Product packaging including digital data

• US 20030047610A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verification Technologies, Inc. (Sun Chemical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verification Technologies, Inc. (Sun Chemical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vig, Rakesh, Selinfreund, Richard H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0292 tamper indicating labels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00586 said format change concerning the physical format of the recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00768 wherein copy control information is used, e.g. for indicating whether a content may be copied freely, no more, once, or never, by setting CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00927 wherein said defects or errors are generated on purpose, e.g. intended scratches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/28 Indicating or preventing prior or unauthorised use, e.g. cassettes with sealing or locking means, write-protect devices for discs write-protect devices for tapes G11B23/042, G11B23/08714; dummy cassettes for locking in the drive G11B33/005
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24 Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the arrangement of information on the carrier G11B7/007
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/243 comprising inorganic materials only, e.g. ablative layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/246 containing dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/247 methine or polymethine dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2472 cyanine
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/256 of layers improving adhesion between layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/26 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

Light sensitive materials applied in shipping materials, including security seals and tear tape, for authentication, discrimination and recognition of items.

Claims

1. A tape having a first longitudinal surface and a second longitudinal surface comprising:

a layer comprising light-sensitive material on said second longitudinal surface, a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on said layer of light-sensitive material, a release agent on said first longitudinal surface.

2. The tape of claim 1 wherein the light-sensitive material is an optical state change security material.

3. The tape of claim 2 wherein the optical state change security material is a transient optical state change security material.

4. A band of material having a first longitudinal surface and a second longitudinal surface, either or both of said longitudinal surfaces being coated with layer of light-sensitive material.

5. The band of material of claim 4 wherein the light-sensitive material is an optical state change security material.

6. The band of material of claim 5 wherein the optical state change security material is a transient optical state change security material.

7. A method for verifying an authentication mark comprising transient optical state change security material, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) illuminating the authentication mark with a wavelength causing said transient optical state change security material to change optical state from a first optical state to a second optical state;

(b) determining the time it takes for reversion of the transient optical state change security material from said second optical state to said first optical state;

(c) comparing the time in step (b) with a reference time for optical state change to verify the authentication mark.

8. A method for providing an authenticity mark on an item, said method comprising the steps of:

incorporating onto the packaging of a product a light-sensitive security material activated by a defined wavelength of light;

exposing said light-sensitive security material to said defined wavelength of light in a manner so as to form changes in the light-sensitive security material decipherable as digital data.

9. A method of authenticating an item associated with a packaging, said packaging having digital data recorded thereon in the form of activated light-sensitive security material, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) scanning the package with an optical reader to decipher the digital data represented by the activated light-sensitive security material on said packaging;

(b) authenticating the item if the digital data of step (a) matches a standard of digital data that should be on a genuine item.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said light-sensitive security material is a transient optical state change security material.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said light-sensitive security material is a recording dye.

12. A method of providing an authenticity mark on an item having incorporated thereon digital information in discernible optically recorded forms, said method comprising the step of:

overlaying a transient optical state change security material capable of existing in a first optical state and a second optical state over said optically recorded forms.

13. A method for authenticating an authenticity mark on an item comprising a transient optical state change security material overlaid on optically recorded forms of digital information, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading said digital information when said transient optical state change security material is in said first optical state and said second optical state;

(b) comparing said digital information read in said first optical state and said second optical state with a reference read of said digital information on an authentic item in both of said first and said second optical state.