Title of Invention

A METHOD FOR STOPPING COUNTERFEITING BY PRODUCING AN INEXACT OUTPUT OF SCANNED IMAGE IN MFP

Abstract

This invention relates in general to the Multi Function Peripheral devices. Particularly the present invention relates to the scanner, graphics manipulation and currency , detection technologies. The present invention explains a method for stopping counterfeiting by producing an inexact output of scanned image in MFP wherein the said method comprising the steps of: scanning the sensitive material; storing the scanned material in the memory; detecting illegal copying of sensitive materials; and corrupting the scanned data when the data is found illegal.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to the Multi Function Peripheral devices. Particularly the present invention relates to the scanner, graphics manipulation and currency detection technologies. More particularly the present invention relates to a method for stopping counterfeiting by producing an inexact output of the scanned image by MFP. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART A scanner is used in day to day activities to scan documents and get hard copies of the document or to store the scanned document as image stored on the host PC. This scanned document is generally an exact replica of the original. With such superior scanning technology at fingertips any one can misuse a scanner and start counterfeiting business. Some of the commercially available software on the PC include currency detection algorithms and deny opening of an image which the software thinks is of currency notes. But alternatives to this are available since a person could use any other cheaply available software to open and use the image. The problem in the above technology is that though some of the software available includes currency detection schemes and algorithms, a user can easily chose one of the image editing programs which does not include currency detection and can easily print illegal currency. US 6,131,718 describes a system and method for the detection of counterfeit currency .It involves a system and method for detecting counterfeit currency are disclosed wherein a currency bill encoded with security data is scanned by a currency scanning terminal placed at a currency exchange location such as a store or a bank. The security data can include the currency bill's serial number and a corresponding code number, and is preferably magnetically encoded on a magnetic medium affixed to or embedded in the bill. The currency scanning terminal reads the security data and transmits it via a communications link to a programmable security computer. The security computer responds to receipt of the security data by comparing the transmitted security data with previously stored security data and generating a comparison result. If the comparison result is true, the security computer calculates an updated security code, stores the updated security code in the data store, and transmits the updated security code to the currency scanning terminal. The currency scanning terminal then writes the updated security data to the currency bill and generates a validation message. If the comparison result is false, the security computer invalidates the currency bill in the data store and transmits a rejection code to the currency scanning terminal. The currency scanning terminal then writes the rejection code to the currency bill and generates a rejection message. Because each currency bill must have valid security data stored in the data store, and because the security data is updated each time the currency bill is exchanged, counterfeiting is avoided. US 6,181,813 explains a method for counterfeit currency detection using orthogonal line comparison. It involves an anti-counterfeit currency detection method is disclosed wherein local edge information is utilized for accurately detecting lines and curves of legitimate notes. The method can more accurately determine the location and orientation of a pattern and thus provides more reliable currency detection. A detector is trained off-line with example notes resulting in a stored template generated by recording a test pattern similar to a pattern to be tested; anchor lines are identified within said template which are further represented in subsequent test patterns. The template is rotated and shifted before matching it to the test pattern so that anchor lines align with long lines detected within the test pattern. The template and test pattern are then compared to determine whether there is a match. The system comprises a microprocessor is programmed to facilitate the training of a detector off-line with example notes which are scanned into said system wherein a template is generated by recording an image pattern of said example notes similar to a test pattern to be detected. The microprocessor identifies anchor lines within the template which are further represented in said test pattern; rotates and shifts the template before matching it to the test pattern so that anchor lines align with lines which may be detected within said test pattern; and compares the template to the test pattern to determine whether said anchor lines exist within said test pattern. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a different method to avoid the counterfeiting problem at the source itself, i.e. when the currency is scanned. This is executed in the following way: 1. Detecting illegal copying of sensitive material like currency notes, stamps, legal documents etc. 2. Corrupting the scanned data, when illegal copying is detected in the first step, in order to prevent creation of exact replica of the documents which are objectionable and not allowed to be scanned. Accordingly, the present invention explains a method for stopping counterfeiting by producing an inexact output of scanned image in MFP wherein a sensitive material is scanned and a corresponding image is stored in the memory characterized in that when an illegal copy is detected the scanned image gets corrupted. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows the Document Scan Process. Figure 2 shows the Scan document distorted using warp filter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art on how to make and/or use the invention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. Figure 1 is the diagram which shows how a document is scanned using light beam the process of scan operation. A beam of light is sent on the document to be scanned. The reflected light is separated into different color components i.e. red, blue, green. These separated colors beams are caught by sensors which store the information for the document being scanned. Figure 2 is a sample image distorted by the printer by using image manipulation filters. This image manipulation makes the copied picture an inexact replica of the original image, thus blocking attempts to create counterfeit. The scanner when used to scan a currency note will use an algorithm to detect the currency notes or objectionable material. The detection method makes use of: 1. Detecting patterns in the original documents 2. Detecting presence of watermarks 3. Detecting the presence of closely spaced line drawings which are characteristics of stamps, notes 4. It also tries to detect the copyright symbol © in the scanned document If any of the above identifying attributes are present in the document being scanned then the printer will generate an inexact copy of the original. In addition the scanner can inject additional text as background indicating that the image is a copied image. The currency detection can be done using the following method: By detecting watermarks on the notes; Using the data from various light sources in the scanner to detect patterns commonly used in the notes like the euro notes carry the European constellation which is a simple geometric pattern, consisting of five 1 mm large circles that appears on many more recent banknotes etc. This pattern is particularly well visible under blue channel and can be easily detected with a matched filter and tested for the presence of the characteristic pattern. Once it is detected that a currency note is being scanned the scanner will distort the scanned data in one of the following ways: a. Generate a scaled image enlarged/reduced: b. Change one of the color tones so that it is detectable by human eye; c. Print text in the scanned data which is easily identifiable like a pattern or company logo; d. Apply some image filters like rotation, midpoint filtering, median filtering, trimmed mean filtering, warping over random select portions of the image data to distort the scanned image. The sequences of operations in a document scan are mentioned below: 1. The user places the document to be scanned in the scanner. 2. selects the option of scanning/getting a copy of the document. 3. The scanner scans the data. 4. Checks if the data being scanned is of objectionable type. 5. if yes the data is distorted so that the copy produced is not a exact copy of the source else proceed to create a soft/ hard copy of the document. The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. WE CLAIM 1. A method for stopping counterfeiting by producing an inexact output of scanned image in MFP wherein a sensitive material is scanned and a corresponding image is stored in the memory characterized in that when an illegal copy is detected the scanned image gets corrupted. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said sensitive materials involve currency notes, stamps, legal documents. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scanning is done by sending a beam of light on the material and separating the reflected light into different color components where the separated color beams are caught by sensors which store the information for the material being scanned. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein corrupting the scanned data is done by using image manipulation filters. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein detecting illegal copying of sensitive materials involves detecting patterns in the sensitive material. 6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein detecting illegal copying of sensitive materials involves detecting presence of watermarks. 7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein detecting illegal copying of sensitive materials involves detecting the presence of closely spaced line drawings which are characteristics of stamps and currency notes. 8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein detecting illegal copying of sensitive materials involves detecting the copyright symbol © in the scanned material if any. 9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein corrupting the scanned data is done by generating an enlarged or reduced scaled image of the material. 10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein corrupting the scanned data is done by changing one of the color tones. 11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein corrupting the scanned data is done by printing text in the scanned data. 12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein corrupting the scanned data is done by applying image filters like rotation, midpoint filtering, median filtering, trimmed mean filtering, or warping over random select portions of the image. 13. A method for stopping counterfeiting substantially as herein described particularly with reference to the drawings.

Documents:

160-che-2005-abstract.pdf

160-che-2005-claims filed.pdf

160-che-2005-claims granted.pdf

160-che-2005-correspondnece-others.pdf

160-che-2005-correspondnece-po.pdf

160-che-2005-description(complete)filed.pdf

160-che-2005-description(complete)granted.pdf

160-che-2005-drawings.pdf

160-che-2005-form 1.pdf

160-che-2005-form 26.pdf

160-che-2005-form 9.pdf