JP2005173720A - Hidden character processing device, Hidden character processing method, Hidden character processing program, recording medium recording this, and Hidden character processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

To secure confidentiality of printed matter and to control whether or not printing can be performed on a secret information portion included in print data.
A determination unit determines a hidden character designation of confidential information designated in print data, and a setting unit sets a hidden character attribute in a target range of the hidden character designation. The conversion means 3 converts the data into printer compatible PDL data. The creation unit 4 creates authentication data for selecting whether the set-up character range set by the setting unit 2 is unreadable or normal readable printing. The adding means 5 adds the authentication data to the converted PDL data. The authentication means 6 discriminates from the input authentication data and the additional authentication data when printing the PDL data having the hidden character attribute. Based on this result, the processing means 7 sets the PDL data as processed data in order to make the character with the hidden character attribute designation explicit / unspecified printing. The processed data is printed by the print output means 8. The print data including the concealed character-designated confidential information is selected as the authentication data, and the print that can be read is selected to maintain confidentiality and facilitate handling.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention secures confidentiality of printed matter, and in particular, hides a portion corresponding to confidential information of the printed matter and prints it out, or prints out the hidden portion by confirming a personal identification number, etc. The present invention relates to a method, a hidden character processing program, a recording medium recording the program, and a hidden character processing system.

  In recent years, printer servers that connect a printer to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) have become widespread. Therefore, a system configuration in which a large number of client PCs connected via a network share one or more printers including a printer connected to a network such as a LAN or a printer locally connected to a server PC (Personal Computer). Is increasing.

  By operating the printers connected in such a configuration in common, for example, excessive capital investment such as connecting one printer to each client PC is suppressed, and each group unit sharing a printer is controlled. Therefore, the occupied area and power consumption by the printer can be reduced by considering additional arrangements or suppressing the absolute number of printers according to the situation.

  Due to the use form via such a network, for example, a part of one's own printed output is confused with another person's printed output, and further, the confidentiality of the printed output is impaired. In addition, since many users share the printer, the responsibility for managing the printer is unclear, and there is a problem that the printer is left in an error state or the printer is easily forgotten to be turned off. . In order to solve these problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228667 ensures the confidentiality of printed output in a printer apparatus shared by a plurality of PCs, and further turns on the power supply of the printer apparatus when there is no possibility of a print request. A print control device that automatically cuts and a storage medium are described.

Further, in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to pay close attention so that only a person who has authority to read the document can see it in the confidential document, and the printed document is classified as confidential document printing (also called confidential printing). Management must be strict, especially by using functions. For this reason, a document that has been printed on a trial basis before the document is completed requires strict handling equivalent to that of the completed document, and it is very difficult to print and confirm it easily. Even if printing is performed in an environment that is reliable in terms of confidentiality, another time and effort is required each time printing is performed, such as applying a shredder to maintain confidentiality of the printed document. In order to solve this problem, the printing device has a function to perform trial printing in such a way that the data contents cannot be read at all in the confidential printing mode, and when printing a document that requires confidentiality. A confidential document printing system for improving convenience and maintaining confidentiality is described.
JP 2001-75752 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-132482

  The output processing of a printed matter including confidential information in a printer or the like having a conventional configuration is performed by adding authentication information to print data and outputting the print data, and determining whether or not printing is possible from the authentication information on the printer side. In Patent Document 1, in order to ensure the confidentiality of a printed matter to be printed, confidential printing is designated and authentication information is added to the print data. At the time of printing, the input authentication information and the authentication information added to the print data are included. Output only if they match.

  However, in Patent Document 1, when confidential information is included in a part of print data, printing itself cannot be performed when confidential printing is designated. Even when confidential information is included in only a part of a document, other parts cannot be referred to. For example, if there is confidential information in a part of the fifth page in a 10-page sentence, all pages cannot be printed, and it is not possible to meet the demand for printing only the confidential information part.

  Patent Document 2 also converts or filters characters, figures, and images into unrelated figures and images while maintaining the layout information in order to confirm the layout of the document while maintaining the confidentiality of the confidential document. Although the layout is confirmed by executing trial printing, there is a problem that information cannot be concealed only for specific characters and figures as in Patent Document 1.

