Patents by Inventor George Lawrence Engel

George Lawrence Engel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and apparatus for improved fingerprinting and authenticating various magnetic media
    Patent number: 5740244
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the remanent noise in a magnetic medium by, for example, DC saturation of a region thereof and measurement of the remaining DC magnetization. A conventional magnetic recording transducer may be used to determine the remanent noise. Upon determination, the remanent noise may then be digitized and recorded on the same magnetic medium to thereby "fingerprint" the magnetic medium. This "fingerprint" may then be later used to verify and authenticate the magnetic medium as being an original. The magnetic medium may be of a type adapted to record information magnetically or, even more broadly, any magnetic surface or substance that can be sensed through its magnetic field. In such manner, any magnetic medium, or any object having an associated magnetic medium, may be "fingerprinted" including credit cards, computer program diskettes, magneto-optic discs, videotapes, cassette tapes, bank checks, stock certificates, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Indeck, Marcel Wettstein Muller, George Lawrence Engel, Alan Lee Hege
  • Method and apparatus for fingerprinting and authenticating various magnetic media
    Patent number: 5546462
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the remanent noise in a magnetic medium by, for example, DC saturation of a region thereof and measurement of the remaining DC magnetization. A conventional magnetic recording transducer may be used to determine the remanent noise. Upon determination, the remanent noise may then be digitized and recorded on the same magnetic medium to thereby "fingerprint" the magnetic medium. This "fingerprint" may then be later used to verify and authenticate the magnetic medium as being an original. The magnetic medium may be of a type adapted to record information magnetically or, even more broadly, any magnetic surface or substance that can be sensed through its magnetic field. In such manner, any magnetic medium, or any object having an associated magnetic medium, may be "fingerprinted" including credit cards, computer program diskettes, magneto-optic discs, videotapes, cassette tapes, bank checks, stock certificates, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventors: Ronald S. Indeck, Marcel W. Muller, George Lawrence Engel, Alan L. Hege