Digital Dyeing Authentication Using Visible Color Gradient Artifacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The textile dyeing industry faces environmental hazards due to high water consumption and pollution from toxic residues, and consumers struggle to differentiate between conventionally and digitally dyed textiles, making it difficult to authenticate eco-friendly products.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for digitally controlling the dyeing process to create a visible color gradient on threads, which are then used to form artifacts that authenticate the dyeing process, ensuring that the product was made using environmentally friendly digital dyeing techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a label is affixed to a digitally dyed textile to attest to its ecological soundness, then consumer information about environmental friendliness is provided, but the textile remains vulnerable to fraudulent imitation and cannot be reliably differentiated from conventionally dyed textiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the authentication information directly into the textile material itself by embedding invisible digital watermarks and metadata within the digital dyeing process. This combines the product identity and authentication data into a single integrated system, eliminating the need for separate labels while preventing fraud through embedded cryptographic signatures that are inherently tied to the physical textile.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces digital watermarks and metadata as an intermediary layer within the textile structure. These invisible markers serve as a mediator between the physical textile and the authentication system, allowing verification of digital dyeing without altering the textile's appearance or requiring external labels.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional dyeing methods are used, then textile production is simple and cost-effective, but large volumes of fresh water are consumed and toxic wastewater is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional wet dyeing mechanics with digital dyeing technology that uses computer-controlled inkjet or aerosol deposition. This substitution eliminates the need for large volumes of water and chemical mordants, reducing pollution while maintaining manufacturing capability through digitally controlled precision application of dyes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the dyeing process by transitioning from batch-based conventional dyeing to continuous digital deposition. This involves changing parameters such as water flow rate, dye concentration, and application method, enabling eco-friendly dyeing that consumes minimal water and produces no toxic wastewater.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If digital dyeing technology is used to reduce water consumption and pollution, then environmental friendliness is improved, but it becomes difficult to differentiate digitally dyed textiles from conventionally dyed ones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs invisible digital watermarks and colorimetric markers that are embedded within the textile during digital dyeing. These markers create subtle optical variations detectable only through specialized verification systems, allowing identification of digital dyeing without affecting the textile's visible appearance or consumer perception.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces invisible digital metadata and cryptographic signatures as an intermediary layer within the textile's digital twin. This mediator enables verification of the dyeing method through mobile devices or scanners without requiring visible labels or altering the textile's aesthetic properties.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of manufacture, comprising, an artifact formed from at least a portion of at least one continuous artifact fiber, the artifact fiber dyed by a first digitally controlled dyeing process to exhibit a visible first color section and a visible color gradient section transitioning from and visibly distinguishable from the first color section; and, a textile portion, comprising at least one dyed fiber that has been dyed by a second digitally controlled dyeing process; wherein said artifact fiber is dyed by the first dyeing process applying metadata, said metadata relating to at least said first color, and wherein said textile portion fiber is dyed at least said first color by the second dyeing process applying said metadata.