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US 6,309,690 B1Granted
System for retrospective identification and method of marking articles for retrospective identification
AssigneeMicrotrace, LLC
InventorsBrian Brogger, William J. Kerns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method using microcoded marks provides retrospective identification of articles. An article is marked with microparticles having multiple layers. The particles form a unique spatial pattern on the article. An image is made of the mark as applied to the article. The digitized image is stored in a database with information about the article. The database can be accessed by users to verify the authenticity of an article.
Claims15
Method of marking an article for retrospective authentication, comprising the steps of simultaneously:
- a) forming a unique mark including a set of microparticles, each said microparticle having two or more distinguishable layers with the sequence of the layers having an assigned meaning;
- and
- b) applying the unique mark to an article to be authenticated, said mark being unique as a result of the pattern formed by the spatial relationship of said microparticles and said pattern being determined upon placement of said mark on the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.