Object authentication using encoded images digitally stored on the object

• US 7,860,268 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Security Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Graphic Security Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Cvetkovic, Slobodan, Alasia, Alfred J., Alasia, Alfred V., Alasia, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tabatabai, Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US11/610,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20080144947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/236, 380/51, 380/54, 380/201, 380/210, 380/252, 380/287, 380/229, 380/232, 380/247, 380/258, 283/72, 283/73, 283/85, 713/155, 713/161, 713/168, 713/170, 713/176, 713/179, 715/749, 717/173, 717/178
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/003 using security elements using digital security elements G07D7/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32138 in an electronic device attached to the sheet, e.g. in an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/448 Rendering the image unintelligible, e.g. scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4493 Subsequently rendering the image intelligible using a co-operating image, mask or the like
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A method of authenticating an object using optically decodable encoded images is presented. The method comprises attaching a digital data storage medium to the object and storing an optically decodable digital encoded image in the data storage medium. The digital encoded image comprises authentication information determinable by decoding the digital encoded image. The method further comprises downloading the digital encoded image from the digital data storage medium and applying a digital decoding algorithm to the captured digital image to establish a decoding result. The decoding result is then compared to object authentication criteria to establish an authentication result.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating an object comprising:

attaching a digital data storage medium to the object;

storing an optically decodable digital encoded image in the data storage medium, the digital encoded image comprising authentication information determinable by decoding the digital encoded image;

downloading the digital encoded image from the digital data storage medium;

applying a digital decoding algorithm to the captured digital image to establish a decoding result; and

comparing the decoding result to object authentication criteria to establish an authentication result.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

extracting authentication information from the decoding result.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the object authentication criteria include object information determinable by visual inspection of the object.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the authentication information comprises an authentication image encoded into the digital encoded image and wherein the object information includes a printed version of the authentication image.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of the set consisting of an authentication image encoded into the digital encoded image and one or more encoding parameters used to encode the digital encoded image.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the object is a printed document containing visible indicia and wherein the authentication information is uniquely associated with the printed document.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the authentication information is derived from the visible indicia.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the printed document is a personal identification document uniquely associated with a particular person.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the action of downloading is carried out at an inspection station and the action of applying a digital decoding algorithm is carried out by an authentication processor remote from the inspection station, the method further comprising:

transmitting the downloaded digital encoded image from the inspection station to the authentication processor; and

transmitting at least one of the set consisting of the decoding result and the authentication result from the authentication processor to the inspection station.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the inspection station and the authentication processor are in selective communication over a network.

11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

applying a visible optically encoded image to the object, the visible optically encoded image comprising object authentication criteria; and

decoding the visible optically encoded image to determine the object authentication criteria.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the action of decoding the visible optically encoded image is carried out using a decoding lens.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the action of decoding the visible optically encoded image includes:

capturing a digital image of at least a portion of the test object including the visible optically encoded image;

applying a digital decoding algorithm to the captured digital image to establish a second decoding result; and

determining the authentication criteria from the second decoding result.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the digital data storage medium comprises at least one of the set consisting of an RFID tag, a magnetic stripe, a bar code, a processor chip and a memory chip.

15. A method of authenticating an object, the method comprising:

downloading a digital encoded image from a digital data storage medium attached to the object, the digital encoded image comprising authentication information determinable by decoding the digital encoded image;

applying a digital decoding algorithm to the captured digital image to establish a decoding result; and

comparing the decoding result to object authentication criteria to establish an authentication result.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising:

extracting authentication information from the decoding result.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein the object authentication criteria include object information determinable by visual inspection of the object.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the authentication information comprises an authentication image encoded into the digital encoded image and wherein the object information includes a printed version of the authentication image.

19. A method according to claim 15 wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of the set consisting of an authentication image encoded into the digital encoded image and one or more encoding parameters used to encode the digital encoded image.

20. A method according to claim 15 wherein the action of downloading is carried out at an inspection station and the action of applying a digital decoding algorithm is carried out by an authentication processor remote from the inspection station, the method further comprising:

transmitting the downloaded digital encoded image from the inspection station to the authentication processor; and

transmitting at least one of the set consisting of the decoding result and the authentication result from the authentication processor to the inspection station.

