JP2022078565A - Printed matter set, authenticity determination method, and determination system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a printed matter, where authenticity determination can be easily made by a machine, and the appearance and design are easy to be enhanced.SOLUTION: The printed matter set with multiple printed matters whose appearances by naked eyes are identical has an appearance formed by multiple fine dots. Each printed matter 1A has the same number of determination areas a1 and a2 in the same positions, and the dot patterns, which are forms of the dots in the determination area, are different from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a printed matter set composed of a plurality of printed matter. An authenticity determination method and determination system using this printed matter set are also referred to.

It is important for manufacturers to take measures against non-genuine counterfeit products produced by their own companies. Inexpensive counterfeit products can erode the market for genuine products and undermine trust in genuine products.

As a mechanism for eliminating counterfeit products, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, an optical code such as a two-dimensional code is printed and registered in a server. Printed matter printed with a two-dimensional code is distributed on the market. When determining the authenticity of printed matter, a two-dimensional code is imaged and collated with the code registered in the server.

Patent Document 2 describes a technique for discriminating between an original printed matter and a duplicate without using a code. In this method, each of the reference image and the inspection image is distinguished by separating the luminance component and the color component and performing some processing.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-208032 Japanese Patent No. 4514823

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the counterfeiter can recognize the existence of the optical code, the optical code itself is likely to be counterfeited. Although optical cords that are difficult to duplicate are known, the cost tends to increase due to special printing and the like.
In addition, since the code occupies a part of the printed surface, there is room for improvement in terms of aesthetics and design.

Since the technique described in Patent Document 2 requires a long time for processing, it is difficult to apply it when there are a large number of identification targets.

Based on the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printed matter set which can be easily determined for authenticity by a machine and can easily enhance aesthetics and design.

The first aspect of the present invention is a set of printed matter having a plurality of printed matter having the same appearance to the naked eye.
In this print set, the appearance is composed of a plurality of fine dots.
Each printed matter has the same number of determination regions at the same position, and the dot patterns, which are the modes of dots in the determination regions, are different from each other.

The second aspect of the present invention is an authenticity determination method for determining whether or not the target printed matter is one of a plurality of printed matter constituting the printed matter set according to the first aspect.
In this method, the dot pattern set data including the dot pattern information of all the printed matter of the printed matter set is acquired, the dot pattern at the position corresponding to the determination area of the target printed matter is acquired, and the same as the dot pattern related to the target printed matter. When the dot pattern exists in the dot pattern set data, it is determined that the target printed matter is one of a plurality of printed matter constituting the printed matter set.

A third aspect of the present invention is a determination system that executes the authenticity determination method according to the second aspect.
This determination system receives the storage unit that stores the dot pattern set data and the image data obtained by capturing the image of the target printed matter, and determines whether or not the target printed matter is one of a plurality of printed matter constituting the printed matter set. Has a part.

The printed matter of the present invention can be easily determined for authenticity by a machine, and it is easy to enhance the aesthetics and design.

(A) and (b) are photographs of printed matter constituting the printed matter set according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of the printed matter shown in the same 1 (a). It is an enlarged schematic diagram of a determination area. (A) to (d) are schematic diagrams showing examples of different dot patterns. It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the determination system which concerns on the printed matter set. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the authenticity determination method which concerns on the printed matter set.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.
Both (a) and (b) shown in FIG. 1 are photographs of printed matter constituting the printed matter set according to the present embodiment. Both the printed matter 1A shown in (a) and the printed matter 1B shown in (b) have an appearance in which a plurality of plant leaves are drawn. The printed contents of the printed matter 1A and the printed matter 1B are slightly different (details will be described later), but as far as the human eye can see, the appearances of the printed matter 1A and the printed matter 1B can only be seen to be the same, and the difference cannot be discriminated. It's impossible.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the printed matter 1A. The printed matter 1A has two determination areas a1 and a2 on its printed surface. The number of determination areas can be an appropriate number of 1 or more. In the printed matter 1B belonging to the same printed matter set, the number and position of the determination areas are the same as those of the printed matter 1A.

FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of the determination region a1. Since the printing of the printed matter 1A is formed by fine dots of various colors, a large number of dots d are also present in the determination region a1. All the printed matter in the printed matter set of the present embodiment are slightly different in the aspect of the dot d in the determination areas a1 and a2 (hereinafter, referred to as "dot pattern").

There are no particular restrictions on how the dot patterns are made different, and for example, the following aspects can be exemplified, and some of them are shown in FIG.
-Erase one or more dots (do not print: dot d1 shown in FIG. 4A)
-Add one or more dots (dot d2 shown in FIG. 4 (b)).
-Change the color of one or more dots (dot d3 shown in FIG. 4 (c)).
-Change the size of dots of 1 or more (dot d4 shown in FIG. 4D).
-Change the position of one or more dots-Swap the positions of two or more dots-Combine two or more of the above When there are multiple judgment areas, the entire plurality of judgment areas may be different. For example, in the printed matter 1A and 1B, if the dot patterns are different in one determination region a1, even if the dot patterns in the other determination regions a2 are the same, the modes of the plurality of determination regions as a whole are different. There is no problem because it will be.

Differences in the dot patterns that are different as described above can be identified by a reading device provided with an imaging mechanism having a constant resolution. On the other hand, since the dots are fine, the difference cannot be discerned by the naked human eye, and only the same looks to the human eye.
As a result, the dot pattern in the determination area in the printed matter functions as a code that can be identified only by the reading device. On the other hand, the user cannot recognize that the determination area exists in the printed matter set, and can only recognize that there are a plurality of printed matter having the same pattern.

A method of manufacturing a set of a plurality of printed matter having different dot patterns in the determination region (hereinafter, “printed matter set”) will be described.
For the production of printed matter according to the present embodiment, a digital offset printing machine having good dot pattern reproducibility and not using a plate is suitable.

First, the base data that is the source of the print data is prepared and stored in a machine such as a computer. The base data is a pattern of dots throughout the printed matter that defines the visual appearance of the printed matter.
Next, by setting the number and position of the judgment area for the base data, duplicating the base data, and changing a part of the base data, a plurality of print data having different dot patterns in the judgment area are configured as a printed matter set. Have the machine generate more than one based on the number of printed matter to be printed. The following can be exemplified as a method of generating different dot patterns.
・ Operators set and input one by one ・ Generate by machine based on a predetermined algorithm ・ Randomly generate by machine

When the generated plurality of print data are transmitted to the printing machine and sequentially printed, a printed matter set consisting of a plurality of printed matter having the same appearance by the human eye and having different dot patterns in the determination area is completed.
Next, all the printed matter of the printed matter set is sequentially subjected to a reading device, the dot pattern of the determination area is acquired, and stored as "dot pattern set data" in a memory, a storage medium, or the like.

The printed matter according to the present embodiment can be used as a trading card or the like, and can be made into a label that can be attached to various articles by producing it using a base material such as paper or resin having an adhesive layer. When used as a label, it is natural that various information on the target article and various character information such as a product logo may be present on the appearance.
In any of the above-mentioned usage modes, if there is a printed matter set and corresponding dot pattern set data, it is possible to determine the authenticity of the printed matter. Hereinafter, the authenticity determination method and the determination system according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a system for authenticity determination using a printed matter set.
This system has a determination server 201 connected to the network 200. The determination server 201 has a storage unit 202 that stores the dot pattern set data, and a calculation unit 203 that performs an authenticity determination using the image data and the storage unit 202 related to the target printed matter that is the target of the authenticity determination. The dot pattern set data is sent from the manufacturer terminal 210 owned by the manufacturer of the printed matter to the determination server 201 via the network 200, and is stored in the storage unit 202.
A known arithmetic unit such as a computer can be used as the determination server 201 having the arithmetic unit 203, and various information storage media can be used as the storage unit 202. The storage unit 202 may be inside or outside the determination server 201.

The purchaser of the printed matter itself related to the printed matter set or the product to which the printed matter is attached takes an image of the printed matter and acquires an image of the printed matter (target printed matter) to be verified for authenticity.
The purchaser transmits the acquired image from the purchaser terminal 211 such as a personal computer or a smartphone to the determination server 201 via the network 200.

In the determination server 201 that has received the image of the printed matter, the calculation unit 203 reads the dot pattern at the position corresponding to the determination area from the received image data. Here, if the dot pattern cannot be read due to insufficient resolution of the image data or the like, a message such as "cannot be determined from this image" may be sent to the purchaser terminal.
The calculation unit 203 searches for the dot pattern set data stored in the storage unit 202 to see if it is the same as the read dot pattern. When the same dot pattern is included in the dot pattern set data, the calculation unit 203 tells the purchaser terminal 211 of the transmission source that "the target printed matter (or the article to which the printed matter is attached) is a genuine product". Information indicating that is sent. When the same dot pattern is not included in the dot pattern set data, the determination server 201 tells the purchaser terminal 211 of the sender that "the target printed matter (or the article to which the printed matter is attached) is not a genuine product". Send the information shown.
Based on the information received from the determination server 201, the purchaser can easily and quickly know whether or not the purchased printed matter or the like is a genuine product.

The authenticity determination system according to the present embodiment is not limited to the one including the determination server 201. By mounting the program for executing the above-mentioned authenticity determination method on the purchaser terminal 211, the purchaser terminal may function as the calculation unit 203. In this case, the storage unit may be built in the purchaser terminal 211 by being downloaded to the purchaser terminal 211 and updated at any time. If the purchaser terminal has the ability to acquire the dot pattern in the determination area, only the data indicating the dot pattern in the determination area may be transmitted to the determination server 201 instead of the image data of the entire printed matter.
Further, the storage unit 202 may be connected to the determination server via the network 200 and sequentially inquired via the network 200.

When the printed matter according to the present embodiment is copied by a copying machine or the like, the appearance with the naked eye can be reproduced almost the same, but it is difficult to completely reproduce even a fine dot pattern with the current technique, and the printed matter is crushed. Therefore, since the dot pattern cannot be read from the area corresponding to the determination area of the forged printed matter copied by the copying machine, it cannot be collated with the dot pattern set data, and it can be reliably determined that the printed matter is not genuine.

The counterfeiter cannot even recognize that the printed matter 1A or the like has a region used for authenticity determination only by visually observing the printed matter 1A or the like. Therefore, it is not possible to know how the counterfeit printed matter produced by oneself was determined to be "inauthentic", and it is not possible to deal with it.
Further, since the printed matter of the present embodiment can freely set the number and position of the determination area, even if the method of authenticity determination is known, if there is no information on the number and position of the determination area, the printed matter 1A or the like is enlarged. It is extremely difficult to identify it correctly even if it is observed.
Further, even if the number and position of the determination area can be specified, in order to reproduce the dot pattern in the determination area, it is necessary to print the same as when the printed matter is manufactured, and the print data for that purpose is extremely created. Have difficulty.
Based on the above, with respect to the printed matter 1A, 1B, etc. according to the present embodiment, it is practically impossible to easily and mass-produce counterfeit products of a quality that can pass through the authenticity determination method according to the present embodiment, and the security level. Is very expensive.

In addition, unlike the conventional technique that uses a code such as a two-dimensional code, the determination area is integrated with the appearance of the printed matter and does not impair the appearance. Can be done.
Further, unlike the technique described in Patent Document 2, since only the dot pattern in the determination area is acquired and searched, complicated integration processing or the like is not required, and the authenticity can be determined quickly.

Further, since the dot pattern in the determination region can be automatically generated substantially infinitely by the machine, it is easy to manufacture a printed matter set composed of a large number of printed matter. Since the printed matter itself can be manufactured by general digital offset printing, it can be manufactured easily and at low cost without the need for special equipment or ink.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the combination of components may be changed or each component may be changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is possible to make various changes to and delete it. Some changes are illustrated below, but not all, and other changes are possible. Two or more of these changes may be combined as appropriate.

-In the case where there are a plurality of sets of the target printed matter set and the dot pattern set data in the authenticity determination method and the determination system according to the present invention, the dot pattern set data corresponding to the image received before the collation is used. A process of selection may be provided.
In this case, the received image and one data included in each dot pattern set data are compared by image processing, the dot pattern set data containing the data with the highest degree of approximation is selected, and the subsequent processing is performed. Just do it. A known image processing technique can be used in this step.
The flow of the authenticity determination method in this case is shown in FIG. 6 as a flowchart. Although this flowchart includes the authenticity determination method according to the present invention, the "step of selecting dot pattern set data based on the appearance of the target printed matter" is not an essential configuration for the authenticity determination method according to the present invention.

-In the authenticity determination method according to the present invention, a threshold value may be set for the number of determinations and added to the determination criteria by the determination device. For example, in a certain dot pattern data stored in the storage unit, if the number of times selected as being the same by the search exceeds the threshold value, it is determined that the product is a counterfeit product even if the received image and the dot pattern match. You may. At this time, the calculation unit 203 may process as "determination impossible" and display "this information has been determined. Please contact the manufacturer." Or the like on the purchaser terminal. This makes it possible to easily detect when a third party manufactures a plurality of counterfeit printed matter in which one dot pattern is duplicated, and further enhances security.
In the present invention, since there is only one printed matter having the same dot pattern in principle, the threshold value is preferably 1, but an operation error by the purchaser or some purchasers make a plurality of authenticity determinations. A threshold value may be set by adding a small number to the number of authenticity determination labels in consideration of what to do.

-In the present invention, it is possible to provide a plurality of sets of printed matter sets having substantially the same appearance but different numbers and positions of determination regions. This makes it possible to change the number and position of the determination areas for each manufacturing lot or manufacturing base, and perform tracing and management for each manufacturing lot or manufacturing base. In this case, it is difficult to select the corresponding dot pattern set data depending on the degree of approximation of the overall appearance of the target printed matter. Therefore, a marker or the like is provided in an inconspicuous place of the printed matter, and the dot pattern corresponding to the clue is provided. It may be configured so that set data can be selected.
Also in this case, in the printed matter set corresponding to a certain production lot or the like, the appearance of a plurality of printed matter with the naked eye is the same.

-In the method using the marker described above, by associating the marker with the dot pattern set data, it is possible to select an appropriate dot pattern set data without using the degree of approximation of the overall appearance. Therefore, in a plurality of printed matter sets, the positions and numbers of the determination areas may be the same or different regardless of the difference in appearance.

1A, 1B Printed matter a1, a2 Judgment area d Dot 202 Storage unit 203 Calculation unit

Claims (4)

A set of printed matter having a plurality of printed matter having the same appearance to the naked eye.
The appearance is composed of a plurality of fine dots.
Each of the printed matter is
Having the same number of judgment areas at the same position
The dot patterns, which are aspects of the dots in the determination region, are different from each other.
Print set. The difference in the dot pattern is
It includes any of the difference in the number of the dots, the difference in the position of the dots, the difference in the size of the dots, and the difference in the color of the dots.
The printed matter set according to claim 1. An authenticity determination method for determining whether or not the target printed matter is one of a plurality of printed matter constituting the printed matter set according to claim 1.
The dot pattern set data including the information of the dot pattern of all the printed matter of the printed matter set is acquired, and the dot pattern set data is acquired.
A dot pattern at a position corresponding to the determination area of the target printed matter is acquired, and the dot pattern is acquired.
When the same dot pattern as the dot pattern related to the target printed matter exists in the dot pattern set data, it is determined that the target printed matter is one of a plurality of printed matter constituting the printed matter set.
Authenticity judgment method. A determination system that executes the authenticity determination method according to claim 3.
A storage unit that stores the dot pattern set data and
A calculation unit that receives image data obtained by capturing an image of the target printed matter and determines whether or not the target printed matter is one of a plurality of printed matter constituting the printed matter set.
Have,
Judgment system.

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