Abstract:
Image processors and methods are provided. One method includes printing a control document indicative of one or more watermarks. Scanning the control document to detect a user mark designative of a selected one of the one or more watermarks is also included in the method, as is scanning printed material. The method also includes adding data corresponding to the selected one of the one or more watermarks to data corresponding to the scanned printed material to form data corresponding to watermarked material.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Watermarks are frequently displayed in the background of printed material, e.g., as an identifier of the printed material, such as for security purposes, for aesthetics, etc. Many watermarked printed materials are produced using digital technology. For example, digital data corresponding to a watermark is often added to digital data corresponding to printed material, such as a printed document, using an external computer to create a digital representation of a watermarked document. The computer then sends the digital representation of the watermarked document to a printer in a printer-usable format for printing the watermarked document.  
         [0002]     Some digital image-processing devices, such as digital copiers, etc., are capable of adding watermarks to a printed document without the use of an external computer. Typically, a watermark is either scanned into the image-processing device or is entered into the image-processing device, for example, using a keyboard or a card reader of the image-processing device. The image-processing device converts the watermark into digital data. Then, the image-processing device scans the printed document to which the watermark is to be added and converts the printed document into digital data. The image-processing device adds the digital data corresponding to the watermark to the digital data corresponding to the printed document to create a digital representation of a watermarked document. Then, the image-processing device converts the digital representation of a watermarked document to a printer-usable format and prints out a watermarked document. However, many of these image-processing devices use complex user interfaces that require a user to navigate a number of menus to produce the watermarked document.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of operating an image processor. The method includes printing a control document indicative of one or more watermarks. Scanning the control document to detect a user mark designative of a selected one of the one or more watermarks is also included in the method, as is scanning printed material. The method also includes adding data corresponding to the selected one of the one or more watermarks to data corresponding to the scanned printed material to form data corresponding to watermarked material.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image processor according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  illustrates a control document according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]     In the following detailed description of the present embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a digital image processor  100 , such as a digital copier, digital sender, multifunction copier, etc., according to an embodiment of the present invention. Image processor  100  includes a scanner  110  connected to a digitizer  120 , such as an analog-to-digital converter. A controller  130  is connected to digitizer  120 . For one embodiment, scanner  110  scans in printed material, such as a printed document, and converts the printed material into analog electrical signals. Digitizer  120  receives the analog electrical signals from scanner  110  and converts the analog electrical signals into digital data. Digitizer  120  sends the digital data to controller  130 .  
         [0009]     For one embodiment, controller  130  is adapted to format the data received from scanner  1   10  into a printer-usable format, such as a bitmap, Portable Document Format (PDF), Tag Image File Format (TIFF), Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), etc. For one embodiment, controller  130  is adapted to transmit digital data corresponding to the scanned printed material, e.g., in a printer-usable format, to one or more destination addresses on a data network via an interface  140 . For one embodiment, the destination addresses are network addresses of network devices (printers, servers, workstations, storage devices, etc.), electronic messaging addresses (e.g., email), facsimile (fax) numbers, etc., and the data network is a Local Area Network, the Internet, or the like.  
         [0010]     For another embodiment, digital image processor  100  includes a printer  150 , such as a laser printer, an ink-jet printer, etc., connected to controller  130 . For one embodiment, controller  130  is adapted to send the printer-usable data to a printer  150  for printing. For another embodiment, printer  150  includes a supply of printable media  152 , such as paper, on which a copy of the printed material is printed.  
         [0011]     Controller  130  includes a memory  132 , e.g., a computer-usable storage media that can be fixedly or removably attached to digital image processor  100 . Some examples of computer-usable media include static or dynamic random access memory (SRAM or DRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically-erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM or flash memory), magnetic media and optical media, whether permanent or removable. Memory  132  may include more than one type of computer-usable media for storage of differing information types.  
         [0012]     In various embodiments, memory  132  stores digital data received from digitizer  120  for subsequent formatting by controller  130 . For another embodiment, memory  132  contains computer-readable instructions, e.g., drivers, adapted to cause a processor  134  of controller  130  to format the data received from digitizer  120  and computer-readable instructions to cause processor  134  to cause digital image processor  100  to perform various methods, as described below. For one embodiment, image processor  100  includes a user interface  160  that in another embodiment includes a graphical display  162 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a watermark control document  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention. For one embodiment, printer  150  of image processor  100  prints out control document  200  on the printable media when a user of image processor  100  activates a control-document print key  164  ( FIG. 1 ) of user interface  160 . For another embodiment, control-document print key  164  is integrated in display  162 .  
         [0014]     For one embodiment, control document  200  includes a watermark section  210 . Watermark section  210  displays thumbnails  212   1  to  212   N  of images that can be added as watermarks to printed material that is scanned into image processor  100 . The watermark section, for another embodiment, can include more than one page of control document  200 , depending on the number and/or size of thumbnails  212 . For some embodiments, thumbnails  212  are thumbnails of images, such as pictures, text, logos, etc., that were pre-scanned into image processor  100  and stored as data, corresponding to the pre-scanned images, in memory  132  of image processor  100 .  
         [0015]     For other embodiments, thumbnails  212  are thumbnails of images stored as data in a removable storage media  166  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) removably connectable to image processor  100 . Examples of storage media  166  include flash memory cards (e,g., CompactFlash available from SanDisk Corporation, Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, and Memory Stick available from Sony Corporation, Japan), floppy disks, compact discs, Universal Serial Bus (USB) drives, etc. For one embodiment, image data corresponding to the images stored in storage media  166  is stored in memory  132  before the thumbnails  212  are printed. For another embodiment, the images stored in storage media  166  are printed as thumbnails  212  directly from storage media  166 .  
