Authentication system for an item having a holographic display using a holographic record

• US 5,306,899 A
• Filed: 06/12/1992
• Issued: 04/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Katz, Joseph, Marom, Emanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Esther
• Application Number:
  US07/897,761
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 359/2, 235/494, 235/457, 235/454, 235/462, 235/436, 235/437, 235/438, 235/380, 235/487, 235/382, 380/24, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/16 the marking being a hologram or diffraction grating
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1092 sensing by means of TV-scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/125 Offline card verification

Abstract

In order to improve security for holographic labels which are positioned on a substrate base, a bar code symbol is holographically recorded on the base such as a credit card, a label, or a container for a product. A reading apparatus (e.g., a bar code reader) directs light at the holographic bar code symbol and detects the reflected optical information with a detector such as a CCD array. The reading apparatus can be a stand-alone device or, in the case of a credit card, can be incorporated into a conventional swiper for reading magnetic information on a strip on the card. A non-holographic bar code symbol can also be provided on or near a holographic display element, e.g., a rainbow hologram. The bar code can be positioned adjacent the display, or placed in a window within the display, or etched or embossed on the display. A system is also provided for authenticating a holographic display on an information card such as a credit card. A display is illuminated and a reflected beam directed at a holographic record which was previously produced from a signal, known to be authentic, and a reference. The reflected beam is used to reconstruct a reference beam. A sensor receives the reconstructed reference and it is then determined if the display is authentic.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating an item, said item having a holographic display element on one surface, said method comprising the steps of:

illuminating said holographic display element;

directing light reflected from said holographic display element to a holographic record, wherein said holographic record is a holographic recording made using an authentic version of said holographic display element and a reference beam, said light passing through said holographic record to form a correlation beam that carries a correlation signal of said holographic display element and said authentic version of said holographic display element;

direction said correlation beam to a sensor; and

determining from said correlation beam whether said holographic display element is authentic, the width and intensity of said correlation beam providing an indication of whether said holographic display element is authentic or non-authentic.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said holographic display element is a rainbow hologram.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said item is an information card.

4. An apparatus for authenticating an item, said item having a holographic display element on one surface, said apparatus comprising:

an illumination source for directing light to said holographic display element to produce a reflected beam from said display element;

a holographic record, wherein said record is a holographic recording made using an authentic version of said holographic display element and a reference beam, said holographic record being positioned to receive said reflected beam so that said reflected beam passed through said holographic record to form a correlation beam that carries a correlation signal of said holographic display element and said authentic version of said holographic display element;

a sensor positioned to receive said correlation beam; and

means for determining from the output of the sensor whether said display element is authentic by examining said correlation beam.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said sensor induce a CCD array and wherein said means for determining includes electronic circuitry.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said item is an information card and said apparatus is configured for authenticating a holograph display element on one surface of said card.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apparatus is positioned in a device for reading information from a magnetic stripe on said information card.

8. A bar code reader, comprising

symbol detection means for generating a laser beam directed toward a symbol to be read on a target and for receiving reflected light from such symbol to produce electrical signals corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light;

and

apparatus for authenticating a holographic display element on one surface of said target, said apparatus comprising

an illumination source for directing light to said holographic display element to produce a reflected beam from said display element;

a holographic record, wherein said record is a holographic recording made using an authentic signal version of said holographic display element and a reference beam, said holographic record being positioned to receive said reflected beam so that said reflected beam passes through said holographic record to form a correlation beam that carries a correlation signal of said holographic display element and said authentic version of said holographic display element;

a sensor positioned to receive the correlation beam; and

means for determining from the output of the sensor whether said display element is authentic by examining said correlation beam.

9. A bar code reader of claim 8 wherein said symbol detection means comprises a flying spot scanner.

10. A bar code reader of claim 8 wherein said symbol comprises a holographically recorded bar code.