METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING THE AUTHENTICITY OF A DOCUMENT AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT SUCH A METHOD

Abstract

A security element is applied to a document or an object in the form of a directly printed marking or in the form of a tag made of paper or another material, with or without an identifier. A user can take a picture of the marking or tag with a smartphone and then send the picture to a device including software provided with a recognition algorithm including neural networks. The device visualizes the fingerprint of the tag or marking, thus making it possible to ascertain the authenticity of the document or object. In order to establish the authenticity of the product protected by the device, the image, stored in a cloud or blockchain database, of the tag obtained after printing same or of the marking is compared with a new description.

Claims

1. An authentication method comprising establishing a subsequent description of an authentication device comprising at least one visible security element having a random shape and/or position and comparing said description with an original description of said authentication device, wherein the at least one security element is in the form of a tag or marking and simultaneously comprises, on the one hand, a unique identifier for a product or for a set of products or printing master on a plate of a static printer of any category that can print by rotation multiple products with the same identifier, and on the other hand intrinsic disruptors arranged and with random forms, visible whatever an angle of picture shootings, and the method further comprises recognizing by an algorithm, from any picture shooting angle, a printed pattern of the at least one security element and its random components in an area to be analyzed and localized thanks to dots with geometric specific features.

2. An authentication method comprising establishing a subsequent description of an authentication device comprising at least one visible element having a random shape and/or position and comparing said description with an original description of said authentication device, wherein the at least one security element, with or without an identifier, instead of a special paper, comprises a layer of specific chemical varnish, which solidifies and takes on, when drying, a non-reproducible random shape of two-dimensional stains, with if applicable an additional printing requiring or not a use of a second machine and thus subjected to a random register error, the whole ensuring a recognition of the unique printing, and the method further comprises recognizing by an algorithm, from any picture shooting angle, a printed pattern of the at least one security element and its random components in an area to be analyzed and localized thanks to dots with geometric specific features.

3. An authentication device for implementing the authentication method as claimed in claim 1, the authentication device comprising a camera to take one or more pictures of the at least one security element, with or without flash, and a device configured to receive the one or more pictures and comprising a recognition algorithm software that visualizes a unique fingerprint of the special paper, allowing the authenticity of said at least one security element to be ascertained by comparing it almost instantaneously with the original description stored in a cloud, wherein said recognition algorithm software has either a direct connection to the cloud or a blockchain, or a connection via a chat box messaging service dedicated to the cloud or blockchain.

4. An authentication method, comprising establishing a subsequent description of an authentication device comprising at least one visible security element having a shape and/or position, static or variable, and comparing said description with an original description, static or variable, of said authentication device, wherein the at least one security element, with or without an identifier, instead of a special paper or a randomly shaped varnish, includes a static or variable shape ink or paint, pigments of the ink or paint being fluorescent, with colors outside the four-color CMYK spectrum or outside the pantone spectrum, reflective, changing and/or resulting from a complex mixture of colors, the whole ensuring the perfection of the recognition of the ink or the paint, and the method further comprises recognizing by an algorithm, from any picture shooting angle, a printed pattern of the at least one security element and its random components in an area to be analyzed and localized thanks to dots with geometric specific features.

5. An authentication device for implementing the authentication method as claimed in claim 4, the authentication device comprising a camera to take one or more pictures of the at least one security element, with or without flash, and a device configured to receive the one or more pictures and comprising a recognition algorithm software that visualizes the colors of the ink or paint and determines whether these colors correspond to the ink or paint of the original description, stored in a smartphone or in a cloud, wherein said software has either a direct connection to the cloud or to a blockchain, or a connection via a chatbot messaging service dedicated to the cloud or blockchain.

6. The authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intrinsic disrupters are made of special paper or plastic.

7. The authentication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intrinsic disruptors include a position of colored fibers in a special paper.

8. The authentication device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the camera is a camera of a smartphone.

9. An authentication device for implementing the authentication method as claimed in claim 2, the authentication device comprising a camera to take one or more pictures of the at least one security element, with or without flash, and a device configured to receive the one or more pictures and comprising a recognition algorithm software that visualizes a unique fingerprint of the varnish, allowing the authenticity of said security element to be ascertained by comparing it almost instantaneously with the original description stored in a cloud, wherein said software has either a direct connection to the cloud or a blockchain, or a connection via a chat box messaging service dedicated to the cloud or blockchain.

10. The authentication device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the camera is a camera of a smartphone.

11. The authentication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the recognition algorithm software determines whether these colors correspond to the ink or paint of the original description using a neural network.

12. The authentication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the camera is a camera of a smartphone.

Description

OVERVIEW OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In the present invention, contrary to the technical prior art, security is perfect. The use is also very simple because it does not depend on a particular tool or a perfect picture shooting.

[0009] The present invention comprises three methods: in a first method, the fingerprint is unique with random position of colored fibers (FIG. 1-1) or any other forms of disruptors. It is not three-dimensional. A different random pattern signals the counterfeit; it is independent of the angle of the picture shootings which are made without lenses.

