Wearable Badge Optical Sensor Card Type Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing identification card systems face challenges in efficiently obtaining information from cards without magnetic strips or RFID chips, requiring costly camera-based monitoring systems and lacking anonymization capabilities for person-specific data collection.

Innovation Solution

A wearable badge equipped with a card holder and optical sensors to measure and determine the type of identification cards based on optical properties such as color, brightness, and reflectivity, allowing for efficient data collection and anonymization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If identification cards use only printed labels and pictures without magnetic strips or RFID chips, then production costs are reduced, but sophisticated camera-based monitoring systems are required to collect data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex camera-based optical recognition systems with simple optical sensors that detect predefined optical properties (color, brightness, reflectivity) of identification cards. This substitution reduces the monitoring system complexity while maintaining the ability to distinguish different card types, thereby resolving the contradiction between reduced card production costs and simplified monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the identification method from complex image recognition to detection of specific optical parameters (color, brightness, reflectivity). By encoding card types through these simple optical properties and using corresponding sensors to detect them, the system achieves efficient card type identification without requiring sophisticated camera-based monitoring, thus resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If optical sensors measure optical properties of identification cards, then card type determination is simplified, but additional components (optical sensors, processors) are added to the badge

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebadge structureVSAvoidcard type identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The badge system performs self-identification of card types by automatically detecting optical properties and determining card types without external intervention. The integrated processor and optical sensors work together to autonomously identify card types, reducing the need for complex external monitoring infrastructure while maintaining accurate card type determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If data collection is performed without person-specific monitoring, then privacy requirements are met, but anonymization must be performed after data collection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprivacy complianceVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs anonymization at the source by detecting only optical properties that identify card types rather than capturing detailed card images or personal information. This preliminary anonymization approach ensures privacy compliance from the outset and eliminates the need for subsequent data anonymization processing, thereby resolving the contradiction between privacy compliance and data processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient data collection and anonymization of identification card types without the need for magnetic strips or RFID chips, reducing production costs and enhancing monitoring capabilities with camera-based systems.

Implementation Method 1

a first optical sensor (16) configured to measure an optical property of a first region (22) of a surface of the identification card (200) when removably held by the card holder (2)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3839899A1Wearable badge and method for determining a type of an identification card removably held in said badge
Publication Date: 2021.06.23 HYPROS GMBH
  • EP3839899A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3839899A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3839899A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a wearable badge (100) for holding an identification card (200). The badge (100) comprises a card holder (2) configured to removably hold an identification card (200), a first optical sensor (16) configured to measure an optical property of a first region (22) of a surface of the identification card (200) when removably held by the card holder (2), and a processor (20) configured to determine a type of the identification card (200) based on the measured optical property of the first region (22). Furthermore, a system is provided comprising the badge (100) and a set of identification cards (200), wherein at least some of the first regions (22) comprised by the set of identification cards (200) have different optical properties that encode different types of identification cards. Also disclosed is a method of determining a type of an identification card (200).