Method for identification and authenticating without specific reader an identifier

• US 7,438,237 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novatec Incorporated
• Inventors: Bourrieres, Francis, Kaiser, Clement
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/530,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 713/185, 713/182
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0805 automatically, e.g. by means of magnetic, optical or photoelectric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/94 coded with symbols, e.g. text
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/086 with markings consisting of randomly placed or oriented elements, the randomness of the elements being useable for generating a unique identifying signature of the record carrier, e.g. randomly placed magnetic fibers or magnetic particles in the body of a credit card
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• 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

Identification and authentication procedure without specific reader of a three-dimensional identifier (1), (9), (10), (11) attached to an object or living being by using sensory capabilities of the human being notably its stereoscopic vision capabilities (A) and its tactile sense (A′) permitting the appreciation of the particularity of the identifier which renders the latter difficult or impossible to reproduce which are, for example, heterogeneities mixed in a transparent material or surface ridges and/or cavities. The identification or reading is then carried by the visual comparison (B) of a two-dimensional representation image (2) of the identifier (1) (9) (10) (11) stored in a database (4) accessible by a network (5) and the identifier himself.

Claims

1. An identification and authentication process that is indirect and does not employ a specific reader, for identifying an object the process characterized in that:

a three-dimensional identifier is attached to the review object, the identifier presenting three-dimensional heterogeneities distributed in a random manner within a transparent material rendering the identifier difficult or impossible to reproduce,

the process uses stereoscopic vision (A) of the human eye (12) to verify a three-dimensional appearance and confirm the authenticity of the three-dimensional identifier (1), and

the identification process or reading is made by visual comparison (B) of a two-dimensional first image (2) of the three-dimensional identifier (1) stored in a database (4) accessible by a network (5), to the three-dimensional identifier (1).

2. An identification and authentication process as in claim 1 wherein

a second image (3) similar to the two-dimensional image (2) of the identifier (1) (9) (10) (11) is prepared,

the second image (3) is physically associated with the three-dimensional identifier (1) (9) (10) (11),

a first visual comparison (C) is carried out between the three-dimensional identifier (1) (9) (10) (11) and the second image (3),

a second visual comparison (D) is carried out between the first image (2) and the second image (3).

3. An identification and authentication process as in claim 2 wherein the identifier (1) (9) (10) (11) and/or the two-dimensional first image (2) and/or the similar second image (3) present a particular marking or identification in order to facilitate the visual comparisons.

4. An identification and authentication process as in claim 1 wherein a call number and/or a password is associated with the identifier in order to facilitate and secure access to the database (4).

5. An identification and authentication process as in claim 1 wherein the network (5) is a telecommunications network.

6. An identification and authentication process as in claim 1 wherein the identifier (1) (9) (10) (11) and/or the two-dimensional first image (2) present a particular marking or identification in order to facilitate the visual comparison.