Method of authenticating an item and an apparatus for authenticating an item

• US 5,762,377 A
• Filed: 08/05/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Esselte Meto International GmbH
• Inventors: Chamberlain, John R. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US08/692,173
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 283/67, 283/70, 283/72, 283/81, 283/86, 283/94, 283/101, 40/299, 40/630, 40/310
• US Class Current: 283/67
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0292 tamper indicating labels

Abstract

A method of authenticating an item and an apparatus for authenticating an item. The items which can be authenticated are typically located in a sales room or other commercial establishment where goods are typically sold. There has been an increasing trend wherein manufacturers are providing items typically on display in sales showrooms with a tag or marking which can serve to authenticate the item or product. The consumer can then determine if the item is genuine or counterfeit by means of the tag or other identifying marking.

Claims

1. A tag for authenticating an item, the item having a outwardly directed surface thereon, said tag comprising:

means for proving authenticity of the item, said means for proving authenticity having a first side and a second side;

said first side of said means for proving authenticity being disposed to face the surface of the item;

said second side of said means for proving authenticity facing away from said first side;

means for being sensed, said means for being sensed being disposed between said first surface of said means for proving authenticity and the surface of the item; and

means for non-detachably fastening said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed such that said proof of authenticity can be removed from said means for being sensed substantially only upon destruction of at least said means for proving authenticity.

2. The tag according to claim 1, wherein said proof of authenticity comprises a hologram.

3. The tag according to claim 1, wherein said proof of authenticity comprises a transparent material provided on the surface with cylindrical lenses running parallel to one another, whereby for each cylindrical lens there is at least one colored line in the interior of the material running parallel to the axis of the cylindrical lens.

4. The tag according to claim 3, wherein said means for being sensed is fixed by an adhesive connection to said proof of authenticity and/or to the item.

5. The tag according to claim 4 wherein said means for being sensed is positioned on a self-adhesive backing film, the adhesive side of which is preferably in contact with the item.

6. The tag according to claim 5 wherein the surface of said proof of authenticity facing the item is provided with a self-adhesive coating.

7. The tag according to claim 4 wherein the item to be protected is a compact disc, around the central opening of which the proof of authenticity and the means for being sensed are placed in an encircling, ring-shaped manner.

8. A method of authenticating an item with a tag, the item having a outwardly directed surface thereon, said tag comprising:

means for proving authenticity of the item, said means for proving authenticity having a first side and a second side;

said first side of said means for proving authenticity being disposed to face the surface of the item;

said second side of said means for proving authenticity facing away from said first side;

means for being sensed, said means for being sensed being disposed between said first surface of said means for proving authenticity and the surface of the item; and

means for non-detachably fastening said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed such that said proof of authenticity can be removed from said means for being sensed substantially only upon destruction of said means for proving authenticity, said method comprising the steps of;

providing means for proving authenticity of the item, said means for proving authenticity having a first side and a second side;

said first side of said means for proving authenticity being disposed to face the surface of the item;

said second side of said means for proving authenticity facing away from said first side;

providing means for being sensed, said means for being sensed being disposed between said first surface of said means for proving authenticity and the surface of the item; and

providing means for non-detachably fastening said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed;

said method further comprising the steps of;

non-detachably fastening said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed; and

fastening said tag to the item to be authenticated.

9. A tag for authenticating and protecting an item, the item having a outwardly directed surface thereon, said tag comprising:

means for indicating authenticity of the item;

said means for indicating authenticity comprising a proof of authenticity, said proof of authenticity having a first side and a second side;

said first side of said proof of authenticity being disposed to face the surface of the item;

said second side of said proof of authenticity facing away from said first side;

means for being sensed by a security system;

said means for being sensed being disposed between said first side of said proof of authenticity and the surface of the item; and

means for fixedly fastening said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed such that said proof of authenticity can be removed from said means for being sensed substantially only upon destruction of at least said proof of authenticity.

10. The tag according to claim 9 wherein said proof of authenticity comprises one of:

a hologram; and

a transparent material having a surface, said surface of said transparent material comprising a plurality of cylindrical lenses each having an axis and extending parallel to one another, said transparent material further comprising at least one colored line corresponding to each of said cylindrical lenses, said at least one colored line extending parallel to the axis of its corresponding said cylindrical lens.

11. The tag according to claim 10 wherein:

said means for being sensed comprises a security element having a first side and a second side facing away from one another;

said first side of said security element being fixedly fastened to said first side of said proof of authenticity; and

said second side of said security element being fixedly fastened to the surface of the item to be protected.

12. The tag according to claim 11 further comprising:

a first adhesive and a second adhesive;

said first side of said security element being fixedly fastened to said first side of said proof of authenticity by said first adhesive; and

said second side of said security element being fixedly fastened to the surface of the item by said second adhesive.

13. The tag according to claim 12 wherein:

said proof of authenticity comprises means for essentially covering said security element and for essentially preventing detection of said security element by a potential thief;

said proof of authenticity being visually interpretable by a viewer of the item and identifying the origin of the item;

said security system comprises one of;

an electromagnetic security system and a magnetic security system; and

said tag comprises an anti-theft tag for protecting an item against theft.

14. The tag according to claim 13 wherein said means for being sensed comprises one of a) and b):

a) a magnetically soft metal strip; and

a plurality of magnetically hard metal bands disposed in spaced-apart intervals from one another and covering said magnetically soft metal strip; and

b) a backing film;

a magnetically soft thin film deposited on said backing film; and

a magnetically hard metal film disposed on said magnetically soft thin film.

15. The tag according to claim 13 wherein said means for being sensed comprises a resonant circuit.

16. The tag according to claim 13 wherein the item to be authenticated comprises a compact disc having a central opening, the central opening being circular, and further wherein:

said proof of authenticity and said security element both comprise a ring-like shape, said proof of authenticity and said security element both being disposed about the central opening of the compact disc.

17. The tag according to claim 13 wherein the item to be authenticated comprises a consumable product such as a bottle, the bottle having an exterior surface, and further wherein:

said proof of authenticity and said security element are both disposed on the exterior surface of the product.

18. A combination method of making a tag and authenticating and protecting an item with said tag, the item having a outwardly directed surface thereon, said method of making said tag comprising the steps of:

providing means for indicating authenticity of the item;

said step of providing said means for indicating authenticity of the item further comprising providing a proof of authenticity having a first side and a second side facing away from one another;

disposing said first side of said proof of authenticity to face the surface of the item;

providing means for being sensed by a security system;

disposing said means for being sensed between said first side of said means for proving authenticity and the surface of the item; and

providing means for fixedly fastening said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed;

fixedly fastening said first side of said proof of authenticity to said means for being sensed, with said means for fixedly fastening, such that said proof of authenticity can be removed from said means for being sensed substantially only upon destruction of at least said proof of authenticity; and

said method of authenticating and protecting comprising;

fixedly fastening said tag to the item to be authenticated and protected.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of providing said proof of authenticity comprises providing one of:

a hologram; and

a transparent material having a surface, said surface of said transparent material comprising a plurality of cylindrical lenses each having an axis and extending parallel to one another, said transparent material further comprising at least one colored line corresponding to each of said cylindrical lenses, said at least one colored line extending parallel to the axis of its corresponding said cylindrical lens.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising:

providing said proof of authenticity with means for essentially covering said security element and for essentially preventing detection of said security element by a potential thief;

essentially covering said security element and essentially preventing detection of said security element by a potential thief, with said means for essentially covering;

said step of providing said means for being sensed comprises providing a security element having a first side and a second side facing away from one another, said security element comprising means for being detected by one of;

an electromagnetic security system and a magnetic security system;

providing a first adhesive and a second adhesive;

fixedly fastening said first side of said security element to said first side of said proof of authenticity with said first adhesive;

fixedly fastening said second side of said security element to the surface of the item to be protected with said second adhesive;

said step of providing said means for being sensed comprises providing one of a), b) and c);

a) a magnetically soft metal strip; and

a plurality of magnetically hard metal bands disposed in spaced-apart intervals from one another and covering said magnetically soft metal strip;

b) a backing film;

a magnetically soft thin film deposited on said backing film; and

a magnetically hard metal film disposed on said magnetically soft thin film; and

c) a resonant circuit;

said step of providing said proof of authenticity comprises providing a proof of authenticity visually interpretable by a viewer of the item and identifying the origin of the item.