BRPI0802867A2 - variable position printing, document authentication method, and counterfeit monitoring method - Google Patents

Abstract

VARIABLE POSITION PRINTING, DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATION METHOD AND COUNTERFEIT MONITORING METHOD. Security device invention patent which aims to combat the falsification of security documents by monitoring counterfeits. It consists in the insertion in the security document (4) of a print (5) that varies from position, according to the horizontal (1) and vertical (2) directions, to each document produced (4), called "Variable Position Print" ( 5). The present invention also relates to a "Document Authentication Method" based on a consistency check between the "Variable Position Printing" (5) and the variable information set (7 and 8) contained in the security document. (4). The invention also relates to a "Counterfeit Monitoring Method" based on archiving and comparing the information obtained from each reproduction of "Variable Position Impression" (5) found in counterfeits.

Description

"VARIABLE POSITION PRINTING, DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATION METHOD AND COUNTERFEIT MONITORING METHOD"

The present invention relates to a security device for use in security documents, a method for authenticating security documents and a method for combating counterfeit security documents by monitoring counterfeits.

Several security devices are already known for use in graphic arts, which aim to prevent or at least hinder the action of forgeries in unauthorized reproduction of documents. Existing safety devices generally work as follows: they are difficult-to-implement elements manufactured by machines and techniques of high complexity and sophistication, unavailable to the general public, which make these elements, in theory, unreproducible. Existing safety devices therefore act in a preventive manner, with a view to discouraging counterfeiting by introducing obstacles or difficulties in achieving them.

However, due to modern computer resources, the cheapness of graphic technologies and their consequent vulgarization, resources such as scanners, high-definition printers, image editing programs, etc. are becoming increasingly accessible. In this current scenario, while it is still impossible to faithfully reproduce these expensive and sophisticated security devices, excellent simulations of the same, perfectly capable of deceiving the average citizen, have been observed. In this sense, even if traditional security devices are still being used in order to discourage criminal action, it must be agreed that there is no longer an unfalsifiable device.

In view of this problem and with a view to overcoming it, the present security device has been conceived, which aims to combat counterfeit action not preventively but reactively, ie by allowing repressive measures to be taken by the competent bodies after the attainment of the offense, as set forth below.

Several countries, concerned with protecting their security documents, have developed different counterfeit monitoring systems. In short, they are databases where relevant information about counterfeit seized is stored. Crossing this information can lead to very useful conclusions, such as the identification of spills. Among the information to be stored, it is preferable to search for those peculiarities that can unambiguously link the falsifications among themselves and, consequently, relate them to a common origin. The aim is therefore to identify and store the recurring characteristics of all parts of a given family of counterfeits.

The present invention suggests including in the security document a "Variable Position Print", that is: a print that varies in position with each new document produced. Security document protection is as follows: During the scanning process of the original document, the position of this "Variable Position Print" is captured, which will be repeated for all reproduced parts. This is because, in this process, the "Variable Position Print" image is archived next to the image of the rest of the document on the same digital file. In this way, all counterfeits produced from this file will have a reproduction of the "Variable Position Print" invariably occurring in the same position, which will serve as a link element for spill identification. Evidence of falsehood will therefore be the ever-constant position of this impression which would normally vary from position. The same is true if a photographic reproduction process is used.

For convenience, the present invention may be used in combination with another security device, known as a "Monitoring Ruler" (see WO / 2008/074106), for the purpose of recording the position of the "Variable Position Print" without the need external measuring equipment and free of any dimensional variations that may occur in the printing and cutting processes of counterfeits. This is because any enlargements or size reductions will coincide with the same intensity both in the reproduction of the "Variable Position Print" and in the reproduction of the "Ruler", preserving its relative record.

The present invention also relates to a "Document Authentication Method" based on a consistency check between the "Variable Position Printing" and the variable information set contained in the security document.

The present invention also relates to a "Counterfeit Monitoring Method" based on archiving and comparing the information obtained from each "Variable Position Printing" reproduction found in the counterfeits.

The following description and associated figure, all given by way of non-limiting example, will make the invention well understood.

Fig. 1 shows the schematic drawing of a horizontal (1) and vertical (2) oriented security document (4) with three "Variable Position Prints" (5), two "Monitoring Rulers" (6). ) (see WO / 2008/074106) and a set of variable information, in text form (7) and stored on a security chip (8). The first "Variable Position Print" (5) is for the appearance of a "hand", the second for the figure of a "star" and the third for the figure of a "cross".

As illustrated in the above figure, the proposed security device (5) is characterized by a position-varying print in the horizontal (1) and vertical (2) directions for each document produced (4).

