KR20020003357A - Counterfeit deterrence system - Google Patents

Abstract

Processing of banknotes or other secure document images in a computer system is detected and acts to direct a web browser to a web site that teaches the user about restrictions on the use of such features, and / or provide alternative features to be used for legitimate purposes do. Such shapes may be recognized by digital watermarks encoded in them or other known techniques. The technique can be applied to a wide range of non-replicable documents, including passports, visas, postmarks, securities, traveler's checks, concert / event tickets, lottery tickets, and the like. The technique can also be used for non-secure applications, for example to recognize video, video, or audio processed on a computer belonging to a special sector, or to present the user as a web page to the subject sector. Thus, opportunities for commercial use by users can be created.

Description

Counterfeit deterrence system

The growth of high quality personal computing and consumer imaging systems requires a strong response to the counterfeit potential that such systems exhibit. Requirements to prevent such counterfeiting include banknotes and other security documents (e.g. passports, visas, other migration documents, postmarks, securities, and other financial documents, traveler's checks, other checks, concert / event tickets). , Professional and consumer computer systems with the ability to approve and respond to lottery tickets, and the like. This is not a simple task because his solution must be acceptable to a very diverse and competitive group of commercial manufacturers.

The present invention relates to a continuous application of pending US Provisional Application No. 60 / 112,955.

The subject matter of the present invention relates to those disclosed in a commonly owned pending US application as follows: 09 / 127,502, filed Jul. 31, 1998; 09 / 099,864, June 18, 1998; 09 / 074,034, filed May 6, 1998; 09 / 287,940, April 7, 1999; 09 / 234,780, January 20, 1999; 09 / 185,380, filed November 3, 1998; And 08 / 746,613, November 12, 1996. WO9953428, WO9936876, and WO9743736 correspond to some of those described above.

The subject matter of the present invention relates to, for example, digital watermarking represented by a patent rights granted by the same assignee: US Pat. No. 5,721,788; 5,768,426; 5,636,292; 5,841,978; 5,832,119; 5,745,604; 5,822,436; 5,841,886; 5,809,160, and pending applications entitled 08 / 746,613, filed November 12, 1996, and 09 / 452,022, filed November 30, 1999, entitled “Methods and Systems for Determining Phase Conversion”.

To provide a comprehensive description, the description of the above-described patents and applications is incorporated herein by reference, without excessively enumerating the specification.

The anti-counterfeiting system according to one embodiment of the present invention provides a wide range of solutions that can be used effectively and quickly for such increasing digital counterfeiting problems. The system provides a network of secure document detectors to the personal computer infrastructure. The detector generates multiple intervention points on the personal computer and its associated peripherals. At any of those points, positive detection of a security document results in a predetermined counterfeit suppression action.

Security document detection relies on a special digital watermark called an anti-counterfeiting system (ACS) mark, which is added when designing a security document. Such marking does not interfere with the aesthetic aspect of the security document and is quickly and easily detected during typical work on a personal computer system. The ACS mark can be added to continue secure document design without deforming the plate (eg, by pre- or post-processing the document to provide texture or ink marking). The new design may include a watermark as an integral part of the plate.

The suitable forgery suppression system may have some suppression in response to the detection of the security document. They are designed to prevent special work, align the publication notices to leave a trail of secure document images, and to virtually prevent any possible forgery.

The above-described insertion tactic of the system prevents the capture and printing of secure document images, while providing a central source for tacticians to obtain approval images for marketing, communication and other legitimate use. Such approved images can be controlled and distributed with additional special security features without special key security features, and are provided in a manner that balances the use of security documents as national and common symbols without increasing the risk of legislation. . As a result, unauthorized security document images are ultimately removed from the desktop computer environment (necessary support is provided by the issuing entity and computer equipment supplier, the latter may be required by legislative action. Recognition of images by searching may cause other actions such as commercial conditions.)

Detectors are used in both hardware and software. For example, detectors are used in scanning, file opening and file storage operations, or in image editing applications for intervening in various device drivers. This initial location may be supplemented to include other processing points such as an internet browser, operating system, multifunctional desktop peripheral, and the like.