[0010] This authentication method thus consists in establishing a so-called subsequent description of an authentication device comprising one or more visible elements having a random shape and/or position and in comparing this description with a so-called original description of said authentication device.

[0011] The security element in the form of a tag or marking comprises simultaneously, on the one hand, a unique identifier for a product or for a set of products or printing master on a plate of a static printer of any category which can print by rotation multiple products with the same identifier, on the other hand intrinsic disruptors, in particular in special paper or plastic, arranged and randomly shaped, visible from any angle of picture shootings, e.g. the position of colored fibers in a special paper, and an algorithm which recognizes without difficulty and from any picture shooting angle, the printed pattern and its random components in an area to be analyzed and located by means of dots with geometric specific features, the recognition to the naked eye being possible but more difficult and not very reliable.

[0012] In a second method, there is an addition of a chemical product with a very specific composition, a varnish (FIG. 2-1), which replaces the fibers, which solidifies in the form of random stains in two dimensions and to which are included pigments not reproducible with a digital printer, which hinders a possible copy of the security elements. These pigments are fluorescent, with colors outside the four-color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) spectrum (CMYK), reflective, thermochromic or color-changing. This set ensures perfection and total reliability of the print recognition.

[0013] The security element, with or without an identifier, instead of the special paper, simultaneously comprises a layer of specific chemical varnish, which solidifies and takes on, when drying, a non-reproducible random form of two-dimensional stains, and the inclusion of pigments or glitters not available in digital printers, which hinders a possible copying of the security elements, the pigments being fluorescent, with colors out of the CMYK spectrum or any other spectra available in digital printers, reflective or with changing colors, with the possibility of an additional printing requiring or not the use of a second machine and thus subject to a random register error, the whole ensuring the perfection of the recognition of the unique printing.

[0014] In a third method, instead of the special paper or the randomly shaped varnish, an ink or paint with a static or variable form is added including pigments or glitters, which hinders a possible copy of the security element, the pigments being fluorescent, with colors outside the CMYK spectrum or outside the pantone spectrum, reflective, changing and/or resulting from a complex mixture of colors, all of which ensures the perfection of the recognition of the ink or the paint.

[0015] By use of the device of the invention, the first method using in particular a special paper or plastic and all categories of printers, the second method using a special ink and offset, flexo or rotogravure printers, the user is led to take one or several pictures with a smartphone, with or without flash, then to send it to an algorithmic device, including a software which visualizes the unique fingerprint of the special paper or varnish, as well as the pigments or glitters not available in the fingerprints, allowing to ascertain the authenticity of said security element by comparing it almost instantaneously with the original description stored in a cloud or blockchain, wherein said software has either a direct connection to the cloud or to the blockchain, or a connection via a “chat box” messaging service dedicated to the cloud or to the blockchain.

[0016] The present invention thus makes it possible to verify the authenticity of a document or a product in an almost instantaneous and very precise manner. The security is maximum, the production method is inexpensive and the authentication is simple.

[0017] With the third method, the user is led to take one or more photographs with a smartphone, with or without flash, and then to send it to a device comprising a software that visualizes the colors and determines, in particular through neural networks, whether these colors correspond to the ink or paint of the original description, stored in a smartphone or in a cloud, wherein said software has either a direct connection to the cloud or to the blockchain, or a “chatbot” messaging service connection dedicated to the cloud or the blockchain.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Legend FIG. 1:

[0019] 1-1: Color fibers with random position (random disruptors)

[0020] 1-2: Positioning markers (dots with geometric specific features)

[0021] 1-3: Unique identifier

[0022] Legend FIG. 2:

[0023] 2-1: Special varnish, random shape

[0024] 2-2: Unique identifier

[0025] 2-3: Positioning marker

[0026] 2-4: Additional printing

[0027] The diagrams represent use cases

[0028] FIGS. 3-1 & 3-2: Paper sticker that seals a box

[0029] FIG. 3-3: Varnish sticker that seals a box

[0030] FIG. 4: Cardboard packaging incorporating the technology

[0031] FIG. 5: Varnished or paper sticker added on a handbag tag

[0032] FIG. 6: Bag tag incorporating paper technology

[0033] FIG. 7: Wine label incorporating paper technology

[0034] FIG. 8: Wine bottle cap incorporating varnish technology

[0035] FIG. 9: Varnish or paper sticker on a wine bottle

[0036] FIG. 10: Varnish or paper sticker on a product (phone battery)

[0037] FIG. 11: Product incorporating paper technology

[0038] FIG. 12: Product incorporating varnish technology

[0039] FIG. 13: Varnish or paper sticker on a document

[0040] FIG. 14: Document incorporating the paper or varnish technology

[0041] FIG. 15-1: Special ink, static form, color outside the Pantone spectrum

[0042] FIG. 15-2: Unique or static identifier, normal ink

[0043] FIG. 15-3: Positioning marker, normal ink

[0044] FIG. 16: Static or variable QR code with in addition a static part in color ink outside the Pantone spectrum

[0045] FIG. 17: Static or variable QR code printed with one or more colors of a special ink out of the Pantone spectrum

[0046] FIG. 18: Logo partially printed with a normal ink and partially with a special ink out of the Pantone spectrum