Patent ID: 8099036

Claim:
An image processing apparatus configured to output an illegal copy preventing pattern on a paper, the apparatus comprising: an image output unit configured to output an image to a prescribed region; an output position setting unit configured to acquire output region information defining the prescribed region from the image output unit, to compare the output region information with the illegal copy preventing pattern, and to determine an output position of the illegal copy preventing pattern based on the result of the comparison; and a combining unit configured to combine the illegal copy preventing pattern and image data based on the output position determined by the output position setting unit, wherein the image output unit is configured to output the image data combined by the combining unit, the image output unit is an image output engine configured to trim image data and to print the trimmed image data; and the output position setting unit is configured to acquire trimming information about the trimming, to compare the trimming information with the illegal copy preventing pattern, and to determine the output position of the illegal copy preventing pattern based on the result of the comparison.