EP4026053A1

EP4026053A1 - Improved authentication method

Info

Publication number: EP4026053A1
Application number: EP20781045.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franck Guigan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-09-07
Filing date: 2020-08-13
Publication date: 2022-07-13
Also published as: WO2021044082A1

Abstract

The photographic acquisition method known as "killing the ambient light" and consisting of calculating the difference between two acquisitions of the same scene is known, particularly when it is applied to authentication by an authentication device equipped with a means, termed a marker, allowing the position to be determined in three dimensions, in which the photographic acquisition means are located, one under a given lighting and the other with an additional lighting. The change in lighting conditions must be carried out at the fastest possible pace, so that the acquisition device does not move between the two successive shots even if it is held in the hand, and so that the scene does not have time to change either. For this, an image is acquired as soon as the modification of the lighting conditions enables this marker to be recognised.

Description

Title of the invention: Improved authentication method Technical field

The invention is a secure method for authenticating documents comprising a marking whose appearance changes depending on the point of view from which they are observed or depending on the lighting conditions.

Prior art

The method consisting in taking two photographs with and without flash, to make the difference in order to “kill the ambient light”, has been known for a long time. Bryan Peterson's book "Flash Photography", first published in 1952 and republished in 2011, discusses how to "kill ambient light" by subtracting a non-flash photograph from a flash photograph.

[0003] Patent US20080158258A1 of December 27, 2006 (David B. Lazarus [US] and John D. Ogden [US] - General Instrument Corporation) discloses a method comprising the acquisition of a plurality of digital images at least two different lighting levels from a controlled light source, and analyzing the plurality of digital images to obtain an image representing the lighting contribution provided by the controlled light source.

[0004] Patent US7590344B2 of September 15, 2009 (Georg Petschnigg [US] -

Microsoft) describes a process for improving images taken with flash, consisting of acquiring a first image captured with flash and ambient light, then a second image, corresponding to the first image, captured with ambient light, and using the first image and the second image to create a third image with flash only,

We know the patent WO2012136902 and WO2019141915A1 of Franck Guigan [FR] which respectively describe a marking authentication method whose appearance changes according to the point of view from which they are observed or according to the lighting, and a method authentication of a marking of this type by comparing its appearance from one point of view to one of the known descriptions chosen as being established from a point of view among the closest to this point of view.

Technical problem

[0006] Numerous authentication methods exist which consist in acquiring a security marking visually, successively according to several different points of view, and even from several different points of view. The main advantage of such markings is that they are more difficult to reproduce or forge than markings which appear to be unique regardless of the point of view from which one is viewed. observe them or whatever the lighting.

When taking two successive photographs under several different lighting conditions, with a device held in the hand, for example one being taken under ambient lighting and the other with an additional light source, it It is difficult to obtain two images representing exactly the same scene, either because the acquisition means has moved, or because the scene has changed between the two acquisitions.

When an additional acquisition is then carried out from a different point of view, a way of bypassing the authentication method has been devised which consists in carrying out two acquisitions of the marking each corresponding to a different point of view, instead to carry out two acquisitions of the same marking.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to solve these two problems.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be well understood, and other aims, advantages and characteristics thereof will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows, which is illustrated by Figures 1 and 2.

[0011] [fig.1] is the comparison between - on the left - a photograph taken in ambient light and - on the right - a photograph taken in ambient light with an additional light source which is the flash of the acquisition means.

[0012] [fig.2] shows - on the left - the result of the operation of subtracting the acquisition in ambient light from the acquisition carried out under ambient light and an additional light source. This so-called differential image represents the effect of the flash, which can also be understood as the calculation of the image after having "killed the ambient light", and - on the right - the differential image calculated with the same method as that used for calculate the image on the left, but in the case where the acquisition means have been moved between the two acquisitions made with and without an additional light source. The image on the left is the reference, which could also have been obtained by taking a photograph with only additional lighting, and the one on the right has many defects which have the consequence that it is not representative of this reference. and therefore does not allow the authentication device to be authenticated. As for the image of FIG. 1, the marker is the periphery of the printed marking, which deforms according to the perspective, and whose analysis allows the computer to calculate the position of the acquisition means with respect to the authentication device.

Disclosure of the invention

The present invention is an authentication method comprising, with a photographic acquisition means provided with a computer, two photographic acquisitions of an optical authentication device comprising a characteristic marking and a so-called marker means allowing said computer to determine by optical means the point of view under which said photographic acquisition means sees said authentication device, both acquisitions being made under two different lighting conditions, characterized in that the second acquisition is made less than one second after said computer has succeeded in recognizing said marker after the modification of the lighting conditions.