         [0016]     For another embodiment, open symbols  214   1  to  214   N , e.g., circles, ellipses, boxes, etc., are respectively disposed adjacent thumbnails  212   1  to  212   N . To add a watermark to printed material scanned into image processor  100 , a thumbnail  212  corresponding to the image that is to be added as a watermark is designated by a user making a mark adjacent the thumbnail  212 , e.g., by placing the mark within the symbol  214  corresponding to the thumbnail  212 . For example, to add the image corresponding to thumbnail  212   1  to the printed material, the user places a mark  216  in symbol  214   1 , as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0017]     For another embodiment, watermark control document  200  includes a display options section  220  that can include scaling options  222 , brightness options  224 , orientation options  226 , a color option  228 , a black-and-white option  230 , etc. The display options provide various options for displaying an image as a watermark on printed material. For one embodiment, an open symbol  232 , e.g., a circle, an ellipse, a box, etc., is disposed adjacent each of the display options. For another embodiment, a user places mark  216  in one or more open symbols  232  corresponding to the one or more display options to be selected. For example, when marks  216  are placed within open symbols  232  as shown in  FIG. 2  and are scanned into image processor  100 , image processor displays the image corresponding to thumbnail  212   1  on the printed material in color, at 70 percent of its original size, at ten percent of its original brightness, and rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from its original position.  
         [0018]     For another embodiment, watermark control document  200  includes an output options section  240  that can include an option for printing watermarked copies of the printed material at printer  150  and/or sending the watermarked copies a destination address, such as an email address, fax number, website address, etc. For one embodiment, an open symbol  242 , e.g., a circle, an ellipse, a box, etc., is disposed adjacent each of the output options. For another embodiment, a user places mark  216  in one or more open symbols  242  corresponding to the one or more output options to be selected. For example, when marks  216  are placed within open symbols  242  as shown in  FIG. 2  and are scanned into image processor  100 , image processor prints out one or more copies of watermarked printed material and sends data corresponding to the watermarked printed material to a preprogrammed email address  1 , a preprogrammed fax number P, a preprogrammed website address  1 , and a destination address, such as a website address, fax number, and/or email address, that is entered in a space  246 , e.g., by typing, of the output options section  240 . For one embodiment, an optical character recognition (OCR) program stored in memory  132  causes processor  134  to interpret the destination address in region  246  and to send the watermarked printed material to that destination address.  
         [0019]     For another embodiment, watermark control sheet  200  includes an indicator  250 , such as a bar code, that when detected by image processor  100 , places image detector  100  in a watermark mode of operation. For other embodiments, user activation of a watermark-mode-selection key  168  ( FIG. 1 ) of user interface  160  places image processor  100  into the watermark mode of operation. For another embodiment, watermark-mode-selection key  168  is integrated in display  162 . For various embodiments, while operating in the watermark mode, image processor  100  adds a watermark corresponding to a selected one of thumbnails  212  to printed material that is scanned by image processor  100 . For one embodiment, position vectors (not shown) originating at indicator  250  specify the locations of thumbnails  212 , each of the display options, each of the output options, and open symbols  214 ,  232 , and  242 , and thus each of marks  216  relative to indicator  250 . For example, indicator  250  may be the origin of a coordinate system, e.g., Cartesian coordinate system, and the position vectors row or column vectors having as elements coordinates of the locations or bounding regions of the respective thumbnails  212 , display options, output options, and open symbols  214 ,  232 , and  242 .  
         [0020]     For various embodiments, the computer-readable instructions of image processor  100  cause image processor  100  to perform a method  300 , as illustrated by a flowchart in  FIG. 3 . At block  310 , image processor  100  prints out watermark control document  200 , e.g., in response to a user activating control-document print key  164 . For some embodiments, this involves image processor  100  generating the thumbnails  212  from data corresponding to images in memory  132  and/or removable memory  166 . Image processor  100  then adds the thumbnails to an electronic version of watermark control document  200  that is in a printer-usable format.  
         [0021]     After printing watermark control document  200 , the user places a mark  216  adjacent a thumbnail  212  to designate the thumbnail  212  as corresponding to a selected watermark. For example, the user fills in an open symbol  214  corresponding to the thumbnail  212  with mark  216 . At block  320 , image processor  100  scans control document  200  to detect the mark  216 . For one embodiment, image processor  100  detects the indicator  250  before detecting mark  216 , which instructs image processor to operate in the watermark mode of operation. For another embodiment, the user places image processor  100  in a watermark mode of operation using watermark-mode-selection key  168  before control document  200  is scanned.  
         [0022]     Upon detecting mark  216 , image processor  100  selects an image, e.g., from memory  132  or removable memory  166 , corresponding to the designated thumbnail  212  as a watermark to be added to printed material. For other embodiments, image processor  100  detects marks  216  corresponding to the various options for displaying the selected image on the printed material and/or the various options for outputting the watermarked printed material.  
         [0023]     At block  330 , the printed material is scanned by scanner  110  while image processor  100  is in the watermark mode of operation. At block  340 , data corresponding to the selected image to be added as a watermark is added to data corresponding to the printed material to form data corresponding to watermarked material. For one embodiment, the data corresponding the watermarked material is converted to a printer usable format. For another embodiment, this includes implementing one or more display options of the display options section  220  as a result of image processor detecting marks  216  corresponding to the one or more display options. For one embodiment, printer  150  prints the watermarked material as a result of image processor detecting a mark  216  corresponding to the output option (or print instruction) “Print Watermarked Copies.” For some embodiments, image processor  100  sends the data corresponding to the watermarked printed material to one or more destination addresses specified in the output options section  240  as a result of image processor  100  detecting marks  216  corresponding to the one or more destination addresses.  
       Conclusion  
       [0024]     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. Many adaptations of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the invention. It is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.