Hidden tag for providing information about associated goods and services

• US 8,459,566 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jennifer H. Hamilton
• Original Assignee: Jennifer H. Hamilton
• Inventors: Hamilton, Jennifer H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US12/855,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20110036915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 235/454, 235/491, 235/487, 235/375, 235/457, 283/72, 283/81, 283/101, 283/113
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for creating and utilizing hidden tags on goods, associated labels and/or associated promotional materials related to such goods or to certain services that are only visible through the use of a viewing device.

Claims

1. A method for educating consumers about product characteristics or purchasing decisions, the method comprising:

developing a tagging system that includes different tags representative of different characteristics of goods or services, where each tag in the tagging system represents a different characteristic of goods or services in a common category of characteristics;

creating at least one tag in the tagging system as hidden image that is only clearly visible through the user of a visual aid device; and

placing the tag on a consumer product in a manner that allows the hidden image to be visible through the use of the visual aid device without requiring the removal of the tag from the product.

2. The method of claim 1 where the common category is related to food ingredients.

3. The method of claim 1 where the common category is related to the environment.

4. The method of claim 1 where the common category is related to consumer health.

5. Product packaging including a hidden image that is only clearly visible through a visual aid devise, where the hidden image is a symbol that represents a characteristic of the product for which the packaging is associated, where such characteristic identifies information about the inclusion or exclusion of a specific product attribute and where the hidden image is visible through the use of the visual aid without requiring the removal of the product packaging from the product.

6. The method of claim 5 where the product attribute is related to food ingredients.

7. The method of claim 5 where the product attribute is related to the environment.

8. The method of claim 5 where the product attribute is related to consumer health.