Hand Held Products, Inc.

Honeywell International Inc.

Chirag Patel

William Ross Rapoport

Timothy A Good

Patrick Anthony Giordano

Sean Philip Kearney

Edward C Bremer

Erik Van Horn

Michael Vincent Miraglia

Gennady Germaine

Christopher Allen

Gregory Mark Rueblinger

Paul Poloniewicz

James Vincent Guiheen

Kevin Saber

Edward Hatton

Robert M Pierce

David J Ryder

Jack Steven Croiter

Karl D Nelson

James G Kane

Jeffrey James Kriz

Carsten Lau

David Ryder

Existing currency validation (CVAL) devices, systems, and methods are too slow, costly, intrusive, and/or bulky to be routinely used in common transaction locations (e.g., at checkout, at an automatic teller machine, etc.). Presented herein are devices, systems, and methods to facilitate optical validation of documents, merchandise, or currency at common transaction locations and to do so in an obtrusive and convenient way. More specifically, the present invention embraces a validation device that may be used alone or integrated within a larger system (e.g., point of sale system, kiosk, etc.). The present invention also embraces methods for currency validation using the validation device, as well as methods for improving the quality and consistency of data captured by the validation device for validation.

Devices, systems, and methods for optical validation

Methods are provided for authenticating a value article that includes a luminescent material. An exciting light source, an optical filter, a photodetector, a signal manipulation circuit, and an amplifier are provided. The luminescent material is exposed to light produced by the exciting light source. Radiation including light from the exciting light source and emitted radiation from the luminescent material is filtered using the optical filter to produce filtered radiation. The filtered radiation is detected using the photodetector to produce a detected radiation signal. The detected radiation signal is electronically manipulated using the signal manipulation circuit to reduce an effect of light from the exciting light source on an authentication determination based upon the detected radiation signal. The detected radiation signal is amplified with the amplifier after electronic manipulation to produce an amplified electronic signal. The amplified electronic signal or data derived therefrom is converted to an authentication output.

Authentication systems, authentication devices, and methods for authenticating a value article

Embodiments include methods and apparatus for identifying a thermographic phosphor (e.g., Er:YIG) incorporated on or within an article. The method and apparatus embodiments include an excitation energy generator selectively exposing the article to excitation energy in an absorption band of the thermographic phosphor. An emitted radiation detector detects first emission characteristics of first emitted radiation from the article within an emission band of the thermographic phosphor when the article has a first temperature, and detects second emission characteristics of second emitted radiation from the article within the emission band when the article has a second temperature that is different from the first temperature. A temperature adjustment element is configured to adjust the temperature of the article. Embodiments further include a processing system determining whether the first emission characteristics are sufficiently different from the second emission characteristics.

Articles incorporating thermographic phosphors, and methods and apparatus for authenticating such articles

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Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

Chirag Patel