Access authorization system comprising at least one arrangement of a plurality of microparticles and at least one identification unit

Abstract

An access authorization system comprising at least one arrangement of a plurality of microparticles and at least one identification unit. The arrangement of the microparticles is affixed to the identification unit. The arrangement of the microparticles forms a forgery-proof identification. A microparticle used in the arrangement has at least one first layer and at least one second layer.

Claims

1. An access authorization system comprising: at least one arrangement of a plurality of microparticles, the particular arrangement of microparticles existing exactly once, and at least one identification unit, wherein the microparticles are randomized in shape and have a size such that none of the dimensions of the microparticles exceed approximately 200 micrometers, wherein the arrangement of microparticles is affixed to the identification unit, wherein the arrangement of microparticles forms a forgery-proof identification, and wherein a microparticle comprises at least one first colored layer and at least one second and differently colored layer.

2. The access authorization system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of arrangements are provided which are each of a different configuration from one another.

3. The access authorization system according to claim 2, wherein each identification unit is associated with exactly one arrangement of microparticles.

4. The access authorization system according to claim 1, wherein the access authorization system further comprises a reader unit by means of which the identification unit can be analyzed.

5. The access authorization system according to claim 4, wherein the reader unit comprises an optical analytics module, by means of which the arrangement of the microparticles can be recorded and analyzed.

6. The access authorization system according to claim 4, wherein the reader unit further comprises a data storage or is configured to be connected to a data storage of the access authorization system, wherein information on the arrangement of the microparticles is stored in said data storage.

7. The access authorization system according to claim 4, wherein the reader unit further comprises at least one processing unit, wherein the access authorization system is structured such that access is only permitted to the processing unit upon the reader unit correctly identifying the identification unit.

8. The access authorization system according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit is a computer system.

9. The access authorization system according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit is a component part of a physical access control unit.

10. The access authorization system according to claim 9, wherein the physical access control unit comprises an access control to a building.

11. The access authorization system according to claim 1, wherein the microparticles are sized such that none of the dimensions of the microparticles exceed 100 micrometers.

12. The access authorization system according to claim 1, wherein the microparticles are sized such that none of the dimensions of the microparticles exceed 60 micrometers.

13. An access authorization system comprising: at least one arrangement of a plurality of microparticles, the particular arrangement of microparticles existing exactly once, and at least one identification unit, wherein the microparticles are randomized in shape and have a size such that none of the dimensions of the microparticles exceed 50 micrometers, wherein the arrangement of microparticles is affixed to the identification unit, wherein the arrangement of microparticles forms a forgery-proof identification, and wherein a microparticle comprises at least one first colored layer and at least one second and differently colored layer.

14. The access authorization system according to claim 13 wherein the microparticles have a size such that the dimensions of the microparticles are in the range of 8 to 50 micrometers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention are now to be described in greater detail on the basis of an example embodiment as depicted in the figure.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plurality of microparticles in accordance with the inventive system, the inventive use of a system as well as an inventive method according to one example embodiment of the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of the inventive system, the inventive use of the system as well as a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) FIG. 1 shows a plurality of microparticles 10 as a component of the inventive system 1.

(5) The microparticles 10 thereby exhibit at least one first layer 20 on which the further layers 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 can be deposited in the manufacturing process. The first layer 20 is thus a substrate layer 20.

(6) Layers 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 are thereby colored layers deposited on the substrate layer 20.

(7) The first layer 20, or substrate layer 20 respectively, forms an external side 22 of the microparticle 10. At least one symbol 15, here a logo 15 and/or the trademark of a company 15, is thereby disposed on the external side 22. The symbol 15 is thereby already applied to and/or deposited on the layer 20 in advance.

(8) However, it is, in principle, also conceivable for the first layer 20, or substrate layer 20 respectively, to be a colored layer onto which no symbol 15 is applied.

(9) In particular, layer 20 can be a carrier film, in particular a plastic film such as a polyester film/PET film. Generally suitable are plastic films which remain dimensionally and shape stable (even when heated). The symbol 15 can thereby be imprinted or applied in some other way onto the carrier film 20. It is, in principle, also conceivable for the symbol 15 to be deposited on the carrier film 20 as nanoscale lettering. For example, it is conceivable for the font size or the character height to amount to 1 nm or more.

(10) It is further conceivable for the carrier film 20 to comprise a plurality of symbols 15 in the form of holograms or imprints on side 22.

(11) The microparticles 10 are thereby structured such that none of the dimensions of the microparticles 10 exceed approximately 200-300 m, particularly 100 m, preferably 50-60 m, particularly preferentially 8 m. In the example embodiment depicted in the figure, the selected dimensions of the microparticles 10 are in the range of between approximately 8 m to approximately 100 m, wherein, however, this lower limit and upper limit are not undershot and/or exceeded.

(12) The layers 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 are colored layers, in the present case, for instance, a red colored layer 30, a white colored layer 40, a blue colored layer 50, another white colored layer 60 and a black colored layer 70.

(13) A microparticle 10 further comprises at least one surface 17 which is structured such that the stacked colored layers 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 are discernible. The surface 17 is a side surface 17 ensuing from the grinding process during the manufacturing of the microparticle 10, for example essentially a cut edge or a breaking edge.

(14) The arrangement of the colors and/or colored layers 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 forms a color code which, in combination with symbol 15, here, for example, a company trademark, forms as a whole, a forgery-proof code. This code can be easily verified, for example by means of a pocket microscope or reflected light microscope respectively.

(15) It is, in principle, also conceivable for the microparticles 10 to be dispersed in a coating such as, for example, a paint or a lacquer, and thus able to be applied directly onto the product to be marked.

(16) The microparticles 10 can be produced for example pursuant to EP 2 688 011 A1 or DE 26 51 158 A1, incorporated herein by reference.

(17) The colored layers can form a color code as per DE 198 53 764 A1, incorporated herein by reference.

(18) The size of the microparticles 10 is thereby advantageously selected within a range of between approximately 8 m to approximately 100 m since this range ensures that at least one symbol 15 is, in any case, discernible on the external side 22 of the substrate layer 20.

(19) As FIG. 1 reveals, due to the grinding process, the microparticles 10 are not identical but rather randomized in form; i.e., the particle shapes are random and not predefined.

(20) FIG. 2 schematically shows the configuration of the access authorization system 1 according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

(21) As is apparent from FIG. 2, the access authorization system 1 comprises an arrangement 110 of a plurality of microparticles 10 and an identification unit 120 in the form of an access card.

(22) A magnetic strip and/or a RFID code is, for example, incorporated into the identification unit 120, by means of which a digital signature can be linked to, or respectively disposed on, the identification unit 120.

(23) The arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 is likewise disposed on the identification unit 120. Thus, in addition to the digital signature, a further physical signature is also concurrently disposed on the identification unit 120.

(24) The microparticles 10 form a forgery-proof identification K. The arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 thereby exists exactly once.

(25) A plurality of arrangements 110 thereby also form arrangements which are in each case of clearly different form from one another.

(26) The fact that the arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 exists exactly once and that a plurality of arrangements 110 are in each case formed differently from one another is related to individualized microparticles being in each case produced in the manufacturing process of the microparticles 10, as described for example in EP 2 688 011 A1 or DE 26 51 158 A1, due to the grinding and thus the producing of the individual microparticles from the base layers deposited on each other forming a plate-like layer structure. Constructing an arrangement 110 from a plurality of these microparticles 10 moreover further results in an arrangement which is, in its own right, able to be clearly differentiated from another arrangement 110.

(27) Because such an arrangement 110 can, for example, be produced by a plurality of microparticles being applied to the identification unit 120 in a lacquer or, for example, a transparent adhesive by a dispenser (not shown in any greater detail), whereby the positioning of the microparticles within the arrangement 110 is randomized.

(28) Thus, produced in each case per arrangement is an arrangement 110 which inevitably differs from another respective arrangement 110.

(29) Each identification unit 120 is associated with exactly one arrangement 110 of microparticles 10.

(30) Moreover, the access authorization system 1 comprises a reader unit 130, by means of which the identification unit 20 can be analyzed.

(31) The reader unit 130 thereby comprises an optical analytics module 140, by means of which the arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 can be recorded and analyzed.

(32) The reader unit 130 furthermore comprises a data storage 150 or can be connected to a data storage 150 of the access authorization system 1.

(33) Information on the arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 is stored in the data storage 150.

(34) The access authorization system 1 further comprises at least one processing unit 160, whereby the access authorization system 1 is structured such that access is only permitted to the processing unit 160 upon the reader unit 130 correctly identifying the identification unit 120.

(35) To that end, the processing unit 160 is connected to the reader unit 130, e.g., wirelessly or also by cable if need be (see FIG. 2 of connecting cable 162).

(36) The processing unit 160 can be a computer system such as, for example, a single computer, a tablet PC, a laptop or even a computer network or a server infrastructure. It is however also conceivable for the processing unit 160 to be the component part of a physical access control unit such as an access control to a building.

(37) The method for access authorization control by means of the access authorization system 1 ensues as follows:

(38) Utilizing the access authorization system 1 as described above, the identification unit 120 is inserted into the reader unit 130 or brought into the proximity of the reader unit 130 respectively such that the reader unit 130 can analyze both the electronic/digital code affixed to the identification unit 120 as well as the forgery-proof identification K comprising the arrangement 110 of the plurality of microparticles 10.

(39) The digital code of the identification unit 120 is read by reading out e.g. a magnetic strip or RFID chip which is affixed to the identification unit 120 and is also already commonly known.

(40) The forgery-proof identification K is analyzed by means of the optical analytics module 140 which, for example, records the arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 with a camera and compares the generated image file to the information on existing forgery-proof identifications K stored in the data storage 150.

(41) Should the access authorization system 1 find that the forgery-proof identification K exists and that the forgery-proof identification K is moreover also linked to the electronic/digital code associated with the identification unit 120, the access authorization system 1 thus identifies that there is access authorization.

(42) Otherwise, no access is granted.

(43) Also conceivable in this context is also being able to use the access authorization system in conjunction with events, for example as admission tickets.

(44) Depending on the configuration of the access authorization system, in particular arrangement 110 as well as identification unit 120, it is also conceivable for access to be permitted to different areas within one building. For example, in conjunction with events, these areas can thereby be for example different areas of the event venue; e.g., respective reserved seating and/or standing room sections, box seat sections and/or VIP areas sections, etc.

(45) In conjunction with access authorization systems for buildings, it is however also conceivable for each forgery-proof identification to be associated with an access authorization to a specific area or section of the building, in particular one, several and/or all of the building floors, depending on the access authorization of the individual user.

(46) Each forgery-proof identification can also contain user-specific properties such as, e.g., company affiliation (e.g., by using the corporate colors in the color code as generated). It is also conceivable for the forgery-proof identification K to include country-specific information, e.g., national colors being assigned to a forgery-proof identification, whereby, for example, the respective colors also appear in the forgery-proof identification.

(47) Due to the fact that, as noted above, an arrangement 110 of microparticles 10 exists exactly once, upon loss of an identification unit 120 having a corresponding arrangement 110 comprising a plurality of microparticles 10, it suffices when the lost identification unit 120 is replaced by a new identification unit 120 having a new arrangement 110. It is not necessary to regenerate the color code formed by the color layers of the microparticles 10. Only the newly generated arrangement 110 of the microparticles 10 ensures the accurate identification of the newly issued identification unit 120.

(48) As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.