EP0276814A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Object verification system and method
Assignee: Rand McNally and Co
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Filing: 1988-01-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-01-26
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods of verifying objects utilize an inherent randomly varying and detectable characteristics of a plurality of spaced apart, magnetizable magnetic regions affixed to the object. Detectability of the randomly varying magnetic characteristics can be enhanced by saturating the magnetic regions. A verification apparatus senses the randomly varying magnetic characteristics and compares it to a prestored representative profile previously created. Correspondence between the prestored profile and the currently read characteristics indicates an authentic object. Other objects can be rejected.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Allen Copella
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:31
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/004; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/12; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/347; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/409; G07D7/04; G07D7/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of verifying the authenticity of an object which has a plurality of spaced apart magnetic regions thereon with the magnetic regions each including a randomly varying magnetic characteristic, the method comprising: detecting the enhanced randomly varying magnetic characteristics associated with at least some of the magnetic regions; retrieving a prestored representation of those characteristics; comparing the detected randomly varying characteristics of the magnetic regions to the retrieved prestored representation; and indicating the results of the comparison.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of verifying the authenticity of an object which has a plurality of spaced apart magnetic regions thereon with the magnetic regions each including a randomly varying magnetic characteristic, the method comprising: detecting the enhanced randomly varying magnetic characteristics associated with at least some of the magnetic regions; retrieving a prestored representation of those characteristics; comparing the detected randomly varying characteristics of the magnetic regions to the retrieved prestored representation; and indicating the results of the comparison.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1 including saturating the magnetic regions with a magnetic field of essentially constant intensity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1 including processing the detected randomly varying characteristics and forming a present composite representation thereof based on detected characteristics from at least two different regions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 3 including comparing the present representation with the prestored representation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 2 with the detecting step including detecting the randomly varying characteristics subsequent to the saturating step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 2 with the detecting step including detecting the randomly varying characteristics sequentially in time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 5 with the detecting step including detecting a plurality of randomly varying peak values with each peak value associated with a respective magnetic region and with some of the peak values associated with different magnetic regions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 7 including forming a composite representation from a selected plurality of peak detected values, at least some of which are associated with different magnetic regions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as in claim 2 including again saturating the magnetic regions with a magnetic field of essentially constant intensity prior to the detecting step.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
81 words
An apparatus for verifying the authenticity of an object which carries a plurality of spaced apart magnetic regions thereon with each magnetic region containing a randomly varying magnetic characteristic, the apparatus comprising: means for detecting the randomly varying characteristics of the spaced apart magnetic regions; means for retrieving a prestored, composite representation of those characteristics; and means for comparing the detected randomly varying characteristics of the magnetic regions to said retrieved prestored representation and for indicating the results of the comparison.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
81 words
An apparatus for verifying the authenticity of an object which carries a plurality of spaced apart magnetic regions thereon with each magnetic region containing a randomly varying magnetic characteristic, the apparatus comprising: means for detecting the randomly varying characteristics of the spaced apart magnetic regions; means for retrieving a prestored, composite representation of those characteristics; and means for comparing the detected randomly varying characteristics of the magnetic regions to said retrieved prestored representation and for indicating the results of the comparison.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 10 with said detecting means including means for processing the sensed randomly varying characteristics and for selecting a plurality of peak values for forming a composite representation thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said retrieving means includes means for sensing said prestored representation at a selected location on the object.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as in claim 10 including means for processing said detected randomly varying characteristics and for forming a present composite representation thereof based on peak values of said detected randomly varying characteristics from at least two different magnetic regions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 with said processing means including means for accumulating a plurality of digital values corresponding to peak values of said randomly varying characteristics from at least two different regions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 10 including means for converting the randomly varying magnetic characteristics to a time varying electrical signal in response to relative motion between the magnetic regions and said detecting means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 including means for collecting a sequence of peak values of said electrical signal from at least two different magnetic regions as well as means for forming an identifying profile for the object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 including means for saturating the magnetic regions and including means for collecting a sequence of saturation peak values from said spaced apart regions as well as means for forming an identifying profile for the object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 including means for selecting a plurality of peak values of said electrical signal from at least two spaced apart regions and for forming a composite representation based on said selected plurality of peak values.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein said means for retrieving includes means for optically sensing a representation carried on the object.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of making a verifiable object comprising: providing a base portion; providing a plurality of spaced apart regions of magnetic material on the base portion; detecting continuous, unique, permanent, randomly varying magnetic characteristics associated with at least two spaced apart regions; forming a unique representation of the detected characteristics; and storing the unique representation for later reference.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of making a verifiable object comprising: providing a base portion; providing a plurality of spaced apart regions of magnetic material on the base portion; detecting continuous, unique, permanent, randomly varying magnetic characteristics associated with at least two spaced apart regions; forming a unique representation of the detected characteristics; and storing the unique representation for later reference.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 20 including printing the spaced apart magnetic regions in magnetic ink.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 21 including recording the unique representation in optically readable form on the object.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as in claim 22 including sensing selected peak values of said detected randomly varying characteristics and forming the unique representation based on peak values from at least two different spaced apart regions.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
