Disclosed is a process of adding PUF materials with non-repeatable random order to the additive manufacturing process of a product. Preferably, these materials have magnetic characteristics. These characteristics can be detected by a sensor which reads the random pattern and provides a unique signature for the item produced.

The invention relates to a method for assessing contrasts on surfaces (2), in particular for optically identifying structured and/or pictorial surfaces (2), e.g. of paintings (1) or sculptures, said method being simple to use independently of the location and safe. For this purpose, the method involves the steps of—focusing a camera (5) onto a prominent image dot (3) on the surface, —creating at least two images of a recognizable, high-contrast area of the image dot (3), —storing the image having the greatest depth of detail as a reference image.

The invention relates to a method for recognizing surfaces (2), in particular for optically recognizing or identifying structured and/or pictorial surfaces (2), said method involving the steps of —focusing a camera (5) onto a prominent image dot (3) on the surface (2), —creating at least one live video stream of a recognizable, high-contrast area of the image dot (3), and —guiding the camera (5) to the image frame of the video having the greatest depth of detail by focusing a camera (5) onto a prominent image dot (3) on the surface (2) to be sensed, —creating at least two images of a recognizable, high-contrast area of the image dot (3), —storing the image having the greatest depth of detail as a reference image, —analyzing each image frame of the live video stream, —comparing the image frame having the greatest depth of detail with a target image or reference image.

A method for authenticating an object, comprising determining a physical dispersion pattern of a set of elements, determining a physical characteristic of the set of elements which is distinct from a physical characteristic producible by a transfer printing technology, determining a digital code associated with the object defining the physical dispersion pattern, and authenticating the object by verifying a correspondence of the digital code with the physical dispersion pattern, and verifying the physical characteristic.

An easily producible security feature according to the invention contains at least one luminescence device on and/or in a product carrier. Additionally, the security feature contains, in and/or on the product carrier, at least one absorptive spectral filter for luminescence radiation exiting from the at least one luminescence device, such that a color impression results both under illumination with visible radiation and under luminescence illumination conditions.

An easily producible security feature according to the invention contains at least one luminescence device on and/or in a product carrier. Additionally, the security feature contains, in and/or on the product carrier, at least one absorptive spectral filter for luminescence radiation exiting from the at least one luminescence device, such that a color impression results both under illumination with visible radiation and under luminescence illumination conditions.

A device for verifying a content of an analog document is provided. The device includes a scanning unit being configured to generate a scan information by scanning the analog document and to store the scan information in a storing element being provided on the analog document, and a verification unit being configured to verify the content of the analog document using the stored scan information. Further, a corresponding method for verifying a content of an analog document is provided. Using the provided device for verifying the content of an analog document, it can be ensured that the content of the analog document is not changed by an attacker. If the content is changed, the verification would fail.

The object of this invention is a method for securing an electronic document. In particular, this invention relates to a method that prevents the forging of documents in which an electronic chip is incorporated. To that end, the invention proposes a method in which the data on the document medium are associated with a fingerprint of the document, so as to make them inseparable. That fingerprint is determined on the basis of measurable physical units of the electronic chip or the medium. Thus, the invention allows the combination of the physical protection of the document and the protection of the chip so as to reinforce the security of said documents.

Existing currency validation (CVAL) devices, systems, and methods are too slow, costly, intrusive, and/or bulky to be routinely used in common transaction locations (e.g., at checkout, at an automatic teller machine, etc.). Presented herein are devices, systems, and methods to facilitate optical validation of documents, merchandise, or currency at common transaction locations and to do so in an obtrusive and convenient way. More specifically, the present invention embraces a validation device that may be used alone or integrated within a larger system (e.g., point of sale system, kiosk, etc.). The present invention also embraces methods for currency validation using the validation device, as well as methods for improving the quality and consistency of data captured by the validation device for validation.

Existing currency validation (CVAL) devices, systems, and methods are too slow, costly, intrusive, and/or bulky to be routinely used in common transaction locations (e.g., at checkout, at an automatic teller machine, etc.). Presented herein are devices, systems, and methods to facilitate optical validation of documents, merchandise, or currency at common transaction locations and to do so in an obtrusive and convenient way. More specifically, the present invention embraces a validation device that may be used alone or integrated within a larger system (e.g., point of sale system, kiosk, etc.). The present invention also embraces methods for currency validation using the validation device, as well as methods for improving the quality and consistency of data captured by the validation device for validation.