This patent application claims priority from EP Patent Application No. 09156340.3 filed on Mar. 26, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to the field of authentication and more specifically, to the verification of the authenticity of product units on sale.
Counterfeiting of product units considered to be valuable such as, for example, pharmaceuticals like, e.g., prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs; luxury articles like, e.g., watches, jewelry, brand-name apparel; consumer electronic goods; food from declared geographical origin like, e.g., wine and cheese; and/or machine-readable media such as, for example, Compact-Disc records, Digital Versatile Discs (DVD), blue-ray discs, computer-game media storing valuable information erodes or diminishes the return of investment of, e.g., the developer and/or manufacturer and/or vendor and/or licensor and/or marketer of the authentic product, thus discouraging launching the development and/or the marketing of new products. Accordingly, counterfeiting of articles poses a danger to the world's economy and is counterproductive to innovation. Moreover, counterfeiting articles may in some cases have the potential of negatively affecting consumer wellbeing. For example, counterfeited pharmaceuticals and/or foods may not be subjected to stringent regulations performed, e.g., Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and/or counterfeited brand apparel not being subjected to standardized tests may for example, be more easily inflammable than the authentic apparel, thereby potentially adversely affecting the consumer's health. Moreover, counterfeiting product units may give rise to commercial, since the customer may pay the same price for counterfeited product units as for authentic product units.
Various methods outlining how counterfeited product units may be distinguished from authentic product units, for example, by various constituents of the value chain, such as individual consumers, retailers, wholesalers, original producers, as well as law enforcement or customs officials, are described in the literature. For example, patent application WO2006/027688 to Walter, describes an article such as a medicinal tablet or a foodstuff having a microstructured surface such that white light incident on the microstructure will be reflected at a number of different wavelengths dependent on the angle of incidence of the white light on the structure, thereby possibly providing structure an indication of authenticity of the article. To authenticate the article, the packaging thereof must either be sufficiently transparent to allow impingement of white light on and generate reflection from the structure discernible by an observer. Alternatively, the article must be unpacked or unwrapped prior to verifying authenticity.
The scattering and/or absorption of light by packaging of articles may be reduced by probing the article subject to verification of its authenticity with infrared light due to the increase in transmissivity of infrared compared to white light through at least some of the packaging materials used such as, for example, cardboard and plastic. An authentication method employing radiation of the infrared range is described in patent application US20080199406 to Walter et al., which requires interferometric read-out of the authenticating label.
Patent application US2003/0194053 to Schramm et al. discloses an apparatus and methods in which one or more elemental taggants that are extrinsically placed in an object are detected by X-ray fluorescence analysis to identify or authenticate the object. The taggant is manufactured as part of the object or the taggant is placed into a coating, packaging, label, or otherwise embedded onto the object for the purpose of later verifying the presence or absence of these elements by X-ray fluorescence. The taggant is then analyzed by X-ray fluorescence analysis, and the analysis is then converted into a 2D symbol format that can be used in various security and authentication applications. This apparatus and methods require specific labeling of the product units.
Patent application EP1348575 to Landqart discloses a security item which is characterized by at least one security element having at least one segment comprising at least one latent UV or IR absorber. A latent absorber is a compound or composition capable of liberating a UV absorber on demand. Preferentially, the latent absorber is converted to its absorbing form in a spatially resolved manner thus providing the desired information as latent image. Information imprinted within a substrate containing said absorbers is invisible to the naked eye. Moreover, the information is also invisible under UV irradiation. Only if a photoluminescent screen or background is used under UV irradiation, the “imprinted” information becomes apparant as a shadow image on the photoluminescent screen, since, in the areas where the latent absorber has been converted to the UV absorber, the UV light is being absorbed and does not reach the photoluminiscent device. This authentication method requires the marking of the security item with additional chemicals.
These and further features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in the light of the ensuing description of a some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:
It should be noted that the term “product unit” as used herein refers to any physically tangible, individually distinguishable unit of packaged or unpackaged good or goods, wherein such a product unit has a surface onto which a plurality of protrusions or grooves can be provided, i.e., the product unit comprises a markable surface. Accordingly, such a product unit may also be referred to as a “piece good” or “piece cargo”.
Positional terms such as “upper”, “lower” “right”, “left”, “bottom”, “below”, “lowered”, “low”, “top”, “above”, “elevated”, “high”, “vertical” and “horizontal” as well as grammatical variations thereof as may be used herein do not necessarily indicate that, for example, a “bottom” component is below a “top” component, or that a component that is “below” is indeed “below” another component or that a component that is “above” is indeed “above” another component as such directions, components or both may be flipped, rotated, moved in space, placed in a diagonal orientation or position, placed horizontally or vertically, or similarly modified. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the terms “bottom”, “below”, “top” and “above” may be used herein for exemplary purposes only, to illustrate the relative positioning or placement of certain components, to indicate a first and a second component or to do both.
It should be noted that the term “maximal contrast value” as used herein refers to a maximal attainable value of the contrast of transmitted electromagnetic radiation, measured at a given location by a detector, in consideration of constraints dictated by various parameters, including for example operation criteria and/or configuration of a corresponding authentication system and/or structure of an examined product unit. Accordingly, the expressions “maximal” as used herein refer to a relative maximal attainable contrast value and not to an absolute maximal contrast value.
It should be noted that the phrase “above a threshold”, as well as paraphrases and/or grammatical variations thereof, may interchangeably mean the phrase “equal or above a threshold”. Accordingly, the phrase “below a threshold” as well as paraphrases and/or grammatical variations thereof, may interchangeably mean the phrase “equal or below a threshold”. However, it is clear that should a condition be interpreted as being fulfilled if the value of a given parameter is above a threshold, then the same condition is considered as not being fulfilled if the value of the given parameter is equal or below the given threshold. Conversely, should a condition be interpreted as being fulfilled if the value of a given parameter is equal or above a threshold, then the same condition is considered as not being fulfilled if the value of the given parameter is below (and only below) the given threshold.
The present invention discloses an authentication item providable on product units for encoding the product units as being authentic.
In embodiments the authentication item comprises an intensity-modulating surface having a sawtooth-like profile; wherein the authentication item modulates the intensity of incident electromagnetic radiation in a manner that generates an intensity profile which is characteristic of the authentication item.
In embodiments, the intensity-modulating surface respective of the authentication item forms at least parts of the surface of the at least one product unit.
In embodiments, the authentication item is an intensity-modulating surface comprising a plurality of adjacent protrusions such that the intensity-modulating surface has alternating height; wherein each of the protrusions has at least two slopes of respective different orientation; wherein the authentication item, when being in an authenticating position with respect to incident electromagnetic radiation employed for authentication, modulates the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation in a manner that generates an intensity profile which is characteristic of the authentication item.
In embodiments, the intensity-modulating surface is the surface of the at least one product unit.
In embodiments, the intensity-modulating surface includes a contrast-enhancing layer provided on at least a part of the surface of the at least one product unit, wherein the contrast-enhancing layer effects an increased intensity modulation of the incident electromagnetic radiation, compared to the intensity modulation effected by the at least one product unit free of said contrast-enhancing layer. The at least one product unit constitutes the substrate for the contrast-enhancing layer.
In embodiments, the contrast-enhancing layer has a thickness d ranging between nm to 1 mm.
The present invention additionally discloses a method of manufacturing the authentication item to obtain the intensity-modulating surface. In embodiments, the method of manufacturing includes at least one of the following procedures: printing, embossing, molding, injection-molding and thermoforming.
In embodiments, the method of thermoforming includes the following procedures: preheating a plastic film to a preheat temperature to obtain a moldable plastic film; molding a blister cavity into the moldable plastic film by applying a molding pressure to obtain a molded plastic film; and cooling down the molded plastic film such that the molded plastic film maintains its shape.
In embodiments, the molding pressure ranges from 4 to 8 bars.
The present invention further discloses an authentication system for the authentication of at least one product unit.
In embodiments, the authentication system includes a radiation source operative to emit electromagnetic radiation incident on the at least one product unit; and a radiation detector operative to detect electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the at least one product unit. The authentication system is operative such that the propagation direction of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the at least one product unit is adjustable to different orientations for the detection of intensity profiles of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation for the different orientations to search for an intensity profile that is characteristic of an authentication item providable on at least one product unit.
In embodiments, the authentication system includes an inspection platform onto which the at least one product unit is positionable for authentication.
In embodiments, the inspection platform is encased in the portable housing.
In embodiments, the radiation source and the inspection platform are operative such that the propagation direction of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the product unit is adjustable to different orientations, thereby enabling the detection of intensity profiles of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation for a plurality of different positions and to determine for each position whether the detected transmitted electromagnetic radiation is characteristic of the modulation subjected on incident radiation by an authentication item manufacturable on a product unit. Otherwise stated, authentication system is operative to determine for each of the plurality positions whether respectively detected transmitted radiation meets the at least one authentication criterion.
In embodiments, the radiation source and the radiation detector are encased in a portable housing.
In embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation is in the X-ray or infrared range.
In embodiments, the inspection platform is a rotatable turntable that enables obtaining the different orientations between the propagation direction and the at least one product unit.
In embodiments, the radiation source is a displaceable radiation source or a scanning radiation source. Accordingly, the orientation between the incident electromagnetic radiation and the at least one product unit can be changed by displacement of the radiation source with respect to the at least one product unit or by scanning the at least one product unit with the radiation source.
The present invention also discloses a method for authenticating product units according to at least one predetermined authentication criterion with an authentication system.
In embodiments, the method for authentication product units includes the following procedures: positioning at least one product unit into an authenticating position with respect to a radiation source and a radiation detector; irradiating the at least one product unit with electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radiation source; detecting the transmitted electromagnetic radiation by the radiation detector; determining whether the detected electromagnetic radiation meets the at least one predetermined authentication criterion to yield an authentication result; and providing an output indicative of the authenticity of the at least one product unit according to the detected transmitted electromagnetic radiation according to said authentication result.
In embodiments, the authenticating position is attained if the propagation direction of the incident electromagnetic radiation is at least approximately parallel to one of the at least two slopes of the plurality of protrusions.
In embodiments, the intensity-modulating surface is the surface of the product unit.
In embodiments, positioning the at least one product unit into an authenticating position with respect to the radiation source and the radiation detector is performed by at least one of the following procedures: positioning the at least one product unit on a rotatable turntable and rotating the rotatable turntable with respect to the radiation source; scanning the at least one product unit by the radiation source; and changing the position of the radiation source with respect to the at least one product unit.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose an authentication item providable on product units, as well as a system and method for the authentication of product units, e.g., a system and method for the authentication product units obviating inter alia the need for unpacking or damaging the articles for authentication, whereby the packaging material may be made of a variety of materials such as, for example, organic materials like, e.g., paper, cardboard, plastics, wood or other plant-based matter having a security feature manufactured thereon.
According to embodiments of the invention, the authentication item, when being in an authenticating position with respect to incident electromagnetic radiation employed for authentication, modulates the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation in a manner that generates an intensity profile that is characteristic of the authentication item.
According to embodiments of the disclosed technique, the authentication item is a one- or two-dimensional intensity-modulating surface embodied, for example, by a corrugated surface. The corrugated surface may be embodied, for example, by a plurality of periodical pyramids having first and second slopes. Alternatively, the corrugated surface may be embodied, for example, by a plurality of ramp-like shaped protrusions of which one slope of each protrusion is at least approximately normal to an imaginary line connecting the lowest points of the corrugated surface.
Embodiments of the disclosed method and system comprise and enable the procedure of irradiating the product unit with electromagnetic radiation, hereinafter “authenticating radiation”, whereby the electromagnetic radiation incident on a product unit is hereinafter referred to as “incident electromagnetic radiation”, and electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the product unit as a result of the incident electromagnetic radiation is hereinafter referred to as “transmitted electromagnetic radiation”.
According to embodiments of the disclosed invention, the intensity-modulating surface of the authentication item is configured such that, when in an authentication position, the intensity profile of the incident electromagnetic radiation is modulated into a desired detectable modulated one- or two-dimensional intensity profile of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation, which is visualized for authentication.
Correspondingly, embodiments of the system and method may enable and may comprise, respectively, the procedures of detecting the resulting intensity profile of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation, and determine whether the detected intensity profile meets at least one predetermined authentication criterion representative of a desired intensity profile for authentication. If for example the detected intensity profile matches the desired intensity profile, authenticity of the article(s) and/or the packaging is verified. Conversely, if the resulting intensity profile does not meet the at least one criterion, authenticity of the article(s) and/or of the packaging is not verified. The desired intensity profile is a function of a corrugation pattern manufactured on the surface of either the article(s) or the packaging thereof. The surface is herein referred to as “intensity-modulating surface”. Correspondingly, the corrugation pattern on the surface of the article(s) and/or the packaging encodes authentication information.
According to embodiments of the disclosed technique, the intensity-modulating surface comprises a plurality of protrusions, wherein the profile of each protrusion features at least two slopes of converging orientation with respect to each other. In embodiments of the invention, the intensity-modulating surface has a profile such that the at least two slopes converge into an apex. Specifically, a first slope of the at least two slopes has a first orientation and a second slope of the at least two slopes has a second different orientation. The first slope having a first orientation passes over directly or indirectly to a second slope having a second orientation, i.e., first and second slopes are tilted towards each other in an alternating manner such that the intensity modulating surface has alternating height. Otherwise stated, the intensity-modulating surface exhibits a sawtooth-like or jagged profile. In respective embodiments of the invention, the plurality of protrusions may all have identical profiles, or the protrusions may have at least two different profiles. Protrusions of different profiles may be arranged with respect to each other according to various predetermined patterns.
According to embodiments of the invention, the above-mentioned authentication position refers to an orientation and distance of the product unit with respect to the radiation source and the radiation detector such that an authentication item subjects incident radiation originating from the radiation source to the desired intensity modulation resulting in a transmitted radiation having an intensity profile meeting the at least one authentication criterion. For example, in the authentication position, the intensity-modulating surface may be in position such that its first slopes are at least approximately in alignment or in other words at least approximately parallel to the propagation direction of the incident electromagnetic radiation, whereas the second slopes are not parallel to the propagation direction. As a consequence, the radiation intensity of the incident electromagnetic radiation impinging on the first slopes is attenuated along or in correspondence with the length of the first slope, compared to the radiation intensity of the incident electromagnetic radiation impinging on the second slopes. The difference in attenuation of radiation intensity, i.e., modulation of the intensity caused by the particular orientation of the first and second slopes with respect to the propagation direction generates a corresponding intensity profile of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation, wherein the detected intensity profile meets the at least one authentication criterion.
According to embodiments of the invention, the at least one authentication criterion defines a minimal contrast of the detected intensity profile to be obtained by irradiation of the intensity-modulating surface. Contrast of the detected radiation may be defined as follows by the following equation:
and may be, for example, at least 0.001, 0.01, or 0.05, wherein, Imax and Imin are the detected maximum and the minimum intensity value of the desired intensity profile.
According to respective embodiments of the invention, the at least one criterion may define additional or alternative parameters required to be met for approving authenticity of a product unit. The additional or alternative parameters may include, for example, required minimal and/or maximal spatial frequency of the contrast pattern, for example between 1 mm-50 μm; minimal and/or maximal dimensions of the contrast pattern or any combination of the aforethe parameters.
As outlined hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention employ electromagnetic radiation for the authentication of packaged articles, such to enable contact-less authentication of articles. In other words, embodiments of the authentication method and system obviate the need of unpacking or unwrapping and/or direct physical contact of articles, e.g., by a person, for determining the authenticity of product units. As a consequence, the need of deliberately damaging the packaging for authenticating the packaged articles is obviated. Further, the danger of unintentionally damaging of product units due to physical contact with the person performing authentication is minimized.
According to embodiments of the invention, the authentication system is a portable system comprising the radiation source, the radiation detector and an inspection platform all of which are in relative position to each other such that product units are engageable with the inspection platform positioning the article to the authenticating position.
Embodiments of the authentication method are compatible with conventionally used packaging materials or procedures and may be employed in combination with alternative authentication systems and/or methods, e.g., as used in the art.
Methods for manufacturing the intensity-modulating surface on product units include, e.g., printing, embossing, molding, and in particular especially injection-molding and thermoforming. These manufacturing methods are even capable of realizing such intensity-modulating surfaces directly on articles like, e.g., pills, besides of being manufacturable on packaging material. Any of these manufacturing methods and the tools needed for performing the methods requires considerable expertise and effort, thereby incumbering attempts of counterfeiting product units.
According to embodiments of the disclosed technique, of the desired intensity profile may be improved by coating the product units with a layer of material whose absorptive properties for the used electromagnetic radiation differ significantly from those of the layer's substrate, which is embodied by the product units.
According to embodiments of the disclosed invention, the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation is chosen such that the product units and optionally the intensity-modulating surface is partially transparent to the radiation (corresponding to absorption values of 0.1% to 99.9% of the incident intensity) and causes only moderate (1%-10% of the incident intensity) or negligible (<1% of the incident intensity) radiation scattering.
According to embodiments of the invention, product units may be irradiated with electromagnetic radiation of the infrared spectral region with a wavelength range of, for example, 800 nm-10000 nm, and/or of the X-ray spectral region at a wavelength range of for example, 0.0025-0.1 nm. At these wavelength ranges, packaging materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics, wood and/or other organic material can be fairly transparent, exhibiting typical absorption values of, e.g., 1%-99% of the incident radiation.
To enable potentially achieving a detectable contrast by a radiation detector, the distance between a radiation source of the incident electromagnetic radiation and the product units for which authentication is verified, may not exceed a certain threshold for the ranges of energy exemplified herein. For example, for incident electromagnetic radiation being in the X-ray spectrum, the distance between the radiation source and an object may range, e.g., from 1 cm to 50 cm, and the distance between object and radiation detector may range, e.g., from 10 cm to 100 cm.
The sensitivity of a detector in the above mentioned wavelength range are typically 1%-99%.
Under these conditions, the contrast-enhancing layer on the embossed material has a different elemental composition and/or a different density from the underlying substrate or both.
The authentication method can be combined with a plurality of other known or future authentication methods for increased security.
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
According to embodiments of the invention, shaping object 115 to become intensity-modulating may be achieved, for example, by one-sided or two-sided corrugating (e.g., by embossing) of object 115. If the material of object 115 is hardly compressible, i.e. the plastic deformation causes a lasting change of density of less than, e.g., 5%, such as, for example, metallic materials, then the process of manufacturing intensity-modulating object 125 may produce an at least approximately conformal shaping of object 115 generating besides upper intensity-modulating surface 105 also a lower intensity-modulating surface 106 of object 125, such that the distance d between upper intensity-modulating surface 105 and lower intensity-modulating surface 106 remains at least approximately constant. Since upper intensity-modulating surface 105 and lower intensity-modulating surface 106 are formed on the same object 115, e.g., due to plastic deformation of the latter, they are in at least approximately parallel registration relative to each other, or in other words, the upper profile respective of upper intensity-modulating surface 105 is at least approximately parallel to the lower profile respective of the lower intensity-modulating surface 106. This at least approximately parallel registration is in embodiments of the invention obtainable by employing at least one single-sided embossing procedure. If intensity-modulating object 125 is positioned such that the propagation direction of incident electromagnetic radiation 101 is at least approximately perpendicular to an imaginary line 110 connecting between the lowest points of upper intensity-modulating surface 105, then incident electromagnetic radiation 101 is subjected to an at least approximately uniform attenuation across lateral distance x, due to the insignificant variation of the height hs of intensity-modulating surface 105 of object 125. In other words, differences in attenuation to which incident electromagnetic radiation 101 may subjected to are negligible or non-detectable. As a result, transmitted electromagnetic radiation 103 features an intensity profile that is at least approximately constant or for which the differences in intensity modulation along lateral distance x is negligible, despite the embossed height variations of upper intensity-modulating surface 105 and optionally of lower intensity-modulating surface 106. Accordingly, object 125 and its corresponding authentication item, namely upper intensity-modulating surface 105 and/or lower-intensity modulating surface 106 is set to be in a non-authenticating position. As is schematically illustrated in
With reference to
Clearly, as is for example schematically illustrated in
Additional reference is now made to
Correspondingly, as is schematically illustrated in
Conversely, if object 131 is in the second authenticating position, as is schematically illustrated in
Further referring now to
It should further be noted that in some embodiments of the invention, height h of intensity-modulating surface hs may be significantly smaller than the height hobj, i.e., hs<<hobj. For example, 10*hs=hobj, or 100*hs=hobj, whereby hs may range, e.g., between 1-50 micrometers. This range for hs may be desirable if the intensity-modulating profile should be invisible for the naked eye. Clearly, with hs of these measures, the intensity attenuation that incident electromagnetic radiation 101 suffers through substrate 501 of object 500 is much larger than the absorption variation created by upper intensity-modulating surface 105. The length L of first slopes 111 and second slopes 112 may range, for example, between 100 μm-1 mm. Generally, hs of an intensity-attenuating surface such as, for example, surface 105, may range, for example, between 10%-100% of length L, whereby the overall width W may range, for example, from 100 μm to about 50 mm millimeters long.
As is schematically illustrated in
The intensity-attenuating properties of contrast-enhancing layer 512 for the employed spectrum of incident electromagnetic radiation 101 may be significantly larger than those of substrate 501, i.e. the linear attenuation coefficient of contrast-enhancing layer 512 should be at least 1% higher than that of substrate 501, and it may be 1000 times higher. Therefore, contrast-enhancing layer 512 enhances the contrast in differences of attenuation, compared to the contrast that would be obtained without contrast-enhancing layer 512. Contrast-enhancing layer 512 may be made of various materials such as, for example, aluminum, nickel, gold, silver, cesium iodide.
The thickness d of contrast-enhancing layer 512 must be significant smaller than L e.g. at most 10% of the length L. This provides for sufficient lateral contrast when irradiating surface 505 in either of first or second position, as is schematically illustrated in
It should be noted that with respect to upper intensity-modulating surface 105 its height hs is for example maximal 50 μm.
Additional reference is now made to
Referring to
Depending on the reproducibility with which the packaging process is executed, it may not be possible to determine the exact orientation of intensity-modulating surface 705 with respect to packaging 701 of product units 700. It may be necessary, therefore, to vary the orientation of product units 700 with respect to the propagation direction of incident electromagnetic radiation 101 to find the angular orientation resulting in maximum contrast of the transmitted intensity profile for the transmitted electromagnetic radiation 103. Authentication systems according to embodiments of the invention that enable varying the orientation of product units 700 with respect to the propagation direction of incident electromagnetic radiation 101 are outlined herein below.
Although some of the embodiments outlined hereinbelow are exemplified with respect to product unit 700. This should however by no means to be construed as limiting. The embodiments outlined hereinafter can thus additionally or alternatively be implemented with product unit 600.
Referring now to
An authentication system according to an embodiment of the invention is operative to determine according to at least one method the relative position of product units with respect to a radiation source and a detector achieving maximal contrast respective of intensity-modulating surface 705. Authentication system 800 for example is operative to determine for a plurality of predetermined positions of rotary table 810 with respect to radiation source 850 the achieved contrast for intensity-modulating surface 705 in the detected transmitted electromagnetic radiation 103. The contrasts that are determined respective of the plurality of positions may then be compared against each other to determine a maximal contrast respective of intensity-modulating surface 705. Via an output device (not shown), a perceivable output representative of the determined maximal contrast and optionally of the corresponding position of rotary table 810 is provided. The determined maximal contrast may then be compared against a predetermined minimal and maximal reference contrast value, by a user of authentication system 800 and/or automatically by authentication system 800. In the event that the determined maximal contrast is lower than the minimal reference contrast value for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 ms), a suitable output is provided via an output unit (not shown) indicating to a user (not shown) of authentication system 800 that product units 700 are either not genuine or not correctly positioned on rotary table 800. Conversely, based on the analysis of intensity-modulating surface 705 by irradiation, in the event that the determined maximal contrast value is higher than the predetermined maximal reference contrast value during a predetermined time period, the product units 700 is determined to be authentic and a suitable acknowledging output may be provided to the user.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, each one of the contrast values respective of the plurality of positions is compared against the minimal and maximal reference contrast value. In the event that at least one of the comparisons yields a result indicating that a contrast value is higher than the maximal reference contrast value, authentication system 800 provides based on the performed analysis of surface 705 a suitable output indicating that product unit 700 is authentic. Conversely, if none of the comparisons respective of the plurality of positions yields a result indicating that a determined contrast value is higher than the maximal reference contrast value, but at least one of the comparisons yields a result indicating that a determined contrast value is lower than the minimal reference contrast value, a suitable output is provided by authentication system 800 indicating that product units 700 are not correctly positioned on rotary table 810 and/or that product units 700 are not genuine.
In an embodiment wherein the maximal reference contrast value is not equal the minimal reference contrast value and none of the comparisons outlined hereinabove yield a result indicating that the determined contrast value is higher than the maximal reference contrast value or lower than the minimal reference contrast value, authentication system 800 may provide an output indicating that authentication of product units 700 cannot be determined.
It should be noted that in respective embodiments of the invention the predetermined maximal contrast value is either equal or higher than the predetermined minimal contrast value.
Additional reference is now made to
It should be noted that in some embodiments of the invention, a portable authentication system may only optionally comprise an inspection platform. The inspection platform may for example be embodied by any platform operative to receive product units, such as, for example, a regular table.
Referring now to
Further reference is now made to
As indicated by box 1220, the method subsequently includes according to an embodiment of the invention the procedure of irradiating product unit 600 and/or 700 with electromagnetic radiation emitted by radiation source 150.
As indicated by box 1230, the method then includes according to an embodiment of the invention the procedure of detecting the transmitted electromagnetic radiation by radiation detector 104; and, as indicated by box 1240, determining by any of authentication systems 800, 900 or 1000 whether the detected electromagnetic radiation meets the at least one predetermined authentication criterion.
As indicated by box 1240, the method then includes the procedure of providing an output indicative of the authenticity of product unit 600 and/or 700.
Reference is now made to
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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09156340.3 | Mar 2009 | EP | regional |