Intervention is augmented by a covert tracking system that can be an integral part of the counterfeit suppression system. As detailed in US application 09 / 185,380, covert tracking works to record suspected forgery at multiple locations on an illegal personal computer in a manner that is intentionally obscure from the user. Legal enforcement can use special tools to recover covert audit trails and provide a means to identify suspected crimes. Such a system greatly increases the risk of counterfeiting when it is not certain that all evidence of counterfeit activity has been removed from their equipment. If necessary, the reseller of the computer used (or the manufacturer processing the returned equipment through the retail channel) may scan the computer / peripheral device for possible illegal use.

Embedder

An anti-counterfeiting system according to one embodiment of the invention includes an embedder, one or more detectors, and a (optical) cover tracking system. The embedder acts to embed the ACS mark into the secure document.

The ACS mark may take various forms, both visible and fine, as detailed in the patents and applications cited above.

The ACS Mark Embedder is a set of software designed to assist the user in applying the ACS Mark to a secure document design in the pre-compression development phase, either through overall application to the design or application to a single plate or plate portion. Program. The embedder described above operates under a Windows NT operating system, receives high resolution secure document image data, rasterizes a vector design, generates a mask for the images (i. Limiting the area of the plate for receiving), embedding an ACS mark in the rasterized image data, and also performing the function of transferring files to and from the pre-compression system. (The corresponding operation may likewise be performed for ACS marks provided by texturing with or without ink.) In one embodiment, the embedders are independent operable groups of programs. In other words, it is a tool suite seamlessly integrated with a designer tool such as the Barco Fortuna system (for example, using the system's TIFIT file export function). In either case, the ACS mark may be designed as part of the original plate, or may be added after the original plate is completed. The output can usually be produced in TIFF or PNG format.

The ACS mark may be a single bit (ie, "do not copy") and more generally includes a multi-bit payload (eg 2-128 bits). Data carried in the payload may be included for banknotes, moneybacks and government bonds. The payload also includes a storage area that can be encoded differently as special needs arise. For example, a note may be serialized. Or bills may be marked for special purposes (e.g., cyclic control) or to facilitate statistical studies (e.g. geographic variance studies for groups of bills issued by other banks).

The embedder may work on a per-plate / film basis. (Multiple plates / films are generally used to print a single secured document.) The images for a representative plate are 37,500 pixels by 75.000 pixels and are printed at a resolution of 2500 dpi or higher (eg 10,000 dpi).

The embedder preferably comprises an interface element for the existing user to facilitate other tasks. For example, in the interior, the user interface described above allows an operator to (1) select one or more plate regions for application of the ACS mark, (2) select the brightness of the ACS mark, and (3) Add an ACS marked background tint to (4) handle the design marking, which is a common design element between different notes, and so forth.

Background tint operations are described in the associated US application (eg, 09 / 127,502 dated July 31, 1998) and relate to thin and visible patterning encoding watermark data. In one embodiment, the patterning has a tiled (ie repetitive) shape. In another embodiment, the patterning is scrambled using one of several known imaging / encoding techniques, such that the same data is carried, but the patterning no longer has an iterative appearance. In the application cited above, a suitable color tone operation takes the form of a plaited pattern of elaborate lines. In other embodiments, color tone operations that are not based on a woven pattern may use other patterns that result in some brightness / reflectance conversion that may be employed, for example. Such a tint operation may be provided in an erased area of the document, such as on top of a traditional paper watermark where printing is always limited to allow viewing of the paper watermark.

For reference, the use of a grid pattern has been described in the prior application. For reasons of robustness and security, the embedder can incorporate multiple grid patterns into a single design. The embedder can also change the ACS mark brightness to or from an area within a single plate or film.

The ACS mark may be provided in the area of consecutive tones of the secure document plate. If there is no ink in the area (i.e., when the speech represents only an unprinted substrate in that area), fine droplets of ink (e.g., less than 100 microns in diameter) will impair the design aesthetic. It may be distributed throughout the region to limit the necessary conversion in luminance / reflectivity without work. If the area has a uniform area of ink, small points without ink (typically 30-50 microns or less) can be designed to affect the intended brightness / reflectance conversion. In both cases, water droplets or points of non-uniform size may be used to minimize visualization.

Although the detailed embedder is performing embedding into the pixel region, the tool can apply the ACS mark directly into the vector design file without having to first change the design to a raster file.

If necessary, a verification tool may be provided with the embedder to read and test the intensity or payload of the ACS mark in the scan of digital images or marked documents. As a result of such a tool, it can be used in design contexts where the contradiction between visibility and robustness is repeatedly maintained.

Detector

The ACS mark detector described above is a software development kit (SDK) designed to integrate into control software and software applications, including image editing applications, TWAIN drivers, scanner device drivers, printer device drivers, and other intervention points. In an exemplary environment, the SDK is a C / C ++ call intrinsic that includes an interface programmed into the detector for easy integration into various software products. The detector can support a variety of different color formats (eg, RGB, CMYK, etc.).

In other embodiments, the detector may take the form of hardware such as, for example, an ASIC, a PLC, or the like.

The audit trail function (described below) can be integrated into the detector, for example, generating a detection of an ACS mark to generate the writing of a covert audit record at the host computer. The detector may also respond to other watermarks (eg, commercial digital watermarks that may be embedded using Abert Photoshop or using other images editing software available from other suppliers). The detector can be used at various arbitration points, including scanner hardware, scanner driver, operating system, image editing application, printer driver, internet browser, communication port, and the like.

Preferably, the detector is fully integrated with software that forms a component to prevent minor peripheral work, such as removal of a plug-in.

When the detector detects secure document image data, it is interposed in various ways. In one embodiment, the detector is interposed with a dialog box that notifies the user:

"This application does not support unauthorized <applicable scanning, editing, printing, etc." of controlled security documents. To obtain an image for legal use, select 'Get Image' or go to www.imagedistribution.com. Enter. "

Such dialog boxes include a "Get Image" button that initiates / instructs a web browser resident on the computer from an alternative legitimate secure document available for download to a web site authorized by the document issuer. The alternate image appears on the first inspection to confirm the security document image and is close enough to satisfy all legitimate uses for the security document configuration (eg for use in advertising, etc.), but is apparently illegal on the closest inspection ( For example, they can be low resolution, front-only, and removed key security features). Slightly different alternate images may be provided to each user (eg, each image may have different tracking information embedded as a digital watermark). Registration and preliminary authentication may be provided for users requiring alternate video images, and other security / authentication techniques may also be used to obtain accurate registration.

In such a device, it will eventually be possible to remove all unauthorized security document images from the circulation, including securities photography and currency use.

The web site mentioned above provides additional relevant information. For example, it includes warnings about counterfeiting or illegal reproduction of national security documents. It may provide guidelines for the legitimate use of secure document images (eg request size / color, request registration and preliminary authentication, etc.).

The dialog box also includes a "Cancel" button that simply absorbs the job (scanning, printing, file open, etc.) causing the detector response.

Another detector intervention is for the detector to replace the replacement data for the secure document data. Scanning of secure documents results in image data, for example, by using cryptocurrency. The same applies to printing.

In the case of a detector associated with the printer, the mediation response leaves a visual trace of the image with the word "Copy" which is clearly repeated across the printed image.

In order to copy the problem of the conventional device, the ACS mark detection capability can be provided by the updated device driver. Updated device drivers are typically installed when a new application program employing the device is installed, or when an updated operating system is installed. On-line update can also be used in many programs; ACS mark compliant drivers may also be installed via the on-line mechanism. By such a method, the ACS mark capacity is further expanded to the device before the counterfeit suppression system develops.

The detector function can be tailored to the environment used and yields the resources available to it. For example, in the context of a flint, the detector does not need to be associated with a secure document printed at 150% of its normal size; Such a note can never be used. In contrast, detectors in imaging equipment are commonly used for all scale methods.

Outside the PC domain, the ACS mark detector can be used in a variety of secure document reading / authentication applications, and its functional requirements may depend on it. For example, in a vending machine, the supply mechanism restricts the rotation of the security document, and user instructions may require that the note be supplied from a predetermined terminal. In such an environment, scale and rotation are almost negligible. Similarly, it is used by a security document printer in banknote counting equipment and quality assurance experiment equipment.

Covert Tracing

The covert tracking function (eg, the entry of hidden audit trail data in response to the detection of secure document data) is described in detail in US Application 09 / 185,380, and therefore the description is not repeated here. Sufficiently speaking, secure document image data may generate a storage of one or more records in which any detection may include some or all of the following: payload of the detected ACS mark, date / time the operation was performed, computer type, Operating system and version number, user ID, printer type, printer driver version, scanner type, and scanner driver version.

In the above-described embodiment, the covert tracking function is generated not only when the security document is detected but also when modifying or undertaking the detector software or function. Those skilled in computer technology will appreciate various code security techniques and other approaches in which such changes can be detected.

