HK1146840A - Security imaging system - Google Patents

Description

Secure imaging system

The application is a divisional application with the application date of 2003, 5 and 20, and the Chinese patent application number of 03811521.2, and the invention name of the divisional application is 'safety imaging system'.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a system for authenticating a product based on measuring an expected change in absorption, reflection, or emission of an authentication material caused by an authentic product or physical characteristic of the product packaging. More particularly, the present invention provides a system for authenticating a product based on an expected differential effect of absorption, reflection, or emission of a plurality of authentication materials when the absorption, reflection, and/or emission of the authentication materials are measured. Such systems may employ multiple authentication materials applied to the back of a product label to generate a fingerprint when measuring the absorption, reflection and/or emission of the various authentication materials on a portion of the product or product packaging.

Background

U.S. patent No.5,735,511 discloses an automated method of developing a database to store fingerprint-type analysis information. Measuring the effect of the interaction of the luminescent material with other components in the product, such as neutral alcohol, vodka, tequila, soft drinks and infant formula, can be used to identify authentic products. Fingerprints are due to the intensity of luminescence resulting from the combination of a luminescent compound with a liquid sample of the product, which can be used to identify the product (col.4, ln.23-29). This document describes a method for determining the relative amounts of the main components in a product by exposing the product to selected luminescent compounds present in the luminescent compounds. Bandpass and cutoff filters are used to isolate the excitation wavelength from the emission spectrum formed by the light emission of the sample.

U.S. patent No.6,232,124B1 similarly discloses a method of measuring the light emission formed by the interaction of a luminescent material with a principal component in a product to identify the product. This patent teaches a method for determining the correlation of a sample with an authentic material or at least one selected characteristic of an authentic material, which requires combining the sample with at least one luminescent compound to form a sample mixture and irradiating the mixture to form a fingerprint.

Systems such as those described in U.S. patent nos. 5,735,511 and 6,232,124 allow products, e.g., water, beverages, and liquid pharmaceuticals, to be fingerprinted using dyes, such as fluorescent dyes, to determine authenticity, wherein a test article is compared to an authentic product. However, for comparison, the sample must be transported to a suitably configured laboratory. The field test set forth in commonly assigned U.S. patent Application No.09/428,704 may be accomplished by placing fluorescent dyes on the microchip. Microchips can be placed in products and compared to the original in the field for authenticity testing. This method improves the portability of the authenticity test.

Commonly assigned U.S. patent Application No.09/556,280 proposes a method of tracking the source of containers and/or authenticating containers in which an emission detection device and a printer are utilized to print security dyes onto the labels of products. Dyes used to mark containers provide a security feature that can be used to determine the authenticity and manufacturing unit (track and trace) of a product. However, such a system is not very intelligent, as the practitioner can remove the mark.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved method for facilitating fingerprint printing of portable products.

Definition of

"authentication material" refers to a material used to authenticate, identify or mark a product. Among other physical properties, the authentication material may exhibit different absorption, reflection, or emission upon exposure to an excitation source.

The "emission pattern" may include, but is not limited to, emission intensity and time of relative emission. Analysis of the emission intensity and time of the relative emission can be performed according to the methods described herein and known to those skilled in the art. Other emission properties (e.g., emission half-life, emission decay characteristics) that can be measured by a skilled artisan are also encompassed by the term "emission mode".

"fingerprint" means a data set of absorption, reflection, or emission intensities formed by the combination of an authentication material and a product that adheres to or blends into the product when measured through a particular medium, including the medium surrounding the product, e.g., its container. Thus, the same product in different translucent containers, different products in the same translucent container, and different products in different translucent containers may all have different fingerprints with respect to one or more authentication materials. "fingerprint pattern" is a collection of various fingerprints.

"light-absorbing compound": a compound that absorbs light in response to light irradiation. The light absorption may be the result of any chemical reaction well known to the skilled person.

"optically variable material": a material that absorbs, reflects, emits, or otherwise alters electromagnetic radiation incident upon the material. "light-variable compounds" include, but are not limited to, "light-sensitive", "light-emitting" and "light-absorbing" compounds as defined below.

"luminescent materials" are compounds and other materials that form light emission in response to illumination with different wavelengths of light. The light emission of interest can be the result of phosphorescence, chemiluminescence, or fluorescence or polarized fluorescence. "luminescent compounds" include materials that have one or more of the following properties: 1) they are fluorescent, phosphorescent, or luminescent; 2) interacting with the sample or the standard or both to produce at least one fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent compound; or 3) interacting with at least one fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent compound in the sample, the standard or both to alter the emission at the emission wavelength. The emission wavelength may be any detectable wavelength including: visible light, infrared light (including near infrared light), and ultraviolet light. The light used herein may have any wavelength. Luminescent compounds also include compounds that interact with components in a reference or sample to alter the scattering or emission wavelength of raman scattering. The raman effect occurs as a result of the interaction of light from an intense light source (typically a laser) with the material. Most of the light is absorbed or scattered without wavelength change, but some is scattered into other wavelengths (raman scattering).

"photosensitive material": a material capable of being excited upon exposure to one or more wavelengths so as to change in a physically measurable manner.

In the remainder of the disclosure, it will be understood that we also employ the terms defined above, whether or not such terms are referred to by initials.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a system for authenticating a product based on measuring the expected change in absorption, reflection, or emission of an authentication material caused by the physical characteristics of the authentic product or product packaging. More particularly, the present invention provides a system for authenticating products based on the expected differential effect of absorption, reflection, or emission of various authentication materials when measuring the absorption, reflection, and/or emission of the materials.

In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of authentication materials, preferably light sensitive materials, preferably light variable materials, preferably light absorbing, light reflecting, or light emitting materials, are applied to the back of the product label to form the fingerprint. Preferably, a plurality of such materials are applied to the back of the label, thereby allowing multiple evaluations of absorption, emission, etc. effects at the same time. Preferably, the label is placed on the side of the product to which it is applied. Preferably, the authentication material is one that possesses or exhibits (e.g., emission of a wavelength of light) at least one property that is measurable from the non-back side of the label. Preferably, the authentication material has a property (e.g., emission intensity) that is detectable by the product and/or product container. When the label is applied to a product container, it is preferred that the container have a structure (e.g., translucent) that does not interfere with the excitation wavelength incident on the authentication material and, as such, does not interfere with the readout of the authentication material properties through the container. Likewise, any change in the nature of the authentication material can be read by the product, and in a preferred embodiment, such reading by the container is related to the product in the container. The skilled person will appreciate that it is preferable to select a product, a product container and a particular authentication material, allowing the authentication material to be activated from outside the product container and allowing the response of the authentication material to be measured from outside the product container.

A preferred label may include a variety of authentication materials, such as luminescent materials, on its back side (typically the portion that comes into contact with the product or container holding the product). For example, the label may be marked on the back side, as shown below, with 9 different authentication materials showing near infrared activation.

The label may be placed on a bottle containing a product, for example, a bottle containing cola or alcohol. A light source capable of exciting one or more authentication materials may be used. Preferably, multiple dyes can be excited by a light source, and thus multiple changes in the authentication material can be recorded, so that relative values, e.g., relative fluorescence units, can be obtained. An apparatus capable of emitting an excitation source and receiving any response transmission, e.g., fluorescence enhancement, has the advantage of easy detection of authenticity. The relative fluorescence units or the like determined by the product serve as product authenticity, the product itself, and/or the fingerprint of the container, which generally affects such readings. Software may be used to identify preselected patterns, while statistical software may be used to calculate when a product is not authentic. The transmission and readout functions may be contained in a single device, such as Verigard 300.

The present invention thus allows the technology of portable product fingerprinting to be transferred to the inside of the label. The label can then be applied to the side of the product. Multiple authentication materials are preferred, for example, infrared dyes, because they allow transmission of the emissive array through the product.

When using authentication materials, e.g., using luminescent authentication materials, the detected pattern, e.g., luminescence pattern, can be used to determine several factors: (1) determining a serial number of a container source; (2) whether the container is authentic; (3) whether the content is authentic; (4) if the contents of a beverage, water sample, or pharmaceutical are imaged prior to purchase or consumption, this can be a measure of safety. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention make significant advances in the areas of product tracking, authenticity, and consumer security.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows 9 identification dyes applied to the back of the label;

FIG. 2 shows a bottle having an identification label with a change in the identification dye of FIG. 1 read on the front side of the label;

FIG. 3 shows a bottle having an identification label of the present invention, the identification operation being a reading of a change in the identification dye through the wall of the bottle;

FIG. 4 shows a bottle having an identification label of the present invention, the identification operation being by the bottle wall and by the product reading of the change in the identification dye;

FIG. 5 is an image of NIR dye on a label across an empty plastic bottle and Imagequant spectral analysis;

FIG. 6 is an image of NIR dye and Imagequant spectral analysis by Scotch of whole bottles;

FIG. 7 is an image and Imagequant spectral analysis of NIR dye by Scotland whisky of another brand of whole bottle;

FIG. 8 is an image of NIR dye and Imagequant spectral analysis through a whole bottle of cola; and

FIG. 9 is an image of NIR dye and Imagequant spectral analysis of another brand of cola across a whole bottle.

