Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus and related control method

[0052] First Exemplary Embodiment

[0053]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an arrangement of a printing system that can read image data of a scanned document from a storage device and can print an image on a recording paper. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system includes a host computer 100, a printing apparatus (i.e., a printer) 110, and a multifunction peripheral 120 which are mutually connected via a network 130 (e.g., LAN).

[0054] The host computer 100 includes a CPU 102, a RAM 103, and a hard disk (HDD) 104. The CPU 102 can control various processing performed in the host computer 100. The RAM 103 can be used as a work area of the CPU 102 or a data storage portion. The HDD 104 can store software. A communication interface 105 can control data transmission / reception between the host computer 100 and other apparatus performed via the network 130.

[0055] The printing apparatus 110 includes a panel 111, a CPU 112, a RAM 113, a ROM 114, a printer engine 115, and a comm

[0147] Second Exemplary Embodiment

[0148] According to the above-described first exemplary embodiment, a paper document containing identification (ID) is created by the PDL processing. And, a visualized cfip image is attached on a copy product obtainable by copying the paper document.

[0149] The second exemplary embodiment is different from the first exemplary embodiment in that both a cfip image and identification (ID) are added on a paper document created by the PDL processing. Similar to the first exemplary embodiment, a visualized cfip image is added on a copy product obtainable by copying the paper document.

[0150] Thus, the second exemplary embodiment is characterized in that a cfip image is attached on an original while a visualized cfip image (different from the cfip image) is attached on a copy product. In other words, the second exemplary embodiment can discriminate a genuine (i.e., original) based on a cfip image attached thereon. Furthermore, the second exemplary embodiment

[0179] Third Exemplary Embodiment

[0180] According to the above-described second exemplary embodiment, a paper document containing a cfip image and identification (ID) can be created by the PDL processing. And, a visualized cfip image is added to a copy product obtainable by copying the paper document.

[0181] The third exemplary embodiment is similar to the second exemplary embodiment in that a paper document containing a cfip image and identification (ID) can be created by the PDL processing. However, the third exemplary embodiment is differentiated in that (1) a visualized cfip image or (2) a cfip image is selectively added to a copy product obtainable when the paper document is copied.

[0182] More specifically, when a user instructing execution of the copy processing is identical to a user instructing execution of the PDL processing, a cfip image is added to the copy product. In this manner, the third exemplary embodiment allows a creator of the original to produce a copy product ide