Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-17
2001-06-26
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S382000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250549
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to a system for authenticating signatures, such as autographs. More particularly, the invention is directed to a system for capturing an image of an individual signing an article, and a resulting product including the captured image and the signed article.
2. Description of the Related Art
Obtaining and collecting originally autographed or signed articles is increasingly popular, and an entire industry is now devoted to providing articles originally signed by notable individuals. Unfortunately, with the demand for originally signed and autographed articles being very high, and the supply of these unique, originally signed articles typically being quite limited, many unscrupulous attempts are made to forge the signatures of notable individuals, such as athletes, movie, television and media professionals, artists, and the like. These attempts are made easier by the advent of technologies that facilitate copying.
While attempts to combat forgeries of autographs and signatures have been made, these attempts have enjoyed limited success and have numerous drawbacks and limitations. For example, a wide variety of equipment is available for electronically capturing a signature, so that the signature can be electronically compared with what is believed to be an actual signature of a particular individual. This type of authentication equipment, which typically utilizes an electronic pen and pad linked to a process, is expensive and often cumbersome to use. Additionally, signature-capturing devices of this type, while perhaps useful in a bank or other institutional setting, are impractical for autographs to be made on a wide variety of articles, such as clothing, posters, cards, artwork, sporting equipment, etc.
More recently, autographed articles sold with a certificate of authenticity have gained popularity. With these products, the signed articles and the certificate of authenticity bear a common identification number, and the certificate of authenticity bears a signature of a witness in conjunction with a statement to the effect that he or she witnessed the signing of the associated article. As will be immediately recognized, the drawback to this approach is that an unscrupulous trader who forged the autograph of a notable individual would have no difficulty in forging a certificate of authenticity.
Accordingly, the need exists for a simple, inexpensive and reliable method and system for authenticating signatures and autographs. The present invention fills these and other needs, while overcoming the drawbacks and limitations of prior approaches to authenticating a signature or autograph.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred method of the present invention, an article to be signed (e.g. autographed) is presented to an individual whose autograph on the article is desired. The article to be signed is any desired article, such as clothing, a sporting item, a photograph or poster, a card, etc. As the individual signs the article, an image is captured, such that the captured image illustrates the actual original signing of the article by the particular individual.
In accordance with the invention, the captured image is associated with the article so that a holder of the article can readily discern the authenticity of the autograph on the article. In one embodiment, the article to be signed is one of a numbered series and, additionally, bears a unique identification code. Preferably, the image captures the signing event, including particularly the number of the article being signed and its unique identification code.
Particularly, an authentication system of the present invention has, in a preferred embodiment, one or more cameras for capturing an image of an individual signing an article. Preferably, the cameras capture a real-time recording (including video and audio) of the individual signing an article, although it should be understood that the invention encompasses still photos as well. With editing equipment, an operator may edit the captured image to include readable information, such as the series number of the signed article and/or the article's unique identification code. Additionally, pertinent information concerning the signed article may be placed on the image or video and/or stored in a memory in conjunction with the unique identification code associated with a particular article. For example, information stored in memory and/or included on the video or image may include the name of the signing party, the date and place signing occurred, the nature of the article, the series number of the article and the total number of articles in the series, and/or information concerning the initial purchaser or holder of the article.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the authentication system is set up to capture images of an autograph session, during which a selected individual originally signs a number of articles. In such an arrangement as articles are signed by an individual, a real-time recording (preferably including audio and video) captures the individual signing the articles. The recording is edited such that a portion of the recording corresponding to a particular article contains information, readable upon playback of the recording, pertaining to the particular article shown in that portion of the recording. Thus, a holder of the particular signed article may view the recording and, in addition to viewing the signing of other articles signed during an autograph session, easily identify the signing of the particular article of interest.
In accordance with the broad aspects of the present invention, an image of an individual signing an article is associated with the article to permit a holder of the article to verify the authenticity of the signature on the article. Thus, according to the invention, the photograph or recording of an individual signing an article may be presented to the holder of the article, either when the holder receives the signed article, or subsequently. In the case where a real-time recording of the signing event is captured, the holder of a particular signed article may be presented with a recording of the signing of that particular article only, or a recording of the signing of a plurality of articles signed during an autograph session, including particularly the signing of the article held by the holder.
In an alternate embodiment, the association between the signed article and captured image is accomplished electronically. Particularly, an image (e.g., a still shot or real-time recording) of an individual signing an article is stored in memory in association with information indicative of, and/or pertaining to, the article. Thus, the holder of a signed article may access the memory, via a processor, such as through a communications network, and by inputting sufficient information associated with the article, view or download the captured image associated with the article.
In accordance with the invention, in order for the holder of a signed article to be able to further confirm the authenticity of the signed article, the article preferably includes some unique identifying indicia (such as an identification code and/or series number). The indicia, when visibly present on the article, is also preferably visibly present in the image that is captured of the signing event. Alternatively, a display or signage located at the location of the signing event can be updated with unique identifying indicia for each article signed. In such a case, the image that is captured of the signing event preferably also captures the display or signage, so that the unique indicia associated with the signed article is visibly present on the captured image.
As previously described, as an additional feature of the invention, the image of a signing event may be edited to itself include indicia thereon corresponding to the unique identifying indicia corresponding to the signed article that is captured in the image. Further still, the identifying indicia may also be pl
Frech Karl D.
Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.
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