Composite electronic article surveillance, identification, and security marker assembly and system

A composite system for identifying, authenticating, and interrogating an article, comprising

• a) marker assembly adapted to be secured to said article, said marker assembly comprising
• i) an identification element bearing optically readable information indicative of the article to which the marker is to be secured,
• ii) a substantially transparent, optically detectable security element overlying said identification element and having means integrally associated therewith for thwarting counterfeiting or other unauthorized duplication, and
• iii) a dual status deactivatable electronic article surveillance (EAS) detection element positioned beneath said identification element and having a first, activated state at which the element is adapted to be detected within an interrogation zone of the system and having a second, deactivated state at which such detection is prevented,
• b) a sensor system including
• i) means for directing a light beam upon the marker assembly,
• ii) means for detecting light reflected from said identification element and for reading said optically readable information, and
• iii) means for detecting light reflected from said optically detectable security element and for authenticating said marker assembly, and
• c) EAS means for verifying the status of said detection element and for selectively deactivating it,
• wherein the information borne by said identification element is optically read, the authenticity of the security element is determined, and the status of said detection element is determined by a sensor system.