Image Forming Apparatus Overlap Control for ID Card Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming methods for identification cards fail to prevent the text indicating the utilization purpose from being cut off when overlapped with the image, leading to potential illegal diversion of copies.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus that obtains an identification card image, receives the utilization purpose entry, and overlaps the text indicating the purpose with the image, ensuring it is printed in a way that avoids cutting off from the card, using a control unit to judge the image type and position the text appropriately to avoid predetermined elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the text indicating utilization purpose is printed in the blank space of the identification card image, then the text can be clearly displayed without overlapping card contents, but the text can be easily cut off from the image

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetext readabilityVSAvoidtext integration with image
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the text indicating utilization purpose with the identification card image by overlapping them. The control unit positions the text to overlap with the image in a way that makes it difficult to separate the text from the card image, thereby combining these two elements into a unified output that prevents illegal diversion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If the text is overlapped with the image of the identification card, then the text cannot be easily cut off, but the text may overlap with important card contents making it unreadable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetext integration with imageVSAvoidtext readability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the text to overlap with specific regions of the identification card image that are less critical. The control unit determines the position of the text to ensure it overlaps with the image for integration purposes while avoiding overlap with important card contents, thereby maintaining both text readability and image integrity in different local areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If manual handwriting of utilization purpose is required, then the purpose can be clearly indicated, but the process becomes troublesome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveutilization purpose indicationVSAvoidcopy preparation process
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the image forming apparatus to automatically print the text indicating utilization purpose without requiring manual handwriting. The apparatus receives the utilization purpose information and automatically positions and prints it on the identification card image, thereby eliminating the troublesome manual task while ensuring clear indication of the purpose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2779612B1Image forming apparatus and method, and tangible computer-readable recording medium
Publication Date: 2020.04.15 KONICA MINOLTA INC
  • EP2779612B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2779612B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2779612B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: an image obtaining unit configured to obtain an image of an identification card; a printing unit; a utilization purpose entry receiving unit configured to receive an entry of a utilization purpose of a document to be printed by the printing unit; and a control unit configured to overlap a text indicating the utilization purpose received by the utilization purpose entry receiving unit, with the image of the identification card, and to instruct the printing unit to print the overlapped text and the image of the identification card.