The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 13, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2010
Ronald Bruce Blair, Flower Mound, TX (US);
Ronald Bruce Blair, Flower Mound, TX (US);
De La Rue North America Inc., Irving, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the presence of Color Shifting Elements (CSE) such as optically variable inks and foils on documents such as bank notes. The invention comprises passing a document past an image sensor such as a line scan camera while sequentially illuminating the document from at least two alternating azimuths. The light source at each azimuth alternates between different colors, producing an image that is interleaved according to color and azimuth of illumination. The invention calculates a reflected color value for each azimuth and compares the color values of the different azimuths to each other. A difference in color between azimuths of illumination indicates the presence of a CSE on the document.