A method and a device for banknote classification and recognition based on a Lab color space are provided for improving the denomination recognition rate. The method includes obtaining an RGB image of a banknote to be detected; calculating gray values Gray R, Gray G and Gray B of the RGB image in red (R), green (G) and blue (B) wavebands; converting the gray values Gray R, Gray G and Gray B into gray values Gray a and Gray b in the Lab color space; and substituting a product of Gray a and Gray b and a difference between the absolute value of Gray a and the absolute value of Gray b into preset formulas to determine a category of the banknote to be detected.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting characteristics of a card include a method for identifying a card containing foil, the foil detection method comprising converting an image file depicting a card into a hue, saturation, value (“HSV”) colour space, applying a value mask to exclude a group of pixels from analysis that do not form an intensified brightness area, and comparing the number of remaining pixels against a threshold to determine whether the card contains foil. In another aspect, a method for assigning a condition grading to a card comprises converting an image file depicting a diffusely illuminated card into an HSV colour space, isolating a uniform portion of the converted image file, applying a value mask to the converted image file to exclude pixels forming an undamaged portion of the card, and comparing the number of remaining pixels to a plurality of grading thresholds to assign a condition grading.

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 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.

A collation device includes a light source unit; a camera unit that receives light emitted from the light source unit and reflected in a collation area of an object to acquire a photographed image of the collation area; and a processor configured to, by executing a program: detect a positional relationship between the light source unit and the camera unit by using the photographed image, and notify of a collation result between the photographed image and a registered image prepared in advance by using the positional relationship.

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.

A method is provided for checking a substrate with a specified luminescent substance incorporated and/or applied areally. A substrate luminescent characteristic value for the substrate is ascertained, for which purpose a number N of luminescence intensity values are captured at respectively different locations on the value document, and the substrate luminescence characteristic value is ascertained in dependence on a rank order of the luminescence intensity values. It can be checked whether the substrate luminescence characteristic value meets a specified criterion.

An image captured for a currency note is preprocessed to correct pixel intensity values to expected pixel intensity values. The corrected image is passed to a currency validator for determining whether the currency not is genuine or non-genuine.

The disclosure relates generally to checks and other negotiable financial instruments and particularly to mitigating exposure to financial fraud. Specifically, the disclosure relates to systems and methods of authenticating checks issued by a first entity for the benefit of a third party.

There is provided a bill handling system (1) including a camera (440), a grasping unit (430), and a control unit (100) for photographing the inside of the cashbox (10) by the camera (440) after a bill (B) in the cash box (10) is taken out by the grasping unit (430), determining whether or not a bill (B) remains in the cash box (10) based on the photographed image, and performing error processing when the bill (B) remains in the cash box (10).