Method for determining authenticity of product

Abstract

There is provided a method of encoding by determining a combination of markers corresponding to a pre-existing product identifier or barcode (10) of a genuine product, wherein the pre-existing product identifier or barcode comprises a set of characters (12). The method includes providing a list of different markers having a variety of different emission peaks and assigning a different marker to each character of the product identifier in order to add the combination of markers to the product to represent the product identifier.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a first method of encoding a genuine product by determining a marker combination corresponding to a pre-existing product identifier (or pre-existing barcode), and a second method of acquiring at least part of the emission spectrum of a product to assess or determine whether the product is a genuine product containing the marker combination (optionally determined by the first method). BACKGROUND

[0002] In many technical fields, there are high-end products or materials, which are typically more expensive and can have special properties, such as higher purity, greater durability, or characteristics suitable for extreme operating conditions. For example, there are mid- or low-end products or materials, which are typically less expensive and do not necessarily have the same properties as high-end products or materials. There is currently no international standard to easily determine whether the correct quality, grade, and specification of production materials are used in a particular product.

[0003] Counterfeit high-end goods can be obtained on the black market, although they often differ in appearance from the genuine products. This provides an opportunity to fraudulently replace high-end products with low-quality products or materials in cases where there is no obvious difference between high-end and low-end goods.

[0004] Subcontracting work can be marginally profitable, which can incentivize subcontractors to save costs wherever possible, often by providing or using cheaper products than specified. Since there is a lack of obvious differences between products or materials, it is difficult for customers or regulatory bodies to verify whether the correct products or materials have been used. This is particularly true for paints and coatings, which are often difficult to distinguish after drying. However, the same problem exists for many other products, including textiles, tiles, fireproofing blankets, and petrochemical products such as fuel or lubricants. Renewable or consumable products are also susceptible to such fraud.

[0005] In scenarios where safety is critical and / or a certain level of redundancy is required, it is crucial to use genuine products rather than third-party replacement products. For example, a product or product component can be "overdesigned" for safety or other reasons, while other products or components can not be sufficient to meet the requirements. This is particularly important in areas such as aircraft components in the aerospace industry, where the authenticity of these components is currently defined by a reference number on the product or packaging and accompanying paperwork. This system is relatively robust, but it cannot guarantee that the product matches the paperwork. This is an assumed factual statement by the manufacturer, but it cannot be proven to be genuine without destructive analysis.

[0006] Ensuring traceability is also very important in military supply chains to mitigate the risk of using or installing counterfeit products / components. The term “counterfeit” refers to any non-genuine product or component, in particular those that are substandard in quality and / or have been maliciously tampered with. The supply chain for the defense sector is large and monitoring and intercepting counterfeit components is a difficult task. The defense sector has limited visibility into the selection of suppliers by its major manufacturers. For example, the summer 2022 problems with the F-35 fighter jet exposed the complexity and opacity of the Pentagon’s supply chain. The US Air Force (USAF) relies on approximately 12,000 direct suppliers, but downstream in the supply chain, the network expands to approximately 1 million companies.

[0007] More generally, while it is possible to sample and analyze its properties, such testing requires significant time and effort, requires off-site testing and equipment, and often destroys the sample. This is highly unsuitable for paints and coatings. Even if it is possible to test the composition or properties of a product, it is not possible to definitively prove which product from which manufacturer was used.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially solve the above problems. SUMMARY

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of encoding by determining a combination of markers corresponding to a product identifier or barcode of a genuine product, the product identifier comprising a set of characters, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a list of a plurality of different markers, wherein each marker has an emission spectrum comprising one or more peaks, and the one or more peaks (in a given wavelength range) of the emission spectrum of a given marker in the list are substantially distinguishable from the one or more peaks (in the same wavelength range) of the emission spectrum of other markers in the list; b. assigning one marker from the list to each character, each character in the product identifier thus being associated with a different marker, so as to add the unique combination of markers to the product, to chemically or spectroscopically represent the unique product identifier; and c. optionally, taking or recording the emission spectrum of the assigned marker or combination of markers, so as to pair it with the product identifier.

[0010] Claim 1 defines a preferred version of the first aspect invention.

[0011] Optional features are listed in the dependent claims.

[0012] The present invention provides a covert product marking means. It allows on-site verification of product authenticity. The marker combination provides security, traceability and anti-counterfeit protection for both the manufacturer and the consumer. It complements the existing barcode technology that has been widely accepted and used for over 50 years. It provides a simple, globally universal method of establishing product authenticity that is expected to support standard regulatory mechanisms to identify approved materials and prevent fraud.

[0013] The above method allows the marker to be formulated selectively according to a pre-existing barcode. In other words, the marker emission spectrum (or colour spectrum) is formulated to match the barcode or other identifier of the finished product. Each barcode or product identifier corresponds to one marker combination or formulation.

[0014] By formulating the marker combination with a unique combination of wavelengths of emission, the overall emission spectrum can be matched or paired with the barcode of the product. In other words, for a product with a barcode or other unique identifier, a marker combination can be prepared that corresponds to or represents that barcode in essence by the emission spectrum of the marker combination (or the emission spectrum of each marker).

[0015] It is noted that the infrared emission spectrum of the marker combination is preferably taken or recorded. That is, the infrared signature of all the markers together when provided in a particular combination, for example as part of the same particle or nanoparticle. This is because the infrared emission spectrum acts as a fingerprint of the particular marker combination and can have properties that are not evident when each selected marker is individually recorded for discrete infrared emissions or signatures.

[0016] The emission spectrum can be recorded using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

[0017] The step of recording the emission spectrum (preferably in a database) is particularly useful when the emission spectrum of the marker combination is not simply a straightforward sum of the individual marker emission spectra. That is, when the emission spectrum of the marker combination together is different from a simple superposition or accumulation of the individually recorded marker emission spectra. However, in certain examples, the individual emission spectra can be recorded or known emission spectra can be accessed or relied upon without recording the spectra from scratch.

