The present invention according to this application generally relates to a key/lock system for locking/unlocking using a keycard having the shape of a card, and in particular, to a keycard used in an immobiliser system adopted for vehicles for theft-prevention purposes, and a keycard-lock which is locked/unlocked by the keycard.
Since mechanical keys having the shape of so-called keys require thickness, they are not considered so handy for carrying around. As a countermeasure, keycards fitting the shape of credit cards or the like are becoming widely used. The keycard has mechanical information, magnetic information, data stored in an IC chip and the like, in a card-shaped body constituted from various materials, and the lock determines whether or not to do the lock/unlock operation.
Immobiliser systems for vehicle theft-prevention purposes are becoming more common. In these immobiliser systems, a computer on the vehicle side determines whether or not the ID of the IC chip embedded in the key correspond to the vehicle, enables the ignition key if determined corresponding and disables the ignition key if determined not corresponding.
Even if the key information of the immobiliser is encrypted, there are cases where the encryption is cryptanalyzed, and duplicating the key by using the cryptanalyzed key information is not difficult.
Moreover, if clones of the key are created, preventing duplication cannot be expected at all.
With the exception of special keys such as master keys, a key needs to lock/unlock a particular lock, and does not lock/unlock plural locks.
It is an object in this application to obtain a keycard, the creation of whose clone is impossible, and a keycard-lock that is locked/unlocked by the keycard.
In a facility where plural relevant parties come in and out, when entering the premises or a room needs to be restricted, such measures are taken as preparing plural keys or using a password; however, with such measures, it is not possible to know who enters the premises or the room.
This application provides a keycard with which it is possible to know who enters the premises or the room even in the above case, and a keycard-lock that is locked/unlocked by the keycard.
In order to cope with the above, this application provides the following means.
The following can be adopted for an information carrier formed on a card: metal granules mixed into a transparent medium described in JP-A-10-44650; fiber pieces mixed into a transparent medium described in JP-A-2003-29636; a hologram described in WO2007/072794, fluorescent substance granules described in WO2007/072795, radioactive substance granules described in WO2007/072796 and iridescent material described in WO2008/143087.
In addition to means to read the information carrier, as described in JP-A-10-44650, JP-A-2003-29636, WO2007/072793, WO2007/072794, WO2007/072795 and WO2007/072796, plural reading means are provided so as to read the information carrier from various directions.
Data stored in the keycard-lock is encrypted/decrypted using a crypt key stored in the lock.
In order to strengthen the correspondence between the keycard-lock and the keycard, variations are given to the configuration of the reading device in the keycard-lock.
In addition, a storage medium such as an optical medium, a magnetic medium and an IC chip is mounted on the card to store the keycard information that is encrypted by using cryptography described in WO2007/072793 and WO2008/143087.
Three-dimensional information includes those given to the entire surface of and to a portion of the keycard.
In order to prevent damages and stains to the keycard, the keycard is housed in a cassette with a shutter.
Since the metal granules mixed into a transparent medium described in JP-A-10-44650, the fiber pieces mixed into a transparent medium described in JP-A-2003-29636, the hologram described in WO2007/072794, the fluorescent substance granules described in WO2007/072795, the radioactive substance granules described in WO2007/072796 and the iridescent material described in WO2008/143087, which are formed on the card in the invention according to this application, all have a three-dimensional placement, duplicating or cloning them is impossible.
Having a self-certifying chip used for certifying the validity of the keycard itself provided non-separably on the keycard improves security.
Having the keycard be housed in the cassette prevents the keycard from being damaged or stained.
Having the keycard be registered in the lock with which the keycard is used, disables unlocking with another unregistered key.
Varying the characteristics of the reading device in the keycard-lock strengthens the correspondence between the keycard-lock and the keycard.
By providing an ID to the keycard, it is also possible to disable a particular keycard.
Since the usable keycards are registered in the keycard-lock, it is possible to know who is entering the premises or the room according to the keycard-lock.
Since the keycard becomes usable by registration, a master key can be acquired by registering one keycard in plural keycard-locks.
