Identifying and ensuring the authenticity of objects

• US 8,908,968 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Movie Poster Grading and Registry Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Movie Poster Grading and Registry Company, LLC
• Inventors: Spoor, Todd Alan, Mulcahy, John Ambrose, McCrae, Scott Stanaway, Cassidy, Kevin Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Repko, Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Potts, Ryan P
• Application Number:
  US12/914,451
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/01 Testing electronic circuits therein
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/2033 Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper

Abstract

Identifying and ensuring object authenticity can occur by identifying an object by acquiring an image of the object, identifying flaws present in or on the object, associating the flaws with respective locations or regions in the image, determining a quality score indicating a condition of the object based at least upon an analysis of the identified flaws, and generating and storing a data record with all of this identifying information. A tag which provides an identifier that links the object to the data record is placed on the object. When authenticity of the object needs to be verified at a later time, the tag identifier is retrieved and used to retrieve the data record. The identifying information can then be compared with the object as it currently appears. If the object as it currently appears corresponds with the identifying information, authenticity is verified. Otherwise, fraud can be suspected.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an object comprising the steps of:

acquiring an image of the object;

identifying flaws present on or in the object;

associating each of the identified flaws with a location in the image of the object;

determining a quality score indicating a condition of the object based at least upon an analysis of the identified flaws;

generating a first identifier associated with the object;

attaching a first tag to the object, the first tag including a second identifier associated with the first tag;

attaching a second tag to the object, a first portion of the second tag overlapping the first tag when viewed from a direction normal to a surface of the object, and a second portion of the second tag, which is different than the first portion, not overlapping the first tag when viewed from the direction;

generating a data record including the first identifier, the second identifier, the image of the object, indications of the identified flaws, indications of the locations of the identified flaws in the image of the object, and the quality score; and

storing the data record in a processor-accessible memory device system,

wherein at least the generating steps are performed at least in part by a data processing device system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is ephemera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image of the object, the indications of the identified flaws, the indications of the locations of the identified flaws in the image of the object, and the quality score are identifying information for identifying the object, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a request for identifying information, the request including the second identifier;

retrieving at least the image of the object, the indications of the identified flaws, the indications of the locations of the identified flaws in the image of the object, and the quality score as the identifying information from the processor-accessible memory device system by locating the data record according to the second identifier received in the request; and

transmitting the retrieved identifying information in response to the request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second identifier included in the request is obtained by a reading of the first tag on an object being evaluated, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the retrieved identifying information corresponds to the object being evaluated based at least upon a comparison of the retrieved identifying information and the object being evaluated;

determining that the object being evaluated is authentic if it is determined that the retrieved identifying information corresponds to the object being evaluated; and

determining that the object being evaluated is fraudulent if it is determined that the retrieved identifying information does not correspond to the object being evaluated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tag includes a third identifier associated with the second tag, the second identifier and the third identifier being different identifiers, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

including the third identifier in the data record; and

storing the data record including the third identifier in the processor-accessible memory device system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tag is made at least partially of a biologic marker.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the second tag is not overlaid on the first tag and is located directly on the object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tag extends across an edge of the first tag.

9. A method for identifying an object comprising the steps of:

acquiring an image of the object;

identifying flaws present on or in the object;

associating each of the identified flaws with a location in the image of the object;

determining a quality score indicating a condition of the object based at least upon an analysis of the identified flaws;

attaching a first tag to a certificate associated with the object, the first tag being an RFID tag;

attaching a second tag to the first tag, the second tag being an invisible ink biologic marker, a first portion of the second tag overlapping the first tag when viewed from a direction normal to a surface of the object, and a second portion of the second tag, which is different than the first portion, not overlapping the first tag when viewed from the direction;

attaching a third tag to the object, the third tag being an RFID tag;

attaching a fourth tag to the third tag, the third tag being an invisible ink biologic marker;

attaching a fifth tag to the object, the fifth tag being an invisible ink biologic marker;

generating a data record including an identifier associated with the first tag, the second tag, the third tag, the fourth tag, or the fifth tag, the data record further including the image of the object, indications of the identified flaws, indications of the locations of the identified flaws in the image of the object, and the quality score; and

storing the data record in a processor-accessible memory device system,

wherein at least the generating step is performed at least in part by a data processing device system.