Omron Corporation

Kouichi Ohmae

Shinya Sonoda

Masahito Yanagida

Junji Hiraishi

Hitoshi Nakamura

Kiyoshi Imai

Masahiro Akagi

Masahiro Senga

Tetsuya Miwa

Minoru Inada

Souichi Matsushita

Mitsutaka Katoh

Masanori Senga

Ikuo Kinoshita

To provide an image processing device able to accurately discriminate a specified image in an input image data, the input image is converted to binary based on black and red color extraction blocks 6and 6in binary processing unit 1. These binary data are consolidated by an OR circuit and stored in storage device 2. Mark location detection unit 3 extracts a square mark from the image data stored in device 2. Pattern shape extraction unit 4 extracts another mark which is inside the square mark. Pattern matching unit 5 obtains and outputs the goodness of fit between the extracted marks and previously established marks.

Image processing device for detecting one-color marks of a number of colors and image processing method thereof

To reliably and simply prevent the output of specified image data, a unit to detect a pattern is installed in one of the devices in a system consisting of an image scanner , control device (a personal computer) and printer which are connected consecutively. This pattern detection unit contains a unit which detects a specified pattern from the mass of image data representing a document. Once this pattern has been found, either the subsequent image data are altered before being output or output of the image data is interrupted. When the system starts up, the control unit for each device checks whether that device, or one of the other devices in the system, has a pattern detection unit as described above. If it determines that no device has such a unit, it halts operation.

Image processing method and image input device, control device, image output device and image processing system employing same

To provide an image processing device able to accurately discriminate a specified image in an input image data, the input image is converted to binary based on black and red color extraction blocks 6,and 6,in binary processing unit,. These binary data are consolidated by an OR circuit and stored in storage device,. Mark location detection unit,extracts a square mark from the image data stored in device,. Pattern shape extraction unit,extracts another mark which is inside the square mark. Pattern matching unit,obtains and outputs the goodness of fit between the extracted marks and previously established marks.

An image processing device is disclosed which can reliably detect documents which may not be copied, which has a very small probability of false positives, and which can handle newly issued documents which may not be copied. In addition, an image processing scheme is disclosed which would accurately obtain the location of a pattern indicating a document to be detected; which would extract that pattern; which would determine correctly whether it is the right pattern; and which would make it difficult for anyone to tamper with the pattern. To achieve this, a specified pattern is imprinted before use on a document which may not be copied, and a previously specified number of positioning marks and dummy marks which identify the location of the pattern may also be imprinted. The device is able to detect a wide variety of documents and perform the required processing at high speed.

Image processing device and method for indentifying an input image, and copier scanner and printer including same

To reliably and simply prevent the output of specified image data, a unit to detect a pattern is installed in one of the devices in a system consisting of an image scanner,, control device,(a personal computer) and printer,which are connected consecutively. This pattern detection unit contains a unit which detects a specified pattern from the mass of image data representing a document. Once this pattern has been found, either the subsequent image data are altered before being output or output of the image data is interrupted. When the system starts up, the control unit for each device checks whether that device, or one of the other devices in the system, has a pattern detection unit as described above. If it determines that no device has such a unit, it halts operation.

An image recognition method and device detects an object mark reliably even when the mark is defaced with a different color. RGB signals are transmitted to color extraction unit. The color extraction unit has a characteristic color extraction block to extract the characteristic color of the object mark. A binary image is generated from the extracted pixels which are the color of the mark and stored in storage device. A mark detection unit detects the location of the mark in the stored image data and an image extraction unit extracts the region where the mark is located and obtains a feature count. A matching unit compares the feature count with a reference pattern and finds the goodness of fit. A control unit subjects the goodness of fit value to threshold value processing to determine whether this is a nonreproducible document. If the mark has been defaced with black ink, the pixels constituting the mark are extracted by a likely color extraction block. A binary image is generated and stored in storage device. Thus, the defaced mark can undergo the same recognition processing as the normal mark, and both can be recognized.

Image recognition method and device and copier and scanner employing same

A method and apparatus to detect marks of a specified shape and color on a document and to extract a specified pattern consisting of a number of these marks. An RGB color signal is sent, color by color, by way of image input unit 12 to binary processing unit 13. If the marks are yellow, the B signal for the pixels constituting the marks will be smaller than the other signals. The B signal is sent to mark shape extraction unit 13a and threshold processing is executed. Simultaneously, R, G and B are sent to mark color extraction unit 13b, and the fact that the marks are yellow is detected. AND element 13c finds the logical product of these processes, and a binary image is generated from which only the yellow pixels have been extracted. This binary image is transmitted to mark location detection unit 15 by way of storage unit 14. The shapes of the marks are matched against reference data and location data are extracted for the marks. The location data are transmitted to pattern location matching unit 17 by way of storage unit 16. The goodness of fit representing whether the marks are in specified locations is obtained and output.

Image processing method and device and scanner and printer equipped with

To reliably and simply prevent the output of specified image data, a unit to detect a pattern is installed in one of the devices in a system consisting of an image scanner 1, control device 2 (a personal computer) and printer 3 which are connected consecutively. This pattern detection unit contains a unit which detects a specified pattern from the mass of image data representing a document. Once this pattern has been found, either the subsequent image data are altered before being output or output of the image data is interrupted. When the system starts up, the control unit for each device checks whether that device, or one of the other devices in the system, has a pattern detection unit as described above. If it determines that no device has such a unit, it halts operation.

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Kyoto, Japan

Kouichi Ohmae