Method and apparatus for counterfeiting protection

• US 20070241177A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemimage Corporation
• Original Assignee: Chemimage Corporation
• Inventors: Tuschel, David, Voigt, Thomas, Hutchison, Wesley
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12

Abstract

The disclosure relates generally to methods and apparatus for protecting against counterfeit products and for methods and apparatus for providing counterfeiting protection for an object. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (a) accessing an object including an identifying mark having a first portion and a second portion wherein said second portion includes an encrypted feature; (b) reading the first portion to thereby obtain a first set of information; (c) transmitting the first set of information to a remote location; (d) receiving from the remote location a second set of information; and (e) reading the second portion using the second set of information to thereby determine the authenticity of the object.

Claims

1. A method for providing counterfeiting protection for an object, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing an object including an identifying mark having a first portion and a second portion wherein said second portion includes an encrypted feature;

(b) reading the first portion to thereby obtain a first set of information;

(c) transmitting the first set of information to a remote location;

(d) receiving from the remote location a second set of information; and

(e) reading the second portion using the second set of information to thereby determine the authenticity of the object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition of the second portion includes a parameter that is a function of at least one of:

a location of the second portion on the object, an orientation of the second portion on the object, and an attribute of the second portion.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the attribute is chosen from the group consisting of:

shape, size, dimensionality, material, spectral fingerprint, and encrypted feature.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of reading the second portion comprises the steps of:

(e)(i) reading the second portion using the second set of information to thereby obtain a third set of information;

(e)(ii) transmitting the third set of information to the remote location; and

(e)(iii) receiving from the remote location an indication of the authenticity of the object.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second portions is affixed to a package for the object.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a dimension for one of the first and second portions is approximately one micrometer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion includes at least one of:

object name, object type, object batch number, location of manufacture, date of manufacture, time of manufacture, date of expiration, and at least one of the object ingredients.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes at least one of a fluorescent material and a Raman-scattering material.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the determination of authenticity is a function at of least one of:

a wavelength of emission from the fluorescent material, a wavelength of the Raman-scattering from the Raman-scattering material, an intensity of emission from the fluorescent material, an intensity of the Raman-scattering from the Raman-scattering material, a chemical image of the second portion, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion is invisible in the visual wavelength range.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes a two-dimensional barcode.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes a three-dimensional barcode.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the three-dimensional barcode is affixed by a method chosen from the group consisting of:

photolithography, two-photon writing, inkjet printing, embossing, engraving, and stamping.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion comprises a fluorescent material having a first spectral fingerprint at a first location within the second portion and a second spectral fingerprint at a second location within the second portion.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion comprises a first fluorescent material having a first spectral fingerprint and a second fluorescent material having a second spectral fingerprint.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion comprises a Raman-scattering material having a first spectral fingerprint at a first location within the second portion and a second spectral fingerprint at a second location within the second portion.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion comprises a first Raman-scattering material having a first spectral fingerprint and a second Raman-scattering material having a second spectral fingerprint.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion comprises a Raman-scattering material having a first spectral fingerprint and a fluorescent material having a second spectral fingerprint.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the object is chosen from the group consisting of:

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biological material, food, food additives, spices, cosmetics, perfumes, paper money, coins, credit cards, digital video discs, compact discs, audio tapes, video tapes, electronic devices, and works of art.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of reading the second portion includes illuminating the second portion with photons of a predetermined wavelength.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the predetermined wavelength is in a range of wavelengths consisting of:

near infrared light, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the illuminating photons are from a laser.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (c) and (d) are replaced with:

(c)(i) transmitting the first set of information to said remote location;

(c)(ii) receiving the first set of information at said remote location;

(c)(iii) determining at said remote location a second set of information based on the received first set of information;

(c)(iv) transmitting the second set of information from the remote location; and

(d) receiving from the remote location the second set of information.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of reading the second portion includes forming a spatially accurate wavelength-resolved image of at least a part of the second portion.

25. A method comprising:

(a) providing an item with an identifying mark affixed thereto to a user, wherein said identifying mark has a first portion and a second portion and wherein said second portion includes an encrypted feature; and

(b) instructing said user to perform the following after receiving said item;

(i) read the first portion to thereby obtain a first set of information;

(ii) transmit the first set of information to a remote location;

(iii) receive from the remote location a second set of information; and

(iv) read the second portion using the second set of information to thereby determine the authenticity of the object.

26. A method for determining authenticity of an object, comprising:

reading an identifying mark on an object;

determining if the identifying mark includes a first portion and a second portion;

determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method;

indicating a lack of authenticity of the object upon the occurrence of one or more of the following;

an absence of said first portion on said object, an absence of said second portion on said object, or an absence of said feature encrypted according to the predetermined encryption method on said object; and

indicating authenticity of the object upon the occurrence of all of the following;

a determination that said first portion is on said object, a determination that said second portion is on said object, and the determination that said feature encrypted according to the predetermined encryption method is on said object.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein one of the first and second portions is affixed to a package for the object.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein a dimension for one of the first or second portions is approximately one micrometer.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the first portion includes at least one of:

object name, object type, object batch number, location of manufacture, date of manufacture, time of manufacture, date of expiration, and at least one of the object ingredients.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the second portion includes at least one of a fluorescent material and a Raman-scattering material.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of indicating authenticity includes a determination of at least one of:

a wavelength of emission from the fluorescent material, a wavelength of the Raman-scattering from the Raman-scattering material, an intensity of emission from the fluorescent material, an intensity of the Raman-scattering from the Raman-scattering material, a chemical image of the second portion, and combinations thereof.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the second portion is invisible in the visual wavelength range.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein the feature includes a two-dimensional barcode.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the feature includes a three-dimensional barcode.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the three-dimensional barcode is affixed by a method chosen from the group consisting of:

photolithography, two-photon writing, inkjet printing, embossing, engraving, and stamping.

36. The method of claim 26 wherein the determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes:

determining if the second portion comprises a fluorescent material having a first spectral fingerprint at a first location within the second portion; and

determining if the second portion comprises a fluorescent material having a second spectral fingerprint at a second location within the second portion.

37. The method of claim 26 wherein the determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes:

determining if the second portion comprises a first fluorescent material having a first spectral fingerprint; and

determining if the second portion comprises a second fluorescent material having a second spectral fingerprint.

38. The method of claim 26 wherein the determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes:

determining if the second portion comprises a Raman-scattering material having a first spectral fingerprint at a first location within the second portion; and

determining if the second portion comprises a second spectral fingerprint at a second location within the second portion.

39. The method of claim 26 wherein the determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes:

determining if the second portion comprises a first Raman-scattering material having a first spectral fingerprint; and

determining if the second portion comprises a second Raman-scattering material having a second spectral fingerprint.

40. The method of claim 26 wherein the determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes:

determining if the second portion comprises a Raman-scattering material having a first spectral fingerprint; and

determining if the second portion comprises a fluorescent material having a second spectral fingerprint.

41. The method of claim 26 wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biological material, food, food additives, spices, cosmetics, perfumes, paper money, coins, credit cards, digital video discs, compact discs, audio tapes, video tapes, electronic devices, and works of art.

42. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes illuminating the second portion with photons of a predetermined wavelength.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the predetermined wavelength is in a range of wavelengths consisting of:

near infrared light, infrared light, visible light, and ultraviolet light.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the illuminating photons are from a laser.

45. The method of claim 26 wherein the steps of determining if the identifying mark includes a first portion and a second portion and determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method are replaced with:

reading a first portion of the identifying mark to thereby obtain a first set of information;

transmitting the first set of information to a remote location;

determining at the remote location a second set of information based on the received first set of information;

receiving from the remote location the second set of information; and

reading a second portion of the identifying mark using the second set of information.

46. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of determining if the second portion includes a feature encrypted according to a predetermined encryption method includes forming a spatially accurate wavelength-resolved image of at least a part of the second portion.

47. The method of claim 26 further comprising charging a fee for determining authenticity of said object.