Method and apparatus for detecting and preventing counterfeiting
First Claim
1. A method for determining if an article is genuine, comprising the steps of:
- forming on the article a first layer, the first layer having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder;
forming a second layer over the outer surface of the first layer, the second laver having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder, wherein the second layer is substantially semi-translucent;
measuring with a probe optical reflection properties of the outer surface of at least one of the first and second layers;
measuring with the probe optical properties of the bulk material of at least one of the first and second layers;
recording the measured optical properties and the measured optical reflection properties; and
determining if the article is genuine by subsequently measuring optical reflection properties and optical properties of the article and comparing the subsequently measured optical reflection properties and optical properties with the recorded optical reflection properties and optical properties.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of an object are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface of the object being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the perimeter receiver fiber optics to determine information regarding the height and angle of the probe with respect to the object being measured. Under processor control, the optical characteristics measurement may be made at a predetermined height and angle. Various color spectral photometer arrangements are disclosed. Translucency, fluorescence, gloss and/or surface texture data also may be obtained. Audio feedback may be provided to guide operator use of the system. The probe may have a removable or shielded tip for contamination prevention. A method of producing prostheses based on measured data also is disclosed. Measured data also may be stored and/or organized as part of a data base. Such methods and implements are desirably utilized for purposes of detecting and preventing counterfeiting or the like.
138 Citations
86 Claims
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1. A method for determining if an article is genuine, comprising the steps of:
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forming on the article a first layer, the first layer having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder; forming a second layer over the outer surface of the first layer, the second laver having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder, wherein the second layer is substantially semi-translucent; measuring with a probe optical reflection properties of the outer surface of at least one of the first and second layers; measuring with the probe optical properties of the bulk material of at least one of the first and second layers; recording the measured optical properties and the measured optical reflection properties; and determining if the article is genuine by subsequently measuring optical reflection properties and optical properties of the article and comparing the subsequently measured optical reflection properties and optical properties with the recorded optical reflection properties and optical properties. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for determining if an article is genuine, comprising the steps of:
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forming on the article a first layer and a subsurface pattern, the first layer having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder; forming a second layer over the first layer, wherein the second layer is substantially semi-translucent, the second layer having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder; measuring with a probe optical reflection properties of the outer surface of at least one of the first and second layers and/or measuring optical properties of the bulk material of at least one of the first and second layers; measuring with the probe the subsurface pattern; recording the measured optical properties and subsurface pattern; determining if the article is genuine by subsequently measuring optical reflection properties and/or optical properties of the article and the subsurface pattern and comparing the measured optical reflection properties and/or optical properties and subsurface pattern with the recorded optical reflection properties and/or optical properties and subsurface pattern. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method for determining if an article is genuine, comprising the steps of:
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forming on the article a first layer with a geometric pattern, the first layer having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder; forming a second layer over the first layer, wherein the second layer is substantially semi-translucent, the second layer having an outer surface and bulk material thereunder; measuring with a probe optical reflection properties of the outer surface of at least one of the first and second layers and/or measuring optical properties of the bulk material of at least one of the first and second layers; measuring with the probe the geometric pattern; recording the measured optical reflection properties and/or optical properties and geometric pattern; determining if the article is genuine by subsequently measuring optical reflection properties and/or optical properties of the article and the geometric pattern and comparing the subsequently measured optical reflection properties and/or optical properties and geometric pattern with the recorded optical reflection properties and/or optical properties and geometric pattern. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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Specification