JPH11348242A - Examination device for printed matter with entry number - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an examination device for a printed matter with an entry number which enables interpretation of whether a pattern and an entry number are correct and all examinations to be completed through a single examination step. SOLUTION: A print difference between overlapped printing parts is determined by comparison using an overlapped printing part processing part 10, and when such a difference does not occur, the overlapped printing parts are interpreted as an identical print (failure in test because preconditions are not satisfied). Further when the difference occurs, an overall interpretation circuit 25 interprets whether causes for the generation of the print difference are due to only an entry number part in the overlapped printing part. When the results reveal that the causes for the generation are attributed to not only the entry number but also others, it is interpreted that the causes for the generation of the print difference are due to the pattern part in the overlapped printing part (failure in test on account of the pattern). In addition, when the causes for the generation are due to only the entry number, the print differences are compared by an entry number part print difference comparison means. When the results reveal that the entry number print differences show a difference, it is interpreted that the causes for the generation are attributed to different entry numbers (passing the test because all the preconditions are satisfied).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting printed matter with a serial number, and more particularly to an apparatus for printing a plurality of patterns which should be the same on a sheet, and superimposing serial numbers which should be different on the pattern. The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting printed matter with serial numbers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, printed materials such as securities, lottery cards, New Year's cards with a New Year's card (hereinafter referred to as New Year's cards), bills, etc.
The same picture is printed on the background, and different serial numbers such as letters and numbers are superimposed and printed on the picture (referred to as serial numbered printed matter). This is mainly for preventing forgery. Conventionally, a printing process and an inspection process of a serial numbered printed material have been performed as follows. That is, after printing only the pattern portion, the inspection device inspects the difference between the standard pattern or the pattern, prints a different serial number on the passed one, and visually inspects the serial number. Was a normal step.

[0003]

However, in recent years, it has become difficult to secure inspection personnel, and thus it has been required to automate the inspection. As means for responding to this request, there is a means for recognizing a character portion using, for example, an optical character reader (OCR). However, even if an optical character reading device is adopted, the inspection process becomes two processes, that is, the inspection process of the picture portion by the inspection device and the inspection process of the serial number portion by the optical character reading device, and the cost and time increase. In addition, the number of inspection personnel cannot be reduced significantly.

Further, the optical character reading apparatus has a drawback that when a serial number is superimposed and printed on a picture, it is difficult to distinguish between the picture and the serial number, and the serial number cannot be recognized. As a first countermeasure against this problem, for example, there is a means for setting a background pattern of a serial number printing portion as a specific color and cutting the specific color with an optical filter to extract the serial number portion. There is a disadvantage that there is a restriction on As a second countermeasure, there is a means for performing superimposition printing of the serial number portion with ink having a magnetic material and detecting the magnetic material. In this case, an inspection using an optical system and an inspection of the magnetic material are performed. Since two types of inspections are performed, there is a disadvantage that the apparatus becomes complicated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to judge the quality of both a picture and a serial number, and there is no special limitation on the picture printing and the serial number printing. An object of the present invention is to provide a printed matter inspection device.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a plurality of patterns which should be identical to each other are printed on a sheet, and serial numbers which should be different from each other are superimposed on the patterns. What is claimed is: 1. An inspection apparatus for numbered printed matter for inspecting a printed matter having a superimposed printed part, comprising: a superimposed printed part print difference comparing unit for comparing a print difference of a plurality of the superimposed printed parts; A printing difference occurrence cause determining means for determining whether or not the printing difference is caused only by the serial number portion of the superimposed printing portion when a comparison result of the printing difference is present; When the judgment result of the judging means is based solely on the superimposed serial number portion, a serial number portion print difference comparing means for comparing the printing difference of the superimposed serial number portion is provided.

In such a configuration, first, the printing differences of a plurality of superimposed printing portions prepared by the superimposed printing portion printing difference comparing means are compared, and if there is no printing difference, the superimposed printing portions are determined to be the same printing (premise). Inspection failed because it violates the conditions). If there is a print difference, the print difference occurrence cause determining means determines whether or not the cause of the print difference is only the serial number portion of the superimposed print portion. As a result, if the cause of the occurrence is not only the serial number, the cause of the printing difference is determined to be the picture portion of the superimposed print portion (the picture has failed the inspection). If the cause is only the serial number, the serial number is compared by the serial print difference comparing means. As a result, if there is a difference in the serial number printing difference, it is determined that the serial number is different (all prerequisites are met and the inspection has passed).

