Information Code Lightness Design Against Fraudulent Duplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information code systems are vulnerable to fraudulent duplication due to the risk of capturing and duplicating displayed information codes, and systems using infrared reactive ink are costly and limited to printed media.
Innovation Solution
An information code system with a display medium that arrays first and second cells with intermediate and distinct lightness levels, using a marginal area to prevent fraudulent imaging, and an information code reader that corrects and decodes the captured image to enhance lightness differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an information code is displayed on a display medium, then it can be read by ordinary devices, but it becomes vulnerable to fraudulent capture and duplication
Solution Approach 1:
The information code employs different lightness levels (first, second, and third lightness) for different cells within the code structure. This local variation in optical properties ensures that while the code remains readable by ordinary cameras, the specific pattern of lightness levels prevents successful duplication, as fraudulent captures cannot reproduce the precise local lightness characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes variations in lightness (optical density) across different cells of the information code. By creating specific patterns of light and dark areas with defined lightness relationships, the code becomes visually distinguishable for reading while the precise lightness distribution prevents accurate copying by ordinary imaging devices
2Object-affected harmful factors
If infrared reactive ink is used to create inverted and non-inverted areas, then fraudulent copying is prevented, but the system cost increases and it cannot be applied to screen displays
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the chemical approach of infrared reactive ink with an optical parameter approach using multiple lightness levels that can be displayed on standard screens. By defining cells with first, second, and third lightness levels and establishing specific lightness relationships between them, the system achieves anti-fraud functionality through displayable optical variations rather than specialized materials
Solution Approach 2:
The information code structure using multiple lightness levels is universally applicable to both printed media and electronic screen displays. Unlike infrared reactive ink solutions that require dedicated printers and specialized materials, this approach works with ordinary display devices and cameras, making it broadly compatible across different platforms and reducing system costs
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an information code (C) in which first cells (Ce1) have lightness (Lr1) that is intermediate between lightness (Lr2) of second cells (Ce2) and lightness (Lrm) of a predetermined marginal area (Cm). The first cells and the second cells are configured to have a difference in lightness therebetween sufficiently smaller than a difference in lightness between the first cells and the predetermined marginal area, in a predetermined area occupying at least a part of the code area. There is also provided an information code reader (30) in which colors of an image of the information code captured by an imaging unit are corrected such that the difference in lightness between the first and second cells increases. Using the corrected image, decoding processing is performed to decode the information code.