21. A method according to claim 15 wherein the object has a visible, optically encoded image applied to a surface thereof, the visible optically encoded image comprising object authentication criteria and wherein the method further comprises:

decoding the visible optically encoded image to determine the object authentication criteria.

22. A method according to claim 15 wherein the digital data storage medium comprises at least one of the set consisting of an RFID tag a magnetic stripe, a bar code a processor chip and a memory chip.

23. A system for authenticating an object having a digital data storage medium attached thereto, the digital data storage medium having stored therein an optically decodable digital encoded image comprising authentication information, the system comprising:

a digital image download device adapted for selective communication with the digital data storage medium and for receiving the digital encoded image therefrom; and

a data processing system having

an image receiving module adapted for receiving the digital image from the digital image download device,

an encoding information database configured for storage of at least one of the set consisting of the authentication image and the set of one or more encoding parameters,

a decoding module adapted for applying an encoded image decoding algorithm to the digital image to produce a decoding result; and

an authentication module adapted for comparing the decoding result to object authentication criteria to determine an authentication result.

24. A system according to claim 23 wherein the data processing system comprises an inspection data processor that includes the image receiving module.

25. A system according to claim 23 wherein the inspection data processor further includes at least one of the set consisting of the decoding module and the authentication module.

26. A system according to claim 25 wherein

the inspection data processor further includes a data transmission module in selective communication with a network, the data transmission module being adapted for transmitting the digital image over the network, and wherein

the data processing system further comprises an authentication server including a data receiving module in selective communication with the network and being adapted for receiving the digital image from the inspection data processor.

27. A system according to claim 26 wherein the authentication server includes at least one of the set consisting of the decoding module and the authentication module.

28. A system according to claim 23 wherein the digital data storage medium comprises an RFID tag and the digital image download device comprises an RFD interrogator.

29. An authenticable object comprising:

an object having authentication information associated therewith;

a digital data storage medium attached to the object, the digital data storage medium having an optically decodable digital encoded image stored therein, the digital encoded image comprising decodable indicia including at least a portion of the authentication information,

wherein the digital encoded image can be downloaded from the digital data storage medium.

30. An authenticable object according to claim 29 wherein the digital data storage medium comprises at least one of the set consisting of an RFID tag, a magnetic stripe, a bar code, a processor chip and a memory chip.

31. An authenticable object according to claim 29 wherein the authentication information includes object information determinable by visual inspection of the object.

32. An authenticable object according to claim 31 wherein the authentication information comprises an authentication image encoded into the digital encoded image and wherein the object information includes a printed version of the authentication image.

33. An authenticable object according to claim 29 wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of the set consisting of an authentication image encoded into the digital encoded image and one or more encoding parameters used to encode the digital encoded image.

34. An authenticable object according to claim 29 wherein the object is a printed document containing visible indicia and wherein the authentication information is uniquely associated with the printed document.

35. An authenticable object according to claim 34 wherein at least a portion of the authentication information is derived from the visible indicia.

36. An authenticable object according to claim 34 wherein the printed document is a personal identification document uniquely associated with a particular person.

37. An authenticable object according to claim 29 wherein at least a portion of the authentication information is stored in the digital data storage medium.

38. An authenticable object according to claim 29 further comprising an optically decodable encoded image applied to a surface of the object.

39. An authenticable object according to claim 38 wherein the digital encoded image was produced using a first set of encoding parameters and the applied encoded image was produced using a second set of encoding parameters having at least one encoding parameter in common with the first set of encoding parameters.

40. An authenticable object according to claim 38 wherein the digital encoded image was produced using a first set of encoding parameters and the applied encoded image was produced using a second set of encoding parameters having at least one encoding parameter not included in the first set of encoding parameters.

41. An authenticable object according to claim 38 wherein the applied encoded image is decodable to produce a decoding result that includes indicia of one or more encoding parameters used to encode the digital encoded image.

42. An authenticable object according to claim 38 wherein the applied encoded image is decodable to produce a decoding result that includes indicia of an authentication image used to encode the digital encoded image.