Apparatus, system and method for image processing

摘要

The invention relates to a confidential document that is generated by encoding distribution destination information specifying a destination to which the confidential document will be distributed. The invention includes an image processing system, comprising: document data inputting means (11, 112, 138, 134, 136) for inputting data to be processed into a confidential document; document image generating means (20, 122, 124) for generating a document image from the data to be processed into a confidential document; destination data obtaining means (12, 122, 124) for obtaining distribution destination information specifying a destination to which the confidential document will be distributed; first image generating means (13, 122, 124) for generating a first image encoded with the distribution destination information, wherein the human reader cannot readily determine the distribution destination information from the first image; image combining means (15, 122, 124) for combining the document image and the first image into combined data; and outputting means (22, 114, 139, 134, 136, 142) for outputting the combined data as the confidential document for distribution to the destination specified by the distribution destination information. The invention also relates to an image processing method, comprising: generating (S103) a document image from data to be processed into a confidential document; obtaining (S102) distribution destination information specifying a destination to which the confidential document will be distributed; generating (S104) a first image encoded with the distribution destination information, wherein the human reader cannot readily determine the distribution destination information from the first image; combining (S106) the document image and the first image into combined data; and outputting (S 107) the combined data as the confidential document for distribution to the destination specified by the distribution destination information. Further, the invention resides in a computer program comprising program code means that, when executed on a computer system, instructs the computer system to perform the image processing method, and a recording medium storing the computer program.