the image, and this position becomes the reference position of the original.

(Printer interface) Signals ITOP, BD, VCLK, VID in Figure 2
E.O.

H5YNC and SRCOM (511 to 516) are interface signals between the color printer section 2 and the reader section 1 in FIG. 1, respectively. The image signal VIDEO 514 read by the reader section 1 is all sent to the color printer section 2 based on the above signals. ITOP is a synchronization signal in the image forwarding direction (hereinafter referred to as the sub-scanning direction), and is 1
This occurs once for sending out the screen, that is, once for each of the four color images (yellow, magenta, cyan, and Bk), for a total of four times.
The leading edge of the transfer paper wrapped around the photosensitive drum 715
When receiving the toner image transfer at the contact point with the transfer drum 716., the transfer drum 716. It is synchronized with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 715, is sent to the video processing unit in the reader 1, and is further input as an interrupt to the CPt 122 in the controller 13 (signal 51
1).

The CPU 22 performs image control in the sub-scanning direction for editing and the like based on the ITOP interrupt. BD512 is a synchronization signal in the raster scan direction (hereinafter referred to as the main scan direction) that is generated once per rotation of the polygon mirror 712, that is, once per raster scan, and is an image signal read by the reader unit 1. is sent to the printer section 2 one line at a time in the main scanning direction in synchronization with the signal BD. VCLK5
Reference numeral 13 designates a synchronous clock for sending an 8-bit digital video signal 514 to the color printer unit 2, and the video data 514 is sent out via flip-flops 32 and 35, as shown in FIG. 3(b), for example.

H5YNC515 uses VCLK513 from BD signal 512
B is a main scanning direction synchronization signal generated in synchronization with B.
Having the same period as the D signal, the VIDEO signal 514 is sent out strictly in synchronization with the H5YNC 515. This is because the BD signal 51F is generated in synchronization with the rotation of the polygon mirror, so it contains a lot of jitter from the motor that rotates the polygon mirror 712, and if it is synchronized directly with the BD signal, image jitter will occur. This is because H5YNC515, which is generated in synchronization with jitter-free VCLK, is required.

SROOM is a signal line for half-duplex bidirectional serial communication, and as shown in Figure 3 (C), the 8-bit serial clock 5CLH is connected between the synchronization signal CBUSY (command busy) sent from the reader section. A command CM is sent in synchronization with the 5BUS from the printer section.
Status ST is returned in synchronization with the 8-bit serial clock between Y (status busy). All instructions from the reader section to the printer section, such as color mode, cassette selection, etc., and printer section status information, such as jam, paper out, weight, etc., are all exchanged through this communication line SR.
This is done via COM.

FIG. 3(a) shows a timing chart for sending out one four-color full-color image based on ITOP and H5YNC. ITOP511 is generated once every 1 or 2 rotations of the transfer drum 716, and at the time, a yellow image,
At time ■, the magenta image, at time ■, the cyan image, and at time ■, the Bk image data is sent from the reader section 1 to the printer section 2.
A full-color image with four superimposed colors is formed on the transfer paper.

)1sYNc is, for example, if the image density in the feed direction is 16 pel/im for 3 images in the longitudinal direction of 420 mm,
It will be sent 420x16=6720 times. This is simultaneously input as a clock input to a timer circuit 28 in the controller circuit 13, and after a predetermined number of counts, an interrupt HINT 517 is applied to the CPII 22. Thereby, the CPU 22 performs image control in the feeding direction, such as control of sampling and movement.

(Banknote/Securities Feature Extraction Circuit) The operation of the banknote/security feature extraction circuit 52 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the video processing unit 12 including the banknote/securities feature extraction circuit 52. As shown in FIG. A color image signal read by the exposure scanning unit 11 shown in the first diagram is input from the amplifier circuit 7 to the video processing unit 12 via a signal line 501. Main unit 12
Inside, the video receiver circuit 60 receives the input.
Next, a video preprocessing circuit 61 corrects pixel shifts and shading for each color and outputs them as r, g, and b signals.

The preprocessed video signal is sent to the banknote/securities feature extraction circuit 5.
2, the luminance signal is converted into a density signal by the LOG conversion circuit 62, and then subjected to masking and OCR (undercolor removal) processing by the masking UCR circuit 63. Next, it passes through an italic/mirror processing circuit 64, a color balance circuit 65, a color conversion circuit 66, a magnification conversion circuit 67, a texture processing circuit 68, an edge enhancement smoothing circuit 69, a video signal synthesis circuit 70, and a video driver circuit 71. The signal is sent to the color printer 2 via the signal line Video8.

