Patent ID: 8432559

Claim:
An image processing apparatus configured to output image data using one of a plurality of output methods, the image processing apparatus comprising: a receiving unit configure to receive the image data from an original image, wherein the received image is not associated with output restriction information; a storage unit configured to store the image data divided into a plurality of regions; a management unit configured to manage output restriction information received from a user that specifies, for each region selected by the user, to one of permit output and prohibit output of that selected region as a function of each output method of the plurality of output methods; a selecting unit configured to select an output method from the plurality of output methods, wherein the plurality of output methods includes a first output method and a second output method, and wherein the plurality of output methods at least includes displaying and printing; a determining unit configured to determine, for each region and based on the managed output restriction information and a selected output method, whether to permit output or prohibit output of a region from the plurality of regions of the image data; and an output unit configured to output the image data by using the selected output method, wherein, in response to the selecting unit selecting the first output method, the determining unit determines to prohibit output of a first region, removes the first region from the image data, and restricts the first region from being output with the plurality of regions of the image data by the output unit using the first output method, and wherein, in response to the selecting unit selecting the second output method, the determining unit determines to permit output of the first region, and permits the first region to be output with the plurality of regions of the image data by the output unit using the second output method.