Tamper-resistant authentication techniques for identification documents

• US 6,978,036 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Alattar, Adnan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US10/170,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 380/287, 380/51, 380/54, 380/55, 713/176, 358/3.28, 340/5.81, 340/5.86, 283/72, 283/74, 283/75, 283/85, 283/113, 283/901
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0028 Adaptive watermarking, e.g. Human Visual System [HVS]-based watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/005 Robust watermarking, e.g. average attack or collusion attack resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0083 whereby only watermarked image required at decoder, e.g. source-based, blind, oblivious
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/187 Frequency domain transformation; Autocorrelation
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/00 Machines for printing and issuing tickets printing mechanisms per se B41; output mechanisms of digital computers G06C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 11/00 Apparatus for validating or cancelling issued tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/41 with means for the generation of identity documents
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/005 Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/20 Testing patterns thereon G07D7/004, G07D7/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/202 using pattern matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/902 : Anti-photocopy

Abstract

The present invention provides techniques that are helpful in resolving the authentication of an identification document or banknote. The document or banknote includes a security enhancer. The enhancer can be a graphic or artwork design, or can be realized with line art. In the case of an identification document, the spatial characteristics of the security enhancer are preferably altered in accordance with information contained in the identification document. For example, if the ID document includes a photograph, a hashing algorithm will reduce the photograph to a number. The number is used to set a repeated spacing distance of elements in the security enhancer. The repeated spacing yields an identifiable frequency response that is related to the identification document photograph.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing security of an identification document comprising:

providing information to be printing on a surface of the identification document;

selecting a set of information from the provided information;

hashing the selected set of information to yield a first number; and

adjusting a design feature of a design according to the first number, the design feature to be printed on a surface of the identification document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in the spatial domain the design comprises a group of concentric circles and the design feature comprises a spacing distance between adjacent circles.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein in a frequency domain the group of concentric circles yields a frequency response including a circle having a radius corresponding to the spacing distance.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the provided information comprises at least one of a photograph and information corresponding to a holder of the identification document, and wherein adjusting the design feature according to the first number personalizes the design feature to the holder of the identification document.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the group of concentric circles comprise a group of concentric semi-circles.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to said adjusting, selecting the design from a library including a plurality of designs.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein in the spatial domain the design comprises parallel lines and the design feature comprises a spacing distance between adjacent lines.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein in a frequency domain the parallel lines yield a frequency response including a magnitude peak having a horizontal distance from a DC component that corresponds to the spacing distance.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising embedding a digital watermark in the identification document, the digital watermark including a key to reveal which set of information was selected from the provided information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the key is encrypted prior to embedding.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding a bar code or magnetic stripe with a key, the key indicating which set of information was selected from the provided information.

12. A method of providing a physical object comprising:

receiving information;

selecting a set of information from the information;

hashing or reducing the selected set of information to yield a first number; and

adjusting a design feature according to the first number, the design feature to be provided on a surface of the physical object.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

prior to said adjust, selecting the design feature from a library including a plurality of designs features.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the physical object comprises at least an identification document.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the information comprises at least one of:

i) a photograph, and ii) information corresponding to a bearer of the identification document, and wherein adjusting the design feature according to the first number personalizes the design feature to the bearer of the identification document.

16. A method of providing a physical object comprising:

receiving data;

accessing a library including a plurality of graphic designs, wherein each of the graphic designs includes information steganographically embedded therein;

selecting at least one graphic design from the library based on the data; and

provided the selected graphic design on a surface of the physical object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data comprises a hash or reduced-bit representation of larger information, said method further comprising adjusting the selected design according to the data.