Methods, systems and apparatus for automated authentication

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an automated precious metal bullion authentication apparatus and system that, without human intervention, develops and disseminates information to enable a user to distinguish between genuine and non-genuine precious metals bullion items. The systems and devices may work together with third-party hardware or software and, with Internet access, may be utilized 24/7, 365 days a year. The system or device enables a user to receive directly at a point of sale, or anywhere in public or private, information regarding whether an item is genuine or not. Information regarding genuineness of an item may be provided to the user before, during, or after a monetary or non-monetary exchange or transaction between individuals or entities. The system or device identifies and authenticates precious metal bullion items automatically through a multiplicity of procedures and renders a conclusion based on data from acquired digital images and other physical measurements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 129 . (canceled) 
     
     
         130 . A method for bullion piece authentication, the method comprising:
 receiving a bullion piece at a bullion piece authentication device;   measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece by the bullion piece authentication device;   automatically comparing the measurement data to a reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces; and   determining whether the bullion piece is authentic based at least in part on the comparison of the measurement data to the reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces.   
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 130  wherein determining whether the bullion piece is authentic includes automatically and without human intervention, determining whether the bullion piece is authentic. 
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 providing, by the bullion piece authentication device, an indication to a user indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic.   
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 storing a date when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 storing a time of when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         135 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 storing a unique transaction identifier for the authentication in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         136 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring electromagnetic characteristics of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         137 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring eddy currents of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         138 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes weighing the bullion piece. 
     
     
         139 . The method of  claim 130  wherein receiving a bullion piece at a bullion piece authentication device includes receiving the bullion piece in a handheld bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         140 . The method of  claim 130  wherein receiving a bullion piece at a bullion piece authentication device includes receiving the bullion piece in a retaining area within the bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         141 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes imaging to capture identifying characteristics on a surface of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         142 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes lighting the bullion piece with structured or diffuse lighting. 
     
     
         143 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes x-raying the bullion piece. 
     
     
         144 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring acoustic velocity of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         145 . The method of  claim 130  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring far field scattering signatures of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         146 . The method of  claim 130  wherein comparing the measurement data to a reference set of information includes comparing the measurement data to the reference set of information at a remote location from the bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         147 . The method of  claim 130  wherein comparing the measurement data to a reference set of information includes comparing the measurement data to the reference set of information at the bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         148 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 transmitting characteristics measurements over a network to a remote location from the bullion piece authentication device.   
     
     
         149 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 making an offer of guarantee of authenticity to a user when the bullion piece is determined to be authentic.   
     
     
         150 . The method of  claim 130 , further comprising:
 automatically determining by the bullion piece authentication device that, based upon identification of unique surface marks of the bullion piece, the bullion piece is a specific bullion piece previously catalogued in a database.   
     
     
         151 . A bullion piece authentication device, the device comprising:
 at least one processor;   at least one nontransitory process-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor;   at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one bullion piece measurement system includes at least one of a weight detector or an electromagnetic characteristics detector; and   at least one bullion piece contact site configured to contact a bullion piece;   the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures physical characteristics of the bullion piece placed by a user in contact with the bullion piece contact site of the authentication device, the physical characteristics include at least one of a weight of the bullion piece or an electromagnetic characteristic of the bullion piece;   the at least one processor automatically and without human intervention compares the measurement data for the bullion piece placed by the user in contact with the bullion piece contact site of the bullion piece authentication device to a reference set of data for authentic bullion pieces; and   the at least one processor determines the authenticity of the bullion piece placed by the user in contact with the bullion piece contact site of the bullion piece authentication device.   
     
     
         152 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device stores, by the at least one processor, a date when the authentication occurs in the nontransitory processor-readable storage medium. 
     
     
         153 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device stores, by the at least one processor, a time when the authentication occurs in the nontransitory processor-readable storage medium. 
     
     
         154 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device stores, by the at least one processor, a unique transaction identifier for the authentication in the nontransitory processor-readable storage medium. 
     
     
         155 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures electromagnetic characteristics of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         156 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures eddy currents of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         157 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem weighs the bullion piece. 
     
