REFLECTIVE BADGE SECURITY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

A security system including a security or identification badge to be worn by a person. The identification badge has a reflective surface that has a predetermined reflective pattern indicating a predetermined identification status of the person wearing the badge. A means is provided for illuminating the reflective surface of the badge with radiation and detecting the reflected radiation from the predetermined reflective pattern. A signal is produced from the detected radiation to indicate the predetermined identification status of the person wearing the badge. Preferably, the badge is illuminated with a visible wavelength of light and the predetermined reflective pattern includes a retroreflective film. Optionally, the reflective surface has a predetermined reflective pattern indicating a predetermined identification status of the person wearing the badge and a means for changing this predetermined reflective pattern to a another predetermined reflective pattern that indicates another predetermined identification status, e.g., an electromagnetic energy source that radiates onto the reflective surface of the badge. Additionally, the a means for illuminating the reflective surface of the badge with radiation can also illuminate the physical characteristic of the person wearing the badge and the means for detecting the reflected radiation can also detect the reflected radiation from the physical characteristic of the person wearing the badge.