A device and a method that achieve a watermark that can be easily recorded and does not significantly impair the appearance of a printed matter are provided. A watermark recording unit (214) that records watermark dots having a color having a small difference from an area color of an area in which a watermark is recorded, and a watermark recording mode determination unit (213) that determines a color of the watermark dots are included. The watermark recording mode determination unit (213) determines a color of the watermark dots in such a way that a wavelength difference Δλ, which is a difference between a color wavelength of the watermark dots and an area color wavelength of a recording area of the watermark dots, is less than a wavelength resolution of human eye. Moreover, the color of the watermark dots is determined in such a way that the wavelength difference Δλ is equal to or higher than a wavelength resolution of a spectroscopic camera (hyperspectral camera) (141) that captures an image for watermark analysis.

The invention relates to a workpiece with a manufactured surface structure that forms a decorative pattern, wherein an optically detectable coding is integrated in a reference area of the surface structure of the workpiece. The invention further provides a method for manufacturing a workpiece with such a coding or marking. Such a workpiece can, for example, be a workpiece or an object used in the field of furniture or components industry, in particular a piece of furniture or a part of a piece of furniture.

A device for verifying a machine-readable security feature of a document of value, having: a transport device configured to transport the document on a transport plane, a radiation emitter that is arranged on a first flat side and emits radiation in the direction towards the first flat side, a sensor that is arranged on the first flat side and is configured to receive at least part of the luminescent radiation, a reflector arranged and configured on the second flat side-so as to at least partly reflect the luminescent radiation of the security feature of the document of value to the sensor, and an evaluation unit.

A device for verifying a machine-readable security feature of a document of value, having: a transport device configured to transport the document on a transport plane, a radiation emitter that is arranged on a first flat side and emits radiation in the direction towards the first flat side, a sensor that is arranged on the first flat side and is configured to receive at least part of the luminescent radiation, a reflector arranged and configured on the second flat side-so as to at least partly reflect the luminescent radiation of the security feature of the document of value to the sensor, and an evaluation unit.

There is provided systems and methods for generating a multi-layered watermark. The watermark incorporating one or more symbols for placement on a document. The method including: positioning a base layer of the watermark at one or more locations on the document; positioning the one or more symbols overtop of at least a portion of the base layer; and positioning a braid layer of the watermark overtop of the ID, the braid layer and the base layer are substantially aligned, the braid layer including a copy of the base layer incorporating a pattern. The pattern can include one or more of discolorations, holes, and sections of increased opacity.

An engraved solid piece carries data comprising specific information on a surface of the engraved solid piece. The surface is covered by a plurality of block structures, comprising at least a first block structure. Each block structure is a spatially restricted collection of modulated features and base features, which are spread over the surface of the engraved solid piece. Each modulated feature and each base feature has respectively a three-dimensional modulated-feature profile and a three-dimensional base-feature profile. Each of the modulated-feature profiles is the result of applying a corresponding modulation to one of the three-dimensional base-feature profiles, according to a specific, corresponding information. Each modulated feature further is a symbol, which is a transcription of a character of an alphabet. The alphabet is a collection of characters, which are distinct objects of well-defined elementary data. Each of the base features is an engraved elementary three-dimensional topographical element of the surface. Each of the modulated features is an engraved three-dimensional topographical element of the surface. At least a part of the data is transcribed by a code-block structure of modulated features, the code-block structure thereby constituting at least a part of a block structure corresponding to the at least one part of the data. The modulated features of the first block structure are arranged according to a first ordered map, the first ordered map comprising at least a first finite ordered set of first positions of the modulated features of a first code-block structure on the surface, the first block structure corresponding to a first part of the data, and the first ordered map further is configured to arrange the modulated features of the first block structure to constitute an aesthetic ensemble on the surface and render the respective symbols corresponding to the modulated features of the first code-block structure imperceptible to the human eye, but retrievable by means of a software-driven image-sensor/processor combination.

An engraved solid piece carries data comprising specific information on a surface of the engraved solid piece. The surface is covered by a plurality of block structures, comprising at least a first block structure. Each block structure is a spatially restricted collection of modulated features and base features, which are spread over the surface of the engraved solid piece. Each modulated feature and each base feature has respectively a three-dimensional modulated-feature profile and a three-dimensional base-feature profile. Each of the modulated-feature profiles is the result of applying a corresponding modulation to one of the three-dimensional base-feature profiles, according to a specific, corresponding information. Each modulated feature further is a symbol, which is a transcription of a character of an alphabet. The alphabet is a collection of characters, which are distinct objects of well-defined elementary data. Each of the base features is an engraved elementary three-dimensional topographical element of the surface. Each of the modulated features is an engraved three-dimensional topographical element of the surface. At least a part of the data is transcribed by a code-block structure of modulated features, the code-block structure thereby constituting at least a part of a block structure corresponding to the at least one part of the data. The modulated features of the first block structure are arranged according to a first ordered map, the first ordered map comprising at least a first finite ordered set of first positions of the modulated features of a first code-block structure on the surface, the first block structure corresponding to a first part of the data, and the first ordered map further is configured to arrange the modulated features of the first block structure to constitute an aesthetic ensemble on the surface and render the respective symbols corresponding to the modulated features of the first code-block structure imperceptible to the human eye, but retrievable by means of a software-driven image-sensor/processor combination.

A method for detecting a component including a concealed pattern includes: detecting infrared electromagnetic radiation reflected or emitted by a component including a first pattern, the component including: a substrate; the first pattern disposed over at least a portion of the substrate; an optional primer layer disposed between at least a portion of the substrate and at least a portion of the first pattern; and a first visibly opaque layer including an infrared transparent pigment, the first visibly opaque layer disposed over at least a portion of the first pattern; and comparing the reflectivity and/or absorbance of infrared electromagnetic radiation by the first pattern at one wavelength to the reflectivity and/or absorbance by the primer layer and/or the substrate at the same wavelength.

An authentication system includes an object including an authentication hologram disposed over an area of a surface of the object. The authentication hologram is defined by a pattern of reflective material and includes latent authentication information. The system includes a computer-readable medium including program instructions for execution by one or more processors. The program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to: (i) receive, from an image capture device, a digital image of the authentication hologram, wherein light reflected by the reflective material is captured in the digital image of the authentication hologram, and (ii) detect the latent authentication information in the digital image of the authentication hologram, wherein an effect of the reflected light is reduced to detect the latent authentication information.

An authentication system includes an object including an authentication hologram disposed over an area of a surface of the object. The authentication hologram is defined by a pattern of reflective material and includes latent authentication information. The system includes a computer-readable medium including program instructions for execution by one or more processors. The program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to: (i) receive, from an image capture device, a digital image of the authentication hologram, wherein light reflected by the reflective material is captured in the digital image of the authentication hologram, and (ii) detect the latent authentication information in the digital image of the authentication hologram, wherein an effect of the reflected light is reduced to detect the latent authentication information.