     
         158 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem images the bullion piece to capture identifying characteristics on a surface of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         159 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem illuminates the bullion piece with structured or diffuse lighting. 
     
     
         160 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem x-rays the bullion piece. 
     
     
         161 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures acoustic velocity of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         162 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures far field scattering signatures of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         163 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one processor compares the measurement data to the reference set of information at a remote location from the bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         164 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the at least one processor compares the measurement data to the reference set of information at the bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         165 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device provides to the user an indication of authenticity of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         166 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device transmits measured characteristics of a bullion piece over a network to a location remote from the authentication device. 
     
     
         167 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device makes an offer of guarantee of authenticity to the user. 
     
     
         168 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 151  wherein the authentication device automatically determines for a bullion piece processed in the authentication device, based on unique surface marks of the bullion piece, that the bullion piece is a specific bullion piece previously catalogued in a database. 
     
     
         169 . A method for bullion piece authentication, the method comprising:
 receiving a bullion piece at a bullion piece authentication device;   measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece by the bullion piece authentication device;   transmitting the measurement data from the bullion piece authentication device to a remotely located processor-based system;   automatically comparing, by the remotely located processor-based system, the measurement data to a reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces;   automatically determining, by the remotely located processor-based system, whether the bullion piece is authentic based at least in part on the comparison of the measurement data to the reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces; and   receiving, at the bullion piece authentication device, information indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic from the remotely located processor-based system.   
     
     
         170 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 providing, by the bullion piece authentication device, an indication to a user indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic.   
     
     
         171 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 displaying, by the bullion piece authentication device, an indication to the user indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic.   
     
     
         172 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 storing a date when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         173 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 storing a time of when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         174 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 storing a unique transaction identifier for the authentication in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         175 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring electromagnetic characteristics of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         176 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring eddy currents of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         177 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes weighing the bullion piece. 
     
     
         178 . The method of  claim 169  wherein receiving a bullion piece at a bullion piece authentication device includes receiving the bullion piece in a handheld bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         179 . The method of  claim 169  wherein receiving a bullion piece at a bullion piece authentication device includes receiving the bullion piece in a retaining area within the bullion piece authentication device. 
     
     
         180 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes imaging to capture identifying characteristics on a surface of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         181 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes lighting the bullion piece with structured or diffuse lighting. 
     
     
         182 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes x-raying the bullion piece. 
     
     
         183 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring acoustic velocity of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         184 . The method of  claim 169  wherein measuring one or more characteristics of the bullion piece includes measuring far field scattering signatures of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         185 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 making an offer of guarantee of authenticity to a user when the bullion piece is determined to be authentic.   
     
     
         186 . The method of  claim 169 , further comprising:
 automatically determining by the bullion piece authentication device that, based upon identification of unique surface marks of the bullion piece, the bullion piece is a specific bullion piece previously catalogued in a database.   
     
     
         187 . A bullion piece authentication device, the device comprising:
 at least one processor;   at least one nontransitory process-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor;   at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one bullion piece measurement system includes at least one of a weight detector or an electromagnetic characteristics detector; and   at least one bullion piece contact site configured to contact a bullion piece;   the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures physical characteristics of the bullion piece placed by a user in contact with the bullion piece contact site of the authentication device, the physical characteristics include at least one of a weight of the bullion piece or an electromagnetic characteristic of the bullion piece;   the bullion piece authentication device transmits measurement data for the bullion piece placed by the user in contact with the bullion piece contact site of the bullion piece authentication device to a remotely located processor-based system;   the bullion piece authentication device receives an indication of whether the bullion piece is authentic from the remotely located processor-based system; and   the bullion piece authentication device provides to the user an indication of whether the bullion piece is authentic.   
     
     
         188 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the bullion piece authentication device displays an indication to the user indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic. 
     
     
         189 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the bullion piece authentication device:
 stores a date when the authentication occurs in the nontransitory processor-readable medium. 
 
     
     
         190 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the bullion piece authentication device:
 stores a time of when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium. 
 
     
     
         191 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the bullion piece authentication device:
 stores a unique transaction identifier for the authentication in a nontransitory processor-readable medium. 
 