Detailed description of the invention

[0014] In a preferred embodiment described in the aforementioned documents WO2012136902 and WO2019141915A1, two acquisitions are made under two different lighting conditions, and a so-called differential image is calculated by subtraction.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, one of the lighting conditions is ambient lighting and the other additionally includes additional lighting. In this case, the differential image represents the scene illuminated by the additional lighting only, and it is this image that we compare with a reference image made under the additional lighting only.

The present invention consists in acquiring the two images at a rate fast enough so that the framing of the acquisition of the marking and the point of view under which it is seen by the acquisition means have not changed too much between the two shots according to the two successive lighting conditions, while ensuring that the computer can recognize the marker and deduce therefrom the position of the photographic acquisition means relative to the authentication device. The second acquisition should be made quickly, less than a second after the computer has successfully recognized the marker after changing the lighting conditions, but advantageously, it is started as soon as the computer has successfully recognized this marker. after changing the lighting conditions.

According to a first mode of implementation, we manually choose a shutter speed / lens aperture pair such that an image is obtained under the two lighting conditions which makes it possible to analyze the acquisition of the marker to deduce therefrom the position of the acquisition means relative to the marking. In this case, the two acquisitions can be performed in as short an interval of time as desired.

[0018] The preferred method for achieving this consists in carrying out a first acquisition under a first lighting condition, and one or more additional acquisitions after having varied the shutter speed and / or the lens aperture as far as. 'so that the computer can no longer determine the position of the acquisition means relative to the marking under the second lighting condition. We then chooses a shutter speed / lens aperture pair located below this limit, making it possible to determine this position under this first lighting condition. We then go to the second lighting condition to verify that the computer can still, with the same shutter speed and the same lens aperture, determine the position of the acquisition means with respect to the marking.

[0019] It is not necessary for the two acquisitions to be made one when the additional lighting is fully on and the other when it is fully off. It suffices that there is a difference in the intensity of this additional lighting between the two acquisitions so that we can calculate the differential image representing the scene illuminated by the additional lighting alone.

This first mode of implementation is not always possible because many cameras automatically adjust the shutter speed and / or the aperture of the lens depending on the lighting conditions, and do not allow manual adjustment of shutter speed and / or lens aperture.

[0021] A second mode of implementation consists in this case of additional lighting being switched on intermittently at a rate greater than one cycle per second while photographic acquisitions are made. This has the effect that the acquisition means does not have time to modify its settings too strongly between acquisitions made with and without additional lighting. Successive photographic acquisitions can be done at a very rapid pace. Such intermittent lighting is moreover compatible with the first mode of implementation described above.

It is advantageous in this case to start switching on the additional lighting intermittently before taking the first of the two shots, to prevent the automatic adjustment from being able to correspond to the light conditions corresponding to a first shot with or without additional lighting, but is already done according to an average value between the light conditions with and without additional lighting.

The present invention also relates to an authentication method consisting in establishing according to one or the other of the implementations described above a description called a subsequent 2D description of an authentication device and in comparing it with a description called a 2D reference description of the authentication device, the subsequent 2D description being established from a point of view close to that used to establish the reference 2D description. It thus makes it possible to improve not only the methods described in the aforementioned patent WO2012136902, but also those described in WO2019141915A1, according to which several reference descriptions made from different locations are established, in order to compare a subsequent description with the reference 2D description established since the point of view closest to the one used to establish the subsequent 2D description.

The author of the present invention has devised a fraud method which consists in making two images one representing the view of the authentication device from a first point of view or under a first lighting condition, and the 'other the view of the same authentication device according to a second point of view or under a second lighting condition, and to present to the acquisition means responsible for the authentication operation the two images one after the other. These two images are very easy to reproduce or falsify, and it becomes easy to pretend that we have the original when they are two reproductions which may for example be photographic.

[0025] None of the methods offered on the market seems to be suspicious of this method of fraud and to have provided a solution to it. This represents a considerable risk, especially when these authentication devices are used to identify people online, or to authenticate payment methods such as credit cards online.

In order to prevent fraudsters from using this method, an improvement of the present invention consists in that the method according to the invention comprises a step of verifying that the two successive acquisitions indeed relate to the same device. authentication.

Several versions of implementations of this improvement are proposed.

According to a first version of the implementation of this improvement, the authentication method comprises verifying that all or part of the authentication device is seen by the acquisition means between two acquisitions.

Verifying that all or part of the authentication device is seen by the acquisition means is advantageously completed by verifying that it is only seen in a single copy. This verification consists in verifying that one does not simultaneously see two parts of the authentication device which are juxtaposed in a way showing that they are not the same authentication device.

This verification can be carried out randomly. Since the forger cannot predict when this verification will take place, it becomes very risky to use the fraud method that the present invention seeks to prevent.

It is in fact not necessary to see the entire authentication device, it suffices to verify that a peerage of this authentication device is clearly visible and that we do not simultaneously see any part of a another authentication device, to make sure that the fraudster could not replace the authentication device with two images representing its appearance from two different points of view or according to two different lighting conditions.

