A method and system for authenticating an item includes providing the item including a polymer substrate comprising a polymer material and a doping material, the polymer material and the doping material configured to transmit radiation laterally through the polymer substrate, and the doping material capable of scattering radiation and absorbing radiation of at least one specific wavelength to generate a spectral signature in a spectral band of wavelengths of the transmitted radiation, irradiating the item with incident radiation characterized by a spectral band of wavelengths spanning a band of wavelengths including the at least one specific wavelength absorbed and scattered by the doping material, detecting the spectral signature after the radiation is transmitted laterally through the polymer substrate, and determining a code associated with the spectral signature.

An apparatus, a corresponding method, and value-document processing system for checking value documents that has at least two radiation sources for giving off electromagnetic radiation with which a value document is irradiated, at least one sensor for capturing the electromagnetic radiation emanating from the value document, and generating corresponding sensor signals. The apparatus has an evaluation device configured to derive from the sensor signals corrected sensor signals taking into account at least one spectral property of the electromagnetic radiation of the at least two radiation sources. The sensor signals corrected in this way reproduce the actual reflection or transmission behavior of the value document substantially more precisely than the uncorrected sensor signals. Disturbing remission or transmission artifacts may be attributed to so-called auxiliary emissions of the radiation sources are eliminated or at least reduced.

In one example of the disclosure, it is determined, based upon a scan of an overt image included within a printed document, that the image includes a subset area with an expected marking agent response. It is determined, based upon the scan, that a feature of the subset area meets an expected quality threshold. It is determined that a data payload represented by features of the subset area matches expected data for the image. A first measurement of the subset area is made, and it is determined that the image was produced by a printing device based upon a comparison of the first measurement to a second measurement of a sample image printed by the device. Authenticity of the printed document is determined based upon the expected marking agent response, the expected quality threshold, the expected data, and the comparison of measurements.

In one example of the disclosure, it is determined, based upon a scan of an overt image included within a printed document, that the image includes a subset area with an expected marking agent response. It is determined, based upon the scan, that a feature of the subset area meets an expected quality threshold. It is determined that a data payload represented by features of the subset area matches expected data for the image. A first measurement of the subset area is made, and it is determined that the image was produced by a printing device based upon a comparison of the first measurement to a second measurement of a sample image printed by the device. Authenticity of the printed document is determined based upon the expected marking agent response, the expected quality threshold, the expected data, and the comparison of measurements.

In order to efficiently acquire an optical characteristic from partial areas on the paper sheet, a paper sheet recognition apparatus (1) that recognizes a paper sheet by using an optical spectrum acquired from the paper sheet on a transport path (60) includes, a light source unit (31) including light sources arranged corresponding to the partial areas on the paper sheet, a reading unit (32) having a light receiving surface to receive reflected lights from the partial areas, a sensor unit (34) that acquires an optical spectrum from light received by the light receiving surface, a memory (80) that stores an optical spectrum measurement condition for acquiring an optical spectrum from a predetermined partial area on the paper sheet. The optical spectrum measurement condition includes information for identifying at least one light source corresponding to the predetermined partial area among the light sources of the light source unit (31), information for identifying a timing for turning on the identified light source, and information for identifying a timing for turning off the light source turned on at the timing for turning on; and a light-source control unit (72) that controls the light source unit (31) based on the optical spectrum measurement condition.

In order to efficiently acquire an optical characteristic from partial areas on the paper sheet, a paper sheet recognition apparatus (1) that recognizes a paper sheet by using an optical spectrum acquired from the paper sheet on a transport path (60) includes, a light source unit (31) including light sources arranged corresponding to the partial areas on the paper sheet, a reading unit (32) having a light receiving surface to receive reflected lights from the partial areas, a sensor unit (34) that acquires an optical spectrum from light received by the light receiving surface, a memory (80) that stores an optical spectrum measurement condition for acquiring an optical spectrum from a predetermined partial area on the paper sheet. The optical spectrum measurement condition includes information for identifying at least one light source corresponding to the predetermined partial area among the light sources of the light source unit (31), information for identifying a timing for turning on the identified light source, and information for identifying a timing for turning off the light source turned on at the timing for turning on; and a light-source control unit (72) that controls the light source unit (31) based on the optical spectrum measurement condition.

To provide an authentication device and method for a security medium including a reflective volume hologram, capable of easily performing authentication determination and a security medium including the reflective volume hologram.

An authenticity determination device 1 for a security medium 10 including a reflective volume hologram 2 includes a light source L disposed on the front surface side of the reflective volume hologram 2 so that light emitted therefrom is incident on the reflective volume hologram 2, a first observation device 11 disposed in a pre-designed diffraction direction of the reflective volume hologram 2, and a second observation device 12 disposed in a direction other than the pre-designed diffraction direction of the reflective volume hologram 2. Light including a pre-designed diffraction wavelength is emitted from the light source L to be incident on the reflective volume hologram 2, and at this time, when the light amount observed in the first observation device 11 is larger in the diffraction wavelength than in other wavelengths, and the light amount observed in the second observation device 12 is smaller in the diffraction wavelength than in other wavelengths, it is determined that the reflective volume hologram 2 is genuine.

A method of determining a currency type and denomination of a bill inserted into a bill acceptor includes receiving the bill inserted into the bill acceptor, the bill acceptor being a single bill acceptor accepting bills of a plurality of currency types, scanning the inserted bill after receiving the inserted bill and determining physical attributes of the inserted bill, and comparing the physical attributes of the inserted bill with attribute characteristics of entries stored in a database. The method also includes determining whether the inserted bill has a matching entry in the database, determining the currency type and denomination of the inserted bill upon determining that the inserted bill has the matching entry in the database, and indicating the determined currency type and denomination and that the inserted bill was successfully accepted in response to determining that the inserted bill has the matching entry in the database.

The SACOS apparatus solves counterfeiting issues instantaneously and develops new security features in order to improve the role that international regulatory commissions, governments, and central banks play to effectively fight counterfeiting.

The SACOS apparatus solves counterfeiting issues instantaneously and develops new security features in order to improve the role that international regulatory commissions, governments, and central banks play to effectively fight counterfeiting.