Luminescent Taggant Authentication in Adhesives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Counterfeiting of articles, such as postage stamps and financial documents, remains a significant issue due to advancements in replication technology, which makes existing authentication methods less secure and more difficult to detect.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing luminescent taggants embedded in adhesives or substrates that emit light in response to specific electromagnetic signals, allowing for authentication through detection of emitted luminescence, providing a secure and difficult-to-replicate authentication mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional authentication markings (watermarks, holograms) are used on articles, then authentication capability is provided, but counterfeiters can still replicate these markings using advanced copying technology
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional visual authentication markings with a system using electromagnetic radiation detection. Instead of relying on visible features that can be copied, the invention uses detectors to sense electromagnetic radiation patterns from the article, providing authentication that cannot be replicated by conventional copying methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the authentication parameter from visible optical features to electromagnetic radiation characteristics. By detecting electromagnetic radiation patterns rather than visual markings, the system moves to a different physical domain that is much harder for counterfeiters to replicate with standard copying equipment.
2Reliability
If authentication markings are made more complex and harder to detect, then security is improved, but the markings become more difficult to interpret and verify
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection system that bridges the gap between complex authentication features and verification. The detector acts as an intermediary device that automatically senses electromagnetic radiation patterns and provides authentication feedback, eliminating the need for manual interpretation of complex markings while maintaining high security.
3Ease of operation
If the same means that generated the visible appearance of an article are used for authentication, then authentication is easy to perform, but the visible appearance becomes easier to replicate by counterfeiters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual inspection-based authentication with electromagnetic radiation detection. Instead of using the same visible features that define the article's appearance, the system uses detectors to sense electromagnetic radiation patterns, providing an authentication method that is equally easy to perform but immune to visual copying techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances authentication security by making it harder for counterfeiters to replicate the authentication features, while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of personalized stamps and documents, and allowing for easy detection of genuine items.
Implementation Method 1
a taggant in the adhesive, which taggant can emit luminescence in response to an excitation signal
Implementation Method 2
illuminating the item with the excitation signal, sensing the emitted luminescence from the taggant
Data Source
AI summary
A method of illuminating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.