  In Patent Document 1, since authentication information is only added to the print data, the confidentiality of the print data flowing through the network, and also in Patent Document 2, since the print data is processed on the printer body side, the data spooled from the host is used. There was a problem that the confidentiality of was not protected.

  The present invention is directed to solving the above-described problems of the prior art, and secures the confidentiality of printed matter and controls whether or not to print out confidential information included in print data. An object of the present invention is to provide a hidden character processing method, a program of hidden character processing, a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and a hidden character processing system.

  In order to achieve this object, a hidden character processing device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a hidden character processing device that controls whether or not a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program is printed out. Determining means for determining presence / absence of confidential information included in the print data, setting means for setting a hidden character attribute that sets the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data according to the result of the determining means, and whether or not the confidential information can be printed. Authentication data creation means to be controlled, conversion means for converting the print data set with the hidden character attribute into page description language conversion data, addition means for adding the created authentication data to the conversion data, and determination of pass / fail of the authentication data Authentication means, processing means for processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of the authentication means, and print output for printing the processing data of the processing means Characterized by comprising a means.

  Further, the hidden character processing device according to claim 2 is a hidden character processing device that controls whether or not the secret information portion included in the print data created by the application program is printed out, and displays the print data. Range specifying means for selecting the confidential information part as a hidden character, setting means for setting the hidden character attribute of the confidential information part selected by the range specifying means in the print data, and an authentication data creating means for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed, , Conversion means for converting the print data set with the hidden character attribute into page description language conversion data, an adding means for adding the created authentication data to the conversion data, an authentication means for judging the quality of the authentication data, and a result of the authentication means Processing means for processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the processing means, and print output means for printing the processing data of the processing means. Range specifying means, to an intermediate data storage unit of the print data, comprising the display means of the intermediate data.

  Further, the hidden character processing device according to any one of claims 4 to 8 is the hidden character processing device according to claims 1 and 2, wherein in the creating means, the authentication data to be created includes at least authentication information and a password, The authentication data to be created is encrypted, and the processing means specifies / not specifies the character, image, and figure data for which the hidden character attribute is set by the setting means based on the result of the authentication means. In addition to creating data, the processing data to be specified is replaced with any same character or symbol instead of the character with the hidden character attribute set, and the processing means sets the hidden character attribute by the setting means. Cover each character, image, and figure data that has been set based on the result of the authentication means with rectangular data to cover the range of the character, image, and figure data that has the hidden character attribute set. To feature.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hidden character processing method for controlling whether or not a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program can be printed out. A setting process for setting a hidden character attribute in which the confidential information portion is a hidden character in the print data according to the determination result, a step for creating authentication data for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed, and print data in which the hidden character attribute is set The page conversion language conversion data, the step of adding the created authentication data to the conversion data, the step of processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of the quality determination of the authentication data, and the processing And a print output process for printing data.

  Further, the hidden character processing method according to claims 10 and 11 is a hidden character processing method for controlling whether or not the secret information portion included in the print data created by the application program is printed out, and displays the print data. A setting step for setting the hidden character attribute of the confidential information portion selected by the range specifying step for selecting the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data, a step for creating authentication data for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed, and a hidden character attribute. The step of converting the set print data into page conversion language conversion data, the step of adding the created authentication data to the conversion data, and the step of processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of judging the quality of the authentication data And a print output means for printing the processed data, and the range specifying step includes an intermediate data for the print data. Save the data, characterized by comprising the step of displaying the intermediate data.

  Further, the hidden character processing method according to any one of claims 12 to 16 is the hidden character processing method according to claims 9 and 10, wherein the authentication data includes at least authentication information and a password in the step of creating authentication data. In addition, the authentication data to be created is encrypted, and the process of processing the conversion data is performed based on the authentication data authentication result of each character, image, and figure data for which the hidden character attribute is set in the setting process. Create specified / unspecified processing data, and replace the specified processing data with any of the same characters or symbols instead of the characters with the hidden character attribute set. The process of processing the character, image, and figure data for which the hidden character attribute has been set by the setting process is set based on the authentication result of the authentication data. Character, image, and wherein the range of graphic data covered by the rectangle data.

  A hidden character processing program according to claim 17 is a hidden character processing program for controlling whether or not the secret information portion included in the generated print data is printed out. The hidden character processing program includes: A process for determining presence / absence, a process for setting a hidden character attribute in which the confidential information part is hidden in the print data according to the determination result of the determination means, and authentication data for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed by the creation means A process for creating authentication data, a process for adding authentication data to the converted data converted from the print data in which the hidden information attribute is set in the confidential information part by the conversion means to the page description language, and a determination of pass / fail of the authentication data by the authentication means From the result, the process for processing the conversion data to be printed out by the processing means, and the conversion data processing And having a process for printing by the print output unit data.

  A hidden character processing program according to claim 18 is a hidden character processing program for controlling whether or not the secret information portion included in the generated print data can be printed out. A process for enabling selection of the information part as a hidden character, a process for setting the hidden character attribute of the confidential information part selected by the range specifying means in the print data by the setting means, and a control means for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed by the creation means A process for creating authentication data and adding the authentication data to the converted data converted from the print data in which the concealment attribute is set in the confidential information part by the conversion means to the page description language, and determining whether the authentication data is acceptable or not by the authentication means The process of processing the conversion data to be printed out by the processing means from the result of the processing and the conversion data were processed And having a process for printing by the printing output means Engineering Data.

  According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium in which the hidden character processing program according to the seventeenth or eighteenth aspect is stored so as to be readable by a computer.

  A hidden character processing system according to claim 20 is a hidden character processing system that controls whether or not a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program running on a computer is printed out from a printer. Determining means for determining presence / absence of confidential information included in the data; setting means for setting a hidden character attribute that sets the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data according to a result of the determining means; and authentication for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed A data creation unit; a conversion unit that converts the print data in which the hidden character attribute is set into conversion data in a page description language; an addition unit that adds the created authentication data to the conversion data; and an authentication unit that determines whether the authentication data is good or bad The processing means for processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of the authentication means, and the processing data of the processing means Characterized in that a printout means for printing data.

  A hidden character processing system according to claim 21 is a hidden character processing system that controls whether or not a confidential information portion included in print data created by an application program running on a computer is printed out from a printer. Range specifying means for displaying data and selecting the secret information part as a hidden character, setting means for setting the hidden character attribute of the secret information part selected by the range specifying means in the print data, and authentication for controlling whether or not the secret information can be printed A data creation unit; a conversion unit that converts the print data in which the hidden character attribute is set into conversion data in a page description language; an addition unit that adds the created authentication data to the conversion data; and an authentication unit that determines whether the authentication data is good or bad , Processing means for processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of the authentication means, and processing means Characterized in that a printout means for printing the processed data.

  According to the hidden character processing apparatus, the hidden character processing method, the hidden character processing program, the recording medium storing the hidden character processing program, and the hidden character processing system configured as described above, a portion corresponding to the confidential information of the printed material is concealed while ensuring the confidentiality of the printed material. Thus, it is possible to protect the confidentiality of the print output information by confirming a secret number or the like for the printed output or the concealed portion, and it is possible to easily handle the print output of the print data including the confidential information.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to protect the confidentiality of the information when printing the print data including the confidential information, and the confidential information can be printed as necessary. It is possible to hold the information and to easily handle such information.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a bind-off processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a discriminating means for discriminating whether or not secret information designated in print data created by an application is designated as a hidden character when printed out, and 2 is a print data designated as a hidden character. Setting means for setting the hidden character attribute in the target range according to the designation information, 3 is a converting means for converting to a page description language (PDL) corresponding to a printer for printing out including the print data and the hidden character attribute set by the setting means 2 4 is an authentication for enabling selection processing to either print out the unseen character range set by the setting means 2 as unseen characters in an unreadable state or to print out in a normal readable state. Creation means 5 for creating data, PDL data obtained by converting the authentication data created by the creation means 4 by the conversion means 3 6 is an authentication means for judging whether the authentication data input from the user and the authentication data added to the PDL data are good or bad when printing the PDL data having the hidden character attribute. According to the judgment result of the means 6, the processing means for making the processing data, for example, bitmap-developed processing data in which the character designated with the hidden character attribute is specified / not specified, is recorded based on the processing data from the processing means 7. Print output means such as a printer engine for printing on paper.

  According to the concealed character processing apparatus according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the authentication set for the print data including the confidential information of the part designated as the concealed character by the series of processing of each unit shown in FIG. According to the data, it is possible to select a state in which the portion of the print data designated by the hidden character can be read or not, and it is possible to maintain the confidentiality of the confidential information that has been printed out and to facilitate the handling thereof.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration in which the host computer side is provided with a printer driver and the printer side is provided with a part of functions as a specific example of the hidden character processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the host computer 10 has a masked character designation determining unit 1, a masked character setting unit 2, a PDL data converting unit 3, an authentication data creating unit 4, and an authentication data adding unit 5. On the printer 11 side, there are provided authentication data authentication means 6, processing means 7 for converting the PDL data into processing data, and processing data print output means 8.

  Although not shown, PDL data storage means is provided on either or both of the host computer 10 side and the printer side. For example, the host computer 10 and the printer 11 are provided as a buffer for transmitting / receiving PDL data via a network or the like, or a storage unit of a printer server.

  On the printer 11 side, as authentication means 6 for confirming the authentication data added to the PDL data set with the hidden character attribute, confirmation with the corresponding authentication data input from the operation panel provided in the printer 11 is performed. Done. Based on this result, the processing unit 7 processes the PDL data to make a print state that specifies whether or not the printout data can be read.

  As the conversion means 3 shown in FIG. 2, for example, in the case of normal character data, when converted into PDL data, data of color, font, size, and entire text is designated as shown in FIG. As character processing, the command example of PDL data is a binary code. Color (0x10) in FIG. 3A is a command (0x10) for setting a color, and an RGB value is designated thereafter. FontSelect (0x20) designates font selection and character size. Text (0x30) designates a character, DataSize designates the entire size of text data, and TextData designates a character string code. On the other hand, in the case of character data with the hidden character attribute set, as shown in FIG. 3B, the hidden character set with the hidden character set by specifying “hide” in Text (0x30) specifying the character in FIG. Specifies that it is a character.

  In the case of normal image data, when converted to PDL data, the parameters of the image data are set with BeginImage (0x40) as shown in FIG. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, for the image data with the hidden character attribute set, the hidden image is set with the hidden character set by specifying “hide” in BeginImage (0x40) for setting the parameter of the image data. Specify that there is.

  Further, in the case of normal graphic data, when it is converted into PDL data, as shown in FIG. 5A, parameters of graphic data are set by Polygon (0x50). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, the graphic data with the hidden character attribute set is a hidden graphic with the hidden character set by specifying “hide” in Polygon (0x50) for setting the graphic data parameter. Specify that there is.

  Further, the creating means 4 shown in FIG. 2 creates authentication data to be added by the adding means 5 to the PDL data in which the hidden character attribute is set. This authentication data includes authentication information (user ID), personal identification number (password), and the like. As input means for the information, various settings (paper size, portrait / longitudinal) for printing out by the printer driver on the host computer 10 side. A user interface or the like that performs standard printing for specifying horizontal printing and the number of copies to be printed is used. The created authentication data is encrypted, added to the PDL data by the adding means 5 described above (see FIG. 6), subjected to normal transmission / reception processing, etc., and transmitted to the printer 11.

  On the printer 11 side, the received authentication data and PDL data are checked against the authentication data by the authentication means 6. Also, the encrypted authentication data is decrypted by the same encrypted method. In the authentication means 6, as described above, the authentication data input from the operation panel of the printer 11 and the received authentication data are collated, and when the authentication is correct, the confidential information portion is set as the hidden character attribute of the PDL data. The processing unit 7 develops the bitmap as a readable character, and the print output unit 8 performs printing.

  However, if the authentication means 6 does not match the input authentication data and the received authentication data, or if the authentication data is not input and an instruction to print out is requested, the processing means 7 sets the hidden character attribute. Bit map development is performed with the confidential information portion unspecified, and printing is performed by the print output unit 8.

  When the range for setting the hidden character attribute shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C is set, and the authentication data does not match from the PDL data converted by the conversion unit 3, FIG. As shown in (b) and (c), the processing means 7 performs processing on the PDL data to be output based on the setting of the hidden character attribute and prints it.

  Further, in the case of the character data described above, an example in which the character is replaced with blank data is shown, but it may be replaced with another identical character (for example, a character such as “*”, [#], etc.). As shown in FIG. 9, it may be inserted so as to overwrite a rectangle (for example, painted black) as another drawing command. As shown in FIG. 10, in this example, a command for drawing a rectangle by acquiring the coordinates of a rectangle covering a character string is issued. (1000, 200) represents the upper left coordinates for arranging the rectangle, and (4000, 450) represents the lower right coordinates of the rectangle. The rectangle covering the character string is obtained from the upper left coordinates, and the lower right coordinates are obtained from the character information. can do.

Here, the operation of the first embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
First, a range selection in which the secret information portion is hidden in the print data is performed (S1). For example, the secret information portion is specified in the data created by the application program. In accordance with the print instruction for the created data, the printer driver having the hidden character processing function performs print data conversion processing to create PDL data (S2). It is determined whether or not there is an instruction to set the hidden character attribute of the confidential information in the print data (S3). When there is a setting instruction (Yes in process S3), the hidden character attribute is set in the corresponding range (S4). Further, authentication data is created and added to the PDL data in which the hidden character attribute is set (S5).

  A series of processes for transmitting the created PDL data to the printer is performed (S6). If there is no instruction to set the hidden character attribute in process S3 (No in process S3), the PDL data created in process S2 is transmitted to the printer. To do.

  In the printer that has received the PDL data, authentication data to be compared with the authentication data added to the PDL data is input (S7). Here, the quality of the authentication data is judged (S8). If the authentication data matches (Yes in S8), the hidden character attribute is removed and the bitmap is developed in a readable state (S9), and the processed data is printed (S11). In step S8, if the authentication data does not match (No in S8), or if there is no input of authentication data and a print output is requested, the range in which the hidden character attribute is set is unexpanded into a bitmap. (S10), printing is performed (S11).

  Next, as Example 2 of this embodiment, a case will be described in which hidden characters are designated by a printer driver having a hidden character processing function. The second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described above. However, the print data created in the application program can arbitrarily set a range in which the hidden character attribute is set when a print instruction is issued. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment is provided with intermediate data storage means 15 and preview display means 16 which are range setting means for designating an arbitrary range for setting the hidden character attribute. Is. As the input means and display means, the above-described user interface for making various settings of the printer driver on the host computer 10 side is used.

  As shown in FIG. 13, in accordance with a print instruction for data created by an application program, the printer driver temporarily saves the print data as an intermediate data format (S15), and displays this intermediate data as a preview (S16). The range of the hidden character attribute is selected by the interface (S1). The following processing is the same as the processing described in the flowchart of FIG.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to set up a hidden character attribute in an arbitrary range for the confidential information part included in the print data, and whether or not the information can be read is determined by the authentication data. Thus, confidentiality can be ensured and handling in the printing process can be facilitated.

  Furthermore, the functions of each means of the above-mentioned hidden character processing are stored as a program that can be handled by a personal computer and stored in a recording medium that can be read by the personal computer, and introduced into the personal computer through this, so that the printer driver or the like It can be used as a new additional function.

  Further, in the construction of a system in which a plurality of personal computers and printers are connected via a network such as a LAN having the hidden character processing function according to the present embodiment, the print is output particularly as a system sharing the printer. Not only can the confidentiality be maintained for the print output having the confidential information of the print data, but also the confidentiality can be maintained for the PDL data transmitted to the printer via the network.