Advantageously, the method comprises such a check at least every half a second. The method can also include checking that all or part of the authentication device is seen by the acquisition means for all the images successively acquired by it, and that the position of the authentication device in the entire series of the images acquired is consistent with the change in point of view and / or lighting

[0034] According to a second implementation version of this improvement, it is verified that the authentication device has not been replaced by an electronic display screen, successively displaying two appearances of the authentication device. Three methods are proposed to achieve this.

The first consists in modifying the lighting conditions between two successive acquisitions to verify that the acquired image is indeed modified in the way in which the authentication device changes appearance depending on the variation in the lighting conditions. considered.

The second consists in making successive acquisitions with a short opening time of the objective, so as to detect changes in appearance characteristic of an electronic display screen which does not continuously display the values. images but according to a refreshing rhythm of its own. Advantageously, this opening time is less than the refresh rate of the most common display screens, that is to say one fiftieth of a second, but the shorter this opening time, the better. is.

The third consists in modifying between two acquisitions the distance between the acquisition means and the image to be acquired to cause moiré patterns, because the latter are characteristic of the screening resolution of the authentication device, which is the most often very different from that of the electronic display screen.

In general, several successive photographic acquisitions can be obtained by analyzing a video acquisition.

Applications

A particularly interesting use from an economic point of view is that in which the appearance of all or part of an object or a document is compared to see if this object or document is indeed the one which was originally photographed and registered.

[0040] There are therefore many applications on the one hand in the fight against counterfeiting, gray markets and smuggling, and on the other hand in the fight against false documents and copies of works of art. The main target markets are therefore the packaging of products and their instructions, passports and identity cards, driving licenses and in general all documents liable to be falsified, as well as the markings used for security. card payments and face-to-face or online identification of individuals.

Claims

[Claim 1] Authentication method comprising, with a photographic acquisition means equipped with a computer, two successive photographic acquisitions of an optical authentication device comprising a characteristic marking and a so-called marker means allowing said computer to determining by optical means the point of view under which said photographic acquisition means sees said authentication device, the two acquisitions being made under two different lighting conditions, characterized in that the second acquisition is made less than one second after said computer has successfully recognized said marker after the change in lighting conditions.

[Claim 2] An authentication method according to claim 1 characterized in that said second acquisition is initiated as soon as said computer has succeeded in recognizing said marker after the modification of said lighting conditions.

[Claim 3] Authentication method according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that one chooses a shutter speed / lens aperture pair such that an image is obtained under the two lighting conditions. which makes it possible to analyze the acquisition of said marker in order to deduce therefrom the position of the acquisition means with respect to said marking.

[Claim 4] An authentication method according to claim 3, characterized in that a first acquisition is carried out under a first lighting condition, and one or more additional acquisitions after having varied the shutter speed and / or the lens aperture until said computer can no longer determine the position of said acquisition means with respect to said marking under the second lighting condition, in order to choose a shutter speed / aperture pair d target below this limit.

[Claim 5] An authentication method according to claim 4, characterized in that it is then verified that said computer can always, with the same shutter speed and the same lens aperture, determine the position of said means of acquisition with respect to said marking under the second lighting condition.

[Claim 6] Authentication method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two acquisitions are made with a difference in the intensity of additional lighting between the two acquisitions.

[Claim 7] An authentication method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that additional lighting is switched on intermittently at a rate greater than one cycle per second while photographic acquisitions are being made.

[Claim 8] An authentication method according to claim 7 characterized in that said additional lighting is switched on intermittently before making the first photographic acquisition.

[Claim 9] Authentication method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an additional photographic acquisition of said authentication device, made from a different point of view, characterized in that it comprises a step of verifying that two successive acquisitions indeed relate to the same authentication device.

[Claim 10] An authentication method according to claim 9, characterized in that said verification step comprises verifying that all or part of said authentication device is indeed seen by the acquisition means between two acquisitions.

[Claim 11] An authentication method according to claim 10, characterized in that said verification step comprises verifying that said authentication device is only seen in a single copy

[Claim 12] An authentication method according to claim 9, characterized in that said verification step comprises verifying that the authentication device has not been replaced by an electronic display screen, successively displaying two appearances of the authentication device.

[Claim 13] Authentication method according to claim 12, characterized in that the lighting conditions are modified between two successive acquisitions in order to verify that the acquired image is indeed modified in the way in which the device of. authentication changes appearance depending on the lighting variation considered.

[Claim 14] An authentication method according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises successive acquisitions with an objective opening time of less than one fiftieth of a second.

[Claim 15] An authentication method according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises the modification between two acquisitions of the distance between the acquisition means and the image to be acquired.