Counterfeit detection and provenance with grating interferometry, blockchain, and smart contracts

Abstract

A method and apparatus for differentiating between authentic and counterfeit item, and legacy additive manufactured (AM) components securely throughout the lifecycle using grating interferometry, blockchain, and smart contracts. The method includes fabrication of a trust anchor by laser power modulation to selectively create porosity which can encode digital information within the component using programmable invisible ink (PGII). X-ray interferometry reads out the digital information as well as texture unique to the component. A quick response (QR) code is implemented with other anti-counterfeiting features to increase efficiency. A smart contract between X-ray interferometry radiography instruments and a blockchain database establishes item provenance. The characteristics of PGII are compatible with additive manufacturing, as well as other manufacturing processes such as injection molding and casting. The method and apparatus have minimal impact on the component fabrication, detects counterfeiting and sabotage, and is conformal to existing item identification standards.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.