[0018] When added to a solid or liquid product (or material), for example during the manufacturing process, the marker combination provides an intrinsic barcode in the product in order to later verify the identity of the exact product present. This can help to identify whether the product has been replaced or provide traceability in the event of an incident such as a fuel leak or fire (e.g. the Grenfell fire in the UK).

[0019] The combination of markers can be considered covert in that it is extremely difficult or time consuming for a competitor or counterfeiter to identify and replicate. That is, it is virtually impossible to reverse engineer the exact combination of markers that produces a particular product "spectral barcode" or spectral signature (or fingerprint).

[0020] Any, some or all of the markers can be provided in the form of nanoparticles.

[0021] Different markers in the combination of markers for a given product can be provided, for example, in the form of composite nanoparticles, i.e. particles comprising the assigned markers. Such composite markers can be created by known processes. This can simplify the incorporation of the combination of markers into the product, such that the number of different composite nanoparticles that need to be incorporated into the product is less than the total number of different markers in the combination of markers. In certain embodiments, a given composite nanoparticle can comprise all of the assigned markers for a particular coded identifier / barcode.

[0022] The combination of markers determined by this method can then be added to any suitable product or material, for example a paint, an ink, a plastic (whether thermoset or thermoplastic), a liquid polymer (whether air-drying or catalyst-cured), paper, an additive manufacturing agent, or other material or product.

[0023] The present invention has potential applications in the fields of plastic identification, pharmaceutical and medical devices, industrial manufacturing, automotive industry, consumer goods, gun identification and / or traceability, and clothing and accessories, among others. More broadly, the present invention has potential applications in the following areas: component identification and tracking, as an anti-counterfeiting solution, manufacturing traceability, regulatory compliance, and / or brand identification.

[0024] The present invention has potential applications in the aerospace industry, for example for the identification of aircraft components. In this case, the method of the first aspect can be part of a method of manufacturing an aircraft or aerospace device or component thereof.

[0025] The present invention has potential applications in military supply chains, for example for traceability of components for military use. In this case, the method of the first aspect can be part of a method of manufacturing a military device or component thereof.

[0026] It will be appreciated that the emission spectral peaks of the different markers can be distinguished from "noise" (such as low or incoherent emission response) in each spectrum, and can be distinguished from one another in various ways. That is, the peaks of the individual markers can be distinguished from one another. Markers having multiple and / or overlapping peaks can be used, provided that the peaks are sufficiently distinguishable from one another.

[0027] For example, the emission spectral peaks of certain markers can not overlap one another, or can be distinct, making identification simple. In certain examples, the emission spectral peaks can be centered at different wavelengths. In certain examples, the emission spectral peaks can have different peak widths (i.e., the width of the peak over a range of wavelengths). That is, the sharpness or width of the peak can vary from marker to marker. In certain examples, the emission spectral peaks can have different intensities depending on the amount of marker present and / or the excitation wavelength used. In certain examples, the peak or peaks can be part of a multi-peak signal that can be uniquely associated with a particular marker. In certain examples, the intensity of the peak on either side of the peak maximum can indicate the degree of asymmetry of the peak, which can be useful in distinguishing between different markers.

[0028] Any one, some or all of the above factors can be used to distinguish the peak of one marker from the peaks of other markers. This can be useful where the emission spectra of two or more markers in a marker combination overlap or are similar to some extent.

[0029] It will be appreciated that the present application is directed to emission spectra involving ultraviolet, visible and infrared light. That is, it generally involves exciting shell electrons using light of a suitable wavelength, and then detecting the emitted light in these ranges, ideally in the visible (400-700 nm) or near infrared (700-1000 nm) ranges.

[0030] Near infrared emission can be more easily detected, and can therefore be preferred. However, it will be appreciated that ultraviolet or visible emission can also be used. Likewise, it will be appreciated that the present application can be implemented using Raman spectroscopy.

[0031] In certain preferred embodiments, the present application is directed to infrared emission using near infrared excitation wavelengths (e.g., 950 nm or longer). The excitation wavelength can be as high as about 25000 nm. In certain cases, the wavelength can be any of about 1050 nm or longer, about 1400 nm or longer, about 1600 nm or longer, or about 1930 nm or longer. In certain cases, the wavelength can be as high as about 15000 nm. Any sub-range within the range of 950 nm to 25000 nm can be used, by independently selecting these wavelengths as upper and lower boundaries.

[0032] The method can exclude taking or recording one or both of an ultraviolet spectrum and / or a visible spectrum of the marker combination.

[0033] The method can include the step of encoding at least a portion of the character set of the product identifier to provide a set of encoded characters.

[0034] Thus, the marker combination can be directly associated with the encoded characters, rather than with the characters of the product identifier.

[0035] The product identifier can be an existing barcode in a database. The identifier or barcode can have been pre-assigned to the product. In other words, the barcode can already be present on the product for sale, or can have been assigned to a product that is about to be put on sale. The database can be a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) database or a Universal Product Code (UPC) database. These databases are merely examples of global repositories of product identifiers, and any suitable repository can be used.

[0036] Formulating a marker combination that matches an existing barcode in a global database avoids the need to reassign new barcodes to existing product inventories, and the need for corresponding system updates that can involve a large number of personnel / companies.

[0037] The relevant portion of the emission spectrum can be in the visible and / or near infrared range.

[0038] The peak emission wavelength of the marker can be substantially in the range 400-800 nm. The peak emission wavelength of the marker can be substantially in the range 700-1000 nm. Near infrared peak emissions can be preferred because they are more easily sensed or distinguished.