By being registered in a keycard-lock, a keycard becomes usable in the keycard-lock; thus, when plural keycards are registered in one keycard-lock, it is possible for plural persons to unlock the keycard-lock, and is also easy to make spare keys.
Description will be given below on embodiments of the invention relating to the present patent application.
First, a copy-unable information carrier adopted in the present invention will be described.
A keycard information chip 10 shown in
This keycard information chip 10 has metal granules 12 mixed randomly in a transparent resin 11 by such means as scattering or blending for the information carrier.
Since the positions of the metallic granules 12 serving as the information carrier in the transparent resin 11 are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern of the keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
A keycard information chip 20 shown in
This keycard information chip 20 has plural fiber pieces 22 randomly mixed in a transparent resin 21 by such means as scattering or blending.
Since the positions and sizes of the fiber pieces 22 serving as the information carrier in the transparent resin 21 are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern of the keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
Keycard information chips shown in
A pit-type embossed hologram shown in
On this keycard information chip 30, pits 32 disposed regularly on the upper surface of a substrate 31 are filled with a resin 33 at random positions by such means as scattering, and only the pits that are not filled with resin function for the pit-type embossed hologram. Reference numeral 34 shows a transparent resin which covers the entirety.
On the information carrier of the pit-type embossed hologram keycard information chip, plural pits 32 are formed at random positions by such method as scattering an etching material on the substrate 31, and a light-reflecting layer is formed over the entire keycard information chip. The light reflected at the upper edge of the pit 32 interferes with the light reflected at the bottom of the pit 32, so that the chip functions as a pit-type embossed hologram chip.
The positions of the pits 32 serving as the information carrier are randomly selected by the resin 33 scattered. When the amount of the scattered resin 33 is insufficient or excessive for the pit, such the pit does not function as the pit-type embossed hologram with the particular wavelength incident light. The pit-type embossed hologram information pattern cannot be optically duplicated.
Since the positions of the pits 32 serving as the information carrier are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern of the keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
On a keycard information chip 40 shown in
On the pit-type embossed hologram keycard information chip shown in
Since the positions and the sizes of the plural pits 43 serving as the information carrier are not only formed by chance but also having three-dimensional shape, the information pattern of the pit-type embossed hologram keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
On the stud-type embossed hologram keycard information chip shown in
Since the positions and the sizes of the studs 48 serving as the information carrier are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern of the stud-type embossed hologram keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
On an embossed hologram keycard information chip 50 shown in
On the pit-type embossed hologram keycard information chip shown in
Since the positions, the depths and the sizes of the plural pits 53 serving as the information carrier are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern of the pit-type embossed hologram keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
On the stud-type embossed hologram keycard information chip shown in
Since the positions, the heights and the sizes of the plural studs 58 serving as the information carrier are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern of the stud-type embossed hologram keycard information chip cannot be optically duplicated.
A keycard information chip 60 shown in
Fluorescent substance granules 62 are dispersed and randomly arranged in a transparent resin 61 of the keycard information chip 60 as the information carrier. A fluorescent substance is arbitrarily selected so that an information pattern which emits fluorescence of plural wavelengths can be obtained.
Since the positions of the fluorescent granules 62 in the transparent resin 61 and fluorescence thus obtained serving as the information carrier are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern cannot be optically duplicated.
A keycard information chip 70 shown in
Radioactive substance granules 72 are dispersed and randomly arranged in a resin 71 of the keycard information chip 70.
Since the positions of the radioactive substance granules 72 in the transparent resin 71 serving as the information carrier are not only random but also three-dimensional, the information pattern cannot be optically duplicated.
The keycard information chips shown in
The iridescence and the embossed hologram are both phenomena occurring by interference of light in a colorless and transparent medium; however, the observed events are different. The embossed hologram is caused by a phenomenon in which light does not outgo due to the interference at the edge, and the iridescence is a phenomenon in which a particular light outgoes strongly by interferences on the surface.
Even with the same iridescent piece, if the light incident angles are different and the path lengths are different, a different iridescence appears. Accordingly, it is impossible to acquire the same iridescence.