64 words
A system for making a verifiable object comprising: means for applying a plurality of spaced apart regions of magnetic material to the object; means for sensing continuous, unique permanent, randomly varying magnetic characteristics of at least some of the regions; means for forming a unique representation of at least some of the sensed characteristics; and means for storing the unique representation for later reference.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
64 words
A system for making a verifiable object comprising: means for applying a plurality of spaced apart regions of magnetic material to the object; means for sensing continuous, unique permanent, randomly varying magnetic characteristics of at least some of the regions; means for forming a unique representation of at least some of the sensed characteristics; and means for storing the unique representation for later reference.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 24 wherein said applying means includes means for printing said regions of spaced apart magnetic material on the object.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 25 wherein said applying means includes means for forming a plurality of regions having a substantially uniform thickness.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 24 including means for saturating the spaced apart magnetic regions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 27 including means for detecting and storing a plurality of peak values of the randomly varying magnetic characteristics.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as in claim 28 with said forming means including means for selecting a group of said stored peak values, from at least two different regions, and for generating indicia reflecting relative spacing therebetween.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
44 words
A verifiable object comprising: a base portion; and a plurality of spaced apart regions of magnetic material on said base portion, said regions each including a detectable, continuous, permanent, randomly varying magnetic characteristic with a preformed representation of said characteristics carried on said object.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
A verifiable object comprising: a base portion; and a plurality of spaced apart regions of magnetic material on said base portion, said regions each including a detectable, continuous, permanent, randomly varying magnetic characteristic with a preformed representation of said characteristics carried on said object.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
An object as in claim 30 with said regions spaced equidistant from one another.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
An object as in claim 30 with said regions of magnetic material all having essentially the same coercivity.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of verifying the authenticity of an object carrying a plurality of spaced apart, magnetic regions comprising: passing the magnetic regions through an essentially constant magnetic field; sensing an inherent randomly varying magnetic characteristic of each member of the plurality; selecting a predetermined set of values corresponding to sensed randomly varying magnetic characteristics from various members of the plurality; forming a representative profile based on the set of values; and storing the representative profile for later use.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of verifying the authenticity of an object carrying a plurality of spaced apart, magnetic regions comprising: passing the magnetic regions through an essentially constant magnetic field; sensing an inherent randomly varying magnetic characteristic of each member of the plurality; selecting a predetermined set of values corresponding to sensed randomly varying magnetic characteristics from various members of the plurality; forming a representative profile based on the set of values; and storing the representative profile for later use.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
103 words
A method as inc claim 33 with the forming step including selecting a plurality of peak sensed values from at least two different regions. means for saturating each of the spaced apart magnetic regions; means for generating an electrical signal proportional to a randomly varying magnetic characteristic of each of the spaced apart regions; means for forming a composite profile based on said electrical signal; means for retrieving a prestored composite profile based on one or more previously generated electrical signals; means for comparing the formed composite profile with the retrieved, prestored composite profile; and means for indicating the results of said comparison.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of forming a representative profile of an object carrying a plurality of spaced apart magnetic regions each having a randomly varying magnetic characteristic, the method comprising: providing the magnetic regions; detecting the randomly varying characteristic of each of the magnetic regions at least once; and collecting at least a first plurality of spaced apart peak values of the detected randomly varying magnetic characteristics.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of forming a representative profile of an object carrying a plurality of spaced apart magnetic regions each having a randomly varying magnetic characteristic, the method comprising: providing the magnetic regions; detecting the randomly varying characteristic of each of the magnetic regions at least once; and collecting at least a first plurality of spaced apart peak values of the detected randomly varying magnetic characteristics.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 34 including collecting a second plurality of spaced apart peak values.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 35 wherein the members of the first plurality all have a first plurality.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 37 wherein the members of the second plurality all have a second plurality.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 38 wherein the first plurality is opposite to the second plurality.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 35 wherein the first plurality of peak values is encoded by forming a sequence the members of which define the relative displacement between adjacent peak values of the first plurality.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 40 including digitizing the members of the first plurality.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 40 with the encoding sequence formed as a plurality of digitized representations of the relative displacements.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as in claim 36 wherein the first plurality of peak values is encoded by forming a first sequence, the members of which define the relative displacement between adjacent peak values of the first plurality, and wherein the second plurality of peak values is encoded by forming a second sequence, the members of which define the relative displacement between adjacent peak values of the second plurality.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 37 including: detecting the randomly varying characteristics a plurality of times; and forming a family of corresponding pluralities of peak values.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as in claim 44 including comparing corresponding peak values of different pluralities and forming a representative profile having a plurality of peak values selected from among those common to a predetermined number of the pluralities in the family.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 45 including encoding the representative profile by forming a sequence the members of which define the relative displacement between adjacent peak values of the representative profile.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 46 including storing the encoded profile for later retrieval.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as in claim 47 including: re-detecting the randomly varying magnetic characteristics; collecting a plurality of spaced apart peak values of the re-detected randomly varying characteristics; encoding the plurality of peak values; retrieving the encoded representative profile; comparing the encoded representative profile to the encoded plurality of peak values; and indicating the presence or absence of a correspondence therebetween.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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