Electrophotography – Document handling – Original
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-02
2001-01-16
Braun, Fred L. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Document handling
Original
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175714
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the controlled copying of a source document on reprographic devices according to an authorization or security scheme identifying the source document and operator.
Control of document duplication is a concern for both government and industry. Security sensitive documents range from classified military materials to the trade secrets of any company. Regardless of the organization, such offices typically contain photocopy machines. As such, there is a risk of sensitive documents being reproduced innocently or illicitly by persons without authorization. Unfortunately, removing the copiers or seriously restricting their use impedes basic flow of business activities within the organization for the sake of a few sensitive documents.
Methods exist to limit the usefulness of unauthorized copies. Various methods of changing or modifying the paper or substrate on which sensitive information is printed have been tried. For example, checks and banking documents are typically printed on special paper which, when copied, alter their appearance to destroy information contained thereon or to indicate that the document at hand is a copy. Other attempts to create copy-proof documents use special paper with fluorescent dyes or polka dot paper written upon in colored ink. Such documents are hard to read in the original, and can easily be defeated with modern panchromatic copiers and appropriate colored plastic sheets.
Other security systems, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,101 to Bramall, include a high capacity memory for storing images of all copies made along with user identification information. At a later time, the high capacity storage device is reviewed by security staff. Unfortunately, such systems are best suited to identify persons who have already made unauthorized copies rather than to prevent the copies from being made in the first place.
Bramall also suggests a mechanism to disable a photocopy machine by requiring both a copy card and a personal identification number or the like similar to those used by automated teller machines. This requires user interaction with the reproducing device and fails to account for various classifications of documents. Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method to control reproduction of sensitive documents based on both a security of the document to be copied and the user requesting such reproduction.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved system and method for controlling the reproduction of documents via photocopy machines, fax machines, and other digital acquisition devices which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the digital image reproducing apparatus includes a code detector having access to a digital representation of an input document. The code detector detects visually apparent machine readable code embedded in the background of the document. A code decoder is also provided operatively connected to the code detector which decodes the previously detected machine readable code into information data including a security code previously associated with the document. A control unit receives a user authorization code and the decoded security code and, based on these two allows or disallows the digitized document to be reproduced. Reproduction can be via photocopy, facsimile-type data for transmission, and/or the storage of the digitized data representing the document following a scanning operation.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the digital image reproducing apparatus also includes a storage or memory for storing data including selected parts of the machine readable code and/or selected parts input user information.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, a processor is also provided in communication with the control unit. In certain circumstances, the processor modifies the decoded security code to incorporate additional data including user information. The modified security code is passed to an encoder which converts the security code into visually apparent machine readable code.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the digital image reproducing apparatus includes the capability to place a desired security code configured as visually apparent machine readable code into a document. The apparatus includes a processor in operative communication with the control unit for generating a security code which includes the desired security code. The security code is then passed to an encoder which encodes the security code into appropriate machine readable code.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a code detector in a digital image reproducing apparatus detects visually apparent, machine readable code in a digitized image, if the code is present. If the code is detected, a code decoder derives a security code associated with the document. A control unit receives the code and determines whether to reproduce the digitized document based on the security code associated with the document and an authorization code associated with a user.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the code detector is in operative communication with an image digitizer, and receives the machine readable code therefrom.
In accordance with another more limited aspect of the present invention, the machine readable code from the digitizer is deposited into a memory which is accessible by the detector.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the visually apparent machine readable code includes at least one selected from the list of glyphs, bar codes and/or microdots.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling reproduction of a document includes determining a user's authorization code. Visually apparent machine readable code contained in the background of the digitized document is detected and decoded to derive a security code associated with the document. The security code associated with the document is compared with an authorization code for the user and if the comparison meets certain criteria, reproduction of the document is disallowed.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, identification data for the user and/or the document is stored upon an attempt to reproduce the document.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the security code is modified to include user identification data which is then included on the reproduced document.
One advantage of the present invention resides in the visually apparent background whose patterns, indicating the presence of a security system, may alone limit the number of unauthorized reproductions.
Another advantage of the present invention resides in the presence of a low density background across the entire page to prevent the security code from being inadvertently or intentionally defeated.
Still further advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5444779 (1995-08-01), Daniele
patent: 5604596 (1997-02-01), Ukai et al.
patent: 5640253 (1997-06-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 5740514 (1998-04-01), Natsudaira
patent: 5771101 (1998-06-01), Bramall
patent: 5822660 (1998-10-01), Wen
patent: 5901224 (1999-05-01), Hecht
patent: 5982956 (1999-11-01), Lahmi
patent: 5999766 (1999-12-01), Hisatomi et al.
Braun Fred L.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Xerox Corporation
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