EP0522769B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image processing apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1992-06-30
•
Granted: 1998-09-16
•
Expires: 2012-06-30
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Yutaka c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Udagawa
- 👤 Masahiro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Funada
- 👤 Ken-Ichi c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ohta
- 👤 Yoichi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Takaragi
- 👤 Eiji c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ohta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00838; H04N1/0084; H04N1/00843; G; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/70; G06V10/74; G06V10/75; H04N1/00848; H04N1/00856; H04N1/00875
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
An image printing apparatus (3), comprising printing
means (116-120) for printing an image using n-bit image
data, and a forgery-prevention device (123) for
controlling the apparatus (3) to provide a forgery-prevention
function so as to prevent faithful printing
of an input image by the printing means if it is
determined that the input image represents a specific
original, the forgery-prevention device comprising (i)
input means (801; 1601) for receiving n-bit image data
representing the input image, (ii) discriminating means
(803; 804-1 to 804-8; 1604; 1605-1 to 1605-8) for
discriminating whether the input image represented by the
received image data represents the specific original, and
(iii) output means (808; 1609) for outputting a control
signal in dependence on the discrimination result (H) for
controlling the apparatus (3), characterised in that: the forgery-prevention device includes converting
means (802; 1602; 1603) for converting the n-bit image
data used by the printing means into m-bit (m>n)
multivalue image data for pixels, and in that the
discriminating means is arranged to perform the
discrimination using the converted m-bit image data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
forgery-prevention device further comprises means (108)
for generating the n-bit image data from multivalue image
data prior to receipt by the input means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2,
wherein the n-bit image data is binary image data, and
wherein the converting means is arranged to perform the
conversion of a target pixel (901) by using a plurality
of neighbouring pixels.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to any preceding claim,
wherein the discriminating means is arranged to perform
the discrimination based on the colour distribution of
the m-bit image data.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to any preceding claim,
wherein the discriminating means is arranged to
discriminate whether the input image represents each of
a plurality of different specific originals.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to any preceding claim,
wherein the n-bit image data expresses the values of
pixels for a plurality of colour components, and wherein
the converting means is arranged to convert the n-bit
image data into the m-bit image data for each colour
component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the
plurality of colour components comprise the components
magenta, cyan, yellow and black, and wherein the forgery-prevention
device further comprises means (1603) for
adding the m-bit image data for the black colour
component to the m-bit image data for each of the other
colour components before supply to the discriminating
means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to any preceding claim,
further comprising generating means (1) for generating
the input image data by reading an original image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
173 words
A discrimination device (123) for controlling an
image printing apparatus (3) having printing means (116-120)
for printing an image using n-bit image data to
provide a forgery-prevention function so as to prevent
faithful printing of an input image by the printing means
if it is determined that the input image represents a
specific original, the discrimination device comprising: input means (801; 1601) for receiving n-bit image
data representing the input image; discriminating means (803; 804-1 to 804-8; 1604;
1605-1 to 1605-8) for discriminating whether the input
image represented by the received image data represents
the specific original; and output means (808; 1609) for outputting a
discrimination signal in dependence on the discrimination
result (H) for use in controlling the image printing
apparatus (3); characterised in that: the device further comprises converting means (802;
1602; 1603) for converting the received n-bit image data
used by the printing means into m-bit (m>n) multivalue
image data for pixels and in that the discriminating
means is arranged to perform the discrimination using the
converted m-bit image data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device according to claim 9, further comprising
means (108) for generating the n-bit image data from
multivalue image data prior to receipt by the input
means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein
the n-bit image data is binary image data, and wherein
the converting means is arranged to perform the
conversion of a target pixel (901) by using a plurality
of neighbouring pixels.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
30 words
The device according to any of claims 9 to 11,
wherein the discriminating means is arranged to perform
the discrimination based on the colour distribution of
the m-bit image data.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
31 words
The device according to any of claims 9 to 12,
wherein the discriminating means is arranged to
discriminate whether the input image represents each of
a plurality of different specific originals.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
48 words
The device according to any of claims 9 to 13,
wherein the n-bit image data expresses the values of
pixels for a plurality of colour components, and wherein
the converting means is arranged to convert the n-bit
image data into the m-bit image data for each colour
component.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device according to claim 14, wherein the
plurality of colour components comprise the components
magenta, cyan, yellow and black, and wherein the device
further comprises means (1603) for adding the m-bit image
data for the black colour component to the m-bit image
data for each of the other colour components before
supply to the discriminating means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
26 words
The device according to any of claims 9 to 15,
further comprising generating means (1) for generating
the input image data by reading an original image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
165 words
In an image printing apparatus (3), comprising
printing means (116-120) for printing an image using n-bit
image data, and a forgery-prevention device (123) for
controlling the apparatus (3) to provide a forgery-prevention
function so as to prevent faithful printing
of an input image by the printing means if it is
determined that the input image represents a specific
original, the forgery-prevention device comprising (i)
input means (801; 1601) for receiving n-bit image data
representing the input image, (ii) discriminating means
(803; 804-1 to 804-8; 1604; 1605-1 to 1605-8) for
discriminating whether the input image represented by the
received image data represents the specific original, and
(iii) output means (808; 1609) for outputting a control
signal in dependence on the discrimination result (H) for
controlling the apparatus (3), a method of controlling
the forgery-prevention device (123), characterised by
converting the n-bit image data used by the printing
means into m-bit (m>n) multivalue image data for pixels,
and performing the discrimination using the converted m-bit
image data.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of operating a discrimination device (123)
to generate a discrimination signal (H) for use in
controlling an image printing apparatus (3) having
printing means (116-120) for printing an image using n-bit
image data to provide a forgery-prevention function
so as to prevent faithful printing of an input image by
the printing means if it is determined that the input
image represents a specific original, the method comprising: receiving n-bit image data representing the input
image; discriminating whether the input image represented
by the received image data represents a specific
original; and outputting a discrimination signal (H) in dependence
on the discrimination result for use in controlling the
image printing apparatus (3); characterised by: converting the received n-bit image data used by the
printing means into m-bit (m>n) multivalue image data for
pixels, and using the converted m-bit image data in the
discriminating step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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