Abstract: A method for evaluating an infrared signature present on an object surface, which signature preferably forms a two-dimensional code. Furthermore, a monochrome or multicolour pattern, which reflects light in the visible wavelength range, can be present on the object surface. The infrared signature only absorbs light in the infrared range and can consequently be detected by means of an IR camera. In the method, an infrared light source is switched on and the infrared signature is illuminated with infrared light and an original image is recorded with an infrared camera in this state. The original image or a further-processed image based thereon is then filtered by a high-pass filter, the contrast in the image being increased indirectly or directly after the high-pass filtering. The infrared signature can finally be evaluated in the image processed in this way.