System for reading and authenticating a composite image in a sheeting

• US 8,072,626 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales DIS France SAS (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Kenner, Martin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GARCIA, GABRIEL I
• Application Number:
  US12/544,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20090310824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 358/402, 382/100, 359/619, 359/626
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/206 Matching template patterns

Abstract

A system for reading and authenticating a composite image in a sheeting. A exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a system for reading and authenticating a sheeting including a composite image that appears to the unaided eye to be floating above or below the sheeting or both. The present invention also relates to methods of reading and authenticating a composite image that appears to the unaided eye to be floating above or below the sheeting or both.

Claims

1. A system for reading and authenticating a composite image in a sheeting, the sheeting including a composite image that appears to the unaided eye to be floating above or below the sheeting or both, the system comprising:

a reader, comprising;

a first camera to capture a first image of the sheeting and a first image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both;

a second camera to capture a second image of the sheeting and a second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both; and

a computer for comparing the first image and the second image of the sheeting and for comparing the first image and second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both to calculate the perceived distance between the sheeting and the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both.

2. A system for reading and authenticating a composite image in a sheeting, the sheeting including a composite image that appears to the unaided eye to be floating above or below the sheeting or both, the system comprising:

a reader, comprising;

a camera moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the camera captures a first image of the sheeting and a first image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both, wherein in the second position the camera captures a second image of the sheeting and a second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both; and

a computer for comparing the first image and the second image of the sheeting and for comparing the first image and second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both to calculate the perceived distance between the sheeting and the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both.

3. A system for reading and authenticating a composite image in a sheeting, the sheeting including a composite image that appears to the unaided eye to be floating above or below the sheeting or both, the system comprising:

a reader, comprising;

a camera; and

a sheeting holder moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the microlens sheeting is positioned on the sheeting holder, wherein in the first position the camera captures a first image of the sheeting and a first image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both, wherein in the second position the camera captures a second image of the microlens sheeting and a second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both; and

a computer for comparing the first image and the second image of the sheeting and for comparing the first image and second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both to calculate the perceived distance between the sheeting and the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both.

4. A method of reading and authenticating a composite image in a sheeting, comprising the steps of:

providing a sheeting including a composite image that appears to the unaided eye to be floating above or below the sheeting;

recording a first image of the microlens sheeting and recording a first image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both;

recording a second image of the microlens sheeting and recording a second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both;

calculating the distance between the sheeting and the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both by comparing the first image and the second image of the microlens sheeting and by comparing the first image and second image of the composite image floating above or below the sheeting or both.