Although phenomena in which lights of various wavelengths are observed with plate-type, sheet-type, and laminated-type substances are sometimes called holograms, most of such phenomena are not holograms but of the iridescence.
On a keycard information chip 80 shown in
On a keycard information chip 90 shown in
On a keycard information chip 100 shown in
On a keycard information chip 110 shown in
The color and the position of the occurrence of the iridescence appearing in this configuration are random completely by chance.
On a keycard information chip 120 shown in
The color and the position of the occurrence of the iridescence appearing in this configuration are also random completely by chance.
Embodiments of a keycard constituted by adopting the keycard information chip described in
It should be noted that although in these Embodiments, the thin iridescent pieces described referring to
On a keycard 130, a keycard information chip 132 is non-removably mounted at the center of a surface plate 133 attached to a substrate 131.
In the mounting configuration shown here, the small keycard information chip 132 is placed at the center of the surface plate 133, while the mounting position and the size of the keycard information chip 132 are not limited to this example, and various positions may be possible.
While the keycard 130 shown in
On a keycard 140, thin iridescent pieces 142, 143, 144 which constitute an information pattern are embedded at random positions in a transparent resin 145 which covers the entire surface of a substrate 141.
For the reading of the information pattern, the entire surface of the keycard 140 may be read.
Since the keycard information chip of the card described in
Since a card used as a key is often placed in a pocket or a bag not in order, the risk of damaging and staining is high.
Accordingly, the keycard information chip that is to be read is protected by a shutter.
FIG. (e) is an exploded view of elements constituting the keycard.
A keycard 150 includes a keycard body 151, a container 152 having a housing 156 for the keycard body 151, a cover plate 155 in which a window 154 for reading is formed and which covers the container 152 containing the keycard body 151, and a shutter 153 which is mounted on the cover plate 155 and opens and closes the window 154 by sliding right and left.
Except for the point that the keycard contained does not rotate, this configuration may directly adopt a shutter structure used for 3.5-inch flexible disk or the like.
In this case, in order to restrict the direction of insertion, the shape of the keycard is not square, and a suitable configuration may be adopted, for example, by forming a cut portion at the head thereof and indicating the direction of insertion on the surface.
When the keycard 150 is inserted in a reading device in accordance with the indication of the insertion direction, the shutter 153 that has been closed as shown in
The cross-sectional view and the exploded view shown in
A keycard 160 includes a keycard body 161, a container 162 having a housing for the keycard body 161, a cover plate in which a window 164 for reading is formed and which covers the container 162 containing the keycard body 161, and a shutter 163 which is mounted on the cover plate and opens and closes the window 164 by sliding up and down.
When the keycard 160 is inserted in a reading device in accordance with the indication of the insertion direction, the shutter 163 that has been closed as shown in
Since there is no limitation on the thickness of the keycard itself, the container is not required if the thickness of the keycard itself is increased.
Embodiment of this configuration is shown in
The keycard having this configuration has a small number of parts and a simple structure.
Although Embodiment of
A keycard unit 170 includes a keycard 171 having a sufficient thickness to be a container, a cover plate 175 in which a window 174 for reading is formed and which covers the keycard 171, and a shutter 173 which is mounted on the cover plate 175 and opens and closes the window 174 by sliding right and left.
Since the usage and the operation of the shutter are the same as those of the keycard shown in
These steps are performed by optical reading or radiation detection means and a computer.
(1) A keycard which has not been registered is prepared.
In the nonregistered keycard, a keycard information chip is formed as a chip as shown in
In addition, if needed, in order to prevent damages and stains, as shown in
Since the keycard information chip has the information of the type, the planar placement and the three-dimensional placement which are determined by chance, forgery and duplication are impossible.
(2) The keycard is, for registration, inserted into the keycard-lock with which the key is used.
(3) Analog information, which the keycard information, is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
If the reading device, which will be described later, is constituted in such a way that there are variations in the reading by the reading device, combined with the analog information on the keycard information chip, that strengthens the correspondence between the keycard and the keycard-lock.
(4) In order to digitally process the keycard information, the analog information of the keycard information chip, thus read, is digitalized to digital data (M).
In this digitalization as well, similarly to the reading of analog information, by using structural variations of the reading device in the reading and by using time axis variations, threshold variations and the like in the digitalization, it strengthens the correspondence between the keycard and the keycard-lock.
(5) The digitalized data (M) is stored in the memory of the keycard-lock, and the keycard is registered in the keycard-lock.
(1) The keycard that has been registered is inserted into the keycard-lock.
(2) The analog information of the keycard is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(3) The analog information thus read, which is the information of the keycard information chip is digitalized to digital data (M′).
(4) The stored digital data (M) is read out from the memory of the keycard-lock.
(5) The digital data (M′) of the keycard which is inserted and the digital data (M) read from the keycard-lock are compared and confirmed that they are equal.
(6) If the digital data (M′) and digital data (M) are equal, the keycard-lock is locked/unlocked.
If the digital data (M′) and digital data (M) are not equal, and more than one digital data is stored, plural digital data are sequentially read out, compared and confirmed.
If all digital data do not match, the keycard is determined to be illegitimate, or to have any damage or stain, and the keycard-lock is not locked/unlocked.
In this Embodiment, cryptography is used for security.
These steps are performed by optical reading or radiation detection means and a computer.
(1) A keycard which has not been registered is prepared.
In the nonregistered keycard, a keycard information chip is formed as a chip as shown in
(2) The keycard is, for registration, inserted into the keycard-lock with which the keycard is used.
(3) Analog information, which the keycard information, is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(4) In order to digitally process the pattern to be recognized, the analog information of the keycard information chip, thus read, is digitalized to digital data (M).
(5) The digital data (M) is encrypted by a crypt key stored in the keycard-lock to encrypted data (E).
(6) The encrypted data (E) is stored in the memory of the keycard-lock, and the keycard is registered in the keycard-lock.
(1) The keycard that has been registered is inserted into the keycard-lock.
(2) The analog information of the keycard is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(3) The analog information thus read, which is the information of the keycard information chip is digitalized to digital data (M′).
(4) The stored encrypted data (E) is read out from the memory of the keycard-lock.
(5) The encrypted data (E) is decrypted by the crypt key stored in the reading device of the keycard-lock to decrypted digital data (M).
(6) The digital data (M′) of the keycard which is inserted and the digital data (M) read from the keycard-lock and decrypted are compared and confirmed that they are equal.
(7) If the digital data (M′) and digital data (M) are equal, the keycard-lock is locked/unlocked.
If the digital data (M′) and digital data (M) are not equal, and more than one digital data is stored, plural digital data are sequentially read out, compared and confirmed.
If all digital data do not match, the keycard is determined to be illegitimate, or to have any damage or stain, and the keycard-lock is not locked/unlocked.
It should be noted that containing the keycard in a container with a shutter, using structural variations of the reading device for reading, and actively using variations in digitalization time axis and thresholds, as described above referring to
These steps are performed by optical reading or radiation detection means and a computer.
(1) A keycard which has not been registered is prepared.
In the nonregistered keycard, a keycard information chip is formed as a chip as shown in
(2) The keycard is, for registration, inserted into the reading device of the keycard-lock with which the key is used.
(3) Analog information, which is the keycard information, is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(4) In order to digitally process the keycard information, the analog information of the keycard information chip, thus read, is digitalized to digital data (M).
(5) The digital data (M) is encrypted by a crypt key stored in the keycard-lock to encrypted data (E).
(6) The encrypted data (E) is stored in the memory of the keycard-lock, and the keycard is registered in the keycard-lock.
(1) The keycard that has been registered is inserted into the keycard-lock.
(2) The analog information of the keycard is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(3) The analog information thus read, which is the information of the keycard information chip is digitalized to digital data (M′).
(4) The digital data (M′) is encrypted by a crypt key stored in the reading device of the keycard-lock to encrypted data (E′).
(5) The stored encrypted data (E) is read out from the memory of the keycard-lock.
(6) The encrypted data (E′) of the keycard which is inserted and the encrypted data (E) read from the keycard-lock are compared and confirmed that they are equal.
(7) If the digital data (E′) and digital data (E) are equal, the keycard is determined to be valid and performs to lock/unlock the keycard-lock.
If the digital data (E′) and digital data (E) are not equal, and more than one digital data is stored, plural digital data are sequentially read out, compared and confirmed.
If all digital data do not match, the keycard is determined to be illegitimate, or to have any damage or stain, and does not perform to lock/unlock.
It should be noted that containing the keycard in a container with a shutter, actively using variations of the reading device for reading, and using variations in digitalization time axis and thresholds, as described above referring to
These keycards have a keycard information chip for self-certifying the authenticity of the keycard itself.
In addition, in order to prevent damages or stains, self-certifying keycards shown in
In a self-certifying keycard 210, a keycard information chip 213 which is mounted at the center of a surface plate 212 attached to a substrate 211, and a certifying chip 214 comprising colored two-dimensional barcode or the like where keycard information of the keycard information chip 213 is digitalized, the digitalized data is encrypted by using a crypt key stored in the keycard-lock and the encrypted data is stored, are non-removably attached to in such a manner that is integrated with the substrate 211.
In a self-certifying keycard 220, a keycard information chip 223 which is mounted on the entire surface of a surface plate 222 attached to a substrate 221 and a self-certifying chip 224 comprising a transponder IC such as RFID, where keycard information of the keycard information chip 223 is digitalized, the digitalized data is encrypted and the encrypted data is stored, are non-removably integrated.
Instead of the chip comprising colored two-dimensional barcode for verification used in the keycard shown in
These steps are performed by optical reading or radiation detection means and a computer.
(1) A nonregistered self-certifying keycard to which a self-certifying chip is attached is prepared.
In the nonregistered self-certifying keycard, a keycard information chip is formed as a chip shown in
In addition, if needed, in order to prevent damages and stains, as shown in
Since the keycard information chip has the information of the planar placement and the three-dimensional placement which are determined by chance, forgery and duplication are impossible.
(2) The self-certifying keycard is, for registration, inserted into the keycard-lock with which the keycard is used.
(3) Analog information, which the keycard information, is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
If the reading device, which will be described later, is constituted in such a way that there are variations in the reading by the reading device, combined with the analog information on the keycard information chip, that strengthens the correspondence between the keycard and the keycard-lock.
(4) In order to digitally process the keycard information, the analog information of the keycard information chip, thus read, is digitalized to digital data (M).
(5) The digital data (M) is encrypted by a crypt key stored in the reading device of the keycard-lock to encrypted data (E).
(6) The encrypted data (E) is stored in the certifying chip of the self-certifying keycard, and the self-certifying keycard is registered in the keycard-lock.
The steps of using the keycard shown in
(1) The self-certifying keycard that has been registered is inserted into the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(2) The analog information of the keycard is read by the reading device.
(3) The analog information, thus read, which is the information of the keycard information chip, is digitalized to digital data (M′).
(4) The digital data (M′) is encrypted by the crypt key stored in the reading device of the keycard-lock to encrypted data (E′).
(5) The stored encrypted data (E) is read out from the certifying chip of the keycard.
(6) The encrypted data (E′) of the self-certifying keycard which is inserted and the encrypted data (E) read out from the certifying chip of the keycard are compared and confirmed that they are equal.
(7) If the digital data (E′) and digital data (E) are equal, the keycard-lock is locked/unlocked.
If the digital data (E′) and digital data (E) are not equal, and more than one digital data is stored, plural digital data are sequentially read out, compared and confirmed.
If all digital data do not match, the keycard is determined to be illegitimate, or to have any damage or stain, and the keycard-lock is not locked/unlocked.
In addition to the above, more reliable confirmation can be performed by storing the digital data (M) of the self-certifying keycard in the keycard-lock at the time of the registration of the self-certifying keycard in the keycard-lock, and comparing with the digital data (M′) read from the self-certifying keycard during use.
