Canon’s new copy machines will be able to identify keywords in text and prevent a copy or print from being made if a blacklisted keyboard is identified. Canon’s document management software, UniFLOW 5, is what makes this possible. The software also allows for print room management, the creation of print budgets, controlling print-related security, and more.

The latest version of the software now allows for the keyword-based security, which will prevent users from creating copies (hard or otherwise) of any document containing an unauthorized keyword. The software isn’t limited to copying or printing, as it can also block scan and fax requests.

UniFLOW uses OCR technology to do this, so it doesn’t have to have access to the raw text (in software form). Without OCR it would be impossible to read scanned documents and faxes
for keywords.

When a blocked keyboard is identified not only will the action
be prevented, but the machine will send a PDF to a print administrator...
(more)