The Standard Register Company

Daniel David Thaxton

Martin H Hileman

R David Fehrman

William H Mowry, Jr

Patrick Fitzgerald Wilkinson

Robert F Freund

Loren C Schafer

Russell E Hill

Steven McElwee

Methods for marking a consumer good at a distribution point are described that enable field authentication of the consumer good at an authentication point without connection to a remote database. Methods for authenticating a marked consumer good are described by scanning encrypted indicia without connecting to a remote database are described. Authentication methods for marked consumer goods, apparatus for carrying out the authentication methods, and systems based on the authentication methods are described.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for marking, verifying, and authenticating consumer products

An electronic coupon system and a method of processing electronic coupons are provided utilizing a coupon card on which data representing selected coupons may be stored for subsequent redemption at a point-of-sale terminal. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic coupon system is provided including, a coupon card, an in-store kiosk, a point-of-sale terminal, a host computer, and a coupon data processor. The host computer is in communication with the in-store kiosk and the point-of-sale terminal. The in-store kiosk includes a user interface and a coupon card interface. The point-of-sale terminal includes a transaction data interface and a point-of-sale coupon card interface. The coupon data processor is programmed to correlate the transaction data with the coupon data read from the coupon card by the coupon card interface and to reduce the product sale price by an amount indicated in the coupon data.

Electronic coupon system and method of processing electronic coupon card for storage and redemption

A smart card is provided having a removable integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is mounted on a semiconductor chip assembly which is locked within the smart card. The semiconductor chip assembly is configured so that once it is locked in place, it may only be removed with a special tool. The special tool allows the locking mechanisms holding the semiconductor chip assembly within the smart card to be disengaged. Attempts to remove the semiconductor chip assembly without the special tool may result in damage to one or both of the semiconductor chip assembly and the smart card. The semiconductor chip assembly may be mounted through the side of the smart card or through one of the faces. A security label applied to the smart card and the semiconductor chip assembly provides additional security with a visual indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly.

Smart card with replaceable chip

A security document and a device for authenticating the security document are provided. The device for authenticating the security document comprises an optical imaging device and a specially programmed controller. The security document comprises a unique combination of covert triggers, overt triggers, and overt secure document indicators arranged to enhance the security of the document at issue and enable high speed machine authentication of the document at issue. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a device for authenticating a security document is provided. The security document includes a security image printed on a face thereof. The security image is defined by a collection of security image elements and defines at least one document authentication scheme. The document authentication scheme is arranged to provide a primary indication of document authenticity. The authentication device comprises an optical imaging device and a specially programmed controller. The optical imaging device is arranged to generate a security image signal representative of at least a portion of the security image. The controller is programmed to (i) define an authentication constellation within the security image, wherein the authentication constellation defines a set of constellation pixels, and wherein the constellation pixels are arranged at predetermined coordinates within the security image; (ii) identify respective occupation characteristics of each of the constellation pixels based on the security image signal, wherein each of the respective occupation characteristics represents a degree of printed matter within a selected constellation pixel; and (iii) determine whether the respective identified occupation characteristics correspond to an authentic document by comparing the respective identified occupation characteristics to a set of authentic occupation characteristics.

Device for authenticating a security document

An improved scheme for shipping and handling Smart Cards and Smart Card readers is provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a business form is provided including a mounting ply defining a mounting surface and a card reader defining an upper reader panel and a lower reader panel. The upper reader panel is coupled to the lower reader panel via a reader hinge. The reader hinge is arranged to enable the upper reader panel to pivot relative to the lower reader panel from an open reader position to a closed reader position. The open reader position is characterized by separation of the upper reader panel from the lower reader panel by an angle of approximately 180&deg; about a pivotal axis defined by the reader hinge. The card reader is removably secured to the mounting surface of the mounting ply in the open reader position. The card reader is preferably removably secured to the mounting surface with an adhesive. The business form preferably further comprises at least one integrated circuit card removably coupled to the mounting surface.

Business form including smart card and smart card reader

A security document is provided including a unique combination of covert triggers, overt triggers, and overt secure document indicators arranged to enhance the security of the document at issue. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a security document is provided including a security image and a covert trigger printed on a face of the document. The security image is defined by a collection of security image elements. The security image defines at least one document authentication scheme. The document authentication scheme is arranged to provide an indication of document authenticity. The covert trigger is defined by a collection of trigger elements. The trigger elements are arranged to resemble the security image elements so the covert trigger is not readily apparent on the face of the document. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of authenticating a security document is provided. The method includes the steps of:(i) defining an authentication constellation within the security image, wherein the authentication constellation defines a set of constellation pixels, and wherein the constellation pixels are arranged at predetermined coordinates within the security image; (ii) identifying respective occupation characteristics of each of the constellation pixels, wherein each of the respective occupation characteristics represents a degree of printed matter within a selected constellation pixel; and (iii) determining whether the respective identified occupation characteristics correspond to an authentic document by comparing the respective identified occupation characteristics to a set of authentic occupation characteristics.

Growing community of inventors

New Lebanon, OH, United States of America

Daniel David Thaxton