Method and system for authenticating objects and object data

• US 6,397,334 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Chai Wah, Schrott, Alejandro Gabriel, Tresser, Charles P., Greengard, Claude A., Chainer, Timothy Joseph, Moskowitz, Paul Andrew, von Gutfeld, Robert Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Newton, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US09/213,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 713/185-186,176-179,168,4 380/202,210,200
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

A system and method for authenticating an image of an object, include at least one identifier associated with the object, a receiver for interrogating the at least one identifier to produce identification information, a camera system for recording an image from the object including the at least one identifier, and a composite generator for encoding the identification information from the receiver along with the image acquired by the camera system, to produce composite data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one identifier associated with the object;

a receiver for interrogating said at least one identifier to produce identification information;

a camera system for recording a first image from the object in a first state including said at least one identifier;

a composite generator for encoding said identification information from said receiver, as encoded data, along with said first image acquired by said camera system, and generating a first set of composite data;

a camera system for recording a second image from the object in a second state including said at least one identifier; and

a composite generator for encoding said identification information from said receiver, as encoded data, along with said second image acquired by said camera system, and generating a second set of composite data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a radio frequency (RF) identifier.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a biometric identifier.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises at least one of a bar code and a Smart Card.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a radio frequency (RF) receiver.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier is unique to at least one of said object and a feature of said object.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of identifiers are attached to said object.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said camera system comprises a digital camera.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said encoded data is attached to said image as one of an attached signature and a watermark.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a directional antenna for preventing said receiver from reading an identifier other than said at least one identifier, such that said directional antenna receives radio frequency (RF) signals from identifiers only in a direction to which said camera system is pointed.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a delay sensing subsystem, coupled to said receiver, for measuring a delay time between initiation of a pulse of said receiver directed to said object and reception thereof by said receiver.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said identification information includes at least one of a distance between said camera system and the object and a focal length of said camera system.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a delay sensing subsystem, coupled to said receiver, for measuring a delay time between initiation of a pulse of said receiver directed to said object and reception thereof by said receiver.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said delay time is recorded and encoded into the composite data by said composite generator.

15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an encryption device coupled to said composite generator, wherein each of said first and second images are authenticated by encoding of the identification information from said at least one identifier and predetermined information are input from said composite generator to said encryption device using one of a public key and a private key.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said camera system includes a zoom lens system and automatically forms a plurality of images with a plurality of different zoom settings of said zoom lens system.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said zoom settings comprise random zoom settings.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said zoom settings are encoded into at least one of the plurality of images.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver includes an identifier attached thereto, such that both said identifier of said receiver and said at least one identifier of said object are recorded when said camera system takes an image of said object.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier contains a plurality of dipoles.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises silicon.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein a signature corresponding to said at least one identifier is prerecorded.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the signature of said at least one identifier is prerecorded by using radio frequency.

24. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a radio frequency identification tag.

25. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second images is encoded with a time stamp.

26. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for encrypting a time stamp in each of said first and second images,

said time stamp representing a time at which each of said first and second images was recorded by said camera system.

27. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for sensing a time that each of said first and second images is recorded by said camera system, embedding a time stamp in each of said first and second images, and for encrypting each of said first and second images including said time stamp.

28. The system according to claim 1, wherein said object comprises an inanimate object.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said object comprises one of a motor vehicle and artwork.

30. The system according to claim 1, wherein said object comprises an animate object.

31. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a tamper-resistant identifier such that any of alteration and removal of said at least one identifier nullifies said at least one identifier.

59. The system of claim 1, wherein said first state of said object is damaged.

60.The system of claim 1, wherein said second state of said object is repaired.

60. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of composite data and said second set of composite data are submitted to an insurance company.

61. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of composite data is compared to said second set of composite data.

62. The system of claim 1, wherein each set of said first and second sets of composite data comprises a composite photograph.

32. A method of authenticating an object, comprising:

associating at least one identifier with the object;

interrogating said at least one identifier to generate identification information;

recording a first image from the object in a first state including the at least one identifier; and

encoding said identification information, based on said interrogating said at least one identifier, along with said first image recorded, to generate a first set of composite data;

recording a second image from the object in a second state including the at least one identifier; and

encoding said identification information, based on said interrogating said at least one identifier, along with said second image recorded, to generate a second set of composite data.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said object comprises an inanimate object.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein said object comprises one of a motor vehicle and artwork.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein said object comprises an animate object.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a radio frequency identifier.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a biometric identifier.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one identifier comprises at least one of a bar code and a Smart Card.

39. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one identifier is unique to at least one of said object and a feature of said object.

40. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one identifier comprises a tamper-resistant identifier,

said method further comprising nullifying said tamper-resistant identifier responsive to any of alteration and removal of said at least one identifier.

63. The method of claim 32, wherein said first state of said object is damaged.

64. The method of claim 32, wherein said second state of said object is repaired.

65. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

submitting said first set of composite data and said second set of composite data to an insurance company.

66. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

comparing said first set of composite data to said second set of composite data.

67. The method of claim 32, wherein each set of said first and second sets of composite data comprises a composite photograph.

41. A method of authenticating an object, comprising:

simultaneously extracting at least two kinds of information associated with said object in a first state;

simultaneously, with said extracting, jointly encrypting said at least two kinds of information; and

decrypting said at least two kinds of information, to verify authenticity of said object in a first state;

simultaneously extracting at least two kinds of information associated with said object in a second state;

simultaneously, with said extracting, jointly encrypting said at least two kinds of information; and

decrypting said at least two kinds of information, to verify authenticity of said object in a second state.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said extracting comprises recording an image of the object and obtaining an intrinsic physical property of the object.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said image comprises a photographic image, and wherein said intrinsic property of the object includes a topographic measurement of the surface of the object.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said image comprises a photographic image, and wherein said intrinsic property of the object includes at least one of density and weight of the object.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the density reveals three-dimensional voids in the object.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said image comprises a photographic image, and wherein said at least one intrinsic property includes a magnetic property of the object.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein one of the two kinds of information comprises an electromagnetic radiation of the object.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein one of the two kinds of information is from one of an electronic tag emitting identifying information and from a passive tag revealing one of said two kinds of information when prompted by an external field.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of said two kinds of information is applied in a time-sequenced order.

50. The method according to claim 41, wherein one of the at least two kinds of information comprises a digital image of said object, said object comprising a three-dimensional object.

51. The method according to claim 41, wherein said object comprises an inanimate object.

52. The method according to claim 41, wherein said object comprises one of a motor vehicle and artwork.

53. The method according to claim 41, wherein said object comprises an animate object.

54. The method according to claim 41, wherein said two kinds of information include an image information of said object and biometrics information uniquely associated with said object.

55. The method according to claim 41, wherein one of the two kinds of information is from a radio frequency identifier associated with the object.

56. The method according to claim 41, wherein one of the two kinds of information is from a biometric identifier associated with the object.

57. The method according to claim 41, wherein one of the two kinds of information is from at least one of a bar code and a Smart Card associated with the object.

58. The method according to claim 41, wherein one of the two kinds of information is from at least one identifier associated with the object, said at least one identifier comprising a tamper-resistant identifier,

said method further comprising nullifying said tamper-resistant identifier responsive to any of alteration and removal of said at least one identifier.

68. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

placing said first state and said second state in a time-sequenced order.