Embedded optical signatures in documents

• US 20060180673A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Irwin, Kenneth E. Jr., Streeter, Gary R., Finnerty, Fred W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/491
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0685 having a message becoming legible after a chemical reaction or physical action has taken place, e.g. applying pressure, heat treatment, spraying with a substance, breaking microcapsules use of microcapsules for duplicating paper B41M5/165
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/08 Alphanumerical data
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/34 Markings visible under particular conditions or containing coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/318 Signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/143 Glyph-codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/005 Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices

Abstract

A method of embedding an optical signature in a document and document produced therefrom. The optical signature uses an invisible optical pattern or covering that can reflect light in non-visible wavelengths, such as light in infrared, or fluoresces when exposed to a particular wavelength of light, such as ultra-violet light. The invisible optical pattern can be a covering over another optical pattern, or a base pattern upon which a second optical pattern is embedded.

Claims

1. A method of embedding an optical signature on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

embedding a first optical pattern on the substrate; and

placing an invisible covering over at least a portion of the first optical pattern, the invisible covering fluorescing when exposed to one or more non-visible wavelengths of light.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining a value; and

embedding the value within the first optical pattern on the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the invisible covering reflects infrared light, and further comprising the step of selectively illuminating the invisible covering with infrared light.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the invisible covering fluoresces when exposed to ultraviolet light, and further comprising the step of selectively illuminating the invisible covering with ultraviolet light.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of embedding the first optical pattern and placing an invisible covering are performed on a scratch-off lottery ticket.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of embedding the first optical pattern and placing an invisible covering are performed on an on-line lottery ticket.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of embedding the first optical pattern and placing an invisible covering are performed on a document.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of placing a removable covering over the embedded optical pattern and invisible covering on the lottery ticket.

9. A method of embedding an optical signature on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

embedding a first invisible optical pattern on the substrate, the invisible first optical pattern reflecting light in one or more non-visible wavelengths or fluorescing when exposed to one or more non-visible wavelengths of light; and

embedding a second visible optical pattern over at least a portion of the first invisible optical pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining a value; and

embedding the value within the first optical pattern on the substrate.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the invisible first optical pattern reflects infrared light, and further comprising the step of selectively illuminating the invisible first optical pattern with infrared light.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the invisible covering fluoresces when exposed to ultraviolet light, and further comprising the step of selectively illuminating the invisible first optical pattern with ultraviolet light.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of embedding the first invisible optical pattern and second visible optical pattern are performed on a scratch-off lottery ticket.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of embedding the first invisible optical pattern and second visible optical pattern are performed on an on-line lottery ticket.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of embedding the first invisible optical pattern and second visible optical pattern are performed on a document.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of placing a removable covering over the first invisible optical pattern and second visible optical pattern on the lottery ticket.

17. A method of validating a document having an optical signature comprised of a disuniform edge of a substrate, comprising the steps of:

placing the edge of the document against a background; and

determining if the edge is disuniform thereby indicating if the document is valid.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving a predefined template of a disuniform edge of a document; and

comparing the disuniform edge of the document against the template to determine if the document is valid.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of placing the edge of the document against a platen having a predefined pattern to thereby determine the if a disuniform edge is present.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the further comprising the step of placing the edge of the document against a backlighted platen to thereby highlight the edge of the document.