Methods for authenticating goods using randomly distributed flecks and serialization codes

An apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate including an adhesive layer, a base layer, or a face stock layer;
• a serialization code disposed on the substrate;
• and
• a set of flecks randomly distributed one of on the substrate or within at least one of the adhesive layer, the base layer, or the stock layer of the substrate,
• the set of flecks forming a unique signature that is associated with a tangible product and that is configured to be captured by an imaging device for verification of an authenticity of the tangible product.

A method comprising:

• illuminating a label;
• capturing an image of the label when the label is illuminated;
• receiving, at a processor, a signal representing the image of the label, the image of the label including a serialization code and a set of unique features;
• detecting, via the processor and based on the image of the label, the serialization code and the set of unique features;
• identifying each unique feature from the set of unique features as a fleck from a set of flecks;
• determining, for each fleck from the set of flecks, a characteristic from a plurality of characteristics, to define a set of one or more characteristics associated with the set of flecks;
• and
• causing storage of the image of the label, the serialization code, and the set of one or more characteristics in a database operably coupled to the processor.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate including an adhesive layer, a base layer, and a face stock layer;
• a serialization conde disposed on the substrate;
• and
• a set of flecks randomly distributed within the adhesive layer such that at least a portion of the face stock layer forms a three-dimensional pattern,
• the set of flecks forming a unique signature that is associated with a tangible product and that is configured to be captured by an imaging device for verification of an authenticity of the tangible product.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a serialization code disposed on the substrate;
• and
• a set of flecks randomly distributed one of on or within the substrate, wherein:
• the set of flecks forms a unique signature that is associated with a tangible product and that is configured to be captured by an imaging device for verification of an authenticity of the tangible product, and
• each fleck from a first group of flecks from the set of flecks has a first color, and each fleck from a second group of flecks from the set of flecks has a second color different from the first color.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a serialization code disposed on the substrate;
• and
• a set of flecks randomly distributed one of on or within the substrate, wherein:
• the set of flecks forms a unique signature that is associated with a tangible product and that is configured to be captured by an imaging device for verification of an authenticity of the tangible product, and
• each fleck from a first group of flecks from the set of flecks has a first size, and each fleck from a second group of flecks from the set of flecks has a second size different from the first size.