Automatic microparticle mark reader

• US 7,720,254 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StealthCo, Inc. (Wellness Center USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Smi Holdings, Inc. (Source Media LLC)
• Inventors: Gourley, Christopher S., Zimmermann, Steven D., Zdon, Chris, Meyers, Paul, Stierman, Thomas, Hunt, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERALI, ISHRAT I
• Application Number:
  US11/685,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20090136079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/162, 382/164, 382/165, 382/108, 726/22, 726 34- 35, 726 9- 10, 403/26, 403/12, 408/28, 406/30, 406/38, 405/94, 428/402, 428/403, 428/411.1, 427/7, 427/157, 427/292, 427/197, 427/198, 427/199, 252/408.1, 252/965, 252/301.36, 713/176, 705/58, 235/380
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06084 the marking being based on nanoparticles or microbeads
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/2033 Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper
• 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

An automatic reader system, apparatus, and method for the identification and authentication of articles enabling automatic collection and processing of code data associated with microparticle marks, automatic determination of the code from the code data associated with microparticle marks, and automatic retrieval of reference information associated with the code.

Claims

1. An automated reader for reading a microparticle mark that includes a multiplicity of multi-layer, multi-color microparticles, the automated reader comprising:

a handheld structure housing a processing system, an illumination system and a detection system powered by a power source, the illumination system and the detection system being adapted to capture at least one image of the microparticle mark,

wherein the processing system analyzes the at least one image and includes;

means for identifying at least one region of interest in the at least one image corresponding to at least one of the multi-layer, multi-color microparticles;

means for recognizing colors and layers for each region of interest;

means for recognizing a layer order of the colors and layers for each region of interest;

means for generating a code representative of the microparticle mark that is based on the colors and layers and the layer order of at least one of the at least one region of interest.

2. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the means for identifying at least one region of interest comprises:

means for segmenting the at least one image into foreground areas and background areas;

means for grouping foreground areas into a region of interest based on proximity of the foreground areas by applying one or more additional filtering processes selected from the set including;

color, edge detection, texture, fluorescence, luminescence, reflectance, transition filters, statistical based filters, fast Fourier transforms, watershed filters, neural filters, Bayesian filters or any combination thereof;

means for confirming each region of interest by applying one or more additional filtering processes selected from the set including;

size, texture, fluorescence, luminescence, reflectance, or any combination thereof.

3. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the means for recognizing colors and layers comprises:

means for performing a color transform on at least a portion of the at least one image to generate a transformed color space dataset where luminescence is separated from color information;

means for applying a threshold function to the transformed color space dataset to identify colors matching expected colors of the multi-layer, multi-color microparticles; and

means for recognizing different layers in each region of interest by identifying regions of common color in the transformed color space dataset.

4. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the means for recognizing colors and layers comprises:

means for recognizing different layers in each region of interest by using edge detection;

means for performing a color transform on at least a portion of each layer to generate a transformed color space image where luminescence is separated out; and

means for applying a threshold function to the transformed color space image to identify a color of the at least a portion of each layer matching expected colors of the multi-layer, multi-color microparticles.

5. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the means for recognizing the layer order comprises:

means for determining adjacent layers by virtue of a proximity of less than a predefined gap; and

identifying an order of the adjacent layers as the layer order.

6. The automated reader of claim 5 wherein the means for recognizing the layer order further comprises:

means for resolving the layer order by requiring a center point of adjacent layers to have a linear bend of less than about 20 degrees.

7. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the processing system further includes:

means for storing a predetermined set of codes representative of the valid multi-layer, multi-color microparticles expected for the microparticle mark; and

means for comparing the code to the predetermined set of codes to authenticate the microparticle mark.

8. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the processing system further includes:

means for applying an algorithm to the code to determine if the code is a valid multi-layer, multi-color microparticles expected for the microparticle mark.

9. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the processing system further includes:

means for generating at least one signature string representative of at least one feature relationship among only regions of interest in the microparticle mark that represent valid microparticles, the at least one signature string being generated based on at least one predetermined feature relationship stored in the automated reader that represents a valid signature string.

10. The automated reader of claim 9 wherein the processing system further includes:

means for generating at least one expression code for the microparticle mark based on the at least one signature string, the expression code being adapted to be compared to a predetermined database of valid expression codes to determine if there is a match.

11. The automated reader of claim 10 wherein the processing system further includes:

means for storing the predetermined database of valid expression codes that is operably housed within the handheld structure.

12. The automated reader of claims 7-11 further comprising a user interface operably connected to the processing system that displays an indication of an authentication of the microparticle mark based on a valid code selected from the set including:

a valid microparticle code, a valid signature string, a valid expression code, or any combination thereof.

13. The automated reader of claim 10 wherein the predetermined database is remote from the automated reader and the automated reader further comprises means for communicating the expression code over a computer network to a processing system associated with the predetermined database such that the processing system determines if the match exists between the expression code and the predetermined database.

14. The automated reader of claim 10 wherein the match is based on a confidence level that matches less than all of the expression code.

15. The automated reader of claim 10 wherein the means for generating at least one expression code generates the at least one expression code based on at least two different signature strings.

16. The automated reader of claim 15 wherein the match is performed at a reduced confidence level based on a match of less than all of the at least two different signature strings.

17. The automated reader of claim 15 wherein the means for generating at least one expression code generates the at least one expression code based on a predetermined order of the at least two different signature strings.

18. The automated reader of claim 15 wherein the means for generating at least one expression code generates at least two different expression codes based on at least two different combinations of signature strings, each expression code being a valid expression code for the same microparticle mark.

19. The automated reader of claim 9 wherein the means for generating the at least one signature string generates a plurality of features as part of a single signature string.

20. The automated reader of claim 10 wherein the means for generating the at least one expression code generates encrypts the at least one expression code.

21. The automated reader of claim 9 wherein the means for generating signature strings generates the at least one signature string using a process selected from the set including:

a size of the microparticle, a length of microparticle perimeter, an aspect ration of the microparticle, a major axis of the microparticle, a minor axis of the microparticle, an average color of the microparticle, a shape of the microparticle, a texture of the microparticle (e.g., smooth, rough, gloss), a pattern of the microparticle (e.g., striped, circular, layered, solid, spotted, woven), an indicia on the microparticle (e.g., text and graphics), and an orientation of the microparticle, or any combination thereof.

22. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the code utilizes multiple colors in a single kind of microparticle.

23. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the code utilizes multiple colors from a plurality of kinds of microparticles, each having different arrangements of multiple colors.

24. The automated reader of claim 1 wherein the illumination system comprises a plurality of light sources, each of the light sources being independently and variably controllable by the processing system to dynamically illuminate the microparticle mark.