Portable product authentication device
First Claim
1. A portable system for determining the authenticity of a sample, the system comprising:
- a portable product authentication device comprising;
a base unit;
a probe assembly coupled to said base unit, with said probe assembly having a light source for irradiating the sample product to be authenticated with a predetermined wavelength of light;
an optical detector for detecting at least one emitted wavelength of light generated by the sample product in response to the irradiating wavelength of light to provide a sample characteristic; and
, a controller disposed within said base unit and communicating with said probe assembly, said controller comparing said sample characteristic to a fingerprint, wherein said fingerprint comprises at least light emission intensity or intensity decay from at least one light-emissive compound in combination with a standard product; and
a chip adapted to receive the sample product and carry the sample product to said portable product authentication device for subsequent authentication, wherein said chip comprises;
a substrate, and a plurality of different isolated light-emissive compounds attached to a surface of said substrate in a manner whereby the light-emissive compounds will interact with interaction partners, such interaction altering light emission from said light-emissive compounds versus light emission from said light-emissive compounds absent said interaction, wherein the isolated light-emissive compounds are present in the absence of admixture with other substances, wherein each of said different light-emissive compounds is attached at a location discrete from attachment of all other of said different light-emissive compounds, and wherein said substrate is free of interference with light emission from said light-emissive compound in the presence of said interaction and in the absence of said interaction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable product authentication device and method for analyzing key ingredients and the relative amounts of key ingredients in products which in turn enables authentication and monitoring products for authenticity, fraud and quality control is disclosed. Particular light-emissive compounds can be used to identify and quantitate the relative levels of key ingredients in the products. The invention includes a probe assembly for providing a source of light to irradiate a sample product, an optical detector to detect emitted light from the irradiated product and a controller to determine the authenticity or quality of the sample product by comparing the emitted light to a standard. A small sample of the product to be authenticated is tested on site (e.g., at the point of manufacture or at the point of distribution) thereby giving immediate feedback as to its authenticity or quality. The sample, together with the light-emissive compound may be placed on a chip. The chip, together with the small amount of sample is placed in the probe assembly.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A portable system for determining the authenticity of a sample, the system comprising:
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a portable product authentication device comprising;
a base unit;
a probe assembly coupled to said base unit, with said probe assembly having a light source for irradiating the sample product to be authenticated with a predetermined wavelength of light;
an optical detector for detecting at least one emitted wavelength of light generated by the sample product in response to the irradiating wavelength of light to provide a sample characteristic; and
,a controller disposed within said base unit and communicating with said probe assembly, said controller comparing said sample characteristic to a fingerprint, wherein said fingerprint comprises at least light emission intensity or intensity decay from at least one light-emissive compound in combination with a standard product; and
a chip adapted to receive the sample product and carry the sample product to said portable product authentication device for subsequent authentication, wherein said chip comprises;
a substrate, and a plurality of different isolated light-emissive compounds attached to a surface of said substrate in a manner whereby the light-emissive compounds will interact with interaction partners, such interaction altering light emission from said light-emissive compounds versus light emission from said light-emissive compounds absent said interaction, wherein the isolated light-emissive compounds are present in the absence of admixture with other substances, wherein each of said different light-emissive compounds is attached at a location discrete from attachment of all other of said different light-emissive compounds, and wherein said substrate is free of interference with light emission from said light-emissive compound in the presence of said interaction and in the absence of said interaction. - 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, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A portable system for determining the authenticity of a sample product, the system comprising:
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a hand-held probe assembly for detecting a characteristic of the sample product to be authenticated, with said probe assembly comprising;
a probe body;
a light source disposed in said probe body for irradiating the sample product with a predetermined wavelength of light; and
,an optical detector disposed in said probe body for detecting at least one emitted wavelength of light generated by the sample product in response to the irradiating wavelength of light to provide a sample characteristic, wherein said sample characteristic comprises at least light emission intensity or intensity decay from at least one light-emissive compound in combination with the sample product; and
a chip adapted to receive the sample product and carry the sample product to said probe assembly for subsequent authentication, wherein said chip comprises;
a substrate, and a plurality of isolated different light-emissive compounds attached to a surface of said substrate in a manner whereby the light-emissive compounds will interact with interaction partners, such interaction altering light emission from said light-emissive compounds versus light emission from said light-emissive compounds absent said interaction, wherein the isolated light-emissive compounds are present in the absence of admixture with other substances, wherein each of said different light-emissive compounds is attached at a location discrete from attachment of all other of said different light-emissive compounds, and wherein said substrate is free of interference with light emission from said light-emissive compound in the presence of said interaction and in the absence of said interaction. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A portable system for determining the authenticity of a sample product, the system comprising:
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a portable product authentication device comprising;
a base unit;
a probe assembly for detecting a characteristic of the sample product to be authenticated, said probe assembly contained within said base unit, said probe assembly comprising;
a light source for irradiating the sample product with a predetermined wavelength of light; and
,an optical detector for detecting at least one emitted wavelength of light generated by the sample product in response to the irradiating wavelength of light to provide a sample characteristic; and
a controller disposed within said base unit and communicating with said probe assembly, said controller comparing said sample characteristic to a fingerprint, wherein said fingerprint comprises at least light emission intensity or intensity decay from at least one light-emissive compound in combination with a standard product; and
a chip adapted to receive the sample product and carry the sample product to said portable product authentication device for subsequent authentication, wherein said chip comprises;
a substrate, and a plurality of isolated different light-emissive compounds attached to a surface of said substrate in a manner whereby the light-emissive compounds will interact with interaction partners, such interaction altering light emission from said light-emissive compounds versus light emission from said light-emissive compounds absent said interaction, wherein the isolated light-emissive compounds are present in the absence of admixture with other substances, wherein each of said different light-emissive compounds is attached at a location discrete from attachment of all other of said different light-emissive compounds, and wherein said substrate is free of interference with light emission from said light-emissive compound in the presence of said interaction and in the absence of said interaction. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification