Encoding scheme for articles
First Claim
1. A method of decoding the code located on an article which comprises (i) irradiating said article with a primary beam composed of x-rays to locate a first material contained at an unknown predetermined position on said article, said first material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said first material having a predetermined size of area of deposition on said article, and said first material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, (ii) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths and intensity or intensities thereof for said first material, said wavelengths and said intensities being a predetermined coded indication of the location of a second material positioned on said article in or at a predetermined position (iii) irradiating the predetermined position on said article where said second material is located with a primary beam composed of x-rays, said second material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said second material having a predetermined size of area of deposition on said article, and said second material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, and (iv) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths and intensity or intensities thereof for said second material, said wavelengths and intensities being a predetermined identification or vertication code.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scheme for encoding an article involves marking the article with a first material of at least one element, at least one compound of at least one element or a mixture located at a predetermined position on the article. The article is also marked with a second material of at least one element or a mixture thereof located at a predetermined position on the article. The first and second materials each have the property of emitting x-rays when subjected to a primary source of electromagnetic radiation of appropriate wavelength. The emission wavelength/wavelengths, and intensity/intensities for the first material are a predetermined, coded indication of the location of the second material. The emission wavelength/wavelengths and intensity/intensities of the second material are a predetermined identification or verification code for the article.
47 Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A method of decoding the code located on an article which comprises (i) irradiating said article with a primary beam composed of x-rays to locate a first material contained at an unknown predetermined position on said article, said first material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said first material having a predetermined size of area of deposition on said article, and said first material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, (ii) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths and intensity or intensities thereof for said first material, said wavelengths and said intensities being a predetermined coded indication of the location of a second material positioned on said article in or at a predetermined position (iii) irradiating the predetermined position on said article where said second material is located with a primary beam composed of x-rays, said second material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said second material having a predetermined size of area of deposition on said article, and said second material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, and (iv) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths and intensity or intensities thereof for said second material, said wavelengths and intensities being a predetermined identification or vertication code.
- 3. A method of decoding the code located on an article which comprises (i) irradiating said article with a primary beam composed of x-rays to locate a first material contained at an unknown predetermined position on said article, said first material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said first material having a predetermined position in a real or theoretical grid on said article, and said first material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, (ii) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths thereof for said first material, said wavelengths being a predetermined coded indication of the location of said grid positioned on said article, (iii) irradiating the grid positioned on said article where at least one other material is located with a primary beam composed of x-rays, said other material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said other material having a predetermined position in said grid, and said second material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, and (iv) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths, said wavelengths being a predetermined identification or verification code.
- 5. A method of decoding the code located on an article which comprises (i) irradiating a known predetermined position on said article which has a first material located thereon, said first material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said first material having a predetermined size of area of deposition on said article, and said first material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, (ii) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths and intensity or intensities thereof for said first material, said wavelengths and said intensities being a predetermined coded indication of the location of a second material positioned on said article in or at a predetermined position, (iii) irradiating the predetermined position on said article where said second material is located with a primary beam composed of x-rays, said second material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said second material having a predetermined size of area of deposition on said article, and said second material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, and (iv) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths and intensity or intensities thereof for said second material, said wavelengths and intensities being a predetermined identification or verification code.
- 7. A method of decoding the code located on an article which comprises (i) irradiating a known predetermined position on said article which has a first material located thereon, said first material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said first material having a predetermined position in a real or theoretical grid on said article, and said first material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, (ii) detecting said emitted fluorescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths thereof for said first material, said wavelengths being a predetermined coded indication of the location of said grid positioned on said article, (iii) irradiating the grid positioned on said article where at least one other material is located with a primary beam composed of x-rays, said other material containing a member of the class consisting of at least one element, at least one compound and a mixture thereof, said other material having a predetermined position in said grid, and said second material having the property of emitting fluorescence x-rays when subjected to x-rays, and (iv) detecting said emitted fluroescence x-rays by means of a detector which detects and measures the wavelength or wavelengths, said wavelengths being a predetermined identification or verification code.
Specification