Detailed Description

One skilled in the art will recognize that a number of authentication materials may be used in the practice of the present invention. Some preferred materials are listed in table 1 below.

Dye name/number		Excitation	Launching
				Alcian blue (dye 73)		630nm	Absorption of
Methyl green (dye 79)		630nm	Absorption of
				Methylene blue (dye 78)		661nm	686nm
Indigo blue green (dye 77)		775nm	818nm
				Copper phthalocyanine (dye 75)		795nm	Absorption of
IR 140 (dye 53)		823nm	838nm
				IR 768 perchlorate (dye 54)		760nm	786nm
IR 780 iodide (dye 55)		780nm	804nm
				IR 780 perchlorate (dye 56)		780nm	804nm
IR786 iodide (dye 57)		775nm	797nm
				IR 768 perchlorate (dye 58)		770nm	796nm
IR 792 perchlorate (dye 59)		792nm	822nm
				1, 1 ' -Dioctadecyl-3, 3, 3 ', 3 ' tetramethylindigo biscarboxylated cyan iodide (dye 231)		645nm	665nm
1, 1 ' -dioctadecyl-3, 3, 3 ', 3 ' -tetramethylindigo tricarbocyanine iodide (dye 232)		748nm	780nm
				1, 1 ', 3, 3, 3 ', 3 ' -hexamethyl-indigo-biscarboxylated cyan iodide (dye 233)		638nm	658nm
DTP (dye 239)		800nm	848nm
				HITC iodide (dye 240)		742nm	774nm
IR P302 (dye 242)		740nm	781nm
				DTTC iodide (dye 245)		755nm	788nm
DOTC iodide (dye 246)		690nm	718nm
				IR-125 (dye 247)		790nm	813nm
IR-144 (dye 248)		750nm	834nm

We have made a series of experiments to confirm that the method of the invention can improve the identification of the product in the bottle and that other advantages can be obtained.

Example 1

The dye is imaged through the label. To address the problem of making security markings to prevent erasure and solvent removal, near infrared fluorescent dyes are placed under the label, and a commercially available security camera (Verigard 300 camera) is used to image the dye. 9 dyes were placed on top of the absorber material (FIG. 1) and their excitation range was 710-735 nm. The dye-containing label was placed with the dye side opposite the container side (fig. 2). The dye was imaged using a Verigard 300 camera (see Veritec U.S. patent application serial No.09/556,280). Verigard 300 has two led power sources and a sensor for detecting light from 740nm to about 1100 nm. In this experiment, the camera provided a means to detect emissions by the tag. The image from Verigard 300 was then analyzed, with the image being output from the camera and input into a software program called Imagequant (Amersham Biosciences; Piscataway, N.J.). No image is shown here.

Example 2

The second set of experiments was designed to address the question of whether it is possible to image the dye not only through the label (as described in US 5,885,677 to Gosselin and Walfredo), but also through the container. The dye was placed on top of the absorbent material as described in the first set of experiments. In this experiment, the dye-containing label was placed with the dye side opposite the container side. The dye was then imaged through the empty container using a Verigard 300 camera (fig. 3). The image is then output and analyzed using Imagequant software (shown in figure 5). Based on this data, we found that NIR dyes can be imaged through the container.

Example 3

A dye Label system, Lab on a Label (LOL), is applied to a container filled with product. In this set of experiments, the composition and placement of the dye on the label was the same as described above. Using Verigard 300 video camera through a full bottle Scotch Whiskey (Johnnie WalkerRed)) The LOL label is imaged. The image is then output and analyzed using Imagequant software (shown in figure 6). Based on this data, we found that NIR dyes can be imaged through a full container. If the NIR dye is placed using a continuous ink jet printer (CIJ) or other printing method, the camera can read the security code on the back of the label. The image is not visible to the naked eye but may provide a mark of the origin of the bottle and determine whether the bottle is authentic.

Example 4

In this set of experiments, the composition and placement of the dye on the label was the same as described above. The LOL label, which was the same as used in the experiment above, was imaged using a Verigard 300 camera. This time the label is facing a different but closely related ScotchWhiskey bottle (Johnnie Walker)). After analysis with Imagequant software, the resulting patterns detected differences between the two Scotches (fig. 7). In the same set of experiments, with the same LOL label, the system can distinguish when imaging through containersCola (fig. 8) anddifferences between colas (fig. 9). This technique can be used to verify the security of a product or its authenticity.

Example 5

Our study was to determine if V-300 could be read through the opposite side of the different labels and to study the change in fluorescence of various dye combinations when they were placed on the inside of the label and read from the other end of the bottle, whether the bottle was a liquid filled bottle or an empty bottle.

