System for verifying an item in a package

• US 9,430,771 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TruTag Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TruTag Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Learmonth, Timothy, O'Neill, Michael P., Pearson, Peter, Zhou, Ting
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/629,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20150178738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/492
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 79/02 Arrangements or devices for indicating incorrect storage or transport B65D79/005 takes precedence ; measuring devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0614 the marking being selective to wavelength, e.g. color barcode or barcodes only visible under UV or IR methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers using a selected wavelength, see G06K7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud

Abstract

A system verifying an item in a package comprises a package producer and a verifier. The package producer produces a package with a label, wherein the package includes an item each with one or more selected tag identifiers that are placed in a location on the item. The verifier verifies the item using 1) the one or more selected tag identifiers as detected using a spectral measurement or 2) a location or a shape of the one or more selected tag identifiers on the item, and 3) the label as read using a label reader.

Claims

1. A system for verifying an item of a type, comprising:

an identifier adder, wherein the identifier adder adds an associated two or more selected tag identifiers to an item of a type, the two or more selected tag identifiers having an optical signature based at least in part on a spectral measurement of a first tag of the two or more selected tag identifiers and a spectral measurement of a second tag of the two or more selected tag identifiers; and

a verifier, wherein the verifier detects spectral measurements of at least two tag identifiers of a first item, determines an optical signature of the at least two tag identifiers based at least in part on the detected spectral measurements, and verifies the first item as an item of the type in the event that the determined optical signature corresponds to the optical signature of the two or more selected tag identifiers.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers are placed in a pattern.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers are placed in a bar code.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers form a shape.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers comprise silica.

16. A system as in claim 1, wherein the verifier also detects a location, a pattern, or a shape of the at least two tag identifiers on the first item, and determines the optical signature of the at least two tag identifiers based at least in part on the detected location, pattern, or shape.

17. A system as in claim 1, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers measure a number of reflectance peaks.

18. A system as in claim 1, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers measure an amplitude of reflectance peaks.

19. A system as in claim 1, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers measure a phase of reflectance peaks.

20. A system as in claim 1, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers enable the decoding of a number.

6. A system for verifying an item, comprising:

an identifier adder, wherein the identifier adder adds an associated two or more selected tag identifiers to an item, the two or more selected tag identifiers having an optical signature based at least in part on a spectral measurement of a first tag of the two or more selected tag identifiers and a spectral measurement of a second tag of the two or more selected tag identifiers; and

a verifier, wherein the verifier detects spectral measurements of at least two tag identifiers of a first item, determines an optical signature of the at least two tag identifiers based at least in part on the detected spectral measurements, and verifies the first item as the item in the event that the determined optical signature corresponds to the optical signature of the two or more selected tag identifiers.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein the verifier also detects a location, a pattern, or a shape of the at least two tag identifiers on the first item, and determines the optical signature of the at least two tag identifiers based at least in part on the detected location, pattern, or shape.

8. A system as in claim 6, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers measure a number of reflectance peaks.

9. A system as in claim 6, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers measure an amplitude of reflectance peaks.

10. A system as in claim 6, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers measure a phase of reflectance peaks.

11. A system as in claim 6, wherein the spectral measurements of the first tag, the second tag, and the at least two tag identifiers enable the decoding of a number.

12. A system as in claim 6, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers comprise silica.

13. A system as in claim 6, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers are placed in a pattern.

14. A system as in claim 6, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers are placed in a bar code.

15. A system as in claim 6, wherein the associated two or more selected tag identifiers form a shape.