Method and apparatus for fingerprinting and authenticating various magnetic media
US5546462A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 9, 1994 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 9, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B23/284
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the remanent noise in a magnetic medium by, for example, DC saturation of a region thereof and measurement of the remaining DC magnetization. A conventional magnetic recording transducer may be used to determine the remanent noise. Upon determination, the remanent noise may then be digitized and recorded on the same magnetic medium to thereby "fingerprint" the magnetic medium. This "fingerprint" may then be later used to verify and authenticate the magnetic medium as being an original. The magnetic medium may be of a type adapted to record information magnetically or, even more broadly, any magnetic surface or substance that can be sensed through its magnetic field. In such manner, any magnetic medium, or any object having an associated magnetic medium, may be "fingerprinted" including credit cards, computer program diskettes, magneto-optic discs, videotapes, cassette tapes, bank checks, stock certificates, etc.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.