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a serial numbered printed matter inspection apparatus D according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 50 denotes a printed material obtained by printing a plurality of printed materials with serial numbers (for example, New Year's postcards).
1 and 52 each indicate one New Year postcard. FIG.
As shown in (A), the patterns 53a and 53b as backgrounds are printed in red on the New Year's cards 51 and 52, respectively, and the serial numbers (characters and numbers) 54a and 54b are displayed in black over the patterns 53a and 53b, respectively. [Figure 3]
In (A), the pattern is indicated by a diagonally downward slanted line and the serial number is “00”.
000 "and" 00001 "). The pattern 53a and the serial number 54a are combined to be referred to as a superimposed print portion 51A, and the pattern 53b and the serial number 54b are combined to form a superimposed print portion 52A.
Called. In addition, as a matter of course, in the New Year's postcard 51 and the New Year's postcard 52, the pictures 53a and 53b are originally the same, but the serial numbers 54a and 54b are different.

The inspection device D has an image input unit 2 and an image processing unit 3. The image input unit 2 is arranged so as to scan the entire superimposed print portion of the printed matter 50, and is constituted by a camera using, for example, a solid-state imaging device (CCD). In addition,
The resolution of the image input unit 2 may be appropriately determined from the viewpoint of the size of the dirt to be detected and the character size and accuracy of the serial number to be determined. However, when the serial number includes Japanese (Kanji), A resolution of at least 20 pixels in the vertical and horizontal directions and 20 pixels in the horizontal direction is required. The image processing unit 3 includes a superimposed printing partial processing unit 10 that is a “superimposed printing partial print difference comparing unit” and a character (serial number) processing unit 20 that is a “serial number partial printing difference comparing unit”.
In this case, the superimposed print partial processing unit 10 is configured to print the superimposed print portions printed on the printed matter 50 (in this case, 51
Compare the printing difference between A and 52A). The superimposed print portion processing section 10 stores a first image memory 11a and a second image memory 11 for storing image signals between the superimposed print portions to be compared.
b is provided, and the image data stored therein is compared by a comparison circuit 12 for comparing the superimposed print portions, and the obtained print difference signal P of the superimposed print portion is compared with the defect determination circuit 13 and a character (serial number). The data is input to the processing unit 20.

The defect determination circuit 13 stores a threshold value memory 14 storing a reference determination level corresponding to a variation of a difference signal generated due to a printing deviation or the like of a superimposed print portion and a print difference signal P of the superimposed print portion. If the print difference signal P is larger than the reference level obtained from the threshold value memory 14, the defect candidate signal E1 is determined as "print difference occurrence cause determination means".
Is output to the comprehensive judgment circuit 25. The character processing unit 20 converts the print difference signal P from the comparison circuit 12 into a binary
The data is digitized (FIG. 3C), and the obtained data is stored in the character portion print difference pattern memory 22. If the area where the serial number is printed is fixed, it is not necessary to store the area other than that area in the character part print difference pattern memory 22. The entire area of the portion may be stored.

On the other hand, a character difference (serial number) pattern shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D is stored in the character difference pattern memory 23 in advance. Here, the character difference pattern refers to, for example, a non-common part of the numbers “3” and “8”. That is, the character difference pattern memory 23 stores a combination pattern of the difference between the serial numbers such as 0 and 1, 0 and 2, 0 and 3,... is there. It is natural that the pattern is determined not by taking the pattern difference between the serial numbers as it is, but by considering the variation due to the fluctuation of the scanning position or the error signal generated at the character outline.

The output of the character part print difference pattern memory 22 and the output of the character difference pattern memory 23 are sent to the character difference pattern memory 23 by a pattern matching circuit 24.
Are compared, or only the difference signal patterns between serial numbers that should be printed on the printed matter are compared.
The pattern matching circuit 24 outputs the degree of coincidence or the degree of non-coincidence of the inputted pattern to the overall judgment circuit 25. The comprehensive judgment circuit 25 superimposes when the defect candidate signal E1 is not output from the portion other than the serial number portion, or when the pattern matching circuit 24 does not output the coincidence signal with the character difference pattern in the portion where the defect candidate signal E1 is output. A superimposed print portion defect signal EP is generated, which means that the print portion has a defect. Also, if the serial number does not match the original serial number or any of the character difference patterns,
It outputs a serial number defect signal EC indicating that the serial number portion has a defect.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. It is assumed that at least two New Year cards 51 and 52 are printed on the printed matter 50 of FIG.

A superimposed printed portion 51A and a superimposed printed portion 52A are printed on the surfaces of the New Year's cards 51 and 52, respectively (FIGS. 1 and 3A). The superimposed printed portions 51A and 52A are scanned by the image input unit 2. , And the obtained image signals are input to the image processing unit 3 (step S1). The image signals of the superimposed print portions 51A and 52A input to the image processing unit 3 are stored in the first image memory 11a and the second image memory 11b, respectively, and the outputs of the first image memory 11a and the second image memory 11b are compared. The circuit 12 obtains a print difference signal P as a difference signal between the superimposed print portions (FIG. 3B) (step S2). Usually, in the superimposed print portion without the defect 50d (FIG. 3A), the print difference signal P is substantially zero except for the serial number portion. However, when there is a defect 50d, an error signal is generated due to a slight shift of the printing position or the scanning position in a portion where the shading changes greatly, and the tolerance signal level is stored in the threshold value memory 14 in advance and the printing is performed. The difference signal P is compared with the output of the threshold value memory 14 by the defect determination circuit 13, and when the print difference signal P is equal to or greater than the set value of the threshold value memory 14 (step S3: YES), the defect candidate signal E1 is output. (Step S4).

If the print difference signal P is not equal to or larger than the threshold value in step S3 (step S3: NO), the serial number of the New Year's card must not be originally the same. A defect signal EC is output (step S5), and in this case, it is rejected (step S6).
After the defect candidate signal E1 is output in step S4, if the defect candidate signal E1 is not only the serial number portion (step S7: NO), the superimposed print portion defect signal EP is output because the superimposed print portion has a defect. (Step S8). That is, in the overall judgment circuit 25, in the portion where the defect candidate signal E1 is output, the pattern matching circuit 24 determines whether a signal matching any of the character difference patterns is output. The superimposed printing part defect signal EP is output as the defect (excluding).

If it is determined in step S7 that the defect candidate signal E1 is only the serial number printing portion (step S7: YE
S), after binarizing the character portion print difference pattern [FIG.
(C)], and inputs it to the character part print difference pattern memory 22 (step S9). The level for binarization can be appropriately determined based on the difference between the background density on which the character is printed and the character density. Next, the character difference pattern memory 2
3 and the output of the character part print difference pattern memory 22 stored in the form of a binarized pattern by the pattern matching circuit 2
4 to determine which serial number the character difference print difference pattern matches with the character difference pattern of which serial number (step S10). Since the pattern matching circuit 24 can be easily configured by a known method such as template matching, it will not be described in detail here. If there is a match signal [for example, the character difference patterns in the left diagram of FIG. 3 (C) and FIG. 4 (A) match], for example, since it is a normal character difference pattern of “0” and “1”, Is passed (step S1
1).

When a signal matching any of the character difference patterns is not output from the pattern matching circuit 24 in the serial number portion or when the serial number is not a preset combination of serial numbers, the serial number defect signal EC is output. (Step S
12) In this case, the inspection has failed (step S)
6). It is to be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed within the technical idea of the present invention.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing differences of a plurality of superimposed printing portions prepared by the superimposed printing portion printing difference comparing means are compared, and if there is a printing difference, the cause of the printing difference occurrence is determined. The means determines whether or not the cause of the print difference is only the serial number portion of the superimposed print portion. As a result, if the cause of occurrence is not only the serial number, the cause of the printing difference is determined to be a picture portion in the superimposed printing portion. If the cause is only the serial number, the serial numbers are compared by the serial number print difference comparing means. As a result, if there is a difference in the serial number printing difference, it is determined that the serial number is different. Therefore, it is possible to judge the quality of both the picture and the serial number, and to provide an apparatus for inspecting a printed article with a serial number in which all the inspections are completed in one inspection process without any special restrictions on the pattern printing and the serial number printing. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing an image in an operation process of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a picture and a serial number of a New Year postcard, FIG. 3B is a diagram explaining a print difference signal, and FIG. Is 2
It is a figure which shows the example of a value conversion.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a character difference pattern in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

D Inspection device for printed matter with serial number 2 Image input unit 3 Image processing unit 10 Superimposed print partial processing unit (superimposed print partial print difference comparison means) 12 Comparison circuit 13 Defect determination circuit 20 Character (serial number) processing unit (serial number part) Printing difference comparing means) 22 Character part printing difference pattern memory 23 Character (serial number) difference pattern memory 25 Comprehensive judgment circuit (Printing difference occurrence cause judging means) 50 Printed matter 50d Defect 51, 52 New Year's postcard 51A, 52A Superimposed printing part 53a, 53b Picture (background) 54a, 54b Serial number

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 30, 1999

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printed material having a superimposed printed portion in which a plurality of patterns that should be the same are printed on paper, and serial numbers that should be originally different are superimposed on the pattern. A serial number difference pattern storing means for storing in advance a difference pattern of all combinations of serial numbers to be printed on the serial numbered printed matter; A superimposed print portion reading means for reading a superimposed print portion of each of the numbered printed material and the second serial numbered printed material; a difference signal generating means for generating a difference signal of the superimposed print portion read by the superimposed print portion reading device; A pattern matching judging means for judging whether or not the pattern of the superimposed printing portion read by the superimposed printing portion reading means matches, and a result of the judgment by the pattern matching judging means being a match of the pattern. In this case, there is provided a pattern comparison unit that compares a pattern corresponding to the difference signal generated by the difference signal generation unit with a difference pattern stored in the serial number difference pattern storage unit in advance.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0007

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

In this way, the printing difference between the two serial numbered printed materials is obtained by the superimposed printing portion reading means and the difference signal generating means. If there is no print difference, it is determined that the prints are the same (the inspection is rejected because it is contrary to the precondition that all prints with serial numbers should have a print difference). Also, it is determined whether or not the patterns match by the pattern matching determination means. If the patterns match, it is determined that the pattern has passed the inspection, and if the patterns do not match, it is determined that the pattern has failed the inspection. Then, when it is determined that the pattern matches, the pattern comparing means compares the pattern corresponding to the difference signal generated by the difference signal generating means with the difference pattern stored in advance in the serial number difference pattern storing means. If there is no difference, the serial number is the same serial number, so the inspection failed for the serial number.If there is a difference in the pattern, the serial number is different. Inspection passed. "

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0010] The inspection apparatus D is composed of:
It has an image input unit 2 and an image processing unit 3 which are “stages” . The image input unit 2 is arranged so as to scan the entire superimposed print portion of the printed matter 50, and is constituted by a camera using, for example, a solid-state imaging device (CCD). Note that the resolution of the image input unit 2 may be appropriately determined from the viewpoint of the size of the dirt to be detected and the character size and precision of the serial number to be determined. However, when the serial number includes Japanese (Kanji), A resolution of 20 or more pixels in the vertical and horizontal directions of the character is required. The image processing unit 3 includes a superimposed print partial processing unit 10 and a character (serial number) processing unit 20.
0 compares the printing difference between the superimposed printed portions printed on the printed material 50 (in this case, 51A and 52A). The superimposed print section processing section 10 is provided with a first image memory 11a and a second image memory 11b for storing image signals between the superimposed print sections to be compared and compared, and the image data stored therein is stored in the superimposed print section. The difference signal generation means.
It is compared in comparator circuit 12 that the print difference signal P obtained superimposed and printed portions and defect determining circuit 13 is "picture matching determination means", is input to the character (serial number) processor 20.

