Patent ID: 8819547

Claim:
An image processing apparatus which adds a visible electronic signature to image data, comprising at least one central processing unit which executes a program, wherein the at least one central processing unit functions as: a character image extraction unit that extracts character image data except a header and/or footer from the image data; a determination unit that determines whether or not a region where the visible electronic signature is to be arranged and a region of the extracted character image data overlap with each other; a character image layer generating unit that generates a character image layer data in which the extracted character image data is described on a transparent background, in a case where said determination unit determines that the region where the visible electronic signature is to be arranged and the region of the extracted character image data overlap with each other, wherein the character image data is visible; and a file generating unit that generates an electronic file with a layered structure having the character image layer data, the visible electronic signature and the image data in that order from an upper position of the layered structure, in a case where said determination unit determines that the region where the visible electronic signature is to be arranged and the region of the character image data overlap with each other.