Abstract: A method of communicating with a slave device includes sending a first device discovery message from the communicator to the slave device using a first communication protocol; if the slave device responds to the first device discovery message using the first communication protocol, establishing communication between the slave device and a control device using the first communication protocol; if the slave device does not respond to the first device discovery message using the first communication protocol, sending a second device discovery message from the communicator to the slave device using a second communication protocol; and if the slave device responds to the second device discovery message using the second communication protocol, establishing communication between the slave device and the control device using the second communication protocol.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification relates to security credentials for documents, such as identification documents. One example is an identification document that includes a photographic image of an individual associated with the document, and a spiral pattern applied to a region of the identification document. The spiral pattern includes an elliptical spiral segmented into a plurality of arc segments, where wherein the arc segments of the spiral pattern encode identification data associated with the individual. Other implementations include corresponding processes, systems, apparatus, and computer programs related to generating and verifying identification documents with spiral patterns.

Abstract: An identification document includes a card structure including a plastic material, a surface of the card structure including a first surface region that includes a plurality of depressions formed in the surface according to a predefined pattern; and a second surface region that includes a majority of a surface area of the identification document, wherein the second surface region is non-porous. A surface energy of the surface in the first surface region is greater than a surface energy of the surface in the second surface region.

Abstract: A multilayer identification document including a first layer including a color component of a color image and a second layer including a grayscale component of the color image, wherein the grayscale component is laser-engraved on the second layer. The color component is printed on the first layer and defines a multiplicity of voids in a preselected arrangement. The color component and grayscale component are at least partially superimposed to yield a hybrid color image.

Abstract: A system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. In some implementations, data indicating one or more linear patterns and data indicating customer information to be embedded within an identification document is obtained. Respective subsets of the customer information are assigned to each of the one or more linear patterns. A photographic image to be included within the identification document is then modified based at least on generating a portion of the photographic image that is composed of at least one of the one or more linear patterns. The modified photographic image is then disposed on an identification document to yield embedded customer information.

Abstract: Techniques are described to embed graphical identifiers into a ghost image within a layer of laminate of an identification document. The ghost image includes optically variable media that has a first appearance when viewed from a front of the identification document in reflected light at a first angle and a second, different appearance when viewed from the front of the identification document in reflected light in a second, different angle. During the ghost image generation process, a graphical identifier can be placed on a baseline ghost image to generate an adjusted ghost image. Once the adjusted ghost image is printed onto the identification document, the graphical identifier can be viewable based on the appearance of the adjusted ghost identifier in relation to the reflected light.

Abstract: A method of communicating with a slave device includes sending a first device discovery message from the communicator to the slave device using a first communication protocol; if the slave device responds to the first device discovery message using the first communication protocol, establishing communication between the slave device and a control device using the first communication protocol; if the slave device does not respond to the first device discovery message using the first communication protocol, sending a second device discovery message from the communicator to the slave device using a second communication protocol; and if the slave device responds to the second device discovery message using the second communication protocol, establishing communication between the slave device and the control device using the second communication protocol.

Abstract: An identification document includes a card structure including a plastic material, a surface of the card structure including a first surface region that includes a plurality of depressions formed in the surface according to a predefined pattern; and a second surface region that includes a majority of a surface area of the identification document, wherein the second surface region is non-porous. A surface energy of the surface in the first surface region is greater than a surface energy of the surface in the second surface region.

Abstract: A system for automatically establishing a network. The system includes a main device group including a main wireless transceiver device, a control device and a first network interface and a secondary device group including a secondary wireless transceiver device, a secondary device group slave device and a second network interface. The main wireless transceiver device wirelessly communicating with the secondary wireless transceiver device to instruct the main device group and the secondary device group to form a network wherein the control device communicates with the secondary device group slave device over the first network interface and the second network interface, respectively. The control device wirelessly controls functions of the secondary device group slave device with instructions sent over the network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining, by a pixelation device, an arrangement of pixels for generating representations of data for a document; adjusting, by an increment module and based on the arrangement of pixels, an optical density of one or more pixels included in the arrangement; associating, by the pixelation device, a plurality of distinct types of credential data with one or more line patterns included in the arrangement of pixels; and generating, by the pixelation device, multiple line patterns at a document, the multiple line patterns encoding the plurality of distinct types of credential data.

Abstract: A system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. In some implementations, data indicating one or more linear patterns and data indicating customer information to be embedded within an identification document is obtained. Respective subsets of the customer information are assigned to each of the one or more linear patterns. A photographic image to be included within the identification document is then modified based at least on generating a portion of the photographic image that is composed of at least one of the one or more linear patterns. The modified photographic image is then disposed on an identification document to yield embedded customer information.

Abstract: A method for producing an identification article is described. The method includes associating one or more data items with one or more line patterns, where the line patterns include one or more line segments. A particular data item is associated with at least a subset of line segments and the particular data item corresponds to an attribute of a user of the identification article. The method further includes integrating the line patterns with graphical features of the identification article. The graphical features being discernable by a human eye and the subset of line segments is indiscernible by the human eye. The method includes identifying a region of the identification article that includes the subset of line segments associated with the particular data item and associating the particular line pattern with an identifying feature of the user.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. Data indicating an input image, and a dithering matrix representing a two-dimensional array of pixel values is obtained. Pixel values of pixels included in the input image are transformed using the dithering matrix. For each pixel within the input image, the transformation includes identifying a particular pixel value within the dithering matrix that represents a particular pixel within the input image, and adjusting an intensity value of the particular pixel based on attributes of the dithering matrix. A transformed image is generated based on the transformation and then provided for output.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification relates to security credentials for documents, such as identification documents. One example is an identification document that includes a photographic image of an individual associated with the document, and a spiral pattern applied to a region of the identification document. The spiral pattern includes an elliptical spiral segmented into a plurality of arc segments, where wherein the arc segments of the spiral pattern encode identification data associated with the individual. Other implementations include corresponding processes, systems, apparatus, and computer programs related to generating and verifying identification documents with spiral patterns.

Abstract: A method for producing an identification article is described. The method includes associating one or more data items with one or more line patterns, where the line patterns include one or more line segments. A particular data item is associated with at least a subset of line segments and the particular data item corresponds to an attribute of a user of the identification article. The method further includes integrating the line patterns with graphical features of the identification article. The graphical features being discernable by a human eye and the subset of line segments is indiscernible by the human eye. The method includes identifying a region of the identification article that includes the subset of line segments associated with the particular data item and associating the particular line pattern with an identifying feature of the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying, by a computer system, at least one line of a plurality of lines that are disposed at a first layer of a card; providing, by the computer system and based on the identified at least one line, control signals to a laser device of the computer system, the control signals indicating coordinates for the identified at least one line; generating, by the laser device and based on the control signals, one or more line patterns that are embedded at a particular layer of the card.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. Data indicating an input image, and a dithering matrix representing a two-dimensional array of pixel values is obtained. Pixel values of pixels included in the input image are transformed using the dithering matrix. For each pixel within the input image, the transformation includes identifying a particular pixel value within the dithering matrix that represents a particular pixel within the input image, and adjusting an intensity value of the particular pixel based on attributes of the dithering matrix. A transformed image is generated based on the transformation and then provided for output.

Abstract: A system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. In some implementations, data indicating one or more linear patterns and data indicating customer information to be embedded within an identification document is obtained. Respective subsets of the customer information are assigned to each of the one or more linear patterns. A photographic image to be included within the identification document is then modified based at least on generating a portion of the photographic image that is composed of at least one of the one or more linear patterns. The modified photographic image is then disposed on an identification document to yield embedded customer information.

Abstract: A system is capable of generating identifications that include distinctive line patterns corresponding to different portions of secure customer information. In some implementations, data indicating one or more linear patterns and data indicating customer information to be embedded within an identification document is obtained. Respective subsets of the customer information are assigned to each of the one or more linear patterns. A photographic image to be included within the identification document is then modified based at least on generating a portion of the photographic image that is composed of at least one of the one or more linear patterns. The modified photographic image is then disposed on an identification document to yield embedded customer information.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining, by a pixelation device, an arrangement of pixels for generating representations of data for a document; adjusting, by an increment module and based on the arrangement of pixels, an optical density of one or more pixels included in the arrangement; associating, by the pixelation device, a plurality of distinct types of credential data with one or more line patterns included in the arrangement of pixels; and generating, by the pixelation device, multiple line patterns at a document, the multiple line patterns encoding the plurality of distinct types of credential data.