Patent ID: 7280255
Filing Date: 2007-10-09
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on an image forming medium and capable of forming a specific hidden pattern for specifying an apparatus at a specific position on said medium, said image forming apparatus comprising: hardware control signal supplying means for generating and supplying a hardware control signal which is necessarily generated for an image and which represents that data exists when color image data exists in the image forming apparatus, said hardware control signal including an external signal which is used for usual printing and an internal signal which is generated to be used in said printer engine when a part of a test pattern is outputted; software control signal supplying means for generating and supplying a software control signal for determining whether said specific hidden pattern is added to a color image; and specific hidden pattern control synthesizing means for adding said specific hidden pattern on an output image when either said external signal of said hardware control signal or said software control signal is detected, and for not adding said specific hidden pattern on the output image when said internal signal of said hardware control signal is detected.