JP2006338548A - Printing paper sheet management system, printing paper sheet registration device, method, and program, printing paper sheet discrimination device, method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely discriminate the validity of printing paper sheet. <P>SOLUTION: A bill management system 1 surely and easily discriminates whether or not a bill BLD for discrimination is a stolen bill according to collation results between a print pattern PM for comparison and a print pattern PC for authentication and surely discriminates whether or not the bill BLD for discrimination is the stolen bill according to theft presence information TF by recognizing a bill number NS of a bill BL by a bill registration device 3, simultaneously extracting the print pattern PC for authentication, registering the print pattern PC for authentication on a bill information database DB of a bill information management device 2 in association with the bill number NS, recognizing the bill number NS of the bill BLD for discrimination by a bill discrimination device 4, simultaneously extracting the print pattern PM for comparison and further collating the print pattern PM for comparison with the print pattern PC for authentication after acquiring the print pattern PC for authentication and the theft presence information TF from the bill information database DB. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographic paper management system, a photographic paper registration device, a photographic paper registration method, a photographic paper registration program, a photographic paper discrimination device, a photographic paper discrimination method, and a photographic paper discrimination program, and is applied to, for example, a banknote management system that manages banknotes. And suitable.

  Conventionally, since banknotes are made of photographic paper with predetermined print contents printed on paper, there is a possibility that counterfeit banknotes that are illegally copied legitimate banknotes may be manufactured by using printing technology. Some counterfeit banknotes circulated and became a social problem.

  In particular, with the recent development of printing technology, elaborate counterfeit banknotes that are very similar to real banknotes may be manufactured. In this case, authenticity determination becomes difficult, and forged banknotes may be mistaken for legitimate banknotes.

On the other hand, the banknote number which can be uniquely identified for every banknote is printed on the banknote, For example, the banknote management system which manages a banknote using this banknote number is proposed. In this banknote management system, banknote numbers such as counterfeit banknotes and stolen banknotes that have been stolen are registered in advance, each time banknotes are circulated in stores, banks, etc., these banknote numbers are read and checked against pre-registered banknote numbers. By doing so, it is possible to easily discriminate between counterfeit bills and stolen bills when the bills are used in stores, banks and the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-303367 A (page 5, FIG. 1)

  However, in the banknote management system having such a configuration, only banknotes that match registered banknote numbers can be determined.

  That is, in the banknote management system, it is not possible to discriminate a forged banknote or a stolen banknote in which a banknote number has not yet been registered, such as a new counterfeit banknote whose banknote number has been changed from a registered counterfeit banknote or a stolen banknote immediately after being stolen. That is, there is a problem that the legitimacy of the banknote may not be determined.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and is a photographic paper management system, a photographic paper registration apparatus, a photographic paper registration method, a photographic paper registration program, and a photographic paper discrimination apparatus that can reliably determine the legitimacy of photographic paper. The present invention intends to propose a photographic paper discrimination method and a photographic paper discrimination program.

  In order to solve such a problem, in the photographic paper management system of the present invention, a registration device that extracts feature information representing the characteristics of a legitimate photographic paper with a unique management number and registers it in a predetermined management device, and a discrimination target A photographic paper management system having a discriminating device for discriminating whether or not the photographic paper is legitimate photographic paper, wherein the registration device includes a management number recognizing means for recognizing a management number assigned to the legitimate photographic paper, The discrimination apparatus comprises: a pattern information acquisition unit that acquires authentication pattern information corresponding to a pattern of a photographic paper as feature information; and a registration unit that registers the authentication pattern information in the management apparatus in association with a management number. A discrimination target management number recognition means for recognizing a discrimination target management number attached to the discrimination target photographic paper; a comparison pattern information acquisition means for acquiring comparison pattern information corresponding to a pattern of the discrimination target photographic paper; The authentication pattern information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication pattern information associated with the determination target management number from the apparatus, and the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information are collated to make the determination target photographic paper the legitimate photographic paper itself. And discriminating means for discriminating whether or not.

  The photographic paper discriminating device acquires the authentication pattern information previously extracted from the legitimate photographic paper by the photographic paper registration device and registered in the management device based on the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper. By comparing the comparison pattern information extracted from the paper with the authentication pattern information, it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the determination target printing paper is the legitimate printing paper itself.

  In the present invention, the discrimination target management number is recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper to which the unique management number is assigned, the comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the discrimination target photographic paper is acquired, and the legitimate photographic paper has The authentication pattern information associated with the discrimination target management number is acquired from a predetermined management apparatus in which authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern is registered in advance associated with the management number, and the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information are used for authentication. By comparing with the pattern information, it is determined whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself.

  The photographic paper discriminating device acquires the authentication pattern information previously extracted from the legitimate photographic paper by the photographic paper registration device and registered in the management device based on the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper. By comparing the comparison pattern information extracted from the paper with the authentication pattern information, it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the determination target printing paper is the legitimate printing paper itself.

  Further, according to the present invention, the management number is recognized from the legitimate photographic paper to which a unique management number is assigned, and is compared with the pattern information for comparison corresponding to the pattern of the photographic paper to be discriminated in a predetermined photographic paper discriminating apparatus. The authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern possessed by the legitimate photographic paper is acquired, and when the discrimination paper for discrimination is determined by the photographic paper discriminating apparatus, it is determined from the discrimination target photographic paper. The authentication pattern information is associated with the management number and registered in the management apparatus so that the authentication pattern information can be obtained from a predetermined management apparatus in association with the recognized discrimination target management number and collated with the comparison pattern information. I made it.

  The photographic paper discriminating device acquires the authentication pattern information previously extracted from the legitimate photographic paper by the photographic paper registration device and registered in the management device based on the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper. By comparing the comparison pattern information extracted from the paper with the authentication pattern information, it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the determination target printing paper is the legitimate printing paper itself.

  According to the present invention, based on the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper by the photographic paper discrimination device, the authentication pattern information previously extracted from the legitimate photographic paper by the photographic paper registration device and registered in the management device is obtained. By acquiring and comparing the comparison pattern information extracted from the discrimination target photographic paper and the authentication pattern information, it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself. Thus, it is possible to realize a photographic paper discriminating apparatus, a photographic paper registering apparatus, and a photographic paper management system that can reliably discriminate the validity of the photographic paper.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Whole structure of banknote management system In FIG. 1, the banknote management system 1 has the structure by which the banknote information management apparatus 2, the banknote registration apparatus 3, and the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4 were connected via the internet 5, Based on the unique banknote number attached to the banknote BL and the characteristic information (described later in detail) of the banknote BL, it is determined whether the banknote BL is a counterfeit banknote that has been illegally copied, and the banknote number is determined. Based on this, it is possible to determine whether or not the bill BL is a stolen bill.

  The banknote registration apparatus 3 as a photographic paper registration apparatus is installed in, for example, a banknote printing place that manufactures legitimate banknotes BL, a financial institution that newly distributes manufactured banknotes BL, and the like. Before the circulation, the feature information of the bill BL is extracted, the bill number is read, and the feature information and the bill number are associated with each other and sent to the bill information management device 2 via the Internet 5.

  The banknote information management apparatus 2 as a management apparatus registers the characteristic information of the banknote BL supplied from the banknote registration apparatus 3 and the banknote number in the banknote information database DB in association with each other. Moreover, the banknote information management apparatus 2 is made to send the characteristic information corresponding to the banknote number of the said banknote BL to the said banknote determination apparatus 4, when there exists a request | requirement from the banknote determination apparatus 4. FIG.

  The bill discriminating device 4 as a photographic paper discriminating device is installed in a general store or a vending machine. For example, the bill BL paid by a customer is characterized by the bill BL like the bill registering device 3. By extracting the information and reading the banknote number and sending the banknote number to the banknote information management device 2, the registered feature information associated with the banknote number is acquired. Here, the bill discriminating device 4 discriminates whether or not the bill BL is a counterfeit bill by collating the newly extracted feature information with the registered feature information (hereinafter referred to as a discrimination target as described above). Banknotes to be referred to as discrimination target banknotes BLD).

  Moreover, the banknote information management apparatus 2 is made to register the theft presence / absence information indicating whether or not the banknote BL was stolen in association with the banknote number of the banknote BL in the banknote information database DB. When the banknote number of the banknote BLD to be discriminated is sent from 4, the theft presence / absence information corresponding to the banknote number is read from the banknote information database DB, and the theft presence / absence information is added to the registered feature information in the banknote discrimination device. 4 to send. The bill discriminating device 4 discriminates whether or not the discrimination target bill BLD is a theft bill according to the contents of the theft presence / absence information.

  Incidentally, in the banknote management system 1 as a photographic paper management system, a large number of banknote registration apparatuses 3 are actually installed in a plurality of financial institutions, and a large number of banknote discrimination apparatuses 4 are installed in each store or vending machine. Each apparatus is connected to the banknote information management apparatus 2 via the Internet 5, but for convenience of explanation, only one banknote registration apparatus 3 and one banknote discrimination apparatus 4 are shown in FIG. .

(2) Principle of the present invention (2-1) Characteristic information of banknotes As shown in FIG. 2, paper including banknotes is generally a unique pattern (hereinafter referred to as a pattern) composed of complex intertwined fibers. This pattern can be obtained as an image (hereinafter referred to as a pattern image) using, for example, a transmissive scanner, as can be seen from the fact that the pattern is visible when held over light. Can do.

  On the other hand, this pattern is composed of fibers that are randomly entangled when the paper is manufactured. Therefore, this pattern has a unique pattern for each sheet of paper, and it is technically necessary to artificially create this pattern. It is difficult and practically impossible.

  Therefore, in the banknote management system 1 according to the present embodiment, a pattern of a pattern (hereinafter referred to as a pattern pattern) included in the pattern image is extracted, and the pattern is illegal using the pattern pattern as characteristic information of the banknote. It is determined whether or not it has been duplicated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), the banknote management system 1 has a pattern in an area (hereinafter referred to as a specified area AR) designated in advance in a pattern image of a valid banknote BL by the banknote registration apparatus 3. A pattern is extracted as the characteristic information of the banknote BL.

  Moreover, the banknote management system 1 reads the banknote number area | region AS by which banknote number NS was printed on the banknote BL by the banknote registration apparatus 3, and recognizes banknote number NS as a character by a predetermined character recognition process.

  The banknote management system 1 registers the pattern pattern extracted by the banknote registration apparatus 3 (hereinafter referred to as an authentication pattern pattern PC) in the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2 in association with the banknote number NS. .

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, the banknote management system 1, for example, when a purchaser of a product pays a banknote BL (that is, a banknote for discrimination BLD) at a store, the banknote discrimination device 4 performs the discrimination target banknote BLD. The bill pattern area AS is read, the bill number NS is recognized, and the pattern pattern in the designated area AR of the discrimination target bill BLD as comparison information with the authentication pattern pattern PC (hereinafter referred to as a comparison pattern pattern PM). ).

  Then, the bill discriminating device 4 acquires the authentication pattern pattern PC corresponding to the bill number NS of the discrimination target bill BLD from the bill information database DB of the bill information management device 2, and the authentication pattern pattern PC and the comparison pattern pattern PM. And verifying the validity of the discrimination target banknote BLD (whether it is a counterfeit banknote copied illegally).

  Here, the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 determines that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a valid banknote BL when a match rate higher than a predetermined match rate is obtained as a result of this collation, and this is not illustrated. A predetermined accounting process or the like is performed by notifying the apparatus or the like.

  On the other hand, the bill discriminating device 4 discriminates that the discrimination target bill BLD is not a legitimate bill but an illegally forged bill when a match rate lower than a predetermined match rate is obtained, Notify the relevant places such as the police.

  Therefore, in this banknote management system 1, if the banknote BL is a counterfeit banknote that has been illegally copied, as shown in FIG. 4, the print contents such as banknote numbers can be copied, but the pattern pattern in the designated area AR is Since the counterfeit banknote is not duplicated, the authentication pattern PC associated with the banknote number NS and registered in the banknote information database DB does not match the counterfeit banknote pattern PM for comparison. In the bill discriminating device 4, it can be surely discriminated that the bill BL is a counterfeit bill.

  Thus, in the banknote management system 1, based on the pattern pattern (authentication pattern pattern PC or comparison pattern pattern PM), the validity of the discrimination target banknote BLD (match rate of the pattern pattern corresponding to the banknote number NS) is determined. By verifying, whether or not it is a counterfeit bill is surely determined.

(2-2) Management of banknotes by banknote authentication device In the banknote management system 1, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the banknote discrimination device 4 verifies that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a valid banknote. In addition, a discrimination device number ND unique to the bill discrimination device 4 is registered in the bill information database DB of the bill information management device 2 in association with the bill number NS of the discrimination target bill BLD.

  In other words, in the banknote information database DB, a store or vending machine or the like that legitimately holds the banknote BL of the banknote number NS by updating the discrimination apparatus number ND of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 as needed in association with the banknote number NS. Information will be managed indirectly.

  For this reason, in the banknote management system 1, when the banknote BL is stolen from the store etc. in which the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 was installed, the discrimination | determination apparatus number ND of the said banknote discrimination apparatus 4 is matched and registered in banknote information database DB. The banknote number NS of the stolen banknote BL can be specified by extracting the banknote number NS that is being stolen.

  Furthermore, in the banknote management system 1, when the banknote BL is stolen, the banknote information database DB registers the theft / non-theft information TF corresponding to the banknote number of the stolen banknote BL to “YES”, thereby the banknote BL Is a stolen note.

  Thereby, in the banknote management system 1, as shown in FIG.5 (B), when the stolen banknote BL is used in another store etc., in the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4 installed in the said other store, the said banknote BL When verifying the legitimacy of the bill, it is possible to reliably determine that the bill BL is a theft bill based on the fact that the theft information TF of the bill BL acquired from the bill information database DB is “YES”. it can.

  By the way, in the banknote management system 1, when the discrimination target banknote BLD is not a stolen banknote, a predetermined accounting process is performed by notifying this to an accounting apparatus (not shown), while the discrimination target banknote BLD is theft banknote. If it is, it is notified to relevant places such as the police as in the case of the counterfeit bill described above.

  In this way, in the banknote management system 1, by registering the discrimination device number ND of the banknote discrimination device 4 that has finally verified that the banknote BL is a valid banknote in association with the banknote number NS, When the banknote BL is stolen, it is possible to easily specify the banknote number NS of the banknote BL stolen based on the determination device number ND.

  Further, in the banknote management system 1, the stolen banknote BL is legitimately received by another banknote discriminating apparatus 4 by setting the theft presence / absence information TF to “YES” in association with the banknote number NS of the stolen banknote BL. When the property is verified, it is possible to reliably determine that the stolen banknote BL is a stolen banknote.

(3) Banknote Registration Device (3-1) Configuration of Banknote Registration Device In FIG. 6, the banknote registration device 3 includes a scanner unit 12 via a bus 11 with respect to a control unit 10 that controls the banknote registration device 3. The storage unit 13 and the communication processing unit 14 are connected.

  The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes various arithmetic processes, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and reads various programs from the ROM or the storage unit 13. Various processes are executed by developing in the RAM.

  In the storage unit 13, in addition to various programs such as an OS (Operating System) and a banknote registration program, position information LC indicating the positions of the banknote number area AS and the designated area AR in the banknote BL (FIG. 1), and the banknote registration apparatus 3. A unique registration device number NR and the like are stored, and the registration device number NR and the position information LC are sent to the control unit 10 in response to a request from the control unit 10.

  Actually, when the banknote BL is set on the reading table of the scanner unit 12, the banknote registration device 3 detects this by a sensor (not shown), and in response to this, the control unit 10 reads the pattern image reading command and the banknote number image reading. The command is sent to the scanner unit 12.

  The scanner unit 12 has a transmissive mode and a reflective mode. When the pattern image reading command is given from the control unit 10, the transmissive mode is selected, and when the banknote number image reading command is given, the reflective mode is selected. Each is executed, and a pattern image or a banknote number image is read.

  In practice, in the transmission mode, the scanner unit 12 irradiates the bill BL set on the reading table with light, and transmits the pattern projection light obtained by passing through the bill BL and passing through the optical system to the solid-state imaging device. Image. The scanner unit 4 performs A / D (Analog / Digital) conversion processing or the like on the pattern image signal obtained from the solid-state image sensor, and sends the pattern image data D1 obtained as a result to the control unit 10.

  Further, in the reflection mode, the scanner unit 12 irradiates the bill BL set on the reading table with light, reflects the bill BL, and couples the print content reflected light obtained through the optical system to the solid-state imaging device. Image. Then, the scanner unit 12 performs A / D conversion processing or the like on the print content image signal obtained from the solid-state imaging device, and sends the print content image data D2 obtained as a result to the control unit 10.

  The control unit 10 acquires the pattern image data D1 and the print content image data D2 of the banknote BL from the scanner unit 12 as a response result of these commands.

  Subsequently, the control unit 10 extracts the authentication pattern pattern PC from the pattern image data D1, recognizes the banknote number NS based on the print content image data D2, and encrypts the authentication pattern pattern PC and the banknote number NS. As a result, encrypted data D3 is generated and sent to the communication processing unit 14.

  The communication processing unit 14 performs predetermined packetization processing based on the encrypted data D3 given from the control unit 10 and the address of the banknote information management device 2 designated as the transmission destination of the encrypted data D3, The generated packet is sent to the Internet 5. In response to this, the Internet 5 sends the packet to the banknote information management device 2 based on the address set in the packet.

  In response to this, the banknote information management device 2 is configured to register the authentication pattern and the banknote number NS obtained by decrypting the encrypted data D3 in the banknote information database DB.

(3-2) Configuration of Control Unit of Bill Registration Device Next, processing in the control unit 10 will be described. When the software processing in the control unit 10 is functionally classified, as shown in FIG. 7, a low-frequency component extraction is performed to extract a low-frequency component image (hereinafter referred to as a low-frequency pattern image) from the pattern image. And image separation for separating the low-band pattern image into a high-luminance component image (hereinafter referred to as a white component pattern image) and a low-luminance component image (hereinafter referred to as a black component pattern image). A section 22, a region dividing unit 23 that divides the pattern included in the white component pattern image and the black component pattern image into a plurality of regions, and a pattern that extracts a pattern pattern so as to calculate a feature amount of each region. The pattern extraction unit 24, the number recognition unit 25 for recognizing the banknote number NS from the print content image, and the banknote information registration for registering the pattern pattern (each feature amount) and the banknote number NS in the banknote information database DB. It can be divided into the part 26.

  In this case, the control unit 10 applies the low frequency component extraction unit 21, the image separation unit 22, the area division unit 23, and the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 of the pattern processing unit 20 to the pattern image data D 1 given from the scanner unit 12. The authentication pattern pattern PC is generated by performing various processes sequentially, and the banknote number NS is acquired by the number recognition process in the number recognition unit 25 for the print content image data D2 given from the scanner unit 12, The authentication pattern pattern PC and the banknote number NS are encrypted by the banknote information registration unit 26, and the encrypted data D3 obtained as a result is sent to the communication processing unit 14.

  Hereinafter, low frequency component extraction processing by the low frequency component extraction unit 21, image separation processing by the image separation unit 22, region division processing by the region division unit 23, pattern pattern extraction processing by the pattern pattern extraction unit 24, number recognition The number recognition process by the unit 25 and the registration process by the banknote information registration unit 26 will be described in detail.

(3-2-1) Low-frequency component extraction process The low-frequency component extraction unit 21 of the pattern processing unit 20 performs, for example, as shown in FIG. This is called an area pattern image IM1 (FIG. 8A), and a low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 8B) is extracted from the area pattern image IM1.

  Specifically, the low frequency component extraction unit 21 acquires the data of the area pattern image IM1 from the pattern image data D1 given from the scanner unit 12 based on the position information LC stored in the storage unit 13 (FIG. 6). Then, frequency component data is generated by subjecting the acquired data of the area pattern image IM1 to Fourier transform processing.

  Then, the low-frequency component extraction unit 21 sets the data value of the high-frequency component equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold to “0” for the frequency component data, and then performs an inverse Fourier transform process on the low-frequency component pattern image IM2. Data (hereinafter referred to as low-frequency pattern image data) D11 is generated and sent to the image separation unit 22.

  In this way, the low-frequency component extraction unit 21 extracts various low-frequency components included in the high-frequency component of the image, such as noise of a solid-state image sensor in the scanner unit 12, by extracting the low-frequency component pattern image IM2. It can be removed.

  As a result, the low frequency component extraction unit 21 can avoid a decrease in pattern pattern (feature amount) extraction accuracy in the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 due to various noise components.

(3-2-2) Image Separation Processing As shown in FIG. 9, for example, the image separation unit 22 of the pattern processing unit 20 uses a low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 9 ( A)) is separated into a white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and a black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C).

  Specifically, the image separation unit 22 sequentially detects the luminance value of the low frequency component pattern image IM2 of the low frequency pattern image data D11 supplied from the low frequency component extraction unit 21 for each pixel, and the detection result is a predetermined value. All the pixels (hereinafter referred to as white pixels) having a luminance value equal to or higher than the high luminance threshold (hereinafter referred to as white threshold) are converted to the highest luminance level, and the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9 ( B)) is extracted, and the white component pattern image WIM is sent to the area division unit 23 as data (hereinafter referred to as white component pattern image data) D12.

  In addition, the image separation unit 22 detects all pixels (hereinafter referred to as “brightness values”) in which the detection result of the brightness value of each pixel in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 is equal to or lower than a predetermined low brightness threshold (hereinafter referred to as “black threshold”). The black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C) is extracted by converting the black pixel) to the lowest luminance level, and this black component pattern image BIM is extracted as data (hereinafter referred to as black component pattern image data). It is sent to the area division unit 23 as D13.

  In this way, the image separation unit 22 separates the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C), thereby reducing the degree of complexity of the pattern. It can be reduced.

  As a result, the image separation unit 22 can avoid a decrease in pattern pattern (feature amount) extraction accuracy in the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 due to a large degree of complexity.

  In addition to this configuration, the image separation unit 22 includes a white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and a black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C) for the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 9A). The white threshold value and the black threshold value are adjusted so that the area ratio of (2) is 20 [%], for example.

  Specifically, the image separation unit 22 sequentially detects the luminance value in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 for each pixel, and the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C). ) Is extracted, a distribution of luminance values for each pixel in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 is generated as a luminance histogram based on the detection result, as shown in FIG.

  Based on this luminance histogram, the image separation unit 22 determines that the number of white pixels (black pixels) in the white component pattern image WIM (black component pattern image BIM) extracted at this time is the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 9 (A)), it is determined whether or not it is 20 [%] of all pixels (shaded area in FIG. 10).

  Here, the image separation unit 22 changes the white threshold value (black threshold value) when the number of white pixels (black pixels) is not 20% of all pixels as a result of the determination. The white component pattern image WIM (black component pattern image BIM) is extracted again based on the white threshold value (black threshold value).

  In this way, the image separation unit 22 sets the white component pattern image WIM so that the number of white pixels and black pixels is 20% of all the pixels in the low frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 9A). The black component pattern image BIM is extracted and sent to the area dividing unit 23 as white component pattern image data D12 and black component pattern image data D13, respectively.

  As a result, the image separation unit 22 relatively compares the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and the black component pattern image BIM (based on the total number of pixels of the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 9A). 9C) can be separated, for example, even when the color tone of the photographic paper (low-frequency component pattern image IM2) changes due to secular change or the like, the change in the color tone can be removed. it can.

  As a result, the image separation unit 22 can avoid a decrease in pattern pattern (feature amount) extraction accuracy in the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 due to such a change in color tone.

(3-2-3) Area Division Processing The area division unit 23 of the pattern processing unit 20 adjoins the pattern included in the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) as shown in FIG. The area is divided into areas each having a set of white pixels (hereinafter referred to as white damashes), and the pattern included in the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C) is divided into a set of adjacent black pixels as a unit. The area is divided into areas (hereinafter referred to as black dama).

  Specifically, the area dividing unit 23 detects any white pixels from the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) of the white component pattern image data D12 supplied from the image separation unit 22, and then performs arbitrary attention. A total of 8 pixels (hereinafter referred to as 8 neighboring pixels) adjacent to the pixel AP in the vertical and horizontal directions and diagonal directions are sequentially connected to form a white pixel group, and identification information is associated with each white pixel group. White dummies WD1, WD2,..., And WDn are formed.

  In addition, the area dividing unit 23 also applies the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) to the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C) of the black component pattern image data D13 supplied from the image separation unit 22. Similarly, a plurality of black dummies BD (BD1 to BDn) are formed.

  In this manner, the area dividing unit 23 divides the pattern included in the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) into a plurality of white damascene WDs (WD1 to WDn) and the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9). By dividing the pattern in (C)) into a plurality of black dams BD (BD1 to BDn), the pattern can be subdivided.

  As a result, the area dividing unit 23 can finely analyze the patterns included in the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C). The pattern pattern extraction unit 24 can improve the pattern pattern (feature amount) extraction accuracy.

  In addition to such a configuration, the area dividing unit 23 divides the pattern included in the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) into a plurality of white dams WD (WD1 to WDn), and then pre- Small lumps (hereinafter referred to as small dams) that are equal to or less than the specified number of connections are removed, and white dams WD (WD1 to WDn) obtained as a result of the removal are represented as data (hereinafter referred to as this). Is referred to as white dama data) and sent to the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 as D14.

  Further, the area dividing unit 23 removes small lumps in the same manner as the white dams WD (WD1 to WDn) for the black dams BD (BD1 to BDn), and the black dams BD (BD1 to BDn) obtained as a result of the removal. ) As data (hereinafter referred to as black dama data) D15 is sent to the pattern pattern extraction unit 24.

  As a result, the area dividing unit 23 eliminates the influence of the fine patterns included in the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B) and the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C), and only the characteristic portion of the pattern. Can be extracted as a white dama WD and a black dama BD, and the pattern pattern (feature amount) extraction accuracy in the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 can be further improved.

(3-2-4) Pattern Pattern Extraction Processing The pattern pattern extraction unit 24 of the pattern processing unit 20 calculates the feature amount of the shape in each white dama WD (WD1 to WDn) and each black dama BD (BD1 to BDn). In this way, a pattern pattern is extracted.

  In this case, in the pattern pattern extraction unit 24, since the shape of each of the white dama WD and the black dama BD is complicated, it is difficult to calculate the feature amount as it is. To approximate a rectangle. That is, as shown in FIG. 11, the pattern pattern extraction unit 14 includes the center coordinates (xc, yc), the long side l, the short side w, and the long side l for each of the lumps (white dam WD or black dam BD). An angle θ formed with the axis (hereinafter referred to as a rectangular information value) is calculated as a feature amount.

  The pattern pattern extracting unit 24 also applies the black dama data BD (BD1 to BDn) of the black dama data D15 supplied from the area dividing unit 23 to each black dama BD as in the case of the white dama WD (WD1 to WDn). Each amount (rectangular information value) is calculated.

  The characteristic amounts of the white dama WD (WD1 to WDn) and the black dama BD (BD1 to BDn) thus calculated (hereinafter referred to as the pattern feature amount) are displayed in the area pattern image IM1 (FIG. 8A). Since it is a value representing the characteristic shape of the pattern that it has, it means the extraction result itself of the pattern pattern included in the area pattern image IM1.

  Then, the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 generates an authentication pattern pattern PC (FIG. 7) by encoding the pattern feature amount according to a predetermined encoding method, and sends this to the banknote information registration unit 26. ing.

  As described above, the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 calculates the pattern feature amount composed of the rectangular information values of each white dama WD and each black dama BD, and the pattern pattern (authentication) included in the designated area AR (FIG. 1). Pattern) can be extracted.

  Incidentally, as a data range that can be taken by the rectangular information value (center coordinates (xc, yc), long side l, short side w, and angle θ) in one white dama or black dama BD, the data range shown in FIG. Assuming that the data size of the rectangular information value in the one white dama or black dama BD is about 9 [byte] (72 [bit]) from the experimental result.

  Then, the pattern feature amounts (each white dama WD and each black dama BD obtained as a result of reducing redundant data by the above-described low frequency component extraction processing, image separation processing, region division processing, and pattern pattern extraction processing, respectively. The data size of (rectangular information value) was 435 [bytes] on average and 504 [bytes] at maximum, as is apparent from the experimental results shown in FIG.

  As described above, the pattern processing unit 20 extracts the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 based on the pattern image data D1, separates it into the white component pattern image WIM and the black component pattern image BIM, and separates each of them into a white dama WD. (WD1 to WDn) and black dama BD (BD1 to BDn) are divided into white rectangles WD and black dama BD, each of which is approximated to a rectangle, and calculated as a pattern feature value. By doing so, an authentication pattern PC is generated.

(3-2-5) Number Recognition Processing The number recognition unit 25 acquires an image of the area of the banknote number character string SL (FIG. 1) from the print content image of the banknote BL (hereinafter referred to as banknote number image). The banknote number NS is recognized from the banknote number image.

  Specifically, the number recognition unit 25 acquires a banknote number image from the print content image data D2 provided from the scanner unit 12 based on the position information LC stored in the storage unit 13 (FIG. 6), and the banknote number image. Is subjected to a predetermined character recognition process to recognize a banknote number NS made up of a character string and send it to the banknote information registration unit 26.

(3-2-6) Banknote information registration process The banknote information registration unit 26 reads the banknote number NS given from the number recognition unit 25, the authentication pattern pattern PC given from the pattern pattern extraction unit 24, and the storage unit 13. Based on the registered device number NR, a predetermined encryption process is performed to generate encrypted data D3, which is sent to the banknote information management device 2.

  Specifically, the banknote information registration part 26 communicates with the banknote information management apparatus 2 beforehand via the communication processing part 14, and acquires the time-varying key KT by which a different value is set with the time from the said banknote information management apparatus 2 at this time. Keep it.

  Incidentally, in the banknote management system 1, the time-varying key KT is issued only to the valid banknote registration apparatus 3 in the banknote information management apparatus 2. For this reason, the time-varying key KT cannot be obtained from the stolen fraudulent banknote registration device 3 or the like, and the authentication pattern pattern PC for the banknote BL cannot be illegally registered.

  The banknote information registration unit 26 combines the banknote number NS, the authentication pattern PC, and the registration device number NR into one data, and performs a predetermined encryption process on the combined data using the time-varying key KT. As a result, encrypted data D3 is generated and sent to the communication processing unit 14.

  Thereafter, the encrypted data D3 is sent from the communication processing unit 14 to the banknote information management apparatus 2 via the Internet 5. At this time, the banknote information management device 2 recognizes that the authentication pattern PC acquired as the encrypted data D3 is valid when the acquired encrypted data D3 can be correctly decrypted with the time-varying key KT. The authentication pattern pattern PC or the like is registered in the banknote information database DB.

  Thus, the banknote information registration unit 26 performs encryption processing on the banknote number NS, the authentication pattern pattern PC, and the registration apparatus number NR using the time-varying key KT to generate the encrypted data D3. The banknote number NS, the authentication pattern pattern PC, and the registration device number NR are surely transferred and registered to the banknote information management device 2 without being illegally altered.

(4) Banknote Management Device In FIG. 13, the banknote information management device 2 has a storage unit 32 and a communication processing unit 33 connected to a control unit 30 that controls the banknote information management device 2 via a bus 31. It has a configuration.

  The control unit 30 includes a CPU that executes various arithmetic processes, a ROM and a RAM that store basic programs, and the like, and executes various processes in accordance with various programs that are read from the ROM and expanded in the RAM. ing.

  The storage unit 32 is actually composed of a hard disk drive, stores various programs such as an OS, a time-varying key generation program, and a banknote information database update program, and further stores various information regarding the banknote BL (FIG. 1). An information database DB is stored.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the banknote information database DB uses the banknote number NS as key data, the authentication pattern sent from the banknote registration apparatus 3, the registration apparatus number of the banknote registration apparatus 3, and the banknote of the banknote number NS. The authentication device number and date / time of the last banknote discriminating device 4 that correctly collates BL, and the theft presence / absence information TF indicating the presence / absence of the theft are registered.

  This theft presence / absence information TF is normally set to “NO” indicating that it has not been stolen. However, if it has been stolen, “YES” indicating that it has been stolen is set. Has been made.

  The communication processing unit 33 performs predetermined packetization processing, packet disassembly processing, and the like. The communication processing unit 33 packetizes various data supplied from the control unit 30 and sends it to a destination designated by the control unit 30. In addition, data is extracted from the packet acquired via the Internet 5 (FIG. 1) and supplied to the control unit 30.

  Moreover, the control part 30 is made to perform a series of processes regarding the time-varying key KT, and based on the time information at that time in response to a request from the banknote registration apparatus 3 or the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 (FIG. 1). The time-varying key KT is generated and sent to the bill registration device 3 and the bill discriminating device 4 and stored in the storage unit 32.

  Thereafter, when the control unit 30 obtains encrypted data such as the encrypted data D3 (FIG. 7) from the banknote registration device 3 or the banknote discrimination device 4, the time-varying key KT stored in the storage unit 32 is obtained. If the decryption is attempted and the decryption is successful, the received data is recognized as valid.

  At this time, when the banknote number NS, the authentication pattern PC, and the registration apparatus number NR are properly acquired from the banknote registration apparatus 3, the control section 30 registers these in the banknote information database DB of the storage section 32. Yes. Moreover, when the control part 30 acquires the update request | requirement of the valid banknote information from the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4, it matches with the acquired banknote number NS, the discrimination | determination apparatus number ND of the said banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4, and the date and time at that time (namely, update) Date) is registered in the banknote information database DB of the storage unit 32.

(5) Banknote Authentication Device (5-1) Configuration of Banknote Authentication Device In FIG. 15, the same reference numerals are assigned to corresponding parts to FIG. 6, and the banknote discrimination device 4 controls the banknote discrimination device 4. On the other hand, a scanner unit 42, a storage unit 43, and a communication processing unit 44 are connected via a bus 41.

  Similar to the control unit 10, the control unit 40 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like that execute various arithmetic processes, and reads various programs from the ROM or the storage unit 43 and develops the various programs in the RAM. Has been made to run.

  In the storage unit 43, in addition to various programs such as the OS and the bill authentication program, position information LC indicating the positions of the bill number area AS and the designated area AR in the bill BL (FIG. 1), and discrimination unique to the bill discriminating device 4. The device number ND and the like are stored, and the determination device number ND and the position information LC are sent to the control unit 40 in response to a request from the control unit 40.

  Actually, the bill discriminating device 4 detects this by a sensor (not shown) when the discriminating target bill BLD is set on the reading table of the scanner unit 42 as in the bill registering device 3, and from the control unit 40 accordingly. A pattern image reading command and a banknote number image reading command are sent to the scanner unit 42.

  The control unit 40 acquires the pattern image data D1 and the print content image data D2 of the discrimination target banknote BLD from the scanner unit 42 as a response result of these commands.

  Subsequently, the control unit 40 extracts the comparison pattern pattern PM from the pattern image data D1, recognizes the banknote number NS based on the print content image data D2, and uses the banknote information management apparatus 2 (FIG. 1). ), The authentication pattern pattern PC corresponding to the banknote number NS is acquired from the banknote information management apparatus 2. The control unit 40 verifies the validity of the discrimination target banknote BLD by comparing the comparison pattern pattern PM with the authentication pattern pattern PC.

  Moreover, the control part 40 acquires the theft presence / absence information TF corresponding to the banknote number NS from the banknote information management device 2 via the communication processing part 44, and the banknote on which the discrimination target banknote BLD is stolen based on the theft presence / absence information TF. It is determined whether it is (hereinafter referred to as a stolen banknote).

  In addition, about the scanner part 42 and the communication processing part 44 of this banknote discrimination apparatus 4, since it is the same as that of the scanner part 12 and the communication processing part 14 (FIG. 6) of the banknote registration apparatus 3, the description is abbreviate | omitted.

(5-2) Configuration of Control Unit of Bill Authentication Device Next, processing in the control unit 40 will be described. When the software processing in the control unit 40 is functionally classified, a pattern processing unit 50 that extracts a comparison pattern pattern PM based on a pattern image, as shown in FIG. The number recognition unit 55 for recognizing the banknote number NS from the print content image, the banknote information acquisition unit 56 for acquiring the authentication pattern pattern PC and theft presence / absence information TF from the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management device 2, and the pattern Counterfeit discriminating section 57 that discriminates counterfeit banknotes by collating patterns (each feature amount), theft discriminating section 58 that discriminates stolen banknotes based on theft presence / absence information TF, and banknote information update that updates the banknote information database DB It can be divided into a part 59 and a notification part 60 for notifying each related station.

  In this case, the control unit 40 applies the low frequency component extraction unit 21, the image separation unit 22, the region division unit 23, and the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 of the pattern processing unit 20 to the pattern image data D 1 given from the scanner unit 42. The pattern pattern PM for comparison is generated by performing various processes sequentially, and the banknote number NS is obtained by the number recognition process in the number recognition unit 25 for the print content image data D2 given from the scanner unit 42. The banknote information acquisition unit 56 acquires the authentication pattern pattern PC corresponding to the banknote number NS and the theft presence / absence information TF from the banknote information database DB.

  Further, the control unit 40 collates the comparison pattern pattern PM with the authentication pattern pattern PC by the forgery determination unit 57, and determines that the pattern is a valid banknote if they match, while if they do not match, It is determined that it is a counterfeit bill. Further, the control unit 40 determines that the theft determination information 58 is a theft banknote when the theft presence / absence information TF is “YES”, and on the other hand, if the theft presence / absence information TF is “NO”, the control unit 40 is stolen. It is determined that the bill is not a normal bill. Further, the control unit 40 updates the discrimination device number ND registered in the banknote information database DB by the banknote information update unit 59 when it is neither a forged banknote nor a stolen banknote, while the counterfeit banknote or theft banknote If it is either, the notification unit 60 notifies the related stations.

  Here, with respect to the low frequency component extraction unit 21, the image separation unit 22, the region division unit 23, and the pattern pattern extraction unit 24 of the pattern processing unit 50, the extracted pattern pattern is not the authentication pattern pattern PC but the comparison pattern. Since it is the same as that of the pattern processing unit 20 (FIG. 7) in the banknote registration apparatus 3 described above except for the pattern PM, the description thereof is omitted. Further, the number recognition unit 55 is the same as the number recognition unit 25 of the banknote registration device 3 described above, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Hereinafter, the banknote information acquisition process by the banknote information acquisition part 56, the forged banknote discrimination process by the forgery discrimination part 57, the theft banknote discrimination process by the theft discrimination part 58, the banknote information update process by the banknote information update part 59, and the notification process by the notification part 60 Will be described in detail.

(5-2-1) Banknote information acquisition process The banknote information acquisition part 56 sends out the banknote number NS recognized in the number recognition part 25 to the banknote information management apparatus 2, thereby the authentication pattern corresponding to the banknote number NS. The pattern PC and the theft presence / absence information TF are acquired, and the authentication pattern PC is sent to the forgery determination unit 57 and the theft presence / absence information TF is sent to the theft determination unit 58.

  Specifically, the banknote information acquisition part 56 sends out the encryption data D4 which performed the predetermined encryption process to banknote number NS to the banknote information management apparatus 2 via the communication process part 14 (FIG. 15).

  In response to this, the banknote information management device 2 is registered in association with the banknote number NS in the banknote information database DB based on the banknote number NS obtained by decrypting the encrypted data D4 sent from the banknote discrimination apparatus 4. The authentication pattern pattern PC and theft presence / absence information TF are read out, and the encrypted data D5 obtained by subjecting them to a predetermined encryption process is sent to the bill discriminating apparatus 4.

  The banknote information acquisition unit 56 of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 acquires the encrypted data D5 sent from the banknote information management apparatus 2 via the communication processing unit 14, and performs a predetermined decryption process to obtain the original authentication pattern. The pattern PC and theft presence / absence information TF are taken out.

  Incidentally, the banknote information acquisition part 56 acquires the time-varying key KT from the banknote information management apparatus 2 previously, and encrypts using the said time-varying key KT similarly to the banknote information registration part 26 (FIG. 7) of the banknote registration apparatus 3. By performing the process and the decryption process, the authentication pattern PC and the theft / non-use information TF are prevented from being illegally acquired by a third party.

(5-2-2) Counterfeit banknote discrimination process As shown in FIG. 3B, the counterfeit banknote discrimination unit 57 is registered in the pattern pattern PM for comparison extracted from the banknote BL and the banknote information database DB. By collating with the authentication pattern PC, it is determined whether or not the bill BL is a counterfeit bill.

  In practice, the forgery discrimination unit 57 includes a white dama WD and a black dama BD (hereinafter referred to as comparisons) represented by the pattern feature amount (rectangular information value) of the comparison pattern pattern PM supplied from the pattern pattern extraction unit 24. Each of them is called a white dama WD and a black dama BD (hereinafter referred to as an authentication dama) represented by the pattern feature amount (rectangular information value) of the authentication pattern pattern PC given from the banknote information acquisition unit 56. ) In order.

  Here, specific collation processing by the forgery discrimination unit 57 will be described with reference to FIG. 17. For convenience of explanation, here, collation processing between one authentication dama and a comparison dama will be described.

FIG. 17 shows the positional relationship of rectangles represented by rectangle information values (center coordinates (x _c , y _c ), long side l, short side w, and angle θ between the long side l and the axis). R _r is a rectangle (broken line) of the authentication dama, S _r is an area represented by the long side l and the short side w of the authentication dama, and g _r is the center coordinates (x _c , y _{c of the} authentication dama ₎ ), R is the rectangle (solid line) of the comparison dama, S is the area represented by the long side l and short side w of the comparison dama, and g is the center coordinate (x ′ _c , Each of the centers represented by y ′ _c ) is shown.

D represents the distance between the centers g _r and g of the authentication dama and the comparison dama (hereinafter referred to as the center-to-center distance), and θ ′ is the long side l and the axis of the authentication dama. The difference between the angle θ and the angle θ formed by the long side l and the axis in the comparative dama, that is, the difference in inclination between the rectangle R _r and the rectangle R (hereinafter referred to as the inter-rectangular inclination difference) is shown in the figure. The ellipse in FIG. 9 indicates a comparative dama.

In FIG. 17, a forgery distinction unit 57, based on the authentication lumps and rectangle information values of the comparison lumps both central g _r of the authentication lumps are present in the rectangle R of the comparative lumps and comparative lumps It is determined whether or not the center g of the image exists within the rectangle Rr of the authentication dama.

Then, when both centers g _r and g are present in the rectangles R and R _r , the forgery determination unit 57 determines the distance between the centers d, the inclination difference θ ′ between the rectangles, and the area S _{r of the} authentication dama. It is sequentially judged whether or not the difference from the area S of the comparative dama (hereinafter referred to as a dama area difference) is not more than a predetermined threshold value.

  Here, if both of them are equal to or less than the threshold value, the forgery determination unit 57 determines that the authentication dama and the comparison dama are the same dama, and any one of them is equal to or greater than the threshold. In such a case, it is determined that the authentication dama and the comparison dama are not the same dama.

However, as shown in FIG. 18 in which parts corresponding to those in FIG. 17 are assigned the same reference numerals, when the rectangles R _r and R of both the authentication dama and the comparison dama are both square, the inter-rectangular slope difference θ ′ is substantially reduced. Since the angle is 90 degrees, a situation may occur in which it is determined that they are different from each other even though they are the same.

Therefore, the counterfeit discriminating unit 57 determines the ratio between the long side l _r and the short side w _r of the authentication dama and the ratio between the long side l and the short side w of the comparison dama as countermeasures to prevent such a misjudgment. When both are close to “1”, even if the inter-rectangular slope difference θ _r −θ (that is, θ ′ in FIG. 17) is equal to or greater than the threshold value, if the difference in the dama area is equal to or less than the threshold value, it is compared with the authentication dama. Judgment is determined to be the same dama.

  In this way, the forgery determination unit 57 compares the pattern pattern PM for comparison extracted from the banknote BL (that is, each comparison dama represented by the pattern feature amount (rectangular information value)) and the banknote information of the banknote information management device 2. The authentication pattern pattern PC registered in the database DB (that is, each authentication dama represented by the pattern feature value (rectangular information value)) is collated.

  By the way, although the banknote BL is a legitimate banknote, it can be assumed that the matching rate of the comparison dama based on the comparison pattern pattern PM with respect to the authentication dama based on the authentication pattern pattern PC is low.

  This occurs in the position of the banknote BL placed on the reading table of the scanner unit 12 or in the solid-state image sensor as compared to when the authentication pattern pattern PC is acquired from the banknote BL in the banknote registration apparatus 3 (FIG. 6). This is because the comparison dama, which should be the same as the authentication dama, is divided into different states due to changes in noise or the like or aging of the bills BL (hereinafter referred to as changes in the imaging state).

  As a typical division example, for example, as shown in FIG. 19, what is divided as one authentication dama by the banknote registration device 3 is divided as two different comparison dams by the banknote discrimination device 4. Contrary to this case, there are cases where two authentication dams divided by the banknote registration device 3 are divided as one comparison dam by the banknote discriminating device 4. In these cases, the shape (rectangular information value) of the comparison dama that should correspond to the authentication dama is different, and as a result, the matching rate of the comparison dama is lowered.

  Therefore, the counterfeit discrimination unit 57, as a countermeasure against such a situation, when a matching rate lower than a predetermined matching rate is obtained as a result of the matching processing described above, for each matching dama that does not match, Separation and collation processing is executed sequentially.

  In this combination verification process, adjacent comparison dams are combined, and the combined dams (hereinafter referred to as comparison combination dams) and corresponding authentication dams are verified, while separate verification processes are performed. Then, the comparison dams are separated, and the plurality of separated dams (hereinafter referred to as “comparison separation dams”) are compared with the corresponding authentication dams.

  Of these join collation processing and separation collation processing, first, the joint collation processing will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 20. For convenience of explanation, here, for comparison, a comparison combined dama in which two adjacent comparison damashes are combined. And the matching process with the authentication damas will be described.

FIG. 20 shows a rectangle represented by rectangular information values (center coordinates (x _c , y _c ), long side l, short side w, and angle θ between the long side l and the axis) as in FIG. R ₁ and R ₂ are represented by a rectangle of a comparison dama (shown by a broken line), and g ₁ and g ₂ are represented by center coordinates (x _c , y _c ) of the comparison dama. The center, R _M (R _r ) is a rectangle (indicated by a solid line) of a comparative combined dama (authentication dama), and g _r is the center represented by the center coordinates (x _c , y _c ) of the authentication dama. It is a thing.

G represents the center of gravity (x _G , y _G ) of the comparison coupling dama, d represents the center of gravity of the comparison coupling dama and the center distance between the centers of the authentication dama, and the ellipses in the figure are separated. 2 shows a comparative dama and a comparative combining dama in which these are combined.

In this FIG. 20, a forgery distinction unit 57 is in the center g ₁ of each comparative lumps to be _bonded, g ₂ is rectangular R _r of the authentication lumps _(i.e., rectangular R _M of comparative binding lumps _bound) If the centers g ₁ and g ₂ exist in the rectangle R _r , these comparison dams are centroids G (x _G , y seeking _G), obtaining the center-to-center distance d between the center of gravity G and the center g _r of the authentication lumps.

  When the center distance d is equal to or smaller than the predetermined threshold, the forgery determination unit 57 uses the same combination of the comparison combination dama, which is the result of combining the separated comparison dams, and the authentication dama. It is judged that.

  In this way, the forgery determination unit 57 is configured to combine the comparison dams that have not been matched by the verification process, and check the combined comparison dams again with the authentication dams.

  Next, the separation / collation processing will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 21. For convenience of explanation, here, the separation / collation processing of a comparison dama composed of two comparison separation dams and an authentication dama will be described.

FIG. 21 shows a rectangle represented by rectangular information values (center coordinates (x _c , y _c ), long side l, short side w, and angle θ between the long side l and the axis), as in FIG. , R is a rectangle of a comparative dama (shown by a broken line), g is a center represented by the center coordinates (x _c , y _c ) of the comparative dama, R _S1 , R _S2 ( R _r1 , R _r2 ) are rectangles (indicated by solid _lines ) of comparative separation dams (authentication dams), and g _r1 , g _r2 are the centers represented by the center coordinates (x _c , y _c ) of the authentication dams, respectively. It is shown.

G represents the gravity center G (x _G , y _G ) of the comparative separation dama, d represents the center-to-center distance between the gravity center G of the comparative separation dama and the center g of the comparative dama, and the ellipse in the figure is FIG. 5 shows a comparative dama that has been combined, and a comparative dama that separates them.

In FIG. 21, the forgery discriminating unit 57 determines whether or not the authentication gamma centers g _r1 and g _r2 exist within the rectangle R of the comparison dama before separation, and the center g _{r1 is} within the rectangle R. , G _r2 , the center of gravity G (x _G , y _G ) in the comparison separation dama that is the separation result of the comparison dama is obtained, and the center between this center of gravity G and the center g of the comparison dama Find the distance d.

  The counterfeit discriminating unit 57, when this center-to-center distance d is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, has two comparison separation dams obtained by separating the combined comparison dams and the authentication dams. It is judged that it is no use.

  In this way, the forgery determination unit 57 separates the comparison dams that did not match by the matching process, and collates the separated comparison dams with the authentication dams again.

  In this way, the forgery determination unit 57 can eliminate the influence of the change in the imaging state by correcting again after correcting the dams so as to combine or separate the dams adjacent to each other. Reliability is greatly improved.

  Next, FIG. 22 shows an experimental result of the collation processing. FIG. 22 shows that when the join collation process and the separation collation process are not executed (“Process 1”), when only the join collation process is executed (“Process 2”), the join collation process and the separation collation process are 10 respectively. The results in the case of executing each time ("Process 3") are shown separately for white and black lumps.

  As is apparent from FIG. 22, it can be seen that the forgery discrimination unit 57 can significantly improve the reliability of the collation result by executing the combination collation process and the separation collation process.

  Then, when a matching rate higher than a predetermined matching rate is obtained as a result of this collation, the forgery discrimination unit 57 discriminates that the discrimination target bill BLD is not a forgery bill but a legitimate bill, and the non-counterfeit information UF Is sent to the banknote information update unit 59.

  On the other hand, if a match rate lower than a predetermined match rate is obtained as a result of this collation, the forgery determination unit 57 determines that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote that has been illegally copied, and sets the banknote number NS. The notification is sent to the notification unit 60.

  In this manner, the forgery determination unit 57 sequentially collates the comparison dama represented by the pattern feature amount of the comparison pattern pattern PM with the authentication dama represented by the pattern feature amount of the authentication pattern pattern PC. Whether or not the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote, and if the discrimination target banknote BLD is a legitimate banknote, the non-counterfeit information UF is sent to the banknote information update unit 59. On the other hand, when the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote, the banknote number NS is sent to the notification unit 60.

(5-2-3) Theft Discrimination Processing As shown in FIG. 5 (B), the theft discrimination unit 58 is based on the theft presence / absence information TF given from the banknote information acquisition unit 56. It is determined whether or not there is.

  Specifically, the theft determination unit 58 receives supply of the theft presence / absence information TF associated with the banknote number NS read from the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management device 2 by the banknote information acquisition unit 56, and receives the theft presence / absence information TF. Is “YES” or “NO”.

  If the theft presence / absence information TF is “NO”, the theft determination unit 58 determines that the determination target banknote BLD is not a theft banknote but a normal banknote, and determines that the determination target banknote BLD is not a theft banknote. The non-theft presence / absence information UT shown is sent to the banknote information update unit 59.

  On the other hand, if the theft presence / absence information TF is “YES”, the theft discrimination unit 58 discriminates that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a theft banknote, and sends the banknote number NS to the notification unit 60 in order to notify each related station. Send it out.

  In this way, the theft discrimination unit 58 determines whether or not the discrimination target bill BLD is a theft bill depending on whether the theft presence / absence information TF given from the bill information acquisition unit 56 is “YES” or “NO”. And the non-theft presence / absence information UT is sent to the banknote information update unit 59 or the banknote number NS is sent to the notification unit 60 according to the discrimination result.

(5-2-4) Banknote information update processing The banknote information update unit 59 is based on the non-counterfeit information UF and banknote number NS acquired from the forgery determination unit 57 and the non-theft presence / absence information UT acquired from the theft determination unit 58. In addition, the determination device number ND registered in the database DB of the banknote information management device 2 (FIG. 1) is updated.

  Specifically, the banknote information update unit 59 first acquires the non-counterfeit information UF from the forgery determination unit 57 and the non-theft presence / absence information UT from the theft determination unit 58, that is, is currently set in the scanner unit 12. It is determined whether or not the banknote BL is a legitimate banknote that is neither a forged banknote nor a stolen banknote.

  When the banknote information update unit 59 is a legitimate banknote that is neither a forged banknote nor a stolen banknote, the banknote information management unit 59 previously stores the banknote information management device in the same manner as the banknote information registration unit 26 (FIG. 7). The time-varying key KT is acquired from No. 2, and the encrypted data D6 is obtained by applying a predetermined encryption process to the bill number NS, the discriminator number ND, and the bill information update request using the time-varying key KT. And the encrypted data D6 is sent to the communication processing unit 14 as a bill information update request. Thereafter, the encrypted data D6 is sent from the communication processing unit 14 to the banknote information management apparatus 2 via the Internet 5.

  In response to this, the bill information management device 2 obtains a bill information update request together with the bill number NS and the discriminator number ND by decrypting the acquired encrypted data D6 using the time-varying key KT. The authentication device number corresponding to the banknote number NS in the database DB is updated to the determination device number ND, and the update date and time is recorded in the banknote information database DB.

  On the other hand, the banknote information update unit 59 does not acquire at least one of the non-counterfeit information UF and the non-theft presence / absence information UT, that is, when the discrimination target banknote BLD is either a counterfeit banknote or a theft banknote, The information in the second database DB is not updated.

  Thus, when the banknote information update part 59 is a legitimate banknote which is neither a stolen banknote nor a forged banknote, the banknote number NS and the discrimination | determination apparatus number ND are encrypted, and the banknote information update apparatus 59 is sent to the banknote information management apparatus 2. By sending it out, the discriminating device number associated with the banknote number NS in the banknote information database DB is updated.

  As a result, in the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2, the discrimination device number ND of the banknote discrimination device 4 that has finally discriminated that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a valid banknote is registered in association with the banknote number NS. Therefore, the banknote BL which the store, vending machine, etc. in which the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4 was installed legitimately hold | maintains is managed by banknote number NS.

  Incidentally, the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 is installed in a general store or a vending machine as described above, and discriminates whether, for example, a banknote paid by a customer (that is, a discrimination target banknote BLD) is a counterfeit banknote or a stolen banknote. Therefore, if the discrimination target banknote BLD is a legitimate banknote that is neither a stolen banknote or a counterfeit banknote, it is considered that the discrimination target banknote BLD has been normally deposited, and a predetermined accounting is performed with respect to an accounting processing apparatus (not shown). Processing is continued.

(5-2-5) Notification processing When the determination target banknote BLD is either a stolen banknote or a counterfeit banknote, the notification unit 60 indicates that the related station has determined the theft banknote or counterfeit banknote and the banknote of the banknote BL. The number NS is notified.

  Specifically, when the notification unit 60 acquires the banknote number NS from the forgery determination unit 57, the notification unit 60 recognizes that the determination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit bill, and when the banknote number NS is acquired from the theft determination unit 58, It is recognized that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a stolen banknote.

  When the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote or a stolen banknote, the notification unit 60 informs the related stations such as the police that the banknote BL is a counterfeit banknote or theft banknote and the banknote number NS of the discrimination target banknote BLD. Notice.

  Incidentally, for example, the banknote discriminating device 4 discriminates whether or not a banknote paid by a customer at a store (determination target banknote BLD) is a counterfeit banknote or a stolen banknote, so that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a stolen banknote or a counterfeit banknote. In such a case, the accounting process is interrupted and notified to various places such as the police to appropriately deal with fraud such as theft or forgery of banknotes.

(6) Processing procedure (6-1) Banknote information registration processing Next, about the banknote information registration processing procedure at the time of registering authentication pattern PC etc. in banknote information database DB by the banknote registration apparatus 3 and the banknote information management apparatus 2. FIG. This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the banknote BL is set on the reading stand of the scanner unit 12 (FIG. 6) and this is detected by a sensor (not shown), the banknote registration device 3 performs the banknote information registration processing procedure RT1 by the control unit 10 accordingly. First, the process proceeds to the pattern information generation processing subroutine SRT1.

  At this time, the control part 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 starts the pattern information generation process procedure shown in FIG. 24, and moves to step SP11. In step SP11, the control unit 10 controls the scanner unit 4 to acquire the pattern image data D1 and the print content image data D2 of the bill BL, and proceeds to the next step SP12.

  In step SP12, the control unit 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 performs low-frequency component extraction processing on the pattern image data D1, thereby expressing the low-frequency pattern image data representing the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 8A). D11 is generated, and the process proceeds to the next step SP13.

  In step SP13, the control unit 10 of the banknote registration device 3 performs image separation processing on the low-frequency pattern image data D11 to thereby generate white component pattern image data D12 representing the white component pattern image WIM (FIG. 9B). Black component pattern image data D13 representing the black component pattern image BIM (FIG. 9C) is generated, and the process proceeds to the next step SP14.

In step SP14, the control unit 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 performs a region division process on the white component pattern image data D12 and the black component pattern image data D13, respectively, so that a plurality of white damashes WD (WD _{1 to} WD _n ) Representing white dama data D14 and black dama data D15 representing a plurality of black dama BDs (BD _{1 to} BD _n ), and proceeds to the next step SP15.

  In step SP15, the control unit 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 calculates a rectangular information value by approximating each white dama WD based on the white dama data D14 and each black dama BD based on the black dama data D15 to a rectangle, and calculates the rectangular information value. Is generated, and the processing proceeds to the next step SP16.

  In step SP16, the control unit 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 recognizes the banknote number NS by performing a predetermined character recognition process on the print content image data D2, moves to the next step SP17, and this pattern information generation processing subroutine. At the same time as the end of SRT1, the process returns to the original bill information registration processing procedure RT1 (FIG. 23) and proceeds to the next step SP1.

  In step SP1, the control unit 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 transmits the registration apparatus number NR of the banknote registration apparatus 3 to the banknote information management apparatus 2 and requests a time-varying key.

  On the other hand, the control unit 30 of the banknote information management apparatus 2 starts the database registration processing procedure RT2 when the power is turned on and the OS is activated, and waits for communication from the banknote registration apparatus 3.

  When the control unit 30 of the banknote information management device 2 receives the request for the time-varying key together with the registration device number NR from the banknote registration device 3, the control unit 30 proceeds to step SP21, and the received date and time information such as date and time and the received registration device number NR. A time-varying key KT corresponding to the key is generated and transmitted to the banknote registration device 3.

  In response to this, when acquiring the time varying key KT, the control unit 10 of the banknote registering device 3 proceeds to step SP2, and using the acquired time varying key KT, the bill number NS, the authentication pattern pattern PC, and the registration device number NR. Encrypted data D3 is generated and sent to the banknote information management apparatus 2, and the process proceeds to the next step SP3 to end the banknote information registration processing procedure RT1.

  In response to this, when receiving the encrypted data D3, the control unit 30 of the banknote information management device 2 moves to step SP22, and decrypts the encrypted data D3, thereby decrypting the original banknote number NS, the authentication pattern pattern PC, and The registration device number NR is extracted, and the authentication pattern PC and the registration device number NR are registered in association with the banknote number NS on the banknote information database DB. Thereafter, the control unit 30 of the banknote information management apparatus 2 returns to step SP21 again, and repeats the registration process of the authentication pattern pattern PC and the like transmitted from the banknote registration apparatus 3.

(6-2) Bill Discriminating Process Next, a bill discriminating process procedure when discriminating a stolen bill and a counterfeit bill by the bill discriminating device 4 and the bill information managing device 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 sets the banknote BLD to be discriminated on the reading table of the scanner unit 12 (FIG. 6) and detects this by a sensor (not shown), the control unit 40 responds accordingly to the banknote discrimination processing procedure RT3. First, the process proceeds to the pattern information generation processing subroutine SRT1.

  In the pattern information generation process subroutine SRT1, the control unit 40 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 recognizes the banknote number NS and generates a comparison pattern pattern PM by executing the series of pattern information generation processes (FIG. 24) described above. Then, the process proceeds to the next step SP31.

  In step SP31, the control unit 40 of the bill discriminating device 4 transmits a request for a time-varying key to the bill information management device 2 together with the discriminating device number ND of the bill discriminating device 4.

  On the other hand, the control unit 30 of the banknote information management apparatus 2 starts the database update processing procedure RT4 when the power is turned on and the OS is started, and waits for communication from the banknote discrimination apparatus 4.

  If the control part 30 of the banknote information management apparatus 2 receives the request | requirement of a time variable key with the banknote apparatus number ND from the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4, it will transfer to step SP41 and will generate the time variable key KT according to the received banknote apparatus number ND. This is transmitted to the bill discriminating apparatus 4.

  In response to this, when acquiring the time-varying key KT, the control unit 40 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 proceeds to step SP42, and encrypts the banknote number NS using the time-varying key KT, thereby encrypting the data D4 (FIG. 16) is generated and transmitted to the banknote information management apparatus 2 together with a request for the authentication pattern PC and the theft / non-use information TF.

  When the control unit 30 of the banknote information management device 2 acquires a request for the authentication pattern pattern PC and the theft presence / absence information TF together with the encrypted data D4 from the banknote discriminating apparatus 4, the banknote number is decrypted by decrypting the encrypted data D4. After obtaining NS, the process proceeds to step SP42 to read out the authentication pattern pattern PC and theft presence / absence information TF corresponding to the banknote number NS from the banknote information database DB, and encrypt these to generate encrypted data D5. This is transmitted to the bill discriminating apparatus 4.

  In response to this, when the control unit 40 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 obtains the authentication pattern PC and the theft presence / absence information TF by decrypting the obtained encrypted data D5, the process proceeds to step SP33, and the theft presence / absence information TF is obtained. Based on the determination target banknote BLD, it is determined whether it is a stolen banknote. If a negative result is obtained here, this indicates that the banknote BL is not a stolen banknote. At this time, the control unit 40 of the banknote discrimination device 4 proceeds to the next step SP34.

  In step SP34, the control unit 40 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 discriminates whether or not the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote by comparing the comparison pattern pattern PM with the authentication pattern pattern PC. If a negative result is obtained here, this indicates that the discrimination target banknote BLD is not a stolen banknote and is not a forged banknote but a legitimate banknote. At this time, the control unit 40 of the banknote discrimination device 4 Then, the process proceeds to the next step SP35.

  In step SP35, the control unit 40 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 generates the encrypted data D6 by encrypting the banknote number NS and the discriminating apparatus number ND of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 using the time-varying key KT. After transmitting to the banknote information management apparatus 2, it transfers to following step SP37 and complete | finishes banknote discrimination | determination processing procedure RT3.

  In response to this, when receiving the encrypted data D6, the control unit 30 of the banknote information management apparatus 2 moves to step SP43, and extracts the original banknote number NS and the discriminating apparatus number ND by decrypting the encrypted data D6. In the banknote information database DB, the column of the discrimination device number is updated to the discrimination device number ND in association with the banknote number NS, and the date and time at this time is registered as the update date and time. Thereafter, the control unit 30 of the banknote information management device 2 returns to step SP41 again, and repeats the updating process of the discrimination device number ND.

  On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP33, this indicates that the determination target banknote BLD is a stolen banknote, and at this time, the control unit 40 of the banknote determination apparatus 4 proceeds to step SP36. Moreover, if a positive result is obtained in step SP34, this indicates that the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote. At this time, the control unit 40 of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 proceeds to step SP36.

  In step SP36, the control unit 40 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 notifies the relevant places such as the police together with the banknote number NS that the stolen banknote or counterfeit banknote has been discriminated, and moves to the next step SP37 to end the banknote discrimination processing procedure RT3. To do.

(7) Operation and Effect In the above configuration, in the banknote management system 1, the banknote registration device 3 first recognizes the banknote number NS of the banknote BL and extracts the authentication pattern PC, and the banknote information of the banknote information management apparatus 2. The authentication pattern pattern PC is registered in the database DB in association with the banknote number NS.

  Next, in the banknote management system 1, the banknote identification device 4 recognizes the banknote number NS of the banknote BLD to be discriminated and extracts the pattern pattern PM for comparison, and further, the banknote number NS from the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2. The authentication pattern pattern PC and theft presence / absence information TF corresponding to the above are acquired. At this time, the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 discriminates the discrimination target banknote BLD as a valid banknote when the matching rate when the comparison pattern pattern PM and the authentication pattern pattern PC are collated is a predetermined value or more. If it is less than the predetermined value, the discrimination target bill BLD is discriminated as a forged bill.

  Therefore, in the banknote management system 1, the banknote discriminating device 4 recognizes the banknote number NS of the banknote BLD to be discriminated, extracts the pattern pattern PM for comparison, and adds the pattern pattern PM for comparison and the banknote number NS of the banknote information database DB. It is possible to reliably and easily determine whether or not the determination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote only by collating with the corresponding authentication pattern pattern PC.

  That is, even if the discrimination target banknote BLD is a copy of the original banknote BL, the pattern pattern of the designated area AR (FIG. 1) in the original banknote BL is effectively replicated. Since it is impossible, the discrimination target banknote BLD is a counterfeit banknote at the stage where the comparison pattern pattern PM and the authentication pattern pattern PC are collated by the banknote discrimination device 4 without being affected by the sophistication of the print contents. This can be determined reliably.

  At this time, the bill discriminating apparatus 4 uses the fact that each paper has a unique pattern pattern, so that the bill BL can be identified one by one by the pattern pattern without using special paper or the like. It is possible to reduce the possibility that a problem such as erroneous recognition of other banknotes BL occurs without taking time and expense for manufacturing the special paper or the like.

  Further, since the authentication pattern PC is registered in advance in the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2 by the banknote registration apparatus 3, it is extremely unlikely that the authentication pattern pattern PC will be tampered with by a third party. High nature. For this reason, the reliability of the comparison result between the comparison pattern pattern PM and the authentication pattern pattern PC can be made high.

  Further, in the banknote management system 1, the theft presence / absence information TF is registered in the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2 in association with the banknote number NS, and the banknote identification apparatus 4 has an authentication pattern corresponding to the banknote number NS. By acquiring the theft presence / absence information TF at the same time when acquiring the PC, it is possible to reliably determine whether or not the determination target banknote BLD is a theft banknote.

  In addition, in the banknote management system 1, when the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 discriminates the discrimination target banknote BLD as a legitimate banknote that is neither a forged banknote nor a stolen banknote, the discriminating apparatus number corresponding to the banknote number NS on the banknote information database DB. Is updated to the discriminating device number ND, the discriminating device number ND of the banknote discriminating device 4 that discriminates the banknote of the banknote number NS last can be registered in the banknote information database DB.

  That is, in a store or a vending machine in which the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 is installed, the banknote number NS is registered and updated in the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2 as necessary for all banknotes BL received from customers. It will be.

  For this reason, in the banknote management system 1, even if the banknote BL is stolen from the store or vending machine in which the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 is installed, the banknote information management apparatus is based on the discrimination apparatus number ND of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4. The banknote number NS of the banknote BL stolen on the banknote information database 2 of 2 can be extracted.

  That is, in the banknote management system 1, all banknote numbers NS of stolen banknotes BL can be specified without separately managing banknote numbers NS of banknotes BL deposited at a store or a vending machine.

  Further, in the banknote management system 1, by registering “YES” in the banknote information database DB for the theft / non-theft information TF for the banknote number NS of the stolen banknote BL, for example, the banknote BL stolen from a certain store is changed to another banknote BL. Even when used in a store or vending machine, the stolen banknote based on the theft presence / absence information TF associated with the banknote number NS in the banknote discriminating device 4 installed in the other store or vending machine. BL can be reliably identified as a stolen banknote.

  That is, in the banknote management system 1, even if the banknote BL is stolen, the banknote number NS of the stolen banknote BL is surely found, and the banknote BL is used when the banknote BL is used in another store or the like. It is possible to reliably determine that BL is a stolen banknote. For this reason, in the banknote management system 1, even if the banknote BL is stolen, the banknote BL is surely detected at the time when the banknote BL is used. Therefore, the banknote management system 1 has an effect of suppressing a theft crime against a criminal who fears theft. become.

  In addition, the banknote management system 1 combines the determination of the stolen banknote based on the theft presence / absence information TF and the determination of a counterfeit banknote based on the pattern pattern verification, so that the stolen banknote BL is illegally duplicated. Even so, the original bill BL and the duplicated bill can be clearly identified. Thereby, for example, it becomes possible to follow the distribution route of the original banknote BL at the time of criminal investigation.

  Moreover, in the banknote management system 1, about the data communicated between the banknote registration apparatus 3 and the banknote information management apparatus 2, and the data communicated between the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4 and the banknote information management apparatus 2, time-varying key KT is used. By using the encryption processing, the possibility that the data is illegally decrypted by a third party can be kept extremely low.

  Furthermore, in the banknote management system 1, since the registration device number NR of the banknote registration device 3 and the discrimination device number ND of the banknote discrimination device 4 are included in the data during communication, the banknote registration device 3 or the banknote discrimination device 4 is temporarily stolen and illegal. Even if it is used for authentication, the banknote information management apparatus 2 rejects communication with the registration apparatus number NR of the stolen banknote registration apparatus 3 or the discrimination apparatus number ND of the stolen banknote discrimination apparatus 4, thereby authenticating. It is possible to prevent unauthorized registration of the pattern pattern PC and unauthorized registration of the discriminating device number ND associated with the banknote number NS.

  In addition, in the banknote management system 1, since the registration device number NR and the discrimination device number ND are registered in the bill information database DB, the unauthorized use of the banknote registration device 3 or the bill discrimination device 4 is detected later. The banknote information associated with the registration device number NR of the banknote registration device 3 used illegally or the discrimination device number ND of the banknote discrimination device 4 used illegally on the banknote information database DB is invalidated. Thereby, the normal banknote information of the said banknote information database DB can be utilized continuously, and the function of the said banknote management system 1 whole can be maintained.

  According to the above configuration, the banknote management system 1 recognizes the banknote number NS of the banknote BL by the banknote registration apparatus 3 and extracts the authentication pattern PC, and the banknote information database DB of the banknote information management apparatus 2 is concerned. The authentication pattern pattern PC is registered in association with the banknote number NS, the banknote identification device 4 recognizes the banknote number NS of the banknote BLD to be discriminated and extracts the pattern pattern PM for comparison, and the banknote information database DB. After acquiring the authentication pattern pattern PC and the theft presence / absence information TF, the comparison pattern pattern PM and the authentication pattern pattern PC are collated, and the discrimination target bill BLD is a theft bill according to the collation result. Whether or not the banknote BLD to be determined is a stolen banknote according to the theft presence / absence information TF. Whether Luke can be reliably determined.

(8) Other Embodiments In the embodiment described above, data communicated between the banknote registration apparatus 3 and the banknote information management apparatus 2 and communication between the banknote discrimination apparatus 4 and the banknote information management apparatus 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a fixed encryption key or a predetermined password is used. The operator may be allowed to enter keys.

  For example, when using a dedicated network using a dedicated line or the like instead of the Internet 5 (FIG. 1) in the banknote management system 1, a certain level of security strength is secured by using the dedicated network. If it is determined that a fixed encryption key is sufficient without changing to the variable key KT, generation and transmission / reception of the time-varying key KT become unnecessary, so the banknote information management device 2, banknote registration device 3, and banknote discrimination The processing load on the device 4 can be reduced. Furthermore, when it is determined that encryption is not necessary, the data to be transmitted / received may be transmitted / received in plain text without being encrypted, thereby performing encryption and decryption processing in each device. This can be omitted and the processing load can be further reduced.

  Moreover, in embodiment mentioned above, in the pattern pattern extraction part 24 (FIG. 7) in the control part 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3, and the pattern pattern extraction part 24 (FIG. 16) in the control part 40 of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4, FIG. As described above, the white dama WD and the black dama BD are each approximated to a rectangle. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the white dama WD and the black dama BD are approximated to an ellipse. The central coordinates, the major axis, the minor axis, and the angle between the horizontal axis are used as pattern feature amounts, or the white dama WD and the black dama BD are approximated to a circle, and the center coordinates and radius are used as the pattern feature amounts. You may make it approximate to various shapes. Alternatively, the shape of each of the white dama WD and the black dama BD may be represented by a Bezier curve, and the control point sequence may be used as the pattern feature amount.

  Due to the difference in the pattern feature quantity extraction method, the calculation amount when calculating the pattern feature quantity can be reduced, or the accuracy of pattern pattern matching can be improved. In practice, the banknote management system 1 may select an appropriate pattern feature extraction method according to the necessity of processing speed and verification accuracy. Furthermore, the banknote registration device 3 and the banknote discrimination device 4 may be adapted to a plurality of extraction methods, and may be switched as needed.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pattern image is displayed in the pattern processing unit 20 (FIG. 7) in the control unit 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 and the pattern processing unit 20 (FIG. 16) in the control unit 40 of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4. As described above, the feature amount of each of the dams is extracted as a pattern pattern, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, without subdividing the pattern image, the pattern image is entirely displayed. A pattern pattern may be extracted by capturing the pattern.

For example, as shown in FIG. 26, in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 8B), first, a pixel having the lowest luminance value (hereinafter referred to as a minimum point) PS (PS _{1 to} PS _n ), Pixels (hereinafter referred to as local maximum points) PL (PL _{1 to} PL _n ) having the highest luminance value on the curved surface are detected. Here, when the horizontal direction of the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 is the x-axis, the vertical direction is the y-axis, and the luminance value is the z-axis, a three-dimensional curved surface as shown in FIGS. FIG. 27A shows the spatial state of the front surface, FIG. 27B shows the spatial state of the side surface, and FIG. 27C shows the spatial state of the slope.

  Here, the minimum point PS (black circle in FIG. 26) is an area having a unit of a set of white pixels adjacent to each other among pixels having a predetermined low luminance value or less (hereinafter referred to as white pixels). The local maximum point PL (black triangle in FIG. 26) is a set of adjacent black pixels among pixels having a predetermined high luminance value or less (hereinafter referred to as black pixels). The minimum point PS and the maximum point PL are present at the approximate center of the unit area, and represent the characteristic points of the pattern in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2.

  That is, the pattern processing unit 20 of the banknote registration apparatus 3 detects the minimum point PS and the maximum point PL in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 and calculates the average brightness, and the position and the brightness value at the minimum point PS and the maximum point PL are calculated. Then, the pattern of the brightness may be obtained by encoding the luminance average by a predetermined method.

  Further, when the pattern processing unit 50 of the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 performs the matching process using this pattern pattern, as shown in FIG. 28 (A), discrete points in the designated area AR represented by this pattern pattern (that is, On the basis of the minimum point PS and the maximum point PL), as shown in FIG. 28B, the specified area AR is divided into all pixels of the specified area AR excluding the Voronoi division (that is, the reference point (minimum point PS and maximum point PL)). Are divided into a plurality of small areas by determining the luminance state of each small area based on the luminance value of the pattern pattern. Thus, a reconstructed low-luminance pattern image RIM as shown in FIG. 28C is generated, and a cross-correlation calculation process is performed on this and the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 for comparison (FIG. 8B). Calculate the match rate It is sufficient.

  Further, in this case, in addition to using both the minimum point PS and the maximum point PL, only the minimum value PS may be used, or only the maximum value PL may be used.

  Furthermore, in embodiment mentioned above, in the image separation part 22 (FIG. 7) in the control part 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3, and the image separation part 22 (FIG. 16) in the control part 40 of the banknote discrimination apparatus 4, a white pixel and black When the white component pattern image WIM and the black component pattern image BIM are separated so that the number of pixels is 20% of all the pixels in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 8A). As described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 29A, the luminance value at the center of the luminance range in the luminance histogram is determined, and the determined luminance value is equal to or lower than a certain luminance value (or more). ) May be separated as a white component pattern image WIM or a black component pattern image BIM. In this case, the central luminance value is, for example, the luminance value with the largest number of pixels, or, as shown in FIG. 29B, the luminance histogram is the center between two points with the histogram curve on an arbitrary frequency (number of pixels). It is good also as a luminance value.

  As the image separation process, as shown in FIG. 29C, the average luminance value of the luminance values of all the pixels in the low-frequency component pattern image IM2 (FIG. 8B) is obtained, and a constant value is obtained from the obtained average luminance value. Pixels having a luminance value equal to or lower than (L) may be separated as a white component pattern image WIM (black component pattern image BIM).

  Furthermore, in embodiment mentioned above, the case where the banknote discrimination device 4 discriminate | determines a forged banknote by acquiring the authentication pattern pattern PC from the banknote information management apparatus 2, and collating with the comparison pattern pattern PM is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bill information management device 2 acquires the comparison pattern pattern PM from the bill discrimination device 4 and collates it with the authentication pattern pattern PC of the bill information database DB. You may make it send to the said banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4. FIG. Thereby, the processing load of the bill discriminating device 4 can be reduced, and the simplification of the configuration and the cost reduction can be achieved.

  Furthermore, in embodiment mentioned above, although the case where it was made to represent whether the banknote BL was the banknote stolen by the theft presence / absence information TF registered in banknote information database DB was described, this invention describes this For example, separately from the theft presence / absence information TF, the counterfeit banknote information is registered in the banknote information database DB in association with the banknote number NS known as a counterfeit banknote, and the banknote determination device 4 determines the target banknote BLD. The counterfeit banknote may be determined based on the banknote number NS.

  In this case, the banknote discriminating apparatus 4 can discriminate a counterfeit banknote without performing a verification process between the authentication pattern pattern PC and the comparison pattern pattern PM, so that the processing load can be reduced.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the banknote management system 1 that manages the banknote BL has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a paper with a unique management number attached thereto. Can be applied to a paper management system that manages the above. The paper to be managed in this case includes, for example, various vouchers such as gift certificates and gift certificates, tickets, coupons, papers with monetary value such as checks and securities, various licenses, passports, and registers. Various certificates such as various certificates can be applied.

  Furthermore, in embodiment mentioned above, although the case where the banknote management system 1 managed one type of banknote BL was described, this invention is not restricted to this, The said banknote management system 1 is a multiple types of banknote BL. May be managed. In this case, the banknote registration apparatus 3 and the banknote discrimination | determination apparatus 4 should make it identify the kind of banknote BL, and the banknote information management apparatus 2 should just provide banknote information database DB for every kind of banknote BL. Moreover, you may make it the banknote management system 1 manage together a gift certificate, a gift certificate, etc. in addition to the banknote BL. Further, in this case, a plurality of banknote information management devices 2 may be prepared, and the banknote information management device 2 corresponding to each type of banknote BL, gift certificate, or the like to be managed may be divided.

  Furthermore, in embodiment mentioned above, although the case where each function of banknote information registration processing was processed with software by each functional block (FIG. 7) in the control part 10 of the banknote registration apparatus 3, this invention was described. Not limited to this, for example, each functional block in FIG. 7 may be configured by hardware in the control unit 10, and the bill information registration process may be executed by a functional block having a hardware configuration. Similarly, in the bill discriminating apparatus 4, each functional block (FIG. 16) of the control unit 40 is configured by hardware instead of software, and the bill discriminating process is executed by the functional block having the hardware configuration. Also good.

  Further, in the embodiment described above, the number recognition unit 25 as the management number recognition unit, the pattern processing unit 20 as the pattern information acquisition unit, and the banknote information registration unit 26 as the registration unit serve as a photographic paper registration device. The banknote registration apparatus 3 is configured, and a number recognition unit 55 as a discrimination target management number recognition unit, a pattern processing unit 50 as a comparison pattern information acquisition unit, and a banknote information acquisition unit 56 as an authentication pattern information acquisition unit. As described above, the bill management system 1 as the photographic paper management system is configured by configuring the bill discrimination device 4 as the photographic paper discrimination device with the forgery discrimination unit 57 and the theft discrimination unit 58 as the discrimination means. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the photographic printing paper includes a management number recognizing unit, a pattern information acquiring unit, and a registering unit having various circuit configurations. The recording apparatus is configured, and the photographic paper management system is configured by configuring the photographic paper determination apparatus by the discrimination target management number recognition means, the comparison pattern information acquisition means, the authentication pattern information acquisition means, and the discrimination means. You may make it do.

  The present invention can also be used in a management system that manages banknotes, gift certificates, and the like.

It is an approximate line figure showing the whole bill information management system composition by one embodiment of the present invention. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation of a pattern of paper. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation of registration and collation of a pattern pattern. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the mismatch of the pattern by copying. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of registration of a discrimination | determination apparatus number, and confirmation of the theft presence / absence information. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a banknote registration apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the process of the control part in a banknote registration apparatus. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of extraction of a low frequency component. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation of separation of an image. It is a basic diagram which shows a brightness | luminance histogram. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation of calculation of a feature-value. It is a basic diagram which shows the experimental result of pattern feature-value calculation. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a banknote information management apparatus. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure of a banknote information database. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a banknote discrimination | determination apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the process of the control part in a banknote discrimination device. It is an approximate line figure with which it uses for explanation (1) of collation of a dama. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation (2) of collation of a dama. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the connection or isolation | separation of a dama. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the coupling | bonding of a dama. It is an approximate line figure used for explanation of separation of a dama. It is a basic diagram which shows the experimental result of a dama match rate calculation. It is a flowchart which shows a banknote information registration process procedure. It is a flowchart which shows a pattern information generation process procedure. It is a flowchart which shows a banknote discrimination | determination processing procedure. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the extraction of the pattern pattern by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the detection of the minimum point and maximum point by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the image reconstruction using the pattern pattern by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of the image processing based on the brightness | luminance histogram by other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Banknote management system, 2 ... Banknote information management apparatus, 3 ... Banknote registration apparatus, 4 ... Banknote discrimination apparatus, 10, 30, 40 ... Control part, 12 ... Scanner part, 13, 32, 43 ...... Storage unit, 14 ... Communication processing unit, 20 ... Pattern processing unit, 25, 55 ... Number recognition unit, 26 ... Bill information registration unit, 56 ... Bill information acquisition unit, 57 ... Counterfeit discrimination unit , 58... Theft discrimination unit, 59... Bill information update unit, 60 ..notification unit, BL .. bill, BLD .. discrimination target bill, AR .. specified area, AS. Registered device number, ND: identification device number, NS: bill number, PC: authentication pattern, PM: comparison pattern, TF: theft presence / absence information, KT: time-varying key.

Claims (12)

A photographic paper registration device that extracts characteristic information representing the characteristics of a legitimate photographic paper with a unique management number and registers it in a predetermined management device, and determines whether or not the target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper A photographic paper management system having a photographic paper discrimination device for
The photographic paper registration device
Management number recognition means for recognizing the management number attached to the legitimate photographic paper;
Pattern information acquisition means for acquiring authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the legitimate photographic paper as the feature information;
Registration means for registering the authentication pattern information in the management device in association with the management number;
The photographic paper discrimination device
A discrimination target management number recognition means for recognizing the discrimination target management number assigned to the discrimination target photographic paper;
Comparison pattern information acquisition means for acquiring comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the discrimination target photographic paper;
Authentication pattern information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication pattern information associated with the discrimination target management number from the management device;
A photographic paper management comprising: discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself by comparing the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information system. The management device is
The legitimate photographic paper theft presence / absence information is registered together with the authentication pattern information in association with the management number,
The discrimination means of the photographic paper discrimination device is:
The theft presence / absence information is acquired from the management device together with the authentication pattern information registered in association with the determination target management number assigned to the determination target photographic paper, and the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information To determine whether or not the determination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper and whether or not the determination target photographic paper has been stolen based on the theft presence / absence information. The photographic paper management system according to claim 1, wherein: The photographic paper discrimination device
A discriminating device number storage means in which a unique discriminating device number indicating the photographic paper discriminating device is stored;
A discriminating device number registering unit for registering the discriminating device number in the management device in association with the management number when the discriminating unit determines that the photographic paper to be discriminated is the legitimate photographic paper; The photographic paper management system according to claim 1, wherein: The management device is
In response to a request from the photographic paper discriminating device, the encrypted data obtained by encrypting the authentication pattern information in plain text is transmitted to the discriminating device,
The authentication pattern information acquisition means of the photographic paper discrimination device is:
The photographic paper management system according to claim 1, wherein the authentication pattern information is acquired by receiving and decrypting the encrypted data transmitted from the management device. The registration means of the registration device comprises:
When the authentication pattern information is registered in the management apparatus in association with the management number, the encrypted data obtained by encrypting the authentication pattern information with a predetermined encryption is transmitted to the management apparatus.
The photographic paper management device
The photographic paper management system according to claim 1, wherein the authentication pattern information is acquired and registered by decrypting the encrypted data transmitted from the photographic paper registration device. The photographic paper registration device
A registration device number storage means in which a unique registration device number indicating the photographic paper registration device is stored;
The registration means
The photographic paper management system according to claim 1, wherein the authentication pattern information and the registration device number are registered in the management device in association with the management number. A discrimination target management number recognition means for recognizing a discrimination target management number from a discrimination target photographic paper with a unique management number;
Comparison pattern information acquisition means for acquiring comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the discrimination target photographic paper;
Authentication for acquiring authentication pattern information associated with the discrimination target management number from a predetermined management apparatus in which authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern possessed by legitimate photographic paper is previously registered in association with the management number Pattern information acquisition means;
A photographic paper discrimination comprising: a discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself by comparing the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information. apparatus. A discrimination target number recognition step for recognizing a discrimination target management number from a discrimination target photographic paper with a unique management number;
A comparison pattern information acquisition step for acquiring comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the discrimination target photographic paper;
Authentication for acquiring authentication pattern information associated with the discrimination target management number from a predetermined management apparatus in which authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern possessed by legitimate photographic paper is previously registered in association with the management number A pattern information acquisition step;
A photographic paper discrimination comprising: a discrimination step for discriminating whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself by comparing the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information. Method. For photographic paper discriminator
A discrimination target number recognition step for recognizing a discrimination target management number from a discrimination target photographic paper with a unique management number;
A comparison pattern information acquisition step for acquiring comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the discrimination target photographic paper;
Authentication for acquiring authentication pattern information associated with the discrimination target management number from a predetermined management apparatus in which authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern possessed by legitimate photographic paper is previously registered in association with the management number A pattern information acquisition step;
A discrimination step for determining whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself by comparing the comparison pattern information and the authentication pattern information. program. Management number recognition means for recognizing the management number from legitimate photographic paper with a unique management number;
Authentication pattern information acquisition means for acquiring authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the legitimate photographic paper in order to collate with comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the determination target photographic paper in a predetermined photographic paper determination device When,
When the photographic paper discriminating apparatus determines whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself, the authentication pattern information is set in association with the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper. Registration means for registering the authentication pattern information with the management number in association with the management number so as to be obtained from the management apparatus and collated with the comparison pattern information apparatus. A management number recognition step for recognizing the management number from legitimate photographic paper with a unique management number;
An authentication pattern information acquisition step for acquiring authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the legitimate photographic paper in order to collate with comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the determination target photographic paper in a predetermined photographic paper determination device When,
When the photographic paper discriminating apparatus determines whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself, the authentication pattern information is set in association with the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper. A registration step of registering the authentication pattern information in the management apparatus in association with the management number so that the authentication pattern information can be collated with the comparison pattern information obtained from the management apparatus. Method. For photographic paper registration device
A management number recognition step for recognizing the management number from legitimate photographic paper with a unique management number;
An authentication pattern information acquisition step for acquiring authentication pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the legitimate photographic paper in order to collate with comparison pattern information corresponding to the pattern of the determination target photographic paper in a predetermined photographic paper determination device When,
When the photographic paper discriminating apparatus determines whether or not the discrimination target photographic paper is the legitimate photographic paper itself, the authentication pattern information is set in association with the discrimination target management number recognized from the discrimination target photographic paper. A registration step of registering the authentication pattern information in the management apparatus in association with the management number so that the authentication pattern information can be collated with the comparison pattern information obtained from the management apparatus. program.