Apparatus to Analyze Security Features on Objects

• US 20110180603A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Reed, Alastair M., Jones, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,123,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• 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 disclosure provides apparatus for analyzing emerging security or authentication feature for physical objects (e.g., identification documents, product packaging, banknotes, etc.). One claim recites an apparatus comprising: a light source for illuminating a physical object with first non-visible light, the physical object comprising a first code provided with a first ink or dye and a second code 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 code and the second code collectively conveying a first feature when illuminated with the first non-visible light, with the second code individually conveying a second feature after emissions attributable to the first code fall to a first level; and an electronic reader programmed for reading at least the second 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. An apparatus comprising:

a camera to capture video or imagery corresponding to;

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

second indicia carried on the surface with a second ink or dye, the second ink or dye including a second emission decay rate, in which 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 code when the first ink or dye and the second ink or dye are excited by non-visible light; and

an electronic processor programmed to read a second code that is carried by the second indicia, the second code becomes readable as emissions from the first ink or dye decrease to a first predetermined level, but before the emissions from the second ink or dye decrease to a second predetermined level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising electronic memory including instructions for execution by said electronic processor, the instructions comprising instructions to read the second code, in which the second code comprises a bar code or digital watermark.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the instructions further comprises instructions to read the first code, in which the first code comprises a bar code or digital watermark.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the non-visible light comprises ultraviolet light.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the non-visible light comprises infrared light.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first 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 code is distinguishable from the first code by a human viewer only after the emissions of the first ink or dye reach the first predetermined level.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first code comprises a first barcode representing first auxiliary data, and in which the second 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.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 where the physical object comprises a banknote, identification document or product packaging.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a light source for illuminating a physical object with first non-visible light, the physical object comprising a first code provided with a first ink or dye and a second code 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 code and the second code collectively conveying a first feature when illuminated with the first non-visible light, with the second code individually conveying a second feature after emissions attributable to the first code fall to a first level; and

an electronic reader programmed for reading at least the second 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.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the reader is further programmed for reading the first machine readable feature.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the reader determines whether the first machine readable feature and the second machine readable feature are correlated in an expected manner.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the first feature comprises a first barcode.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the second feature comprises a second barcode.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the first feature comprises first digital watermarking.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which the second feature comprises second digital watermarking.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the first 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 in which the second feature is distinguishable from the first feature by a human viewer only after the emissions of the first ink or dye reach the first level.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the first feature comprises a first barcode representing first auxiliary data, and in which the second 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.