Other

Rca Inc.

Harris Semiconductor Patents Inc.

Harris Corporation

Opticon, Inc.

Intelligent Material Solutions, Inc.

Ge Solid State Patents, Inc.

Victor Zazzu

Wenyu Han

Andrew G Dingwall

Mandel Glincman

Robert H Isham

Howard Y Bell

Joshua E Collins

Stanley F Wietecha

Xin Zheng

Brian Zhang

Wenyu Hu

Harry G Erhardt

Disclosed is a hand-held optical apparatus and method for using the apparatus to activate and detect optical emissive materials as part of a safety interlock system. Typically, the hand-held optical apparatus will include one or more light sources capable of emitting at least one wavelength of light towards an optical emissive material, a light detector capable of detecting a response from the optical emissive material, and control circuitry configured to cause at least one of the one or more light sources to emit the at least one wavelength at a power density less than a predetermined threshold, receive a signal from the light detector representing a detected response, and repeat until the microprocessor determines the detected response matches an expected response.

Apparatus and method for enhancing the safety of laser based systems

A card adapted to be read by a machine has certain patterns and physical characteristics unique to the card and includes electronic circuitry for storing selected of these characteristics. The machine includes apparatus for; (a) optically sensing selected characteristics of the card; (b) electromagnetically sensing information stored in the card; and (c) comparing optically sensed data with electromagnetically sensed data for validating the card. The machine further includes apparatus for selectively processing and updating the information stored on the card each time it reads the card.

Apparatus and method for enhancing card security

A tag with features to enable its authenticity to be determined includes a hidden code intermixed with a visible pattern such that the hidden code is not readily detectable under ambient light condition, without the use of a specially designed reader. In one embodiment the tag is formed with a first layer containing a hidden code, formed of reflective elements, which overlies a second layer which is designed to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength (e.g., IR light). The hidden code can be detected by projecting a light source having the predetermined wavelength (e.g., an IR source) at a predetermined angle on the tag and using a sensor to sense the reflection from the tag.

Secure product authentication tags

A card embodying the invention includes marks which are randomly formed within a dedicated region of the surface of the card. The randomly formed marks may, for example, include; (a) partial-holes extending a short distance from a surface of the card; (b) through-holes extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the card; (c) burn marks, or (d) ink marks. The marks are of a size and nature such that they are not readily visible to the naked eye. The invention includes illumination apparatus for illuminating the card to reliably sense the optical pattern of the randomly formed marks. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a reader/writer includes apparatus for generating an array of light to uniformly illuminate the back surface of the card so as to pass light through the through-holes or through the partial holes. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a reader/writer includes a light source for illuminating the front surface of the card containing the randomly formed marks and projecting the light onto the dedicated region of the card at an acute angle and sensing apparatus for capturing the light signals reflected from the random marks while ignoring the light reflected from the portion of the card not containing a mark.

Card with enhanced security features

An instrument (e.g., a card or an optical data storage disc such as a CDROM) embodying the invention includes a pattern formed on or within the instrument, whereby the instrument, when illuminated by a light source, produces a unique output light pattern which can be detected by a photo sensor. The formed pattern may take any number of different and randomly formed shapes ranging from stripes of different size and spacing, as in a bar code, to complex two dimensional shapes and images. The pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces of an instrument may include randomly distributed light pipes (paths) extending from one side of the instrument to one, or more, other side(s) of the instrument. Alternatively, the pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces may include a number of 'pitted' optical fibers extending from a side of the instrument to a 'hidden' region internal to the instrument, which does not extend to any of the sides or surfaces of the instrument. Alternatively, the pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the instrument (e.g., a CDROM) may include opaque optical fibers extending within a region of the instrument. Alternatively, a pattern may be formed on an instrument (e.g., a CDROM) by laser etching or scribing a random pattern on a surface of the instrument.

Method and apparatus for patterning cards, instruments and documents

One aspect of the invention includes one or more security devices embedded on one of the two surfaces, or between the two surfaces, of a compact disc (CD) or digital video disc (DVD) to impede the counterfeiting of the disc. The security devices may be, for example, holograms, optically variable devices (OVD) or RFID chips. CD/DVD is an authorized (non-pirated) version of a manufacturer's product. A system embodying the invention includes a player/reader which contains means for sensing selected characteristics of the security devices embedded on or within a CD/DVD and which is programmed to ascertain that the CD/DVD is in fact a valid document. Another aspect of the invention may include encrypting apparatus for reading/sensing selected characteristics of security device(s) and for annotating the disc and/or the security device(s) with corresponding information. Still another aspect includes a player/reader which is programmed to sense selected characteristics of security device(s) and/or to read information written back onto the disc and/or on the security device and to compare the information to ascertain the validity of the disc.

Method and apparatus for impeding the counterfeiting of discs

An information reader formed within a unitary enclosure for sensing whether information on a surface to be read is valid includes a plurality of different sensors for sensing the presence of different types of information on the surface being read. Each sensor is programmed to sense whether certain criteria pertaining to that sensor are met. In addition, the outputs of selected sensors are compared to ascertain whether the outputs of the selected sensors have a preset relationship indicative of a valid condition. In one embodiment the information reader includes a hologram sensor, a surface quality sensor, a bar code reader and a magnetic stripe read/write sensor.

Multi sensor information reader

To impede the counterfeiting of a valuable instrument (e.g., a cash card, negotiable instrument or any document), an issuance mark is formed on the instrument at a programmed distance from a reference mark located on the instrument. The information pertaining to the distance is encoded and written onto a storage medium located in the instrument. In a particular system embodying the invention, a card vending machine is programmed to encode cards with various parameters, such as the distance between the reference and issuance marks, by writing the parametric information into an information storage medium located in the card. As a corollary, in a particular system embodying the invention, a dispensing machine is programmed to read the information stored in the information storage medium and the parametric information present in the card and to then compare the stored information with the values of the actual parameters present in the card.

Method and apparatus for impeding the counterfeiting of cards, instruments and documents

A card (document or instrument) embodying the invention includes a pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the card, whereby the card, when illuminated by a light source, produces a unique output light pattern which can be detected by a photo sensor. The formed pattern may take any number of different shapes ranging from stripes of different size and spacing, as in a bar code, to complex two-dimensional shapes and images. The pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces of a card may include light pipes (paths) extending from one side of a card to one, or more, other side(s) of the card. Alternatively, the pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces may include a bundle of optical fibers extending from one side of a card to one, or more, of the other sides of the card. Alternatively, the pattern formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the card may include light pipes or optical fibers extending &ldquo;vertically&rdquo; between these two surfaces. Alternatively, an image may be embedded between the top and bottom surfaces.

Method and apparatus for impeding the counterfeiting of cards,

An automatic electronically triggered scanner includes photo sensing apparatus for reading bar code data and for decoding the bar code data and then ascertaining whether the bar code data is valid. Following the reading and decoding of a valid bar code, the further decoding of bar code data by the scanner is inhibited until a predetermined condition is met to ensure that the bar code just read (which provided valid data) is not re-read. For the predetermined condition to be met the scanner must sense the absence of potentially valid bar code data for a preset interval following the decoding of each set of valid data. Subseqent to the preset interval during which only invalid data is present the scanner is placed in a condition to process valid data.

Electronically triggered bar code scanner

A precise, high speed CMOS track (sample)/hold circuit uses a first circuit leg including four Schottky barrier diodes configured to form a Wheatstone bridge, a second leg with a single n-channel MOS transistor, an essentially constant current source having MOS transistors, a capacitor for holding output signal, and reverse biasing circuitry having MOS transistors for selectively reverse biasing the four diodes. An analog input signal is applied to the cathode of the first diode and to the anode of the second diode. An output signal of the same magnitude and polarity as the input signal is generated at an output terminal (the cathode of the third diode and the anode of the fourth diode) of the circuit when current flows through the first circuit leg. When the current flowing through the first circuit leg is switched to the second circuit leg, the capacitor, which is connected to an output terminal of the circuitry, holds the generated output signal level and the reverse biasing circuitry reverse biases all of the diodes so as to isolate the capacitor from all other components of the circuit.

Precise, high speed CMOS track (sample)/hold circuits

A variable impedance element which is utilized to shunt a signal and control the amplitude of the signal utilizes a P-MOS and an N-MOS transistor operated in parallel. Separate control voltages are applied to each device in a direction to lower the impedance of the device with an increase in the peak to peak voltage of the input signal. Thus, by controlling each of the separate shunted transistors from separate peak detectors and according to the polarity of the signal voltage, each transistor will operate somewhat independent from the other to therefore provide accurate gain control and a symmetrical impedance variation.

Symmetrical variable impedance apparatus employing MOS transistors

Integral linearity error in the operating characteristics of an analog to digital converter employing sampling comparators is reduced by recurrently connecting at least one resistive shunt across a predetermined central portion of a reference voltage divider input to the comparators. The shunt resistance is approximately an order of magnitude larger than the resistance of the shunted part of the divider. Each recurrent connection interval is of fixed duration independent of sampling rate, and each interval spans the beginning of a recurrent time of connection of said divider to said comparators.

Growing community of inventors

Belle Mead, NJ, United States of America

Victor Zazzu