# US 2018/0022145 A1 · Method and system for item authentication and customization

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- Number: US 2018/0022145 A1
- Document ID: US20180022145A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/703,404
- Filed: 2017-09-13
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-09
- Assignees: United States Postal Service
- Applicants: United States Postal Service,
- Inventors: Khalid Hussain; Marie Therese Dominguez; David E. Failor; William G. Ackerman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022145A1

## CPC

- B42D 25/47: using adhesives
- B41K 3/00: Apparatus for stamping articles having integral means for supporting the articles to be stamped (means for printing on articles of special shape or having a surface of particular configuration B41F17/00)
- B41M 3/008: {Sequential or multiple printing, e.g. on previously printed background; Mirror printing; Recto-verso printing; using a combination of different printing techniques; Printing of patterns visible in reflection and by transparency; by superposing printed artifacts}
- B41M 3/144: {using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects}
- B42D 25/29: Securities; Bank notes
- B42D 25/36: comprising special materials
- B42D 25/382: absorbing or reflecting infrared light
- B42D 25/387: absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet light
- G01N 21/64: Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N 21/643: {non-biological material}
- G06K 19/14: the marking being sensed by radiation
- G07D 7/1205: Testing spectral properties
- B29C 65/4825: {Pressure sensitive adhesives}
- B29C 65/4855: {characterised by their physical properties, e.g. being electrically-conductive}
- B29C 65/4865: {containing additives (C09J11/00 and subgroups take precedence)}
- B29C 65/76: Making non-permanent or releasable joints
- B29C 66/733: {characterised by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, e.g. fluorescence, phosphorescence}
- B32B 7/06: permitting easy separation
- B32B 2307/422: Luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent
- B32B 2519/00: Labels, badges
- G01N 2021/6421: {Measuring at two or more wavelengths}
- G01N 2021/6423: {Spectral mapping, video display}
- G01N 2021/8887: {based on image processing techniques}
- G01N 2201/061: Sources
- G01N 2201/068: Optics, miscellaneous
- B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- B41K: STAMPS; STAMPING OR NUMBERING APPARATUS OR DEVICES (marking meat A22C17/10; embossing combined with printing B41F19/00; selective printing mechanisms B41J; embossing decorations or marks B44B5/00; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26; ticket printing and issuing, fare registering, nonprinting aspects of franking apparatus G07B)
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G07D: HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

## Abstract

A method of illumating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making an authenticatable label comprising:
applying a printing to a first side of a substrate;
applying an adhesive to the second side of the substrate;
applying a taggant to a first side of the backing, wherein the taggant emits luminescence in response to illumination by an excitation signal; and
attaching the substrate to the backing, wherein following attaching the substrate to the backing, at least a portion of the taggant migrates into the adhesive.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the taggant is applied to the first side of the backing in a pattern comprising a pre-determined computer readable image which is readable upon excitation of the taggant from an excitation signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the pattern is a barcode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the taggant is applied by printing the taggant onto the first side of the backing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein applying the taggant to the first side of the backing comprises applying the taggant with a substance that dissolves the taggant into the adhesive during contact with the adhesive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an image from a user, and wherein applying the taggant to the first side of the backing comprises applying the taggant in a pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the received image.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein applying a printing to a first side of the substrate comprises applying a printing having variable transmissivity to luminescence emitted by the taggant.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the variable transmissivity of the printing corresponds to a pre-determined computer readable image upon excitation of the taggant from an excitation signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises regions of variable transmissivity which correspond to a pre-determined computer readable image which is readable upon excitation of the taggant from an excitation signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, when the substrate is removed from the backing following attaching the substrate to the backing, the at least a portion of the taggant which migrates into the adhesive is carried off in the adhesive.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the carried off portion of the taggant comprise a computer-readable image which is readable upon excitation by an excitation signal.