Authentication system, data device, and methods for using the same

A data device, comprising:

• an authentication analog measurement device capable of generating a detected analog signature of a data storage medium;
• a comparator capable of determining if the detected analog signature is from an authentic medium, wherein the comparator is in operable communication with the measurement device;
• and
• an information device capable of at least one of reading from and writing to the authentic medium, wherein the information device is in operable communication with the comparator;
• wherein the measurement device further comprises
• a first light source having a first light source spectral distribution and being capable of providing sufficient excitation to produce a photo luminescent emission from a medium comprising a luminescent tag and a color, wherein the photoluminescent emission has a photoluminescence intensity;
• a second light source having a visible multi-wavelength spectral distribution and being capable of providing sufficient visible multi-wavelength illumination of the medium to generate a second analog response, wherein the second analog response is different from the photoluminescent emission;
• and
• at least three optically filtered light sensing devices for detecting analog emission intensity in a spectral sensitivity range;
• wherein each light sensing device has a different device spectral sensitivity range which includes at least a portion of the visible multi-wavelength spectral distribution;
• wherein the device spectral sensitivity range of at least one of the light sensing devices includes at least a portion of a desired photoluminescent emission wavelength range;
• and
• wherein each light sensing device confignred to receive at least one of the photoluminescent emission and the second analog signal.

A method of using a data device, comprising:

• illuminating a tested medium with a first light source to produce a tested photoluminescent emission, wherein an authentic medium has an optical photoluminescence identifier with a desired photoluminescence intensity and a desired photoluminescence peak wavelength and has an optical color identifier, and wherein the tested photoluminescent emission has a tested photoluminescence intensity and a tested photoluminescence peak intensity;
• illuminating the tested medium with a second light source in the visible wavelength range to produce a second analog response, wherein the second analog response is different from the tested photoluminescent emission;
• determining a first intensity of the tested photoluminescent emission, wherein the first intensity is determined in a first wavelength range that includes the desired photoluminescence peak intensity;
• determining a second intensity of the tested photoluminescent emission, wherein the second intensity is determined in a second wavelength range that is different than the first wavelength range;
• determining a third intensity of the tested photoluminescent emission, wherein the third intensity is determined in a third wavelength range that is different than the first and second wavelength range;
• determining if the first intensity, the second intensity, and the third intensity of the tested photoluminescent emission correspond to the optical photoluminescence identifier;
• and
• determining if the second analog response corresponds to the optical color identifier,
• wherein if the first intensity, the second intensity, and the third intensity correspond to the optical photoluminescence identifier and if the second analog response corresponds to the optical color identifier, the tested medium is authenticated as the authentic medium.