Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
  • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
  • B42D15/00—Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
  • B42D15/0073—Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for characterised by shape or material of the sheets
  • B42D15/0093—Sheet materials
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
  • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
  • B41M3/10—Watermarks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
  • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
  • B42D25/00—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof
  • B42D25/20—Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof characterised by a particular use or purpose
  • B42D25/29—Securities; Bank notes
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
  • D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D21H21/00—Non-fibrous material added to the pulp, characterised by its function, form or properties; Paper-impregnating or coating material, characterised by its function, form or properties
  • D21H21/14—Non-fibrous material added to the pulp, characterised by its function, form or properties; Paper-impregnating or coating material, characterised by its function, form or properties characterised by function or properties in or on the paper
  • D21H21/40—Agents facilitating proof of genuineness or preventing fraudulent alteration, e.g. for security paper
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
  • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
  • B41M3/14—Security printing
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K2019/06215—Aspects not covered by other subgroups
  • G06K2019/06253—Aspects not covered by other subgroups for a specific application

Definitions

• the present invention relates to use of digital watermark technology in conjunction with envelopes and other documents.
• fragile digital watermarks are one designed, e.g., not to fully withstand the scanning/printing operations associated with photocopying or PC-based scanning and printing.
• a watermark may be employed to provide forensic evidence that printed postage is not original.
• watermark technology is employed to prevent - outright - the photocopying or other duplication of digital postage. This result is achieved by encoding on envelopes a "do not copy” watermark to which photocopiers, scanners, printers, and other computer devices are alert. If such ' a watermark is encountered, the device will refuse to operate, or will otherwise interfere with the reproduction operation.
• watermarking on an envelope is employed as an element of a franking mark (postal mark) - one that may stay within or extend well beyond the corner location typically associated with such marks.
• watermarking on an envelope can serve as a portal to a corresponding internet site or internet-based application. That is, a printed document with an embedded watermark can be held up to a web cam, or scanned by a scanner, and instantly link a user to Internet sites or applications.
• information received in this manner is not subject to the delays associated with physical mail delivery, but can convey up-to-the-minute information.
• an envelope watermark serves to convey an identifier that is used to access associated data in a database.
• the index number identifies the recipient.
• an envelope can be addressed simply by watermarking it with a unique recipient designator, e.g., JOHNQPUBLIC843.
• Processing equipment in the postal system can read the watermark, query a database with the designator, and determine thereby the recipient's physical address. (If desired, the address thereby discerned can be printed on the envelope.)
• One advantage to this arrangement is that distribution of Change of Address cards would be a thing of the past. If a person moves across country, a single record in the database is changed. All mail to that recipient automatically is directed to the new physical address.
• digital watermarks on envelopes can be applied by specialized printers (e.g., postal metering devices), or by using common office printers (e.g., laser, ink-jet).
• the watermark embedder software may be integrated into the printing device, or can be resident on an associated computer system.
• the software is desirably secured against tampering using various anti-hacking techniques.
• the production of the digital watermark may not be optional (i.e., it may be applied without user control), and the payload can be tailored in accordance with the amount of postage, device/software/user information, or other application information.
• Such a system may also include an application that calibrates printing of the watermark to the user's specific printer or software, thus accommodating a wide range of usage scenarios.
• a hardware security device used, e.g., to store postage value e.g., a digital vault
• the principles described herein are also applicable to other printed value documents (e.g., tickets and coupons), especially those that are printed on demand. Such documents may be printed at home, at special kiosks (e.g., in-store), or by commercial printing establishments (i.e., mass produced).
• the watermarks in such value documents can be used by investigators to distinguish originals from reproductions (by use of fragile watermarks), to authenticate documents (e.g., in ticket reading machines), and to link to associated internet resources.
• the watermarks can also be linked to other information (e.g., event date, seat number, product code, etc.) textually printed on the document, or present on the document in some machine readable form (e.g., barcodes).
• the watermark can be used to detect document alteration by checking for discrepancy between the watermark-encoded information, and that otherwise conveyed by the document.
• blank printing stock e.g., other than envelopes
• the watermarking continues to be detectable after the blank stock is thereafter printed.
• Digital watermarking technology a form of steganography, encompasses a great variety of techniques by which plural bits of digital data are hidden in some other object without leaving human-apparent evidence of alteration or data representation.
• Digital watermarking of envelopes can be effected in numerous ways, including by ink (clear, optically-opaque, IR/UN-opaque), by texturing, by laminate layers, etc.
• the watermarking can be formed as part of other markings on the envelope (e.g., franking marks, graphics, text, etc.), or can be applied irrespective of such other markings.
• Watermarking can be effected at any time in an envelope's life, including at the time of media-making (e.g., paper making or Tyvek formation), at the time of envelope making, at the time of consumer use (either before, during, or after the application of other envelope markings), and thereafter (e.g., in the course of postal service processing).
• the watermarking may span all of one side (or both sides) of an envelope, or may be localized, e.g., in the areas typically associated with postage, return address, and recipient address.
• An envelope may convey a single watermark, or several may be used, e.g., conveying different information or serving different purposes in different regions.
• Several different watermarking technologies can be employed on a single envelope, e.g., the envelope's texture can convey one type of information, and tinting printed on the envelope can convey a second type of information. Any print- or physical media- watermark technology can be employed in conjunction with the present invention.
• the watermark serves to convey an identifier of a printer, personal computer, postage vault, or other device used in printing postage.
• the identifier can be a registration number, a serial number, an account number, etc.
• the watermark can also serve to convey an identifier associated with particular software employed by the user. And/or, the watermark can also serve to identify the user.
• Other forensic information can likewise be encoded.
• the encoded information can directly correspond to the device, etc., or the relationship can be established through a remote database (e.g., the identifier can be an index number that, when looked-up in a database, yields the registered owner name and address of a particular device).
• such a watermark is "private," i.e., it is readable only to selected classes of persons who have access to secret data, such as a private key. Postal investigators and the like would be able to read such data (e.g., by using a specialized reader system, or by using a conventional reader system equipped with the private information), but the general public would not.
• the watermark is public, but general use thereof is limited because a database needed to interpret the encoded data is not publicly accessible.
• this forensic watermark can take various forms. For example, it can form part of the franking indicia printed on the envelope, or can be separate from such indicia. It can be limited to the franking corner of the envelope, or can be located in a different location, or span a larger area.
• One particular implementation deposits a light splattering of tiny ink droplets over an area. These droplets are sufficient to form a computer-detectable pattern, but are not conspicuous (or preferably even visible) to human observers.
• the invisibility of the markings can be enhanced by using inks responsive to ultraviolet or infrared illumination, as more particularly detailed in cited application 09/562,516.
• the forensic watermark is applied automatically as part of another envelope processing activity.
• such functionality can be provided in software used to print addresses on envelopes, or apply digital postage to envelopes.
• the software can be of the consumer variety (e.g., Microsoft Word), or it can be system or device instructions invoked as part of the printing operation (e.g., printer driver software, or firmware associated with a printer's microprocessor.)
• printer driver software or firmware associated with a printer's microprocessor.
• the forensic marking is also being applied. Thereafter, if an issue arises as to the source of an envelope, or postal indicia thereon, the forensic information can be checked to aid in such investigation.
• a "fragile” digital watermark is one designed not to fully withstand the scanning/printing operations associated with photocopying.
• the use of fragile watermarks is detailed in the assignee's applications 09/234,780 (WO9936876), 09/287,940, 09/433,104 (PCT/USOO/29454), 09/498,223, 09/625,577, 60/198,138, 09/645,779, 09/689,226, 09/689,250 and 09/689,293.
• markings e.g., legitimate franking indicia
• markings e.g., legitimate franking indicia
• the copy will either not fully include the watermark, or the watermark will be changed in a way that indicates it is a copy.
• Processing equipment in the postal system can be alert to such copies (which are identified by the absence or modification of the fragile watermark), and cull them from the properly-franked mail.
