1. A USB hosted sensor module, comprising:
a substrate;
a sensor mounted on the substrate; and
a USB connector mounted on the substrate, the USB connector capable of electrically coupling to a USB port of a host device, the USB connector capable of drawing power from the USB port of the host device to provide electrical power to the USB hosted sensor module; and
a processing device mounted on the substrate, the processing device capable of supporting a first communication channel and a second communication channel, wherein the first communication channel is between the USB hosted sensor module and at least one external communication device, wherein the second communication channel is between the USB hosted sensor module and the host device.
2. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 1 wherein the USB hosted sensor module further includes a wireless subsystem.
3. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 2 wherein the at least one external communication device is a wireless communications device and the first communication channel is a wireless communication channel.
3. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 1 wherein the USB hosted sensor module further includes light emitting devices.
4. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 3 wherein the at least one external communication device is an optical reading device and the first communication channel is an optical communication device.
5. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 3 wherein the USB hosted sensor module further includes light receiving devices.
6. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 1 wherein the second communication channel is a wired USB link.
7. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 4, including both a first optical communication channel and a second optical communication channel, wherein a first optical communication channel exists between a first optical reading device and the light emitting device of the USB hosted sensor module and a second optical communication channel exists between the USB hosted sensor module and the a second optical reading device.
8. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 7, wherein the location of the USB hosted sensor module is calculated using triangulation.
9. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 1 wherein information about the host device is communicated from the host device to the external communication device via the USB hosted sensor module.
10. A USB hosted sensor module, comprising:
a substrate;
a sensor mounted on the substrate; and
a USB connector mounted to the substrate, the USB connector capable of electrically coupling to a USB port of a host device, the USB connector capable of drawing power from the USB port of the host device to provide electrical power to the USB hosted sensor module; and
a processor mounted on the substrate, the processor capable of supporting an optical communication channel between a light emitting device on the USB hosted sensor module and an external optical reading device.
11. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 10 further including a wireless subsystem mounted to the substrate.
12. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 11 further including a wireless communication channel between the USB hosted sensor module and an external wireless communication device.
13. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 10 further including a wired USB communication channel between the USB hosted sensor module and the host device.
14. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 12 further including a wired USB communication channel between the USB hosted sensor module and the host device.
15. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 10 wherein the USB hosted sensor module further includes light receiving devices.
16. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 15, including both a first optical communication channel and a second optical communication channel, wherein a first optical communication channel exists between a first optical reading device and the light emitting device of the USB hosted sensor module and a second optical communication channel exists between the USB hosted sensor module and the a second optical reading device.
17. The USB hosted sensor module recited in claim 16, wherein the location USB hosted sensor module is calculated using triangulation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A label comprising:
a plurality of randomly positioned irregularly shaped three dimensional structures of unique structure parameters; and
a plurality of structure parameter indicators each placed on top of one of said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures;
wherein each said structure parameter indicator facilitates a calculation of at least one structure parameter of a respective said irregularly shaped three dimensional structure when a single two dimensional image of said label is processed.
2. The label of claim 1, wherein a size of each said structure parameter indicator matches a size of respective said irregularly shaped three dimensional structure.
3. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is of varying contours.
4. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is of varying heights.
5. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is of heights within a range of 0.2 millimeter and 0.7 millimeter.
6. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is of varying sizes.
7. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is of varying colors.
8. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is positioned on top of a substrate layer.
9. The label of claim 8, wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of cuts to ensure destruction of said label on an attempt to detach said label from a product to which said label is attached.
10. The label of claim 1, wherein said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures is sensible by a finger touch, for manually validating the label authenticity.
11. The label of claim 1, further comprising a two dimensional element.
12. The label of claim 11, wherein said two dimensional element is a quick response code.
13. The label of claim 11, wherein said two dimensional element is a logo of a company.
14. The label of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of calibration marks for calculating a position of an imaging device acquiring said two dimensional image.
15. A method for verifying a height of an irregularly shaped three dimensional structure in a label, comprising:
acquiring, by a camera, a single two dimensional image of a label having an irregularly shaped three dimensional structure with a height indicator positioned at a central geometric position on top of said irregularly shaped three dimensional structure;
calculating a three dimensional relative position of said camera using positions of a plurality of calibration marks of said label in said single two dimensional image and predefined positions of said plurality of calibration marks;
retrieving from a dataset said central geometric position;
calculating a height of said height indicator using a position of said height indicator in said single two dimensional image, said central geometric position and said relative position of said camera; and
comparing said calculated height to a premeasured height of said height indicator to authenticate one of product and service associated with said label.
16. A system for verifying authenticity of a label, comprising:
an imaging device for acquiring a two dimensional image of a label having plurality of randomly positioned irregularly shaped three dimensional structures of unique structure parameters and a plurality of structure parameter indicators each placed on top of one of said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures;
a program for calculating at least one structure parameter of said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structure when processing said single two dimensional image using said plurality of structure parameter indicators; and
a database storing at least one structure parameter corresponding to said label.
17. A method for verifying authenticity of a label, comprising:
providing a label having plurality of randomly positioned irregularly shaped three dimensional structures of unique structure parameters and a plurality of structure parameter indicators each placed on top of one of said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structures;
acquiring a two dimensional image of said label;
processing said two dimensional image;
calculating at least one structure parameter of said plurality of irregularly shaped three dimensional structure using said plurality of structure parameter indicator;
comparing said at least one calculated structure parameter with at least one structure parameter corresponding to said label stored on a database; and
determining authenticity of said label.