An imaging system for simultaneous inspection, authentication and forensics

A high-resolution, handheld, USB-powered imaging device can be used to simultaneously provide authentication, inspection and forensic imaging capabilities. In this paper, we describe the capture of 6.55 × 4.84 mm, 7600 lines/inch resolution images that afford the reading of intentional (authentication) and stochastic (forensic) information using the same image. Because of the high-resolution, high-contrast nature of the images, they can also be used for inspection of print quality. The security payload density obtained (per unit area) exceeds that of fixed bed scanners, and our data shows that the density is limited by the capabilities of the printing process, not the imaging. Taking advantage of the structured nature of security deterrents, we readily incorporate a simple shape warp descriptor feature to distinguish between sets of authentic (same deterrent imaged multiple times) and counterfeit (same image data, different prints) deterrents. This capability affords the simultaneous achievement of payload reading (mass serialization, track & trace) and high-quality proof of authenticity. We discuss the implications for providing an overall imaging ecosystem for product identification, track & trace, authentication and forensic validation.