US6750985B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital watermarks and methods for security documents
Assignee: Digimarc Corp
•
Filing: 2001-10-10
•
Granted: 2004-06-15
•
Expires: 2021-10-10
Abstract
Abstract Security documents (e.g. passports, currency, event tickets, and the like) are encoded to convey machine-readable multi-bit binary information (e.g., a digital watermark), usually in a manner not alerting human viewers that such information is present. The documents can be provided with overt or subliminal calibration patterns. When a document incorporating such a pattern is scanned (e.g. by a photocopier), the pattern facilitates detection of the encoded information notwithstanding possible scaling or rotation of the scan data. The calibration pattern can serve as a carrier for the watermark information, or the watermark can be encoded independently. In one embodiment, the watermark and the calibration pattern are formed on the document by an intaglio process, with or without ink. A photocopier responsive to such markings can take predetermined action if reproduction of a security document is attempted. A passport processing station responsive to such markings can use the decoded binary data to access a database having information concerning the passport holder. Some such apparatuses detect both the watermark data and the presence of a visible structure characteristic of a security document (e.g., a printed seal of the document's issuer).
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey B. Rhoads
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:34
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/16; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/88; B; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; B42D25/20; B42D25/29; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06T1/0064; G06V30/00; G06V30/40; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/253; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/003; G07D7/0032; G07D7/0034; G07D7/004; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G07F7/1016; G07F7/12; G10; G10L; G10L19/00; G10L19/018; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00086; G11B20/00094; G11B20/00166; G11B20/0021; G11B20/00217; G11B20/00224; G11B20/00485; G11B20/00557; G11B20/00855; G11B20/00884; G11B20/00891; H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/66; H04B1/665; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00002; H04N1/00005; H04N1/00026; H04N1/00037; H04N1/00071; H04N1/00074; H04N1/00079; H04N1/00838; H04N1/0084; H04N1/00843; H04N1/00846; H04N1/00856; H04N1/00864; H04N1/00867; H04N1/0087; H04N1/00875; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32219; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32261; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32304; H04N1/32352; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/238; H04N21/2389; H04N21/23892; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/835; H04N21/8358; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/14; B29C45/1418; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0051; G06T2201/0052; G06T2201/0061; G06T2201/0065; G11B20/00876; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91321; H04N2005/91335; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3205; H04N2201/3207; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3226; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3239; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/3271; H04N2201/3274; H04N2201/328; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/916; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; forming a pattern of recesses in a metal member, said pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into said metal member to texture the substrate in accordance with said binary data; wherein the method includes mathematically transforming the multi-bit binary data into a two-dimensional array of values, and creating the pattern of recesses by reference to the array of values.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; forming a pattern of recesses in a metal member, said pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into said metal member to texture the substrate in accordance with said binary data; wherein the method includes mathematically transforming the multi-bit binary data into a two-dimensional array of values, and creating the pattern of recesses by reference to the array of values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 further including inking the recesses prior to the pressing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 in which the pattern has the multi-bit binary data steganographically encoded therein, wherein a human viewer of the texture on the substrate is not alerted that it conveys multi-bit binary data.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; forming a pattern of recesses in a metal member, said pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into said metal member to texture the substrate in accordance with said binary data; wherein the pattern includes plural features, and the multi-bit binary data is mapped to the features in accordance with an algorithm.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; forming a pattern of recesses in a metal member, said pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into said metal member to texture the substrate in accordance with said binary data; wherein the pattern includes plural features, and the multi-bit binary data is mapped to the features in accordance with an algorithm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 wherein a change to one bit of the multi-bit binary data results in a corresponding, deterministic change to the pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 further including inking the recesses prior to the pressing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 4 in which the pattern has the multi-bit binary data steganographically encoded therein, wherein a human viewer of the texture on the substrate is not alerted that it conveys multi-bit binary data.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; forming a pattern of recesses in a metal member, said pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into said metal member to texture the substrate in accordance with said binary data; wherein certain bits of said multi-bit binary data are derived from others of the bits, and aid in error detection and correction when the pattern is subsequently decoded.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; forming a pattern of recesses in a metal member, said pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into said metal member to texture the substrate in accordance with said binary data; wherein certain bits of said multi-bit binary data are derived from others of the bits, and aid in error detection and correction when the pattern is subsequently decoded.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8 further including inking the recesses prior to the pressing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 8 in which the pattern has the multi-bit binary data steganographically encoded therein, wherein a human viewer of the texture on the substrate is not alerted that it conveys multi-bit binary data.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; mathematically transforming the multi-bit binary data into a two-dimensional array of values; defining a pattern by reference to said two-dimensional array of values; providing a printing member shaped in accordance with said pattern; and pressing a substrate into the printing member to texture the substrate in accordance with the binary data.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; mathematically transforming the multi-bit binary data into a two-dimensional array of values; defining a pattern by reference to said two-dimensional array of values; providing a printing member shaped in accordance with said pattern; and pressing a substrate into the printing member to texture the substrate in accordance with the binary data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 further including inking the shaped printing member prior to the pressing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 11 in which the pattern has the multi-bit binary data steganographically encoded therein, wherein a human viewer of the texture on the substrate is not alerted that it conveys multi-bit binary data.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; providing a pattern of indentations in a printing member, the pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into the printing member to texture the substrate in accordance with the binary data; wherein the pattern includes plural features, and the multi-bit binary data is mapped to the features in accordance with an algorithm.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; providing a pattern of indentations in a printing member, the pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into the printing member to texture the substrate in accordance with the binary data; wherein the pattern includes plural features, and the multi-bit binary data is mapped to the features in accordance with an algorithm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 14 wherein a change to one bit of the multi-bit binary data results in a corresponding, deterministic change to the pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 further including inking the indentations prior to the pressing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 14 in which the pattern has the multi-bit binary data steganographically encoded therein, wherein a human viewer of the texture on the substrate is not alerted that it conveys multi-bit binary data.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; providing a pattern of indentations in a printing member, the pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into the printing member to texture the substrate in accordance with the binary data; wherein certain bits of the multi-bit binary data are derived from others of the bits, and aid in error detection and correction when said pattern is subsequently decoded.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of producing a security document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; providing a pattern of indentations in a printing member, the pattern having the multi-bit binary data encoded therein; and pressing a substrate into the printing member to texture the substrate in accordance with the binary data; wherein certain bits of the multi-bit binary data are derived from others of the bits, and aid in error detection and correction when said pattern is subsequently decoded.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 further including inking the indentations prior to the pressing.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of producing an encoded document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; applying an algorithm to map said multi-bit data into a two dimensional pattern that includes plural features; and impressing indentations into a substrate according to said pattern to thereby shape the microtopology of the substrate, wherein the multi-bit data is steganographically conveyed by said substrate.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of producing an encoded document, comprising: providing multi-bit binary data; applying an algorithm to map said multi-bit data into a two dimensional pattern that includes plural features; and impressing indentations into a substrate according to said pattern to thereby shape the microtopology of the substrate, wherein the multi-bit data is steganographically conveyed by said substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3687256A
Cited
US4403548A
Cited
US5199744A
Cited
US5209584A
Cited
US5582103A
Cited
US5563694A
Cited
US5746518A
Cited
US5636565A
Cited
US5919730A
Cited
US20010043842A1
Cited
US6104812A
Cited
US6321648B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-06-15 | 2007-12-15 | 2008-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-06-15 | 2011-12-15 | 2012-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-06-15 | 2015-12-15 | 2016-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |