Multipurpose card and reading system for said multipurpose card

A method for reading a multipurpose card, wherein the following successive steps are performed:

• A. positioning a multipurpose card in a fixed position with respect to a predetermined spatial reference system,
• the multipurpose card comprising a first surface, a second surface, arranged in front of said first surface, a layer, arranged between said first surface and said second surface, and a stone, at least semi-transparent to an electromagnetic radiation, in a fixed position and at least partially in a housing at least partially in said layer;
• wherein:
• the first surface comprises:
• one or more first frontal areas with a first frontal degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, either positioned in front of or comprising portions of said stone;
• one or more first lateral areas with a first lateral degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, positioned outside said one or more first frontal areas;
• wherein said first frontal degree of transparency is greater than said first lateral degree of transparency;
• the second surface comprises:
• one or more second frontal areas with a second frontal degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, positioned in front of said stone;
• one or more second lateral areas with a second lateral degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, positioned outside said one or more second frontal areas;
• wherein said second frontal degree of transparency is smaller than said second lateral degree of transparency;
• and
• the layer comprises, along a set of electromagnetic paths between said one or more second lateral areas and a surface portion of said housing, interposed means at least semi-transparent to said electromagnetic radiation, configured to allow light to pass into said housing, and wherein at least one univocal card identification is
• printed on at least one of said first surface and second surface, and/or
• stored in a data storage device incorporated in said multipurpose card;
• B. sending an electromagnetic radiation on said one or more second lateral areas;
• C. acquiring at least one image of said stone on the basis of an electromagnetic radiation exiting from said one or more first frontal areas;
• D. comparing said at least one image with a set of reference images of said stone associated with respective pre-registered multipurpose cards;
• E. determining a degree of similarity between said at least one image and the images of said set of reference images;
• and
• F. identifying said multipurpose card in said set of pre-registered multipurpose cards, on the basis of the degree of similarity determined in step E.

A system for reading a multipurpose card, said system comprising:

• a receiving device for receiving a multipurpose card,
• the multipurpose card comprising a first surface, a second surface, arranged in front of said first surface, a layer, arranged between said first surface and said second surface, and a stone, at least semi-transparent to an electromagnetic radiation, in a fixed position and at least partially in a housing at least partially in said layer;
• wherein:
• the first surface comprises:
• one or more first frontal areas with a first frontal degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, either positioned in front of or comprising portions of said stone;
• one or more first lateral areas with a first lateral degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, positioned outside said one or more first frontal areas;
• wherein said first frontal degree of transparency is greater than said first lateral degree of transparency;
• the second surface comprises:
• one or more second frontal areas with a second frontal degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, positioned in front of said stone;
• one or more second lateral areas with a second lateral degree of transparency to said electromagnetic radiation, positioned outside said one or more second frontal areas;
• wherein said second frontal degree of transparency is smaller than said second lateral degree of transparency;
• and
• the layer comprises, along a set of electromagnetic paths between said one or more second lateral areas and a surface portion of said housing, interposed means at least semi-transparent to said electromagnetic radiation, configured to allow light to pass into said housing, and wherein at least one univocal card identification is
• printed on at least one of said first surface and second surface, and/or
• stored in a data storage device incorporated in said multipurpose card;
• lighting means configured to irradiate said stone with an electromagnetic radiation, and arranged with respect to said receiving device so that, when said multipurpose card is inserted in said receiving device, said electromagnetic radiation is incident on said one or more second lateral areas;
• image acquisition means configured to acquire at least one image of said stone on the basis of an electromagnetic radiation coming from said one or more first frontal areas;
• a database storing:
• one or more univocal stone identification codes of respective one or more predetermined stones;
• at least one reference stone image for each of said respective one or more predetermined stones;
• and
• one or more univocal card identification codes of respective pre-registered multipurpose cards, each associated with at least one of said one or more univocal stone identification codes;
• a logic control unit, connected to said receiving device, to said image acquisition means and to said lighting means;
• wherein:
• the receiving device is configured to:
• receive said multipurpose card in a fixed position with respect to said image acquisition means and to said lighting means, and
• send a signal to said logic control unit, when said multipurpose card is inserted in said receiving device, and
• the logic control unit is configured to:
• receive said signal from said receiving device,
• control the lighting means and the image acquisition means to perform steps B and C of a method for reading a multipurpose card, wherein the following successive steps are performed:
• A. positioning a multipurpose card in a fixed position with respect to a predetermined spatial reference system,
• B. sending an electromagnetic radiation on said one or more second lateral areas;
• C. acquiring at least one image of said stone on the basis of an electromagnetic radiation exiting from said one or more first frontal areas;
• D. comparing said at least one image with a set of reference images of said stone associated with respective pre-registered multipurpose cards;
• E. determining a degree of similarity between said at least one image and the images of said set of reference images;
• and
• F. identifying said multipurpose card in said set of pre-registered multipurpose cards, on the basis of the degree of similarity determined in step E;
• and
• perform the steps from D to F.