     
     
         192 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures eddy currents. 
     
     
         193 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem images the bullion piece to capture identifying characteristics on a surface of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         194 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem illuminates the bullion piece with structured or diffuse lighting. 
     
     
         195 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem x-rays the bullion piece. 
     
     
         196 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures acoustic velocity of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         197 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the at least one bullion piece measurement subsystem measures far field scattering signatures of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         198 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the bullion piece authentication device:
 makes an offer of guarantee of authenticity to a user when the bullion piece is determined to be authentic. 
 
     
     
         199 . The bullion piece authentication device of  claim 187  wherein the bullion piece authentication device:
 automatically determines that, based upon identification of unique surface marks of the bullion piece, the bullion piece is a specific bullion piece previously catalogued in a database. 
 
     
     
         200 . A method for bullion piece authentication, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor-based system, measurement data from a remotely located bullion piece authentication device over a network, the measurement data obtained by the bullion piece authentication device by measuring one or more characteristics of a bullion piece received at the bullion piece authentication device;   automatically comparing, by the processor-based system, the measurement data to a reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces;   automatically determining, by processor-based system, whether the bullion piece is authentic based at least in part on the comparison of the measurement data to the reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces; and   transmitting, by the processor-based system, information indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic to the bullion piece authentication device.   
     
     
         201 . The method of  claim 200 , further comprising:
 storing, by the processor-based system, a date when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         202 . The method of  claim 200 , further comprising:
 storing, by the processor-based system, a time of when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         203 . The method of  claim 200 , further comprising:
 storing, by the processor-based system, a unique transaction identifier for the authentication in a nontransitory processor-readable medium.   
     
     
         204 . The method of  claim 200  wherein receiving the measurement data comprises receiving data indicative of one or more electromagnetic characteristics of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         205 . The method of  claim 200  wherein receiving the measurement data comprises receiving data indicative of one or more eddy currents of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         206 . The method of  claim 200  wherein receiving the measurement data comprises receiving data indicative of a weight of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         207 . The method of  claim 200  wherein receiving the measurement data comprises receiving data indicative of one or more identifying characteristics on a surface of the bullion piece. 
     
     
         208 . The method of  claim 200 , further comprising:
 making an offer of guarantee of authenticity to a user when the bullion piece is determined to be authentic.   
     
     
         209 . The method of  claim 200 , further comprising:
 automatically determining by the processor-based system that, based upon identification of unique surface marks of the bullion piece, the bullion piece is a specific bullion piece previously catalogued in a database.   
     
     
         210 . A system to authenticate a bullion piece in a networked environment, the system comprising:
 at least one processor;   at least one nontransitory process-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor;   the at least one processor receives measurement data from a remotely located bullion piece authentication device over a network, the measurement data obtained by the bullion piece authentication device by measuring one or more physical characteristics of a bullion piece received at the bullion piece authentication device, the one or more physical characteristics includes at least one of a weight of the bullion piece or an electromagnetic characteristic of the bullion piece;   the at least one processor compares the received measurement data to a reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces;   the at least one processor determines whether the bullion piece is authentic based at least in part on the comparison of the measurement data to the reference set of information for authentic bullion pieces; and   the at least one processor transmits information indicative of whether the bullion piece is authentic to the remotely located bullion piece authentication device over the network.   
     
     
         211 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 stores a date when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium. 
 
     
     
         212 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 stores a time of when the authentication occurs in a nontransitory processor-readable medium. 
 
     
     
         213 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 stores a unique transaction identifier for the authentication in a nontransitory processor-readable medium. 
 
     
     
         214 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 receives data indicative of one or more eddy currents. 
 
     
     
         215 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 receives data indicative of one or more identifying characteristics on a surface of the bullion piece. 
 
     
     
         216 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 makes an offer of guarantee of authenticity to a user when the bullion piece is determined to be authentic. 
 
     
     
         217 . The system of  claim 210  wherein the at least one processor:
 automatically determines that, based upon identification of unique surface marks of the bullion piece, the bullion piece is a specific bullion piece previously catalogued in a database.