Apparatus and method for verifying a scanned image

• US 6,628,808 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Datacard Corp. (Entrust Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Datacard Corp. (Entrust Corp.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Brian P., Nichols, Dean R., Bach, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Mariam, Daniel G.
• Application Number:
  US09/362,197
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/112, 382/115, 382/116, 382/119, 382/124, 382/137, 382/141, 382/151, 382/165, 382/181-184, 382/199, 382/204, 382/209, 382/210, 382/217-218, 382/274, 382/287, 382/291, 382/305, 382/306, 382/312, 382/321, 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/448, 235/494, 358/1.3, 358/1.4, 358/1.14, 358/3.28, 358/3.29, 358/403, 705/41, 705/44
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/133 Evaluation of quality of the acquired characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/162 Quantising the image signal

Abstract

An apparatus and method capable of verifying a scanned image utilizing a verification algorithm based on a topological analysis of the scanned image and an apparatus and method capable of verifying a scanned image utilizing a verification algorithm based on an improved bi-level separation analysis incorporating an anti-stroke scoring method with a character outlining method.

Claims

1. An image verification apparatus for verifying images, comprising:

an illumination source;

an image scanner, scanning an image and converting said image illuminated by said illumination source into an electronically readable format;

a storage device for storing said electronically readable scanned image in an array of discrete elements of varying intensity having first and second boundaries and a principal portion therebetween;

a programmable template capable of storing a predetermined image in a separate portion of said storage device; and

image recognition logic for verifying said scanned imsge against said predetermined image, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by analyzing said array of discrete elements of varying intensity against said predetermined image, and wherein said image recognition logic provides intensity normalization on each element prior to performing said analysis of said scanned image, the intensity normalization of each element being performed according to the following formula;

$c=B+\frac{r-b}{w-b}\times <br><br>\left(W-B\right)$

 

where;

c is a normalized element intensity value;

r is the raw value;

B is a black output value;

W is a white output value;

b is a black input value; and

w is a white input value.

2. An image verification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said analysis of said discrete elements of varying intensity further comprises:

logically tracing the contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along said principal portion in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the intensity of said elements along said first and second boundaries varies significantly from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion or said array of elements.

3. An image verification apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image recognition logic computes a score for said scanned image based on the number of said elements along said first and second boundaries that vary significantly in intensity from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion of said array of elements.

4. An image verification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elements are pixels.

5. An image verification apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said pixels are stored in a gray scale format according to the pixel intensity.

6. An image verification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image recognition logic selects a color plane in which to operate prior to performing said analysis.

7. An image verification apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said color plane is any one of a red, green and blue color plane.

8. An image verification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said illumination source further comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. An image verification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image scanner comprises a charge coupled device.

10. An image verification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by performing a bi-level separation of said scanned image and analyzing an area located outside of said scanned image area against said predetermined image area and background area.

11. An image verification apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said bi-level separation of said scanned image and analysis further comprises:

logically tracing a contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along a portion of said scanned image along a background area located outside of the area of said scanned image in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the number of background elements along said tracing contour is below a predetermined scoring threshold.

12. An image verification apparatus for verifying images, comprising:

an illumination source;

an image scanner, scanning an image and converting said image illuminated by said illumination source into an electronically readable format;

a storage device for storing said electronically readable scanned image in an array of discrete elements of varying intensity having first and second boundaries and a principal portion therebetween;

a programmable template capable of storing a predetermined image in a separate portion of said storage device; and

image recognition logic for verifying said scanned image against said predetermined image, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by analyzing said array of discrete elements of varying intensity against said predetermined image, and wherein said image recognition logic provides intensity normalization on each element prior to performing said analysis of said scanned image, the intensity normalization of each element being performed according to the following formula;

13. A scanned image verification apparatus for verifying scanned images, comprising:

a storage device for storing an electronically readable scanned image in an array of discrete elements of varying intensity having first and second boundaries and a principal portion therebetween;

a programmable template capable of storing a predetermined image in a separate portion of said storage device; and

image recognition logic for verifying said scanned image against said predetermined image, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by analyzing said array of discrete elements of varying intensity against said predetermined image and wherein said image recognition logic provides intensity normalization on each element prior to performing said analysis of said scanned image, the intensity normalization of each element being performed according to the following formula;

$c=B+\frac{r-b}{w-b}\times <br><br>\left(W-B\right)$

 

where;

c is a normalized element intensity value;

r is the raw value;

B is a black output value;

W is a white output value;

b is a black input value; and

w is a white input value.

14. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said analysis of said discrete elements of varying intensity further comprises:

logically tracing the contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along said principal portion in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying tat the intensity of said elements along said first and second boundaries varies significantly from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion of said array of elements.

15. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image recognition logic computes a score for said scanned image based on the number of said elements along first and second boundaries that vary significantly in intensity from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion of said array of elements.

16. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said elements are pixels.

17. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said pixels are stored in a gray scale format according to the pixel intensity.

18. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said image recognition logic selects a color plane to operate in prior to performing said analysis.

19. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said color plane is any one of a red, green and blue color plane.

20. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said illumination source further comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs).

21. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said image scanner comprises a charge coupled device.

22. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by performing a bi-level separation of said scanned image and analyzing an area located outside of said scanned image area against said predetermined image area and background area.

23. A scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said bi-level separation of said scanned image and analysis further comprises:

logically tracing a contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along a portion of said scanned image along a background area located outside of the area of said scanned image in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the number of background elements along said tracing contour is below a predetermined scoring threshold.

24. A card manufacturing apparatus for putting indicia on a card and verifying said indicia, comprising:

a plurality of card processing modules arranged to produce a card with indicia disposed thereon; and

at least one of said modules is an indicia verification module using a varying intensity scanned image of a portion of said card, the module comprising;

an illumination source;

an image scanner, scanning an image and converting said image illuminated by said illumination source into an electronically readable format;

a storage device for storing said electronically readable scanned image in an array of discrete elements of varying intensity having first and second boundaries and a principal portion therebetween;

a programmable template capable of storing a predetermined image in a separate portion of said storage device; and

image recognition logic for verifying said scanned image against said predetermined image, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by analyzing said array of discrete elements of varying intensity against said predetermined image and wherein said image recognition logic provides intensity normalization on each element prior to performing said analysis of said scanned image, the intensity normalization of each element being performed according to the following formula;

25. A card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24 wherein at least one of said card manufacturing modules is an embosser.

26. A card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24 wherein at least one of said card manufacturing modules is a printer.

27. A card manufacturing apparatus of claim 24 wherein at least one of said card manufacturing modules is a laser engraver.

28. A card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said analysis of said discrete elements of varying intensity further comprises:

logically tracing the contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along said principal portion in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the intensity of said elements along said first and second boundaries varies significantly from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion of said array of elements.

29. A card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said elements are pixels.

30. The card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said pixels are stored in a gray scale format according to the pixel intensity.

31. The card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said image recognition logic selects a color plane in which to operate prior to performing said analysis.

32. The card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said color plane is any one of a red, green and blue color plane.

33. The card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said illumination source further comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs).

34. The card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said image scanner comprises a charge coupled device.

35. A card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said image recognition logic logically verifies said scanned image by performing a bi-level separation of said scanned image and analyzing an area located outside of said scanned image area against said predetermined image area and background area.

36. A card manufacturing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said bi-level separation of said scanned image and analysis further comprises:

logically tracing a contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along a portion of said scanned image along a background area located outside of the area of said scanned image in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the number of background elements along said tracing contour is below a predetermined scoring threshold.

37. A method for verifying a scanned image, said method comprising:

scanning an image;

converting said scanned image into an electronically readable format;

storing said scanned image as an array of discrete elements of varying intensity;

normalizing an intensity of each element prior to analyzing said image wherein said image intensity normalization is performed according to the following formula;

$c=B+\frac{r-b}{w-b}\times <br><br>\left(W-B\right)$

 

where;

c is a normalized element intensity value;

r is the raw value;

B is a black output value;

W is a white output value;

b is a black input value; and

w is a white input value; and

analyzing said array of discrete elements of varying intensity against a predetermined image to verify the scanned image.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein said analysis of said discrete elements further comprises:

logically tracing the contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along a principal portion of said array in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the intensity of said elements along said first and second boundaries varies significantly from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion of said array of elements.

39. A method according to claim 38 further comprising computing a score for said scanned image based on the number of said elements along said first and second boundaries that vary significantly in intensity from the intensity of said elements within said principal portion of said array of elements.

40. The method according to claim 37 further comprising selecting a color plane to operate in prior to performing said topological analysis.

41. The scanned image verification apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said color plane selecting step comprises selecting any one of a red, green and blue color plane.

42. A method according to claim 37, wherein said analysis of said discrete elements further comprises:

logically verifying said scanned image by performing a bi-level separation of said scanned image and analyzing an area located outside of said scanned image area against said predetermined image area and background area.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein said analysis of said discrete elements further comprises:

logically tracing a contour of said array of discrete elements of varying intensity representing said scanned image along a portion of said scanned image along a background area located outside of the area of said scanned image in accordance with information obtained from a programmed template of said predetermined image; and

along the tracing direction, verifying that the number of background elements along said tracing contour is below a predetermined scoring threshold.