Marking and authenticating articles

• US 7,220,535 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spectra Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Spectra Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Conroy, Jeffrey L., Lawandy, Nabil M., Zepp, Charles M., Afzal, Robert S., Berube, Allison, Smuk, Andrei
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea; Thorl
• Application Number:
  US10/165,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20030012562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 430/17, 430/18, 430/24, 430/292, 430/336, 430/334, 430/339, 430/321, 430/333, 386/126, 427/110, 427/168, 106/31.01, 106/31.15, 347/225, 428/64.4, 428/66.5, 235/454, 235/469, 235/462.12, 235/468, 283/72, 283/85, 283/91, 283/95
• US Class Current: 430/336
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/003 on optical devices, e.g. lens elements; for the production of optical devices production by thermal imaging means B41M5/265
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/10 Watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/14 Security printing securities B42D25/29
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/144 using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/02 Nature of the markings
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/333 Watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/382 absorbing or reflecting infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/387 absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00173 wherein the origin of the content is checked, e.g. determining whether the content has originally been retrieved from a legal disc copy or another trusted source
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0026 the key being stored as a barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00289 wherein the key is stored as a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00557 wherein further management data is encrypted, e.g. sector headers, TOC or the lead-in or lead-out areas
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00608 wherein the material that the record carrier is made of is altered, e.g. adding reactive dyes that alter the optical properties of a disc after prolonged exposure to light or air
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00876 wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 : involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00905 : multiple watermarks used in combination
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0042 : with provision for auxiliary features sensing such features G11B17/00, G11B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/281 : by changing the physical properties of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/284 : on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/30 : with provision for auxiliary signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/38 : Visual features other than those contained in record tracks or represented by sprocket holes the visual signals being auxiliary signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/40 : Identifying or analogous means applied to or incorporated in the record carrier and not intended for visual display simultaneously with the playing-back of the record carrier, e.g. label, leader, photograph
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/00736 : Auxiliary data, e.g. lead-in, lead-out, Power Calibration Area [PCA], Burst Cutting Area [BCA], control information sector headers or adresses in prepits G11B7/00745; address data in track wobble G11B7/24082
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/244 : comprising organic materials only
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/246 : containing dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/247 : methine or polymethine dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/249 : containing organometallic compounds G11B7/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/252 : of layers other than recording layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/254 : of protective topcoat layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for providing markings upon objects, including the read side of an optical information media, where the markings do not substantially interfere with object, including the use of the optical information media. This invention discloses use of a coating, marking schemes, printing of markings with UV light, as well as methods and apparatus for reading and deciphering said marking. Included is an authentication scheme, where the marking may be used as a lock to limit access to information contained in an optical information media.

Claims

1. A method to apply an information bearing marking to an optical media, said method comprising:

applying a coating to at least a portion of a surface of said optical media, said coating comprising at least one material sensitive to UV light, wherein said coating comprises at least one of a laser dye, a fluorescent dye, a metal chelate, an organic phosphor, and an inorganic phosphor;

creating an image of an information bearing marking using a convention for representation of information; and

photobleaching the coating to by exposing the coating to the UV light in a pattern derived from said image to reproduce said information bearing marking upon said optical media, wherein said photobleaching comprises photobleaching the at least one of a laser dye, a fluorescent dye, a metal chelate, an organic phosphor, and an inorganic phosphor.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said coating is applied to a readout side of said optical media.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said coating is applied to a non-readout side of said optical media.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said exposing comprises use of at least one of a laser, a positive photomask, and a negative photomask.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said optical media comprises at least one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein readout wavelengths for said optical media comprise wavelengths of at least one of about 400 nm, about 440 nm, about 630 nm, about 650 nm and about 780 nm.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said coating is applied through means comprising at least one of printing, spraying, rolling, spin coating and painting.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said convention comprises at least one of text, alphanumeric characters, graphic information, a logo, a data code symbology, and a digital watermark.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the content of said information bearing marking comprises content relating to at least one of identification, authentication, instruction, advertising, branding and promotion.

10. A method to apply a visible information bearing marking to the readout side of an optical media, the method comprising:

applying a coating comprising a color former and a photo-acid generator to the readout side of said optical media, the coating comprising at least one UV photosensitive material; and

exposing said coating disposed upon said readout side to UV light in a pattern derived from an image comprising said information bearing marking,

wherein said exposure of said coating disposed upon said readout side to the UV light induces visible changes in said coating to produce said visible information bearing marking upon said readout side.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein exposing comprises use of at least one of a laser, a positive photomask, and a negative photomask.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein said optical media comprises at least one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc.

13. A method as in claim 10, wherein said coating is applied through at least one of printing, spraying, rolling, spin coating and painting.

14. A method as in claim 10, wherein inducing visible changes comprises photobleaching a material contained within the coating.

15. A method as in claim 10, wherein said information bearing marking comprises at least one of text, alphanumeric characters, graphic information, a logo, a data code symbology, and a digital watermark.

16. A method as in claim 10, wherein said information bearing marking comprises content relating to at least one of identification, authentication, instruction, advertising, branding and promotion.

17. A method to apply an information bearing marking to an optical media, said method comprising:

applying a coating comprising a color former, a photo-acid generator, a diacrylate, and a photoinitiator to at least a portion of a surface of said optical media;

creating an image of an information bearing marking using a convention for representation of information; and

exposing the coating to a UV light in a pattern derived from said image, wherein said coating is modified by said exposure to the UV light to reproduce said information bearing marking upon said optical media.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said color-former develops color comprising at least one of red, green, black and yellow.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said photo-acid generator comprises at least one of (tert-butoxycarbonylmethoxynapthyl) diphenyl sulfonium triflate, (4-phenoxyphenyl) diphenyl sulfonium triflate and (4-tert-butylphenyl) diphenyl sulfonium triflate.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said diacrylate comprises 1,6 hexanediol diacrylate.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said photo-initiator comprises a blend of phosphine oxide, alpha-hydroxy ketone and a benzophenone derivative.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said coating is applied to the readout side of the optical media.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said coating is applied to the non-readout side of the optical media.

24. A method to apply an information bearing marking to the readout side of an optical media, said method comprising:

applying a coating to at least a portion of said readout surface of said optical media, said coating comprising at least one material having UV photosensitive properties, wherein said coating comprises at least one of a laser dye, a fluorescent dye, a metal chelate, an organic phosphor, and an inorganic phosphor;

creating an image of an information bearing marking using a convention for representation of information, the image comprising at least one digital watermark; and

photobleaching the coating to by exposing the coating to the UV light in a pattern derived from said image to reproduce said information bearing marking upon said readout surface, wherein said photobleaching comprises photobleaching the at least one of a laser dye, a fluorescent dye, a metal chelate, an organic phosphor, and an inorganic phosphor.

25. A method as in claim 24, wherein said exposing comprises use of at least one of a laser, a positive photomask, and a negative photomask.

26. A method as in claim 24, wherein said optical media comprises at least one of a compact disc and a digital versatile disc.

27. A method as in claim 24, wherein readout wavelengths for said optical media comprise wavelengths of at least one of about 400 nm, about 440 nm, about 630 nm, about 650 nm and about 780 nm.

28. A method as in claim 24, wherein said coating is applied by at least one of printing, spraying, rolling, spin coating and painting.

29. A method as in claim 24, wherein said convention comprises at least one of text, alphanumeric characters, graphic information, a logo, and a data code symbology.

30. A method as in claim 24, wherein a content of said information bearing marking comprises content relating to at least one of identification, authentication, instruction, advertising, branding and promotion.