• fraud or counterfeit investigators can use special readers to verify originality and detect copies.
• a watermark may be made fragile in numerous ways.
• One form of fragility relies on low watermark amplitude. That is, the strength of the watermark is only marginally above the minimum needed for detection. If any significant fraction of the signal is lost, as typically occurs in photocopying operations, the watermark becomes unreadable.
• the fragile watermark can be implemented in various ways.
• the watermark can be implemented by varying thicknesses of lines, adding dots or speckles or ink, or modulating the brightness of printed pixels.
• the watermark can be formed by texturing of the substrate.
• Such texturing can be applied in various ways. One is by a mechanism integrated with the printer, e.g., one that impresses the medium with a pinch roller or other pressure- applying means. Another is during fabrication of the paper, e.g., by texturing dewatering elements in the paper making machinery to impress a desired pattern on the medium. (One such arrangement is detailed in application 09/437,357, filed November 10, 1999 (PCT/USOO/30694).)
• processing equipment in the postal system can routinely scan envelopes bearing digital postage for the presence of the expected fragile watermark. Any envelopes found to be missing the watermark can be culled for investigation.
• This analysis may include watermark- reading software that infers information about the type of reproduction employed by reference to the attributes of any remaining fragile watermark signal.
• watermark technology is employed to prevent - outright - the photocopying or other duplication of digital postage. This result is achieved by encoding on envelopes a "do not copy" watermark to which photocopiers, scanners, printers, imaging software, or other computer devices are alert. If such a watermark is encountered, the device will refuse to operate, or will otherwise interfere with the reproduction operation.
• Such watermark-based "do not copy" systems are further detailed in applications 09/074,034, 09/127,502, 09/185,380 (WO0026749) and 09/287,940.
• the detection of the watermark can occur in various, and preferably numerous, locations in likely reproduction systems.
• image data may be analyzed for such a watermark by software in the scanner (e.g., scanner driver software), software in the computer (e.g., TWAIN interface software, operating system software, image editing software, internet browser software, printer driver software), and software in the printer (e.g., printer firmware).
• any of these detectors encounters image data that has a "do not copy" watermark encoded therein, the detector will interfere with its reproduction (e.g., by discontinuing the process, by scarring the image, by hiding tracer data for later forensic use, etc.)
• the use of a watermark to indicate that an indicia should not be copied is desirable, but not necessary.
• Other hallmarks can be employed. For example, devices used in reproduction can be alert to the franking indicia itself and, if encountered, interfere with duplication.
• security is enhanced by associating (crypto graphically or otherwise) a digital watermark formed on envelope stock (e.g., by printing or texturing) with data conveyed in a postal franking mark (e.g., a 2D bar code).
• a digital watermark formed on envelope stock e.g., by printing or texturing
• data conveyed in a postal franking mark e.g., a 2D bar code
• the envelope can be authorized for use only in conjunction with a certain printer, a certain postal meter, a certain postal account, a certain software, etc.
• the discrepancy in the association between the envelope watermark and the postal franking mark can be detected by the postal authorities, and suitable action taken (e.g., alerting the proper owner of the envelope stock of such use).
• watermarking on an envelope is employed as an element of a franking mark.
• marking can be confined to the corner location typically associated with postage, but need not be so limited. If the marking extends across the entire envelope - on one side or both - machine processing of the mail by the postal system can be facilitated by obviating the need for positioning the envelope in a certain orientation for reading.
• an embedded calibration signal associated with certain watermarks c.f., the cited patent documents
• printed features of a franking mark e.g., vertical and horizontal lines
• graticules can be used like graticules to aid in establishing the skew of a watermark printed with the franking mark, thereby aiding decoding of the watermark.
• the marking be visible. This can be achieved by increasing the amplitude of the watermark signal so that it appears as a patterned tile (or other shape). Or the watermark can be imperceptible, and other indicia added to indicate that postage has been applied (e.g., text stating "Posted with $0.33, printed in the same area as the watermark, or in a different area).
