Readers to analyze security features on objects

• US 7,762,468 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Reed, Alastair M., Jones, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze; Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US12/234,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 235/491, 235/462.01, 235/462.04, 235/487, 235/380, 235/454, 235/494, 382/10, 382/181, 382/232, 382/100
• US Class Current: 235/491
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/144 using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/23 Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/378 Special inks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/382 absorbing or reflecting infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/41 using electromagnetic radiation B42D25/435 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0043 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/206 Matching template patterns
• 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 7/125 Offline card verification

Abstract

The present invention provides readers to analyze emerging security or authentication feature for physical objects (e.g., identification documents, product packaging, banknotes, etc.). One claim recites a reader including: an excitation source to excite an object with first non-visible light, the object comprising first indicia provided with a first ink or dye and second indicia provided with a second ink or dye, the second ink or dye comprising an emission decay time that is relatively longer than an emission decay time of the first ink or dye, the first indicia and the second indicia collectively conveying a first machine readable feature when illuminated with the first non-visible light, with the second indicia individually conveying a second machine readable feature after emissions attributable to the first indicia fall to a first level; and a code reader to read at least the second machine readable feature after emissions attributable to the first ink or dye fall to the first level and before emissions attributable to the second ink or dye fall to a second level. Other claims and combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A reader to analyze a physical object comprising:

an input to receive data corresponding to optical scan data, the optical scan data corresponding to at least a portion of a physical document, the physical document including,

first indicia provided on a surface of the object with a first ink or dye, the first ink or dye having a first emission decay rate;

second indicia provided on the surface of the object with a second ink or dye, the second ink or dye including a second emission decay rate, wherein the first emission decay rate is relatively shorter than the second emission decay rate,

the first indicia and second indicia are arranged on the surface of the object so as to collectively convey a first machine readable code when the first ink or dye and the second ink or dye are excited by non-visible light; and

electronic processing circuitry to read a second machine-readable code that is carried by the second indicia, the second machine-readable code becomes readable as emissions from the first ink or dye decrease to at least a first predetermined level, but before the emissions from the second ink or dye decrease to a second predetermined level.

2. The reader of claim 1 further comprising memory including instructions for execution by said electronic processing circuitry, the instructions comprising instructions to read the second machine-readable code.

3. The reader of claim 2 wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to read the first machine readable code.

4. The reader of claim 1 wherein the electronic processing circuitry is operating to read the second machine readable code.

5. The reader of claim 1 where the non-visible light comprises ultraviolet light.

6. The reader of claim 1 where the non-visible light comprises infrared light.

7. The reader of claim 1 where the first machine readable code comprises a first barcode, and the second machine readable code comprises a second barcode.

8. The reader of claim 1 wherein the first machine readable code comprises a first digital watermark, and the second machine readable code comprises a second digital watermark.

9. The reader of claim 1 where the first machine readable code is visibly perceptible by a human viewer during illumination by the non-visible light and for at least a period of time following such illumination, and where the second machine readable code is distinguishable from the first machine readable code by a human viewer only after the emissions of the first ink or dye reach the first predetermined level.

10. The reader of claim 1 where the first machine readable code comprises a first barcode representing first auxiliary data, and wherein the second machine readable code comprises a second barcode representing second auxiliary data, and where at least some of the second auxiliary data is different than the first auxiliary data.

11. The reader of claim 1 where the physical object comprises at least a banknote, identification document or product packaging.

12. The reader of claim 1 in which said electronic processing circuitry comprising a programmed electronic processor.

13. A reader comprising:

an excitation source to excite an object with first non-visible light, the object comprising first indicia provided with a first ink or dye and second indicia provided with a second ink or dye, the second ink or dye comprising an emission decay time that is relatively longer than an emission decay time of the first ink or dye, the first indicia and the second indicia collectively conveying a first machine readable feature when illuminated with the first non-visible light, with the second indicia individually conveying a second machine readable feature after emissions attributable to the first indicia fall to a first level; and

a code reader to read at least the second machine readable feature after emissions attributable to the first ink or dye fall to the first level and before emissions attributable to the second ink or dye fall to a second level.

14. The reader of claim 13 wherein the code reader is also for reading the first machine readable feature.

15. The reader of claim 14 wherein the reader determines whether the first machine readable feature and the second machine readable feature are correlated in an expected manner.

16. The reader of claim 13 where the first machine readable feature comprises a first barcode.

17. The reader of claim 16 where the second machine readable feature comprises a second barcode.

18. The reader of claim 13 wherein the first machine readable code comprises first digital watermarking.

19. The reader of claim 18 wherein the second machine readable features comprises second digital watermarking.

20. The reader of claim 13 where the first machine readable feature is visibly perceptible by a human viewer during illumination by the first non-visible light and for at least a period of time following such illumination, and where the second machine readable feature is distinguishable from the first machine readable feature by a human viewer only after the emissions of the first ink or dye reach the first level.

21. The reader of claim 13 where the first machine readable feature comprises a first barcode representing first auxiliary data, and wherein the second machine readable feature comprises a second barcode representing second auxiliary data, and where at least some of the second auxiliary data is different than the first auxiliary data.

22. The reader of claim 13 in which said code reader is operating to read at least the second machine readable feature.

23. The reader of claim 13 in which said excitation source is operating to excite the object with first non-visible light.

24. The reader of claim 13 in which an electronic processor is programmed as said code reader.

25. The reader of claim 24 in which said code reader is operating to read at least the second machine readable feature.