An improved system and method for reading an upconversion response from nanoparticle inks is provided. A is adapted to direct a near-infrared excitation wavelength at a readable indicia, resulting in a near-infrared emission wavelength created by the upconverting nanoparticle inks. A short pass filter may filter the near-infrared excitation wavelength. A camera is in operable communication with the short pass filter and receives the near-infrared emission wavelength of the readable indicia. The system may further include an integrated circuit adapted to receive the near-infrared emission wavelength from the camera and generate a corresponding signal. A readable application may be in operable communication with the integrated circuit. The readable application receives the corresponding signal, manipulates the signal, decodes the signal into an output, and displays and/or stores the output.

An improved system and method for reading an upconversion response from nanoparticle inks is provided. A is adapted to direct a near-infrared excitation wavelength at a readable indicia, resulting in a near-infrared emission wavelength created by the upconverting nanoparticle inks. A short pass filter may filter the near-infrared excitation wavelength. A camera is in operable communication with the short pass filter and receives the near-infrared emission wavelength of the readable indicia. The system may further include an integrated circuit adapted to receive the near-infrared emission wavelength from the camera and generate a corresponding signal. A readable application may be in operable communication with the integrated circuit. The readable application receives the corresponding signal, manipulates the signal, decodes the signal into an output, and displays and/or stores the output.

This patent document discloses physical documents including metameric ink pairs. One claim recites a document comprising: a first surface; a second surface, in which the first surface comprises a first set of print structures and a second set of print structures, in which the first set of print structures and the second set of print structures collective convey an encoded signal discernable from optical scan data representing at least a first portion of the first surface, in which the first set of print structures is provided on the first surface with a first ink and the second set of print structures is provided on the first surface with a second, different ink, and in which the first ink and the second, different ink comprise a metameric pair. Of course, other claims and combinations are described as well.

A fraud confirmation assisting apparatus includes a light source, a reading sensor, and processing circuitry. The light source irradiates an object to be read with light in at least an invisible wavelength range. The reading sensor has sensitivity at least in the invisible wavelength range. The processing circuitry performs a reading operation on the object to be read by a combination of the light source and the reading sensor, and outputs a plurality of pieces of fraud confirmation information based on read information output from the reading sensor by the reading operation.

A user device may cause light to be emitted at a security article by one or more light emission devices of the user device. The user device may obtain from a first set of one or more optical sensor devices of the user device first sensor data associated with the security article, and may obtain from a second set of one or more optical sensor devices of the user device second sensor data associated with the security article. The user device may determine, based on the first sensor data and the second sensor data, one or more characteristics of a security feature of the security article. The user device may determine, based on the one or more characteristics of the security feature, whether the security article is authentic. The user device may cause, based on determining whether the security article is authentic, one or more actions to be performed.

A determination system includes an imaging data acquisition device that captures an image of a printed surface of a printed product to acquire imaging data of the captured image, and a determination device that determines a printing method used to produce the printed surface of the printed product for capturing an image by the imaging data acquisition device. The determination device selects a determination area included in the captured image, extracts a determination end image from a portion around an end portion of a black determination image included in the determination area, acquires difference data that is a difference in gradation between two colors among gradation data of RBG colors of the extracted determination end image, acquires a determination value for determining a printing method used to produce the printed surface of the printed product, and determines a printing method used to produce the printed surface of the printed product.

Among other concepts, this disclosure describes a thermal/optical/electronic authentication system (covert or non-covert) for device/system implementations. The authentication system may be based on different design parameters such as i) materials composition, ii) thickness of material, iii) geometry of material, iv) external effects including use of an external DC bias and curing, etc. The authentication testbeds can be configured to include one or more inks. Using such methods as discussed herein, the authentication can be broadened to include near-IR (700-900 nm), short wave IR (1-2.6 mm), and UVA (300-400 nm) or any spectrum. Printed resistors are very difficult to duplicate without Ag-BST13 ink. If necessary, a printed resistor network on a respective substrate can be hidden using a layer of non-sintered Ag-BST13 (non-conductive).

A method for checking the authenticity of products, by checking an image (A) of a product. The proof of authenticity is not visible to the human eye and cannot be copied. This is characterized in that a code stored in a halftone image by manipulation of dots and/or a manipulated field bounded in the halftone image can be read by means of an optical device and compared with a retrievable value in at least one database. In at least one field (F1 to F5) a part of a serial number is determined which describes the structure of the serial number and a hash function used for transmitting the serial number to the database, and this is also characterized in that the serial number is subsequently assembled and encrypted with the corresponding hash function.

A concentric CRR sensor is claimed that is used as a form of currency verification in order to combat counterfeiting currency. The system comprises applying sets of concentric CRR printed with transparent conductive ink. In one embodiment, using the CRR as a passive RFID tag, changing the ring's radii, inner or outer, and in turn, created more encryption, and thereby prevents currency counterfeiting. In one or more embodiments, the serial number of the currency bill is used as a guideline to a selection algorithm to determine the size of the radii.

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.