US4908516A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and process for checking the authenticity of an article having a magnetic storage information means
Assignee: MAZZUCCHELLI 1849 SpA
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Filing: 1987-04-07
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Granted: 1990-03-13
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Expires: 2007-04-07
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus (2) for characterizing or identifying an article (10) having a magnetic material thereon which stores information relating to the article, the apparatus comprising means (24) for irradiating the article with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic, means (26,28,30) for detecting electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by or reflected from the article due to the irradiation thereof by the means for irradiating, means for determining whether or not the detected radiation has prescribed spectral characteristics thereby to detect whether or not the article is genuine, and a magnetic detector means for reading information which is stored on the magnetic material, the means for detecting being arranged to control the magnetic detector means in response to the detection or whether or not the article is genuine. The invention also provides a method for characterizing or identifying an article having a magnetic material thereon which stores information relating to the article.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael A. West
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:20
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K13/00; G06K13/02; G06K13/08; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/14; G06K7/00; G06K7/0004; G06K7/08; G06K7/082; G06K7/083; G06K7/084; G06K7/10; G06K7/12; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for checking the authenticity of an article carrying a magnetic storage material which stores permanent characteristic information, the apparatus comprising means for irradiating the article with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic, means for detecting electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by or reflected from the article due to the irradiation thereof by the means for irradiating, means for determining whether the detected radiation has prescribed spectral characteristics and said means being operable to produce an authentication signal if the prescribed spectral characteristics are detected to indicate that the article is genuine and a magnetic detector means operable in response to said authentication signal to weed said characteristic information which is stored on the magnetic material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for checking the authenticity of an article carrying a magnetic storage material which stores permanent characteristic information, the apparatus comprising means for irradiating the article with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic, means for detecting electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by or reflected from the article due to the irradiation thereof by the means for irradiating, means for determining whether the detected radiation has prescribed spectral characteristics and said means being operable to produce an authentication signal if the prescribed spectral characteristics are detected to indicate that the article is genuine and a magnetic detector means operable in response to said authentication signal to weed said characteristic information which is stored on the magnetic material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the irradiating means comprises means for producing at least one wavelength of ultraviolet radiation and in which the detecting means is operable to detect characteristics of the fluorescence emission spectrum emitted by a fluorescent material carried by the article.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for detecting electromagnetic radiation comprises a plurality of optical filters each arranged to transmit a different wavelength and a plurality of photo-detectors, each being arranged to receive filtered radiation from a respective optical filter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 3 further comprising an article detector which detects when an article to be characterised or identified is at a testing station adjacent the means for irradiating and the means for detecting electromagnetic radiation, the article detector being operable to actuate the means for determining when the article is at the testing station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the means for determining is adapted to integrate values which are representative of the intensity of the detected radiation at predetermined wavelengths, to halt the integration of the values when one of the integrated values reaches a predetermined threshold and to compare the final integrated values thereby to determine whether or not the integrated values at the predetermined wavelengths correspond to respective prescribed values.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for checking the authenticity of an article carrying a magnetic storage material which stores permanent characteristic information, the method comprising the steps of: (a) irradiating the article with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic; (b) detecting electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by or reflected from the article due to the irradiation thereof by the means for irradiating; (c) determining whether the detected radiation has prescribed spectral characteristics and causing an authentication signal to be produced if the prescribed spectral characteristics are detected to indicate that the article is genuine; and, (d) in response to said authentication signal, reading said characteristic information which is stored on the magnetic material, the reading step being controlled in response to the detection in the determining step (c) of whether or not the article is genuine.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for checking the authenticity of an article carrying a magnetic storage material which stores permanent characteristic information, the method comprising the steps of: (a) irradiating the article with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic; (b) detecting electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by or reflected from the article due to the irradiation thereof by the means for irradiating; (c) determining whether the detected radiation has prescribed spectral characteristics and causing an authentication signal to be produced if the prescribed spectral characteristics are detected to indicate that the article is genuine; and, (d) in response to said authentication signal, reading said characteristic information which is stored on the magnetic material, the reading step being controlled in response to the detection in the determining step (c) of whether or not the article is genuine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the electromagnetic radiation for irradiating the article is ultraviolet radiation of at least one wavelength adapted to excite fluorescence in a fluorescent material carried by the article.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the electromagnetic radiation is detected in step (b) by a plurality of optical filters each arranged to transmit a different wavelength and a plurality of photo-detectors, each being arranged to receive filtered radiation from a respective optical filter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 6 or claim 8 wherein an article detector is arranged to detect when an article to be characterised or identified is at a testing station at which the article is irradiated in step (a), the article detector being operable to actuate the determining step (c) when the article is at the testing station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein the determining step (c) comprises the steps of: (i) integrating values which are representative of the intensity of the detected radiation at predetermined wavelengths; (ii) halting the integration of the values when one of the integrated values reaches a predetermined threshold; and (iii) comparing the final integrated values thereby to determine whether or not the integrated values at the predetermined wavelengths correspond to respective prescribed values.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A security article carrying a magnetic storage material thereon which stores characteristic information and a secure optical authentication material which has particular optical characteristics so that it emits electromagnetic radiation of prescribed spectral characteristics when it is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
A security article carrying a magnetic storage material thereon which stores characteristic information and a secure optical authentication material which has particular optical characteristics so that it emits electromagnetic radiation of prescribed spectral characteristics when it is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation of a particular spectral characteristic.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A security article as claimed in claim 11 in which the optical authentication material comprises a fluorescent material with a characteristic emission spectrum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A security article as claimed in claim 11 or 2 in which the optical authentication material comprises a phosphorescent material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A security article as claimed in claim 11 in which the optical authentication material is an ultraviolet radiation absorber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A security article as claimed in claim 11 in which the optical authentication material is an infrared radiation absorber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-12 | 1993-09-11 | 1994-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-12 | 1997-09-11 | 1998-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-12 | 2001-09-11 | 2002-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |