Patent ID: 7627118
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A scanner device comprising: a scan processing unit to optically read an image formed on a document, a protect specification data detection unit to detect protect specification data that is contained in the image to request protection of image data of the image, the protect specification data printed on the document as a document identification indicating that the document is a secret document; and a protected image data creation unit to create the encryption key and to encrypt the image data of the image containing the protect specification data, in response to a detection signal of the protect specification data detection unit that indicates detection of the protect specification data in the image has occurred, so as to create protected image data and to encrypt the encryption key using the master encryption key; wherein the protected image data creation unit is coupled to a viewer device, the viewer device to determine whether a user is permitted to view the protected image data based on a comparison of a secret level assigned to a document identification acquired from the protected image data with an access level authorized by a user identification acquired from the user.