Each processing circuit in the video processing unit 12 is connected to an internal bus Vt.
1BtlS and is further coupled to CPU 22 via CPU path transceiver 72 and signal line 508.

In the banknote/securities feature extraction circuit 52, the input r
Based on the , g, and b signals, it is determined whether or not they match with the preset characteristics of banknotes/securities, and the VU
The determination result is returned to the CPU 22 via BIIS.

The CPU 22 calculates the degree of "likeness of banknotes or securities" based on the determination results for several characteristics, and sends a conversion to a specific processing circuit via VUBIIS according to the degree of "likeness of banknotes or securities". Set parameters.

The matching judgment process carried out by the banknote/securities feature extraction circuit 52 is performed by comparing the color spectrum distribution of the document with data registered in advance in a ROM etc. for the manually input signals r, g, and b. The overall image pattern of a part or the entire document may be registered in advance in a ROM, etc., and evaluated by comparing it with pattern data.Furthermore, such processing may be performed in combination. You can also do that. Additionally, in addition to feature extraction performed on the content of the read image data, a circuit that identifies the size of the document, magnetic pattern, watermark pattern, etc. is added, and data from these is sent to the CPU 22. , appropriate processing can be performed.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a parameter conversion processing procedure performed by the CPt 122 based on several evaluations obtained by the feature extraction circuit 52 as described above. This procedure can be stored in the ROM 23.

First, in step S1, various evaluations (judgment results) are manually performed from the circuit 52 described above and others. Next, step S3
Then, appropriate calculations are performed based on the evaluation to determine the degree of "likeness of banknotes or securities." Then, in step S5, conversion parameters are determined and set in the processing circuit 63 and the like according to the calculation results. Note that the above-mentioned degree and conversion parameters can be stored in a table in the ROM 23 in advance.

Next, an example of parameter conversion contents will be described.

The following equations (a) and (b) are examples of changing the color depending on the degree of banknote or security-like appearance, and this is done by changing the masking/OCR parameters for the masking/OCR processing circuit 63.

Formula (a) is an example of normal masking, and by changing the matrix [II] as shown in formula (b), it is possible to mask according to the value of α determined based on the degree of banknote or securities-like appearance. Since the color is converted and output, α
If the color is large, the color will be completely different from the original, and the recorded material will no longer be usable as banknotes or securities.

However, the contents of the securities (numbers, etc.) can be recorded.

On the other hand, for original images that do not look like banknotes or securities, α is made small to suppress color changes. Of course, other methods may be used to change the color.

(Second example) FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment.

Here, 50-2 is a banknote/security recognition circuit, and in this example, it is configured to include a CPU for performing control according to the degree of "banknote/security-likeness".

Reference numeral 88 denotes a signal line for controlling the degree of slanting for the slanting/mirror image processing circuit 64.

Here, the italic conversion is a conversion that performs deformation as shown in FIG.
can be controlled so that it approaches Oo.

In this way, in this embodiment, the banknote/securities recognition circuit 50-
2 directly controls the italic/mirror image processing circuit 64 with the degree of conversion depending on the banknote/securities-like appearance.
Since the anti-counterfeiting process can be performed independently from the CPU 22,
The program does not become complicated, and it becomes more difficult to avoid counterfeiting prevention processing.

(Third example) FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

Here, 81 is a bus switching signal for controlling the path transceiver with the CPU bus 508, and the banknote/securities recognition circuit 50-3 operates independently of the CPU 22 and always receives the video signals r, g, and b. Monitor. If it is determined that the document is likely to be a banknote or securities, the CPU path transceiver 72 is closed and the VUBIJS is exclusively used.
By writing specific parameters into the mirror image processing circuit 64, it is possible to print italicized as shown in FIG.

By performing such conversion to a degree that corresponds to the degree of similarity to banknotes or securities, if it is determined that the image is clearly a banknote or security (when the degree is high), a print image that is clearly distinguishable from the genuine article is created. Since it is output, it is possible to prevent forgery. If the - side determination is ambiguous (the degree is small), the conversion is performed with a light degree, so that unexpected inconvenience is less likely to be caused to the operator.

FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c) are other examples in which output processing is forcibly performed according to the degree.

FIG. 6A shows an example in which the magnification processing circuit 67 is controlled to reduce and output the image depending on the degree of similarity to banknotes or securities. Also, FIG. 2B is an example in which the vertical and horizontal magnification is independently varied and output according to the degree of banknote/security-like appearance. Furthermore, the same figure (
c) is an example in which the video signal synthesis circuit 70 and the character pattern generation circuit 73 are controlled to add and output the character "copy" of a size or density depending on the degree of banknote/security-like appearance.

In addition, it controls the color balance processing circuit 65 to change the color balance, controls the texture processing circuit to output a mosaic-like texture according to the degree of change, and controls the edge enhancement/smoothing processing circuit 69. Blur processing may be performed by filtering according to the degree of blurring and output.

By configuring the video processing unit 12 to perform counterfeit prevention processing in this way, counterfeit prevention can be made more difficult to defeat.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 10 shows an example in which a forgery prevention device is provided on the printer 2 side as a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Here, 50-4 is a banknote/security recognition circuit provided in the printer controller 700, which monitors the video signals that are input in sequence, and if it is determined to be a banknote or security in the same way as above, it recognizes the above-mentioned " The video conversion circuit 51 is controlled according to the degree of "similarity". The higher the degree, the greater the difference between the printed image and the original by performing appropriate processing such as thinning the image, making the lines thinner, thicker, shading, adding text, etc. let

FIG. 11 shows a video conversion circuit 51 that performs thinning.
Here, 801 is a selector and 802 is an AND gate. Reference numeral 803 denotes an n frequency division counter, which outputs "1" once for every n pixels, and performs thinning by selecting O instead of a signal with the selector 801 once for each n pixel via an AND gate 802. n can be set from the banknote/security recognition circuit 50-4 depending on the banknote/security-likeness.

If an anti-counterfeiting device is incorporated into the printer as in this embodiment, counterfeiting can be effectively prevented even when reading is done with a reader that is not equipped with an anti-counterfeiting device.

It goes without saying that the circuit for identifying banknotes and securities is not limited to the above-mentioned circuits, and may be of any type. Further, the printer section is not limited to the electrophotographic type as in the above example, but may be of various types.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Counterfeiting of banknotes and securities can be effectively prevented.

(2) Even if it is determined that the document is a banknote or securities, it is possible to make a copy that is not faithful to the original but is sufficient to show the contents of the document, so a record of the contents of the document can be preserved.

(3) Since image conversion is performed to a degree that corresponds to the appearance of banknotes and securities, it is possible to form images with a certain level of image quality even on documents that are difficult to judge, reducing the amount of "miscopies" judged as such. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control section provided in the reader section, and FIGS. ) is an explanatory diagram for explaining its operation, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a banknote/securities recognition circuit, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of an image change processing procedure according to a recognition result, Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the banknote/securities recognition circuit, Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the mode of image change by the configuration of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the banknote/securities recognition circuit. A block diagram showing still another example of the configuration of the recognition circuit. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the mode of image modification by the configuration shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an image processing according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the video conversion circuit in FIG. 1O. 12... Video processing unit, 50-2 to 50-4... Banknote/securities recognition circuit, 51
. . . Video conversion circuit, 52 . . . Banknote/securities feature extraction circuit, 60 . ...Italic/mirror image conversion circuit, 65... Color balance conversion circuit, 66-... Color conversion circuit, 67... Magnification conversion circuit, 68... Chiku♂Charge conversion circuit, 69... Edge circuit・Smoothing circuit, 70...
Video synthesis circuit, 71... Video driver circuit, 72... Character/pattern generation circuit. Fig. 5 Benyu 1 Buru H curve width Fig. 7 Fig. 9

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A reading means for reading image information from a document, an image forming means for forming the read image information on a recording medium, and the document to be read is one whose reproduction is prohibited. An image processing device comprising: evaluation means for evaluating something according to a predetermined standard; and conversion processing means for converting the read image information to a degree corresponding to the evaluation. 2) The reading means and the image forming means have a form capable of processing color images, and the conversion processing means changes the degree of color conversion of the read image information. The image processing device described. 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion processing means performs a process of changing at least one of the shape and size of the image to be formed. 4) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion processing means performs image formation by adding a predetermined pattern having a density or size according to the degree.