JPS5819111B2 - Authenticity testing device for identification documents - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for testing the authenticity of identification documents and the like.

2. Various methods have been studied and developed for verifying photographs, that is, identifying people.

For example, there is a method of scanning a photograph according to its outline or points.

In such a system, photograph verification requires the storage of a very large number of data 5 corresponding to the contour or points to be scanned.

Storing such huge amounts of data is practically difficult, so
Such verification testing methods have not been used for ordinary photo verification, such as verifying the authenticity of ID cards, credit cards, employee ID cards, etc.

In connection with the above-mentioned tests, it is particularly important to note that the test verification method according to the invention can be used to test any type of certificate.

It is known that special materials and special marks are used to avoid counterfeiting of credit cards, etc.

Furthermore, in order to prevent a credit card from being used by someone who is not the true holder, it is known to attach a photograph to the card to visually identify the holder of the card when the card is used.

However, unless a very complicated inspection method is adopted in this way, it is impossible to prevent forgery, especially falsification, of identification documents such as credit cards.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method that not only visually compares the photograph on the certificate and the holder, but also inspects the authenticity of the document itself.

This invention is a device for testing the authenticity of identification cards, etc., and includes a scanning photoelectric conversion device for reading a photo on the ID card and emitting a signal proportional to the brightness of the photo, and a logic for this conversion device. It includes a microprocessor connected through a circuit, and the microprocessor determines a distribution function consisting of the luminance on one axis and the luminance frequency on the other axis from the above-mentioned signal, using the above-mentioned distribution function. The inspection device further includes means for determining a series of characteristic parameters of the photograph from the distribution function by dividing the function into a plurality of equal intervals along the above-mentioned power axis, and the inspection device further monitors the parameters determined by the above-mentioned microprocessor. means for supplying parameters of the encoded photograph to means and a microprocessor, said microprocessor comparing the encoded parameters with a set of characteristic parameters of said photograph and providing a result of the comparison; The present invention provides the above-mentioned inspection device including means for performing the inspection.

The general structure of the method for checking the authenticity of identification documents according to the invention is illustrated in FIG.

In this Figure 1, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates an identification document, which includes personal data of the holder of the identification document, such as details and various characteristics of the holder, as well as information about the identity document. Image 2, such as a photograph of the person's face, is attached.

The image 2 may be a black and white photograph, a color photograph, or a slide type photograph.

In the illustrated embodiment of the identification document, a code 3 is also provided for the characteristic parameters of the image 2.

Instead of having a code on the certificate,
The code may be stored in a suitable separate storage device, and only a display for code comparison may be provided on the certificate surface.

Such a system is particularly suitable in cases where there are not many locations where the authenticity of the document, ie identification, needs to be checked and where the code centers storing the codes can be easily communicated and connected.

Continuing further explanation of the method shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 scans the image 2 on the document by adding a suitable filter (not shown) to the image 2 so that the image 2 can be optically resolved into its color components. This generally indicates a device for doing so.

This image scanning device 4 is connected to sample extraction means 5 which divide the image into spots 1 or points, for each of which an analogous luminance signal of a constant value is obtained.

In one embodiment, the scanning device is a black and white television camera with an image of the certificate to be scanned in front of it.

A television camera takes images of the inspection and converts the luminance information into corresponding electrical signals.

Of course, due to the nature of the television camera, the entire image or half a frame of the image will be periodically repeated as long as the image is over the position being scanned at a frequency of 50 Hz.

Electrical signals from the television camera 4 corresponding to a preselected amount of half frames are fed to a sampling circuit 5 where the images are separated or segmented as described above.

Instead of using the television camera 4 and sampling circuit 5 as described above, other scanning and splitting devices may be used, such as a photodiode matrix or a relative movement between the photodiode bar and the scanned image. A photoelectric conversion device such as a photodiode bar can also be used.

Alternatively, other methods may be used, such as scanning the spot with a laser emitter and transmitting an analog signal with an optical amplifier.

The output of the sampling circuit 5 is sent to an analog or digital conversion circuit 6, which circuit 6 is connected to a control logic block 7.

The sampling and conversion circuits are of a type known per se, for example VVH8 by DDC or N by DDC.
This is the type sold as the ADC-8 format.

Therefore, a detailed explanation of these circuits will be omitted here.

At the output side of the conversion circuit 6, the same information as at the output side of the television camera 4 is obtained, but in digital form rather than analog information.

In the illustrated case, the image segmentation and sampling operations are performed as follows.

The image 2 is scanned by the television camera 4 along parallel lines across the image.

When the image is held stationary, the television camera scans the image repeatedly, ie, at a rate of 50 times (50 and a half frames) per second.

In order to be able to operate the used processor 8 at a reasonable speed, several half-frames are used to scan the entire image, which is further divided by horizontal lines so that they are perpendicular to this line. ideally divided into multiple columns.

In each half-frame (the entire television scan of the image), one such column is scanned.

In other words, the luminance signal is detected only by one point on the line.

To scan the entire image, the same number of hand frames as the number of columns into which the image is ideally divided would be used.

The conversion circuit 6 is connected via a control logic circuit 7 to a microprocessor 8 and is supplied with a signal according to the brightness of each sample spot of the image 2 in series.

An example of such a microprocessor-8 is an LSI-8 manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation, which is a combination of information supply and programming equipment KD-11, MRV-11 type, and DRV-11 type connecting intermediate equipment.
There are 16 types of parts sold as 11.

This microprocessor is also connected to the alpha digit visualizer 9, and a manual control keyboard 10 for entering the code 3 is connected to the control block 7.
connected via.

Instead of manually supplying the code 3 by means of the keyboard 10, the code reader 1, as shown in dotted lines in FIG.
1 may be provided.

The microprocessor-8 is programmed to receive in series, via the control logic circuit 7, the luminance signal of each spot of the image for determining the characteristic parameters of the image.

The above determination is made as described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

More specifically in this regard, the microprocessor 8 is programmed to provide a function g(li) representing the frequency variance of the image brightness, as shown for example in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the frequency or number N of spots with a brightness indicated as j t = 11 on the horizontal axis is given on the vertical axis.

The microprocessor-8 is further programmed to calculate the characteristic parameters of the function g(li) of the luminance distribution of FIG.
li) is integrally calculated.

In FIG. 3, the integrated function G(1i) of the functions stored in this way is illustrated.

On the vertical axis of FIG. 3, the luminance tl 1 shown on the horizontal axis
The number N of spots with a brightness equal to or less than i 11 is shown.

To calculate the characteristic parameters of an image, the function G(1i
) is similar to X times along the vertical axis, e.g. 5 ÷ N
Divide it into 8 parts as shown as 8, ignore the extreme values, and plot the S value like 7 values S1÷87 (when divided into 8 parts, it is called "octail'") on the X-1 horizontal axis. That's what you get at the top.

Such values constitute characteristic parameters of image 2.

The above statements apply both in the case of the first scan to create a certificate according to the method of the invention and in subsequent scans to check the authenticity of the certificate.

In the former case or in any other case, if it is desired to read the characteristic parameters of the image, the parameters must be serialized from the microprocessor 8 to the visualizer 9 so that they can be read.

These parameters that determine the code 3 are added on the certificate 1 or on a separate storage as mentioned at the beginning.

On the other hand, when the scan to be carried out concerns a check of the authenticity of a certificate or a correspondence between a photograph and a stored code, the microprocessor-8 uses the parameters and operations re-determined from the image 2. The operator will carefully compare the parameters of the stored code introduced by the keyboard 10 or automatically by the code reader 11.

For example, a comparison of parameters is performed by adding the squares of the differences between corresponding parameters.

That is, the value of this calculation is compared with a predetermined limit value by the microprocessor.

If the result of this value is lower than the limit value, the microprocessor sends a signal on the visual display that the authenticity of the certificate is acceptable, and on the other hand the result of the comparison between the same parameters. If the predetermined limit value is exceeded, the microprocessor issues a negative signal on the visual indicator 9, ie a signal indicating to the test water that the certificate is not genuine.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

In FIG. 4, a television camera 4 sends an analog signal about the image to a sampling device 5 and a fifth
Circuit 12 for controlling the sample frequency shown in detail in the figure
A horizontal periodic signal H and a vertical station signal V are sent to the terminal.

The sample signal from circuit 5 is sent to an analog-to-digital conversion circuit 6 and from there to a register 13 containing a set of bistable multivibrators.

From here each data is pulsed from the converter 6]) 1 sample device 5 which is applied to the input of the microprocessor 8 in time with the arrival of R has a duration of half a frame of the television camera 4 and has a sampling frequency is gated by a signal SC from block 12 which controls the .

The detailed configuration of this block 12 is as shown in FIG. 5, and the horizontal periodic signal H of the television camera is
and a first counter 13 receiving the signal CK of a crystal clock 14, the amplitude of which determines the number of sample columns into which the image is ideally divided.

A counter 13 counts the signal CK and is reset by the television camera pulse H at the beginning of each line.

Therefore, the counter 13 counts the columns in which the image is divided and scanned for each line.

The block 12 has a second counter 15 which is incremented for each balance provided by the television camera for each frame, so that at its output it maintains the same number as the entire half frame.

A comparison of the outputs of the counters 13 and 15 is carried out by a first comparison means 16, which sends a sample pulse FC to the sample means 5 in order to gate it.

The output of the second counter 15 is also sent to a second comparator 17, where the output number from the counter 15 is compared with a number corresponding to the number of image columns.

This latter number is provided by a set of ground switches designated 17'.

Comparator 17 is activated when frame counter 15 reaches a number corresponding to the last column of the segmented image.

In this case, when the signal V from the television camera arrives at the same time as the signal C8Rφ from the microprocessor, the output signal of the gate 18 is applied to the input side of the second gate 19, and the signal FA indicating that the image sampling is finished. is provided in block 20 of FIG.

Each time the signal ■ arrives at the other input of the gate 18, which has its input at logic level due to the signal C8Rφ,
Counter 15 increments by one unit each time gated by 8Rφ, and in addition the output of gate 18 in the form of signal SAC is fed to block 20 to prevent scanning of the image from starting at an intermediate position of a half frame. It turns out.

