Variable Print Data Hash Verification Without Personal Information
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for verifying the validity of variable PDF files in variable printing are inefficient and pose a security risk due to the need for personal information, which can lead to data leakage, and fail to accurately detect layout errors.
Innovation Solution
A method involving hash value calculation on a first computer to generate a variable PDF file and a separate second computer to inspect the file without using personal information, ensuring the hash values match to verify data validity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional verification methods using personal information are used to verify variable PDF files, then verification can be performed, but security risk increases due to data leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary verification information (hash values, layout data, variable data) from the original personal information data, separating verification needs from sensitive personal data. This allows verification to be performed without handling actual personal information, thus eliminating data leakage risk while maintaining verification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hash values as an intermediary element that represents personal information without being the personal information itself. The verification system uses these hash values as mediators to compare and validate data integrity without exposing actual personal data, thus resolving the contradiction between verification needs and security concerns.
2Reliability
If visual comparison methods are used to verify variable PDF files, then verification can be performed, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual comparison methods with automated computer-based hash value comparison. Instead of mechanically performing visual inspection by human operators, the system uses computational algorithms to automatically compare hash values and layout data, dramatically reducing verification time while maintaining high accuracy through systematic automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the verification parameter from subjective visual assessment to objective hash value comparison. By transforming verification into a parameter-based computational task (comparing hash values and layout coordinates), the system achieves both high accuracy and efficiency, eliminating the time-consuming nature of visual methods.
3Reliability
If conventional verification methods are used, then verification can be performed, but layout errors cannot be accurately detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary extraction and hashing of layout data and variable data during the PDF generation process. By pre-processing and storing hash values of layout information and variable data separately, the system enables precise error detection during verification, as any layout error or data mismatch will result in hash value differences that can be accurately identified.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the verification process into distinct components: layout data verification (using layout hash values) and variable data verification (using variable data hash values). This segmentation allows precise detection of specific error types (layout errors vs. data errors) independently, improving measurement precision for layout error detection while maintaining comprehensive verification capability.
Data Source
AI summary
On a PDF generation side, for each record, variable data of a used field is extracted from a variable data file, and a first hash value is calculated according to a predetermined calculation rule. Furthermore, on the PDF generation side, the variable data of the used field in the variable data file is placed on a corresponding page to generate a print data file. Thereafter, on an inspection side, the variable data is extracted from the print data file to calculate a second hash value according to the predetermined calculation rule, and whether or not the second hash value matches the first hash value calculated on the PDF generation side is inspected.