[Procedure amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

The defect determining circuit 13 stores a threshold value memory 14 storing a reference determination level corresponding to a variation of a difference signal generated due to a printing deviation or the like of a superimposed printing portion and a printing difference signal P of the superimposed printing portion. If the print difference signal P is larger than the reference level obtained from the threshold value memory 14, the defect candidate signal E1 is output to the overall judgment circuit 25, which is a "pattern comparing means" . The character processing unit 20 binarizes the print difference signal P from the comparison circuit 12 by the binarization circuit 21 (FIG. 3C), and stores the obtained data in the character partial print difference pattern memory 22. If the area where the serial number is printed is fixed, it is not necessary to store the area other than that area in the character part print difference pattern memory 22. The entire area of the portion may be stored.

[Procedure amendment 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

On the other hand, "serial number difference pattern storage means"
The character difference pattern memory 23 shown in FIG.
Are stored in advance. Here, the character difference pattern refers to, for example, a non-common part of the numbers “3” and “8”. That is, the character difference pattern memory 23 stores a combination pattern of the difference between the serial numbers such as 0 and 1, 0 and 2, 0 and 3,... is there. It is natural that the pattern is determined not by taking the pattern difference between the serial numbers as it is, but by considering the variation due to the fluctuation of the scanning position or the error signal generated at the character outline.

[Procedure amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing difference between two serial numbered printed materials is obtained by the superimposed printing portion reading means and the difference signal generating means, and if there is no printing difference, it is determined that the same print is made (premise). Inspection failed because it violates the conditions).
Also, it is determined whether or not the patterns match by the pattern matching determination means, and if they match, it is "Picture / Inspection passed",
If they do not match, the result is "Picture / Inspection failed". And
If it is determined that the pattern matches, the pattern comparing means includes a pattern corresponding to the difference signal generated by the difference signal generating means,
The serial number is compared with the difference pattern stored in advance in the serial number difference pattern storage means. If there is no difference between the patterns, the serial number is the same serial number, so it is "serial number / inspection failed". So that all prerequisites are met,
"Comprehensive inspection passed as printed matter with serial number". Therefore, it is possible to judge the quality of both the picture and the serial number, and to provide an apparatus for inspecting a printed article with a serial number in which all the inspections are completed in one inspection process without any special restrictions on the pattern printing and the serial number printing. Can be.

[Procedure amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Brief description of drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing an image in an operation process of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a picture and a serial number of a New Year postcard, FIG. 3B is a diagram explaining a print difference signal, and FIG. Is 2
It is a figure which shows the example of a value conversion.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a character difference pattern in the embodiment.

[Explanation of Signs] D Numbered printed matter inspection device 2 Image input unit(Superimposed printing part reading means)  3 image processing unit 10 superimposition printing partial processing unit 12 comparison circuit(Difference signal generation means)  13 Fault judgment circuit(Pattern matching judgment means)  20 character (serial number) processing part 22 character part print difference pattern memory 23 character (serial number) difference pattern memory(Serial number difference pattern
Memory means)  25 Comprehensive judgment circuit(Pattern comparison means)  50 Printed matter 50d Disadvantage 51, 52 New Year's postcard 51A, 52A Superimposed print part 53a, 53b Picture (background) 54a, 54b Serial number

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Inspection of a printed matter with a serial number, in which a plurality of patterns that should be the same are printed on a sheet of paper, and a printed material having a superimposed print portion in which serial numbers that should be different from each other are superimposed on the pattern is printed. A superimposed printing portion print difference comparing means for comparing the printing differences of a plurality of the superimposed printing portions; and a printing difference when the comparison result of the superimposed printing portion printing difference comparing portion indicates a printing difference. The printing difference occurrence cause determining means for determining whether the cause of occurrence is only due to the serial number portion of the superimposed printing portion, and the determination result of the printing difference occurrence cause determining means is based only on the superimposed serial number portion. And a serial number portion print difference comparing means for comparing the print difference of the superimposed serial number portion in the case of performing the printing. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of printed materials are one of securities, a lottery ticket, a New Year's card with a New Year's card, and a banknote.