The position of the safety device (5) over the security document (4) can be defined as follows:

- position by random function: in this case the horizontal (1) and vertical (2) coordinates of the "Variable Position Print" (5) are calculated from a random number generator algorithm;

- position by hash function: in this case, the horizontal (1) and vertical (2) coordinates of the "Variable Position Print" (5) are calculated from hash functions applied on the variable information set (7 and 8) contained in the security document (4).

The proposed security device (5) may consist of different reasons: points, dashes, letters, numbers, graphic symbols, drawings, images, geometric figures and even barcodes or other forms of graphical representation of data. The reason for use on the security device (5) can be set as follows:

- default reason: in this case, the reason to be used in "Variable Position Printing" (5) is fixed and defined by the document issuer;

- reason chosen by random function: in this case, the reason to be used in "Variable Position Printing" (5) is variable and chosen from a random number generator algorithm;

- reason chosen by hash function: in this case, the reason to be used in "Variable Position Printing" (5) is variable and chosen

from a hash function applied to the set of variables information (7 and 8) contained in the security document (4).

The possibilities of variation of the proposed security device (5) need not be limited to the position and motive characteristics, but may also be extended to the color and size characteristics, which may also be chosen randomly or by means of hash functions, applied over the set of variable information (7 and 8) contained in each security document (4).

In order to add greater security to documents with "Variable Position Printing" (5), one can choose to produce absolutely individualized documents, ie they have a unique and unique combination of features - position, motif, color and size - unique. for each document produced (4). For this type of solution it is necessary to use a database that stores all the combinations already used and that each new generated combination is inserted in this database, after verifying that there is no other document with the same characteristics.

The proposed security device (5) can be produced by any graphical process that allows variable information printing, such as dot matrix printing, inkjet printing, laser printing, digital offset printing, laser engraving, etc.

The proposed security device (5) may be printed directly on the permanent support (4) or on an intermediate support (not shown), which is then attached to the permanent support of the security document (4).

For a disguised use of the proposed security device, it is suggested the adoption of "Variable Position Impressions" (5) of very small size.

Regarding the proposed "Document Authentication Method", this is based on a consistency check between the "Variable Position Printing" (5) and the variable information set (7 and 8) contained in the security document (4). For the application of this "Document Authentication Method" it is necessary that a "Variable Position Print" (5) has been produced with position, motif, color or size characteristics - chosen by hashing functions, applied over the information set. variables (7 and 8) constant in each safety document (4). The method works as follows:

- for each questioned document (4), the hash functions on the variable information set (7 and 8) apply;

- from the values thus obtained, identify which should be the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - of the

Variable Position "(5) for an authentic document; - the characteristics thus obtained are compared with the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - of the" Variable Position Impression "(5) found in the questioned document (4);

- if there is perfect convergence, the variable information set (7 and 8) is reliable;

- if there is no perfect convergence, some kind of tampering has occurred in the document (4).

Regarding the proposed "Counterfeit Monitoring Method", this is based on archiving and comparing information obtained from each reproduction of "Variable Position Impression" (5) found in counterfeits (4). The method works as follows:

- For each counterfeit seized (4), its general information (model, numbering, issuer identification, printer identification, seal identification, etc.) is recorded in a database as well as the variable information set (7 and 8) constant in counterfeiting (4);

- for each reproduction of "Variable Position Printing" (5) the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - occurring in the counterfeit (4) are extracted; These characteristics are also entered into the database.

- From the crossing of the stored information, correlations are established between the counterfeits seized, identifying the falsifications of the same origin, to a greater or lesser degree of probability, calculated as a function of the number of coincident characteristics and the frequency of occurrence of each of these characteristics within authentic documents.

It is notorious that the attack of forgeries has as its primary target the variable information set (7 and 8). On the basis of this practical finding, the proposed security device (5) aims at distributing other equally variable characteristics in different regions of the document, but less attractive to the attention of counterfeiters and the general public.

Depending on the level of attack carried out by the forger on "Variable Position Impressions" (5) it will be possible to reliably monitor counterfeits and, in some situations, even find out which authentic document was used as a template for counterfeits (casotenhagen). if we chose to produce absolutely individualized documents).

Looking at the example of application shown in Fig. 1, it should be noted that the first "Variable Position Print" (5), with the motivation of a "hand", is positioned at the coordinate pair {4,18} . The second "Variable Position Print" (5), with the motif of a "star", is positioned at the coordinate pair {8.5}. The third "Variable Position Print" (5), with the motif of a "cross", is positioned in the decoordinated pair {27.4}, according to the "Monitoring Rulers" (6) (see WO / 2008 / 074106) and in the horizontal (1) and vertical (2) directions, respectively.

