JP7377421B2 - Print media verification system, print media group verification system, and traceability system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a print media verification system, a print media group verification system, and a traceability system.

In recent years, several methods have been developed for assigning different codes (media with identification information or unique information) or identification marks to each product for purposes such as traceability, product introduction, guarantee stickers, lottery tickets, and quality assurance. ing. These include examples of printing two-dimensional codes such as barcodes and QR codes as different codes for each product, and examples of reading individual differences such as artifact metrics.

As an example of pursuing traceability using a two-dimensional code as an individual code, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1, for example. Further, as a method for performing authentication using artifact metrics, there is a technique described in Patent Document 2. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a technique that uses moiré due to periodic structures of fibers and metals as an artifact metric.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-210663 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-85679 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-29636

By the way, when including common product information in a barcode, QR code, etc., the same barcode or QR code may be uniformly printed on the product package. For this purpose, mass printing methods, such as offset printing, gravure printing, letterpress printing, intaglio printing, and screen printing, are suitable for printing the same pattern in large quantities at low cost using a common printing plate.

On the other hand, in systems that pursue traceability of products such as fresh foods, individual information (hereinafter referred to as "unique information") for each product such as quality, weight, size, production date, etc. There is a demand for adding information (also referred to as "information") to product packages of fresh foods. However, if such product-specific information is to be printed on a product package, it is necessary to individually create patterns and identification marks to be printed in accordance with the product-specific information.

For this reason, it has been considered difficult to apply the mass printing method using a common printing plate as described above. Therefore, when printing such product-specific information on product packages, etc., the product-specific information is converted into individual printed content and then printed using a laser printing method, inkjet method, thermal transfer method, etc. Different patterns had to be printed separately. However, these printing methods are generally expensive and take a relatively long time to print, so there is a problem that they are not suitable for printing product packages that are required in large quantities.

Additionally, since printed product-specific information can be easily reproduced using a scanner or digital camera, there is also the problem that it can be easily replaced with product-specific information on another product package. Ta.

On the other hand, instead of the above method of printing different patterns individually, there is also a method of using artifact metrics. As a known artifact metric, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a method of recognizing halftone dots produced by printing. However, when using artifact metrics, it is necessary to recognize minute changes in patterns, so a high-resolution reading device is required to detect the pattern, and a high-performance computing system is also required for matching. It had become. Furthermore, if the medium has scratches or dirt, there is a risk of erroneous determination.

Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a moiré pattern generated by a random periodic structure made of fibers, metal wires, etc., but the manufacturing process is complicated and expensive compared to normal printing. In addition, since the patterns are arranged three-dimensionally in this prior art, the pattern read may change depending on the reading position of the reading device, which may result in erroneous determination.

In addition, with conventional individual codes generated using non-printing methods, it is difficult to directly generate individual codes on the product itself or on the product package, and it is necessary to attach it to the product as a tag or sticker, which increases costs. This also led to fraud, such as the hassle of attaching and removing tags or reapplying stickers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art and to provide a print medium matching system, a print media group matching system, and a traceability system that can match print media with higher accuracy using a moiré pattern.

In order to solve the above problems, one of the typical print media matching systems of the present invention is as follows.
In a system that includes a moire pattern caused by overlapping two or more periodic patterns and an individual code consisting of a common area marker, and collates a group of print media that can be identified by the difference in the moire pattern,
A reading device that reads the individual code, a communication device that transmits information obtained from the read data, and a printed pattern matching device that matches the difference in the moire pattern based on at least the area marker among the sent information. This is achieved by consisting of:
In addition, one of the representative print media group matching systems of the present invention is
In a system that includes a moire pattern caused by overlapping two or more periodic patterns and an individual code consisting of a common area marker, and collates a group of print media that can be identified by the difference in the moire pattern,
A print pattern matching device has a basic information storage unit that stores basic information that associates individual codes of print media groups with product information in advance before shipping the product, and a printing pattern matching device that reads the individual code of the product after shipping and communicates the above through a communication device. The printing pattern matching device includes a reading device that sends data to a print pattern matching device, and the printing pattern matching device matches the difference in the moiré pattern based on at least the area marker among the sent data, and the printing pattern matching device performs the matching. This is accomplished by sending the results and/or product information based on the verification results to the reading device.

One of the representative traceability features of the present invention is printing that includes a moire pattern caused by overlapping two or more periodic patterns and an individual code consisting of a common area marker, and can be identified by the difference in the moire pattern. In traceability systems using media groups,
comprising a reading device that reads a moire pattern at the stage of completion of the product, and a storage device that stores the moire pattern and product information in association with each other, the reading device reads the moire pattern of the distribution channel and/or the consumer's product; This is achieved by being able to compare the sent moire pattern with the moire pattern of the storage device using at least the area marker as a reference .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a print medium verification system, a print media group verification system, and a traceability system that can more accurately verify print media using moiré patterns.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a neighborhood region with respect to a periodic pattern. It is a figure of the first periodic pattern which constitutes a moire pattern. FIG. 6 is a diagram of a second periodic pattern and area markers that constitute a moire pattern. FIG. 3 is a diagram of a moiré pattern consisting of a first periodic pattern and a second periodic pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of a moire pattern. FIG. 6 is a comparison diagram of the vicinity of an area marker of moiré patterns in which the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern overlap at different positions. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an information communication system to which a matching system using a moiré pattern is applied. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the verification system. It is a flow chart showing moiré extraction. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a moire region determined by an area pattern. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example (a) of adding two area markers to a second periodic pattern, and an example (b) of a generated moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a moire area determined by two area markers. It is a flow chart showing moiré extraction when there are two area markers. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example (a) of adding three area markers to a second periodic pattern, and an example (b) of a generated moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a moire region determined by three area markers. It is a flowchart which shows moiré extraction when there are three or more area markers. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an area marker and a moiré pattern. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a moiré pattern consisting of a first periodic pattern consisting of a closed curve, a second periodic pattern, and an area marker. FIG. 7 is a comparison diagram of moiré patterns in which the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern overlap at different positions. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which regions in which a first periodic pattern and a second periodic pattern are formed have different sizes. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example in which the regions in which the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern are formed have different sizes. It is a flowchart explaining the process of creating a print medium. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a case where the print medium is a beverage package. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a print medium. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a printing medium manufacturing apparatus. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a traceability system using a verification system.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. The embodiments shown below are illustrative of devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention is based on the shapes, structures, and arrangements of component parts as described below. It is not specific to The technical idea of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope defined by the claims.

In this specification, a "periodic pattern" refers to a pattern that has one or more peaks at frequencies other than frequency 0 when the pattern is decomposed into spatial frequency components using Fourier transform or the like.

"Moiré pattern created by overlapping two periodic patterns" refers to the formation of a moire pattern by physically overlapping periodic patterns formed in multiple processes, as well as the combination of two periodic patterns on image data. The above also includes outputting a moiré pattern as one image. It is preferable that the overlapping periodic patterns be substantially the same. Substantially identical periodic patterns include those obtained by changing the scale, deforming, rotating, etc. the same periodic pattern. In addition, by superimposing these periodic patterns through displacement, inclination, deformation, etc., various types of moiré patterns can be formed. Note that the periodic patterns to be superimposed are not limited to being substantially the same, and may be any pattern that causes moiré when the periodic patterns are superimposed.

However, in the following embodiments, the explanation will mainly be about overlapping periodic patterns formed on a print medium through a plurality of printing processes. Any printing method can be used to print the moire pattern.

In this specification, an "area marker" is located within or near one or both of the periodic patterns, and by using a reference point within the area marker, moire can be identified by the relative position to the moire. This is a possible pattern. In other words, the area marker can be used as a reference when analyzing moiré caused by overlapping periodic patterns. Preferably, the area marker has a different frequency than the periodic pattern.

The shape of the area marker is preferably a pattern consisting of a combination of arcs, straight lines, vertices, and corners, such as circles, circles, ellipses, sectors, triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons such as pentagons, star-shaped polygons, Examples include shapes such as asteroids and stars, letters, symbols, logotypes, and illustrations.

Note that "near the periodic pattern" is within a circle whose radius is the maximum width of the region where the periodic pattern is provided from the center of the region where the periodic pattern is provided (or the center of gravity in the case of a free shape). Specifically, in the example of FIG. 1, in the region 200 where the periodic pattern 206 is provided, the maximum width 201 is the length shown by the black line. A region 205 in the vicinity of the periodic pattern is located within a circle whose radius is the maximum width from this center point 202, and the area marker 9 is located within this circle. The area marker 9 may be outside the area where the periodic pattern is provided, or may be inside the area.

Any shape can be used as the area marker. Further, it is preferable that the area marker is larger than the minimum unit of the periodic pattern, and that the total area of the area marker is within 95% of the area of the periodic pattern.

In this embodiment, an area marker is provided inside or near the moire pattern, but at this time, it is possible to establish a positional relationship, distance, size ratio, etc. between the area marker and the generated moire pattern. , it is possible to support the analysis of moiré patterns that occur innumerable times.
Moreover, since any figure can be used, it is possible to use a design that reduces the discomfort, glare, etc. of the moire pattern that occurs, or vice versa.

(Example of moire pattern)
In the following example, a moiré pattern is formed using two periodic patterns. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first periodic pattern 220. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the second periodic pattern 230 and the area marker 900. The first periodic pattern 220 is a pattern in which concentric circles whose radii change at equal intervals are formed within a rectangular frame (area). On the other hand, the second periodic pattern 230 is also a pattern in which concentric circles whose radii change at the same intervals are formed within a rectangular frame (region), but the concentric pattern is reduced to 92% of the first periodic pattern. Here, concentric circles are used as an example of a closed curve, but the closed curve may be an ellipse, a polygon, or a closed free curve. Furthermore, although the area marker 900 is a filled rectangle, it may also be a figure with only an outer frame.

Since the first periodic pattern 220 and the second periodic pattern 230 each have a periodic structure, when the periodic structures of each are approximated, when one period of the first periodic pattern is 1, the shape of a circle is By moving the center by 4.5 cycles in the y-axis direction (vertical direction in the figure) and printing in an overlapping manner, a moiré pattern 240 is generated as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, in FIG. 5, if only the second periodic pattern 230 is further shifted by one period in the y-axis direction with respect to the moiré pattern in FIG. A moiré pattern 242 generated by moving 5.5 cycles in the y-axis direction and overlapping printing is shown. In this way, in a combination of the same periodic patterns, the moiré pattern changes with minute relative movements.

At this time, moire consisting of minute deviations and distortions of the same combination of periodic patterns often resemble each other, and it is possible that misjudgment may occur during the moiré reading and matching process. By doing so, the identifiability of the pattern can be improved.

6(a) is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the area marker 900 in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6(b) is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the area marker 900 of FIG. 5. Comparing FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), it is clear that the positions of the moire fringes intersecting the area marker 900 are different, which indicates that the moire fringes are different. In this way, by using the area marker as a reference rather than analyzing moire from the entire periodic pattern, it is possible to improve the accuracy and speed of analyzing whether moire fringes are the same or not.

(verification system)
Hereinafter, an example of a print medium matching method for realizing a matching system using a moiré pattern will be described. For example, print media such as product packages are manufactured at a printing factory, but products are often manufactured at another product manufacturing factory. In such a case, when a product manufactured at a product manufacturing factory is packaged, the moire pattern printed on the package is optically read and converted into image data (moire information). Thereafter, the image data and the product information in the package are associated with each other and individually stored in a print pattern matching device, which will be described later. Image data including a moire pattern and an area marker is herein referred to as moire information.

The process of extracting and storing the moire information (first moire information) at a product manufacturing factory is called the first extraction process. The process of reading the marker, extracting and storing moire information (second moire information) is called a second extraction process.

As shown in FIG. 7, for example, the verification system 1 captures or scans a plurality of print media 2 attached to products (not shown) on which moire patterns are printed, and print media image data by photographing or scanning the print media 2. (including moiré pattern data and area marker data); a communication terminal 3 for transmitting print media image data; a communication channel 5 realized by a mobile phone communication network, the Internet network, etc.; It is composed of a connectable print pattern matching device 4. Note that the reading device 3a may be configured integrally with the communication terminal.

The print pattern matching device 4 receives print medium image data transmitted from the communication terminal 3, includes an inquiry information storage unit 410 that stores the received print medium image data, and a photographed image correction unit that corrects the stored print medium image data. section 421, a moire pattern extraction section 420 that extracts moiré information from the print medium image data stored in the inquiry information storage section 410 using area markers, and a moire pattern extraction section 420 that extracts moire information from the print medium image data stored in the inquiry information storage section 410; Moire pattern matching that compares the moire information stored in the base information storage unit 430 and the moire pattern extraction unit 420 that store product information associated with this moire information, and the moire information stored in the base information storage unit 430 440.
It is assumed that the inquiry information storage unit 410 stores in advance the shape of an area marker attached to a print medium as area marker data. Furthermore, in the following example, it is assumed that a print medium accompanying a product is photographed, for example, at the time of factory shipment, moiré information is extracted, and the inquiry information storage unit 410 stores the image. The "first print medium" and the "second print medium" may be the same or different.

FIG. 8 is a ladder chart showing the operation of the verification system. After the product on which the moiré pattern is printed is sold, for example, the consumer operates the reading device 3a of the communication terminal 3, photographs the print medium 2 attached to the product (step S110), and prints the product via the communication path 5. It is assumed that the medium image data has been sent to the print pattern matching device 4. In response, the inquiry information storage unit 410 of the print pattern matching device 4 receives the transmitted print medium image data (step S120). Next, the moire pattern extraction unit 420 extracts moire information (second extraction step) from the received print medium image data (step S130).

The moiré pattern extraction unit 420 performs matching (verification process) according to a flowchart as shown in FIG. 9 as one embodiment. First, the print medium image data acquired in step S120 is read as an input image (step S131), and the inside and vicinity of the periodic pattern is searched based on the shape of the area marker stored in advance in the inquiry information storage unit 410 (step S131). S132), area markers are extracted (step S135). When the area marker is extracted, an area (also referred to as a search area) to be used for moiré pattern discrimination is determined from the position of the area marker (step S133). Moiré in the area determined by this area marker is extracted and used as moiré information (step S134).

The area used for moiré pattern discrimination based on the position of the area marker is set depending on the shape of the area marker and the position of the periodic pattern. The area used for moire pattern determination may be determined from an arbitrary reference point (center, center of gravity, etc.) of the area marker and based on the size of the area marker.

For example, if an analysis is performed on a print group consisting of the periodic pattern in FIG. 2 and the periodic pattern in FIG. 3, and the image obtained as print media image data has the moiré pattern shown in FIG. An example of a region determined based on the position of the region to be used for moiré pattern discrimination is shown in FIG.

In the example of FIG. 10, the area marker 900 is rectangular and exists on a periodic pattern, and the moiré 240 is also generated to include the area marker 900. Therefore, the center of gravity of the area marker 900 is set as the reference point 290 for the moiré region determination process, the direction parallel to the opposite sides of the area marker 900 (vertical direction in the figure) is set as the first direction, and the direction parallel to the other opposite side ( When the second direction (left-right direction in the figure) is set, an area three times the size 90Y and 90X in each direction is set as the area 90 used for the moiré pattern. However, the area used for analysis is not limited to this.

The reference point for the moiré region determination process in the area marker is located on the print medium on approximately the same plane as the area marker,
The point is that the position can be uniquely defined from the shape and relative positional relationship of each area marker.

Further, it may be determined by the minimum number of repetitions of the periodic pattern, the direction, period, number of moire fringes, etc. that mainly occur. It is desirable that the periodic pattern is repeated at least twice within the region 90, and that the density of the moiré that occurs includes 0.5 cycles.

In FIG. 8, the moire pattern matching unit 440 combines the moire information extracted in this way (second moire information), the moire information (first moire information) stored in the basic information storage unit 430, The same moire information as the extracted moire information is extracted from the moire information data for comparison stored in the base information storage unit 430 (step S140). . For example, by performing image processing within the area 90, if the relative positions (relative relationships) of the moire fringes extending from each side of the area marker match each other, the moire pattern matching unit 440 can match the moire information. It is determined that the On the other hand, if the relative positions of the moire fringes do not match, the moire pattern matching unit 440 determines that the moire information does not match.

In the moire pattern extraction unit 420 and the moire pattern matching unit 440, methods such as Fourier transformation, template matching, edge detection, and vector correlation may be used as embodiments for extracting and matching moire patterns, as described above. By using area markers to determine the area to be used for analysis for a group of prints, it is possible to improve the speed and accuracy of moiré detection and verification.

If the same moiré information can be extracted, the moiré pattern matching unit 440 performs authentication processing on the print medium 2 (step S150 in FIG. 8), and extracts the associated product information (manufacturing date of the product, etc.). A reply is sent to the communication terminal 3 that is the sender.
At this time, the moiré pattern matching unit 440 first transmits affirmative information to the communication terminal 3 to the effect that the same moiré information has been extracted, and then, when there is a download request from the consumer via the communication terminal 3. As far as possible, product information may be transmitted to the communication terminal 3.

On the other hand, if the print pattern matching device 4 cannot find moire information that is the same as the moire pattern stored in the print pattern specifying section in the print pattern storage section, the moire pattern matching section 440 determines whether the same moire information exists. Negative information indicating that there was no such thing is sent back to the communication terminal 3. In response, the communication terminal 3 displays the transmitted determination result on a display (not shown) (step S160 in FIG. 8).

According to the present embodiment, the reading device 3a of the communication terminal 3 may be, for example, a camera using an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The reading device 3a only needs to be accurate enough to detect differences between a plurality of moiré patterns, and a high-performance lens or image sensor is not required.

(Example of area marker)
Furthermore, the number of area markers may be two. When there are two area markers, matching accuracy can be further improved compared to when there is one area marker, and the design can be improved. The two area markers used at the same time may have the same shape or may have different shapes.

FIG. 11A is a diagram showing the first periodic pattern 220 and area markers 900 and 901. Here, the area marker 901 has the same size as the area marker 900, and is a filled rectangle. FIG. 11(b) shows a moire pattern 243 generated by shifting FIG. 11(a) by 4.5 cycles in the y-axis direction (see FIG. 2).

When analyzing a moire pattern using two area markers, area markers are extracted from the captured image data for the two points (step S135 in FIG. 13), and the positions of the area markers are used to determine the moire pattern. The area is determined at two points, and the moire of the area determined by the area marker is extracted and used as moire information. Here, when analyzing a moiré pattern using two area markers, there are two methods: a method that uses both area markers themselves, a method that uses the area between the two area markers, a method that uses both area markers themselves, and a method that uses the area between the two area markers. You can choose one of the methods that uses time.

As a result, the moire pattern matching section can improve matching accuracy by comparing the moire in the areas determined by each area marker, and even if one area marker cannot be read due to dirt etc., matching can be performed. be able to.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for extracting moire information by the moire pattern extraction unit 420 when there are two area markers. Since the process up to detecting the area marker (step S135) is the same as in the embodiment described above, repeated explanation will be omitted.

In step S140, a moire pattern analysis method is selected. Specifically, when the method using both area markers themselves is selected, the moire pattern is analyzed as described above for both area markers (step S141), and the moire pattern is determined for both area markers. Only when it is determined that they are the same, it can be determined that the moiré patterns are the same. This allows highly accurate determination.

On the other hand, when the method using the area between two area markers is selected in step S140, area markers are extracted for the two points, and then the area used for moiré pattern discrimination is based on the position of the area marker. Between each of the two reference points (nearest points). For example, it is also possible to extract the number and position of moiré lines that intersect the line segment connecting the two reference points of the area marker, and to compare this as moiré information (step S142). In this case, by acquiring moiré information from the relationship between two points, it is possible to perform accurate verification even if the print is distorted or expanded or contracted.

In addition, if the method of using the area between two area markers and using both area markers themselves is selected in step S140, the method of using the area between the two area markers similar to the above (step S143), and the method of using the area between the two area markers themselves (step S143) The method using the area marker itself (step S144) can be executed continuously.

Here, examples of analysis methods include counting and comparing the number of moiré fringes passing between two area markers, comparing the brightness at an arbitrary point such as the midpoint between two area markers, and The first axis is the distance between two points, the second axis is the brightness of the moiré fringe, and the shape of the waveform is compared by tracing the numerical values.The first axis is the distance between two area markers, and the second axis is the brightness of the moire fringe. Examples include frequency analysis of a waveform that traces the numerical value.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of area markers 900 and 901 in FIG. 11(b). Among the vertices of the area markers 900 and 901, the vertex closest to the other area marker (nearest point) is used as the reference point 291 and 292 for the moire region determination process, and the line connecting the two points is the region used for moire pattern determination. It is set at 91.

Furthermore, the number of area markers may be three or more. When there are three or more area markers, precision and design can be improved more than when there are one or two area markers. At this time, each area marker may have the same shape or may have a different shape.

Here, when analyzing a moiré pattern using three area markers, a method using each area marker itself, a method using a line segment between two area markers, and a method using a triangular area between three area markers are used. You can select either a method or a combination of the above methods.

FIG. 14(a) is a diagram showing the first periodic pattern 220 and area markers 900 to 902. Furthermore, area marker 902 has the same size as area markers 900 and 901, and is a filled rectangle. FIG. 14(b) shows a moire pattern 244 generated by shifting FIG. 14(a) by 4.5 cycles in the y-axis direction (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 16 is a flowchart for extracting moire information by the moire pattern extraction unit 420 when there are three area markers. Since the process up to detecting the area marker (step S135) is the same as in the embodiment described above, repeated explanation will be omitted.

In step S140, a moire pattern analysis method is selected. Specifically, if a method using each area marker itself is selected, the moire pattern is analyzed as described above for each area marker (step S145), and the moire pattern is determined to be identical for each area marker. Only when it is determined that the moire patterns are the same can it be determined that the moire patterns are the same.

On the other hand, when the method using the area between two area markers is selected in step S140, a line segment (three sides of a triangle) is formed between the reference points of the two area markers, so a total of three line segments are obtained. The number and position of moire can be extracted for each area corresponding to the line segment, and this can be compared as moire information (step S146). Thereby, it is possible to improve the accuracy of identity. Alternatively, verification can be performed even if some area markers cannot be read due to dirt or the like.

In addition, when the method using the area between the three area markers is selected in step S140, the surface (triangular area) consisting of the reference points of the three area markers is set as the area used for moiré pattern discrimination, and the method using the three area markers is It is also possible to extract moire within the screen and use it as moire information (step S147). In this case, by acquiring moire information from the relative relationship of moire fringes with respect to a triangular area made up of three reference points, it is possible to perform accurate verification even when printing is distorted or expanded/contracted.

In FIG. 15 shown as an example, the reference points (nearest points) 293 to 295 of the moiré region determination process are used for each of the area markers 900 to 902, and the plane consisting of the line connecting each reference point is used for moiré pattern discrimination. This is the area 92 to be used.

In addition, if combining the above-described methods is selected in step S140, identity can be determined by combining these methods (step S149).

When there are a plurality of area markers, it is particularly preferable that the reference point for the moire region determination process in the area marker be the point closest to another area marker among the vertices of the area markers. In this case, the accuracy of the area determined by the area marker can be further maintained. Also, when connecting area markers, it is preferable that the route does not pass over the area markers.

Further, the area markers may be shaped to surround the periodic pattern or may be placed around the periodic pattern. At this time, the periodic pattern can be easily blended into the picture, and the design can be improved.

As an example, FIG. 17A is a diagram showing a grid-like first periodic pattern 221 and an area marker 910. The area marker 910 is filled with a donut shape surrounding the area of the first periodic pattern. FIG. 17(b) shows a second periodic pattern 231 obtained by reducing the first periodic pattern by 92%. By overlapping printing of FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b), a moire pattern 245 is generated as shown in FIG. 17(c).

The shape of the area marker may have one or more vertices. In analysis using area markers, the position and inclination of area markers can be easily recognized by vertices.

As an example, FIG. 18A is a diagram showing a linear first periodic pattern 222 and area markers 920 and 921. Area markers 920 and 921 are filled with a cone shape (drop shape) having one vertex. FIG. 18(b) shows a second periodic pattern 223 obtained by reducing the first periodic pattern 222 by 92%. By overprinting FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b), a moire pattern 246 is generated as shown in FIG. 18(c).

The area marker may have a polygonal shape. It may also include a star shape or a curved line. When there are multiple vertices, the position and inclination of the area marker can be more easily recognized. Furthermore, when using a plurality of area markers, it is possible to select a vertex most suitable for analysis, such as one that is close to other area markers, as a reference point, thereby further improving accuracy.

As an example, FIG. 19(a) is a diagram showing a linear first periodic pattern 222 and area markers 930 to 933. Area markers 930 and 931 are polygonal, area marker 932 is asteroid (star-shaped), and area marker 933 is star-shaped. By overlapping printing of FIGS. 19(a) and 18(b), a moire pattern 247 is generated as shown in FIG. 19(b).

Further, the area marker may be an illustration of a character, text, a logo, or the like. By combining it with a pattern, moire can be naturally used as a pattern, and moire can be prevented from becoming an unpleasant pattern for humans.

As an example, FIG. 20(a) is a diagram showing the same first periodic pattern 220 and area marker 940 as in FIG. Area markers are filled in with character shapes. By printing the same first periodic pattern 220 as in FIG. 2 over the second periodic pattern 230 in FIG. 20(a), a moire pattern 248 is generated as shown in FIG. 20(b).

Further, FIG. 21(a) is a diagram showing the same first periodic pattern 220 and area marker 941 as in FIG. The area marker 941 is filled in the shape of the letter T. By printing the same first periodic pattern 220 as in FIG. 2 over the second periodic pattern 230 in FIG. 21(a), a moire pattern 249 is generated as shown in FIG. 21(b).

In the above example, the area marker is a filled-in shape, but it is also possible to extract an arbitrary shape such as a square, circle, or design from the pattern and use it as an area marker. Furthermore, filled in and extracted may be mixed.

As an example, FIG. 22A is a diagram showing the same first periodic pattern 220 and area marker 950 as in FIG. The area marker 950 is in the form of a character and is blank by excluding the periodic pattern. By printing the same first periodic pattern 220 as in FIG. 2 over the second periodic pattern 230 in FIG. 22(a), a moire pattern 250 is generated as shown in FIG. 20(b).

(Example of using periodic pattern and area marker in combination)
Further, in one printed matter, there may be a plurality of regions provided with periodic patterns. In particular, when an illustration or the like is mainly used, a moiré pattern can be effectively used as a pattern.

As an example, FIG. 23A is a diagram in which a picture (a bear's face) 300 includes two concentric first periodic patterns 232 (positions of both ears). In this case, the area markers correspond to ranges 960 and 961 of the picture 300 that are included in the vicinity of the periodic pattern set from the maximum width of each of the first periodic patterns.

FIG. 23(b) is a diagram showing a second periodic pattern 233 obtained by moving the first periodic pattern 232. By overlapping printing of FIGS. 23(a) and 23(b), moire patterns 251 and 252 as shown in FIG. 23(c) are generated.

At least some of the plurality of periodic patterns may be expressed in different colors, or the colors may be changed within one periodic pattern. In this case, a beautiful pattern with color gradation can be expressed, making it possible to express a pattern with excellent design.

Further, each of the plurality of periodic patterns and a part of the area marker may be divided into colors. In this case, especially if you use a pattern or logo for the area marker and change the color around the area marker, the moiré will become a background, and even if the moiré unintentionally becomes a pattern that feels strange to humans, it will affect the overall design. It becomes possible to use it naturally.

In the above example, a closed curve was used as a periodic pattern. By using such closed curves at least in part, even if the two periodic patterns are slightly shifted in either direction, a large change in the moiré pattern will occur, making it possible to generate highly distinguishable patterns. Become. On the other hand, by using an open curve for at least part of the periodic pattern instead of using a closed curve, it becomes possible to increase the degree of freedom in design, and it becomes possible to obtain a pattern with excellent design. Combining closed curves and open curves is optional.

In addition, in the examples described above, examples of moiré patterns generated from curves and curves, and moire patterns generated from straight lines are shown, but the invention is not limited to this, and combinations of curves and straight lines, halftone dots and Any combination of periodic patterns that produces a moire pattern may be used, such as a combination of halftone dots, a halftone dot and a curved line, or a halftone dot and a straight line. Halftone dots can be easily generated using a normal process printing plate-making system. Furthermore, by changing the area and density of the halftone dots or changing the width of the lines, it is also possible to create overlapping patterns with shading.

In this example, the first periodic pattern, the second periodic pattern, and the area marker are of the same color. In this case, there is an advantage that the contrast of the resulting moire pattern becomes high, and if such a moire pattern has identification information or unique information, it becomes easier to recognize it.

Although this example shows an example of a combination of two periodic patterns as a moire pattern, the moire pattern is not limited to this, and a moire pattern may be generated by combining three or more periodic patterns.

By forming each periodic pattern on the same surface of the base material, even if the reading position of a reading device, which will be described later, changes, the moiré pattern does not change much, and it is possible to perform reading with fewer misjudgments. Note that a transparent protective layer may be provided on the surface on which the moire pattern is generated to protect the printed surface, or the moire pattern may be observed from the back surface of the transparent base material.

(Decomposition of moire pattern)
Further, the moire pattern after printing may be separated into the first periodic pattern used for printing, the second periodic pattern, and the area marker. In such a case, if there is one moiré pattern, the first periodic pattern, the second periodic pattern, and the area marker used to generate the moire pattern can be estimated with high accuracy. The same applies to a moiré pattern generated from three or more periodic patterns.

(About misalignment of periodic pattern)
FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of the central portion 260 of the moiré pattern shown in FIG. In order to cause a change in the moire pattern, it is desirable that the minimum distance for variation in printing position (printing shift) during printing is 1/10 times or more the average period m of the periodic pattern. This is because the period of the moire pattern is expanded and changed according to the amount of deviation between the overlapping periodic patterns, so if the amount of deviation is 1/10 times or more of the average period m of the periodic patterns, the difference in the moire pattern can be easily detected. This is because it can be judged. Here, "printing misalignment" refers to the position where the reference points (for example, the centers of concentric circles) of the two periodic patterns formed on the two printing plates match with respect to the printing medium, while one periodic pattern is , refers to deviation in either direction.

FIG. 25(a) shows a moire pattern 240, and FIG. 25(b) shows the same first periodic pattern 220 and second periodic pattern 230 that generate the moire pattern 240, and one period of the first periodic pattern is defined as 1. In this case, the moire patterns 240 produced by moving the centers of the circles in the y-axis direction by 4.6 cycles, which is 0.1 cycle more than the moire pattern 240, and printing them overlapping each other are shown with their centers lined up.
In other words, in the moire pattern 240(a) and the moire pattern 241(b), the relative difference in the printing deviation in the y-axis direction between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern is equal to one period of the first periodic pattern. It is 1/10.

Here, if the distances from the center of the concentric circle to the center of the first moire fringe in the y-axis direction are p1 and p2, respectively, the amount of deviation (relative difference) between the periodic patterns in the two moire patterns is The difference between the distances p1 and p2 is magnified and visible in the moiré pattern, although it is only 1/10 of one cycle of the moire pattern. Therefore, if the minimum distance of variation in printing position during printing is 1/10 times or more the period of the periodic pattern, for example, it is possible to distinguish between moire patterns with the naked eye. Note that when performing high-precision image analysis, it is possible to measure differences in moiré patterns if the minimum distance of variation in print position during printing is 1/50 times or more the period of any periodic pattern.

From this, it can be said that when creating a moire pattern, it is necessary to set the printing deviation between two periodic patterns to at least 1/50 times the average period of one of the periodic patterns.

However, if the deviation in the printing position of the periodic pattern becomes considerably large, there is a possibility that the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern will not overlap, and no moire pattern will occur. In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 26, the area of the region where the second periodic pattern 231(b) is formed is made larger than the area where the first periodic pattern 221(a) is formed. Even if the printing position deviates greatly, an overlap will always occur in the displacement of the first periodic pattern 221 within the second periodic pattern 231, making it possible to generate a moiré pattern. However, the deviation in the printing position of the periodic pattern needs to be less than or equal to the size of the second periodic pattern 231 (here, half of one side).

Further, the rectangular frame of the first periodic pattern 221 and the rectangular frame of the second periodic pattern 231 are made to have different sizes, and as shown in FIG. By including it in the outer edge, frame shift when periodic patterns are overlapped becomes less noticeable, and the viewer's sense of discomfort can be suppressed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 27A in which the illustration of the periodic pattern is omitted, the shape of the outermost edge OE1 of the first periodic pattern region is different from the shape of the outermost edge OE2 of the second periodic pattern region. There is. Further, a part of the outermost edge OE1 of the first periodic pattern protrudes outside the outermost edge OE2 of the second periodic pattern, and a part of the outermost edge OE2 of the second periodic pattern protrudes outside the outermost edge OE2 of the second periodic pattern. It protrudes outside the outermost edge OE1 of the periodic pattern. This embodiment is an example in which a moiré pattern is generated in the center of a hexagon in which both periodic patterns are superimposed.

At this time, the area marker does not necessarily have to be present at the location where moiré occurs. The relationship between the area marker and the moire that occurs is that the area marker is fixed on the pattern, so even if the area marker is not in contact with the moire, you can check the change in the relationship with the area marker every time the moire changes. can.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 27(b) in which the illustration of the periodic pattern is omitted, the outermost edge OE1 of the first periodic pattern region includes the outermost edge OE2 of the second periodic pattern region. More specifically, the entire outermost edge OE1 of the first periodic pattern protrudes outside the outermost edge OE2 of the second periodic pattern. This embodiment is an example in which a moiré pattern occurs in the center of a circle where both periodic patterns are superimposed (that is, inside the outermost edge OE2).

(Moiré pattern design and selection)
Next, the design and selection of a moiré pattern suitable for matching will be explained based on the drawings. The minimum distance for variation in printing position during printing can be determined by actually printing for a long time or in large numbers and measuring the positional deviation. "

Furthermore, after printing the product packages, all product packages are photographed using an electronic camera (not shown), image data of a moire pattern (also referred to as moire information) is extracted from the image data of the product packages, and is stored in the data storage unit. . Then, in the pre-shipment inspection of the product package, it can be confirmed whether the same moire pattern has already been printed (or whether two or more pieces of the same moire information have been stored). If it is confirmed that the same moiré pattern is printed, for example, a step of removing the product package obtained later may be provided.

This process will be explained in detail using FIG. 28. First, a product package is planned and designed (step S201), periodic pattern data is created based on the planning and design (step S203), and pattern data is created (step S204). When creating a periodic pattern, it is desirable to obtain the periodic pattern based on unique values such as variations in printing positions depending on the printing press (step S202), but if there is no information about the printing press to be used, general printing The periodic pattern may be obtained from machine information.

For example, in the case of gravure printing performed at 175 lpi (line per inch), the minimum positional deviation is assumed to be about 10 μm, and the period of the first periodic pattern is set to 90 μm, which is less than 100 μm, and the period of the second periodic pattern is set to 90 μm, which is less than 100 μm. It can be set to 83 μm, which is slightly smaller than that. These values are used to generate an actual moire pattern, and then determine the final pattern based on design aspects and ease of moire recognition.

Next, a printing plate is created from the obtained data (step S205). Printing is performed using the created printing plate, but printing of the first periodic pattern (step S206) and printing of the second periodic pattern (step S207) are performed in different steps. When two periodic patterns are printed one on top of the other, a moire pattern is generated as described above.

Note that the different steps may be performed using at least different printing plates, and may be performed using the same printing machine or different printing machines. Note that although the first periodic pattern and the picture are printed in the same process here, they may be printed in separate processes. Further, the pattern does not need to be printed on one plate, and may be printed in multiple colors using a plurality of plates.

Next, the printed pattern including the moire pattern is optically read using an inspection device (such as a camera) and converted into image data, and the moire image pattern is extracted and recognized from the data (step S208). By storing the image data in a data storage unit such as , it is possible to compare it with the stored image data of the moiré pattern each time. If the same moire pattern has already been printed or if there is a defective moire pattern, that print medium is removed (step S209). This avoids confusion during pattern matching. On the other hand, if there is no identical moire pattern, that moire pattern (this becomes the first moire pattern stored) is stored (step S210), and the process proceeds to the next step.

In this embodiment, since the print medium is formed by a combination of periodic patterns, when it is reproduced using a scanner, copy machine, digital camera, etc., the pixels of the image sensor of these image forming devices and the microlens array A new moiré pattern with the periodic structure is likely to occur. Therefore, it can be said that it is difficult to reproduce the print medium having the moiré pattern according to this embodiment. Note that there is a method of using a low-pass filter to avoid the moire pattern caused by the characteristics of the image forming apparatus, but the moire pattern reproduced by this method does not have a periodic pattern, so it cannot be seen visually or with a camera. It becomes possible to determine whether the data has been copied or not.

(Printing method and printing media manufacturing method)
Next, with reference to FIG. 29, a printing method and a method for manufacturing a print medium will be described. The print medium of this embodiment may be one on which a moire pattern is printed alone, one on which a moire pattern is printed on a part of a product, or one on which a moire pattern is printed on a part of a product package. "

As shown in FIG. 30, the print medium 2 includes a base material 210. As the base material 210, for example, a paper base material, a film base material such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), etc. can be adopted. The base material 210 is not limited to a sheet-like material, the product itself may be used as the base material 210 and a moire pattern may be printed thereon, or a paper medium or a plastic medium used for product packaging may be used as the base material 210 and a moire pattern may be printed thereon. A pattern may also be printed. In the following example, a continuous base material sheet 6 is printed and then cut to form a base material 210.

(Printing device for printing media)
In FIG. 31, the printing device for printing media includes a plate cylinder 7C for transferring and forming a cyan image, an impression cylinder 7P disposed opposite thereto, and a plate cylinder 8M for transferring and forming a magenta image. , an impression cylinder 8P disposed opposite thereto, a plate cylinder 9Y for transferring and forming an image for yellow, and an impression cylinder 9P disposed opposite thereto for transferring and forming an image for black and a first periodic pattern. an impression cylinder 10P disposed opposite thereto, tension rollers TP1 and TP2, an air blowing device DB, a plate cylinder 11B for transferring and forming the second periodic pattern in black, and an impression cylinder 10P disposed opposite thereto. It has an impression cylinder 11P arranged therein. Hereinafter, the plate cylinder may also be referred to as a printing plate. "

The tension rollers TP1 and TP2 can adjust the tension (pulling force) applied to the base sheet 6 by changing the mutual spacing by a drive mechanism (not shown). In addition, the air blowing device DB has a built-in humidifier that generates water vapor and a heater, and uses a rotating fan to blow moist air or heated air onto the surface of the base sheet 6 while adjusting the blowing amount. It can be sprayed. These are collectively referred to as positional deviation generating devices.

The band-shaped base material sheet 6 passes between the plate cylinders 7C to 10B and the opposing impression cylinders 7P to 10P, and is wound around tension rollers TP1 and TP2 to apply a predetermined tension. , the air blowing device DB, and further passes between the plate cylinder 11B and the impression cylinder 11P facing thereto. At this time, each color image is transferred onto the base sheet 6 at the same printing timing by each of the plate cylinders 7C to 10B, and by combining these, a color image with a specific pattern is printed. Although the area marker transfer portion is formed on the plate cylinder 11B, the area marker transfer portion may be formed on the plate cylinder 10B instead of or in addition to this.

When passing the base sheet 6 between the plate cylinders 7C to 10B and the opposing impression cylinders 7P to 10P, check the register marks (positioning marks) pre-marked on the widthwise ends of the base sheet 6. ) etc. to perform print timing control (print position control). Position control at this time includes, for example, a method of controlling the rotation speed of the cylinder or a method of controlling the conveyance speed of the base sheet 6, but it is desirable to prevent printing misalignment.

On the other hand, a first periodic pattern is transferred and formed in black on the base sheet 6 by the plate cylinder 10B (first step), and a second periodic pattern and an area marker are formed in black by the plate cylinder 11B in a shifted manner. are transferred and formed (second step), and a moiré pattern is generated by overlapping them. However, the area markers may be formed using another plate cylinder (third step). Thereafter, the base material sheet 6 on which the color image and moiré pattern have been formed is individually cut into a base material 210 (FIG. 30), which is further folded and glued to form a product package as shown in FIG. 15, for example. Ru.

In the example shown in FIG. 29, a Japanese sake package is used as the base material 210, and a pattern 310 and a moiré pattern 240 are printed on the surface of the same base material 210. In this example, we have shown an example of beverage packaging, but packaging materials such as electrical appliances, parts, agricultural products, marine products, processed foods, distribution containers, cardboard, toiletry products, cosmetics, software, electronic money, credit cards, prepaid cards, etc. Print media includes all kinds of products and product packages, such as cards, gift certificates, replacement parts, and clothing, as well as moving objects such as cars and living things such as pets and livestock.

In FIG. 30, one surface (hereinafter also referred to as "surface") of the base material 210 has a first periodic pattern 220 as shown in FIG. 1 and a second periodic pattern 230 as shown in FIG. Area markers are printed overlapping each other. In this embodiment, the first periodic pattern 220, the second periodic pattern 230, and the area marker are printed so as to overlap on the base material 210 at different printing timings.

In a typical printing press, the base sheet 6 is positioned using a positioning mechanism or the like in order to avoid printing misalignment. Therefore, even if no particular control is performed, if the positioning mechanism or the like is stopped or the positioning accuracy is reduced, a certain degree of positional deviation will occur between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern. be able to.

Since the first periodic pattern 220, the second periodic pattern 230, and the area marker are printed on the base material 210 with their positions shifted in this way, by stopping the alignment mechanism, etc., the printing device can be adjusted. Fluctuations occur due to changes in the printing position due to accuracy and the like, as well as expansion and contraction of the base material 210. The minute fluctuation changes the moiré pattern 240, and as a result, even if the same pattern is printed, it becomes possible to print different patterns individually. Note that when a plurality of periodic patterns are imposed and printed on the same plate, or when plates are replaced during the process, different periodic patterns may be used. In that case, it becomes possible to easily determine differences in imposition positions and lots based on differences in periodic patterns.

However, in order to obtain more clearly different moiré patterns, it is desirable to actively cause a positional shift between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a positional shift is actively caused between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern in the following manner. Specifically, in order to change the tension of the base material sheet 6 during printing, the interval between tension rollers TP1 and TP2 is changed between the plate cylinders 10B and 11B, and an air blowing device DB is used to remove moisture. By blowing air or heated air onto the surface of the base sheet 6, the base sheet 6 can be caused to elongate, and direct contact with the blown air can cause the base sheet 6 to flutter. This causes a positional shift between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern.

It is desirable to change the control of the tension roller and the air blowing device (tension force, humidity, temperature, air volume, etc. of the air to be blown) every time the first periodic pattern is formed by the plate cylinder 10B. Thereby, the positional deviation between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern formed earlier can be made different from the positional deviation between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern formed after that. As a result, different moiré patterns can be generated one after another.

According to this embodiment, since the positional deviation is actively caused between the plate cylinders 10B and 11B, the influence does not extend to the upstream side of the plate cylinder 10B. The resulting color images can be formed with high image quality without any printing deviation as before. However, if the printing process of the second periodic pattern affects the accuracy of the pattern printing process, once the other patterns have been printed, the printing of the second periodic pattern and area marker will be performed in a separate process. You may do so.

In addition, positional deviation can be caused between the first periodic pattern, the second periodic pattern, and the area marker by adjusting the printing device side, such as by replacing parts of the printing device. For example, using a plate cylinder with different hardness, cylinder diameter, cylinder inclination, or shape (such as a rubber blanket in the case of an offset printing machine), or changing the support rigidity of the printing device by changing to a cushioned base. In addition to changing the support of the printing device (guiding the base sheet 6), it is also possible to vibrate the printing device with an additional device. Incidentally, the hardness of the blanket can be changed within the range of 73 to 83 degrees as measured with a JIS-A type hardness meter. By combining such adjustment of the printing device and drive control of the above-mentioned positional deviation generating device, even more different moiré patterns can be generated.

Furthermore, by applying sound waves to the base sheet 6 or changing the thickness or quality of the base sheet 6, the positional shift between the first periodic pattern and the second periodic pattern can be caused.

Note that for the printing ink for periodic patterns and area markers, ink that reflects visible light may be used, or if you want to hide the moire pattern, you may use special ink that reflects infrared or ultraviolet light. good. Furthermore, the moiré pattern may be printed directly on the product itself, such as a notebook or calendar, instead of on the product package.

In the above example, a color printing device using four-color process printing was used to print the pattern of a product package, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a printing device using spot colors may also be used. Further, an independent plate cylinder may be used for printing the first periodic pattern, or a sheet-fed printing device may be used.

The printing plate used for printing the periodic pattern may be a physical plate such as offset printing, gravure printing, letterpress printing, intaglio printing, or screen printing, or it may be a physical plate such as offset printing, gravure printing, letterpress printing, intaglio printing, screen printing, etc., or it may be a different type of electronic fixed pattern such as electrostatic printing. You can print it at your own pace. Note that a pattern may be printed on a base material that is a product or a product package using a plate that prints a periodic pattern. When using a physical plate, there is an advantage that printing can be performed at high speed and at low cost, and when using an electronic plate, there is an advantage that the process of plate making can be omitted.

In this embodiment, for example, a unique moire pattern can be printed in the same printing process using a printing device similar to that used in the printing process of product packages, so by associating information with such a moire pattern, the information can be It becomes possible to make one-to-one correspondence (hereinafter also referred to as "linking") with product packages.

(Distinguishability of moire pattern)
Through the above-described manufacturing process, it is possible to create different moiré patterns on each of the print media making up the print media group, even though printing is performed using the same periodic pattern and area marker. Therefore, when two or more products are present, the products can be identified based on, for example, the difference in moiré patterns printed on the product packages. Furthermore, by recognizing the moiré pattern using a verification system, which will be described later, it becomes possible to individually authenticate each print medium.

(Application to traceability system)
This embodiment can be applied to print media on which a moire pattern is displayed on a part of a product or a part of a product package, and information such as a traceability code used to confirm the origin of the product is attached. can. "

A traceability system using a moiré pattern matching system will be described using FIG. 32. In the diagram, solid line arrows indicate the flow of products, and dotted line arrows indicate the transmission of information. When the product is completed, the manufacturer 610 uses a reading device to read the moire pattern printed on the product itself or the product package, converts it into image data, and associates it with the image data of the moire pattern to provide various information about the product. , ID, and other information (also referred to as product information or unique information) to the cloud server (data processing device) 600 through a communication path.

Upon receiving this, the cloud server 600 performs moire pattern matching based on the image data, authenticates individual codes (confirms whether there are any identical moire patterns), and then associates the moire pattern image data with product information. Process 650 is performed and stored in a predetermined storage area within the database. As the predetermined storage area, the image data of the authenticated moiré pattern and the product information may be stored in the same folder, or the image data of the authenticated moire pattern and the storage area of the product information may be associated and saved in separate storage areas. It's okay.

In the traceability system, when the product passes through a wholesaler 620 or a retailer 630, the moiré pattern is read by a reader or a communication terminal with a built-in reader at the time of arrival or shipment. It will be. The read moiré pattern is then converted into image data and sent to the cloud server 600 along with information such as location, distribution route information, and price (hereinafter referred to as "additional information"). Reading of these moiré patterns, conversion to image data, and transmission of additional information are performed an arbitrary number of times during the distribution stage, and the amount of additional information stored in the cloud server increases each time.

The cloud server 600, which has received the image data and additional information from the communication terminal, performs a process 650 of associating the moire pattern with the additional information based on the image data, and creates information to be added to the product information corresponding to the already stored moire pattern. As a result, additional information is additionally stored in a predetermined area of the database.

When purchasing a product, a consumer 640 at the end of the distribution channel reads the moire pattern on the product package using a communication terminal such as a smartphone that has a moire pattern reading function, and stores the product in the cloud server 600. You can inquire about product information, additional information, etc. In such a case, the cloud server 600, which received the inquiry request along with the image data of the moiré pattern from the communication terminal, compares and matches the received image data with the moire pattern stored in the cloud server 600, and determines that the two match. If so, the corresponding product information and additional information in the cloud server 600 are sent back to the consumer's 640 smartphone. The information transmitted at this time can also be said to be information indicating that the moiré patterns match. Note that if there is no matching moire pattern, the cloud server 600 transmits information indicating that the moire patterns do not match to the communication terminal.

The consumer 640 who has received information indicating that the moiré patterns match from the cloud server 600 can obtain information such as individual product information and additional information, which can be used to make product purchase decisions. Furthermore, the consumer 640 can also feed back his impressions after consuming or using the product to the manufacturer 610 via the cloud server 600 by reading the moiré pattern on the product package.

Traceability systems using moiré patterns in this way are effective for all kinds of products, but they are especially effective for products with varying quality, such as agricultural products, marine products, jewelry, precious metals, crafts, and works of art, as well as for foods, pharmaceuticals, etc. This is particularly effective for items that require expiration management and distribution/storage management.

For example, when considering agricultural products, product information includes information such as the producer, region, use of pesticides and fertilizers, harvest time, moisture content, variety, taste such as sweetness, weight, size, etc. By using this system, distributors such as wholesalers and retailers can manage logistics and inventory for each product individually. In some cases, it is also possible to make detailed pricing decisions based on product information such as the time since harvest. Additionally, in the event of a defect or accident, it will be possible to quickly recall the product and identify the cause. Consumers will be able to purchase products at a price and quality they are satisfied with, based on product information other than just price and brand. By intervening in distribution, producers can learn real-time consumer trends that have been difficult to obtain, which can be useful for production planning, sales planning, product planning, etc. Previously, in order to attach individual codes to agricultural products, it was necessary to affix a sticker with a QR code, etc. individually printed on each product, which was costly and could only be used on expensive fruits. By using the print medium according to this embodiment to generate a moiré pattern at a low cost and using widely used communication terminals such as smartphones, it is possible to construct a traceability system without incurring large costs. Become.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to express different moire patterns individually while printing with a printing device that prints the same pattern. , it becomes possible to generate highly distinguishable patterns inexpensively and in large quantities. This makes it easy to sell mass-produced products to consumers, select a specific moire pattern through a lottery, and award prizes only to consumers who have product packages with the same moire pattern. Therefore, it can also be used for product promotion, etc.

Furthermore, since the generated moiré pattern has large variations between various patterns, it can be said to be an identification mark that has high reading accuracy and does not require an expensive matching device. Furthermore, the moire pattern has the advantage that even if there is some dirt or scratches on the pattern, it is easy to accurately determine the difference between the patterns. Additionally, since printing can be done using the same printing device that prints on the product itself or on the product packaging, it also has the advantage of eliminating the need to attach individual codes to products as tags, stickers, etc. ing. Furthermore, unlike artificial metrics, moiré patterns are identification marks that can be printed directly on products and product packages, so they also have the function of preventing fraud such as replacement. Furthermore, even if an attempt is made to copy a moire pattern using a scanner or digital camera, a pattern different from the moire pattern will be captured, making it difficult to forge. Furthermore, even if the reading position of the reading device changes, reading with fewer false determinations is possible.

1 Verification system 2 Print medium 3 Communication terminal 4 Print pattern verification device 410 Inquiry information storage unit 420 Moiré pattern extraction unit 430 Basic information storage unit 440 Moiré pattern verification unit 200 Region provided with periodic pattern 201 Region provided with periodic pattern maximum width 202 midpoint of the maximum width of the region provided with the periodic pattern 205 regions near the periodic pattern 220, 221, 222, 232 first periodic pattern 230, 231, 223, 233 second periodic pattern 290 , 291, 292 Reference point 9 of moiré region determination process 9, 900, 901, 902, 910, 920, 921, 930, 931, 932, 933, 940, 941, 950 Area marker 90Y Size of area marker in first direction 90X Size of area marker in second direction 90, 91, 92 Area used for moire pattern determination 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251 Moire pattern of print medium 260 Center part 6 of moire pattern based on a periodic pattern of closed curves Base sheet 7C Plate cylinder for cyan 8M Plate cylinder for magenta 9Y Plate cylinder for yellow 10B Plate cylinder for black and first periodic pattern 11B Plate cylinder for second periodic pattern 7P to 11P Impression cylinders 300, 310 Pattern 600 Cloud server 610 Manufacturer 620 Wholesaler 630 Retailer 640 Consumer

Claims (12)

In a system that includes a moire pattern caused by overlapping two or more periodic patterns and an individual code consisting of a common area marker, and collates a group of print media that can be identified by the difference in the moire pattern,
A reading device that reads the individual code, a communication device that transmits information obtained from the read data, and a printed pattern matching device that matches the difference in the moire pattern based on at least the area marker among the sent information. Consisting of
A print media verification system characterized by: The reading device is a camera using an image sensor.
The print medium verification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication device is configured integrally with the reading device,
The print medium verification system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The print pattern matching device receives the information transmitted from the communication device, and includes an inquiry information storage section that stores the received information, a correction section that corrects the stored information, and a correction section that corrects the stored information. A moire pattern extraction unit that extracts individual codes from information using area markers, and infrastructure information that stores individual codes extracted by the moire pattern extraction unit during print media production and product information associated with these individual codes. It has a storage unit, and a moire pattern matching unit that matches the individual code stored in the moire pattern extraction unit and the individual code stored in the basic information storage unit.
The print medium verification system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: In a system that includes a moire pattern caused by overlapping two or more periodic patterns and an individual code consisting of a common area marker, and collates a group of print media that can be identified by the difference in the moire pattern,
A print pattern matching device has a basic information storage unit that stores basic information that associates individual codes of print media groups with product information in advance before shipping the product, and a printing pattern matching device that reads the individual code of the product after shipping and communicates the above through a communication device. The printing pattern matching device includes a reading device that sends data to a print pattern matching device, and the printing pattern matching device matches the difference in the moiré pattern based on at least the area marker among the sent data, and the printing pattern matching device performs the matching. A print media group verification system characterized by sending a result and/or product information based on the verification result to the reading device. The reading device is a camera using an image sensor.
6. The print media group verification system according to claim 5. The communication device is configured integrally with the reading device,
The print media group verification system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The print pattern matching device receives data transmitted from the communication device, and includes an inquiry information storage unit that stores the received data, a photographed image correction unit that corrects the stored data, and an inquiry information storage unit that receives data transmitted from the communication device. A moiré pattern extraction unit that extracts individual codes from the stored data using area markers, and collating the individual codes stored in the moire pattern extraction unit with the individual codes stored in the basic information storage unit. It has a moire pattern matching section.
The print media group verification system according to any one of claims 5 to 7. In a traceability system using a group of print media that includes a moire pattern caused by overlapping two or more periodic patterns and an individual code consisting of a common area marker, and can be identified by the difference in the moire pattern,
comprising a reading device that reads a moire pattern at the stage of completion of the product, and a storage device that stores the moire pattern and product information in association with each other, the reading device reads the moire pattern of the distribution channel and/or the consumer's product; A traceability system that is capable of transmitting a moire pattern via a communication device and comparing the sent moire pattern with a moire pattern in the storage device using at least the area marker as a reference . The reading device is a camera using an image sensor.
The traceability system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The communication device is configured integrally with the reading device,
The traceability system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The storage device is a cloud server.
The traceability system according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that: