WO2001097175A1

WO2001097175A1 - System and method for issuing and authenticating ticket using watermarking technique

Info

Publication number: WO2001097175A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/000998
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won-Ha Lee
Original assignee: Markany Inc.
Priority date: 2000-06-10
Filing date: 2001-06-11
Publication date: 2001-12-20
Also published as: AU2001264361A1

Abstract

System and method for issuing and authenticating ticket through a communications network are disclosed. In response to information requesting a ticket issuance transmitted from a buyer for a ticket, a ticket authentication information to authenticate a ticket is generated as a watermark and the generated watermark is embedded in a ticket image. The ticket image embedded with the watermark is transmitted to the buyer who requested the ticket issuance. Ticket scan means installed in a ticket office scans the ticket of said buyer, generates an image of the ticket and extracts a watermark from the generated ticket image. Then, ticket authentication server detects ticket authentication information from the extracted watermark image, comparing the ticket authentication information with the information for the ticket issuance, and finally authenticates the ticket.

Description

System and Method for Issuing and Authenticating Ticket Using

Watermarking Technique

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a system and method for issuing and

authenticating ticket through a communications network. More particularly, the present

invention relates to a system and method with regard to the various tickets issued by the

communications network, information to authenticate the relevant ticket is embedded as

watermark in order to determine whether the ticket is authentic or counterfeit so that after

downloading the ticket via on-line from the communication networks immediately or

receiving the ticket by electronic mail, it is possible to print out and to use directly at the

relevant place where the ticket is used.

Description of the Related Art

The rapid growth of internet network and the expansion of various field of

services are uprising to the internet user. Among such expanding fields is the service

for reserving and purchasing tickets. The examples of such concerned tickets include

entrance tickets to various cultural performances and to leisure facilities, tickets for taking

transportation such as airplanes, trains, ships, etc., and coupons and gift certificates for various facilities such as restaurants and department stores, etc. The currently available

internet ticketing methods are presented below.

The first method involves a simple reservation service. With said service, the

user connects to the ticket reservation site, registers as a member, and receives an

assigned user ID. Should the user desire to purchase tickets, after logging on with his

ID, the user should make a reservation for the tickets. Then, the user either transfers

the settlement amount on deposit in a bank account or charges the amount by credit card.

Afterwards, the user can go to the place where the ticket is used, get verification with his

own I.D. and bank slip, or the order number of the order confirmation, and receive the

tickets to use them. Or, at the ticket reservation site, the user can download the

temporary tickets, print them out by a printer, go to the place where the ticket is used and

exchange them with the entrance tickets.

Nevertheless, according to this method, even though the tickets are reserved

through communications network, the user can use the tickets only when he himself goes

to the place where the ticket is used and gets the tickets issued. In this regard, there is

a high potential for. troublesome matters of waiting among lots of people for a long time.

Thus, the advantage of a prior reservation for ticket is not substantially provided to- the

users. The second method concerns a coupon service, which can be simply used.

After the coupon images of various kinds of free tickets or discount coupons available on

the communications network are printed out, this service provides the user to go to each

place where the ticket is used and use them.

Nevertheless, according to this method, fabrication, alteration and counterfeit of

the coupons can be easily done, therefore, the coupons are merely applied to simple

purposes such as discount or publicity and do not fully perform their original role as

tickets in actual circumstances. That is, a ticket sale service according to this method

has a problem, as the place where the ticket is used and its use are exceedingly limited.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention directs to a system and method for issuing and

authenticating ticket which solve the problems aforementioned.

The object of the present invention is, after reserving tickets on internet, to

receive transmission of the ticket immediately by web browser or electronic mail, print it

out by printer and to use the printed out ticket at the place where the ticket is used

instantaneously so that the ticket purchaser does not have to experience inconvenience

of waiting for a long time in the crowd. The other object of the present invention is, by embedding a predetermined

watermark on said ticket, to prevent forgery and alteration and to provide a reliable ticket

sale service through network.

In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a

ticket issuing method through communications network wherein the ticket is embedded

with ticket authentication information as watermark comprising steps of (a) transmitting

ticket issuance request information inputted by ticket purchaser to a ticket issuance

server through communications network; (b) generating ticket authentication information

for authenticating the ticket as watermark in response to the ticket issuance request of the

ticket purchaser; (c) embedding the watermark into ticket image; (d) transmitting the ticket

image embedded with the watermark to the ticket purchaser through communications

network; and (e) printing by the ticket purchaser the transmitted ticket image.

