Standardization of taggant signatures using transfer images

A spectrally responsive transfer system, comprising:

• a) a taggant system comprising one or more taggants, said one or more taggants exhibiting spectral characteristics in response to at least one illumination;
• b) a spectral code associated with the spectral characteristics of the taggant system;
• and
• c) a transfer film releasably supported on a carrier in a manner to allow one or more portions of the transfer film to be selectively transferred from the carrier to a substrate, wherein the transfer film comprises:
• 1) at least one spectral ink layer that is releasably coupled to the carrier, wherein the at least one spectral ink layer incorporates the taggant system,
• 2) at least one base color layer provided over the at least one spectral ink layer such that the at least one base color layer overlies the at least one spectral ink layer when the transfer film is supported on the carrier, and
• 3) at least one metal foil layer provided over the at least one spectral ink layer such that the metal foil layer overlies the at least one spectral ink layer and the at least one base color layer when the transfer film is supported on the carrier.

A spectral signature system, comprising:

• a) a taggant system comprising one or more taggants, said one or more taggants exhibiting spectral characteristics in response to at least one illumination;
• b) a spectral code associated with the spectral characteristics of the taggant system;
• c) a spectrally coded transfer film releasably supported in an upside down orientation on a carrier in a manner to allow one or more portions of the transfer film to be selectively transferred from the carrier to a substrate in order to form spectrally coded indicia on the substrate, wherein the transfer film comprises:
• 1) at least one spectral ink layer, wherein the at least one spectral ink layer incorporates the taggant system, and
• 2) at least one metal foil layer provided over the at least spectral ink layer such that the metal foil layer overlies the at least one spectral ink layer when the transfer film is supported on the carrier;
• d) an illumination system that emits an illumination in a manner such that when the one or more portions of the transfer film are selective transferred from the carrier onto a substrate to become a transferred body and is illuminated by the illumination, the transferred body produces a spectral response that encodes the spectral code;
• and
• e) at least one detector that detects the spectral response.

A spectral signature system, comprising:

• a) a taggant system comprising one or more taggants, said one or more taggants exhibiting spectral characteristics in response to at least one illumination;
• b) a spectral code associated with the spectral characteristics of the taggant system;
• c) a spectrally coded film releasably supported in an upside down orientation on a carrier in a manner to allow one or more portions of the spectrally coded film to be selectively transferred from the carrier to a substrate in order to form spectrally coded indicia on the substrate, wherein the spectrally coded film comprises:
• 1) at least one spectral ink layer, wherein the at least one spectral ink layer incorporates the taggant system,
• 2) at least one base color layer provided on the at least one spectral ink layer such that the at least one base color layer overlies the at least one spectral ink layer when the spectrally coded film is supported on the carrier, and
• 3) at least one metal foil layer provided over the at least spectral ink layer such that the metal foil layer overlies the at least one spectral ink layer when the spectrally coded film is supported on the carrier;
• d) an illumination system that emits an illumination in a manner such that when the transferable body is transferred from the carrier onto a substrate to become a transferred body and is illuminated by the illumination, the transferred body emits a spectral response that encodes the spectral code;
• and
• e) at least one detector that detects the spectral response.

A method of making a spectrally coded substrate, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a spectrally coded transfer film releasably supported in an upside down orientation on a carrier in a manner to allow one or more portions of the spectrally coded transfer film to be selectively transferred from the carrier to a substrate in order to form spectrally coded indicia on the substrate, wherein the spectrally coded transfer film comprises:
• 1) at least one spectral ink layer, wherein the at least one spectral ink layer incorporates the taggant system, said taggant system comprising one or more taggants, and
• 2) at least one metal foil layer provided over the at least one spectral ink layer such that the metal foil layer overlies the at least one spectral ink layer when the spectrally coded film is supported on the carrier and such that the metal foil layer underlies the at least one spectral ink layer when the one or more portions of the spectrally coded film are selectively transferred from the carrier onto a label;
• and
• b) selectively transferring the one or more portions of the spectrally coded film from the carrier onto the substrate to thereby provide the spectrally coded substrate.