3D Printed Barcodes for Secure Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing two-dimensional bar codes are susceptible to counterfeiting and copying, lacking the security and complexity needed for secure identification, as they can be easily replicated using conventional methods.
Innovation Solution
Three-dimensional printing techniques are used to create bar codes with dimensions in the x, y, and z axes, potentially incorporating a fourth dimension of color, which are read using light-field cameras, significantly increasing the number of encodable points and requiring specialized equipment for both creation and reading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If two-dimensional bar codes are used to encode information, then the coding process is simple and easy to manufacture, but the security and resistance to counterfeiting deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional bar codes to three-dimensional bar codes by adding the z-dimension (height/depth). The three-dimensional structure includes vertical bars with varying heights that can be detected by specialized scanners, creating a coding space that extends into the third dimension. This dimensional expansion makes copying extremely difficult while maintaining manufacturability through 3D printing techniques.
2Reliability
If three-dimensional printing techniques are used to create three-dimensional bar codes, then the security and number of encodable points increase significantly, but the device complexity and requirement for specialized equipment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs 3D printing technology to create physical three-dimensional bar codes that embed information in their structural geometry. The codes are printed using layered manufacturing processes that deposit material in precise three-dimensional patterns. While the creation process requires specialized 3D printing equipment, the codes themselves are static physical structures that can be read by corresponding specialized scanners without requiring complex real-time processing.
3Productivity
If conventional two-dimensional printing methods are used, then the manufacturing process is simple and fast, but the information encoding capacity and security deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds the third dimension (vertical height) to the traditional two-dimensional bar code structure. This allows the code to encode information not only in the x-y plane but also through variations in bar height along the z-axis. The three-dimensional structure effectively multiplies the encoding capacity while maintaining compatibility with existing 3D printing capabilities for rapid production.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention uses three-dimensional printing techniques to lay down a three-dimensional black and white grid (or “4-dimensional” grid, if color is used). To read and decode a three-dimensional bar-code, a light-field camera is used to capture the whole three-dimensional structure and the focus levels are then determined for a predetermined number of vertical levels. Adding color adds another degree of freedom (dimension) in the number and difficulty of encoding and decoding the three-dimensional bar-codes. These bar-codes cannot be simply made or copied, providing a level of security thereby.