• a conventional 2D barcode franking mark is subtly changed to, itself, imperceptibly carry the watermark.
• watermarking on an envelope serves as a portal to a corresponding internet site or application (which could be local on the user's PC).
• a watermarked document can be held up to a web cam, or scanned by a scanner, and serve to instantly link a user to an Internet site, to invoke an application, etc. (The present assignee offers such services under the Digimarc MediaBridge name.)
• An envelope marked in this fashion can allow a user to initiate an essentially unlimited range of options.
• a recipient of the envelope may present same to a web cam associated with a personal computer.
• the camera decodes the watermark, finds it is contact information for a person, and in response automatically adds the contact information to a contact organizer (e.g., Microsoft Outlook) maintained by the computer.
• a contact organizer e.g., Microsoft Outlook
• Different watermarks may trigger different reactions.
• Certain of the payload bits in the watermark may indicate the type of data represented, and/or the type of reaction that is appropriate.
• Responses may be programmed by the sender, so the watermark is the same, but the backend system that is linked to the watermark contains the programming for what response to invoke.
• One type of watermark may indicate that the encoded information is contact information that is available for loading into a recipient's contact organizer.
• a second type of watermark may indicate that a delivery confirmation message is to be dispatched to the sender of the envelope. When such an envelope is presented to the recipient's web cam, the associated computer automatically composes an email message confirming delivery of the envelope, and sends it to an address represented in the watermark.
• a third type of watermark may direct a web browser associated with the recipient's computer to a destination specified by the watermark.
• the destination web address can provide the recipient with additional information related to the mailing, but updated to the minute. Advertising mailings can thus link to ordering pages, new sale promotions, updated backorder status information, etc. Utility bills can link to summary account information showing payments received or owing, month-to-date charges, etc.
• the linked web address may present a form soliciting input or response from the envelope recipient, including survey responses, votes, etc.
• the linked resource needn't convey just textual or graphical information.
• Entertainment programming can be similarly invoked, e.g., the delivery of previews of tonight's cable television shows, popular music recordings for preview or purchase, etc.
• a fourth type of watermark may initiate a replenishment of postage in the recipient's digital postage account.
• Some watermarks may correspond to several alternative actions.
• the recipient's computer may present a menu from which the recipient can select the desired response.
• the response invoked by presenting the envelope to the web cam may be made dependent on context or environment in which the presentation is made (e.g., time of day, type of device to which web cam is connected - fixed or portable computer, wired or wireless, etc.)
• an envelope watermark serves to convey an identifier that is used to access a database record having information related to mail processing or delivery.
• the index number identifies the recipient.
• an envelope can be addressed simply by watermarking it with a unique recipient designator, e.g., JOHNQPUBLIC843.
• Processing equipment in the postal system can read the watermark, query a database with the designator, and determine thereby the recipient's physical address (e.g., street address).
• the physical address information obtained by this database lookup is printed on the envelope by the postal system for the benefit of the ultimate postal delivery person.
• the postal delivery person is equipped with reader devices that make such printing superfluous.
• digital watermarks on envelopes can be applied by postal metering devices, or by using common office printers (e.g., laser, ink-jet).
• the watermark embedding functionality may be integrated into the printing device (e.g., by firmware executed by a printer microprocessor, or by dedicated hardware), or can be resident as software on an associated computer system.
• the software is desirably secured against tampering using various anti-hacking techniques.
• the production of the digital watermark may not be optional (i.e., it may be applied without user control), and the payload can be tailored in accordance with the amount of postage, device/software/user information, or other application information.
• Such a system may also include an application that calibrates printing of the watermark to the user's specific printer or software.
• the application (which may be a software program) may print a predetermined pattern (watermark or otherwise).
• the resulting printed media can then be scanned using a scanner (e.g., a digital photocopier or other device) whose transfer function is known.
• a scanner e.g., a digital photocopier or other device
• the application may have profile data on several common scanning devices that can be selectively invoked (e.g., by the user), depending on the particular scanner used.)
• the scanned image data is then processed by the application to infer the characteristics of the user's printer or software (e.g., its transfer function).
• the watermarking process can pre-compensate for such printer/software characteristics so as to produce a watermark whose attributes are largely independent of the printer/software from which it was generated.
• the high frequency components can be pre- emphasized prior to sending the watermark data to the printer.
• the dot pitch produced by the printer emphasizes particular spatial frequencies, the watermark image data can be pre-compensated to de-emphasize such spatial frequencies.
• a hardware security device that is used, e.g., to store postage value (e.g., a digital vault) may also be employed by the watermark embedding system, e.g., as a source of secure and potentially unique data used in encoding the digital watermark (e.g., crypto keys, pseudo-random noise data, etc.).
• the watermark embedding system may make use of data stored in such device primarily for another purpose (e.g., a user ID), and can employ such data in conjunction with the watermarking operation (e.g., as a seed to a random number generator that produces a noise pattern utilized in the watermark encoding).
• the principles described herein are also applicable to other printed value documents (e.g., tickets and coupons), especially those that are printed on demand.
• Such documents may be printed at home, at special kiosks (e.g., in-store), or by commercial printing establishments (i.e., mass produced).
• the watermarks in such value documents can be used by investigators to distinguish originals from reproductions (by use of fragile watermarks), to authenticate documents (e.g., in ticket reading machines), and to link to associated internet resources.
• the watermarks on printed value documents can also be linked to other information (e.g., event date, seat number, product code, etc.) that is textually printed on the document, or present on the document in some machine readable form (e.g., barcodes).
• the watermark can be used to detect document alteration by checking for discrepancy between the watermark-encoded information, and that otherwise conveyed by the document.
• blank paper stock can be digitally watermarked so that printed documents formed by later printing on the stock exhibits desired functionality. (The watermark in the blank stock persists through, and is detectable notwithstanding, subsequent printing.)
• the same watermark payload is encoded on large lots of paper
• different watermark payloads can be applied to different sheets (e.g., serialized paper).
• the later process can be performed by high-speed printing machines specialized for this purpose, e.g., employing page-width ink-jet arrays.
• Encryption provides an additional layer of security to prevent unwanted uses of the encoded information.
• Some examples of applicable cryptographic methods include RSA, DES, LDEA (International Data Encryption Algorithm), skipjack, discrete log systems (e.g., El Gamal Cipher), elliptic curve systems, cellular automata, etc. These and other cryptographic methods can be used to create a digital signature to place in a watermark message.
• Public key cryptographic methods employ a private and public key. The private key is kept secret, and the public key is distributed.
• the originator of the message encrypts the message with his private key.
• the private key is uniquely associated with the originator. Those users having a public key verify that the message has originated from the holder of the private key by using the public key to decrypt the message.
• the message may be both encrypted and digitally signed using two stages of encryption.
• a digital signature stage encrypts at least part of the message with a private key.
• An encryption stage then encrypts the message with a public key.
• the decoder reverses the process.
• a decryption stage decrypts the message with a private key corresponding to public key used in the encryption stage at the encoder.
• a second stage decrypts the output of the previous stage with the public key corresponding to the private key used to create the digital signature.
• Time and date stamping can be used in conjunction with encryption, or otherwise (e.g., in a watermark). Metadata can similarly be conveyed.
• a watermark can be used to track mail (e.g., an envelope or parcel) through the delivery process.
• a camera- or sensor-equipped device reads the watermark, extracts an identifier and logs the identifier along with additional information, such as location, time, etc. This information may be sent and maintained in a database that can be queried to determine the delivery status of the mail.
• Wireless devices can be employed to read watermarks and report status to a centralized or distributed database.

Landscapes

• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
• Finance (AREA)
• Editing Of Facsimile Originals (AREA)
• Image Processing (AREA)
• Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=27416018

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2001
  • 2001-05-08 EP EP01933210A patent/EP1552441A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-05-08 AU AU2001259652A patent/AU2001259652A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-08 WO PCT/US2001/014920 patent/WO2001086579A2/en not_active Ceased

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events