EP1584072A1 - Outil publicitaire imprime et procede de generation de cet outil - Google Patents

Outil publicitaire imprime et procede de generation de cet outil

Info

Publication number
EP1584072A1
EP1584072A1 EP04701410A EP04701410A EP1584072A1 EP 1584072 A1 EP1584072 A1 EP 1584072A1 EP 04701410 A EP04701410 A EP 04701410A EP 04701410 A EP04701410 A EP 04701410A EP 1584072 A1 EP1584072 A1 EP 1584072A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
image
information
stamp
microstructure
printed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04701410A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Daniel Gorostidi
Muriel Caraccia
Charles-Paul Friden
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Elca Informatique Sa
Original Assignee
Elca Informatique Sa
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Elca Informatique Sa filed Critical Elca Informatique Sa
Priority to EP04701410A priority Critical patent/EP1584072A1/fr
Publication of EP1584072A1 publication Critical patent/EP1584072A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
    • G06Q20/08—Payment architectures
    • G06Q20/12—Payment architectures specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
    • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
    • B42D25/20—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof characterised by a particular use or purpose
    • B42D25/29—Securities; Bank notes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B1/00—Machines for printing and issuing tickets
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/42—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for ticket printing or like apparatus, e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Definitions

  • This invention relates to printed commercial instruments and to a method of generating such instruments.
  • the invention relates in particular to commercial instruments such as " tickets for transportation (air, rail, tram, boat, etc), tickets for attending entertainment events (cinema, opera, theatre, sports events, etc), vouchers, coupons and other sorts of tickets bearing a commercial value to be printed on plain paper or other non- special substrate or easily available substrate and non-professional printers.
  • the required degree of difficulty in producing a forgery will depend above all on the value, the duration of validity and the generality of the commercial instrument. For example, bank notes which are not related to any specific event and remain valid for many years, require security features that are extremely difficult to reproduce.
  • tickets of relatively limited duration for example transportation tickets, such as train tickets valid on a certain day for a certain destination, or theatre tickets for a specific show, require lower level security features, as long as they ensure that the instrument is difficult to reproduce in the remaining time to the event or requires excessive technical means or human effort in comparison to the value of the commercial instrument.
  • Verification of the authenticity of many commercial instruments is often based on a visual and tactile control. Although it is easy to provide commercial instruments with unique security features such as encrypted bar codes, their verification entails the use of electronic processing means that are unpractical or inefficient in many situations. In commercial instruments relying primarily on a visual control of authenticity, a common security feature is the provision of special substrates that are difficult or too costly to reproduce for a potential forger in relation to the underlying value of the commercial instrument. A disadvantage of the use of special substrates or special printing techniques is that they do not allow the generation of commercial instruments at sites that are not under the issuer's control, whether directly or indirectly.
  • An object of this invention is to provide a method of generating a unique printed commercial instrument that is difficult to forge, yet enables visual verification of the authenticity thereof, and that can be substantially generated with non-professional printing systems, such as standard PC printers, on plain paper.
  • a method of generating a printed commercial instrument including the steps of: entering in a data processing system unique identification information provided on a separate stamp produced with professional printing systems automatically retrieving from a stamps database of the data processing system image information of said stamp; selecting or retrieving transaction information specific to an event or transaction to which said commercial instrument relates from a database of the data processing system; generating a unique ticket information set comprising at least part of said stamp image information and at least part of said transaction information; graphically encoding and incorporating at least said unique ticket information set in a commercial instrument image printing file.
  • the graphical encoding and incorporation of the unique ticket information set comprises the steps of
  • a dither matrix representing a microstructure comprising microstructure elements representing said unique ticket information set; - selecting or retrieving a contextual image from a database of the data processing system; and optionally merging it with stamp graphical elements resulting in a background image; and fusing in the data processing system said background image with said microstructure image, said fusing procedure including applying said dither matrix to said background image.
  • the dither matrix of the microstructure may be applied to the image by a halftoning process, whereby the pixels of the dither matrix are compared with the pixels of the background image and, for example, if the pixel of the background image has a grey level greater than the inverse grey level of the dither matrix, then the pixel is printed as white, otherwise it is printed as black.
  • the fusing of the microstructure and image may further comprise a step of balancing the half-toned image.
  • the microstructure dither matrix may advantageously comprise letters and/or numbers, such that the event or transaction specific information or unique stamp information may be provided in the form of words or numbers. This enables information, such as the date, the price, the destination, the seat number, personal identification, credit card number, ticket transaction number, stamp identifier, or any other information specific to the event or transaction and the stamp to form part of the microstructure image.
