A composition including a first color shifting pigment having a first color shift that extends from a starting color at normal through a plurality of colors as a viewing angle is increased to a final color, wherein the first color shift rotates counterclockwise relative to, and about, an origin of the L*a*b* color space; and a color filter that transmits a portion of the first color shift of the first color shifting pigment and absorbs a remainder of the first color shift of the first color shifting pigment; wherein the composition has a second color shift different from the first color shift; and wherein the second color shift has a first portion that rotates counterclockwise relative to the origin and a second portion that rotates clockwise relative to the origin is disclosed. A security device including the composition is included. A method of making the composition and a method of authenticating the security device are also disclosed.

A method of obtaining a plurality of infrared images of a banknote that involves simultaneously illuminating the banknote with infrared light at a first wavelength and infrared light at a second wavelength, capturing an image of the banknote with an RGB camera, obtaining from both a first output channel signal and a second output channel signal of the RGB camera sensor where the intensity distribution of the infrared light at the first wavelength and the intensity distribution of the infrared light at the second wavelength uses a first calibration coefficient and a second calibration coefficient of the RGB camera sensor, producing separate infrared images of the banknote at the first wavelength and the second wavelength from the respective intensity distributions.

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.

A system for computerized authentication of a laminated object, the system comprising a digital medium storing a digital image of at least a portion of the laminated object in a computer-implemented memory; a shininess analyzer operative, using a processor, to generate shininess data quantifying shininess of the digital image; and a parameterized computerized authentication sub-system operative to differentially perform at least one laminated object authentication operation based on the shininess data.

An article comprising a substrate which carries a material of formula (I)

M.sup.1.sub.aM.sup.2.sub.bW.sub.cO.sub.d(P(O).sub.nR.sub.m).sub.e (I)

wherein each of M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 is independently ammonium or a metal cation; a is 0.01 to 0.5; b is 0 to 0.5; c is 1; d is 2.5 to 3; e is 0.01 to 0.75; n is 1, 2 or 3; m is 1, 2 or 3; and R is an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group.

An identification apparatus or system includes an estimation unit that estimates an operating distance between the surface of an optical device and an imaging unit as an estimated value. A reference distance refers to the distance between a first face of an identification target and the imaging unit and at which light diffracted by a diffraction grating is capable of being recorded by the imaging unit. A first determination unit is included that determines whether the estimated value matches the reference distance and a second determination unit that determines whether an image captured by the imaging unit matches a reference image. Conditions for identifying the optical device as the identification target include a condition that the first determination unit determines that the estimated value matches the reference distance and a condition that the second determination unit determines that the image captured by the imaging unit matches the reference image.

A solution for authenticating an article using a fluorescence signature emitted by the article in response to ultraviolet light is described. The article can include a light activated region that includes particles that can emit fluorescent radiation in response to being radiated with ultraviolet light. The light activated region can include one or more attributes for configuring the ultraviolet light and/or the fluorescent radiation to create the fluorescence signature. An authentication system can include an ultraviolet source, a fluorescent radiation sensor and components for operating each to acquire data used to authenticate the article.

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.

A method for verifying a security document by means of a reading device wherein first transmission and/or reflection properties of a first region of the security document are detected in a first spectral range by the reading device and a first data set specifying these properties is generated therefrom, wherein the first region at least in some regions overlaps an optical security element arranged on the security document or embedded in the security document and wherein second transmission and/or reflection properties of the first region of the security document are detected in a second spectral range by the reading device and a second data set specifying these properties is generated therefrom, wherein the first spectral range differs from the second spectral range, and wherein, the authenticity of the security document and/or of the security element is checked on the basis of at least the first data set and the second data set.

A method of using at least one nanoparticle for an anti-counterfeit application including selecting the at least one nanoparticle having a non-spherical configuration; providing the at least one nanoparticle on a substrate; providing a light to the at least one nanoparticle; determining a position of the at least one nanoparticle based on providing the light to the at least one nanoparticle; determining a color of the at least one nanoparticle based on providing the light to the at least one nanoparticle; defining a nanofingerprint based on the position and the color of the at least one nanoparticle; and recognizing the nanofingerprint.