Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Data corruption – power interruption – or print prevention
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-19
2004-03-16
Coles, Edward (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Data corruption, power interruption, or print prevention
C358S003280, C380S202000, C705S057000, C705S056000, C705S058000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06707564
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for reproducing an image which is read from an original or inputted from an image output apparatus on a recording medium such as a sheet of paper, and particularly to an image forming apparatus for forming an image with an additional image which represents identification information specific to or inherent in the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, digital color-image forming apparatuses (copiers, printers and the like) capable of reproducing a color image with fidelity are made commercially available, and color images can be easily reproduced on recording mediums. Accordingly there is a fear that the color-image forming apparatus is unfairly used because images of bills, securities etc. whose reproduction is inhibited can be easily reproduced.
Therefore, the invention of Japanese Examined Patent Publication JP-B2 2614369 has a configuration where, when a color-image input is recorded and reproduced on a recording medium, a pattern image representing identification information inherent to an image forming apparatus is added to the color image with color material difficult to be discriminated by human eyes.
According to the configuration, the pattern image inherent to the image forming apparatus is added on bills, securities or the like which have been reproduced unfairly by the color-image forming apparatus so that the reproduced bills, the securities or the like can be prevented from being used as legal bills, securities or the like and an image forming apparatus which has performed the unfair image forming process can be identified by the added pattern image.
However, in some cases, for example, a case where a document or the like which should be prevented from being externally leaked to be kept secret has been reproduced without permission, it is necessary to identify an image forming apparatus in which the image forming process has been performed whether or not the image forming process is of color-image forming or monochrome image forming. However, a conventional image forming apparatus is configured to add a pattern image representing identification information for identifying the image forming apparatus only when a color image has been formed. The identification of image forming apparatus is carried out by the identification information added at the time of forming a color image. There is a problem that in the case of forming a monochrome image it is impossible to identify the image forming apparatus which has performed a monochrome image forming process and therefore reproduction of documents which should be prevented from leaking externally to be kept secret can not be restricted. Such a problem generally occurs in a conventional image forming apparatus irrespective of image forming type.
In Japanese Examined Patent Publication JP-B2 2614369 (corresponding U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,742,408; 5,737,100; 5,465,161; 5,257,119), by adding a specific pattern at shorter pitches than a short width of a paper sheet with a color material difficult to be identified by human eyes, the specific pattern is necessarily formed on a paper sheet on which an image has been formed, so that an apparatus which has been used for image formation can be identified. Also, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 5-91316 (1993) (corresponding U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,481,377; 5,363,202), a check is performed about whether or not an add-on board which generate specific pattern is normally mounted on a reproducing machine body. When the add-on board has been mounted normally, a reproducing operation is performed, and when the add-on board has not been mounted normally, a reproducing operation is inhibited, so that a specific pattern is securely added. Furthermore, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 5-14682 (1993) (corresponding U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,742,408; 5,737,100; 5,465,161; 5,257,119), when achromatic (black and white) image data has been inputted, the inputted achromatic image data is outputted without adding a pattern thereto, and when a chromatic (color) image data has been inputted, the inputted chromatic image data is added with a pattern to be outputted, so that an image quality for a reproduced monochrome image is held in an excellent state though a function for adding a specific pattern on a reproduced image has been provided.
However, in the conventional art, namely JP-B2 2614369, JP-A 5-91316, and JP-A 5-14682, since there is no configuration that only a black image and an identification information image are formed by adjusting intervals or spaces between image forming portions for respective colors and a paper sheet, for example, when a color image is formed on an identification information image formed together with a black image, it becomes impossible to identify the identification information image. Thereby, it is made impossible to identify an apparatus which has performed image forming, so that an unfaith image forming process relating to a black image of a document to be held in a secret state or the like can not be prevented from being performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which securely forms an identification information image inherent to the image forming apparatus on an recording medium at a time of a black-image forming, by which the apparatus which has performed a black-image forming process can be identified and capable of suppressing an unfaithful black-image forming process of documents to be held in a secret state or the like.
The invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising:
a black-image forming portion for carrying out a black-image forming process for forming a black image on a recording medium;
a first color-image forming portion for carrying out a color-image forming process by which a color image is formed on a recording medium;
an identification information adding portion for adding identification information data which represents identification information inherent to the apparatus;
an identification information image forming portion for carrying out a process of forming an identification information image based on the identification information which is added by the identification information adding portion, on the recording medium at a time of the black-image forming process; and
color-image forming disabling means for disabling the color-image forming process operation of the color-image forming portion at a time of the black-image forming process of the black-image forming portion.
According to the invention, at a time of the black-image forming process the identification information image inherent to the image forming apparatus which has performed the image forming process is formed on a recording medium together with a black image. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus which has performed the image forming process is identified by the identification information image formed on the recording medium together the black image, so that an unfaithful image formation regarding a black image of a document which should be held in a secret state or the like is suppressed. Also, a color-image forming process operation in the first color-image forming portion is invalidated at a time of the black-image forming process. That is, only image forming operations in the black-image forming portion and the identification information image forming portion are made effective. Accordingly, only a black image and an identification information image are accurately formed on a recording medium at a time of the black-image forming process.
In the invention it is preferable that the image forming apparatus further comprises black-image formation inhibiting means for inhibiting performing of the black-image forming process operation in the black-image forming portion when formation of the identification information image effected by the identification information image forming portion is not allowed.
According to the invention, when identi
Fujimoto Osamu
Yoshiura Syoichiro
Coles Edward
Renner Otto Boisselle & Sklar
Sanbet Zebene
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
Image forming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3228501