In accordance with the proposed "Method for Document Authentication", hash functions should be applied to the set of variable information (7 and 8) contained in the security document (4). If the result thus obtained is "hand" at {4.18}, "star" at {8.5} and "cross" at {27.4}, the variable information set (7 and 8) is reliable.

Assuming now that the document (4) on screen is a falsification. In accordance with the proposed "Counterfeit Monitoring Method", one should store in a database the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - of each "Variable Position Print" reproduction (5) - in this example: the figure of a "hand" associated with position {4,18}, the figure of a "star" associated with position {8,5} and appears as a "cross" associated with position {27,4}.

Claims (21)

1. "Variable Position Printing" includes a security device to combat falsification of security documents, characterized by a print (5) which varies from horizontal (1) and vertical (2) to each document produced (4) ). 2. "Variable Position Print" according to claim 1, characterized by a random position print (5) for each document produced (4). 3. "Variable Position Print" according to claim 1, characterized by a position print (5) defined by hash functions applied to the variable information set (7 and 8) contained in each document produced (4) . 4. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 3, characterized by an impression (5) with motif of dots, dashes, letters, numbers, graphic symbols, drawings, images, geometric figures, barcodes or otherwise of graphical representation of data. 5. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized by an impression (5) for a reason which would be the result of each document produced (4). 6. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 5, characterized by an impression (5) with random motif for each document produced (4). 7. "Variable Position Print" according to Claims 1 to 5, characterized by a hash-defined print (5) with a hash function applied to the set of variable information (7 and 8) contained in each document produced ( 4). 8. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 7, characterized by a color print (5) which varies with each document produced (4). 9. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 8, characterized by a random color print (5) of each document produced (4). 10. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 8, characterized by a color printing (5) defined by a hash function applied to the variable information set (7 and 8) contained in each document produced ( 4). 11. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 10, characterized by an impression (5) of a size which is larger than each document produced (4). 12. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 11, characterized by a random size print (5) for each document produced (4). 13. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 11, characterized by a hash-sized print (5) applied to the set of variable information (7 and 8) contained in each document produced ( 4). 14. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a printing (5) is produced by any graphical process allowing the printing of variable data such as dot matrix printing, inkjet printing, laser printing, printing. digital offset and laser engraving. 15. "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 14, characterized by an impression (5) produced directly on the definitive medium (4). 16. "Variable Position Print" according to Claims 1 to 14, characterized by an impression (5) produced on intermediate support (not shown), which is subsequently affixed to the definitive support (4). "Variable Position Printing" according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized by a combination of characteristics - position, motif, color and size - unique and unique to each document produced (4). Use of "Variable Position Printing" according to Claims 1 to 17, in application for document authentication, characterized by checking for consistency between the "Variable Position Printing" (5) and the variable information set ( 7 and 8) contained in the security document (4). 19. "Document Authentication Method" using "Variable Position Printing" according to claims 1 to 17 in application for document authentication according to claim 18, characterized by the following operations: - for each document questioned (4) applies the hash functions to the variable information set (7 and 8) - with the values thus obtained identify which should be the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - of the "Variable Position Print" (5) for an authentic document - the characteristics thus obtained are compared with the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - of the "Variable Position Print" (5) found in the document concerned (4) - if there is perfect convergence , the set of variable information (7 and 8) is reliable, - if there is no perfect convergence, some kind of tampering has occurred in the document (4). Use of the "Variable Position Print" according to claims 1 to 17, for application to counterfeiting security documents by monitoring counterfeits, characterized by archiving and comparing information obtained from each reproduction of " Variable Position Impression "(5) found in counterfeits (4). 21. "Counterfeit Monitoring Method" using "Variable Position Printing" according to claims 1 to 17, in application for combating security counterfeiting by counterfeiting monitoring, in accordance with claim 20, characterized in - for each seized counterfeit (4), its general information (model, numbering, sender identification, printer identification, sealing identification, etc.) is recorded in a database as well as the variable information set (7 and 8) counterfeit constant (4) - for each reproduction of "Variable Position Print" (5) the characteristics - position, motif, color and size - counterfeit occurrence (4) are extracted; These characteristics are also inserted in the database: - From the crossing of the stored information, correlations are established between the counterfeits seized, identifying the falsifications of the same origin, to a greater or lesser degree of probability, calculated as a function of the number of coincident characteristics and the frequency of occurrence. each of these characteristics within the universe of authentic documents.