Digital anti-counterfeiting software method and apparatus

• US 20050123134A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Security Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Graphic Security Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Alasia, Alfred V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/448 Rendering the image unintelligible, e.g. scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4493 Subsequently rendering the image intelligible using a co-operating image, mask or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus, as implemented by a software program on a computer system, for digitally producing counterfeit-deterring scrambled or encoded indicia images. This method and system are capable of combining a source image with a latent image so the scrambled latent image is visible only when viewed through a special decoder lens. The digital processing allows different latent images to be encoded according to different parameters. Additionally, latent images might be encoded into single component colors of an original visible image, at various angles from each other.

Claims

1. An automated method for digitally encoding an image, the method comprising:

providing a first digitized input image;

dividing the first digitized input image into a number of elemental input image segments each having an input segment length dimension and a common input segment width dimension sized so that the number of input image segments per inch is equal to or a multiple of a decoder lens frequency;

resizing the input image segments to form corresponding output image segments each having an output segment length dimension equal to the length dimension of the corresponding input segment and a common width dimension that is a function of the input segment width dimension and a scrambling factor, the output segment being resized about a lengthwise segment centerline; and

forming a first encoded output image from the output image segments, the first encoded output image being configured so that if the encoded output image is printed, the first input image can be discerned by viewing the printed encoded output image through a lenticular lens having the decoder lens frequency.

2. An automated method according to claim 1 further comprising:

rasterizing a source image into source image segments having a rasterization frequency equal to the number of input image segments per inch; and

reforming the rasterized source image segments according to a pattern of the encoded output image to form a revised source image having the encoded output image embedded therein.

3. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

printing the revised source image with sufficient resolution so that the input image may be discerned by viewing the revised source image through a lenticular lens having the decoder lens frequency.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the scrambling factor is an input parameter specified by a user of the automated method.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

flipping each output image segment 180 degrees about its lengthwise centerline.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

providing a second digitized input image;

repeating the steps of dividing, resizing and forming using the second digitized input image to produce a second encoded output image configured so that if the second encoded output image is printed, the second input image can be discerned by viewing the printed second encoded output image through a lenticular lens having the decoder lens frequency

rasterizing a source image into source image segments having a rasterization frequency equal the number of input image segments per inch;

dividing the source image segments in half to produce odd and even subsegments and

reforming the source image segments to form a revised source image in which the odd rasterized source image segments are reformed according to a pattern of the first encoded output image and the even rasterized source image segments are reformed according to a pattern of the second encoded output image.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of the output segment width dimension to the input segment width dimension is proportional to the scrambling factor.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the scrambling factor is greater than or equal to 1.0.

15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

flipping each elemental image segment 180 degrees about its lengthwise centerline.

9. An automated method for digitally encoding and embedding digital images into a source image, the method comprising:

providing a first digitized input image;

dividing the first digitized input image into a number of elemental image segments each having an input segment length dimension and an input width dimension, the number of elemental image segments being established so that the number of image segments per inch is equal to or a multiple of a decoder lens frequency;

assembling the elemental image segments to form an output image;

rasterizing a source image into source image segments having a rasterization frequency equal to the number of image segments per inch; and

reforming the rasterized source image segments according to a pattern of the output image to form a revised source image having the output image embedded therein.

10. An automated method according to claim 9 further comprising:

resizing the elemental image segments so that each image segment has an output segment length dimension equal to the input segment length dimension and a common width dimension that is a function of the input segment width dimension and a scrambling factor, the elemental image segment being resized about a lengthwise segment centerline.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein a ratio of the output segment width dimension to the input segment width dimension is proportional to the scrambling factor.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the scrambling factor is greater than or equal to 1.0.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising:

printing the revised source image with sufficient resolution so that the input image may be discerned by viewing the revised source image through a lenticular lens having the decoder lens frequency.

14. A method according to claim 9 wherein the scrambling factor is an input parameter specified by a user of the automated method.

16. A computer-readable medium having software code stored thereon, the software code being configured to cause a computer to execute a method for digitally encoding an image, the method comprising:

receiving a first digitized input image;

dividing the first digitized input image into a number of elemental input image segments each having an input segment length dimension and a common input segment width dimension sized so that the number of input image segments per inch is equal to or a multiple of a decoder lens frequency;

resizing the input image segments to form corresponding output image segments each having an out put segment length dimension equal to the length dimension of the corresponding input segment and a common width dimension that is a function of the input segment width dimension and a scrambling factor, the output segment being resized about a lengthwise segment centerline; and

forming a first encoded output image from the output image segments, the first encoded output image being configured so that if the encoded output image is printed, the first input image can be discerned by viewing the printed encoded output image through a lenticular lens having the decoder lens frequency.

17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the method further comprises:

rasterizing a source image into source image segments having a rasterization frequency equal to the number of input image segments per inch; and

reforming the rasterized source image segments according to a pattern of the encoded output image to form a revised source image having the encoded output image embedded therein.

18. A computer-readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the scrambling factor is an input parameter specified by a user of the software code.

19. A computer-readable medium according to claim 16 wherein the method further comprises:

flipping each output image segment 180 degrees about its lengthwise centerline.