Physical objects and validation of physical objects

• US 7,269,275 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Perry, Burt W., Carr, J. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US11/286,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20060165256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/115, 382/116, 382/117, 382/124, 382/232, 713/176, 380/54, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 283/74, 283/75, 283/77, 283/78
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/21 for multiple purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/23 Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/24 Passports
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/313 Fingerprints
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/333 Watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0071 using multiple or alternating watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• 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: 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: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 : Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 : based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 : embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32208 : involving changing the magnitude of selected pixels, e.g. overlay of information or super-imposition H04N1/32219, H04N1/32224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32219 : involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 : in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• 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 2201/3235 : Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to validating and providing physical objects. In one implementation, a physical object includes a first digital watermark carried thereon. The first digital watermark includes a first plural-bit message representing at least a reduced-bit representation of a biometric corresponding to an authorized bearer of the physical object. The physical object further includes semantic information carried thereon. At least a portion of the semantic information corresponds to the authorized bearer of the physical object. In another implementation, an apparatus is provided to validate physical objects. In some cases the objects include identification documents.

Claims

1. A physical object comprising:

a first hidden digital watermark carried thereon, the first hidden digital watermark comprising a first plural-bit message representing at least a reduced-bit representation of a biometric corresponding to an authorized bearer of the physical object; and

semantic information carried thereon, wherein at least a portion of the semantic information corresponds to the authorized bearer of the physical object.

2. The object of claim 1 wherein the biometric represents a fingerprint.

3. The object of claim 1 wherein the biometric represents an iris.

4. The object of claim 1 further comprising a photographic representation of the authorized bearer of the object.

5. The object of claim 1 further comprising a second, different hidden digital watermark thereon, wherein the second, different hidden digital watermark comprises a second plural-bit message that corresponds to or is redundant with at least one of the semantic information and the first plural-bit message.

6. The object of claim 1 wherein the object comprises at least one of a photo identification document, a passport, a driver'"'"'s license and a credit card.

7. The object of claim 1 wherein first hidden digital watermark is machine-readable via visible light scanning.

8. The object of claim 1 wherein the first hidden digital watermark is represented through alterations of data representing graphics or images.

9. The object of claim 1 wherein the first plural-bit message is encrypted.

10. The object of claim 1 wherein the reduced-bit representation of a biometric comprises a hash.

11. An apparatus to authentic a physical object, the physical object comprising a first hidden digital watermark including a first plural-bit message representing at least a first reduced-bit representation of a biometric, and semantic information carried thereon, said apparatus comprising:

a digital watermark reader to read the first hidden digital watermark to obtain the first reduced-bit representation of the biometric from the message;

a comparator to compare data representing a sampled biometric with the first reduced-bit representation; and

an output to display information corresponding to a comparison of the comparator.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said comparator generates a reduced-bit representation of the sampled biometric, and compares the generated, reduced-bit representation of the sampled biometric to the first reduced-bit representation.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the biometric represents a fingerprint.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the biometric represents an iris.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the physical object further comprises a photographic representation of an authorized bearer of the object.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the physical object further comprises a second, different hidden digital watermark thereon, and wherein the second, different hidden digital watermark comprises a second plural-bit message that corresponds to or is redundant with at least one of the semantic information or the first plural-bit message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said digital watermark reader reads the second hidden digital watermark to obtain the second plural-bit message.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the physical object comprises at least one of a passport, a driver'"'"'s license and a credit card.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein first hidden digital watermark is machine-readable from data generated by visible, light scanning.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first hidden digital watermark is represented through alterations to data representing graphics or images on the physical object.