INHERENT DISORDER READER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20150126244A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bilcare Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd. (Bilcare Limited)
• Original Assignee: Bilcare Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd. (Bilcare Limited)
• Inventors: Moran, Peter Malcolm, Sharma, Satya Prakash, Nambudiri, Narayan
• Granted Patent: US 9,247,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10524 Hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/2033 Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide an adaptor that presents information from an inherent disorder feature as an optical signal. The adaptor is configured to direct the optical signal onto an optical processing unit built into a camera of a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, to generate an image usable to identify an object. The adaptor is configured to be user attachable to the mobile device.

Claims

1. An inherent disorder reader, comprising:

an adaptor that presents information from an inherent disorder feature as an optical signal, the adaptor configured to direct the optical signal onto an optical processing unit built into a camera of a mobile device to generate an image usable to identify an object, wherein the adaptor is configured to be user attachable to the mobile device.

2. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is configured to be removably attached to the mobile device.

3. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

4. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is configured to be attached to the mobile device using a suction cup.

5. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is configured to be attached to the mobile device using at least one of a suction-based fastener, a clipping fastener, a magnetic fastener, a threaded fastener, a hook and loop fastener, an adjustable bracket, a re-attachable adhesive, and a permanent adhesive.

6. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a magnetic inherent disorder feature, and wherein the adaptor uses a magneto-optical substrate to present information from the inherent disorder feature as an optical signal.

7. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the adaptor is further configured to read an optical feature.

8. The inherent disorder reader of claim 7, wherein the optical feature comprises at least one of a barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, printed text, printed markings, and printed digits.

9. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the adaptor comprises an optical system configured to decrease the focal length and increase the magnification of a wide-angle camera in the mobile device, to adapt the camera to focus on small features.

10. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a disordered array of fluorescing particles, and wherein the adaptor includes a light source that emits light at a wavelength such that the fluorescing particles fluoresce.

11. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a three-dimensional inherent disorder feature, and wherein the adaptor includes a plurality of light sources that illuminate the three-dimensional feature from a plurality of angles.

12. The inherent disorder reader of claim 1, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a random arrangement of optical fibers, and wherein the adaptor includes a light source having a predetermined position with respect to an optical system that directs light to the optical processing unit.

13. An authentication system for identifying an object based on an inherent disorder feature, the system comprising:

a mobile device comprising a built-in digital camera, the mobile device configured to receive an optical signal on the camera, and to use the camera to generate an image usable to identify an object; and

an adaptor that presents information from the inherent disorder feature as an optical signal, the adaptor configured to direct the optical signal onto the digital camera built into the mobile device, the adaptor further configured to be user attachable to the mobile device.

14. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

15. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises a wireless communication capability that is used to communicate information from the image to a remote server to identify the object.

16. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises a user interface, through which the authentication system interacts with a user.

17. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises a display that is used to display information relating to identifying the object.

18. The authentication system of claim 17, wherein the display is used to show the image.

19. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the adaptor receives power from the mobile device.

20. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the adaptor is configured to be attached to the mobile device using a suction cup.

21. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the adaptor is configured to be attached to the mobile device using at least one of a suction-based fastener, a clipping fastener, a magnetic fastener, a threaded fastener, a hook and loop fastener, an adjustable bracket, a re-attachable adhesive, and a permanent adhesive.

22. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the adaptor is configured to be removably attached to the mobile device.

23. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a magnetic inherent disorder feature, and wherein the adaptor uses a magneto-optical substrate to present information from the inherent disorder feature as an optical signal.

24. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the adaptor further comprises an optical reader that reads an optical feature.

25. The authentication system of claim 24, wherein the optical feature comprises at least one of a barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, printed text, printed markings, and printed digits.

26. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the adaptor further comprises an optical system configured to decrease the focal length and increase the magnification of the digital camera in the mobile device, to adapt the digital camera to focus on small features.

27. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a disordered array of fluorescing particles, and wherein the adaptor includes a light source that emits light at a wavelength such that the fluorescing particles fluoresce.

28. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a three-dimensional inherent disorder feature, and wherein the adaptor includes a plurality of light sources that illuminate the three-dimensional feature from a plurality of angles.

29. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a random arrangement of optical fibers, and wherein the adaptor includes a light source having a predetermined position with respect to an optical system that directs the optical signal onto the digital camera built into the mobile device.

30. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device communicates with a remote database to authenticate the object.

31. The authentication system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device includes software that authenticates the object on the mobile device.

32. A device for identifying an object, the device comprising:

a mobile device including an imaging device; and

an adaptor configured to modify a property of an electromagnetic wave in response to an inherent disorder feature on the object to be identified, and to ensure that the modified electromagnetic wave is incident on the imaging device, such that the imaging device is able to derive an image containing information usable to identify the object,

wherein the adaptor is configured to be user attachable to the mobile device.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the adaptor is configured to be user attachable to the mobile device using a suction cup.

35. The device of claim 32, wherein the inherent disorder feature comprises a magnetic inherent disorder feature, and wherein the adaptor uses a magneto-optical substrate to modify a property of the electromagnetic wave.

36. The device of claim 32, wherein the adaptor is configured to modify at least one of the wavelength, magnification, polarization, and energy of an electromagnetic wave according to an inherent disorder feature.