Security, identification and verification systems

• US 7,353,994 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew John Farrall, Keith Michael Barfoot
• Original Assignee: Andrew John Farrall, Keith Michael Barfoot
• Inventors: Farrall, Andrew John, Barfoot, Keith Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haupt; Kristy A.
• Application Number:
  US10/451,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040112962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,302 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/494, 235/491
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/086 with markings consisting of randomly placed or oriented elements, the randomness of the elements being useable for generating a unique identifying signature of the record carrier, e.g. randomly placed magnetic fibers or magnetic particles in the body of a credit card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/128 Viewing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/2033 Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/205 Matching spectral properties
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging

Abstract

A method of operating a security system includes making a plurality of security tags, each of which includes a plurality of particles randomly distributed in a light-transmitting matrix, providing a reader which includes means for causing light of one or more wavelengths to impinge on a security tag and means for interpreting the light reflected and/or refracted and/or diffracted by the particles in the matrix, and presenting said tags to said reader.

Claims

1. A method of operating a security system, said method comprising:

making a plurality of tags, each of which includes a plurality of particles randomly distributed in a light-transmitting matrix;

attaching the tags to objects to be authenticated;

providing a reader which includes means for causing light of one or more wavelengths to impinge on a tag and means for detecting, recording and interpreting the light reflected and/or refracted and/or diffracted by the particles in the matrix so as to produce images of the particles;

presenting said tags to said reader;

encrypting and storing information concerning the images of at least some of the particles of a particular tag on at least one of the particular tag and the object to which the particular tag is attached;

recalling and decrypting the encrypted image information; and

comparing the recalled and decrypted image information with the image information obtained by the reader when authentication is required.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the matrix is afforded by an optically transparent medium, wherein making a plurality of tags further comprises mixing the particles with the medium when the medium is in a fluid state, the medium setting after application of the medium containing the particles to a substrate.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, in which the substrate is photographic paper.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the matrix is afforded by an optically transparent medium, wherein making a plurality of tags further comprises mixing the particles with the medium when the medium is in a fluid state, the medium setting to form a marker that can be attached to a substrate.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the particles are selected from a group consisting of metallised plastic foil particles and geological crystals.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the interpreting means is a computer on which an image of the tag is stored and which includes means for recording co-ordinates of illuminated pixels.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, which includes the use of a bar code for storing encrypted information concerning the co-ordinates.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, in which the co-ordinates are encrypted and the encrypted co-ordinate information is stored on a central database.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, which includes means for manipulating the co-ordinate information.

10. The method of operating a security system as claimed in claim 1, in which the reader includes a plurality of light sources arranged to illuminate the tag at different angles and/or with light of different wavelengths.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the matrix and/or the particles are inherent in the object being “

tagged”

.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which a plurality of light sources are used to illuminate the tag.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, in which the light sources are diffractive optical elements.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising selecting a required level of security.