Method of authenticating products using analog and digital identifiers

• US 7,364,074 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Callahan, William J., He, Duanfeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/039,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/462.01, 235/462.09, 235/462.24, 235/462.34, 235/454, 235/468
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method of identifying or authenticating a product by providing an analog identification indicium including a randomized pattern of identification features on a first part of the product wherein one or more attributes of the randomized pattern of identification features correspond to an item identifier. A digital identification record is provided on a second part of the product including an encoded digital version of the item identifier, the first and second parts being separable when the product is used. The randomized pattern of identification features of the analog identification indicium is read and decoded to generate an item identifier and the digital identification record is read and decoded to generate an item identifier. The product is deemed authentic if the item identifier from the analog identification indicium substantially matches the item identifier from the digital identification record.

Claims

1. A method of identifying or authenticating a product comprising the steps of:

providing an analog identification indicium comprising a randomized pattern of identification features within an area of interest on a first part of the product, one or more attributes of the randomized pattern of identification features corresponding to an item identifier;

providing a digital identification record on a second part of the product, the digital identification record including an encoded digital version of the item identifier, the first and second parts being separable when the product is used;

reading the randomized pattern of identification features of the analog identification indicium and decoding an item identifier;

reading the digital identification record and decoding an item identifier; and

determining authenticity of the product by comparing the item identifier determined from the analog identification indicium to the item identifier determined from the digital identification record.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification features are particles that embedded in the first part of the product.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification features are particles that are imprinted on the first part of the product.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification features are readable only when illuminated with illumination of a predetermined wavelength.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more attributes of the identification features that correspond to the item identifier include the horizontal and vertical coordinates of each of the identification features with respect to a coordinate system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital identification record is a digital product identification signature encoded into a 2D bar code imprinted on the second part of the product.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the product includes a container with a label, an opening of the container, and a tamper-resistant seal overlying the opening and wherein the analog identification indicium is embedded in one of the label and the tamper-resistant seal and further wherein the digital identification record is imprinted on the other of the label and the tamper-resistant seal.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a signal indicating authenticity of the product if the product is found authentic.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining authenticity of the product includes the substep of determining if the item identifier determined from the analog identification indicium substantially corresponds to the item identifier determined from the digital identification record.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the analog identification indicium includes a plurality of identification features within a marked area of interest and the marked area includes an identification mark and an orientation mark, wherein the identification mark is visible under normal illumination.

11. A system for authenticating a product comprising:

the product including;

an analog identification indicium comprising a random pattern of identification features within an area of interest on a first part of the product, the analog identification indicium representing an item identifier; and

a digital identifier affixed to a second part of the product, the digital identifier including an encoded version of the item identifier; and

an imaging device including an imaging system for generating an image of the analog identification indicium and the digital identifier;

the imaging device further including circuitry for;

analyzing the image of the identification features and decoding an item identifier;

analyzing the image of the digital identifier and decoding an item identifier; and

comparing the item identifier determined from the analog identification indicium to the item identifier determined from the digital identifier to authenticate the product.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first and second parts of the product are separated when the product is used.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the identification features are particles that are embedded in the first part of the product.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the identification features are particles that are imprinted on the first part of the product.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the identification features are readable only when illuminated with illumination of a predetermined wavelength.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more attributes of the identification features that correspond to the item identifier include the horizontal and vertical coordinates of each of the identification features with respect to a coordinate system, wherein the coordinate system is based on a border of the analog identification indicium.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the digital identifier is a digital identification record encoded into a 2D bar code imprinted on the second part of the product.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the product includes a container with a label, an opening of the container, and a tamper-resistant seal overlying the opening and wherein the analog identification indicium is embedded in one of the label and the tamper-resistant seal and further wherein the digital identification record is imprinted on the other of the label and the tamper-resistant seal.

19. The system of claim 11 further including the step of providing a signal indicating authenticity of the product if the product is found authentic.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein determining authenticity of the product includes determining if the item identifier determined from the analog identification indicia substantially corresponds to the item identifier determined from the digital identifier.

21. The system of claim 11 wherein the analog identification indicium includes a plurality of identification features within a marked area of interest and the marked area includes an identification mark and an orientation mark, wherein the identification mark is visible under normal illumination.

22. A method of identifying or authenticating a product comprising the steps of:

providing an analog identification indicium comprising a randomized pattern of identification features within an area of interest on a first part of the product, one or more attributes of the randomized pattern of identification features corresponding to an item identifier;

providing a digital identifier on a second part of the product, the digital identification record including an encoded digital version of the item identifier;

reading the randomized pattern of identification features of the analog identification indicium and decoding an item identifier;

reading the digital identifier and decoding an item identifier; and

determining authenticity of the product by comparing the item identifier determined from the analog identification indicium to the item identifier determined from the digital identifier.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first and second parts of the product are separable when the product is used.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the digital identifier comprises a digital identification record encoded in a 2D bar code.