JP4197594B2 - Authenticity authentication medium and its reader - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a genuine authentication medium used for authenticity determination of an article and a reading device thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, this kind of authenticity authentication medium is, for example, a diffractive structure such as a hologram or a diffraction grating (hereinafter simply referred to as a diffractive structure) as described in JP-A-6-88905 and JP-A-7-261101. ) Was provided.
[0003]
Also, the authenticity authentication medium reader has a structure in which a laser beam emitted from a light source is irradiated onto the authenticity authentication medium from the vertical direction and scanned by a change in the position relative to the barcode. This scanning device receives a diffraction image from the barcode by scanning and receives the output waveform by recognizing the code, recognizes the code, and determines authenticity.
[0004]
The diffractive structure of the bar code is recorded so as to generate diffracted light with respect to incident light in a light receiver installed at a predetermined position. For this reason, the barcode cannot be read unless the recording method of the diffraction structure and the arrangement of the light receivers are known.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the authentic authentication medium disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-88905, the picture portion and the code portion are arranged in the same area, and the code portion can be visually observed. Can be recognized as a code part.
[0006]
In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-261111 camouflages a bar code, but a counterfeiter determines the diffraction structure corresponding to the positional relationship based on the positional relationship between the light source and the light receiver of the reader. By analyzing the above, it is possible to know the position of the barcode and the lattice direction.
[0007]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-261111 discloses a reading device that obtains an output signal by receiving diffracted light from a diffractive structure. The position of the light receiver is a diffraction from the surface of the authenticity authentication medium. Since it receives light, it is necessary to make a wide opening, and the size of the apparatus is increased, and the positional relationship between the light source and the light receiver is easily determined. Note that this reading apparatus is merely conceptually described, and the optical system and the like are not clearly disclosed.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to provide a genuine authentication medium in which a code portion is difficult to be recognized and easily forged.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a true / false authentication medium reader that makes it difficult to analyze the reading method even when the device is viewed.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 is incapable of being visually recognized by the visual authentication unit (11) having an image recorded so as to be reproducible by visible light by a diffraction structure including a hologram or a diffraction grating. An authentication code unit (12) configured to form an authentication code by arranging unit images formed by a diffractive structure in a predetermined pattern in a predetermined pattern.
[0010]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the authenticity authentication medium according to the first aspect, the authentication code section (12) is configured to make any one of a barcode, a random pattern, and a predetermined numerically converted pattern minute by the diffraction structure. It is a genuine / authentic authentication medium characterized by
[0011]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the authenticity authentication medium according to the first or second aspect, the authentication code part (12) integrates the diffraction structure with an image formed on the visual authentication part. Or a genuine / authentic authentication medium characterized by being formed as a part of the image.
[0012]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the authenticity authentication medium reading device for reading the authentication code of the authenticity authentication medium according to any one of the first to third aspects, the authenticity authentication medium reading device is perpendicular to the authenticity authentication medium. A light source (21) that emits reading light from the direction, a condenser lens (23) that is arranged closest to the authenticity authentication medium and condenses the reading light, and vertically reflected light from the authenticity authentication medium. A true / false authentication medium reader comprising: a light separating means (22) for separating; and a light receiver (24) for receiving presence or absence of the vertically reflected light separated by the light separating means. .
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a genuine authentication medium according to the present invention.
The authenticity authentication medium 10 of this embodiment includes a visual authentication unit 11 and an authentication code unit 12.
The visual authentication unit 11 is a portion having an image in which a diffractive structure that can be reproduced by visible light is recorded and an authenticity can be determined by visual observation.
[0015]
The authentication code part 12 is a part having an image in which the pattern of the recognition code is recorded in a size that cannot be recognized visually. The authentication code unit 12 is composed of unit images 12i (i = 1 to n) having a diffractive structure represented by minute dots, lines, or surfaces. By combining the unit images 12i, barcodes and random Patterns and other minute pattern images that can be subjected to predetermined numerical conversion (numerical calculation) are configured.
[0016]
The authentication code part 12 is preferably formed integrally with the image formed in the visual authentication part 11 or as a part of the image. In this embodiment, it is formed not on the main image (DNP characters) of the visual authentication unit 11 but on a part (or the entire surface) of the background image. If the entire visual authentication unit 11 is an image, it may be combined in the image.
When the main image is a hologram, if the background area is white paper (mirror surface), the 0th-order reflected light becomes strong. Therefore, a fine pattern is put on the background image, and the 0th-order reflected light is emitted. If you make it blurry, you will not feel strange.
[0017]
Thus, according to this embodiment, since the authentication code part 12 is very small, the recorded recognition code cannot be recognized by visual observation.
Then, the authentication code unit 12 can form a fine pattern image in an arbitrary area (in this embodiment, a part of the background area) so that the entire area becomes a solid surface when viewed in a macro mode. Yes, it can make the existence itself unrecognizable.
[0018]
Further, the authentication code unit 12 can add a color (color) under an arbitrary observation condition by setting the solid surface to a spectral color of a minute diffraction structure. At this time, it is also possible to form a picture using this visual effect.
[0019]
Further, the visual authentication unit 11 and the authentication code unit 12 can be recorded with the same type of diffraction structure, so that an increase in cost can be suppressed without an increase in manufacturing facilities and manufacturing processes. In addition, because of the diffractive structure, the amount of information is very large.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a true / false authentication medium reading device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a reading method of the true / false authentication medium reading device according to this embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the reading device 20 has a configuration in which a laser light source 21, a beam splitter 22, a condenser lens 23, a light receiver 24, a λ / 4 plate 25, and the like are integrated. For example, the authenticity authentication medium 10 provided on the credit card 100 is irradiated with reading light (convergence light) from the vertical direction, and only the vertical reflected light is reflected from various directions. The beam is separated by the beam splitter 22 and guided to the light receiver 24, and the on / off state of the vertically reflected light is read.
[0021]
Then, as shown in FIG. 3A, by scanning the authentication code unit 12 with the laser light from the laser light source 21, the unit image 12-i that is reflected light is scanned as shown in FIG. Presence / absence is converted into an output signal. The pattern interval δ of the authentication code portion 12 is preferably about 10 to 300 μm.
[0022]
As described above, the reading device 20 of the present embodiment includes the laser light source 21, the optical system (the beam splitter 22 and the condenser lens 23), and the light receiver 24, which are compared with the conventional example. Thus, it is difficult for a counterfeiter to analyze the correspondence between the reading position 20 and the authentication code unit 12.
In addition, since the reading device 20 has a function of condensing light from the laser light source 21 by the condensing lens 23, it is possible to recognize a minute diffractive structure as compared with the conventional example.
[0023]
Further, the reading device 20 is configured to irradiate the diffractive structure with laser light from the vertical direction with respect to the authenticity authentication medium 10 and receive the presence or absence of the vertical reflected light by the light receiver 24. It is compact in itself.
[0024]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the equivalent scope of the present invention.
Although the authenticity authentication medium 10 of the present embodiment has been described in the example provided in the credit card 100, the authenticity authentication medium 10 may be provided in an article that requires authenticity determination of the article, for example, a gift certificate such as a gift certificate or a prepaid card. Further, it may be provided in an article requiring data security, such as computer software (a medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD) or a CPU package.
[0025]
Further, the authentication code unit 12 is not limited to the barcode pattern as shown in FIG. 1, but may be a Fourier transform pattern as shown in FIG. In this case, any part of the recording area can be read using Fourier transform or the like. Also, the barcode pattern may be another pattern as shown in FIG. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4B, a character pattern may be used.
[0026]
Further, as the light separating means, in addition to the polarizing beam splitter 22 described in FIG. 2A, as shown in FIG. 2B, the optical path of incident light and reflected light is divided and a mirror 26 is used. The on / off of the diffracted light may be read. A half mirror may be used.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the authenticity authentication medium of the present invention, the authentication code portion is formed in a size that cannot be visually recognized, and constitutes the authentication code by the unit image of the diffraction structure. It is not known whether it is formed, and since the authentication code part itself cannot be recognized, it is difficult to forge.
[0028]
Further, according to the reader for authenticity authenticating medium of the present invention, since the presence or absence of vertically reflected light is received by the light receiver, the reader itself is compact, and the light source, the optical system and the light receiver are integrated. Therefore, it is difficult to analyze the correspondence between the reading position and the authentication code part.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a genuine authentication medium according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a true / false authentication medium reader according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a reading method of a true / false authentication medium reading device according to the present embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modified embodiment of the code pattern of the authenticity authentication medium according to the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Authenticating authentication medium 11 Visual authentication part 12 Authentication code part 12i Unit image 20 Reading apparatus 21 Laser light source 22 Beam splitter 23 Condensing lens 24 Light receiver 100 Credit card

Claims (4)

A visual authentication unit having an image recorded so as to be reproducible by visible light by a diffraction structure including a hologram or a diffraction grating;
An authentication code portion that is formed in a size that cannot be visually recognized, and that forms a unit image formed by the diffraction structure in a predetermined pattern to constitute an authentication code;
A true / false authentication medium. In the authentic authentication medium according to claim 1,
The authentication code part is a bar code, a random pattern or a predetermined numerically converted pattern, which is minutely formed by the diffraction structure,
An authentic authentication medium characterized by In the authentic authentication medium according to claim 1 or 2,
The authentication code part is formed by integrating the diffraction structure with an image formed in the visual authentication part or as a part of the image;
An authentic authentication medium characterized by In the authenticity authentication medium reader which reads the authentication code of the authenticity authentication medium according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A light source that irradiates reading light from a vertical direction with respect to the authenticity authentication medium;
A condenser lens that is arranged on the most authentic authentication medium side and condenses the reading light;
Light separating means for separating vertically reflected light from the authentic authentication medium;
A light receiver that receives the presence or absence of the vertically reflected light separated by the light separating means;
A reading apparatus for authenticating authenticity, comprising:

Images