In order to achieve other object of the present invention, the present invention

furnishes in a ticket authentication system comprising data storage means storing user

information and ticket issuance information, a ticket identification means recognizing

ticket, and ticket authentication server, a method for authenticating ticket issued through

communications network and embedded with ticket authentication information as

watermark image, the method comprising steps of (a) transmitting ticket image generated after identifying the ticket via the ticket identification means to the ticket authentication

server; (b) extracting the watermark image from the ticket image; (c) detecting the ticket

authentication information from the extracted watermark image; and (d) authenticating

ticket by comparing the ticket authentication information with the ticket issuance

information stored in the data storage means.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the constitution of the ticket issuance and

authentication system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart explaining the ticket issuance process according to the

present invention.

Fig. 3 is a drawing illustrating an example of user information inputted by ticket

purchaser.

Fig. 4 (a) is a drawing illustrating ticket issuance information and Fig. :4 (b) is a

drawing illustrating ticket authentication information, respectively.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart explaining the ticket authentication process according to the

present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Herein below, in reference to the attached drawings, the preferred embodiments

of the present invention are explained in detail.

authentication system according to the present invention.

The ticket issuance and authentication system according to the present invention

comprises a ticket issuance request device 10, a ticket printout device 20, ticket

identification device 30, ticket issuance server 40, ticket authentication server 50, and

data storage device 60.

A person wishing to purchase a ticket (or to purchase in advance) inputs

information to ticket issuance through a ticket issuance request device 10. The inputted

information is transmitted to a ticket issuance server 40 through communications network,

and the ticket issuance server 40 generates watermarking image inclusive of information

for authenticating ticket and embeds said watermarking image to a ticket image. The

ticket printout device 20 receives the transmitted ticket image embedded with watermark

from the ticket issuance server 40 through communications network and print it out.

When the user who purchased ticket brings the printed out ticket to the place where the ticket is used, the ticket identification device 30 installed at the place where the

ticket is used identifies the printed out ticket and generates ticket image or receives input

of ticket issuance number from the user and transmits it together with identified ticket

image to the ticket authentication server 50. The ticket authentication server 50 extracts

watermarking image for ticket authentication from the identified ticket image and

authenticates the ticket. The data storage device 60 stores user information and ticket

issuance information.

The present invention is divided into two processes, which are a process issuing

ticket and a process authenticating the issued ticket at the place where the ticket is used.

First , the ticket issuance process according to the present invention is explained below.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart explaining the ticket issuance process according to the

present invention.

As the ticket purchaser connects to the ticket issuance web site (Step 100) and

logs in, the ticket issuance process is initiated. However, the ticket issuance process of

the present invention is not limited to the method connecting to the internet site through

web browser, but besides such method, it is possible to use ordinary telephone, to

connect thereto through Automatic Response System (ARS). Moreover, by connecting

thereto through Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or mobile phone, the ticket issuance can be requested, and the downloaded ticket image can be received.

Next, the ticket purchaser inputs as user information his personal history

information and payment method. (Step 110)

Fig. 3 is a drawing illustrating an example of user information inputted by the

ticket purchaser. If the purchase uses the ticket purchase service of the present

invention for the first time (Step 120), he/she must input all user information as

exemplified in Fig. 3 in order to register as a member of a ticket issuance site.

Such user information is registered in the data storage device 60 (step 125), thus

the member registration is achieved. With regard to the existing service users, only

user ID and password allow them to connect as the user information is already inputted in

the data storage device 60 at the time of the previous purchase.

Next, the ticket purchaser inputs ticket issuance request information (Step 130).

The content of the ticket issuance request information is determined according to the

characteristics of the ticket. For example, in order to get movie ticket issued, name of

the movie, name of the theater, date and time, and seat number, etc. may be included,

and for airplane ticket, a place of departure, a place of destination, date and time of the

departure and arrival of the airplane, seat number, etc. may be included. The ticket

issuance request device 10 receives input of ticket issuance request information and transmits to ticket issuance server 40 together with user information (in case of a newly

registered client) through communications network (for example, internet) (Step 140).

