Patent Description:
Recently, public certificates including a face photograph such as a driver's license and a passport are gradually changed from paper media to digital data. With the digitization of the public certificate, it is necessary to confirm that the digitized public certificate is real, i.e., not a counterfeit. Patent Document <NUM> discloses a technique for recognizing characters, symbols, or the like by OCR process from the image data of a driver's license, and performing authenticity determination of the certificate based on whether or not the recognized characters and symbols conform to a predetermined rule.

Further document <CIT> discloses a method for authenticating at least one document having a predetermined format and carrying at least one security pattern of appearance that varies as a function of an angle of observation, the method comprising the steps of: capturing at least one image of the document; determining a camera angle by comparing geometric characteristics detected in the document and stored predetermined geometric characteristics; deducing an expected appearance for the security pattern; comparing the expected appearance with an appearance detected in the image of the document; and declaring the document authentic when the expected appearance matches the detected appearance.

The technique of Patent Document <NUM> performs the authenticity determination of the certificate based on the extracted characters and symbols or the like from the image data of the certificate. Therefore, even when a color copy of the certificate or a photographed image of the certificate displayed on another terminal device is used, the authenticity determination results in true if the extracted characters and symbols conform to the predetermined rule.

One object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device capable of determining the authenticity of the certificate even when the information included in the certificate coincide. According to the invention an information processing device is defined in claim <NUM> and an alternative device is defined in claim <NUM>. In claims <NUM> and <NUM> related information processing methods are defined.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device comprising:.

According to another example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method comprising:.

According to still another example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program, the program causing a computer to execute:.

According to the present disclosure, even when the information included in the certificate coincide, it is possible to determine the authenticity of the certificate.

Preferred example embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following example embodiments, it is assumed that a public certificate of a paper medium such as a driver's license or a passport is photographed by a user using his or her smartphone or tablet terminal (hereinafter, referred to as "terminal device") and is registered in a public certificate application installed in the terminal device or the like.

It is conceivable that a malicious user gets a color copy of another person's public certificate and tries to register it with his own terminal device. Further, as another method, it is considered that a malicious user acquires image data of a public certificate of another person, electronically displays it on a tablet terminal or the like, and tries to register the displayed image with his or her own terminal device by photographing it. In these cases, since the information contained in the acquired color copy or image data is the same as the real certificate, it is not possible to determine the authenticity based on the information obtained from the image data of the certificate.

Therefore, in the following example embodiments, it is determined whether the photographed certificate is true or false based on the appearance of the certificate in the image photographed by the terminal device. That is, the authenticity of the certificate is determined in consideration of the fact that the appearance of the certificate in the photographed image becomes different between the case where a real certificate is photographed by the terminal device used for registration and the case where a color copy or an image displayed on another terminal is photographed.

Next, a terminal device according to the first example embodiment will be described.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the terminal device. The terminal device <NUM> is a terminal device of a user and includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a camera <NUM>, a light <NUM>, a recording medium <NUM>, a database (DB) <NUM>, a display unit <NUM>, and an input unit <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> is a computer such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and controls the entire terminal device <NUM> by executing a program prepared in advance. In particular, the processor <NUM> performs certificate digitization processing to be described later.

The memory <NUM> may be a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory <NUM> stores various programs executed by the processor <NUM>. The memory <NUM> is also used as a working memory during various processing performed by the processor <NUM>.

The camera <NUM> is provided in the terminal device, and generates a photographed image of the certificate to be digitized. The light <NUM> is a flashlight or the like provided in the terminal device, and is used to illuminate the certificate at the time of photographing.

The recording medium <NUM> is a non-volatile and non-transitory recording medium such as a disk-like recording medium and a semiconductor memory and is configured to be detachable from the terminal device <NUM>. The recording medium <NUM> records various programs to be executed by the processor <NUM>.

The DB <NUM> stores the photographed image of the certificate generated by the camera <NUM>. Further, the digital data of the certificate determined to be authentic by the terminal device <NUM> is stored in the DB <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> is a liquid crystal panel or the like provided in the terminal device, and displays the image of the certificate photographed by the camera <NUM> and an operation screen for registering the certificate with the terminal device. The input unit <NUM> is a button provided in the terminal device or a touch panel integrated with the display unit <NUM>. Necessary instructions and inputs are made by the user to the input unit <NUM> at the time of executing the certificate digitization processing.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the terminal device <NUM> according to the first example embodiment. The terminal device <NUM> functionally includes an image photographing unit <NUM>, a ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM>, a reflection area extraction unit <NUM>, a determination unit <NUM>, and a registration unit <NUM>.

The image photographing unit <NUM> controls the camera <NUM> and the light <NUM> on the basis of an instruction of a user to photograph a certificate. In the first example embodiment, it is assumed that the image photographing unit <NUM> drives the light <NUM> and photographs the certificate in a state that an illumination light is irradiated on the certificate. <FIG> shows an example of a photographed image. The photographed image <NUM> includes a ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate in part. Although details will be described later, the photographed image <NUM> shown in <FIG> is an image photographed in a state irradiated with the illumination light, and the reflected light <NUM> of the illumination light is captured. The image photographing unit <NUM> outputs the photographed image <NUM> to the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM>.

The ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> specifies the position of the ticket surface of the certificate from the photographed image <NUM> of the certificate. The "ticket surface" is a front surface or a back surface of the certificate. The ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> performs an image recognition process on the photographed image <NUM>, and extracts the position of the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate from the photographed image <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Specifically, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> specifies the position of the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate using template matching or a local feature value (such as a Scale-Invariant Feature Transform algorithm). For example, as a preprocessing, a template of the certificate is prepared in advance, and the local feature values are extracted from the template. Next, among the extracted local feature values, regions where information is not fixed in the ticket surface of the certificate, such as name, address, and ticket surface photograph, are excluded. That is, the local feature values of the region common to all persons in the certificate are prepared as the local feature values of the template. In an actual processing, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> extracts the local feature values from the photographed image <NUM>, checks them with the local feature values of the template, and specifies the position of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image <NUM>. At this time, since the local feature values such as the name and the face photograph are excluded from the local feature values of the template, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> can accurately specify the position of the ticket surface <NUM>. The ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> outputs the position of the ticket surface <NUM> to the reflection area extraction unit <NUM>.

The reflection area extraction unit <NUM> extracts the reflected light <NUM> present in the range of the ticket surface <NUM>. Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, the reflection area extraction unit <NUM> binarizes the image of the area of the ticket surface <NUM> by a predetermined threshold value, and determines the area where the luminance value is equal to or larger than the threshold value as the reflected light <NUM>. Then, the reflection area extraction unit <NUM> approximate the region of the reflected light <NUM>, i.e., the area where the luminance is equal to or larger than the threshold value, by a circle or ellipse as shown in <FIG>, and extracts the area as the reflection area <NUM>. The reflection area extraction unit <NUM> can extract the contour of the reflected light <NUM> by using a method of image processing such as contour extraction and circumscribed rectangle extraction. The reflection area extraction unit <NUM> outputs the extracted reflection area <NUM> to the determination unit <NUM>. Incidentally, since the reflection area extraction unit <NUM> extracts the reflection area <NUM> within the area of the ticket surface <NUM>, it is possible to exclude the reflected light from the outside of the area of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image, e.g., the reflected light generated by the desk or the like on which a certificate is placed at the time of photographing.

The determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the photographed certificate based on the appearance of the reflected light <NUM> included in the photographed image, and outputs the determination result to the registration unit <NUM>. Specifically, the determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the certificate by one of the following methods.

The determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the certificate by comparing the average of the luminance values of the pixels in the reflection area <NUM> with a predetermined threshold value. <FIG> show the relationship between the photographed image of the certificate taken with the illumination light, and the reflected light. <FIG> shows the photographed image of a real driver's license, <FIG> shows the photographed image of a driver's license displayed on a tablet or the like, and <FIG> shows the photographed image of a color copy of a driver's license. Since the real driver's license is glossy to some extent on the ticket surface, the reflected light <NUM> of the illumination light appears in the photographed image as shown in <FIG>. Since a display surface of a tablet or the like is smooth and highly reflective, when the photographed image of the driver's license is displayed on a tablet or the like, the reflected light <NUM> is more reflected and brighter than that in the case of the real certificate, as shown in <FIG>. On the other hand, although depending on the paper to be used, since the ticket surface of the general paper is rough and less reflective, the reflected light does not appear or becomes considerably small even if it appears in the photographed image of the color copy, as shown in <FIG>.

The determination unit <NUM> calculates the average luminance value I in the reflection area <NUM> and compares it with a predetermined threshold Th<NUM> and Th<NUM>. By preliminary experimentation and the like, the thresholds Th<NUM> and Th<NUM> are predetermined such that the average luminance I of the real certificate satisfies the relation Th<NUM><I<Th<NUM>. The determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is true when the average luminance value I calculated from the photographed images satisfies the relation Th<NUM><I<Th<NUM>. When the average luminance value I satisfies I ≦ Th<NUM>, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is a false one such as a color copy, because the reflected light is too dark. Further, when the average luminance value I satisfies I ≧ Th<NUM>, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is a false one such as an image displayed on a tablet or the like, because the reflected light is too bright. Thus, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate using the intensity of the reflected light. While the determination unit <NUM> uses the average luminance value I of the pixels in the reflection area <NUM> in the above example, the determination unit <NUM> may use other statistical value such as a maximum value, a minimum value, and a median instead. When using other statistical value, the thresholds Th<NUM> and Th<NUM> may be adjusted accordingly.

The determination unit <NUM> can perform the authenticity determination of the certificate using the area of the reflection area <NUM>. As described with reference to <FIG>, as compared to the reflection area <NUM> of the real certificate, the reflection area <NUM> of the certificate image displayed on a tablet or the like is large, and the reflection area <NUM> of the color copy of the certificate is small. Therefore, by preliminary experimentation or the like, the thresholds ThA1 and ThA2 are predetermined such that the area S of the reflective area <NUM> of the real certificate satisfies the relation ThA1<S<ThA2. At the time of actual determination, when the area S of the reflection area <NUM> calculated from the photographed images satisfies the relation ThA1<S<ThA2, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is true. When the area S of the reflection area <NUM> satisfies the relation S ≦ ThA1, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is a false one such as a color copy. Further, when the area S of the reflective area <NUM> satisfies the relation S ≧ ThA2, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is a false one such as an image displayed on a tablet or the like. Thus, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate using the area of the reflection area <NUM>.

The shape and texture of the reflected light extracted are different between the case where the certificate is real and the case where the certificate is an image displayed on a tablet or the like. When the photographed certificate is a real certificate, the reflected light <NUM> tends to have jags or luminance variation on its outer periphery as shown in <FIG>. In contrast, when the photographed certificate is an image displayed on the tablet, the reflected light <NUM> has less jags or luminance variation at its outer periphery, and an outer shape of the reflected light <NUM> is close to a circle or ellipse as shown in <FIG>. Therefore, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate based on the shape and texture of the reflected light <NUM>.

The outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image varies depending on the inclination of the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate. When photographed by the camera <NUM> from a direction directly facing the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate, the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> is rectangular. On the other hand, when photographed by the camera <NUM> from a three-dimensionally oblique direction with respect to the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate, the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image becomes a distorted shape such as a trapezoid or a diamond. Therefore, based on the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image, it is possible to calculate the three-dimensional inclination of the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate. Further, since the camera <NUM> and the light <NUM> are respectively provided at a fixed position in the terminal device such as a smartphone, the three-dimensional positional relationship between the photographing direction by the camera <NUM> and the direction of the illumination light by the light <NUM> is known for each smartphone. Therefore, the three-dimensional positional relationship between the photographing direction by the camera <NUM> and the direction of the illumination light by the light <NUM> are stored in advance in association with the type of the smartphone, for example.

Based on the positional relationship between the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate and the direction of the illumination light by the light <NUM>, the determination unit <NUM> predicts the position in the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate where the reflected light <NUM> appears when a real certificate is photographed by the camera <NUM>, and can calculate the range where the reflected light <NUM> is predicted to appear (hereinafter, referred to as "prediction range". Then, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the photographed certificate is true when the position of the reflected light <NUM> in the photographed image belongs to the above-described prediction range, and determines that the photographed certificate is false when the position of the reflected light <NUM> in the photographed image does not belong to the prediction range. Thus, the determination unit <NUM> can determine that the certificate is false, if the reflected light <NUM> exists in such a position that cannot occur when a real certificate is actually photographed.

The determination unit <NUM> may use a combination of two or more of the above-described methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> to determine the authenticity of the certificate. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> may determine the authenticity of the certificate by two or more of the above-described methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> and may determine a final determination result by integrating those determination results. For example, when the determination results by all the methods coincide, the determination unit <NUM> may use the result as a final determination result. The determination unit <NUM> may determine the final determination result by majority decision of the determination results by plural methods.

If the image photographing unit <NUM> generates a plurality of photographed images by photographing the certificate from different directions, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate using the plurality of photographed images. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> may determine the authenticity of the certificate by any one of the above-described methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> for each photographed image, and determine a final determination result by integrating the determination results. For example, when the determination results of two photographed images indicate that both are true, the determination unit <NUM> may determine the certificate to be true. The determination unit <NUM> may determine the final determination result by majority decision of the determination results of the plurality of photographed images. The image photographing unit <NUM> may capture a video of the certificate while changing the direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate, and extract a plurality of frame images from the video as the plural photographed images.

Further, in the case of using a plurality of photographed images, one image may be photographed with an illumination light, and another image may be photographed without an illumination light or with an illumination light having a luminance value smaller than the one image. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> determines whether or not the intensity of the reflected light changes between the case with the illumination light and the case without the illumination light, or between the case with the illumination light and the case with the illumination light having a smaller luminance value. If there is no large difference in the intensity of the reflected light between the case with the illumination light and the case without the illumination light, or between the case with the illumination light and the case with the illumination light having a smaller luminance value, or if the reflected light is captured even though the image was photographed without the illumination light, the determination unit <NUM> may determine that the certificate is false because there is a possibility that it is not actually photographed.

Furthermore, when plural photographed images are used, the determination unit <NUM> may determine whether or not the certificate exists within the imaging range of the camera <NUM> during the photographing. If a part or the whole of the certificate does not exist in the imaging range during the photographing, the determination unit <NUM> may determine the certificate to be false because there is a possibility that plural certificate images are prepared and replaced.

Returning to <FIG>, the registration unit <NUM> registers the photographed image of the certificate that is determined to be true by the determination unit <NUM> with the DB <NUM>. Thus, the digital data of the certificate determined to be true is registered with the terminal device <NUM>. Instead of registering the photographed image of the certificate that is determined to be true with the DB <NUM>, the registration unit <NUM> may extract information related to the user from the photographed image and register the extracted information with the DB <NUM>. For example, when the certificate is a driver's license, the registration unit <NUM> may extract information unique to the user, such as a name, an address, an expiration date, a driver's license number, and a face image, from the photographed image and register the information with the DB <NUM>. In this instance, when displaying the information of the registered certificate on the display unit <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM> may read out the registered information from the DB <NUM> and insert them into the corresponding portions in the template of the driver's license to generate and display an image of a pseudo driver's license.

<FIG> is a flowchart of certificate digitization processing by the terminal device <NUM> of the first example embodiment. This processing is realized by the processor <NUM> shown in <FIG>, which executes a program prepared in advance and operates as each element shown in <FIG>.

First, the image photographing unit <NUM> photographs a certificate by controlling the camera <NUM> and the light <NUM> on the basis of a user's photographing instruction, and generates a photographed image (step S21). Next, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> performs an image recognition process on the photographed image of the certificate, and specifies the position of the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate (step S22). Next, the reflection area extraction unit <NUM> extracts the reflection area within the area of the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate based on the luminance value of the photographed image (step S23).

Next, the determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the photographed certificate based on the reflection area by any of the methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> described above (step S24). Then, the registration unit <NUM> registers the photographed image of the certificate determined to be true by the determination unit <NUM> with the DB <NUM> (step S25). Then, the certificate digitization processing ends.

Next, description will be given of modified examples of the first example embodiment. The following modified examples can be applied in appropriate combination.

In the above-described example embodiment, the registration unit <NUM> registers the image of the certificate determined to be true with the DB <NUM> as the digital certificate. At this time, the registration unit <NUM> may performs image processing on the photographed image, and register the image with the DB <NUM> after correcting the image of the certificate to the image as photographed from the front. As described in Method <NUM>-<NUM>, the determination unit <NUM> can calculate the three-dimensional inclination of the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate based on the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image. Usually, when the user photographs a certificate by the terminal device <NUM>, it is difficult to photograph by directly facing the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate, and the photographed image often becomes an image photographed from the oblique direction. Therefore, when registering with the DB <NUM>, the registration unit <NUM> corrects the photographed image so that the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> becomes a rectangle and registers the corrected image with the DB <NUM>. Thus, when the registered image is used as a digital certificate thereafter, it is possible to display an image of distortion-free rectangular certificate.

When the user photographs an image of the certificate with the camera <NUM> of the terminal device <NUM>, the guide information may be presented so that the user can easily operate. Since the reflected light may not appear in the photographed image depending on the angle of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate, it is necessary to tilt the terminal device <NUM> at an appropriate angle with respect to the certificate at the time of photographing. Therefore, the terminal device <NUM> calculates the three-dimensional inclination of the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate based on the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image as described above, and outputs the guide information so as to guide the angle of the camera <NUM> to the appropriate angle. For example, the terminal device <NUM> may display an arrow or the like indicating the direction to tilt the camera <NUM> on the display unit <NUM>. The terminal device <NUM> may display a message such as "Tilt slightly to the right" on the display unit <NUM> or output the message by voice.

When a smartphone or the like is used as the terminal device <NUM>, information of the acceleration sensor may be used. By using the output of the acceleration sensor, it is possible to determine whether or not the user is actually photographing. For example, it is assumed that the certificate is placed on a horizontal desk or the like and photographed from above. As described above, the terminal device <NUM> can calculate the three-dimensional inclination of the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate based on the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image. On the other hand, it is possible to detect the inclination of the terminal device from the output of the acceleration sensor of the terminal device <NUM>. Therefore, the terminal device <NUM> compares the inclination of the terminal device calculated from the photographed image with the inclination of the terminal device calculated from the output of the acceleration sensor. When they are not within a predetermined range, the terminal device <NUM> may judge that there is a possibility that the photographing is not actually performed, and may determine the certificate to be false or cancel the digitization processing itself.