[0039] In certain preferred embodiments, the excitation wavelength can be substantially in the range 950-25000 nm, or a sub-range thereof. The corresponding infrared emission can then be recorded.

[0040] Each character can be encoded as a two-part encoded character, such as a pair of letters or numbers (or alpha-numeric pair). Each character can be encoded according to its position in the order of characters in the product identifier.

[0041] This allows more information to be encoded than is present in the numbers, letters and / or symbols in the product identifier or barcode. Thus, two barcodes containing the same numbers but in different orders will have different marker combinations.

[0042] Each character can be encoded by a conversion table. The conversion table can contain a set of two-part encoded characters. The first part of each encoded character can be a horizontal identifier of the table. The second part of each encoded character can be a vertical identifier of the table. For example, there can be ten vertical identifiers, corresponding to the numbers 0-9 of the barcode.

[0043] The conversion table can be used to convert the product identifier or barcode number into an encoded form. The first number of the product identifier can be identified in the first column of the table, and its two-part encoded form determined according to the horizontal and vertical markers associated with that table position. Each subsequent number in the product identifier can be identified in each subsequent column, and the two-part encoded form of each number determined.

[0044] The markers can correspond to the characters or encoded characters by means of a table such as a lookup table or a conversion table. The lookup table can comprise a list of two-part encoded characters.

[0045] The lookup table provides a quick way of checking the marker corresponding to a particular character or encoded character.

[0046] It will be appreciated that any means of providing a fixed correspondence or predetermined correlation between product identifiers or barcode characters and markers can be used, whether in the form of a conversion table (or lookup table) or otherwise. In other words, the product identifier or barcode used as input should generate as output a marker combination specific to that identifier or barcode character.

[0047] The conversion table (or other equivalent means) can be considered to provide a means of converting between characters and markers.

[0048] For example, a flowchart or computer program can be used to process the product identifier or barcode to determine the marker combination. The conversion table, flowchart, computer program or other means can be used to convert or process each character, a subset of characters or the entire character set individually to generate or determine a marker combination specific to that product identifier or barcode.

[0049] The markers used in the present application are preferably not luminescent, more preferably not luminescent with a short lifetime spectrum (such as fluorescence).

[0050] The product identifier can be composed of characters selected from ten different characters, for example the digits 0-9. It will be appreciated that alternative sets can be used in certain examples (for example, 16 characters for 0-9 and A-F, 26 characters for A-Z, or 36 characters for A-Z and 0-9). The conversion table or lookup table can be set accordingly.

[0051] Any of the markers in the list should preferably be selected to be relatively stable in air, and preferably relatively stable in the presence of water. This is to avoid the emission spectrum degrading or changing over time.

[0052] The list of markers can include inorganic markers or ceramic markers.

[0053] The list can include any one, some, or all of the following independently selected: graphite, a metal or oxide thereof, a transition metal or compound thereof (preferably an oxide or complex thereof), a rare earth metal or compound thereof (preferably an oxide or complex thereof), Sc or oxide / complex thereof, Ti or oxide / complex thereof, V or oxide / complex thereof, Cr or oxide / complex thereof, Mn or oxide / complex thereof, Fe or oxide / complex thereof, Co or oxide / complex thereof, Ni or oxide / complex thereof, Cu or oxide / complex thereof, Zn or oxide / complex thereof, Y or oxide / complex thereof, Zr or oxide / complex thereof, Nb or oxide / complex thereof, Mo or oxide / complex thereof, Ru or oxide / complex thereof, Rh or oxide / complex thereof, Pd or oxide / complex thereof, Ag or oxide / complex thereof, Cd or oxide / complex thereof, Hf or oxide / complex thereof, Ta or oxide / complex thereof, W or oxide / complex thereof, Re or oxide / complex thereof, Os or oxide / complex thereof, Ir or oxide / complex thereof, Pt or oxide / complex thereof, Au or oxide / complex thereof, Hg or oxide / complex thereof, La or oxide / complex thereof, Ce or oxide / complex thereof, Pr or oxide / complex thereof, Nd or oxide / complex thereof, Sm or oxide / complex thereof, Eu or oxide / complex thereof, Gd or oxide / complex thereof, Tb or oxide / complex thereof, Dy or oxide / complex thereof, Ho or oxide / complex thereof, Er or oxide / complex thereof, Tm or oxide / complex thereof, Yb or oxide / complex thereof, Lu or oxide / complex thereof, B or oxide thereof, Al or oxide thereof, Si or oxide thereof, P or oxide thereof, Ga or oxide thereof, Ge or oxide thereof, As or oxide thereof, Se or oxide thereof, In or oxide thereof, Sn or oxide thereof, Sb or oxide thereof, Te or oxide thereof, Tl or oxide thereof, Pb or oxide thereof, Bi or oxide thereof.

[0054] It will be appreciated that any suitable compound comprising any of the above elements (including any one, two, three or more of the above elements independently selected) can be provided as a marker, with the above oxides / complexes being provided by way of example only.

[0055] Any of the above can be provided independently in elemental form (for transition metals or rare earth elements or other elements), in powder, particulate or nanoparticulate form.

[0056] There can be one or more transition metal and / or rare earth metal based markers (whether in elemental, oxide or other form) in the list. Certain compounds used as markers can include multiple transition metals, multiple rare earth metals, or a combination of transition metals and rare earth metals.

[0057] For reasons of chemical stability, certain oxides can be preferred over other compounds.

[0058] In certain examples, the list can include (or include only) biocompatible or biotolerant markers. This can be preferred where the markers are to be incorporated into a product such as clothing, jewelry, food, drink, supplements, pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals. It can also be preferred where the markers are to be incorporated into a product that is to be touched or held by a person.

[0059] In certain examples, the list can include (or include only) non-flammable markers.

[0060] It will be appreciated that if an organic compound has an emission spectrum comprising one or more peaks, it can be included in the list of markers. The organic compounds in the list can have one or more chromophores. Preferably, any organic compounds or other markers in the list should be water and / or air resistant.

[0061] It is envisaged that "transient" or time-limited or temporary markers (whether organic or inorganic) can be used as a form of time stamp or time barcode. Thus, certain markers can be selected on the basis that they will degrade or change upon exposure to air (in particular oxygen), water and / or light (e.g. sunlight).

[0062] It will be appreciated that given particles / nanoparticles of different sizes (or size ranges) can be selected to provide markers based on the same element but providing different or distinguishable emission spectra.

[0063] It will be appreciated that metals of different oxidation states can be selected to provide markers based on the same element but providing different or distinguishable emission spectra.

[0064] Each marker can be microscopic or substantially invisible to the naked eye.

[0065] The marker combination can include substantially ten or more different markers. Preferably, the marker combination includes any of: twelve or more different markers, thirteen or more different markers, fourteen or more different markers, fifteen or more different markers, twenty or more different markers, twenty-five or more different markers, thirty or more different markers. In certain examples, there can be higher numbers of markers (e.g. 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 or 130, or more).

[0066] This allows representation of most or all of the digits in a conventional barcode. Having ten markers allows each digit 0-9 to be represented by a different marker, if the order of the digits is not considered. Having fifteen markers allows representation of all the digits in a conventional 13-digit barcode with markers, while providing spare markers for representing batch numbers or year of production, etc., if the markers are chosen to encode each character of the product identifier and its relative position in the product identifier.

[0067] In some cases, a given marker A can be used to represent one half of the possible character values in a given character position, while a different marker B can be used to represent the other half of the possible character values in the given character position. For example, characters 0-4 (inclusive) can be represented by A, and characters 5-9 (inclusive) can be represented by B. This can be repeated for some subsequent character positions (e.g., markers C and D for character position 2; markers E and F for character position 3; etc.).

[0068] This allows representation of some or most of the identifier with a relatively small pool of markers.

[0069] Some characters of the identifier, e.g., one, two, or three characters (possibly the last characters), can still be associated with a particular different marker for each different possible character value, to ensure a sufficiently large number of unique marker combinations to accommodate current and future product identifiers.

[0070] For example, in the case of a 13-digit character barcode, each character position can have ten possible values (e.g., the digits 0-9), with eleven of the characters each represented by a different pair of markers (totaling 22 different markers), and the other two characters represented by different markers (totaling 20 different markers), meaning that 2 x 10 18 order of magnitude of barcode variants, while minimizing the number of marker types required to implement the invention.

[0071] When more different markers are provided in the list, and the spectra of each marker are sufficiently distinguishable (or resolvable) from each other, a larger number of barcode variants can be accommodated. For example, using 140 different markers can provide 5 x 10 29 individual unique 13-digit barcodes, with a standard "checksum" ending.

[0072] Even a short 5-digit barcode (with 10 character possibilities per digit) can have 2.5 x 10 8 unique combinations, if selected from 50 different markers.

[0073] The method can further comprise the step of determining additional markers corresponding to one or more second product identifiers selected from the group comprising: batch identifier, date of production identifier, country of origin identifier, manufacturer identifier.

[0074] Identifying the batch number and / or any other relevant identifier can further specify the product and help traceability, e.g. to check if an old or expired product has been used. This can also be helpful in case of product recall and / or replacement after a defect has been discovered.

[0075] According to a second aspect of the application, there is provided a method of manufacturing nanoparticles, the nanoparticles specifically spectrally corresponding to a pre-existing product identifier or barcode (e.g. by fixed character to marker correspondence in a conversion table or equivalent), comprising determining a combination of markers encoding the pre-existing product identifier or barcode according to the method of the first aspect, and manufacturing nanoparticles comprising the determined combination of markers.

[0076] The nanoparticles can be composite nanoparticles, each composite nanoparticle comprising each marker in the determined combination of markers.

[0077] According to a third aspect of the application, there is provided a method of manufacturing or marking a product having a product identifier, comprising the method of the first aspect or providing the combination of markers determined thereby, and adding or affixing the combination of markers in, on or on the product, thereby providing an emission spectrum of the markers (or covert markers) usable to determine that the product is a genuine product.

[0078] Its advantages are similar to the first and second aspects of the application. Adding the product at the manufacturing stage allows the manufacturer to control the addition of the combination of markers and their position or distribution in the product.

[0079] It will be appreciated that the method of the first aspect only needs to be performed once for a particular product, and subsequent manufacture of the product can be performed multiple times without repeating the method of the first aspect.

[0080] An instrument for detecting the emission spectrum of a combination of markers or composite marker can be provided. That is, the emission spectrum of the product (possibly including the emission spectrum of the combination of markers) is detected, and a certification code based on this spectrum is generated locally or remotely, for assessing the authenticity of the product, which when checked against a set or database of known product identifiers can result in a pass / fail result (or a near-pass result possibly requiring further checking) of authenticity.

[0081] The instrument can be used to obtain an emission spectrum of a marker from a product (assuming the marker is present), for example a product containing a combination of markers determined in accordance with the first aspect of the application. If no marker is present, or a marker is present which is incorrect compared to the expected marker, this can be easily identified by the device having associated processing means or being connected / associated with a system having associated processing means.

[0082] In some cases, the instrument can be adapted with processing means for carrying out product authentication on site, for example if the device is part of an automated system. In other cases, the instrument can be adapted to transmit data corresponding to the emission spectrum to a system (for example a mobile phone or computer) configured to carry out product authentication. The result of the authentication can then be sent back to the device to display whether the product is genuine, or possibly whether there is a close match to authenticity.

[0083] The term "authentication code" can be considered to be a coded form of a product identifier (for example a barcode). The authentication code can comprise characters or coded characters. The authentication code can be decoded by a process which is the reverse of the coding process used in the first aspect of the application. The authentication code is valid if it is converted or transformed into a product identifier which matches the expected product identifier. The authentication code can be valid if it is converted or transformed into a product identifier which almost matches the expected product identifier, and optionally can require further checking. The authentication code is invalid if it is converted or transformed into a product identifier which does not substantially match the expected product identifier.

[0084] An example of a conventional device suitable for this purpose is an Agilent® 4300 Handheld FTIR Spectrometer. It will be appreciated that this is not the only suitable option and other devices or scanners can be used, whether for infrared detection, ultraviolet detection, Raman detection or other spectroscopic detection.

[0085] The handheld device can be used to detect the emission spectrum and the processing means can be provided in a second device or system (for example a mobile phone, tablet or computer). Thus, authentication can be carried out away from the handheld device.

[0086] Alternatively, the emission spectrum can be detected and authenticated by a spectrometer and processing means contained in a single device. This is more suitable for an automated system.

[0087] According to a fourth aspect of the application, there is provided a method of assessing or determining whether a product is a genuine product or a non-genuine product, the genuine product being associated with a product identifier or barcode comprising a set of characters, wherein a combination of markers corresponding to the product identifier is contained in or on the genuine product but not in the non-genuine product, the method comprising the steps of: a. directing light (preferably infrared or near infrared) at one or more wavelengths onto the product to excite a marker present in the product; b. detecting at least part of the emission spectrum (preferably infrared emission spectrum) of the product; c. for peaks detected in the emission spectrum, encoding at least some of the peaks to generate a set of (encoded) characters as an authentication code; and d. comparing the authentication code to a set of existing product identifiers containing the marker to assess product authenticity.

[0088] Advantages are similar to the aforementioned aspects of the invention. When the combination of markers in the product (intrinsic to the product) is scanned or read, the generated authentication code can be compared to a predetermined, internationally recognised product identifier (such as a barcode). This enables the product to be quickly tested to determine whether it is genuine, and optionally the result to be displayed to the tester (typically within a time frame of a few seconds). The result can optionally be forwarded to other parties, such as regulatory authorities.

[0089] The expected product can be provided or set as an input / reference prior to, during or after testing the product (e.g. the aforementioned Agilent® device). The comparison output can then indicate whether the scanned product matches the expected product.

[0090] The method can further comprise the step of providing a comparison output, the output identifying whether the authentication code corresponds to any existing product identifier. That is, the expected product or product identifier can be provided, and the output can identify whether the authentication code corresponds to the expected product or product identifier.

[0091] The output can be a pass / fail result, or can indicate a list of close matches, possible matches, product matches or any other suitable result or output.

[0092] The output can comprise a visual or graphical output, such as on a display or screen. The output can comprise a sound, such as with different tones to indicate pass or fail.

[0093] If an exact match of the authentication code is found and corresponds to the expected result, the output can display a "perfect match" or "pass" result, possibly including the identity of the product and identifier to which the authentication code matches. If a close match of the authentication code is found, the output can display one or more "close match" results, possibly including the identity of the product and identifier to which the authentication code nearly matches. Otherwise, a "no match" result can be displayed, possibly including the identity of the product and identifier to which the authentication code actually corresponds.

[0094] A perfect match can be considered to be where all (encoded) characters in the authentication code, or their decoded characters, correspond to all the numbers in the product identification code (identifier).

[0095] A near match can be considered as all the encoded characters, or their decoded characters, of the authentication code corresponding to all the numbers in the product identification code (identifier), except one.

[0096] A no match can be considered as a situation where there is neither a perfect match nor a near match.

[0097] Step (d) can comprise decoding or converting the authentication code to the product identifier. This can be done by a process opposite to the encoding process of the first aspect of the invention, or by checking the authentication code against a reference database containing the marker combinations and corresponding (encoded) character sets.

[0098] Alternatively, the product identifier in the database can already have an associated encoded form, in which case the authentication code can be compared directly. However, in practice, it is expected that the most common approach will be to convert the peaks or authentication code to the product identifier, and then compare the product identifier against a list or database of existing product identifiers.

[0099] Step (d) can comprise checking or searching the authentication code (or its decoded form) in a GTIN database or a UPC database.

[0100] The detected peak or peaks can be combined or concatenated in order of wavelength, relative to the detected wavelengths, to provide the authentication code. The detected peak or peaks can be combined or concatenated in order of letters or numbers, relative to the characters or encoded characters, to provide the authentication code.

[0101] This allows the authentication code to be associated with a product identifier encoded in order of characters.

[0102] The detected peaks in the emission spectrum can be substantially in the range 400nm to 800nm and / or substantially in the range 700nm to 1000nm.

[0103] It will be appreciated that in any of the aspects described above, the use of a transmission or absorption spectrum can be considered instead of an emission spectrum, where appropriate.

[0104] The content of a further aspect of the invention is set out in claim 26. Its advantages and optional features are similar to the first aspect.

[0105] The content of a further aspect of the invention is set out in claim 27. Its advantages and optional features are similar to the fourth aspect.

