Methods for coding magnetic tags
AssigneeFlying Null Limited
InventorsMichael David Crossfield, Christopher John Coggill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of fabricating a tag or marker carrying or intended to carry a magnetic code is described. The method comprises applying a particulate magnetic material to a surface region of the tag by a printing or transfer process. The particulate magnetic material is generally deposited in the form of discrete elements or indicia. A tag thus produced can be coded magnetically by magnetising the elements or indicia, e.g. with a permanent magnet. This provides a very versatile and relatively rapid means of generating coded tags or labels virtually without limit on the variety of codes which may be adopted.
Claims18
A method of generating a magnetically coded label, which comprises:
- (a) depositing on the surface of a substrate (1) a first magnetic material which is a low coercivity, high permeability material;
- and (2) a second magnetic material which is a relatively high coercivity material;
- and (b) magnetizing the relatively high coercivity magnetic material, or parts thereof, to generate an array of magnetized, spaced apart elements or indicia such that those parts of the first magnetic material adjacent to respective magnetized elements or indicia of said array are cut magnetically into regions sufficiently small as to have a permeability so low that the said parts produce a negligible response when the label is subjected to magnetic interrogation.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said second magnetic material comprises a particulate magnetic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.