Method and system for determining whether a barcode is genuine using a deviation from an idealized grid
A method for determining whether a candidate barcode is genuine involves acquiring an image of an original barcode, wherein the original barcode includes a plurality of modules; determining, from the image of the original barcode, a deviation of a position of at least one of the plurality of modules of the original barcode from an idealized grid; encoding the deviation as signature data for the original barcode; storing the signature data for the original barcode on a storage device; acquiring an image of the candidate barcode, wherein the candidate barcode includes a plurality of modules; determining, from the image of the candidate barcode, a deviation of a position of at least one of the plurality of modules of the candidate barcode from the idealized grid; retrieving the signature data for the original barcode from the storage device; comparing the signature data for the original barcode with signature data for the candidate barcode; and making a determination that the candidate barcode is genuine or not genuine based on a result of the comparison.
1. A method for determining whether a candidate barcode is genuine, the method comprising:
acquiring an image of an original barcode, wherein the original barcode includes a plurality of modules;
determining, from the image of the original barcode, a deviation of a position of at least one of the plurality of modules of the original barcode from an idealized grid;
encoding the deviation as signature data for the original barcode;
storing the signature data for the original barcode on a storage device;
acquiring an image of the candidate barcode, wherein the candidate barcode includes a plurality of modules;
determining, from the image of the candidate barcode, a deviation of a position of at least one of the plurality of modules of the candidate barcode from the idealized grid;
retrieving the signature data for the original barcode from the storage device;
comparing the signature data for the original barcode with signature data for the candidate barcode; and
making a determination that the candidate barcode is genuine or not genuine based on a result of the comparison.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the original barcode to an item prior to acquiring the image of the original barcode.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the original barcode to an item comprises applying the barcode to a label, the method further comprising applying the label to an object.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the original barcode to an item comprises applying the barcode to an object.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein acquiring the image of the candidate barcode comprises receiving the image of the candidate barcode from a cell phone.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reading the original barcode to obtain an identifier, wherein storing the signature data for the original barcode on the storage device comprises indexing the signature data for the original barcode using the identifier.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reading the original barcode to obtain an identifier, wherein retrieving the signature data for the original barcode comprises using the identifier to look up the signature data for the original barcode.