This signal SAC gates block 20 to set input line REQA to microprocessor-8 at logic level 1 to signal the arrival of valid data from converter 6.

The logic-required interrupt system in block 20, which constitutes the data acquisition system, includes a bistable multivibrator with a tristate output.

This bistable multi-bi break is a logic signal C
8R1=φ, and the signal DR from the converter 6
When , the signal is applied as output REQA to the input of the corresponding microprocessor-8 and register 1
This will signal the presence of new data to be drawn to 3.

Similarly, when the signal FA arrives from block 12, the logic signal C3R1-φ causes the opening and closing of the bistable multivibrator to produce a signal that is transmitted through line REQB to the microprocessor 8 to scan the image. Indicates that it is finished.

Signal REQ B also has a new signal SAC in block 12.
It also plays the role of further suppressing requests for disconnection on line REQ A from □ to arrival.

Each time the data is sourced from register 13, microprocessor-8 sends a signal DT to block 20 to reset line REQ_A to logic level φ.

When microprocessor-8 faults signal C8, i.e.
When new data collection begins, block 20 resets its output REQ B to logic level φ.

As mentioned above, the information regarding the brightness from the counter 13 to the microprocessor-8 is sent to the microprocessor-8.
The characteristic parameters of the image (octail) are calculated as described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Once the microprocessor-8 has calculated the characteristic parameters of the image to be scanned and the first code operation has begun, the data from the output of the microprocessor-8 is applied to the visualizer 9.

On the other hand, when checking the authenticity of a document, such parameters are compared with corresponding parameters stored as described above.

Such pre-stored parameters are introduced into the microprocessor by the code reader 11 of FIG. 1 or by the manual keyboard 10 described below.

Depending on the key fod 10, the code 3 may be provided so that it can be read directly on the paper 1, or it may be provided so that it can be recalled by a suitable external storage means.

The data is supplied to the input IN of the microprocessor via a data register 20 and stored in a comparison register of the microprocessor.

Register 21 contains a number of bistable multivibrators with tristellar outputs.

This register 21 receives data from the keyboard 10, a signal ST is issued from the keyboard to the last term of the code set, and a signal C8R from the microprocessor-8 is output.
When 1 becomes a logic level 1, the received data is supplied to the input side of the microprocessor.

Such signal C8R1 is also sent to block 22.

This block contains a single bistable multivibrator with tristate outputs, and when the above signal arrives it sets the line REQA to a logic level 1 so that the data to be drawn into the microprocessor 8 is placed in the register 21. Indicates that it exists.

Line REQ A is also reset by block 22 upon the arrival of signal DT.

Thus, the microprocessor-8 ratio.

The comparison register will have parameters therein including the characteristic parameters obtained by scanning and the comparison code for checking the authenticity of the document.

As mentioned above, the microprocessor makes a comparison between both parameters and finally outputs the result.

A signal indicating the test result is output via the visual device 9 at OUT.

As described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, according to the method according to the invention, a certificate is forged or the photograph 2 on the certificate is replaced with another person's photograph.

It would be almost impossible to do so.

Generally speaking, the above-mentioned method can be used independently of the method of calculating the image characteristic parameters or the proof code, but the method shown in Figures 2 and 3 can be used to determine the characteristic parameters. For example, calculations are simple, the number of characteristic parameters required to determine the code is relatively small, safety inspection can be performed at a high level, and the thickness of the inspection device can be made considerably smaller, making it cheaper. This method is likely to be widely used.

The embodiments of this invention are listed below.

(1) The method according to claim 1, wherein an image code is provided on the certificate.

(2. The method according to claim 1, in which the image code is stored separately from the document.

(3) The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic parameters of the image code are supplied to the control device via the keyboard.

(4) The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic parameters of the image code are directly read from the document surface and automatically supplied to the control device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a diagram showing a distribution function regarding the brightness frequency of a photograph for determining the characteristic parameters of the photograph on a certificate. 4 and 5 are more detailed block diagrams of FIG. 1. FIG. 1...Certificate documents, 2...Images, 3...
... code, 4 ... image scanning device, 5 ...
... Sample extraction means, 6... Conversion circuit,
7...Logic control block, 8...Processor, 9...Alpha number visualizer, -1
0...Manual keyboard, 11...Co-
−Dreeder〇

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A device for testing the authenticity of identification cards, etc., which includes a scanning photoelectric conversion device for reading the photo on the identification card and emitting a signal proportional to the brightness of the photo, and a logic circuit installed in this conversion device. means for determining a distribution function consisting of the luminance for one axis and the luminance frequency for the other axis from the above-mentioned signal, and for determining this function using the above-mentioned distribution function. and means for determining a series of characteristic parameters of the photograph from a distribution function divided into a plurality of equal intervals along the frequency axis,
The inspection device further includes means for monitoring parameters determined by the microprocessor and means for supplying coded photographic parameters to the microprocessor; - an inspection device as described above, comprising means for comparing a series of characteristic parameters of the photograph with the photograph and providing a result of the comparison;