Patent · US Expired

Method and device for the authentication of documents and goods

US7478757B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
5References
24Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateApr 5, 2004
Grant dateJan 20, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 20, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07D7/121
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention discloses a method and a device for the authentication of a document, a valued good or a packaging, carrying a marking (M) exhibiting a viewing-angle dependent light reflection spectrum. The authentication method is based on a measurement of the intensity of light reflected by the marking at least at two different viewing angles in response to a sequential wide-angle illumination with light of different spectral characteristics, and the comparison of the measured intensity values with corresponding reference values. The authentication device (1) has at least two light sources (4) of different spectral characteristics, a wide-angle illumination optics (3), and at least two photodetectors (5) collecting light reflected by said markings at least at two different viewing angles. It may further have a programmed “learning mode” for measuring and storing a set of reflected intensity values of a reference item, and a programmed “testing mode”, for measuring a corresponding set of intensity values on an item to be authenticated and comparing them with the previously stored set of reference values, hereby deriving and indicating a test result.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.