According to the invention, instead of assuming that the certificate is placed in a horizontal position, the certificate may be photographed from two different direction. In this case, the terminal device <NUM> calculates the inclination of the terminal device with respect to the certificate from each of the first photographed image and the second photographed image, and calculates the difference. Further, the terminal device <NUM> calculates the inclination of the terminal device from the output of the acceleration sensor at the time of photographing the first photographed image and the second photographed image, and calculates the difference. Then, the terminal device <NUM> compares the difference in the inclination of the terminal device calculated from the photographed image with the difference in the inclination of the terminal device calculated from the output of the acceleration sensor. When they are not within a predetermined range, the terminal device <NUM> may judge that there is a possibility that the photographing is not actually performed, and may determine the certificate to be false or cancel the digitization processing itself.

Next, description will be given of a terminal device according to the second example embodiment not according to the invention. In the second example embodiment, the authenticity of the certificate is determined based on the appearance of the hologram pattern provided in the certificate. In the following description, an example of a hologram pattern will be described. However, it is possible to apply the second example embodiment similarly to an optical pattern using a technique other than hologram.

The hardware configuration of the terminal device according to the second example embodiment is the same as the first example embodiment shown in <FIG>. Therefore, the description thereof will be omitted.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a terminal device <NUM> according to the second example embodiment. The terminal device <NUM> includes an image photographing unit <NUM>, a ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM>, a hologram pattern extraction unit <NUM>, a determination unit <NUM>, and a registration unit <NUM>. Since the image photographing unit <NUM>, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM>, and the registration unit <NUM> are basically the same as the image photographing unit <NUM>, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM>, and the registration unit <NUM> of the first example embodiment, the description thereof will not be repeated.

The hologram pattern extraction unit <NUM> extracts hologram patterns existing in the range of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image <NUM> of the certificate. <FIG> schematically shows an example of the hologram patterns. Hologram patterns are formed on a certificate such as a passport. Usually, the hologram pattern is formed so that the position, the pattern (shape), and the color are different depending on the angle that the user sees. In the example of <FIG>, when the user views from a certain angle, one hologram pattern 96a and two hologram patterns 96b are visible as shown in the face image 95a. Also, when the user views from another angle, one hologram pattern 96a and two hologram patterns 96c are visible as shown in the face image 95b. The hologram pattern extraction unit <NUM> extracts the hologram patterns appearing in the photographed image <NUM> of the certificate generated by the certificate image photographing unit <NUM>, and outputs them to the determination unit <NUM>.

The determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the photographed certificate based on the appearance of the hologram patterns on the ticket surface of the certificate, and outputs the determination result to the registration unit <NUM>. Specifically, the determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the certificate by the following methods.

The determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate based on the presence or absence of the hologram pattern. Since the hologram pattern is present in the real certificate, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the certificate to be false if there is no hologram pattern on the ticket surface <NUM> of the photographed image.

In some cases, the hologram pattern to be used is determined in advance depending on the certificate. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate based on whether or not the hologram patterns extracted from the photographed image coincide with the hologram patterns determined in advance. For example, it is assumed that three hologram patterns 96a to 96c illustrated in <FIG> are used in a certain certificate. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the certificate to be false if the hologram pattern other than the hologram patterns 96a to 96c is included in the photographed image <NUM>.

In addition, there may be a case where a plurality of hologram patterns that must be used in the certificate is determined in advance. For example, it is assumed that each of the three hologram patterns 96a to 96c illustrated in <FIG> must be used in a certain certificate. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> determines the certificate to be true when the hologram patterns extracted from the photographed image includes all three hologram patterns 96a to 96c, and determines the certificate to be false when at least one of the three patterns 96a to 96c is missing.

In addition, there may a case where the type and position of the hologram pattern used in the certificate are determined in advance. For example, it is predetermined as a rule that the hologram pattern 96a illustrated in <FIG> is provided on the left side of the face in the face image and the hologram pattern 96b is provided on the right side of the face. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> determines the certificate to be true when the hologram patterns extracted from the photographed image match the above rule, and determines the certificate to be false when the hologram patterns do not match the above rule.

Incidentally, the determination unit <NUM> can determine whether or not the type of the hologram is consistent by calculating the degree of coincidence between the feature values using the above-described local feature value (SIFT, etc.), for example. Further, when the type of the hologram pattern, the number of hologram patterns to be used, or the position where the hologram pattern is provided is predetermined as a rule as described above, the information indicating the rule may be stored as hologram pattern information in the DB <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

Like the method <NUM>-<NUM> in the first example embodiment (method using the position of the reflected light), the determination unit <NUM> may determine the authenticity of the certificate based on whether the hologram pattern exists within a predetermined range of the ticket surface <NUM>. Specifically, the determination unit <NUM> can predict the the position in the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate where the hologram patter <NUM> appears, based on the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate, when the camera <NUM> is photographing a real certificate, and calculate the predicted range in which the hologram pattern <NUM> is predicted to appear. Then, the determination unit <NUM> determines the photographed certificate to be true when the position of the hologram pattern <NUM> in the actual photographed image belongs to the above predicted range, and determines the photographed certificate to be false when the position of the hologram pattern <NUM> does not belong to the predicted range.