  • the microstructure dither matrix may also comprise other characters, graphical elements, logos and other special designs, some of which may correspond to those printed on the stamp.
  • the graphical encoding and incorporation of the unique ticket information set comprises the steps of
  • the graphically encoded portion of the ticket image may be decrypted by means of a complementary transparent sheet that constitutes the decryption key which is also called herein the "revelator".
  • the revealator is used by a controller who places it on the issued and printed ticket to reveal the unique ticket information set, thus allowing the verification of the validity of the ticket.
  • Visual encryption is per se a known technique described in US 5,488,664, for example.
  • the graphical encoding and incorporation of the unique ticket information set in the instrument image printing file comprises the steps of generating a base image in which at least a portion thereof comprising the unique ticket information set is transformed into a basic screen of a moire pattern, whereby the unique ticket information set is readable by applying a master screen moire pattern transparency to the commercial instrument image.
  • the techniques for generating and reading moire patterns are perse known and for example described in US 6,249,588.
  • the stamp is printed with professional printing systems preferably on a substrate provided with an adhesive surface so that the stamp can be bonded by the user on a designated (marked) area of the printed commercial instrument.
  • the stamp is identified by a unique alpha-numerical identification code, comprised of letters and/or numbers, that is related to the unique ticket information set. This unique stamp information set is used in the microstructure or visually encrypted portion of the ticket image can thus be verified visually, by a human controller, with the corresponding information in the microstructure or encrypted portion of the printed instrument.
  • stamp information and information relating to the transaction make the instrument unique and very specific, since every stamp is unique and the transaction information is specific, which makes the protected image extremely difficult to forge.
  • an important advantage of the separate stamp and printed ticket is that they combine to form a single original instrument that cannot be duplicated (i.e. any other stamp/printed instrument combination will be different).
  • the stamps however do not need to bear any commercial value in themselves, although they could.
  • the stamps do not need to relate to any specific event transaction or other purpose for which the commercial instrument serves, which enables them to be easily distributed and used.
  • stamps are difficult to forge, since they are printed with professional printing systems on special substrates and special ink. This makes duplication of the commercial instrument very difficult.
  • unique stamp information is stored in a database of the data processing system, such information serving to generate the microstructure elements of the dither matrix or the elements of the plain image prior to enencoding, depending on the embodiment.
  • a user would receive by mail, or obtain by any other means a stamp or a number of stamps that could be used for generating printed commercial instruments that could relate to various transactions.
  • the stamp identification code is entered by the user in the data processing system, which then selects those elements corresponding to the stamp identification code (if valid) for incorporation in the microstructure or enencoded portion of the image.
  • the stamp image information or graphical elements may comprise graphical representations or logos that may be used as in the unique image information set.
  • the stamp may further comprise graphical orientation lines indicating the geometrical orientation and shape that the microstructure should have on the printed commercial instrument. Such lines would define the geometrical transformation matrix applied to the dither matrix, for at least a portion of the microstructure image.
  • stamp graphical elements may advantageously be related to the identification code, for example if the graphical element is chosen to be a watch dial, the hour, minute, and second hands could correspond to numbers of the stamp identification code.
  • the stamp may comprise guidelines to identify the position of special graphical elements.
  • the background image may advantageously comprise a photographic representation or portrait of the customer, and/or a background image that may be changed from time to time, as well as graphical representations shown on the stamp.
  • the contextual image may further comprise written ticket transaction information.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a distributed data processing system for implementing a method of generating a printed commercial instrument according to this invention
  • Fig. 2 is a flow-chart describing in a simplified manner various steps of a method according to this invention
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration similar to Fig. 1 of a data processing system in the form of an enterprise server system for implementing a method of generating a printed commercial instrument according to this invention
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration similar to Figures 1 and 3 of a data processing system in the form of a local or stand-alone server system for implementing a method of generating a printing commercial instrument according to this invention
  • Fig. 5 is a flow-chart illustrating a procedure for creating a commercial instrument image according to a first embodiment of this invention
  • Fig. 6 is an illustration, concerning the first embodiment, of the transformation of a microstructure image to a microstructure dither matrix (graphically represented);
  • Fig. 7 is an illustration, concerning the first embodiment, of a process of fusing a contextual image and a dither matrix by a halftoning process
  • Fig. 8 is an illustration, concerning the first embodiment, of the balancing of a halftoned microstructure image with the contextual image to form an image for printing
  • Figures 9a to 9g are various graphical representations, concerning the first embodiment, of alphanumerical character of a microstructure dither matrix according to this invention.
  • Fig. 10 is a flow-chart, concerning the first embodiment, illustrating a procedure for visual verification of a printed commercial instrument according to this invention
  • Fig. 11 is an illustration, concerning the first embodiment, of an example of a printed commercial instrument generated with a method according to this invention.
  • Fig. 11 a is a detailed view of part of the image of Fig. 11 ;
  • Fig. 11 b is a detailed view of part of the image of Fig. 11a showing second level microstructure elements
  • Fig. 11c is a detailed view of part of the image of Fig. 11 showing an additional non-linear warping of the microstructure
  • Fig. 12 is an illustration, concerning the first embodiment, representing an example of the application of a microstructure dither matrix on an image
  • Fig. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a procedure for producing stamps
  • Fig. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a procedure for creating a commercial instrument image according to a second embodiment of this invention, where a portion of the ticket image is graphically enencoded;
  • Fig. 15a is a representation of the printed ticket image and a revealator or transparency for deencoding the ticket image shown separately;
  • Fig. 15b is a representation of the revealator positioned on the printed ticket showing the deencoded ticket image
  • Fig. 16 is a flow-chart illustrating a procedure for creating a commercial instrument image according to a third embodiment of this invention using moire patterns
  • Fig. 17 is an illustration of a printed ticket and a master transparency placed thereon, showing the moire patterns
  • Fig. 18 is a flow-chart illustrating a generic procedure for creating a commercial instrument image according the various embodiments of this invention.
  • a data processing system in the form of a web-based server system 2 for generating commercial instrument printable files is accessible via a global communications network such as the internet 4 by a user or a customer at a client site 6, having a printer 8 and a personal computer 10 or other computing means connected to the communications network 4.
  • the server system may be a distributed system comprising a plurality of servers and/or databases at a single site, or at different sites interconnected with a communications network such as the internet, an intranet, or a local area network.
  • the web-based server system 2 comprises a web server 12 including, or connected to, a database or databases 14, 15 in which information on printed stamps 69 and/or on customers is stored, a payment server or system 16, for example for effecting credit card payments, bank transfers and the like, and a production server 18 for performing calculations and other operations to create ticket images and package data files for transmission and printing.
  • the production server may be interconnected to a context database 20 for storing background images and other information concerning the commercial instrument. It will be understood by skilled persons in the art that the configuration of the above described server system may be modified without departing from the scope of this invention, the various servers and databases being depicted merely as examples in order to understand the function of a possible server system for generating printed commercial instruments 68 according to this invention.
  • the data processing system for creating the commercial instrument may also be an enterprise server system as illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby the user accesses the enterprise server system 2' through a local area network or direct connection from a terminal 10'.
  • a user would typically be the issuer of the commercial instrument and the payment transaction would occur between the purchaser of the commercial instrument and the user.
  • a local or stand-alone server system 2" is shown incorporating in a single data processing system the functions of the enterprise server system 2' of Fig. 3.
  • Initial operations include connection 22 of the customer or user to the server system 2, 2', 2", and subsequently selection and specification 24 of the product.
  • the customer may specify the journey departure place and destination, the travel date and/or time, the class, the seat, etc.
  • the initial steps may also comprise an identification procedure 26 of the printed stamp, or of both the printed stamp and of the customer, particularly if customer information from a customer database is to be retrieved for inclusion in the printed commercial instrument.
  • the identification procedure may be after or before the step of product selection and specification.
  • the stamp information identifying the stamp and the personal information identifying the customer may also be entered separately at different stages in the process.
  • the stamp information, and as the case may be, the personal customer information is verified with information stored in the database or databases 14 to check the validity thereof.
  • product shall be understood herein to generally mean the event, service, or item being purchased or transacted to which the commercial instrument relates.
  • a payment order is created, for example using credit card, bank transfer or cash card information supplied by the customer to the server system which then logs the payment order and/or sends a provisional payment order to a payment system 16.
  • the transaction amount will not be debited according to the payment order until confirmation that the ticket has been sent to the customer site.
  • a ticket image printing file is generated in the production server 18 using information received from the web server portion 12 and, as the case may be, the customer 14 and stamp 15 information database and the context database 20, such that product information, stamp information, personal information and contextual information may be included in the ticket image generation process.
  • ticket image generation may be performed in parallel, before or after generation of the provisional payment order (step 28).
  • the ticket image file is then packaged and preferably compressed such that it can be efficiently transmitted over a communications network such as the internet, and printed on a standard PC printer.
  • the ticket image may for example be received on the user's or customer's computer screen as a page displayed in a web browser, or by e- mail, for example in commonly used text and image formats such as PDF, GIF, PNG, and the like that enable printing on personal PC printers with the appropriate PC software.
  • the sending of the commercial instrument image file to the user's or customer's computer or terminal also generates a confirmation to execute the payment order in waiting.
  • the information on the used stamp is deleted or marked as "used" in the stamp information database 15, to prevent subsequent use thereof.
  • the security of the commercial instrument does not reside in the inability to print or copy numerous tickets, since the customer receives the printing file, or could simply copy a printed instrument.
  • Security against the use of multiple copies is provided by unique information provided on the stamp in conjunction with information relating to the event or transaction, and personal information, as the case may be.
  • the stamp information in conjunction with the corresponding printed ticket will ensure that the transportation or event ticket is usable only once, since the stamp information is unique and is incorporated in the image of the printed ticket, and can be easily verified by visually checking and comparing information on the ticket image with information on the stamp bonded on to the ticket.
  • personal information such as a photographic portrait of the bearer of the instrument will make the commercial instrument unusable by other persons (i.e. non-transferable).
  • the combination of the unique stamp information comprising a unique identifier in the form of a unique number or set of alpha-numerical characters as well as graphical elements, and the printed commercial instrument incorporating the unique stamp information in its printed image, thus makes the commercial instrument unique with a single original, so that it can be used only once. This is particularly useful for producing value bearing coupons, such as gift vouchers, or customer fidelity program vouchers, or other instruments that need to be unique, for example a transportation ticket for a specific trip but without restriction on date or time of use.
  • the unique original also allows the value of the ticket to be refunded, if unused (e.g. unpunched).
  • FIG. 18 a flow-chart illustrating various generic steps or operations in the generation of a ticket image according to this invention is shown.
  • Figures 5, 14 and 16 show flow-charts illustrating various steps in the generation of ticket images according to first, second and third embodiments of this invention.
  • the stamp information to be entered includes in particular the unique identifier code 70 (see Figures 11a, 15b or 17b), that enables identification of the stamp and retrieval of stamp information from the database 15.
  • the database may also include personal information on customers, which may for example include a library of photographic portraits of customers.
  • the corresponding portrait 42 of the customer or other personal information is retrieved from the customer database for inclusion in the ticket image.
  • customer information it is not mandatory to include customer information in the ticket image, in view of the uniqueness of the ticket combination with the non reproducible unique stamp, preventing the use of multiple print outs of the same ticket image by different persons.
  • the product information 38 is sent to the production server or production server portion of the server system and may be used to select a background image 44 from the context database 20 and certain display encoding parameters such as the pattern or orientation of elements that will be reproduced in the image.
  • the display encoding parameters determine the microstructure pattern or shape 46 that will be applied to microstructure elements 48 in a mapping procedure 50, for example a planar mapping procedure.
  • the product information 38, or at least part of the product information, as well as the stamp information 39, or at least part of the stamp information, are selected to form a unique ticket information set 41 for incorporation and encoding in the ticket image printing file 62 sent to the customer.
  • This unique ticket information set will be unique in the sense that no other ticket or commercial instrument generated will comprise the same combination of information.
  • this unique ticket information set comprises information on the product (i.e. the transaction) as well as the unique stamp, a ticket controller can verify both the relationship of the ticket to the specific transaction and the validity of the printed ticket with relation to the separate stamp bonded thereon.
  • the graphical incorporation and encoding of the unique ticket information set within the ticket image file makes the ticket image file very difficult to replicate by an unauthorized person attempting to produce a forgery.
  • the combination with the separate unique stamp produced by professional printing systems, but which need not be dedicated to any particular transaction or event, ensures that only a single original may be generated since, although numerous prints or copies of the printed ticket on the basis of the ticket image file sent to the customer may be generated, only a single stamp will be available and correspond to the printed ticket.
  • the unique ticket information set is formed of microstructure elements 48 that are organized so as to provide both stamp and transaction (or product) information in particular in the form of readable text and numbers and, optionally, graphical elements that identified the transaction and that reproduce stamp image parameters.
  • the microstructure elements may indicate the journey starting and destination places, the date, and possibly additional information such as the class, the price and any other product specific information.
  • the microstructure elements are also organized so as to provide unique stamp information, for example the unique identifier code 70 shown on the printed stamp. It is also possible to include in the microstructure elements customer information such as the customer's name, address, date of birth or other information specific to the customer.
  • the microstructure elements may also comprise elements having various graphical shapes or logos, some of which may be printed on the stamp as part of the stamp information, enabling correspondence between the stamp and ticket to be easily visually verifiable.
  • the product information is also used by the production server or server portion to generate a product information layer that may include a simple presentation of the product specific information, in the present example of a transportation ticket, relating to the starting place and destination, the class, the price, the validity, date or period, possibly further including electronically verifiable security features such as an encrypted number code or a bar code 66.
  • the encoded or electronically verifiable security feature provides additional verification means for a person controlling the authenticity of the ticket in case there is any doubt after a visual verification, or for any other reason, such as arbitrary spot checks.
  • the contextual image 44 may be a photographic image, a drawing, or any other image that is preferably non-uniform and difficult to synthesize by data processing means, and representing places, objects, events, or other things that may be easily recognized and interpreted visually.
  • photographic images are difficult to synthesize yet often have some meaning or have characteristic features that facilitate the memorizing and recognition thereof by persons, which assist in the verification of authenticity of the instrument.
  • the contextual image is preferably an image that is proprietary and not easily available to the general public.
  • the contextual image may be changed on a regular basis or as a function of ticket attributes or options in order to increase the difficulty of reproducing the ticket image.
  • the contextual and portrait images 44, 42 may be merged by any standard merging technique or by superposition 45 of the photograph on the background image to form the contextual image layer 54, that also may comprise stamp graphical elements.
  • a simple graphical product information layer 52 may be superposed 61 or otherwise merged with the encoded portion of the ticket image to result in the completed commercial instrument image file 62 for electronic transmission to the user's computer.
  • the information layer may further comprise a bar code 66, which preferably includes the unique ticket information set encoded and encrypted to form a unique identification number that may be used as an additional verification means used in random checks, or in case of doubt of the authenticity of the ticket, or for other reasons.
  • the microstructure pattern or shape 46 is for example a mathematical image deformation algorithm as used in planar mapping or other known image deformation techniques.
  • the microstructure shape or pattern may vary between different types of commercial instruments on criteria established by the issuer, for example, different shapes for different ticket values, events, days of the week, months, etc.
  • the shape or pattern may also be regularly changed, for example, when the background image is changed, in order to make reproduction of forgeries more difficult by reducing the time during which a background image and a pattern on the image remain valid.
  • the shape or pattern may also advantageously correspond, at least over a portion of the printed ticket, to a shape or pattern shown on the stamp 69, as best seen in Fig. 11. This enhances the ease of visual verification of correspondence between the stamp and printed ticket.
  • Other geometrical mapping functions may be applied to the microstructure stage, such as non-linear warping functions as shown in Fig. 11c, illustrating a "fish-eye-lens" deformation of the microstructure shape.
  • the microstructure elements 48 include in a preferred embodiment alphanumerical characters that enable product specific information such as the date or period of validity, the event, seating number, information on the journey starting place and destination, and the stamp identification code 70, to be read. As can be seen in figures 5 and 11 , the microstructure elements 48 correspond to the alpha-numerical stamp identification code 70 and to certain graphical elements 74 shown on the stamp.
  • the text that identifies the specific purpose of the commercial instrument may in itself be unique and usable once (such as a combination of the title, date, venue and seating number of a theatre event). In many instances however, the commercial instrument will only be unique and usable once in conjunction with unique stamp information.
  • the microstructure elements are used to create a dither matrix representative of a microstructure image layer 56 that is fused with the contextual image layer 54.
  • the microstructure elements are used as discrete printing screen elements that may be used to generate images, much like traditional screen dots, the size of which is varied to adjust the grey level intensity.
  • the generation of microstructure elements, for example in the form of letterset characters and their use in a dither matrix is known perse, for example in artistic screening as described in the article "Artistic Screening, V. Ostromoukhov, R. D. Hersch, in ACM Computer Graphics, Annual Conference Series, 1995, pp. 209-228".
  • microstructure elements used in the present invention which include alphanumerical characters, are generated at a size that enable their reading at a personal document reading distance which may typically be in the order of 20 to 50 cm from the eye.
  • the microstructure elements are thus significantly larger than the screen dot sizes provided in even the lowest resolution printed images typically available.
  • the microstructure element 48 may be represented as a three-dimensional element 61 against a background 63 as shown in Fig. 9a, whereby the depth of the element, in the direction coming out of the paper of Fig. 9a, may be separated into a plurality of planes parallel to the paper, each plane defining a grey level.
  • the microstructure element may for example be defined in 256 planes that correspond to 256 grey levels, which equates with the number of grey levels commonly defined in standard printing techniques.
  • the background 63 comprises "noise” that can be graphically represented as randomly distributed "peaks" that, when intersected by the high grey level planes, give the background a grainy aspect as shown in Figures 9b to 9d.
  • the grey level is very high, the character will be at its thickest with a dark background, as illustrated in Fig. 9b, the background getting lighter as the grey level decreases as represented successively by Figures 9c to 9e.
  • the character is of medium thickness as shown in Fig. 9f, or if there is a very low grey level, the character is very thin as shown in Fig. 9g.
  • grey levels are thus varied by adjusting the thickness of the characters, in addition to varying the density of the grainy background for the high grey levels, whereby it should be noted that the characters are preferably hormomorphic such that, as they reduce in thickness, their general shape remains. The latter property ensures the readability of the characters, whether depicting a low grey level or a high grey level.
  • the character may be defined by a dark border of a constant outer shape and dimensions while varying border thickness towards the center of the character depending on the grey level.
  • Fig. 6 The representation of lettering as microstructure elements is for example depicted in Fig. 6, whereby the lettering on the left side of the figure are simple characters and on the right side of the figure shown as three-dimensional microstructure elements that graphically represent the microstructure dither matrix.
  • the elements have already been subjected to a planar mapping procedure 50 with a microstructure shape (which in the specific example emulates the positioning of text lines around a cylinder).
  • Fig. 9a and on the right side of Fig. 6 are merely means of assisting the reader in obtaining a visual interpretation of microstructure elements which are in fact defined in a dither matrix and could be represented in other ways.
  • the dither matrix In generating the dither matrix, account is taken of both the text of microstructure elements and the microstructure shape. Moreover, the microstructure image is scaled to the same size as the contextual image. The contextual image and microstructure images 54, 56 are then fused.
  • Fusion 57 includes the operations of halftoning the contextual image using the dither matrix, whereby the contextual image is defined as a grey level input image.
  • the halftoning process compares the grey level value, which is typically between 0 and 255, of each point of the grey level input image with the inverse grey level value of the corresponding point of the dither matrix. Depending on the result of the comparison, the corresponding point of the resulting halftoned image is set to white or to black. This may for example be described in terms of computer language pseudo-code for halftoning an image with a dither matrix as follows:
  • Fig. 7 The results of such a comparison are illustrated for example in Fig. 7, whereby the contextual image and microstructure image are subjected to the above described halftoning procedure resulting in a halftoned image 58.
  • the microstructure characters are very thin (because of the low grey level value) and in the dark areas very thick (because of the high grey level value).
  • the grey level value of the dither matrix between microstructure elements is preferably set at a low grey level value varying randomly such that the shape of the microstructure element remains visible (even in dark areas) after the halftoning process.
  • the thickness of the microstructure characters vary along portions thereof, depending on the grey level of the contextual image in the vicinity of the portion of character in question.
  • FIG. 12 the effect of applying a microstructure dither matrix of a microstructure element 48' to an image 44' by a halftoning technique is illustrated.
  • This halftoned image 58 shows the varying thickness of the character "T" 61 and the density of the background grain 63 as a function of the grey level of the image 44.
  • the fusion procedure may further include a balancing procedure which compares the halftoned image with the contextual image, as illustrated in Fig. 8.
  • a balancing technique that may be employed includes examining the neighbourhood of each point of the halftoned image, subsequently counting the number of black points and white points which are then used to compute an average grey level value, for example the number of white points divided by the total number of points in the considered neighbourhood.
  • These average grey level values are compared with the grey level value of the corresponding point of the contextual image and if the difference is small, (for example below a defined or approximated value), then it is considered that the halftoned image is a good approximation of the contextual image at that point. If the difference between the compared grey level values is large, then it is considered that the halftoned image is locally a bad approximation of the contextual image and that the considered point of the halftoned image should be inverted, in other words, set to white if originally black, or set to black if originally white.
  • a probalistic function may be used to determine whether the difference between the compared grey level values is to be considered small or large.
  • a simple graphical product information layer 52 may be superposed 61 or otherwise merged with the fused image 60 to result in the completed commercial instrument image 62, such as the sporting event ticket image illustrated in Fig. 11.
  • the ticket comprises a ticket information zone 71 and a stamp information zone 72.
  • the simple product information layer 64 indicates the validity date, the event name, and the price in an easy to read format, at least a part of this product information also being present in the microstructure of the fused image.
  • the stamp identifier code 70 is included in the microstructure of the stamp information zone 71 , and is oriented in the same direction as the lines 73 and code 70 printed on the stamp
  • information concerning the product and concerning the stamp may be provided in both zones in various combinations. Both the product and stamp information included in the microstructure are easily readable at a normal document reading distance of say 20 to 50 cm from the eye.
  • the contextual image which in this example includes a photograph of mountains and part of an anonymous person's portrait in the stamp information zone, is well- defined at normal document reading distance, and even improves beyond the document reading distance, say at arms length from the eye where the microstructure characters become less apparent.
  • Visual verification of a commercial instrument generated according to this invention may include the steps shown in Fig. 10, whereby a ticket controller would check the relevance of the ticket information by reading the product information layer 64, and the microstructure information, which should correspond to the product information.
  • the controller may also verify the contextual image and the microstructure shape or pattern and in this regard should be informed of the background image and microstructure pattern that applies to the type of commercial instrument at its date of validity and/or other attributes of validity.
  • the controller may further verify the correspondence between the stamp information and the microstructure.
  • a bar code 66 which preferably includes the encoded and encrypted unique ticket information set, may be used as an additional verification means in case of doubt of the authenticity of the ticket, or for other reasons, such as random checks.
  • the stamp information may further include graphical elements 74 that are reproduced in the ticket image, either as a microstructure element or in the contextual image to which the microstructure dither matrix is applied.
  • the graphical element represents a watch dial that overlaps the ticket information and stamp information zones on the contextual image layer.
  • the microstructure dither matrix is thus also applied to the watch dial in order to generate the printing image thereof.
  • Fig. 11a a detailed view of a portion of the printed ticket of Fig. 11 is shown.
  • the smallest screen dots used for printing the image are conventional screen dots using traditional shapes, such as an ellipse or circle.
  • the screen dots may however be provided with a special shape that could be changed on a regular basis to increase the security against forgery.
  • This security technique may be taken further by introducing additional layers of microstructure elements having sizes intermediate the smallest printed screen dot and the microstructure elements verifiable at normal reading distance, using a fusion procedure as set forth above. Verification of the intermediate microstructure elements may be performed by close visual inspection of the printed instrument, for example at a distance of 10 to 20 cm from the eye. As best seen in Fig.
  • a second layer of smaller microstructure elements comprising the characters "-03" is provided.
  • a plurality of microstructure image layers formed by microstructure elements of a different size for each layer could be fused with the contextual image with the fusion procedure described above.
  • stamps are generated and allocated to individual stamp information files in conjunction with information on graphical elements, such as the microstructure orientation lines or other information to be printed on the stamp.
  • the unique stamp information for each stamp is stored in a database or in databases 15, that may also be linked or comprise personal information on customers.
  • the unique stamp information files are also sent to a printing server for printing on special substrates with professional printing systems, preferably using special inks, such that the printed stamp cannot be forged by mere copying on plain paper substrate.
  • the stamps may further be provided with an adhesive layer on the non-printed side, in order to enable them to be bonded to printed commercial instruments.
  • stamps do not necessarily need to be related to any specific event or transaction, as long as the data processing system used by the ticket issuer for generation of the ticket image also has access to the stamp information database.
  • the stamps may be distributed or sold by the ticket issuer to actual or potential customers.
  • a practical example of the use of such stamps would for example be for vouchers or coupons offered or sold by retailers and bearing a value for the purchase or exchange of goods.
  • the stamps may also be used to generate tickets to events where it is not practical to provide unique information, such as personal information or information related to specific seating, date and venue, for example a ski pass or a bus or train ticket.
  • the stamp information is removed from the database, or marked as "used", such that another attempt at generating a printed commercial instrument with the same unique stamp information would be invalid and result in a refusal message sent to the customer's terminal.
  • a plain image file is generated that combines both the information layer 52, with for example the code bar 66 and readable alphanumerical information on the transaction in a certain zone or zones of the ticket, and the unique ticket information set 41 comprising product information 38 and stamp information 39.
  • the portion of the plain image file comprising the unique ticket information set 41 is encrypted with a known visual encryption technique, for example as described in US 5,488,664, and packaged with the information layer into a ticket image printing file for transmission via the communication network to a user's computer for printing under the user's control.
  • the encryption of the encoded portion of the ticket image is performed with an encryption key supplied from a revealator database 78 that corresponds to a complementary decryption key used for generating the transparency (also called revealator) 80 used by the ticket controller.
  • the controller places the transparency on the user's printed ticket, thereby revealing the unique ticket information set in the encoded portion of the printed ticket.
  • the controller verifies the conformity of the revealed unique information with the transaction to which the ticket relates, and the information on the separate printed stamp 69 stuck onto the printed ticket.
  • the steps for generating the ticket image file are in general quite similar to the previously described embodiment, in that the selected graphical representation and parameters are incorporated into a ticket image file comprising an information layer 52 and a unique ticket information set.
  • This embodiment differs principally in that a moire pattern transformation is applied to the zone of the ticket image comprising the unique ticket information set 38, 39, the parameters of this moire transformation being received from a revealator database 78. Part of the moire transformation parameters may be related to the unique ticket information set.
  • the moire transformation algorithm for the ticket to be printed is associated with a corresponding revealator transparency that is positioned by the controller on the printed ticket in order to reveal certain attributes of the unique ticket information set that are not found in the ticket printed by the user.
  • the use of moire patterns is known per se and described for example in US 6,249,588.
  • the unique ticket information set revealed by the revealator comprises both transaction information and unique stamp information that is verified, respectively, with respect to the transaction to which the ticket relates, and to the stamp information 69 bonded by the user on the printed ticket.
  • the printed commercial instrument generated by the method described herein can be printed at home or at other remote locations under the user's control, on ordinary paper, yet with a high level of security. Furthermore, a single original is guaranteed by the combination of the printed ticket with the separate stamp, in itself unique and difficult to forge since it is printed with professional printing systems and special inks, whereby unique stamp information and transaction is included in an encoded portion of the printed ticket.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé de génération d'un outil publicitaire imprimé qui consiste à entrer dans un système de traitement de données des informations d'identification unique fournies sur un timbre séparé produit avec des systèmes d'impression professionnels localisant automatiquement à partir d'une base de donnée de timbres de ce système de traitement de données des informations image de ce timbre, à sélectionner ou à localiser des informations de transaction spécifiques à un événement ou de transaction à laquelle cet outil publicitaire se rapporte à partir d'une base de données de ce système de traitement de données, à générer un ensemble d'informations de billet unique comprenant au moins une partie des informations de timbre et au moins une partie de ces informations de transaction, à coder graphiquement et à incorpore au moins cet ensemble d'information de billet unique dans un fichier d'impression d'image outil publicitaire.
EP04701410A 2003-01-13 2004-01-12 Outil publicitaire imprime et procede de generation de cet outil Withdrawn EP1584072A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04701410A EP1584072A1 (fr) 2003-01-13 2004-01-12 Outil publicitaire imprime et procede de generation de cet outil

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP03405009 2003-01-13
EP03405009 2003-01-13
EP04701410A EP1584072A1 (fr) 2003-01-13 2004-01-12 Outil publicitaire imprime et procede de generation de cet outil
PCT/IB2004/000081 WO2004063993A1 (fr) 2003-01-13 2004-01-12 Outil publicitaire imprime et procede de generation de cet outil

Publications (1)

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EP1584072A1 true EP1584072A1 (fr) 2005-10-12

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WO (1) WO2004063993A1 (fr)

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NL1028763C2 (nl) * 2005-04-13 2006-10-16 Moreo Romano Uden De uitvinding betreft een werkwijze voor het tegengaan van plagiaat, merkvervalsing en illegale kopiering.
EP1843288A1 (fr) * 2006-04-05 2007-10-10 Elca Informatique S.A. Sécurisation de transactions électroniques sur un réseau ouvert
EP2596473B1 (fr) * 2010-07-22 2014-06-25 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Fusion d'images multiples
KR20140030099A (ko) * 2010-10-11 2014-03-11 그래픽 시큐리티 시스템즈 코포레이션 은닉 인증 이미지를 포함하는 합성 이미지를 구성하는 방법
FR2995433B1 (fr) 2012-09-11 2016-09-02 Arjowiggins Security Procede d'authentification d'un element de securite par superposition de n images partagees en couleur et element de securite mettant en œuvre ce procede

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US4944532A (en) * 1989-05-22 1990-07-31 Pollard Albert C Multiple-part travelers' check providing enhanced security and prevention of unauthorized use
US5488664A (en) * 1994-04-22 1996-01-30 Yeda Research And Development Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for protecting visual information with printed cryptographic watermarks
US6249588B1 (en) * 1995-08-28 2001-06-19 ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FéDéRALE DE LAUSANNE Method and apparatus for authentication of documents by using the intensity profile of moire patterns
DE19823907B4 (de) * 1998-05-28 2005-02-10 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Verfahren zur Bereitstellung und Überprüfung von Berechtigungsnachweisen
JP2000182086A (ja) * 1998-12-18 2000-06-30 Toshiba Corp 券発行方法および券照合方法
AUPQ009599A0 (en) * 1999-05-03 1999-05-27 Young, Stephen Maxwell David Commercial instruments and method of generation thereof

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