  The hidden character processing apparatus, the hidden character processing method, the hidden character processing program, the recording medium storing the hidden character processing program, and the hidden character processing system according to the present invention print out the portion corresponding to the confidential information of the printed material while ensuring the confidentiality of the printed material. The confidentiality of the print output information can be protected by confirming the secret code or the like for the concealed portion, which is useful for print output of print data including confidential information.

The block diagram which shows schematic structure of the bind-off processing apparatus in embodiment of this invention The block diagram which shows the structure of the specific example of the binding character processing apparatus of Example 1 in this Embodiment (A) is an example of PDL designation of character data, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of PDL designation of a hidden character attribute in character data. (A) is an example of PDL designation of image data, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of PDL designation of a hidden character attribute in image data. (A) is an example of PDL specification for graphic data, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of PDL specification for a hidden character attribute in graphic data The figure which shows the data structure which added the produced | generated authentication data to PDL data (A), (b), (c) is the figure which shows the range setting example of the hidden character attribute of each data of a character, an image, and a figure (A), (b), (c) is a figure which shows the example of a print output in which the hidden character attribute of each data of a character, an image, and a figure was set The figure which shows the example of the print output which set the obscure character attribute of the character data and covered with the rectangle data The figure which shows the example of specification of the rectangle data where the obscure character attribute of the character data is set The flowchart which shows operation | movement of Example 1 of this Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the specific example of the binding character processing apparatus of Example 2 in this Embodiment The flowchart which shows operation | movement of Example 2 of this Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Discriminating means 2 Setting means 3 Conversion means 4 Creation means 5 Addition means 6 Authentication means 7 Processing means 8 Print output means 10 Host computer 11 Printer 15 Intermediate data storage means 16 Preview display means

Claims (21)

A hidden character processing device that controls whether or not to print out a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program,
Determining means for determining presence / absence of confidential information included in the print data; setting means for setting a hidden character attribute that sets the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data according to a result of the determining means; and Authentication data creating means for controlling whether or not printing is possible; conversion means for setting print data with the hidden character attribute set as page description language conversion data; adding means for adding the created authentication data to the conversion data; Authentication means for determining whether the authentication data is good, processing means for processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of the authentication means, and print output means for printing the processing data of the processing means The hidden character processing device. A hidden character processing device that controls whether or not to print out a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program,
Range specifying means for displaying the print data and selecting the secret information portion as a hidden character, setting means for setting the hidden character attribute of the secret information portion selected by the range specifying means in the print data, and printing of the secret information Authentication data creating means for controlling whether to accept, conversion means for converting the print data set with the hidden character attribute into page description language conversion data, adding means for adding the created authentication data to the conversion data, and the authentication An authentication means for judging whether the data is good, a processing means for processing conversion data to be printed out according to a result of the authentication means, and a print output means for printing the processing data of the processing means A hidden character processing device.   3. The hidden character processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the range specifying means comprises intermediate data storage means for print data and display means for the intermediate data.   3. The concealed character processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the creation means includes at least authentication information and a recitation number.   5. The hidden character processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the creation means encrypts authentication data to be created.   2. The processing means creates processing data for specifying / not specifying each data of a character, an image, and a figure for which the hidden character attribute is set by the setting means based on a result of the authentication means. Or the covert processing apparatus of 2 description.   7. The hidden character processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processing data to be specified is replaced with any same character or symbol instead of the character with the hidden character attribute set.   The processing means sets the character, image, and figure data for which the hidden character attribute is set by the setting means based on the result of the authentication means, and the range of the character, image, and graphic data for which the hidden character attribute is set by rectangular data The covert character processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover character processing device is covered. A hidden character processing method for controlling whether or not to print out a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program,
A setting step for setting a hidden character attribute that sets the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data according to a result of determining the presence or absence of the confidential information included in the print data, and authentication data for controlling whether the confidential information can be printed. A step of creating, a step of converting the print data in which the hidden character attribute is set into page description language conversion data, a step of adding the generated authentication data to the conversion data, and a result of determining whether the authentication data is acceptable or not A hidden character processing method comprising a step of processing conversion data to be printed out in response and a print output step of printing the processed processing data. A hidden character processing method for controlling whether or not to print out a secret information portion included in print data created by an application program,
A setting step for setting the print attribute of the secret information portion selected by the range specifying step for displaying the print data and selecting the secret information portion as a cover character, and authentication data for controlling whether or not the secret information can be printed A step of converting the print data in which the hidden character attribute is set into conversion data of a page description language, a step of adding the generated authentication data to the conversion data, and determining whether the authentication data is acceptable or not A hidden character processing method comprising: a step of processing conversion data to be printed out according to a result; and a print output means for printing the processed processing data.   11. The hidden character processing method according to claim 10, wherein the range specifying step includes a step of storing intermediate data of print data and displaying the intermediate data.   The method for processing a hidden character according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, in the step of creating the authentication data, the authentication data includes at least authentication information and a password.   13. The hidden character processing method according to claim 12, wherein in the step of creating the authentication data, the authentication data to be created is encrypted.   The step of processing the conversion data creates processing data for specifying / not specifying the character, image, and figure data for which the hidden character attribute is set by the setting step based on the authentication result of the authentication data. The hidden letter processing method according to claim 1 or 2.   15. The hidden character processing method according to claim 14, wherein the processing data to be specified is replaced with any same character or symbol instead of the character with the hidden character attribute set.   The process of processing the conversion data includes the character, image, and figure data for which the hidden character attribute is set in the setting step based on the authentication result of the authentication data. 11. The hidden character processing method according to claim 9, wherein the range is covered with rectangular data. A hidden character processing program that controls whether or not the secret information part included in the created print data can be printed,
A process for determining presence / absence of confidential information included in the print data by a determination unit; and a process for setting a hidden character attribute that sets the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data according to a determination result of the determination unit; A process of creating authentication data for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed by the creating means, and the authentication data into converted data converted into a page description language from the print data in which the concealment attribute is set in the secret information portion by the converting means Is added by the adding means, the process of processing the conversion data to be printed out by the processing means from the result of the pass / fail judgment of the authentication data by the authentication means, and the processing data obtained by processing the conversion data is printed by the print output means A hidden character processing program characterized by comprising: A hidden character processing program that controls whether or not the secret information part included in the created print data can be printed,
A process for displaying the print data by a range designating unit so that the confidential information portion can be selected as a hidden character, and a process for setting the hidden character attribute of the confidential information part selected by the range designating unit in the print data by a setting unit; Authentication data for controlling whether or not the confidential information can be printed is created by the creating means, and the authentication data is converted into the conversion data converted from the print data in which the hidden character attribute is set in the secret information portion by the converting means to the page description language. Is added by the adding means, the process of processing the conversion data to be printed out by the processing means from the result of the pass / fail judgment of the authentication data by the authentication means, and the processing data obtained by processing the conversion data is printed by the print output means A hidden character processing program characterized by comprising:   19. A recording medium in which the program for processing hidden letters according to claim 17 or 18 is stored so as to be readable by a computer. A hidden character processing system that controls whether or not a secret information part included in print data created by an application program running on a computer can be printed out from a printer,
Determining means for determining presence / absence of confidential information included in the print data; setting means for setting a hidden character attribute that sets the confidential information portion as a hidden character in the print data according to a result of the determining means; and Authentication data creating means for controlling whether or not printing is possible; conversion means for setting print data with the hidden character attribute set as page description language conversion data; adding means for adding the created authentication data to the conversion data; Authentication means for determining whether the authentication data is good, processing means for processing the conversion data to be printed out according to the result of the authentication means, and print output means for printing the processing data of the processing means The covert character processing system. A hidden character processing system that controls whether or not a secret information part included in print data created by an application program running on a computer can be printed out from a printer,
Range specifying means for displaying the print data and selecting the secret information portion as a hidden character, setting means for setting the hidden character attribute of the secret information portion selected by the range specifying means in the print data, and printing of the secret information Authentication data creating means for controlling whether to accept, conversion means for converting the print data set with the hidden character attribute into page description language conversion data, adding means for adding the created authentication data to the conversion data, and the authentication An authentication means for judging whether the data is good, a processing means for processing conversion data to be printed out according to a result of the authentication means, and a print output means for printing the processing data of the processing means A hidden character processing system.

Images