Patent Publication Number: US-2010111445-A1

Title: Portable image-extracting device for identifying tiny images and method of the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an identification device and a method of the same, and in particular to a portable image-extracting device for identifying tiny images and a method of the same. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Thousands of counterfeits flood in the market all the time, such as foods, drugs, electronic products, documents or the like. As a result, those counterfeits seriously affect our livelihood, health, economy and safety. For example, since the ingredients and source of counterfeit drugs are similar to those of the real drugs, many people may confuse with these drugs and thus makes people in danger of counterfeit drugs. Therefore, the prevention of counterfeit drugs is an important issue with regard to public sanitary and health. On the other hand, counterfeit electronic products have defects in terms of usage and safety, the goodwill and profit of the owners of true brands will be impacted considerably. Furthermore, as for to the counterfeit documents, for example, it goes without saying that fake money affects national economy a lot. A counterfeit ticket, identification card or passport has a great influence on economy and safety in terms of personal and national aspects. Therefore, people pay more attention to the anti-counterfeiting technique. Among all kinds of anti-counterfeiting techniques, the most popular way is to attach an anti-fake label on a real product. In order to achieve the anti-counterfeiting effect, the anti-fake label is made too tiny to be identified by naked eyes. In addition, with the cooperation of an identification element, the anti-counterfeiting effect can be enhanced to a further extent. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to provide a portable image-extracting device for magnifying tiny images to identify whether it is true or false and a method of the same. 
     The present invention is to provide a portable image-extracting device for identifying tiny images, which includes a magnifying lens for magnifying a tiny image to a magnified image; an image-extracting element for extracting the magnified image and converting it into an image signal; an image-identifying element electrically connected to the image-extracting element for identifying the image signal so as to determine the tiny image is true or false; a displaying element electrically connected to the image-identifying element for displaying the determination of truth of the tiny image. The magnifying lens is provided therein with at least one auxiliary light source. The auxiliary light source can be a visible light source, invisible light source or a light source of a specific wavelength, thereby assisting in displaying the tiny image. Further, the image-identifying element comprises an optical character identification sub-unit for identifying the numerals or letters of the image signal. The image-identifying element determines whether the image is true or false via certified information stored in an internal memory for identification or a remote server connected to the image-identifying element by cable or wirelessly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the construction of the portable image-extracting device for identifying tiny images according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the image-identifying element of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the method for identifying tiny images performed by the portable image-extracting device according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a schematic view showing the construction of the portable image-extracting device for identifying tiny images according to the present invention. The portable image-extracting device  70  for identifying tiny images according to the present invention includes a magnifying lens  10 , an image-extracting element  20 , an image-identifying element  30  and a displaying element  40 . The image-identifying element  30  is electrically connected to the image-extracting element  20  and the displaying element  40 . The magnifying lens  10  comprises a light-entering surface and a light-exiting surface. A tiny image  50  can be received by the light-entering surface and then magnified to a magnified image  12 . Finally, the magnified image  12  is outputted via the light-exiting surface. The image-extracting element  20  is provided with respect to the light-exiting surface for extracting the magnified image  12  and converting it into an image signal  22 . The image-identifying element  30  is used to identify the truth of the tiny image  50 . Preferably, the tiny image  50  is an image that is visible to but unidentifiable by naked eyes, so that it is difficult to counterfeit the tiny image. Further, the magnifying lens  10  is provided therein with more than one auxiliary light source. The auxiliary light source is a visible light source, an invisible light source or a light source of a specific wavelength for assisting in displaying the tiny image. Further, the image signal  22  is one corresponding to numerals, letters or icons. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a schematic view showing the image-identifying element  30  of the present invention. The image-identifying element  30  comprises a memory  306 , a control unit  304 , a cable connecting port  308  and a wireless transceiver  310 . The control unit  304  is electrically connected to the memory  306 , the cable connecting port  308 , the wireless transceiver  310 , the image-extracting element  20  and the displaying element  40 . The memory  306  is used to store certified information for identifying whether an image is true or false. After the control unit  30  receives the image signal  22  and compares with the certified information stored in the memory  306 , the truth of the image signal  22  can be determined. Alternatively, a remote server  60  can be connected to the image-identifying element  30  by cable (via the cable connecting port  308 ) or wirelessly (via the wireless transceiver  310 ), whereby the truth of the image signal  22  can be determined. The control unit  304  further comprises an optical character identification sub-unit  302  for identifying the numerals or letters of the image signal  22 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is a flow chart showing the method for identifying tiny images performed by the portable image-extracting device according to the present invention. First, in the step S 90 , an auxiliary light source is provided (the auxiliary light source is a visible light source, an invisible light source or a light source of a specific wavelength) for assisting in displaying the tiny image. Then, in the step S 100 , the tiny image  50  is magnified to a magnified image  12 . In the step S 110 , the magnified image  12  is extracted and then converted into an image signal  22 . In the step S 120 , the truth of the image signal  22  is identified. The step S 120  further comprises a step S 122 , whereby the numerals or letters of the image signal  22  are identified. In the step S 124 , the image signal  22  is compared with the certified information stored in the memory  306 . In the step S 126 , a remote server  60  is connected by cable or wirelessly to determine whether the image signal  22  is true or false. Finally, in the step S 130 , the result of determining whether the tiny image  50  is true or false is displayed. 
     Therefore, according to the present invention, the portable image-extracting device for identifying tiny images and the method of the same can identify the images unidentifiable by the naked eyes, so that the anti-counterfeiting effect can be enhanced. Further, preferably, the remoter server  60  is a database (not shown). 
     According to the above, the present invention already has industrial applicability, novelty and inventive steps. Further, the structure of the present invention has not been seen in articles of the same kind or let in public use. Therefore, the present invention conforms to the requirements for an invention patent.