Means for using microstructure of materials surface as a unique identifier

• US 9,710,902 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AlpVision S. A.
• Original Assignee: AlpVision S. A.
• Inventors: Di Venuto Dayer, V, Celine, Kutter, Martin, Jordan, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Liew, Alex
• Application Number:
  US15/193,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 382124-127
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30176 Document
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/242 by image rotation, e.g. by 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/7515 Shifting the patterns to accommodate for positional errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/248 involving plural approaches, e.g. verification by template match; Resolving confusion among similar patterns, e.g. "O" versus "Q" G06V30/242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2504 Coarse or fine approaches, e.g. resolution of ambiguities or multiscale approaches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1371 Matching features related to minutiae or pores
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/2033 Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 1/00 Apparatus or methods whereby a given sequence of signs, e.g. an intelligible text, is transformed into an unintelligible sequence of signs by transposing the signs or groups of signs or by replacing them by others according to a predetermined system cryptographic typewriters G09C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3278 using physically unclonable functions [PUF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

The present application concerns the visual identification of materials or documents for tracking or authentication purposes.

It describes methods to automatically authenticate an object by comparing some object images with reference images, the object images being characterized by the fact that visual elements used for comparison are non-disturbing for the naked eye. In some described approaches it provides the operator with visible features to locate the area to be imaged. It also proposes ways for real-time implementation enabling user friendly detection using mobile devices like smart phones.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating an article of manufacture, the surface of the article of manufacture featuring predetermined, reproducible macroscopic characteristics as well as random or pseudo-random, non-reproducible microstructure noise characteristics, the random or pseudo-random, non-reproducible microscopic noise characteristics rendering the article physically unique, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of the visible feature using a predetermined imaging technology to produce a visible feature image with an imaging lighting orientation and an imaging resolution sufficient to show a least one article surface microstructure feature at the pixel level;

generating an authentication pattern based on the visible feature image;

querying, with the imaging device, for a reference product item, a reference authentication pattern in a predetermined central server database;

receiving from the predetermined central server a reference authentication pattern;

comparing, with the imaging device, the authentication pattern with the received reference authentication pattern; and

authenticating, with the imaging device, the article of manufacture if the authentication pattern correlates with the reference authentication pattern within a predefined pattern matching threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined, reproducible macroscopic characteristics comprise the size, the shape or the colors of a graphic design.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphic design size renders the graphic design discernible to a naked eye.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphic design size renders the graphic design discernible only under magnification.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphic design displays a serial number on the article surface.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphic design displays a barcode on the article surface.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphic design displays a datamatrix code on the article surface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface material of the article is metallic, and wherein the manufacturing technique comprises chemical or laser engraving, chemical etching, stamping, or brushing.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the article is a luxury product with a metallic surface.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the luxury product is a watch and the metallic surface is the back of the watch.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the manufacturing technique is incapable of exactly reproducing the non-reproducible microstructure noise characteristics, whereby at least one article surface microstructure surface feature renders the article physically unique.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the random or pseudo-random, non-reproducible microstructure noise characteristics comprise a predetermined resolution, coarseness, surface roughness, or other property enabling the imaging of at least one article surface microstructure feature at the pixel level using the predetermined imaging technology at a resolution below 4800 dpi.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication pattern is a filtered image of the visible image feature.