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US 7,831,042 B2Granted
Three-dimensional authentication of microparticle mark
AssigneeSMI Holdings, Inc.
InventorsThomas Stierman, Dan Hunt, Chris Zdon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system, method, and apparatus for authenticating microparticle marks or marks including other three-dimensional objects. The authentication utilizes two or more sets of information captured or acquired for the mark in response to illumination of the mark by electromagnetic energy such as in the visible frequency range. These sets of information are then used to verify that the mark includes three-dimensional objects such as microparticles. The two or more sets of information about the mark preferably vary from each other in time, space/directionality, color, frequency or any combinations thereof, and can be captured or acquired as part of one, two, or more images of the microparticle mark.
Claims17
A method for determining an authenticity of a microparticle mark having a plurality of microparticles and using a determination of authenticity for the microparticle mark in authenticating an article containing the microparticle mark, comprising:
- acquiring at least a first set and a second set of information from the microparticle mark, the second set of information differing from the first set of information and the first set and the second set of information each based at least in part on the plurality of microparticles;
- using a processing system to perform an automatic analysis of at least the first set and the second set of information to determine the authenticity of the microparticle mark for the article based on confirmation that the microparticle mark includes at least one difference between the first set and the second set of information due to characteristics that are producible only by three-dimensional microparticles;
- and
- providing a tangible indication of an authentication of the article in response to the automatic analysis of the existence and authenticity of the microparticle mark,
- wherein the automatic analysis is performed by an automated reader and comprises:
- generating a code based on analysis of the microparticles in the microparticle mark;
- determining if the code is valid;
- if the code is valid, confirming the authenticity of the microparticle mark by comparing the first set and the second set of information to determine the at least one difference between the first set and the second set of information is due to at least one of an existence and placement of shadows from at least one three-dimensional microparticle or changes in features attributable to differences in orientation of at least a plurality of sides of at least one three-dimensional microparticle as the authentication that the microparticle mark contains at least one three-dimensional microparticle.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing an article having a microparticle mark having a plurality of microparticles;
- and
- providing instructions for determining the authenticity of the mark and using a determination of authenticity for the mark in authenticating the article, the instructions comprising:
- acquiring at least a first set and second set of information from the microparticle mark, the second set of information differing from the first set of information and the first set and the second set of information each based at least in part on the plurality of microparticles;
- using a processing system to perform an automatic analysis of at least the first set and the second set of information to determine the authenticity of the microparticle mark for the article based on confirmation that the microparticle mark includes at least one difference between the first set and the second set of information due to characteristics that are producible only by three-dimensional microparticles;
- and
- providing a tangible indication of an authentication of the article in response to the automatic analysis of the existence and authenticity of the microparticle mark,
- wherein the automatic analysis comprises:
- generating a code based on analysis of the microparticles in the microparticle mark;
- determining if the code is valid;
- if the code is valid, confirming the authenticity of the microparticle mark by comparing the first set and the second set of information to determine the at least one difference between the first set and the second set of information is due to at least one of an existence and placement shadows from at least one three-dimensional microparticle or changes in features attributable to differences in orientation of at least a plurality of sides of at least one three-dimensional microparticle as the authentication that the microparticle mark contains at least one three-dimensional microparticle.
8 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a reading device configured to acquire information related to an article having a microparticle mark having a plurality of microparticles;
- providing instructions for determining the authenticity of the microparticle mark and using a determination of authenticity of the mark in authenticating the article, the instructions comprising:
- acquiring at least a first set and a second set of information from the microparticle mark with the reading device, the second set of information differing from the first set of information and the first set and the second set of information each based at least in part on the plurality of microparticles
- using a processing system to perform an automatic analysis of at least the first set and the second set of information to determine the authenticity of the microparticle mark for the article based on confirmation that the microparticle mark includes at least one difference between the first set and the second set of information due to characteristics that are producible only by three-dimensional microparticles;
- and
- providing a tangible indication of an authentication of the article in response to the automatic analysis of the existence and authenticity of the microparticle mark,
- wherein the automatic analysis comprises:
- generating a code based on analysis of the microparticles in the microparticle mark;
- determining if the code is valid;
- if the code is valid, confirming the authenticity of the microparticle mark by comparing the first set and the second set of information to determine the at least one difference between the first set and the second set of information is due to at least one of an existence and placement shadows from at least one three-dimensional microparticle or changes in features attributable to differences in orientation of at least a plurality of sides of at least one three-dimensional microparticle as the authentication that the microparticle mark contains at least one three-dimensional microparticle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.