Apparatus for capturing an image

• US 7,027,623 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Upper Deck Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Upper Deck Company LLC
• Inventors: Sutherland, Richard, Andrews, Robert G., Demko, Brenton, McWilliam, Richard P., Christianson, Adam, Abrahams, William B., Hagen, G. Lynn, Hoerr, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Samir
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, CHONG R
• Application Number:
  US10/442,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20030198365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 382115-127, 382/313, 382/314, 370 58- 586, 705/26, 705/27, 705/37, 283/68, 283/69, 283/70, 283/74, 283/75, 283/77, 283/78, 283/85, 283/86, 283/113
• US Class Current: 382/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/16 the marking being a hologram or diffraction grating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps

Abstract

A method and system for providing owners, potential buyers and other users of autographed items such as sports and other entertainment memorabilia visual evidence for verifying the authenticity of the autograph are described. A method of the present invention involves capturing an image of the signature as it is being placed on the item. The image so captured is then stored on a computer readable medium. In addition to the item itself, the owner of the item may be provided with a computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions for accessing the image and other information about the item, the signing process, the autographer, etc. The image may be captured by a camera mounted on a pen or other writing instrument.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing an image, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument capable of imprinting a mark on an item;

a camera capable of capturing an image of said mark, said camera carried by said writing instrument;

a receiver to receive an input signal from an external source, said receiver carried by said writing instrument; and

a triggering signal generator coupled to the receiver to generate a triggering signal to control the camera, said triggering signal generator carried by said writing instrument.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera is positioned such that the image includes a selected target object.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the selected target object is a signature made with the writing instrument.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position of the camera relative to the writing instrument can be changed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said camera includes a charge-coupled device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, including a transmitter that sends a signal related to the image to a processor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, including a computer-readable medium that receives and stores said image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the triggering signal generator is configured to send the triggering signal to the camera to initiate capture of the image.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the triggering signal is sent when the item is within a specified distance from the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the triggering signal is sent when the triggering signal generator receives an input signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the triggering signal is sent when an electromechanical device is actuated.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the triggering signal is sent periodically.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the triggering signal generator is configured to send the triggering signal to the camera to terminate capture of the image.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the triggering signal is sent when the item is within a specified distance from the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the triggering signal is sent when the triggering signal generator receives an input signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the triggering signal is sent when an electromechanical device is actuated.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the triggering signal is sent periodically.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, including a coupler having a first end and a second end, said first end being connected to said camera and said second end being connected to said writing instrument.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the writing instrument includes a body, and wherein the camera is integrated into the body of the writing instrument.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, including a power supply.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said power supply is a battery.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, said writing instrument having an interchangeable tip.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, said item being a memorabilia item.

24. An apparatus for capturing an image, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of imprinting a mark on an item;

a camera capable of capturing an image of the mark, said camera substantially disposed within said body and capturing the image through said aperture;

a transmitter having an antenna which protrudes from said body;

a receiver to receive an input signal from an external source, said receiver carried by said writing instrument; and

a triggering signal generator coupled to the receiver to generate a triggering signal to control the camera, said triggering signal generator carried by said writing instrument.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, said camera including a charge-coupled device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, said charge-coupled device being disposed within said body.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, including a power source.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, said power source being a battery.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, said power source being disposed within said body.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, said writing instrument having a tip and said camera having a lens disposed so as to capture an image of the tip.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, said writing instrument having an interchangeable tip.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, said item being a memorabilia item.

33. An apparatus for capturing an image, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of imprinting a mark on an item;

a camera that captures an image of the mark, said camera substantially disposed within said body and capturing the image through said aperture;

a receiver to receive an input signal from an external source, said receiver carried by said writing instrument;

a triggering signal generator coupled to the receiver to generate a triggering signal to control the camera, said triggering signal generator carried by said writing instrument; and

a computer readable medium.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, said computer readable medium being removably associated with the apparatus.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, including a power source.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, said power source being a battery.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, said power source being disposed within said body.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, said writing instrument having a tip and a lens disposed so as to capture an image of the tip.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, said writing instrument having an interchangeable tip.

40. The apparatus of claim 33, said item being a memorabilia item.

41. An apparatus for capturing an image, said apparatus comprising:

means for writing capable of imprinting a mark on an item;

means for capturing an image of the mark, said means carried by said writing means;

means for receiving an input signal from an external source, said means for receiving an input signal carried by said writing means; and

means for generating a triggering signal for controlling the capturing means, said means for generating a triggering signal carried by said writing means.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, including means for transmitting said image.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, including means for supplying electrical power to the capturing means.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, including means for storing the image.

45. A system for capturing an image of a signature being imprinted on an item by an autographer, said system comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of capturing an image of the signature;

a unique item identifier attached to the item;

a camera that captures the image, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image through said aperture; and

a reading device attached to said body to interpret the unique item identifier and control image capture when the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range.

46. An apparatus for capturing an image, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture;

a camera that captures the image, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image through said aperture; and

a autographer-identifying information collector capable of capturing autographer-identifying information and electronically attached to said camera, wherein said camera is prevented from capturing the image until the camera receives a signal from said autographer-identifying information collector.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, said autographer-identifying information being a member selected from the group consisting of a signature, an image, a biometric sample, a fingerprint, and a unique identification code.

48. A system for capturing an image of a signature being imprinted on an item by an autographer, said system comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of capturing the image of the signature;

a unique item identifier attached to a memorabilia item, wherein the unique item identifier includes an active circuit, the active circuit being powered by an internal power source;

a camera that captures the image, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image of the signature through said aperture; and

a reading device attached to said body to interpret the unique item identifier and prevent image capture until the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range.

49. A system for capturing an image of a signature being imprinted on an item by an autographer, said system comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of capturing the image of the signature;

a unique item identifier attached to a memorabilia item;

a camera that captures the image of the signature, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image of the signature through said aperture;

a receiver to receive an input signal from an external source;

a triggering signal generator coupled to the receiver to generate a triggering signal to control the camera; and

a reading device attached to said body to interpret the unique item identifier and prevent image capture until the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range.

50. A system for capturing an image, said system comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture;

a camera that captures the image, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image through said aperture;

a receiver to receive an input signal from an external source, said receiver carried by said writing instrument;

a triggering signal generator coupled to the receiver to generate a triggering signal to control the camera, said triggering signal generator carried by said writing instrument; and

an autographer-identifying information collector capable of capturing autographer-identifying information and electronically attached to said camera, wherein said camera is prevented from capturing the image until the camera receives said signal from said autographer-identifying information collector.

51. An apparatus for capturing an image, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument capable of imprinting a mark on an item;

a camera capable of capturing an image of said mark, said camera carried by said writing instrument; and

a reading device to interpret a unique item identifier and control image capture when the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, further including a power source.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said camera is a charge-coupled device.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the writing instrument has an interchangeable tip.

55. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said item is a memorabilia item.

56. The apparatus of claim 51, further including a transmitter that sends a signal relating to the image to a processor.

57. The apparatus of claim 51, further including a computer-readable medium to receive and store said image.

58. The apparatus of claim 51, further including a triggering signal generator configured to send a triggering signal to said camera to initiate image capture.

59. An apparatus for capturing an image of a signature being imprinted on an item by an autographer, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of capturing the image of the signature;

a camera that captures the image of the signature, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image of the signature through said aperture; and

a reading device attached to said body to interpret a unique item identifier attached to the item and prevent image capture until the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, further including a power source.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said camera is a charge-coupled device.

62. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the writing instrument has an interchangeable tip.

63. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said item is a memorabilia item.

64. The apparatus of claim 59, further including a transmitter that sends a signal relating to the image to a processor.

65. The apparatus of claim 59, further including a computer-readable medium to receive and store said image.

66. The apparatus of claim 59, further including a triggering signal generator configured to send a triggering signal to said camera to initiate image capture.

67. An apparatus for capturing an image of a signature being imprinted on an item by an autographer, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of capturing the image of the signature;

a camera that captures the image, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens disposed so as to capture the image of the signature through said aperture; and

a reading device attached to said body to interpret a unique item identifier attached to the item and prevent image capture until the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range, wherein the unique item identifier includes an active circuit that is powered by an internal power source.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, further including a power source.

69. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said camera is a charge-coupled device.

70. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the writing instrument has an interchangeable tip.

71. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said item is a memorabilia item.

72. The apparatus of claim 67, further including a transmitter that sends a signal relating to the image to a processor.

73. The apparatus of claim 67, further including a computer-readable medium to receive and store said image.

74. The apparatus of claim 67, further including a triggering signal generator configured to send a triggering signal to said camera to initiate image capture.

75. An apparatus for capturing an image of a signature being imprinted on an item by an autographer, said apparatus comprising:

a writing instrument, having a body with an aperture and capable of capturing the image of the signature;

a camera capable of capturing the image, said camera substantially disposed within said body and having a lens coupled to the body; and

a reading device attached to said body to interpret a unique item identifier attached to the item and prevent image capture until the unique item identifier is within a predetermined range.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, further including a power source.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said camera is a charge-coupled device.

78. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the writing instrument has an interchangeable tip.

79. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said item is a memorabilia item.

80. The apparatus of claim 75, further including a transmitter that sends a signal relating to the image to a processor.

81. The apparatus of claim 75, further including a computer-readable medium to receive and store said image.

82. The apparatus of claim 75, further including a triggering signal generator configured to send a triggering signal to said camera to initiate image capture.