A valuable medium handling apparatus configured to handle a plurality of types of valuable media. The valuable medium handling apparatus includes an inlet configured to deposit the plurality of types of valuable media, a setting unit configured to set the types of the valuable media being handled by the apparatus as a first type or a second type, a determination unit configured to determine whether a type of each of the valuable media deposited in the inlet is the first type or the second type based on the setting result of the setting unit and determine whether the valuable medium determined as the first type is a genuine medium or a counterfeit medium, and a plurality of stackers configured to stack the valuable medium of the type determined by the determination unit, the plurality of stackers including a first stacker and a second stacker.

Aspects described herein may provide detection of a physical characteristic of a credential, thereby allowing for authentication of the credential. According to some aspects, these and other benefits may be achieved by detecting the physical characteristic with the credential. An image of a credential may be received. An optical characteristic of a secure feature of the credential may be determined. An expected optical characteristic of the secure feature may be determined based on known properties of the secure feature. A determination as to whether the credential is authentic may be based on a comparison of the determined optical characteristic of the secure feature to the expected optical characteristic of the secure feature.

A system and method for automatic identification of photocopied documents is disclosed wherein the method is performed by capturing an image of a marked printed document; decoding a digital watermark embedded in the image, obtaining a mark identifier; recovering, by searching a database, at least one calibration parameter associated with the mark identifier; applying a discrete Fourier transform to the image, obtaining a frequency matrix; obtaining at least one maximum frequency value in the frequency matrix; comparing the at least one maximum frequency value with at least one calibration parameter; determining, on the basis of the comparison, if the marked printed document is an original document or a photocopied document.

Proceeds deposit machine has determination setting data containing correspondence between types of the coupons and information relating to necessity of authentication determination. A type determination unit determines the type of deposited coupon and then refers to the determination setting data. If yes has been set for the necessity of the authentication determination for the determined type of coupon, an authentication determination unit performs authentication determination. If the coupon is determined to be counterfeit as result of the authentication determination, the proceeds deposit machine discharges this coupon. If the coupon is determined to be genuine, proceeds deposit machine stores this coupon in one of sheet cassettes. If no has been set for the necessity of the authentication determination for the determined type of the coupon, proceeds deposit machine stores this coupon in one of the sheet cassettes without performing the authentication determination by the authentication determination unit.

A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, ascertains a corresponding identifier, and uses the identifier to enable one or more further functions. One of these can be internet search. Such functionality can also be based on digital datawithout requiring a microphone-equipped device.

The invention relates to a method for securing a document including a visual element, carried out by a processing unit comprising processing means, the method comprising generation, from the visual element, of a reference security datum, and storage of the reference security datum, wherein the reference security datum is generated by means of an algorithm configured so as to generate: for any image acquired from the visual element, a security datum whereof the differences relative to the reference security datum are less than a determined threshold, and for any image acquired on a different visual element, a security datum whereof the differences relative to the reference security datum are greater than said threshold.

Embodiments relate to a non-fungible physical (NFP) item. The non-fungible physical (NFP) item comprises an identifier. The identifier is embedded and layered within the non-fungible physical item in an unplanned pattern. The identifier in the unplanned pattern is configured to provide high security against counterfeiting of the non-fungible physical (NFP) item. The identifier comprises at least one of a random marker and a unique marker. The unplanned pattern comprises at least one of a random pattern and a unique pattern. Further the non-fungible physical (NFP) item is registered as a non-fungible token on a blockchain. The NFP item is then paired with the non-fungible token for enabling two-way mutual authentication and enhanced authenticity. The pairing of the NFP item with the non-fungible token enables tracking condition, provenance, and grading of the NFP item.

The present disclosure relates to signal processing such as image processing, signal encoding, digital watermarking and data hiding. A sparse or dense digital watermark signal can be conveyed with a narrow-band absorption material corresponding to a center wavelength of a Point of Sale (POS) barcode scanner. The POS barcode scanner typically captures 2D imagery. Since the narrow-band absorption material absorbs over a narrow-band it is relatively imperceptible to the Human Visual System (HVS) but can be seen by the POS scanner.

Proceeds deposit machine has determination setting data containing correspondence between types of the coupons and information relating to necessity of authentication determination. A type determination unit determines the type of deposited coupon and then refers to the determination setting data. If yes has been set for the necessity of the authentication determination for the determined type of coupon, an authentication determination unit performs authentication determination. If the coupon is determined to be a counterfeit as result of the authentication determination, the proceeds deposit machine discharges this coupon. If the coupon is determined to be genuine, proceeds deposit machine stores this coupon in one of sheet cassettes. If no has been set for the necessity of the authentication determination for the determined type of the coupon, proceeds deposit machine stores this coupon in one of the sheet cassettes without performing the authentication determination by the authentication determination unit.

A document may include a non-magnetic substrate, a first colorant mixture printed as a first image upon the substrate, the first colorant mixture including a magnetic ink, and a second colorant mixture printed as a second image upon the substrate in substantially close spatial proximity to the printed first colorant mixture. The second colorant mixture may consist essentially of one or more non-magnetic inks and exhibit properties of both low visual contrast and high magnetic contrast against the first colorant mixture, such that the resultant printed substrate does not reveal the first image to the human eye, but will reveal the first image to a magnetic image reader.