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• US 20080185438A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essentra Packaging & Security Limited (Essentra Plc)
• Original Assignee: Fracture Code Corporation
• Inventors: Pinchen, Stephen Paul, Rasmussen, Jens Jacob Juul
• Granted Patent: US 8,297,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

A graphically represented, machine-readable code having a first abstract part and a second part comprises a contrived code having pre-associated data, wherein the first and second parts are associated electronically in a storage medium, such that the association is verifiable by a machine reading the code by reference to the storage medium, in order to authenticate the second part.

Claims

1. A graphically represented, machine-readable code having a first abstract part and a second part comprising a contrived code having pre-associated data,

wherein the first and second parts are associated electronically in a storage medium, such that the association is verifiable by a machine reading the code by reference to the storage medium, in order to authenticate the second part.

2. A code according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the code is at least a portion of a graphical indicium.

3. A code according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second part of the code is a barcode.

4. A code according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second part of the code is a numeric or alphanumeric code.

5. A code according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the portion of the graphical indicium is delimited by a temporary boundary that is generated by the machine reading the code relative to a fixed trigger point only when the code is being read.

6. A method of securing a two-part code comprising a first abstract part and a second part comprising a contrived code having pre-associated data, comprising the steps of:

reading the first code part;

reading the second code part; and

,

associating the first and second code parts on a storage means.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein reading the second code part produces a numeric or alphanumeric character string.

8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first code part is at least a portion of a graphical indicium and the step of reading the first code part comprises:

acquiring electronically an image of at least a portion of the graphical indicium, and,

processing the acquired image to produce a numeric or alphanumeric descriptor.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein reading the first code part further comprises creating a temporary boundary around a portion of the graphical indicium relative to a fixed trigger point.

10. An apparatus for securing a two-part code comprising a first abstract part and a second part comprising a contrived code having pre-associated data, comprising:

a reader for reading the first code part;

a reader for reading the second code part;

a storage means; and

,

an assignment unit for associating the first and second code parts on the storage means.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further including a decoder for converting the second code part to a numeric or alphanumeric character string.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the first code part is at least a portion of a graphical indicium and the apparatus further includes:

a camera for acquiring electronically an image of at least a portion of the graphical indicium, and

a processor for processing the acquired image to produce a numeric or alphanumeric descriptor.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, further including:

a window calculation unit for defining a portion of the graphical indicium to be processed by the processor; and

,

a detection unit for detecting a fixed trigger point for defining the position of the portion of the graphical indicium relative to it.

14. A method of authenticating a two-part code comprising a first abstract part and a second part comprising a contrived code having pre-associated data, comprising the steps of:

reading the first code part;

reading the second code part; and

,

checking if the first and second code parts are associated on a storage means.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein reading the second code part produces a numeric or alphanumeric character string.

16. A method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the first code part is at least a portion of a graphical indicium and the step of reading the first code part comprises:

acquiring electronically an image of the portion of the graphical indicium, and,

processing the acquired image to produce a numeric or alphanumeric descriptor.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein reading the first code part further comprises creating a temporary boundary around a portion of the graphical indicium relative to a fixed trigger point.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the first code part is at least a portion of a graphical indicium and the apparatus further includes:

a camera for acquiring electronically an image of at least a portion of the graphical indicium, and

a processor for processing the acquired image to produce a numeric or alphanumeric descriptor.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, further including:

a window calculation unit for defining a portion of the graphical indicium to be processed by the processor; and

,

a detection unit for detecting a fixed trigger point for defining the position of the portion of the graphical indicium relative to it.

18. An apparatus for authenticating a two-part code comprising a first abstract part and a second part comprising a contrived code having pre-associated data, comprising:

a reader for reading the first code part;

a reader for reading the second code part;

a storage means; and

,

an authentication unit for checking if the first and second code parts are associated on the storage means.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, further including a decoder for converting the second code part to a numeric or alphanumeric character string.