Subsequently, the inputted user information and ticket issuance request

information are analyzed by the ticket purchaser (Step 150), and ticket issuance process

at the ticket issuance server 40 is continued.

Successively , with regard to ticket requested by the ticket purchaser, the ticket

issuance information stored in the data storage device 60 is searched and read (Step

160). .

In the ticket issuance information, in addition to ticket issuance request

information inputted by the ticket purchaser, ticket issuance number and ticket issuance

agency are added. Fig. 4 (a) is a drawing explaining as an example, a ticket issuance

information, and exemplifies a case of a movie ticket. In reference to Fig. 4 (a), name of

the theater (name of the ticket issuance agency), name of the movie, date, time, seat

number and ticket issuance number, etc. comes within the purview of the ticket issuance

information.

Next, the ticket issuance server 40 generates ticket authentication information for

authenticating ticket among ticket issuance information and user information as

watermark (Step 170), and embeds it in the ticket image (Step 180). So called 'ticket image' means the entire ticket inclusive of a predetermined image and text, etc. and

said watermark can be embedded in the arbitrary portion of the entire ticket.

Fig. 4 (b) is a drawing explaining as an example, ticket authentication information.

In reference to Fig. 4 (b), the ticket authentication information includes name of the

purchaser, ticket issuance number, ticket issuance agency and identifier of the

organization for embedding the watermark, etc.

To describe ticket (that is, the ticket image) in more detail, for example, a

predetermined image such as a movie poster, text such as date and seat information, etc.

are the information that can be identified by the naked eye from the ticket image and

displayed. Meanwhile, the ticket authentication information such as name of said

purchaser, ticket issuance number and identifier of the watermark embedding

organization, etc. are watermark unidentifiable by the naked eye, and it is embedded in

the arbitrary position of said visible predetermined image and text, etc.

As described in the above, the ticket authentication information is embedded in

the ticket not to be identified by the naked eye. During such process, in the ticket

issuance server, a watermarking method is used. For the watermarking method of the

present invention, for instance, a method of an invention suggested in the patent

applications of the present applicant related to watermarking may be used. For example, such patent applications are PCT Application No. PCT/US99/20649 entitled

"Watermarking of Digital Image Using Wavelet Transform and Discrete Cosine

Transforms" and U.S. Patent Application No. 09/684,961 entitled "Method and Apparatus

for Embedding Text Watermarking", and they are all assigned to the applicant of the

present invention.

Other than that, various watermark embedding methods which can be identified

by image device (for instance, scanner) can be used. Thus, the watermark used in the

present invention may employ a method generating a series of random signals from key

and using them as watermark (hereinafter, refer to as "key method"), a method using

user's logo, etc. as watermark (hereinafter, refer to as "logo method"), or a method

simultaneously using both of said key method and logo method.

Moreover, a constitution that may embed robust watermark and fragile

watermark, or simultaneously embed both said robust watermark and fragile watermark is

feasible. So called 'robust watermark' refers to a watermark surviving against any

external attack or change without any change made thereto or disappearance thereof.

In other words, the robust watermark is a watermark that preserves information regarding

user authentication although external attacks such as downscale, magnification, rotation

and compression, etc. are made to the embedded watermark bearing information. So called 'fragile watermark' refers to the watermark that can clearly identify whether there

has been any manipulation made externally by alteration and counterfeit by letting a loss

made to watermark at the slightest external fabrication or change.

Besides, an application of optical watermarking, etc. such as using optical

interference or latent image , etc. is additionally possible. For reference, the optical

interference refers to a phenomenon that makes the pattern shape visible by interference

wherein the pattern shape is not visually very discernible depending on gap and color

thereof as the dark portion of the refractive wave instituted in the pattern shape is folded

and is photocopied as its form is shaped when the light sheds from one side to the other

evenly and is pushed forward at the time of scanning or photocopying.

The latent image refers to a method and the phenomenon for forgery prevention

thereof for detecting the contents through physical and chemical means by hiding the

pattern shape or figure, and characters etc. as particular characters or designs become

visible when they appear from the use of a scanner or a photocopier as solid line or

security thread is inserted during the process of pasting two sheets of paper into a sheet

or chemical is used in the ordinary paper so that it is difficult to detect by the naked eye at

ordinary times.

Accordingly, when printing the ticket out and should there be an illegal act of photocopying the ticket and distributing thereof, the ticket photocopied from the

photocopier will show pattern shape or phrase (for example, such as "COPY") that was

invisible to the naked eye which tells that it is a duplicated copy. Thus, the illegal

photocopying of the ticket can be prevented.

In order to reduce the amount of operation when embedding and extracting

watermark, it is desirable to make the watermark image small within the limit inclusive of

information to be embedded. If the watermark image is smaller than the size of the

entire image of the ticket, and the watermark embedding process is performed within the

range of the established watermark range of the ticket image, and when extracting,- the

watermark is also extracted within said watermark range, the amount of operation

required for embedment and extraction can be reduced correspondingly to the area of the

watermark range. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the

area of the watermark range should be determined within the range the information

included as the watermark is well distinguished by the naked eye after extraction.

The ticket image including the watermark image is transmitted to the purchase

together with ticket issuance number. (Step 190) The ticket issuance number is not

included in said ticket image, but either it is notified to said purchaser to write down from

the web site, etc. or it can be included in the ticket image as watermark. Said ticket transmission through communications network can be forwarded to the purchaser by

electronic mail or displayed directly on the purchaser's computer screen through web

browser.

The purchaser prints out from the printer the ticket image transmitted from the

ticket issuance server 40. (Step 200). At this time, it is recommended that the resolution

of the printer should be 300dpi or more. Such resolution is required as a certain level or

more of the resolution is obligatory in order to properly and accurately extract the

watermark when extracting the watermark information embedded therein for

authentication as the original ticket at the place where the ticket is used. Currently, the

ordinarily used printer has generally 300dpi or more resolution, therefore, it is not

particularly required to have high resolution.

Next, the ticket authentication process according to the present invention , is

defined. Fig. 5 is a flow chart explaining the ticket authentication process according to

the present invention.

The ticket purchaser uses the ticket printed out from the printer directly to the

place where the ticket is used. The ticket authentication process is initiated by the

ticket purchaser inserting the ticket to the ticket identification device at the place where

the ticket is used. (Step 210). As a ticket identification device, for example, Optical Character Reader (OCR) can be used. Moreover, as aforementioned, the method for

inserting ticket to authenticate is more advantageous than that for extracting of the

watermark, yet the identification of the ticket can be surely done by bringing the ticket to

said identification device.

The ticket identification device 30 determines whether the ticket is intact (matters

such as crumpled or torn tickets) (Step 220). If the ticket is intact, the authentication

process continues to the next step, however, if not, the ticket is discharged out of the

device (Step 225).

Continuously, the purchaser inputs manually the ticket issuance number by using

key pad attached to the ticket identification device 30 (Step 230). Such input will enable

a secondary authentication in addition to the authentication solely by the watermark

embedded in the ticket. However, should the ticket issuance number is embedded as

watermark in the ticket image during the ticket issuance process, an authentication

without manual input process of such ticket issuance number is possible.

The ticket identification device 30 scans the ticket embedded with the watermark

and generates the ticket image (Step 240). The generated ticket image and the ticket

issuance number inputted by the purchaser in the ticket identification device 30 are

transmitted to the ticket authentication server 50 (Step 250). The ticket authentication server 50 operates the watermark detection system and extracts watermark image from

the ticket image transmitted from the ticket identification device 30 (Step 260).

The module extracting watermark undergoes two steps. The first step involves

a' process detecting the watermark edge which is a step detecting the predetermined

watermark range wherein the water mark data are hidden among the entire range of the

ticket so that analog data are transformed to digital data.

Various methods can be used for a method for separating range embedded with

watermark. A method that embeds a special identifier also as watermark at the

beginning and the end of the watermark range when embedding watermark can be used.

If the watermark. range is separated by such method, an accurate separation of the range

is possible.

Furthermore, when the identifier indicating the watermark range is not embedded,

a method for detecting the ticket edge by a general image edge detection method, and

separating the watermark range at the relative position from the edge is also can be used.

After separating the watermark range as such, the second step is to amplify the

transformed data followed by the extraction of the watermark image from the image data.

Next, the ticket authentication information is detected from the extracted

watermark image (Step 270). Subsequently, by using ticket issuance number inputted by the user, the ticket issuance information and user information are searched from the

data storage device 60 (Step 280).

Whether the detected ticket authentication information accords the ticket

issuance information stored in the data storage device 60 and ticket issuance number is

confirmed and the authenticity of ticket is authenticated (Step 290). As a result of

authentication, entrance permission or result of disapproval is transmitted (Step 300) to

the ticket identification device and the ticket identification device 30 prints out the

authentication result (Step 310).

Meanwhile, said ticket authentication process (Step 260 to Step 290) does not

necessarily have to be separately achieved from the ticket authentication server 50. In

addition to ticket identification and printout of the result after the authentication within the

ticket identification device 30, the authentication process (Step 260 to 290) of said ticket

is all achieved, and an embodiment wherein the data storage device 60 is connected to

the ticket identification device 30 and is operated is also undoubtedly possible.

In order to implement the present invention, the ticket optical scan device

connected to the ticket authentication server should be furnished to each of the place

where the ticket is used. This device fundamentally plays a role of scanning the inserted

ticket and reading the data therefrom. This device has a role of confirming the ticket by being operated with the server. Thus, the device is deemed to take a role of self ticket

remover.

Industrial Applicability

Ticket issuance through communications network according to the present

invention can eliminate the inconvenience of securing tickets one by one by visiting the

ticket issuance locations, and render an effect of escaping trouble of receiving ticket by

actually going oneself even though the ticket has been reserved through internet.

Accordingly, the present invention reduces the customers' waiting period for

issuance of ticket by-standing in a line at each of the place where the ticket is used, and

removes confusion of a large crowd in a limited place, so that more pleasant service is

furnished to the customers.

Moreover, the ticket issuing agency can enjoy an effect of reducing loss of

human or material resources to a provision of ticket sale service.

Furthermore, unlike bar code that can be easily photocopied and manipulated,

the watermarking system used in the present invention enables prevention of duplication

since the watermark information embedded in the ticket cannot be identified by the user's

naked eye. Also, the photocopying or forgery by scanner of the printed out ticket can be

prevented by additionally applying an optical watermarking etc. employing phenomenon

such as . optical interference or latent image. Of course, among the kinds of ticket

aforementioned, in a case of disposable ticket, once checked at the ticket disposal and

subsequently the same ticket is disposed again, said ticket is made impossible to use to

prevent re-use, and in case of a kind of ticket such as coupons or gift certificates, etc.,

photocopying of said tickets etc. is made to be prevented.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for issuing ticket embedded with ticket authentication information as

watermark through a communications network, the method comprising steps of:

(a) transmitting ticket issuance request information inputted by ticket purchaser to a

ticket issuance server through communications network;

(b) generating ticket authentication information for authenticating said ticket as

watermark in response to the ticket issuance request of said ticket purchaser;

(c) embedding said watermark into ticket image;

(d) transmitting said ticket image embedded with said watermark to the ticket

purchaser through communications network; and

(e) printing said transmitted ticket image by said ticket purchaser.

2. A method for issuing ticket embedded with ticket authentication information as

watermark through a communications network, the method comprising steps of:

(a') transmitting ticket issuance request information and user information inputted by

ticket purchaser to a ticket issuance server through communications network;

(b') generating ticket authentication information for authenticating said ticket as

watermark in response to the ticket issuance request of said ticket purchaser in

accordance with said user information and ticket issuance information; (c¹) embedding said watermark into ticket image;

(d') transmitting said ticket image embedded with said watermark to said ticket

purchaser through communications network; and

(e') printing said transmitted ticket image by said ticket purchaser.

3. The method according to Claim 2, wherein said user information includes at least one

of purchaser name, purchaser ID and purchaser password.

4. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said step (d) or step (d')

comprises a step of transmitting a predetermined ticket issuance number to said ticket

purchaser.

5. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the size of said watermark is

smaller than that of said ticket image, and said step (c) or step (c') embeds said

watermark into a predetermined watermark region among said ticket images.

6. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said ticket authentication

information includes at least one of ticket purchaser information, ticket issuance

number, ticket issuing agency and watermark embedding organization.

7. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said embedding said watermark

employs a digital image watermarking method using wavelet transform and discrete

cosine transform, or a text watermarking method or both of these methods.

8. The method according to Claim 7, wherein said watermark is generated by a key

generating method or a logo method or a method simultaneously employing both

methods.

9. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said embedding said watermark

embeds a robust watermark or a fragile watermark, or simultaneously both

watermarks.

10. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said embedding said watermark

by using a optical interference or a latent image, thereby enables identification of

illegal photocopying of the ticket at the time the issued ticket has been illegally

photocopied.

11. In a ticket authentication system comprising data storage means for storing user

information and ticket issuance information, a ticket identification means for

recognizing the ticket, and ticket authentication server, a method for authenticating

the ticket issued through communications network and embedded with ticket

authentication information as watermark, the method comprising steps of:

(a) generating a ticket image by identifying said ticket via said ticket identification

means and transmitting the ticket image to said ticket authentication server;

(b) extracting said watermark from said ticket image; (c) detecting said ticket authentication information from said extracted watermark; and

(d) authenticating ticket by comparing said ticket authentication information with said

ticket issuance information stored in said data storage means.

12. In a ticket authentication system comprising data storage means storing user

information and ticket issuance information, a method for authenticating ticket issued

through communications network and embedded with ticket authentication information

as watermark, the method comprising steps of:

(a) generating ticket image by identifying said ticket;

(b) extracting said watermark from said ticket image;

(c) detecting said ticket authentication information from said extracted watermark; and

ticket issuance information stored in said data storage means.

13. The method according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, further comprising after said step (a)

and prior to said step (b) a step of:

(a1) inputting ticket issuance number by ticket purchaser.

14. The method according to Claim 11 or Claim 13, further comprising after said step (d)

steps of, :

(e) transmitting the authentication result regarding said ticket from said ticket authentication server to said ticket identification means; and

(f) outputting said transmitted ticket authentication result from said ticket identification

means.

15. The method according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein said step (b) comprising

steps of:

detecting a predetermined watermark region embedded with said watermark, and

extracting said watermark image from said detected predetermined watermark region.

16. A system for issuing ticket embedded with ticket authentication information as

watermark through communications network, the system comprising:

a ticket issuance request means requesting the issuance of ticket by ticket

purchaser's inputting ticket issuance request information and user information;

a data storage means storing said user information and ticket issuance information

for the issuance of ticket; and

a ticket issuance server, in response to said ticket issuance request by said ticket

purchaser, generating watermark containing ticket authentication information for

authenticating ticket in accordance with said user information and said ticket issuance

information, embedding said watermark into ticket image and transmitting thereof to

said ticket purchaser.

17. The system according to Claim 16, wherein said ticket issuance request means

transmits said user information and said ticket issuance request information on internet

through web browser.

18. The system according to Claim 16, wherein said ticket issuance request means

transmits said user information and said ticket issuance request information through cable

telephone networks, mobile phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

19. The system according to Claim 16, wherein said ticket issuance server comprising:

means for analyzing said ticket issuance request information transmitted from said

ticket purchaser; •

means for searching said ticket issuance information from said data storage

means;

means for generating ticket authentication information according to said user

information and said ticket issuance information as watermark;

means for embedding said generated watermark into ticket image; and

means for transmitting said ticket image and ticket issuance number to ticket

purchaser.

20. A system for authenticating ticket issued through communications network and

embedded with ticket authentication information as watermark image, the system comprising:

a data storage means storing user information and ticket issuance information;

a ticket identification means generating ticket image after identifying said issued

ticket and transmitting thereof to a ticket authentication server; and

a ticket authentication server extracting watermark from said generated ticket

image, and detecting ticket authentication information from said extracted watermark.

21. The system according to Claim 20, wherein said ticket identification means

comprising means for inputting the ticket issuance number by said ticket purchaser.

22. The system according to Claim 20 or Claim 21 , wherein said ticket authentication

server comprising:

means for extracting watermark from said ticket image;

means for detecting ticket authentication information from said extracted

watermark;

means for authenticating ticket by comparing said detected ticket authentication

information with said ticket issuance information stored in said data storage means; and

means for transmitting the authentication result regarding said ticket by said ticket

identification means.

23. The system according to Claim 20 or Claim 21 , wherein said ticket identification means further comprising:

means for outputting said ticket authentication result transmitted from said ticket

authentication server from said ticket identification means.

24. A system for authenticating ticket issued through communications network and

embedded with ticket authentication information as watermark image, the system

comprising:

a data storage means storing user information and ticket issuance information; and

a ticket identification and authentication device generating ticket image after

identifying said issued ticket, extracting watermark from said generated ticket image, and

detecting ticket authentication information from said extracted watermark.