Method and apparatus for verifying the authenticity of documents
View Patent ↗A method for verifying the authenticity of a document utilizes artifacts of the printing process. The method includes optically capturing at a predetermined magnification a first image of an indicia printed on the authentic document. A corresponding indicia on a document to be authenticated is optically captured at a predetermined magnification. The captured images and the printing process artifacts depicted therein are characterized. Authenticity is verified where the characterization indicates the captured images are sufficiently identical. An indication is issued as to whether the document is authentic.
1. A method of verifying the authenticity of a test document relative to an authentic document, each of the documents having at least one indicia printed thereon, said method comprising:
optically capturing at a predetermined magnification a first image of at least a portion of said indicia on the authentic document;
optically capturing at a predetermined magnification a second image of a corresponding portion of said indicia on the test document;
characterizing the first and second images;
verifying whether said first and second images are sufficiently identical; and
indicating whether the test document is authentic;
wherein said characterizing process comprises:
creating respective first and second binary images based upon said first and second images; and
creating respective first and second single-color images based upon said first and second binary images, said first single-color image having a first color, said second single-color image having a second color, said first color being, different from said second color; and
wherein said verifying process comprises:
aligning the first and second single and different color images;
superimposing the aligned first and second single and different color images to produce a superimposed image of a composite color; and
analyzing the images to determine whether the first and second single and different color images are substantially identical.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said analyzing process comprises identifying one or more portions of the superimposed image having one of the first or second color.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said analyzing process determines at least one of a percentage of the superimposed image that is of the composite color, a percentage of the superimposed image that is of the first color, and a percentage of the superimposed image that is of the second color.
4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the superimposed images.
5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising the step of displaying the displayed image in three colors; a first color for portions of the first and second single and different color images in common; a second color for portions of the first and second single and different color images not in common; and a third color for portions of the first and second single and different color images overlapping portions.