It should be noted that containing the keycard in a set with a shutter, using structural variations in the reading by the reading device, and using variations in digitalization time axis and thresholds, as described referring to
These steps are performed by optical reading or radiation detection means and a computer.
The steps of registering the keycard are shown in
(1) A keycard which has not been registered is prepared.
In the nonregistered keycard, a keycard information chip is formed as a chip shown in
(2) The keycard is, for registration, inserted into the reading device of the keycard-lock with which the keycard is used.
(3) Analog information, which is the keycard information, is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(4) In order to digitally process the keycard information, the analog information of the keycard information chip, thus read, is digitalized to digital data (M).
(5) The digital data (M) is encrypted by a crypt key in the keycard-lock to encrypted data (E).
(6) The encrypted data (E) is stored in the certifying chip of the self-certifying keycard, and the self-certifying keycard is registered in the keycard-lock.
The steps of using the keycard to lock/unlock the lock are shown in
(1) The keycard that has been registered is inserted into the keycard-lock.
(2) The analog information which is the information of the keycard is read by the reading device of the keycard-lock.
(3) The information of the keycard information chip which is analog information, thus read, is digitalized to digital data (M′).
(4) The stored encrypted data (E) is read out from the certifying chip.
(5) The encrypted data (E) is decrypted by the crypt key stored in the keycard-lock to (M).
(6) The digital data (M′) of the keycard which is inserted and the digital data (M) which is read out from the certifying chip and decrypted are compared and confirmed that they are equal.
(7) If the digital data (M′) and digital data (M) are equal, the keycard is determined to be valid and the keycard-lock is locked/unlocked.
If the digital data (M′) and digital data (M) are not equal, and more than one digital data is stored, plural digital data are sequentially read out, compared and confirmed.
If all digital data do not match, the keycard is determined to be illegitimate, or to have any damage or stain, and the keycard-lock is not locked/unlocked.
In addition to this configuration, a more reliable verification is performed by storing the encrypted data (E) of the self-certifying keycard in the keycard-lock at the time of registration of the self-certifying keycard in the keycard-lock, and comparing with the encrypted data (E′) read from the self-certifying keycard and encrypted during use.
It should be noted that containing the keycard in a set with a shutter, using structural variations in the reading by the reading device, and using variations in digitalization time axis and thresholds, as described above referring to
The method of manufacturing a base plate that is used for a keycard will be described referring to
Reference numeral 250 shown in
The information carrier 252 is randomly scattered on the original sheet 250.
The original sheet 250 on which the information carrier 252 is randomly scattered in this manner is cut as shown in
Since the information carrier 252 is randomly scattered on the original sheet 250, the distribution thereof is determined by chance.
In addition, since the information carrier having a three-dimensional structure is used for randomly scattered, duplicating by such a means of photographing is impossible. While transferring is the only way to obtain the same distribution, such the transfer is impossible.
The base plate obtained by cutting may be made smaller to use for a keycard information chip.
Reference numeral 260 shown in
The information carrier is randomly scattered only on portions of the original sheet 260 using a mask and the like, to obtain the original sheet for a keycard with a keycard information chip 262, which is then, cut as shown in
Since the information carrier is randomly scattered on the original sheet, the distribution thereof is determined by chance.
In addition, since the information carrier having a three-dimensional structure is used for randomly scattered, duplicating by such a means of photographing is impossible. While transferring is the only way to obtain the same distribution, such the transfer is impossible.
Reference numeral 270 shown in
A transparent yet-to-be-solidified resin is thinly and unevenly scattered on the original sheet and solidified to obtain the original sheet for a keycard with a keycard information chip, and the original sheet is cut as shown in
Reference numeral 280 shown in
A transparent yet-to-be-solidified resin 282 is unevenly spread or scattered on the original sheet and solidified to obtain the original sheet for a keycard with a keycard information chip, and the original sheet is cut as shown in
In the case of spread, the information pattern shown in
Since the yet-to-be-solidified resin 282 is unevenly spread or scattered on the original sheet 280, the form thereof is determined by chance.
Since the form of the evenly spread or scattered resin has a three-dimensional structure, duplicating by such a means of photographing is impossible. While transferring is the only way to obtain the same form, such the transfer is impossible.
Therefore, forgery or falsification of a keycard using the hologram or iridescence, which uses light interference, is impossible.
A reading device will be described referring to
All the information carriers used for the keycard information chip can be detected optically. Regarding a lighting source and the light detected, since a case of the keycard information chip using the iridescent material is the simplest, the keycard information chip using the iridescent material for the information carrier will be described, and cases using other information carriers will be described only on the points that differ from the case where the iridescent material is used.
In these drawings, reference numerals 290, 300, 310 and 320 represent keycard bodies; 291, 301, 311 and 321 keycard substrates; 293, 303, 313 and 323 surface plates; and 292, 302, 312 and 322 keycard information chips.
Reference numerals 294 and 295 represent lighting sources for lighting the keycard information chip 292, and 296 represents a camera for photographing.
The white lighting source such as a white LED, or LEDs of each R, G, B are used for the lighting sources 294 and 295.
When the white lighting source or LEDs of R, G and B which light at the same time are used for the lighting sources 294 and 295, a CCD color camera or the like is used for photographing. When the LEDs of R, G and B are used for the lighting sources 294 and 295, and light is emitted in sequence per color, a monochrome CCD camera or the like is used.
It should be noted that the type of the lighting source is not limited to the white LED, and other suitable lighting sources can be used. Further, the number of the lighting sources is not limited to one, and plural lighting sources may be used.
When an embossed hologram is used for the information carrier, it is desirable that a laser element is used as the lighting source.
When a fluorescent substance is used for the information carrier, a UVLED may be used as the lighting source.
When a radioactive substance is used for the information carrier, a fluorescent plate is brought into contact with the keycard information chip without using a lighting source, and scintillation due to radiation is detected.
When the keycard 290 is taken into a keycard-lock and stopped, the keycard information chip 292 is lighted by the lighting sources 294 and 295, photographed by the camera 296, and the keycard information on the keycard information chip 292 is read.
The information carrier of the keycard information chip has usually a three-dimensional structure. Accordingly, by photographing from different directions, different information can be acquired.
In this reading device, a lighting source 304, and two cameras 305 and 306 for photographing are used.
For the lighting source 304, the white LED used in
In this figure, reference numeral 314 represents a light emitting/detecting element matrix where light emitting/detecting elements 315 which are constituted by the combination of the lighting source including a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED or the like and a small type light detecting element such as a photo diode, a photo transistor, a CCD or a CMOS, are configured in a planar shape so as to cover up the keycard information chip 312.
It should be noted that the type of the lighting source is not limited to three red, green and blue LEDs.
When a fluorescent substance is used for the information carrier, a UVLED may be used as the lighting source.
When a radioactive substance is used for the information carrier, a fluorescent plate is brought into contact with the keycard information chip without using a lighting source, and scintillation due to radiation is detected.
When the keycard 310 is taken into a keycard-lock and stopped, the keycard information chip 312 is positioned under the light emitting/detecting element matrix 314 in planar shape. Under this condition, the light emitting/detecting elements comprised in the light emitting/detecting element matrix 314 and arranged in planar shape detect the information pattern of the keycard information chip 312, and the keycard information from the keycard information chip 312 is read.
By adopting a field-sequential-color system emitting the light per color in sequence, the number of the light detecting elements can be reduced extensively.
A red light emitting/detecting element array 324, a green light emitting/detecting element array 325, and a blue light emitting/detecting element array 326 are placed in a container having a width slightly longer than the width in moving direction of the keycard information chip 322.
The red light emitting/detecting element array 324, the green light emitting/detecting element array 325, and the blue light emitting/detecting element array 326 are given here as examples, and any combination of colors of light emitting/detecting elements can be used.
In addition, both of the point source and the line source for light emitting/detecting elements may be used.
When an embossed hologram is used as the information carrier, it is desirable to use a laser element for the lighting source.
When a fluorescent substance is used as the information carrier, UVLED of one row may be used for the lighting source.
When a radioactive substance is used as the information carrier, a fluorescent plate is brought into contact with the keycard information chip without using the lighting source, and the light emitted is detected by scintillation.
Unlike the reading devices shown in
When the keycard 320 is taken into the reading device, it passes under the light emitting/detecting element arrays 324, 325, 326. At this moment, the linearly arranged arrays of the light emitting/detecting elements detect the information pattern in the keycard information chip 322. Electric signals generated in association with the movement of the keycard information chip 322 are detected continuously in analog manner by each light detecting element or discontinuously in digital manner, or scanned as an image like using a facsimile machine or a scanner, and then, the card information of the keycard information chip 322 is read.
By adopting a field-sequential-color system emitting the light per color in sequence, the number of the light detecting elements can be reduced extensively.
An authenticity judging method will be described referring to
The information carriers used for a keycard information chip can be all detected optically. Regarding the lighting source and the light detected, the keycard information chip using iridescent material is the simplest. The keycard information chip using the iridescent material as the information carrier will be described.
W (White) in
The drawings indicated by R, G and B underneath show conditions of the iridescent material showing each of colors separated by a color filter of the camera.
In
As the other manner of dividing, divided by a diagonal line may be adopted, or further, subdivisions can be performed when necessary.
In this method, a pattern of the images divided is not detected. Instead, the average light intensity of the iridescence, i.e., the total light intensity, is detected.
In these drawings, the symbol [−A] indicates the total light intensity of the color in all portions of the keycard information chip. The symbol [−T] indicates the total light intensity of the color in the upper half of the keycard information chip; the symbol [−B] the total light intensity of the color in the lower half of the keycard information chip; [−R] the total light intensity of the color in the right half of the keycard information chip; [−L] the total light intensity of the color in the left half of the keycard information chip; and the symbols [−1] to [−4] each indicates the total light intensity of the color in each of quadrants of the keycard information chip.
By the procedure as described above, the information of the total light intensity, i.e., 9 types of information for each of the R, G and B, and 27 types of information in total can be known.
Through the comparison of the total light intensity information which is obtained from the keycard information chip at the time of manufacturing and is stored, and the total light intensity information obtained when the keycard information chip is detected, the authenticity of the keycard information chip can be judged.
The white light obtained by the white LED is a pseudo-white color. Also, the white color detected by the color camera is a pseudo-white color because a color filter is used.
Accordingly, the detection of the light through the combination of the white LED and the color camera is limited only to the light, which can be detected by the combination of the light emitting color and the color filter. In this respect, care must be taken as to which type of white LED is used or which type of color camera is used.
In order to satisfy the accuracy of the color to be used, it is desirable to use the color information based on physical color information, that is to say, the wavelength, not on visual sense.
In addition to a visible light LED used as an LED for a lighting source, an ultraviolet LED and an infrared LED are used in combination or selectively, thereby making unauthorized reading difficult.
Further, using laser light sources having different wavelengths and a non-linear element, the light of the frequency, which is obtained as a difference between frequencies or a sum of frequencies may be used.
As other items to be used for the judgment, there are the value of the highest luminance in each area, the number of pixels where luminance is higher than a predetermined value, the number of assemblies of bright pixels, the length of contour of the bright pixel, characteristics of the bright pixel, the weighted point of dispersed bright points, the peak position and peak value in longitudinal and lateral histogram on an binarized image, and the histogram of each pixel through weighting of luminance information.
Duplicating a keycard used in the keycard and keycard-lock system described above is impossible in principle, while registering the keycard in the keycard-lock makes plural keycard-locks be easily available.
With such characteristics, in particular, when it is used for a keycard for vehicles, it functions also as an immobilizer, and is useful.
In addition, it is useful for a key for a facility or a room where plural relevant parties come in and out, such as for using for an admission allowance.
It is also useful for a key used in a shared-use system such as a car-sharing system.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2009-130621 | May 2009 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2010/059098 | 5/28/2010 | WO | 00 | 2/3/2012 |