[0106] Any feature or feature in relation to any aspect of the invention can be provided independently or in any independent combination in the invention of any other aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0107] For a better understanding of the present application, and to show more clearly how it can be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 A first embodiment of a barcode as a product identifier is shown; Figure 2 A conversion table for converting the barcode to an encoded form is shown; Figure 3 A barcode is shown Figure 2 A variation of the conversion table; Figure 4 A barcode is shown Figure 1 and Figure 2 character string examples for the table; Figure 5 An example database is shown, having visible and hidden portions to an end user, for checking a product's emission spectrum derived character string (or authentication code) against a list of genuine products and their corresponding product identifiers and genuine character strings; Figure 6 A barcode of a second embodiment is shown; Figure 7 A conversion table for the barcode is shown. Figure 6 The preferred embodiment is described

[0108] Figure 1 An embodiment of a barcode is shown, generally designated 10. The barcode 10 comprises a set of thirteen characters "50001270014084", generally designated 12. The barcode is an identifier corresponding to a particular product. It will be appreciated that although the current barcode has thirteen characters, any suitable number of characters can be used. It will also be appreciated that although in this embodiment the characters are all numeric, in other embodiments the identifier can include non-numeric characters.

[0109] Figure 2 A conversion table for encoding Figure 1 the barcode is shown, generally designated 20. The grey shaded cells are used to indicate the conversion of the barcode characters to an encoded form.

[0110] For the first character of the barcode, the first column is used. The first character of the barcode is '5'. Accordingly, the row of the first column which contains a cell beginning with '5' is used. The column and row identifiers form the two-part encoded form of the first character ('Af').

[0111] For the second character of the barcode, the second column is used. The second character of the barcode is '0'. Accordingly, the row of the first column which contains a cell beginning with '0' is used. The column and row identifiers form the two-part encoded form of the second character ('Ba'), or encoded character pair.​

[0112] It is understandable that similar steps are performed on the third through thirteenth characters of the barcode. Note that in this embodiment, zero ('0') is encoded.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, conversion table 20 has two additional columns for encoding the product year. For the year 2020, the abbreviation '20' is used, so following the previous method, the conversion process produces the additional encoded characters 'Uc' and 'Va'.

[0114] In this embodiment, the conversion table 20 contains 150 different encoded character pairs.

[0115] Once converted, the code pairs are provided in alphabetical order, due to the order of the pairs provided in the conversion table. This preserves the relative order of the characters in the encoded form, although it is understandable that the encoded character pairs can be added sequentially rather than prepared individually and then combined. In the current example, the barcode characters are therefore converted to the following code: AfBaCaDaEbFcGhHaJbKeLaMiNeUcVa Figure 3 A second embodiment of the conversion table is shown, labeled 30. Table 30 and... Figure 2 The table is basically similar, but includes a "checksum" column instead of two product year columns. Checksums can be used as a means of verifying that a valid combination of markers has been detected.

[0116] Figure 4 Showing Figure 1 Examples of concatenated strings for the encoded characters of a barcode, generally labeled 40. These examples correspond to exact matches (all 13 character pairs match as expected), near matches (all character pairs except one match the expected value), and failed matches (in this case, only 9 character pairs match the 13 expected pairs).

[0117] It is understandable that any single character pair may not match the corresponding product identifier character, thus generating a near match result. It is also understandable that any two or more character pairs may not match the corresponding number of product identifier characters, thus generating a failed result.

[0118] Figure 5 A sample table or database (or similar) is shown, generally labeled 50. Table 50 is not populated with a large amount of sample data, but it can be understood that it can be populated with all relevant barcode / product identifier strings, corresponding (encoded) character pairs, and optional company names, product names, and other suitable data.

[0119] It will be appreciated that the real-world database - in particular the (coded) character pairs and the character pairs generated by detecting the emission spectrum of the marker combinations - should be kept strictly confidential to avoid fraudulent use to bypass or reverse-engineer the present invention.

[0120] In certain embodiments, the database contains only the signatures of composite markers made from the marker materials listed in the relevant lookup table, so only the composite barcode markers can be "seen" and nothing else.

[0121] Note that background noise can be removed before the data is compared against the database, which can provide a relatively high intensity signal, allowing accurate reading of the marker identity.

[0122] Figure 6 A short-form barcode 60 is shown. In this example, the characters are the first five characters of the barcode 10, but it will be appreciated that any suitable characters can be used.

[0123] Figure 7 A conversion or lookup table 70 corresponding to the short-form barcode 60 is shown. It will be appreciated that this is the corresponding part of the earlier table 20. The same principles apply in establishing and / or checking product authenticity. The table 70 can support a large number of different marker combinations covering more than 2.5 x 1016 unique company barcode identifiers. 8

[0124] Any suitable plurality of markers (or list of known markers) can be provided to implement the present invention. It will be appreciated that each marker can be selected to be one of the various markers discussed in the detailed description above, such as zinc oxide, iron oxide, yttrium oxide, graphite, silver, or any other marker discussed above. For example, in the example, zinc oxide can represent 5 / Aa, iron oxide can represent 0 / Ba, yttrium oxide can represent 0 / Ca, graphite can represent 0 / Da, and silver can represent 1 / Eb. Figures 6-7

[0125] No limitation on the identity of the markers should be inferred from the very short list of markers explicitly named in the previous paragraph, which is given by way of example only. The actual identity of each marker is not important, provided that they are different from each other, and that the emission spectrum of each marker has sufficiently distinguishable peaks so that it can be determined which marker a given peak must correspond to.

[0126] ​​Each marker will correspond specifically (and only) to a single pair of characters available in the conversion table. For example, look-up table 20 includes 15 columns, each with 10 pairs of characters (in the form Xx), for a total of 150 different pairs of characters. In other embodiments, additional markers can be provided, for example to encode batch numbers and / or country codes. The pairs of characters in the table 20 embodiment are each exclusively matched to 150 different markers.

[0127] In other words, the encoded pairs of characters in each look-up table each correspond to a unique marker. It will be appreciated that certain embodiments can have the same marker appear multiple times in the look-up table, but correspond to different encoded pairs of characters (preferably different for both encoded characters in the pair).