Miscellaneous features

U. S. Patent No. 5,841, 886 discloses a self-authorized identification document in which an image on a document is literally encoded to correspond to a predetermined manner with human-perceptual information on the document. For example, the cardholder's name may be literally encoded in the owner's image on the card or printed on the card as it is.

In a related embodiment, the literally embedded data does not need to match human-perceptual information on the document (eg text) by itself. Instead, they can be matched via a remote database, for example. In such an example, embedded data can be indexed into a remote database. Records in the database identified by such an index may include information on the cardholder, including the name of the cardholder. Thus, to prove the user, the index is encoded literally from the image and then checked to ensure that the owner name corresponding to the index matches the owner name printed on the card.

The same principle can be applied to documents other than identification documents. Securities and other security documents may be encoded literally in a manner aimed at accreditation. In the case of securities, the character encoding may be performed by secure document embedding techniques (e.g., line width adjustment, etc.) disclosed in the above cited applications.

conclusion

By describing the principles of the present invention with reference to exemplary embodiments and some variations, it will be appreciated that the present invention may be modified in device and detail without departing from such principles.

For example, while the present invention focuses on the forgery of a PC-system, an intervening response similar to the same detector can be realized in a color photocopier.

Similarly, while the present invention is described with reference to the recognition of digital watermark-systems of documents, other document recognition techniques may be used as other embodiments. For example, there is a huge document on a photocopier that recognizes banknotes by spectral features, visible pattern recognition (e.g., Japanese seal bank), word CONFIDENTIAL, and the like. Bar codes and ancestors are some of the many other signs by which protected documents can be similarly distinguished. Any such recognition technique may be used to launch a web browser that assists the user in a suitable response (eg, advising the user of applicable limits, forming a usable alternate image, etc.).

Likewise, various watermarking, encoding, and anti-counterfeiting techniques guided by the techniques described above can be replaced and / or combined, and the elements described above produce beneficial effects. Other features described in the above cited patents and applications also apply to embodiments of the technology described herein. (Thus, this specification can be readily applied by knowing the contents of the cited patent documents, so that each of the techniques disclosed in the cited documents on the subject of the invention, for example, of the pivotal network for a detector, Continue to apply use.)

In addition, the techniques described above are used for non-secure applications, for example, to recognize video, video, or audio processed on a computer belonging to a special sector, or to present the user to a web page for the subject sector. Thus, the user may have a chance to use commercially.

Although the embodiments described above focus on systems including embedded, ACS marked security documents, and various detectors (including cover tracking features), individual components and sub-combination forms may be entitled separately from the finished system. have.

In view of the various embodiments to which the principles of the present invention may be applied, it is noted that the detailed embodiments have been described only within the scope of the present invention. Applicants note that all embodiments can be realized within the spirit and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (17)

Recognizing a secure document, and in response, directing the web browser to the associated web site. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user with an alternate image from the web site. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with assistance information regarding a permission to use the secure document from the recognized secure document or web site. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing a secure document by an encoded digital watermark. A computer storage medium having instructions stored for performing the method of claim 1 with a computer. A method of recognizing and in response to graphics, video, or audio data being processed on a computer belonging to a predetermined sector, directing a web browser to a website associated with the sector. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the web site provides a commercial opportunity for a browser user. 7. The method of claim 6, comprising recognizing data belonging to the predetermined sector with reference to an encoded digital watermark. A computer storage medium having instructions stored for performing the method of claim 6 with a computer. A method for recognizing graphics, video, or audio data processed on a computer belonging to a predetermined sector, and in response to such a determination, providing a message about the sector to a user. 11. The method of claim 10 including testing data for an encoded digital watermark. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said message notifies a user about accepted or unaccepted use of said data. A computer storage medium having instructions stored for performing the method of claim 10 on a computer. Receiving first image data; Recognizing the first image data as it is unfit for playback; And And replacing the first image data with second image data which is an image of currency operation. Providing updated driver software to a user's computer, wherein the updated driver software provides a function of examining image data to mark features of a predetermined section of a document and interrupt the same processing; And Replacing the initial driver software that does not include the function, and installing the updated driver software on a user's computer. In the digital watermarking method, Changing the luminosity of the image printed in the plurality of areas into digitally coded digital data across it, wherein an improvement for conveying a watermark signal in the image area necessarily includes a small point in the area free of ink. Forming a relatively uniform ink operation, wherein the at least constant point has a dimension of less than 100 microns. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least constant point has a dimension between 20-50 microns.