Dye preparation:

dye pair code name	Dye pair	Respective concentration (unit. mu.M)
			1	451+240	50，125
2	575+248	75，62.5
			3	240+575	150，125
4	575+242	150，0.025％(gram/mL)
			5	451+575	75，250
6	661+240	375，375
			7	240+248	750，625
8	575+459	150，125
			9	575+450	175，75

The dye was composed at the concentration halo minus varnish (678) as listed above and applied thereto using a micropipette. Dispense 1 microliter per drop. The order of the dyes is shown in the following table.

1	2	3
			4	5	6
7	8	9

After the dye pairs were added, they were allowed to dry for 90 minutes. After drying, various images were taken. Label to 24 fluid ouncesAnd taking an image of a full bottle. The bottle is then emptied and an image is taken of the empty bottle. Then, the bottle is filled with RCAnd a third image is taken with the V300 camera. Same asLabel pasting to 1.75L Johnny WalkerWhiskey (full) glass bottle and images are taken of this full bottle. Finally, the label is affixed to 1.75L Johnny Walker RedWhiskey (full) glass bottle.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and/or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. All documents cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Claims (29)

1. A method for determining the authenticity of a product contained within a package having a label affixed thereto, the label having a plurality of authentication materials associated therewith, at least two of said authentication materials causing at least one measurably different property upon activation of the authentication materials by an activation source, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) energizing the at least two authentication materials by means of the energizing source directed through the package and the product to the at least two authentication materials;

(b) monitoring the at least one excitation-related property of each of the at least two authentication materials after excitation by the excitation source;

(c) studying a relative relationship mode between the at least one excitation-related property of each of the at least two discrimination materials after excitation by the excitation source;

(d) comparing the relative relationship pattern of step (c) with the relative relationship pattern characteristics of the at least two authentication materials after excitation by the excitation source relative to a standard of authentic products having authentic labels contained in authentic packages;

(e) declaring that the product is certified when the relative relationship pattern in step (c) corresponds to the standard relative relationship pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring a plurality of emission wavelengths from the authentication material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring step (b) is accomplished using a monitor positioned to receive said emission wavelengths after they have been transmitted through said product and said packaging.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring the change in absorption induced by the excitation of the authentication material by the excitation source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring a change in reflection caused by the excitation of the authentication material by the excitation source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring the emission change caused by the excitation source exciting the authentication material.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication material is a light absorbing composite and the property being monitored is light absorption.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication material is an optically variable material and the property being monitored is an optically variable property.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication material is a luminescent material and the property being monitored is a luminescent property.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication material is a photosensitive material and the property being monitored is a photosensitive property.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said product is a liquid.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said package is transparent.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two authentication materials are within said label.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two authentication materials are on a side of said label affixed to said package.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two authentication materials are on a front side of said label affixed to said package.

16. A method for determining the authenticity of a package containing a product, said package having an affixed label having a plurality of authentication materials associated with a affixed side thereof, at least two of said authentication materials inducing at least one measurably different property upon activation of the authentication materials by an activation source, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) energizing the at least two authentication materials by means of the energizing source directed through the package, but not through the product, to the at least two authentication materials;

(b) monitoring the at least one excitation-related property of each of the at least two authentication materials after excitation by the excitation source;

(c) studying a relative relationship mode between the at least one excitation-related property of each of the at least two discrimination materials after excitation by the excitation source;

(d) comparing the relative relationship pattern of step (c) with the relative relationship pattern characteristics of the at least two authentication materials after excitation by the excitation source relative to a standard of authentic packages having authentic labels;

(e) declaring the packaging authentic when the relative relationship pattern in step (c) corresponds to the standard relative relationship pattern.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring a plurality of emission wavelengths from the authentication material.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring step (b) is accomplished with a monitor positioned to receive said emission wavelength after transmission through said package.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring the change in absorption induced by the excitation of the authentication material by the excitation source.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring a change in reflection caused by the excitation of the authentication material by the excitation source.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the monitoring step (b) comprises: monitoring the emission change caused by the excitation source exciting the authentication material.

22. A method according to claim 16, wherein the authentication material is a light absorbing composite and the property being monitored is light absorption.

23. A method according to claim 16, wherein the authentication material is an optically variable material and the property being monitored is an optically variable property.

24. A method according to claim 16, wherein the authentication material is a luminescent material and the property being monitored is a luminescent property.

25. A method according to claim 16, wherein the authentication material is a photosensitive material and the property being monitored is a photosensitive property.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein said package is transparent.

27. The method according to claim 16, wherein said at least two authentication materials are within said label.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein said at least two authentication materials are on a side of said label affixed to said package.

29. The method according to claim 16, wherein said at least two authentication materials are on a front side of said label affixed to said package.