[0128] It will also be appreciated that the conversion table specified for real-world use should be kept confidential, to prevent counterfeiters from using it for reverse engineering attempts. Otherwise, it would be necessary to start over with a new marker-to-pair-of-characters correspondence table, although this is possible, it would create unnecessary overhead.

[0129] Once the barcodes 10, 60 have been converted to the encoded form described above, a marker can be selected or determined for each encoded pair of characters according to the relevant table (when the desired set of markers is populated) to represent the pair in the actual product. The emission spectrum of each marker should contain one or more peaks that are distinguishable from the peaks of the other markers.

[0130] Once the marker combination has been determined, all of the markers can be added to the product (typically during manufacture or immediately thereafter), thereby marking it as a genuine product. This can be done by adding them individually, or if the marker combination is first provided in the form of one or more composite particles (each containing at least two markers), in fewer steps than the number of individual markers, which can be one marker addition step or a few steps.

[0131] The emission spectrum of the determined marker combination can be recorded in a database at a later time.

[0132] Furthermore, upon determination of the marker combination, the details of the encoded pair of characters can be entered into the database, along with reference data for the relevant product identifier or barcode, product name, company name, brand, etc. (as desired).

[0133] Composite markers (or particles thereof) can be prepared that have a composite emission spectrum or characteristic emission spectrum. That is, the emission spectrum of the marker combination used is unique, in that the emission spectrum produced by the composite marker is different from a simple aggregation of the emission spectra of the individual constituent markers obtained separately.

[0134] Once the composite marker is formed, its emission spectrum can be recorded in a database, along with the product identifier and its corresponding pair of characters.

[0135] To obtain the emission spectrum of the product under test for authenticity, a suitable device (such as the Agilent® device mentioned earlier in this specification) can be used and loaded or prepared to access the correct database.

[0136] For example, the device can be brought into contact with dry paint applied to a wall (where the paint is the product). The identity of the product is not known, although in some cases it can be expected that the product is a particular product. If it is expected to be a particular product, this can be entered at any stage.

[0137] Once the emission spectrum has been obtained, or as it is being obtained, the device can transmit the data relating to the relevant part of the spectrum to a second device with or having access to a database to process and analyse the spectrum, or it can compare the relevant peaks to a database it holds or has access to, for example after converting the relevant part into a character pair authentication code. If the marker is present in the product, the emission spectrum will contain a peak or emission corresponding to the marker.

[0138] For example, if silver nanoparticles are present, excitation at 420nm can in some cases give rise to emissions at 485nm or 550nm. When a combination of markers is present, excitation at 365nm or 420nm can give rise to multiple emissions corresponding to each marker.

[0139] The different peaks can be identified from the detected emission spectrum and converted to a series of coded letter pairs by reference to a lookup table. The coded letter pairs are combined in the appropriate order into a string. Using Figures 1-2 As an early example, if the genuine product is present, and therefore contains the required markers, this will generate emission peaks corresponding to 15 different markers, which can be converted to the following string as an authentication code: AfBaCaDaEbFcGhHaJbKeLaMiNeUcVa.

[0140] This code can be decoded by the second device to provide “50001270014084” as the product identifier or barcode. The GTIN or UPC database can be checked to identify the product and manufacturer, as well as the date of manufacture. If there was an expected product before starting the analysis, the results obtained from the database can be used to manually determine whether the product is correct. Alternatively, if the expected product is entered into the device or second device, the output can be generated to indicate a perfect match, that the product corresponds to the expected product, i.e. that the product is genuine.

[0141] In a first alternative scenario (see Figure 4 ), the product under test can give rise to emission peaks corresponding to the following authentication code upon excitation: AfBaCaDaEbFc GgHa Jb Ke La Mi Ne Uc Va. The middle encoded character pair "Gg" is shown in bold and underlined because it does not exactly match the expected encoded character pair "Gh". However, all other encoded character pairs do translate to Figure 1 the correct barcode characters of the barcode. In this case, an output can be generated to indicate a near match, and the user can be presented with a list of possible product matches that have product identifiers corresponding to all encoded character pairs except the erroneous encoded character pair.

[0142] In a second alternative scenario (again, see Figure 4 ), the product being tested can produce emission peaks corresponding to the following authentication code upon excitation: Af Ba Ca Da Eb Fc Gg Hb Jc Kf La Mi Ne Uc Va upon excitation. The middle encoded character pair "Gg" is shown in bold and underlined because it does not match the expected encoded character pair "Gh Ha Jb Ke". In this case, an output can be generated to indicate no match, and the product fails authentication.

[0143] If there are not enough marker features for a perfect match or a near match, but the user has not set an expected product or identifier to match, the device can display a list of possible matching products for the user to consider. For example, if - just as an example of system behavior, not intended to be within the scope of protection - there is only silver nanoparticles and no other markers, the authentication code would be "Hf" (corresponding to 550 nm). The relative intensity of the emission can also be provided, for checking the amount of silver nanoparticles that are still present in the product in their original form. The user would be provided with a list of registered products that can contain silver nanoparticles.

[0144] The above embodiments are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the application defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for encoding by determining a combination of markers corresponding to a pre-existing product identifier or barcode spectrum of a genuine product, the method comprising the following steps: a. Provide a pre-existing product identifier or barcode for the product, the pre-existing product identifier or barcode comprising a set of characters specific to the product; b. Provide a list of multiple different markers, each marker having an emission spectrum containing one or more peaks, and one or more peaks of the emission spectrum of a given marker in the list being substantially distinguishable from one or more peaks of the emission spectrum of other markers in the list; c. Assign a marker from a list for each character of a pre-existing product identifier or barcode, so that each character is thus associated with a different marker, to establish a fixed correspondence between the assigned marker and the corresponding character of the pre-existing product identifier or barcode, for reference in adding the assigned marker combination to the product, to represent the pre-existing product identifier or barcode in a spectral manner; as well as d. Acquire or record the infrared emission spectrum or characteristics of the assigned combination of markers for pairing with a pre-existing product identifier or barcode.

