Embedded identifiers
First Claim
1. An item comprising:
- an outer part including at least one outer material that is substantially opaque to visible light; and
an identifier including at least one three-dimensional configuration corresponding to the identifier, the at least one three-dimensional configuration being embedded within the at least one outer material and including at least one of (1) a substantially empty cavity in the at least one outer material, or (2) at least one identifying material filling at least part of a cavity in the at least one outer material and wherein the at least one outer material in which the at least one identifying material fills at least part of the cavity is substantially opaque to visible light.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A manufactured item includes an outer part including at least one outer material; and an identifier including at least one three-dimensional configuration corresponding to the identifier, the at least one three-dimensional configuration being embedded within the outer part. The three-dimensional configuration includes at least one of (1) a substantially empty cavity in the at least one outer material, and (2) at least one identifying material filling at least part of a cavity in the at least one outer material. Where at least one identifying material fills at least part of a cavity in the at least one outer material, the at least one outer material is substantially opaque to visible light. The item may be manufactured using one of the processes generally known as rapid prototyping, but other manufacturing processes may be used as well. Methods for making the item and for making a computer-readable representation of the item are also disclosed.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. An item comprising:
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an outer part including at least one outer material that is substantially opaque to visible light; and
an identifier including at least one three-dimensional configuration corresponding to the identifier, the at least one three-dimensional configuration being embedded within the at least one outer material and including at least one of (1) a substantially empty cavity in the at least one outer material, or (2) at least one identifying material filling at least part of a cavity in the at least one outer material and wherein the at least one outer material in which the at least one identifying material fills at least part of the cavity is substantially opaque to visible light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of making an item, the method comprising:
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forming at least one portion of the item from at least one structural material; and
integrally with said forming the at least one portion, enclosing within the at least one structural material identifying information that identifies the item, the identifying information including at least one three-dimensional configuration corresponding to the identifying information, the at least one three-dimensional configuration including at least one of (1) a void substantially shaped as the at least one three-dimensional configuration, the void defined by the at least one structural material, or (2) an identifying material substantially shaped as at least part of the at least one three-dimensional configuration, wherein the at least one structural material is substantially opaque to visible light. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of making an item, the method comprising:
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forming at least one portion of the item from at least one structural material; and
integrally with the forming the at least one portion, enclosing within the at least structural material a void substantially shaped as at least one three dimensional configuration corresponding to identifying information that identifies the item, the void being defined by the at least one structural material. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method of forming a computer-readable representation of an item, the method comprising:
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forming an outer surface computer-readable representation part including a representation of the outer surface of the item;
forming an identifying surface computer-readable representation part of at least one closed three-dimensional identifying surface, the at least one identifying surface corresponding to identifying information that identifies the item, and the at least one identifying surface being contained within the outer surface; and
associating the outer surface computer-readable representation part and the identifying surface computer-readable representation part. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of manufacturing an item, the method comprising:
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forming a computer-readable representation of the item, the computer-readable representation including a representation of at least one three-dimensional configuration, the at least one three-dimensional configuration corresponding to identifying information that identifies the item; and
producing the item using the computer-readable representation of the item, the item including (1) at least one structural material, and (2) the at least one three-dimensional configuration, the at least one three-dimensional configuration including at least one of (a) a void within the at least one structural material, or (b) at least one identifying material substantially shaped as at least part of the at least one three-dimensional configuration and enclosed within the at least one structural material, wherein the at least one structural material enclosing the at least one identifying material is substantially opaque to visible light. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification