Item carrying at least two data storage elements

• US 7,798,403 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sicpa Holding SA
• Original Assignee: Sicpa Holding SA
• Inventors: Rozumek, Olivier, Tiller, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech; Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US11/570,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,938 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/494, 235/381, 235/380, 235/375, 235/383, 235/451
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06225 using wavelength selection, e.g. colour code
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/001 Concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make covert systems

Abstract

An item according to the invention comprises at least two data storage elements such as e.g. an RFID transponder 2 and a barcode 5, wherein the latter is non-visible for the unaided human eye and comprises coded information. The invention allows for a backup of information between the two data storage elements, in order to prevent inadvertent or malicious data loss. Further aspects of the invention are related to the interdependent or the cooperative use of both storage elements in the framework of a product security tracking and tracing scheme.

Claims

1. A consumer good carrying at least two data storage elements, wherein a first data storage element is an RFID transponder (2) and a second data storage element is a printed code (5) which is at least partially non-visible to the unaided human eye, and wherein the second data storage element is provided directly on the consumer good, wherein the first data storage element and the second data storage element are placed on the consumer good at physically distinct locations to avoid that malicious or accidental damage simultaneously hurts both data storage elements.

2. A consumer good according to claim 1, wherein the printed code (5) is applied by a method selected from the group consisting of inkjet printing, thermal printing and toner printing.

3. A consumer good according to claim 1, wherein the first data storage element is provided on the consumer good via an adhesive label.

4. A consumer good according to claim 3, wherein the first data storage element is provided on the backside of an adhesive label.

5. A consumer good according to claim 1, wherein said consumer good additionally carries a security marking (6), wherein said security marking (6) serves as an authenticity identifier of said consumer good.

6. A consumer good according to claim 5, wherein said security marking serves as an authenticity identifier of said consumer good independently from said first and said second data storage element.

7. A consumer good according to claim 1, wherein the second data storage element comprises an IR- or UV-active dye, preferably chosen from the group consisting of polymethines, cyanines, phenoxazines, phtalo- and naphthalocyanines, terylenes, coumarines, triarylmethanes, squarylium and croconium derivatives, and rare earth complexes.

8. A consumer good according to claim 1, wherein the second data storage element is or comprises a 1D- or 2D-code.

9. A consumer good according to claim 1, wherein said second data storage element serves as a backup storage means for information contained in said first data storage element attached to said consumer good.

10. A consumer good according to claim 9, wherein said first and second data storage elements are an RFID transponder (2) and a printed code (5), respectively.

11. Process of applying coded information onto a consumer good comprising the steps of:

at least partially reading out information contained in a first data storage element, being an RFID transponder which is attached to the consumer good; and

based on the read out information, triggering the application of a second data storage element onto said consumer good, preferably addressing a printer to apply coded information, onto said consumer good, physically separate from the RFID transponder.

12. Process according to claim 11, wherein the second data storage element applied to the consumer good at least partially comprises information that is already contained in the first data storage element.

13. Process of determining non-authorized manipulations of information contained in a first data storage element being an RFID transponder, which is attached to a consumer good, said process comprising the steps of:

determining a verifier of at least a part of the information contained in said first data storage element;

applying a second data storage element onto said consumer good, containing an indication of said verifier; and

checking for manipulations of the information contained in said first data storage element, by comparing the verifier determined directly from the first data storage element with the indication of the verifier, contained in the second data storage element.