JP2963472B2 - Copy machine with confidential function - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a copying machine having a relatively simple confidential function.

2. Description of the Related Art With the reduction in the price of semiconductor memory and the progress of image processing technology, so-called digital copying, in which an image (image) of a document is converted into digital data and temporarily stored in a memory, and then the content of the memory is printed on paper or the like. The machine is appearing. In this case, instead of printing the image data stored in the memory as it is, printing after performing various data processing has been considered.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention It is often desired to communicate the contents of a document to a specific person, but to keep the document confidential to others. Such document confidentiality management can be performed in various ways, but the more strict the degree of confidentiality, the more difficult the management. When the above digital copying machine is used, various encryption processes can be considered for the confidentiality of such a copied document. However, the present invention aims to provide a copying machine capable of performing relatively simple confidentiality management. And

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, in the copying machine with a confidential function of the present invention, means for reading a document and generating image data,
Means for storing image data; means for dividing the stored image data into a plurality of blocks; means for replacing the divided image data with an arrangement different from the original arrangement according to a predetermined rule. Means for printing a barcode representing the rule used for the image data and the replacement, means for generating a rule for returning the replaced image data to the original arrangement from the rule represented by the barcode included in the stored image data, Means for replacing the generated image data with the original arrangement in accordance with the generated rules.

Operation First, the encryption process will be described with reference to FIG.

First, rules for replacement are given to the replacement means M4. Thereafter, the original is placed on the original platen of the copying machine as usual, and when the copying operation is started, the original reading means M1 reads the original and converts it into image data. This image data is
Once stored in the storage means M2. The stored image data is divided by the dividing means M3, and is replaced by the replacing means M4 with an arrangement different from the original arrangement according to the rule already given. The image data thus replaced is printed on paper or the like by the printing means M5. At this time, the printing unit M5 prints a barcode representing the rule used by the replacement unit M4 for replacement together with the image data.

Since the image of the original printed in this manner is changed for each divided block,
It is encrypted to a degree that makes it difficult to immediately understand the contents. Also, the rules of encryption printed are in the form of barcodes that are difficult to understand at first glance.

In order to restore the original image of the encrypted document,
Simply place the encrypted document on the platen of the copier and perform the copying operation. That is, the image data including the barcode is read and stored, and a rule for returning the replaced image data from the stored barcode to the original arrangement is generated. According to the rule, the divided image data is replaced with the original arrangement. Can be The image data returned to the original arrangement is printed by the printing means M5, and the decoded original image of the original is reproduced on paper or the like.

Embodiment The structure and operation of a digital copying machine 10 embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The moving optical system 14 scans the lower surface of the original placed on the original table 12 on the main body, and sends the image of the original to the light receiving unit 16 little by little. The light receiving unit 16 includes a linear light receiving element 17 and an image processing unit 18, and the image processing unit 18 includes a CPU 40, as shown in FIG.
It is configured as a microcomputer including an input / output interface (I / O) 41, a RAM 42, a ROM 43, and the like.

The image data generated by the light receiving element 17 is temporarily stored in the RAM 42 of the image processing unit 18 through the I / O 41, and after the CPU 40 performs data processing described below according to a program stored in the ROM 43 in advance, the Is sent to the laser scanner unit 20 in the form of The laser scanner unit 20 converts the received electric signal into a weak laser beam 25, performs a predetermined scan, and sends the laser beam to the developing unit 30. The developing unit 30 records the received laser beam as a latent image on the photosensitive drum 32 and prints the image on paper by the operation of the developing unit 34 and the like, as in the conventional copying machine.

The copying machine 10 of the present embodiment is provided with an operation panel 50 as shown in FIG. 4, in which various switches and indicator lamps for operating many functions of the digital copying machine 10 function. They are arranged separately. Among them, in the encryption / decryption copying according to the present invention, a switch / indicator group in the third column from the left in FIG. 4 and a numeric key (numeric keypad) arranged on the rightmost side are used.

Here, the copy machine 10 for encrypted copying and decrypted copying is used.
Will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. At the time of encryption or decryption copying, first, the operator presses the security mode button 51 on the operation panel 50, and selects either encryption processing or decryption processing (step # 10). The selected mode is indicated by the corresponding indicator light 52. Further, the user presses the code input button 53 to enter the encryption code input mode (step # 11). Entering this mode is also indicated by the indicator lamp 54. In the code input mode, by operating the right numeric keypad 55, the encryption code (rule)
Enter An example of the encryption code at this time is 1
An appropriate permutation sequence of natural numbers from to n (eg, (3,6,
2, 4, 5, 1) etc.).

Then, place the original on the platen 12, and press the copy start button 56.
When the button is pressed, the moving optical system 14 sequentially scans the document surface line by line and sends an optical image to the light receiving unit 16. In the light receiving unit 16, the received original image is converted into an electric signal by the linear light receiving element 17, and is sent to the image processing unit 18 as image data in order from the end line by line. The image processing unit 18 sequentially converts the received image data into RA
It is stored in M42 (step # 13). When a predetermined number of lines of image data have been stored (step # 14), the stored image data is blocked (step # 15).
A replacement process (step # 16) is performed. This process is the sixth
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the image data is formed by equally dividing a portion of the image data formed by a predetermined number of lines in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving optical system. It is. In the example of this figure, since six numbers are input as the encryption code as described above,
It is divided into pieces. The image data thus blocked is replaced according to the input encryption code.
Specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 6 (b) and (c), a work area WA is provided in the RAM 42, and data of any one block is evacuated.
A method of sequentially replacing the image block data according to the encryption code with the empty area VA is conceivable. In addition, the image data sent from the light receiving element 17 is directly
A method of storing data in a block according to the encryption code is also possible. In this case, the work area WA becomes unnecessary.

Thus, the block data of the first column (11 to 16)
Is replaced, the replaced data is sent to the laser scanner unit 20 as a print signal, and printed on paper (step # 17).

In the next step # 18, it is determined whether or not the image input for the entire range of the document has been completed. If not, the process returns to step # 13 to read the next image data. Then, when the input of the next predetermined number of lines is completed in step # 14, when replacing the image data of this row (21 to 26), the ciphers arranged in the opposite direction to the previous row (11 to 16) Use a conversion code. That is, in the previous line, (1,2,3,4,5,
6) → (3,6,2,5,4,1), but in this line, (1,2,3,4,5,6) → (1,4,5,2, Replace with 6,3).
The image printed in this way is one in which each block is arranged separately as shown in FIG.
It is encrypted so that its contents cannot be read at first glance.

Next, the procedure of the decryption copying process for restoring the document thus encrypted will be described. In this case, the operation panel
The user presses the security mode button 51 on the button 50 to select a decryption process. As in the case of the encryption, the user enters the code input mode with the code input button 53 and inputs the encryption code with the ten keys 55. Then, place the encrypted document on the platen
When the copy start button 56 is depressed at the position # 12, the CPU 40 determines in step # 12 that the process is a decryption process, and
At 19, a decryption code is generated from the input encryption code. In the above example, for the encryption code (3,6,2,5,4,1), (1,2,3,4,5,6) → (3,6,2,5,4, A decryption code (6,3,1,5,4,2) that is the inverse of 1) is generated. After that, similarly to the above-described encrypted copying process, blocking and replacement are performed, and printing is performed (steps # 15 to # 1).
7). In this case, only when the correct encryption code (the same code as the code used in the encrypted copying) is input, the same original image of the original is obtained, and the incorrect encryption code is obtained. Since the original document image is not restored, the confidentiality is maintained.

In the above-described embodiment, the encryption sequence is reversed in each row, and the replacement is performed. However, this may be a method of shifting one by one in each row, or various other methods. obtain. In the above embodiment, the encryption code is input as a permutation sequence of a natural number sequence. However, if the number of divided blocks and the encryption code are separately input, the encryption code is input without such restrictions. It can be an easy number (or code).

In the above embodiment, the entire surface of the document is encrypted and copied. However, only a partial area may be encrypted and copied.
For example, if only the upper half of the manuscript is confidential and needs to be encrypted, but the lower half is not confidential and needs to be understood at a glance, It can also be entered and encrypted. Specifically, a method is conceivable in which a button for entering the area designation mode is provided on the operation panel 50, and after entering the mode, the coordinates of the encryption area are designated with the ten keys 55. A tablet may be used for this area specification, or the entire area may be set as an encryption area according to the specification of the document size. In addition to the case where the document size is manually input, when an automatic document size determination device is provided, the information may be used.

In this embodiment, the encrypted code is printed in the form of a barcode at the time of encrypted copying, and at the time of decryption, the image processing unit 18 reads the printed encrypted code and automatically performs the decoding. Also, a decryption code is generated. This is an alternative to the method of generating a decryption code by inputting an encryption code from the numeric keypad 55, and one of them is selected according to the operation of the security mode button 51. It is easy to forget to obtain the encrypted code, but if it is printed in the form of a barcode, the image of the document can be reproduced reliably. Although the certainty of confidentiality is slightly reduced, it is useful when the range of departments to be confidential is limited. The encrypted area can be printed in the same manner.

If the confidentiality range is further limited and confidentiality management is to be simplified, simply use “encrypted copy”
A switch for "decryption copying" may be provided, and means for automatically generating a rule opposite to the encryption rule at the time of decryption may be provided, thereby replacing a data block.

Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a document to be kept secret can be copied into a document that is easily encrypted so that the contents cannot be read at a glance, and the encryption (or decryption) can be performed. Since the copying operation is simply performed by inputting the encryption code, the encryption / decryption process can be easily performed without requiring a special administrator. Therefore, this is an effective means when confidentiality of the contents of a document is to be easily performed at the time of mailing or storage. Furthermore, at the time of encryption, only the image data is replaced,
Documents that are difficult to encode, such as graphics, can be easily encrypted.

Also, by printing an encryption code in the form of a barcode together with the encrypted document, reading the image as a manuscript, and generating a decryption code from the encryption code represented by the barcode, it is extremely easy to encrypt before encryption. Original document can be reproduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to the claims of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal configuration of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. The figure is an external view of the operation panel of the digital copying machine according to the embodiment.
FIGS. 6A to 6D are flowcharts showing the operation of the copying machine at the time of encryption / decryption copying, and FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams showing the state of blocking and replacement at the time of encryption. 10 Digital copier, 12 Document table 14 Moving optical system, 18 Light receiving unit 18 Image processing unit 20, Laser scanner unit 30 Developing unit 50 Operation panel 55 … Numeric keypad

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A means for reading an original to generate image data; a means for storing the image data; a means for dividing the stored image data into a plurality of blocks; According to the rules, the means for replacing with the arrangement different from the original arrangement, the means for printing the replaced image data and the barcode representing the rule used for the replacement, and the replacement from the rule represented by the barcode included in the stored image data are replaced. A means for generating a rule for returning the divided image data to the original arrangement; and a means for replacing the divided image data with the original arrangement according to the generated rule.