Kba-Notasys Sa

Koenig & Bauer-Aktiengesellschaft

Koenig & Gauer Aktiengesellschaft

Volker Lohweg

Harald Willeke

Johannes Georg Schaede

Thomas Türke

Eugen Gillich

Bernd Stöber

Volkmar Rolf Schwitzky

Carsten Diederichs

Bernd Rüdiger Stöber

Jörn Sacher

Günther Hoier

Stefan Budach

Helene Dörksen

Johannes Georg Scheade

Stefan Glock

Roland Hildebrand

Jan Leif Hoffmann

Jürg Hofmann

Jan-Friedrich Ehlenbröker

Thomas Hochrein

Denis Petker

Harald Heinrich Willeke

Jurg Hofmann

Helene Dorksen

A method of authenticating security documents and a mobile device, especially a smartphone, programmed to carry out the method, based on an analysis of features which are produced by intaglio printing, which analysis involves a decomposition of sample images of a candidate document to be authenticated based on Wavelets, each sample image being digitally processed by performing a Wavelet transform of the sample image in order to derive a set of classification features. The method is based on an adaptive approach, which includes the following steps: &#x2014;prior to carrying out the Wavelet transform, defining a categorization map containing local information about different intaglio line structures that are found on the security documents; &#x2014;carrying out a Wavelet selection amongst a pool of Wavelet types based on the categorization map; and &#x2014;performing the Wavelet transform of the sample image on the basis of the selected Wavelet.

Authentication of security documents and mobile device to carry out the authentication

There is described a new coding approach for printed document authentication, one objective of which is to increase the difficulty of copying. In addition, this new coding approach provides better performance compared to other 2D coding technologies under certain constraints. The new coding technique requires less print space in comparison to other coding techniques. This is achieved by optimizing some of the features which are used in standard 2D-codes for stabilization and which are necessary for e.g. mobile applications. Furthermore, the code can be decomposed in elementary units, or 'byte-units' which can be widely spread over a text document. Such 'byte-units' can in particular be used for integration in text symbols. If a document protected with such a coding is copied, at least some of these symbols will be extensively degraded by the copying process. Therefore, copy detection is intrinsically achieved thanks to the new coding technique.

System for simple coding, authentication and copy detection of printed documents

There is described a method for touchless counting of substantially planar substrates, especially banknotes, which are stacked in the form of stacks of substrates, said method comprising the following steps: taking at least one sample image of a portion of a side of a stack of substrates, which sample image contains contrast information representing substrate edges that extend along substantially a first direction in the sample image; processing the contrast information representing the substrate edges within the sample image (), which processing includes subjecting at least one area of interest () within the sample image () to anisotropic diffusion to produce a processed image containing a substantially coherent set of continuous lines representing the substrate edges; and counting the number of substrate edges in said processed image.

Method and system for touchless counting of stacked substrates, especially bundled banknotes

There is described a method for checking the authenticity of security documents, in particular banknotes, wherein authentic security documents comprise security features (-) printed, applied or otherwise provided on the security documents, which security features comprise characteristic visual features intrinsic to the processes used for producing the security documents. The method comprises the step of digitally processing a sample image of at least one region of interest (R.o.I.) of the surface of a candidate document to be authenticated, which region of interest encompasses at least part of the security features, the digital processing including performing a decomposition of the sample image by means of wavelet transform (WT) of the sample image. Such decomposition of the sample image is based on a wavelet packet transform (WPT) of the sample image, preferably a so-called two-dimensional shift invariant WPT (2D-SIWPT).

Authentication of security documents, in particular banknotes

There is described a method for checking the authenticity of security documents, in particular banknotes, wherein authentic security documents comprise security features printed, applied or otherwise provided on the security documents, which security features comprise characteristic visual features intrinsic to the processes used for producing the security documents. The method comprises the steps of (i) acquiring a sample image of at least one region of interest of the surface of a candidate document to be authenticated, which region of interest encompasses at least part of the security features, (ii) digitally processing the sample image by performing a decomposition of the sample image into at least one scale sub-space containing high resolution details of the sample image and extracting classifying features from the scale sub-space, and (iii) deriving an authenticity rating of the candidate document based on the extracted classifying features.

Authentication of security documents, in particular of banknotes

There is described a method for detection of occurrence of printing errors on printed substrates during processing thereof on a printing press comprising the steps of providing multiple sensors on functional components of the printing press to monitor the behavior of the printing press during processing of the printed substrates and performing an in-line analysis of the behavior of the printing press to determine occurrence of a characteristic behavior of the printing press which leads or is likely to lead to occurrence of printing errors on the printed substrates or which leads or is likely to lead to good printing quality of the printed substrates. In-line analysis of the behavior of the printing press preferably includes performing fuzzy pattern classification of the behavior of the printing press. According to one embodiment of the proposed method in-line analysis of the behavior of the printing press is coupled with an in-line optical inspection of the printed substrates.

Method for detection of occurrence of printing errors on printed substrates during processing thereof on a printing press

A method for controlling the quality of printed documents, such as banknotes, in which only part of the surface of the printed documents is available for inspection, comprising the steps of (i) storing a reference image; (ii) acquiring a sample image of a sample printed document to be controlled, which sample image covers only a limited portion of the sample printed document; (iii) selecting a search pattern within the acquired sample image; (iv) searching the reference image for a match with the selected search pattern, (v) determining control parameters linked to the position of the search pattern within said sample image and within said reference image, (vi) comparing the control parameters linked to the position of the search pattern within the sample image with the control parameters linked to the position of the search pattern within the reference image; and (vii) based on the results of the comparison of the control parameters, accepting or rejecting the sample printed document.

Method for controlling the quality of printed documents based on pattern matching

There is described a sheet inspection system for a sheet-fed recto-verso printing press of the type comprising two printing cylinders () for carrying out simultaneous recto-verso printing of the sheets, said sheet inspection system comprising at least a first inspection device () for taking an image of a first side of the printed sheets. The first inspection device () comprises a first line image sensor () for performing line-scanning image acquisition of the first side of the printed sheets, and the first inspection device () is disposed in such a way that the first line image sensor visually acquires an image of a printed sheet while the said printed sheet is still adhering onto the surface of a first one () of the two printing cylinders () of the printing press and immediately before the said printed sheet is transferred to a chain gripper system () of the printing press. Also described is a printing press equipped with the inspection system.

Inspection system for a sheet-fed recto-verso printing press

There is described a sheet inspection system for a sheet-fed recto-verso printing press of the type comprising two printing cylinders () for carrying out simultaneous recto-verso printing of the sheets, said sheet inspection system comprising at least one inspection device () for taking an image of one side of the printed sheets. The sheet inspection system comprises first and second transfer cylinders () interposed between a first () of the two printing cylinders () and a chain gripper system () of the printing press, printed sheets being transferred successively from the first printing cylinder () to the first transfer cylinder (), to the second transfer cylinder (), and to the chain gripper system (). The inspection device () comprises a line image sensor () for performing line-scanning image acquisition of the one side of the printed sheets, this line image sensor () visually acquiring an image of a printed sheet while the printed sheet is being transported on the first or second transfer cylinder ().

The quality of printed matter, which is one of several copies of the same printed matter produced by a printing machine, is evaluated. An amount of copies of the printed matter is selected from the total production of this printed matter. The selected amount of these copies are evaluated with regard to at least one error type which belongs to an amount of different error types or with regard to at least one feature of the error. Within the selected amount of copies, an error of a defined error type or of a defined feature, which is detected on at least one of the copies, is evaluated in relation to at least one error of another type or feature detected on the same copy, or another copy of the selected amount. The printed matter is classified as having good or bad quality based on that evaluation. A common reading, producing image data, is obtained by an image sensor from the selected copies. All of the errors to be evaluated in relation to each other are detected from image data gathered during the same common recording.

Method for evaluating the quality of a printed matter, provided by a printing machine

Color deviations of images are analyzed using a sensor. The received image sensor signal is analyzed pixel by pixel. An image sensor signal is produced for each color channel from a plurality of color channels. An image sensor signal from a first channel, and one from a second channel, are combined. An output signal of a first color contrast channel is generated. Now an image sensor signal from a third channel is combined with the ones from the first and second image sensors. An output signal of a second color contrast channel is generated. The outputs of these color contrast channels are classified.

Method for analyzing the color deviations in images using an image sensor

At least one register and an ink density are controlled in a printing machine having at least one printing unit which includes a forme cylinder, a transfer cylinder, and a counter-pressure cylinder. An image sensor records an image from a print substrate, which is imprinted with ink, inside the printing unit, and sends data correlated to that image to an evaluation unit. The data for the last printed image is compared with prior data and in response, the evaluation unit generates a command that is directed to an actuator for controlling the supply of ink. The image sensor is oriented towards the print substrate and detects the entire width of the printed substrate, which width is transverse to a direction of substrate conveyance. The evaluation unit generates the actuating command to control the supply of ink based on data from the image sensor and taken over the entire width of the substrate. The evaluation unit also controls register, based on this data. The forme cylinder has a separate drive which can be controlled separately or that can be regulated by the counter-pressure cylinder assigned to it.

Devices for controlling at least one register in a printing machine

Signals generated by an electronic image sensor, during pattern recognition of image contents in a test piece, are evaluated. The image sensor receives an input light signal and emits an electrical output signal that correlates with the input light signal. The image content of a window, having a size of n&#xd7;n pixels, is analyzed. The output signals that are either directly or indirectly emitted by the image sensor are transformed into at least one translationally invariant characteristic value by the use of at least one calculation specification. This characteristic value is weighted by at least one fuzzy matching function which correlates with the value range of the characteristic value. A higher-order fuzzy matching function is generated by linking all of the matching functions by use of a calculation specification including at least one rule. A sympathy value is determined from the higher-order fuzzy matching function. That sympathy value is compared with a threshold value. A decision is then made from this comparison regarding association with a class.

Method for evaluating the signals of an electronic image sensor during pattern recognition of image contents in a test piece

The image data of a camera system is corrected. The camera system includes a color camera which supplies three output signals to three separate color channels, in the form of output signal vectors. The output signal vectors, the coefficients of which represent the output signals supplied by the color camera to the three color channels in a specific position lying in the range of observation, are multiplied by a correction matrix, particularly a square one. The corrected output signal vectors are then processed further in the camera system.

Method for evaluating and correcting the image data of a camera system

A material, with at least one identification characteristic, is subjected to a qualitative evaluation. A color image of this at least one identification characteristic is taken using an electronic image sensor which produces an electrical signal that is evaluated by an evaluation device. Another electrical signal is obtained from at least one reference image and is stored in a data memory. The second electric signal, has a set point value, for the first electric signal, for at least two set point values contained in the reference image. The first signal is compared to at least two set point values in the second image. The color image of the identification characteristic is tested for deviation from the reference. The identification characteristic is checked for association with at least one aspect of the identification characteristic of the material. The tasks are carried out in a continuous working process being carried out by a machine, such as a printing machine, during a continuous printing process.

Growing community of inventors

Bielefeld, Germany

Volker Lohweg