Patent ID: 8023127

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: a background image generation section that generates a background image, which represents, by predetermined patterns, (i) background information containing copy prohibition information indicating copy is prohibited and (ii) copy prohibition release information indicating a condition to release copy prohibition; a combining section that combines a target image, and the background image generated by the background image generation section to generate a composite image and that outputs the composite image to a formation section that forms an image on a sheet of paper; and a control section that controls the formation section to form the composite image on the sheet of paper so as to arrange a pattern of the predetermined patterns of the copy prohibition release information in an edge portion of the sheet of paper and so as to arrange a pattern of the predetermined patterns of the copy prohibition information only in an internal region of the sheet of paper, wherein the edge portion is an area of the sheet of paper other than an area including the predetermined patterns of the copy prohibition information and is located between the internal region and a periphery of the sheet of paper.