SECURITY MARKING AUTHENTICATION DEVICE

• US 20100219251A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sicpa Holding SA
• Original Assignee: Sicpa Holding SA
• Inventors: Andrea, Callegari, Decoux, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,985,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/470
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices

Abstract

The invention discloses an authentication device for the visual authentication of a document or item comprising a circular polarizing security marking, said device comprising a light source and polarization filters for the either parallel or alternate illumination of said marking on said document with left- and right-circular polarized light. Corresponding methods for the visual and the automated authentication of the marking are disclosed as well.

Claims

1. Authentication device for the visual authentication of a document or item comprising a circular polarizing security marking, said device comprising at least one light source, and at least one circular polarizing filter, characterized in that said device emits left- and right-circular polarized light for the illumination of the said marking on said document.

2. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the circular polarizing filter is selected from the group consisting of the left-circular and the right-circular fixed polarizing filters, and of the mechanical and the electro-optic variable circular polarizing filters.

3. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that two beams of light of opposite circular polarizations are produced to simultaneously illuminate a document or item comprising a circular polarizing marking, preferably in adjacent zones.

4. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that a single beam of light of alternating opposite circular polarization is produced to illuminate a document or item comprising a circular polarizing marking.

5. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source is selected from the group consisting of the white Light-Emitting Diodes (white-LEDs) and the ‘

color’

Light-Emitting Diode (color-LEDs).

6. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that a positive lens or Fresnel lens is used to concentrate the light of the light source onto the document or item.

7. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the illumination strength at working distance on the marking (M) is not less than 50 Lux, more preferably not less than 500 Lux.

8. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the authentication device is made from a material of the group consisting of the plastic materials, the stainless steels, aluminum and the aluminum alloys.

9. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the authentication device has the shape of a cylinder or a bar.

10. Authentication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device additionally comprises a photoelectric cell chosen from the group consisting of the photocells and the color sensors, a microprocessor (μ

P), and a display (D), for the automated determination and evaluation of the intensity and color of the light reflected by the marking.

11. Use of an authentication device according to claim 1 for the authentication of currency, value papers, vouchers, identity documents, access documents, event tickets, transportation tickets, tear-tapes, product labels, or packaging materials.

12. Method of visual authentication of a document or item comprising a circular polarizing security marking, said method being characterized by the steps of:

a) illuminating said marking on said document using a device according to claim 1, emitting left- and right-circular polarized light;

b) visually judging the light reflected by the said marking, hereby authenticating the document or item.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein preferably adjacent zones of the document or item comprising the circular polarizing marking are simultaneously illuminated by two beams of light of opposite circular polarization.

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the document or item comprising the circular polarizing marking is illuminated by a single light beam of alternating opposite circular polarization.

15. Method according to claim 1, wherein the light source is selected from the group consisting of the white Light-Emitting Diodes (white-LEDs) and the ‘

color’

Light-Emitting Diode (color-LEDs).

16. Method of automated authentication of a document or item comprising a circular polarizing security marking, using a device according to claim 1, emitting left- and right-circular polarized light, wherein the device additionally comprises a photoelectric cell chosen from the group consisting of the photocells and the color sensors, a microprocessor (μ

P), and a display (D), said method being characterized by the automated steps of;

a) switching on/off the light sources by the microprocessor (μ

P);

b) reading out the signal from the photocell (P) or the color sensor (SC) into the microprocessor (μ

P);

c) processing and storing the read out signal values in the microprocessor (μ

P);

d) deriving an authentication result on the basis of a pre-established criterion stored in the microprocessor (μ

P);

e) putting out the authentication result on the display (D).