Patent ID: 7720254

Claim:
An automated reader for reading a microparticle mark that includes a multiplicity of multi-layer, multi-color microparticles, the automated reader comprising: a handheld structure housing a processing system, an illumination system and a detection system powered by a power source, the illumination system and the detection system being adapted to capture at least one image of the microparticle mark, wherein the processing system analyzes the at least one image and includes: means for identifying at least one region of interest in the at least one image corresponding to at least one of the multi-layer, multi-color microparticles; means for recognizing colors and layers for each region of interest; means for recognizing a layer order of the colors and layers for each region of interest; means for generating a code representative of the microparticle mark that is based on the colors and layers and the layer order of at least one of the at least one region of interest.