Apparatus and method for verifying a scanned image

Claim 2

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 + r - b w - b × ( W - B ) 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.

Claim 3

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.

Claim 4

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.

Claim 5

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

Claim 6

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

Claim 7

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.

Claim 8

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

Claim 9

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

Claim 10

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

Claim 11

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.

Claim 12

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.

Claim 13

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: y=y 0 +( y 1 − y 0 ))/( x 1 − x 0 )*( x−x 0 ) where: y is a normalized element intensity value; x is the raw value; y 0 is a Dark Norm value; y 1 is a Bright Norm value; x 0 is a Dark Reference value; and x 1 is a Bright Reference value.

Claim 14

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: y=y 0 +( y 1 − y 0 ))/( x 1 − x 0 )*( x−x 0 ) where: y is a normalized element intensity value; x is the raw value; y 0 is a Dark Norm value; y 1 is a Bright Norm value; x 0 is a Dark Reference value; and x 1 is a Bright Reference value.

Claim 15

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 + r - b w - b × ( W - B ) 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.

Claim 16

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 + r - b w - b × ( W - B ) 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.

Claim 17

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.

Claim 18

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.

Claim 19

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

Claim 20

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

Claim 21

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.

Claim 22

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

Claim 23

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

Claim 24

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

Claim 25

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.

Claim 26

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.

Claim 27

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: c = B + r - b w - b × ( W - B ) 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.

Claim 28

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: c = B + r - b w - b × ( W - B ) 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.

Claim 29

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

Claim 30

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

Claim 31

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

Claim 32

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.

Claim 33

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

Claim 34

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

Claim 35

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.

Claim 36

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

Claim 37

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

Claim 38

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

Claim 39

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.

Claim 40

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.

Claim 43

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.

Claim 44

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.

Claim 45

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

Claim 46

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.

Claim 47

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.

Claim 48

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.