Text Copy Detection Using Symbol-String Spacing Codes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to effectively detect and prevent the unauthorized copying of text passages, both electronically and physically, due to the ease of digital reproduction and distribution, which poses challenges for copyright protection, plagiarism detection, and security concerns.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generate a target code from a text passage by identifying key symbol strings and their distances, allowing for detection of copied text through comparison with sample passages, integrated into devices like scanners and photocopiers to initiate actions upon matching codes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If text is released in electronic format, then distribution speed and accessibility are improved, but control over copying and distribution is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds unique identification codes within the text content before distribution. These codes are inserted at specific positions (such as between words or characters) and serve as preliminary markers that enable later tracking and control of copied text, allowing the system to maintain control over electronic distributions while preserving fast digital accessibility
2Ease of manufacture
If optical recognition technology is used to create electronic copies, then copying capability is improved, but detection of unauthorized copying becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital representation of the physical document by scanning or photographing it, then processes this image to extract text and identify the embedded code. The system converts optical information into digital data that can be analyzed for the presence of unique identification codes, enabling detection of copies created through optical recognition while maintaining ease of copying
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary processing step that bridges optical scanning and digital analysis. The system first converts the scanned image into text data through OCR or similar technology, then searches this intermediate text representation for the unique identification code. This intermediary approach enables detection of optically-created copies without requiring direct comparison of image files
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive text monitoring is implemented, then detection accuracy is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential identifying feature (the unique code) from the entire text content for comparison purposes. Instead of analyzing the full text passage, the system isolates and compares just the embedded identification code, which dramatically reduces processing time and computational resources while maintaining high detection accuracy for identifying copied text
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining whether portions of text have been copied during electronic copying, photocopying, or scanning of a document. The method comprises generating a target code from a target passage of the text, determining whether a sample passage of text includes the target code, and, upon successful determination, initiating an action if the sample passage of text includes the target code. A method of generating a code representative of a passage of text uses a spacing between respective occurrences of one or more key symbol strings within the text. By comparing the known code of a target text passage with the code generated from a sample text passage, it is easy to determine whether the target text has been used within the sample. The method may be integrated within a copying device.