2. The method of claim 1, prior to step c, includes the step of encoding part or all of the character set of the product identifier to provide a set of encoded characters, wherein the allocation step is to allocate a marker from the list for each encoded character.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a product identifier or barcode is pre-existing in a database, such as a GTIN or UPC database, and the pre-existing product identifier or barcode has been pre-assigned to genuine products.

4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the infrared emission spectrum of the markers is recorded using FTIR and / or an excitation wavelength in the range of 950 nm to 25000 nm for identifying combinations of markers.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, when relying on claim 2, wherein each character is encoded into two parts of encoded characters based on its character identity or value and its position in the character order of the product identifier.

6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, when relying on claim 2, wherein during step c, each character is encoded by means of a conversion table, flowchart, computer program or other means to give a fixed or predetermined correspondence between characters of a pre-existing product identifier or barcode and markers in a list of markers.

7. The method of claim 6, when relying on claim 5, wherein the conversion table comprises a set of two-part coded characters for converting a pre-existing product identifier or barcode into an coded form, wherein the first part of each coded character pair corresponds to i) the identity or value of each character and ii) one of the positions of the characters in the character order, and the second part corresponds to the other of i) and ii).

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the marker corresponds to a character via a lookup table, or, when relying on claim 2, to an encoded character.

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the combination of markers comprises ten or more different compounds as markers in the form of nanoparticles.

10. The method of claim 6, or any one of claims 7 to 9 when relying on claim 6, wherein the conversion table comprises ten or more different markers, optionally twelve to fifteen or more inorganic or ceramic markers.

11. The method according to any of the preceding claims further comprises the step of determining one or more additional markers to be included in the combination, said one or more additional markers corresponding to one or more second product identifiers selected from the group consisting of: batch identifier, production date identifier, country identifier, and manufacturer identifier.

12. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the marker is an inorganic marker or a ceramic marker.

13. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the marker comprises a metal oxide and / or a metal-like oxide.

14. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein step d excludes one or both of the ultraviolet and / or visible light spectra of the combination of markers being acquired or recorded.

15. A method for manufacturing nanoparticles with a spectral correspondence to a pre-existing product identifier or barcode, comprising determining a combination of markers encoding a pre-existing product identifier or barcode according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and manufacturing nanoparticles comprising the determined combination of markers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the nanoparticles are composite nanoparticles, each composite nanoparticle comprising each of the determined combination of markers.

17. A method of manufacturing or marking a product having a product identifier, comprising the method of any one of claims 1 to 14 or providing a combination of markers determined therefrom or providing nanoparticles containing the combination of markers, and adding or fixing the combination of markers in, on, or on the product, thereby providing a marker that can be used to determine that the product is a genuine product, the emission spectrum of which can be used to determine the authenticity of the product.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein it is a method of manufacturing or marking aircraft parts and / or aerospace parts.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein it is a method of manufacturing or marking military parts and / or components.

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein, when relying on claim 12, the inorganic or ceramic markers in the marker combination are provided in the form of composite nanoparticles, each composite nanoparticle comprising each marker in the marker combination.

21. A method for assessing whether a product is genuine or counterfeit, the genuine product being associated with a product identifier or barcode comprising a set of characters, wherein a combination of markers corresponding to the product identifier (optionally determined by the method of any one of claims 1 to 14) is contained in or on the genuine product, but not in counterfeit products, the method comprising the steps of: a. Direct infrared light at one or more wavelengths onto the product to excite markers present in the product; b. Detect at least a portion of the infrared emission spectrum of the product; c. For peaks detected in the infrared emission spectrum, at least some peaks are encoded to generate authentication codes; as well as d. The authentication code is compared with the existing set of product identifiers for products containing the mark to assess product authenticity.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein step d includes checking the authentication code in a GTIN database or a UPC database.

23. The method of claim 21 or 22 further includes the step of inputting an expected product or product identifier, and providing an output indicating whether an authentication code corresponds to the input product or product identifier.

24. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein during encoding, one or more peaks are combined or connected in peak wavelength order, character alphabetical order, or character-numeric order to provide an authentication code.

25. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein steps a and b are performed using FTIR and / or light having an excitation wavelength in the range of 950 nm to 25000 nm.

26. A method for determining a combination of markers corresponding to a pre-existing product identifier or barcode of a genuine product, the product identifier comprising a set of characters, the method comprising the following steps: a. Provide a list of multiple different markers, each marker having an emission spectrum containing one or more peaks, and one or more peaks in the emission spectrum of a given marker in the list being substantially distinguishable from one or more peaks in the emission spectra of other markers in the list; b. Assign a marker to each character from the list, thus associating each character in the product identifier with a distinct marker, to establish a fixed correspondence between the assigned markers and the corresponding characters in the product identifier, for reference in adding the assigned marker combinations to the product, representing the product identifier in a chemical or spectral manner; and c. Acquire or record the emission spectrum of each assigned marker or combination of assigned markers for pairing with the product identifier.

27. A method for assessing whether a product is genuine or counterfeit, the genuine product being associated with a product identifier or barcode comprising a set of characters, wherein a combination of markers corresponding to the product identifier is contained in or on the genuine product but not in counterfeit products, the method comprising the steps of: a. Directing light at one or more wavelengths onto the product to excite markers present in the product; b. Detect at least a portion of the emission spectrum of the product; c. For the peaks detected in the emission spectrum, at least some peaks are encoded to generate authentication codes; as well as d. Compare the authentication code with the existing set of product identifiers for products containing the mark to assess product authenticity.

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