Apparatus for forming and reading an identification feature and method thereof
The present invention refers to an apparatus for forming and reading an identification feature on or in an object. The apparatus comprises a formation unit for physically forming an identification feature on or in an object, at least one reading unit adapted to read the identification feature to form a signature, and a housing, wherein the formation unit and the at least one reading unit are both contained in the housing. The at least one reading unit can comprise at least two reading elements. The identification feature can comprise an identification feature based on inherent disorder. The invention also refers to a method of forming and reading an identification feature on or in an object.
1. A method comprising:
forming an identification feature on or in an object, and
reading the identification feature on or in the object, with at least one reading unit, to form a first signature,
reading the identification feature on or in the object to form a second signature;
deriving a combined signature from the first signature and the second signature;
wherein the combined signature comprises a composite signature derived from at least a portion of information contained in both the first signature and the second signature.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reading unit comprises at least two reading elements.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature comprises an identification feature based on inherent disorder.
4. The method of claims 1 , wherein the method further comprises storing the combined signature and generating at least one pre-stored reference signature.
5. The method of claims 4 , further comprising verifying an identity of the object.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein verifying the identity of the object comprises comparing the combined signature with the one pre-stored reference signature.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identity of the object is verified if the signature read from the object differs from the pre-stored reference signature by less than a predetermined threshold.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein a first reading of the identification feature is read by a first reading element and a second reading of the identification feature is read by a second reading element.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identity of the object is verified if the first reading differs from the second reading by less than a predetermined threshold.
10. The method of claims 1 , wherein the pre-stored reference signature is stored in a data storage unit that is accessible remotely.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising remotely accessing the data storage unit using a communication unit adapted to remotely transfer data with an external device.
12. The method of claims 1 , wherein the identification feature is an RFID or smart chip or a barcode.
13. The method of claim of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the combined signature with at least one pre-stored reference signature.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the first signature with the second signature.
15. A method comprising:
deriving a combined signature from a reading of a first identification feature and a reading of a second identification feature on or in an object, wherein the combined signature comprises a composite signature derived from at least a portion of information contained in both the reading of the first identification feature and the reading of the second identification feature;
storing the combined signature, and
verifying or identifying the object based on the combined signature.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising compressing the combined signature prior to storing the combined signature.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the compressing thee combined signature comprises storing only a partial signature/fingerprint.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first identification feature is a feature that is based on inherent disorder.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second identification feature is an RFID or smart chip or a barcode.
20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising comparing the reading of the first feature and the reading of the second identification feature.