US5986550A — Method for labeling, verification and/or identify…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 121 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 121 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detected response is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in ferromagnets.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said substance is a ferromagnetic metal, alloy, coordination or organic compound including at least one type of nuclei with non-zero nuclear spin.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of deactivating the resonant properties by an alteration of physical properties of the substance.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of deactivating the resonant properties by an alteration of chemical properties of the substance.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of deactivating the resonant properties by electromagnetic screening of the resonant material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of deactivating the resonant properties by removing resonant material together with supported tag or adhesive label.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detected response is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in antiferromagnets.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said substance is an antiferromagnetic metal, alloy, coordination or organic compound including at least one type of nuclei with non-zero nuclear spin.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detected response is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in ferrimagnets.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said substance is a ferrimagnetic metal, alloy, coordination or organic compound including at least one type of nuclei with non-zero nuclear spin.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detected response is nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR).

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said substance is metal, alloy, coordination or organic compound including at least one type of nuclei with non-zero electric quadrupole moment.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detected response is very low field electron spin resonance (VLF ESR).

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said substance is an organic radical compound.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said substance is gamma-irradiated fused quartz.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said substance is an inorganic salt or coordination compound containing paramagnetic ions of transition or rare earth groups.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detected response is due to electric/magnetic dipole or tunnel transitions between Stark-Zeeman sub levels.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said substance is a coordination compound with mixed valence.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 55 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixed electron nuclear resonant material includes at least two resonances selected from the group: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of a ferromagnet, NMR of an antiferromagnet, NMR of a ferrimagnet, nuclear quadrupole resonance, very low field electron spin resonance, electric/magnetic dipole or tunnel transitions between Stark-Zeeman sublevels.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object is a paper, bank note, check, credit card, bank card, identification card, passport, tag, key, diskette or special adhesive label.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object is an article applied to an electronic product surveillance for theft prevention in shops, stores, or libraries.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object is a special tag, label or marker and the method is applied for personnel verification.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object is a document, jewel, firearm, explosive or drug, said method being applied for security or customs surveillance.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is a crystalline solid, polycrystalline solid, amorphous solid, wire, foil or liquid.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 54 words

An instrument for implementing the method claimed in claim 1, which instrument comprises a probe head or coil, which probe head comprises means for continuous emission of radiation in the radio-frequency band in the detecting volume; and means for detecting radiation emitted or absorbed by the resonant substance in response to said radio-frequency radiation.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 21 words

An instrument as claimed in claim 26, wherein said means for emitting radio-frequency radiation is arranged to emit pulses of radiation.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 70 words

An instrument for implementing the method claimed in claim 1, which instrument comprises a gate which in use, will be located at a point of control in a shop, store, library, post office, airport or custom office which gate comprises means for continuous emission of radiation in the radio-frequency band in the detecting volume; and means for detecting radiation emitted by the resonant substance in response to said radio-frequency radiation.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 23 words

An instrument claimed in claim 26 or 28, which instrument further comprises means for generating a modulated electromagnetic field in the detecting volume.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of readable markers of the resonant substance, spatially disposed in a well-determined manner, are applied to the object.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein said method is applied together with other data storage methods for decoding information recorded by the other data storage methods.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 71 words

An instrument for implementing the method claimed in claim 30, which instrument comprises a probe head or gate, which probe head comprises means for generating continuous or pulsed radiation, of at least one radio-frequency; means for detecting radiation emitted or absorbed by the resonant substance in response to said radio-frequency radiation; means for scanning said radiation or object spatially as well as means for analysis of spatially or spectrally distributed responses.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is introduced into ink, dye or glue before printing on the surface of an object to be labeled.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is introduced into the bulk of labeled object or its packaging material during object production or packaging.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is introduced in ink, dye or glue before covering the surface of labeled object.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is introduced locally or diffusely within a special adhesive label.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 13 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is visually masked.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing secrecy of resonant properties of substances used wherein said substance gains its resonant properties at the resonance frequency only in the presence of local heating/cooling or magnetization/demagnetization.

Claim 40

Independent Claim 167 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume due to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in ferromagnets formed of ferromagnetic metal, alloy, coordination organic compound including at least one type of nuclei with non-zero magnetic spin; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; applying an LC resonance circuit on the object, the LC circuit having the same resonance frequency as the substance.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 167 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume due to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in ferromagnets formed of ferromagnetic metal, alloy, coordination organic compound including at least one type of nuclei with non-zero magnetic spin; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; applying an LC resonance circuit on the object, the LC circuit having the same resonance frequency as the substance.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method as recited in claim 39 wherein the applying is accomplished by covering the LC circuit with the resonating substance.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 155 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system with a probe head or coil continuously emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency radiation emitted or absorbed from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; wherein the emitted radiation further includes emission at multiple non-working frequencies different than the resonant frequency, thereby masking the identity of the working resonant frequency.

Claim 44

Independent Claim 155 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system with a probe head or coil continuously emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency radiation emitted or absorbed from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; wherein the emitted radiation further includes emission at multiple non-working frequencies different than the resonant frequency, thereby masking the identity of the working resonant frequency.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 158 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; and providing a second, deactivating substance which combines chemically with the resonant substance to destroy its resonant properties and arranging the resonant substance for exposure to the second, deactivating substance upon unauthorized access to the resonant substance.

Claim 46

Independent Claim 158 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; and providing a second, deactivating substance which combines chemically with the resonant substance to destroy its resonant properties and arranging the resonant substance for exposure to the second, deactivating substance upon unauthorized access to the resonant substance.

Claim 47

Independent Claim 147 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; and mixing the substance with a chemical isomorph which does not respond at the resonant frequency thereby providing secrecy of the resonant properties of the substance.

Claim 48

Independent Claim 147 words

A method of labeling, authenticating and/or identifying an object using mixed electron nuclear resonances, comprising: applying a minor, labeling amount of at least one mixed electron nuclear resonant material to the object; providing a detection system emitting radio frequency energy in a non-cryogenic detecting volume, and spectroscopically detecting radio frequency responses from the detecting volume; placing the labeled object in the detecting volume for detection of the material without applying a static field in the detecting volume; and selecting for the material a substance resonating with a radio frequency response under non-cryogenic conditions, where the radio frequency response is large enough at zero external static field for a minor labeling amount of the selected substance to be detectable on the object; and mixing the substance with a chemical isomorph which does not respond at the resonant frequency thereby providing secrecy of the resonant properties of the substance.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-11-15	2003-05-17	2003-11-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-11-15	2007-05-17	2007-11-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-11-15	2011-05-17	2011-11-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method for labeling, verification and/or identifying and device for implementing the method

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