The determination unit <NUM> may use a combination of two or more of the above-described methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> to determine the authenticity of the certificate. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the certificate by two or more of the above-described methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>, and determine a final determination result by integrating those determination results. In this case, when the determination results by all methods coincide, the determination unit <NUM> may use it as a final determination result. The determination unit <NUM> may determine the final determination result by majority decision of the determination results by a plurality of methods.

When the image photographing unit <NUM> generates a plurality of photographed images by photographing the certificate from different directions, the determination unit <NUM> can determine the authenticity of the certificate using a plurality of photographed images. In this case, the determination unit <NUM> may determine the authenticity of the certificate by any one of the above-described methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> for each photographed image, and determine a final determination result by integrating the plural determination results. For example, when the determination results of two photographed images indicates that both are true, the determination unit <NUM> may determine the certificate to be true. The determination unit <NUM> may determine the final determination result by majority decision of the determination results of the plurality of photographed images.

The image photographing unit <NUM> may shoot a video of the certificate while changing the direction of the camera <NUM> relative to the certificate and extract a plurality of frame images of the video as the photographed images. When using a hologram pattern, there is such a characteristic that the type, the position, the color or the like of the hologram pattern change in accordance with the angle of viewing the certificate as described above. Therefore, it is particularly effective to perform determination using a plurality of photographed images taken from different angles.

<FIG> is a flowchart of certificate digitization processing by the terminal device <NUM> of the second example embodiment. This processing is realized by the processor <NUM> shown in <FIG>, which executes a program prepared in advance and operates as the elements shown in <FIG>.

First, the image photographing unit <NUM> controls the camera <NUM> to photograph a certificate based on the user's photographing instruction, and generates a photographed image (step S31). Next, the ticket surface position specifying unit <NUM> performs an image recognition process on the photographed image of the certificate, and specifies the position of the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate (step S32). Next, the hologram pattern extraction unit <NUM> extracts a hologram pattern using a local feature value or the like in the area of the ticket surface <NUM> of the certificate (step S33).

Next, the determination unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the photographed certificate based on the extracted hologram pattern by any of the methods <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> described above (step S34). Then, the registration unit <NUM> registers the photographed image of the certificate, which is determined to be true by the determination unit <NUM>, with the DB <NUM> (step S35). Then, the certificate digitization processing ends.

Next, description will be given of modified examples of the second example embodiment. The following modified examples can be applied in appropriate combination.

Similarly to the modified example <NUM>-<NUM> of the first example embodiment, when registering the image of the certificate determined to be true with the DB <NUM> as a digital certificate, the registration unit <NUM> may perform image processing on the photographed image to correct the image of the certificate to the image as photographed from a direction directly facing the certificate, and register the image of the certificate thus corrected with the DB <NUM>. In the second example embodiment, the photographing may be performed by intentionally tilting the camera <NUM> to extract the hologram pattern, and the photographed image in that case becomes a photographed image from the oblique direction. Therefore, when registering the photographed image with the DB <NUM>, the registration unit <NUM> corrects the photographed image so that the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> becomes a rectangle and registers the photographed image with the DB <NUM>. Thus, when the registered certificate image is used as a digital certificate thereafter, it is possible to display an image of distortion-free rectangular certificate.

Similarly to the modified example <NUM>-<NUM> of the first example embodiment, when the user photographs an image of the certificate with the camera <NUM> of the terminal device <NUM>, the guide information may be presented so that the user can easily operate. Since the hologram pattern may not appear in the photographed image depending on the angle of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate, it is necessary to tilt the terminal device <NUM> at an appropriate angle with respect to the certificate at the time of photographing. Therefore, as described above, the terminal device <NUM> calculates the three-dimensional inclination of the photographing direction of the camera <NUM> with respect to the certificate based on the outer shape of the ticket surface <NUM> in the photographed image, and outputs the guide information so as to guide the angle of the camera <NUM> to the appropriate angle. For example, the terminal device <NUM> may display an arrow or the like indicating a direction to tilt the camera <NUM> on the display unit <NUM>. The terminal device <NUM> may display a message such as "Tilt slightly to the right" on the display unit <NUM> or output the message by voice. According to this method, when a hologram pattern is provided so as to be visible when viewed from a specific angle with respect to the certificate, for example, the user can be guided to photograph from that specific angle.

The method of the modified example <NUM>-<NUM> of the first example embodiment may be applied to the second example embodiment. That is, when a smartphone or the like is used as the terminal device <NUM>, the information of the acceleration sensor is used. By using the output of the acceleration sensor, it is possible to determine whether or not the user is actually photographing an image.

The method of using the reflected light of the first example embodiment and the method of using the hologram pattern of the second example embodiment may be implemented in combination. In this case, the terminal device photographs the certificate in a state irradiated with the illumination light using the light <NUM>, and the reflected light and the hologram pattern included in the photographed image may be used to determine the authenticity of the certificate.

Next, a third example embodiment will be described. In the third example embodiment, the terminal device according to the present disclosure is applied to the registration of a driver's license. In this example embodiment, the face authentication of a person who performs a registration operation (hereinafter referred to "operator") is also performed when the certificate is registered. <FIG> shows a configuration of a terminal device <NUM> according to the third example embodiment. The terminal device <NUM> basically has the same hardware configuration as the first example embodiment shown in <FIG>.

The terminal device <NUM> includes a certificate photographing unit <NUM>, a face image photographing unit <NUM>, a registration unit <NUM>, a storage unit <NUM>, a display control unit <NUM>, and a display unit <NUM>. The certificate photographing unit <NUM> photographs a driver's license which is a certificate by a camera or the like. The certificate photographing unit <NUM> outputs the certificate image generated by the photographing to the registration unit <NUM>. The face image photographing unit <NUM> photographs the face image of the operator performing the registration operation of the certificate by a camera or the like, and outputs the face image to the registration unit <NUM>.

The registration unit <NUM> determines the authenticity of the certificate by the method of the first or second example embodiment using the certificate image generated by the certificate photographing unit <NUM>. Further, the registration unit <NUM> acquires the face image from the certificate image, and collates it with the face image generated by the face image photographing unit <NUM> to determine whether or not the operator is the owner of the certificate. Then, the registration unit <NUM> registers the certificate image with the storage unit <NUM> when it determines that there is no falsification of the certificate based on the certificate image and that the operator is the same person as the owner of the certificate based on the face image.

After the certificate image is registered with the storage unit <NUM>, the display control unit <NUM> displays the certificate image registered with the storage unit <NUM> on the display unit <NUM> in accordance with the user's operation. Incidentally, the display unit <NUM> is constituted by a touch panel or the like, and may also function as an input unit.

Next, a method of registering the certificate image will be specifically described. First, the operator photographs a certificate image. <FIG> shows a manner of photographing a certificate image. As shown, the operator operates the camera of the terminal device <NUM>, and the certificate photographing unit <NUM> photographs a certificate <NUM> which is a driver's license. In one example in this case, when the operator activates the registration application and taps the photographing button, the camera of the terminal device <NUM> photographs the certificate. In another example, when the operator activates the registration application, the registration application may display the count down "<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>" at an appropriate timing and automatically photographs the certificate <NUM> by the camera. In yet another example, when the operator activates the registration application, the registration application automatically starts the camera of the terminal device <NUM>, and detects that the certificate <NUM> is in the photographed image of the camera and automatically photographs the certificate <NUM>, like a QR code (registered trademark) reader generally used in a smart phone.

Next, the operator photographs a face image. <FIG> show a manner of photographing a face image. As shown in <FIG>, when photographing the face image, the terminal device <NUM> displays a cursor <NUM> on the display unit <NUM>. The cursor <NUM> moves in accordance with the direction of the operator's face being imaged by the camera. Specifically, the cursor <NUM> moves using the end point <NUM> as a starting point, and the direction of the cursor <NUM> is changed in accordance with the direction of the operator's face in the camera, as indicated by an arrow <NUM>. Further, in the display unit <NUM>, the target point 74a is displayed.

The operator changes the direction of his or her face so that the tip (the end point opposite to the end point <NUM>) of the cursor <NUM> coincides with the target point 74a. When the tip of the cursor <NUM> coincides with the target point 74a, a circular gage <NUM> is displayed around the target point 74a as shown in <FIG>. The gauge <NUM> indicates the duration of the state in which the tip of cursor <NUM> coincides with the target point 74a (hereinafter referred to as the "cursor coincident state"). The operator maintains the direction of his or her face in the cursor coincident state as shown in <FIG>. When the operator maintains the cursor coincident state, the pointer <NUM> of the gauge <NUM> moves around the target point 74a. When the duration of the cursor coincidence state reaches a predetermined time (for example, several seconds), the pointer <NUM> moves around the target point 74a and returns to the <NUM> o'clock position. When the duration of the cursor coincident state reaches the predetermined time, the terminal device <NUM> turns off the target point 74a, and displays the next target point 74b as shown in <FIG>.

When the next target point 74b is displayed, the operator adjusts the direction of his or her face so that the tip of the cursor <NUM> coincides with the target point 74b in the same manner and maintains the cursor coincident state for a predetermined period of time. The terminal device <NUM> repeats this process a predetermined number of times. The reason for performing such process is to confirm that the operator is actually photographing his or her face image using the terminal device. That is, when the operator attempts to register a certificate by displaying another person's face image or the like on the terminal device <NUM>, it is not possible to place the tip of the cursor <NUM> on the target point <NUM>, and hence the registration operation is stopped.

The face image photographing unit <NUM> photographs the face image of the operator while the operator places the tip of the cursor <NUM> on the target point <NUM> a predetermined number of times. For example, the face image photographing unit <NUM> photographs the face image of the operator while the operator maintains the direction of the face in the state that the cursor <NUM> coincides with the target point <NUM>.

Thus, when the certificate image and the face image are obtained, the registration unit <NUM> registers the certificate image with the storage unit <NUM> when it determines that there is no falsification in the certificate by using the certificate image and that the operator is the same person as the owner of the certificate by using the face image.

Next, the display method of the registered certificate image will be described. <FIG> show an example of an authentication method for displaying certificate image. When the terminal device <NUM> is set to a certificate display mode, the display authentication screen shown in <FIG> is displayed. The user selects the method of display authentication by the buttons 81a and 81b. When the user selects the passcode button 81a, the terminal device <NUM> displays the passcode entry screen shown in <FIG>. The user performs display authentication by inputting the passcode registered in advance. On the other hand, when the user selects the button 81b of the face authentication, the terminal device <NUM> displays the face authentication screen shown in <FIG>. The user performs display authentication by displaying his or her face with a camera.

When the display authentication is successful in any method, the terminal device <NUM> displays the display information selection screen shown in <FIG>. The display information selection screen includes a button 82a designating all information as the display information, a button 82b designating an age, a button 82c designating a name and an address, and a button 82d designating a digital code.

When the user selects the button 82b in the display information selection screen, the user's face image and age are displayed as shown in <FIG>. When the user selects the button 82c in the display information selection screen, a face image of the user and the address and name of the user are displayed as shown in <FIG>. When the user selects the button 82d in the display information selection screen, the user's face image and a digital code are displayed as shown in <FIG>. Note that the digital code is generated by encoding the name, the address, the driver's license number, and other personal information included in the certificate. Personal information can be acquired by reading the displayed digital code with the corresponding code reader.

On the other hand, when the user selects the button 82a in the display information selection screen, the entire certificate image is displayed as shown in <FIG>. Here, the face image is displayed with some movement in the displayed certificate image. For example, the face image is displayed as a moving image in which the direction of the face changes slightly in the left-right direction or the up-down direction. Thus, it can be proven that the displayed image is not the image generated by simply photographing the image of the certificate and displaying it on the terminal device <NUM>. That is, the movement of the face image proves that the certificate image has been formally registered using the registration application of the terminal device <NUM>.

Further, if the user touches a part of the screen of the terminal device <NUM> as shown in <FIG> when the entire certificate image is being displayed, the region of the certificate is colored with a predetermined color, as shown by the reference numeral <NUM>. Further, a pointer <NUM> of a predetermined shape is displayed at a position touched by a user with a finger on the display screen of the terminal device <NUM>. As the user moves the position of the finger on the display screen, the pointer <NUM> moves in accordance with the movement of the user's finger. In this way, coloring and displaying the pointer <NUM> at the touched position when the user touches the display are methods for indicating that the terminal device <NUM> is not simply displaying the photographed image of the certificate, but displaying the certificate image formally registered using the registration application.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an information processing device <NUM> according to the fourth example embodiment. The information processing device <NUM> includes a photographing means <NUM> and a determination means <NUM>. The photographing means <NUM> photographs a certificate and generates a photographed image. The determination means <NUM> determines authenticity of the certificate based on appearance of a surface of the certificate in the photographed image.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating information processing according to the fourth example embodiment. The photographing means <NUM> photographs a certificate and generates a photographed image (step S41). The determination means <NUM> determines authenticity of the certificate based on appearance of a surface of the certificate in the photographed image (step S42). Then, the processing ends.

Claim 1:
An information processing device for authenticity determination of a digitized certificate comprising:
an acceleration sensor;
a photographing means configured for photographing a certificate and generating a photographed image; and
a determination means configured for determining authenticity of the certificate based on appearance of a surface of the certificate in the photographed image,
wherein the photographing means generates a photographed image in a condition that the certificate is placed horizontally, and
wherein the acceleration sensor is configured to output an output value at a time of photographing the certificate by the photographing means, and
wherein the determination means is configured to determine the authenticity of the certificate by comparing an inclination between the certificate and the photographing means calculated based on the photographed image and an inclination between the certificate and the photographing means calculated using the output value of the acceleration sensor.