Methods of producing security documents having digitally encoded data and documents employing same

• US 6,580,819 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1999
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Application Number:
  US09/287,940
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/112, 382/135, 382/137, 382/138, 382/151, 382/154, 382/732, 382/250, 382/294, 380/54, 380/201, 283/72, 283/85, 427/7, 428/29, 194/212, 356/71
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip

Abstract

Machine readable data is digitally watermarked into banknotes by slight alterations to ink color, density, distribution, etc., or by texturing the microtopology of the banknote surface. Such watermarking can be optically sensed and detected by scanners, photocopiers, or printers. In response, such devices can intervene to prevent banknote reproduction. This arrangement addresses various problems, e.g., the use of digital image editing tools to circumvent prior art banknote anti-copy systems. In some embodiments, visible structures characteristic of banknotes are also detected (e.g. by pattern recognition analysis of image data), and reproduction can be halted if either the visible structures or the digital watermark data are detected. In other embodiments, automatic teller machines that accept, as well as dispense, banknotes can check for the presence of digitally watermarked data to help confirm the authenticity of banknotes input to the machines. In other embodiments, scanners, printers and photocopiers can be provided with digital watermarking capabilities so that image data, or printed output, produced by such devices includes digital watermark data, permitting subsequent identification of the particular device used.

Claims

1. A method of producing a banknote having digital data encoded therein, the method comprising:

slightly altering an original image but without leaving any substantially human-apparent evidence of image alteration, and printing the banknote with the altered image, wherein visible light scanning of the banknote yields scan data from which the digital data can be decoded, yet rendering of the scan data for human viewing does not reveal the existence of said encoded digital data.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the digital data comprises plural bits.

3. The method of claim 2 in which said plural bits are encoded redundantly across the banknote, rather than the banknote being marked in a single localized region only.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the encoding makes use of a code signal.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the encoding makes use of a discrete cosine transform.

6. The method of claim 1 which includes encoding with two different digital watermarks.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the two different digital watermarks are of different robustness.

8. The method of claim 6 in which the two watermarks are encoded in accordance with different code signals.

9. The method of claim 1 which also includes providing the banknote with a hologram.

10. The method of claim 1 which includes encoding a calibration signal with the digital data.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the calibration signal is adapted to facilitate decoding of the digital data from the encoded banknote notwithstanding rotation.

12. A method of enhancing the security of a banknote, the method including digitally watermarking a banknote with machine readable, generally imperceptible, digital data, characterized by generating a pattern corresponding to said digital data, and physically texturing the surface of the banknote in accordance with said pattern, said texturing being independent of printing on the banknote.

13. The method of claim 12 in which said digital data comprises plural bits.

14. The method of claim 13 in which said plural bits are encoded redundantly across the banknote, rather than the banknote being marked in a single localized region only.

15. The method of claim 12 in which the encoding makes use of a code signal.

16. The method of claim 12 in which the encoding makes use of a discrete cosine transform.

17. The method of claim 12 which includes encoding with two different digital watermarks.

18. The method of claim 17 in which the two different digital watermarks are of different robustness.

19. The method of claim 17 in which the two watermarks are encoded in accordance with different code signals.

20. The method of claim 12 which also includes providing the banknote with a hologram.

21. The method of claim 12 which includes encoding a calibration signal with the digital data.

22. The method of claim 21 in which the calibration signal is adapted to facilitate decoding of the digital data from the encoded banknote notwithstanding rotation.

23. The method of claim 12 in which visible light scanning of the banknote yields scan data from which the digital data can be decoded, yet rendering of the scan data for human viewing does not reveal the existence of said encoded digital data.

24. A method of producing a security document having digital data encoded therein comprising:

slightly altering an original image, said alterations varying across the image in accordance with local image characteristics rather than being uniform thereacross, and printing the security document with the altered image, wherein visible light scanning of the security document yields scan data from which the digital data can be decoded, yet rendering of the scan data for human viewing does not reveal the existence of said encoded digital data.

25. A method of producing a security document having digital data encoded therein, the method comprising:

slightly altering an original image but without leaving any substantially human-apparent evidence of image alteration, and printing the security document with the altered image, wherein visible light scanning of the security document yields scan data from which the digital data can be decoded, yet rendering of the scan data for human viewing does not reveal the existence of said encoded digital data.

26. The method of claim 25 in which the digital data comprises plural bits.

27. The method of claim 26 in which said plural bits are encoded redundantly across the security document, rather than the security document being marked in a single localized region only.

28. The method of claim 26 in which the encoding makes use of a code signal.

29. The method of claim 26 in which the encoding makes use of a discrete cosine transform.

30. The method of claim 26 which includes encoding with two different digital watermarks.

31. The method of claim 30 in which the two different digital watermarks are of different robustness.

32. The method of claim 30 in which the two watermarks are encoded in accordance with different code signals.

33. The method of claim 25 which also includes providing the security document with a hologram.

34. The method of claim 25 which includes encoding a calibration signal with the digital data.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein the security document comprises a passport.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein the security document comprises a check.

38. The method of claim 25 wherein the security document comprises a lable.

39. The method of claim 25 wherein the security document comprises a tag.

35. The method of claim 40 in which the calibration signal is adapted to facilitate deconding of the digital data from the encoded security document notwithstanding rotation.