Violanthrone Tagged Petroleum Products Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for tagging petroleum products are not secure, as coloring agents can be easily removed or obscured, making it difficult to authenticate the products, and often require high dosages or extensive training for detection.

Innovation Solution

The use of violanthrone or isoviolanthrone derivatives as tagging compounds, which are dissolved at low concentrations in petroleum products, allowing for detection through near-infrared light absorption and emission, providing a secure and cost-effective means of authentication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If coloring agents are used to tag petroleum products, then the products can be visually distinguished, but the tagging can be easily removed or obscured by simple chemical reactions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidtagging compound stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from visible coloring agents to near-infrared fluorescent tagging compounds, changing the detection wavelength parameter. This makes the tags invisible to the naked eye and undetectable by simple visual inspection, while requiring specific spectroscopic equipment for detection, thereby preventing removal or obscuration by simple chemical reactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces near-infrared fluorescent compounds as intermediary substances that absorb near-infrared light and emit visible fluorescence. This intermediary mechanism allows for secure tagging where the compound itself remains stable and undetectable visually, but can be detected through its fluorescent properties when excited by near-infrared light.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If high dosage levels of coloring agents are used for detection, then detection reliability improves, but costs increase and other problems arise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection sensitivityVSAvoidtagging compound concentration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the detection parameter from visible light absorption to near-infrared fluorescence emission. This allows for highly sensitive detection at very low concentrations because fluorescent detection methods are inherently more sensitive than visual color detection, enabling authentication with minimal amounts of tagging compound.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If visible dyes are used for tagging, then the products can be distinguished by color, but the dyes can be obscured by natural substances or additives

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidinterference from natural substances
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves the tagging detection from the visible spectrum to the near-infrared spectrum, adding a new dimensional aspect to detection. Since natural substances and additives that may obscure visible dyes do not typically interfere with near-infrared fluorescence, this dimensional shift eliminates the interference problem while maintaining detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

These compounds are chemically stable, readily soluble, and can be detected at low concentrations using commercially available equipment, offering a secure and cost-effective solution for authenticating petroleum products without affecting their performance or physical properties.

Implementation Method 1

allowing for detection through near-infrared light absorption and emission

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNear-infrared light absorption and emission: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentEP2095131B1Tagged petroleum products and methods of detecting the same
Publication Date: 2018.05.02 AUTHENTIX INC
  • EP2095131B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2095131B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2095131B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Tagged products (including tagged petroleum products) and methods of detecting the same are disclosed. The tagged petroleum products are tagged with a violanthrone, e.g., a substituted violanthrone and/or an isoviolanthrone, e.g., a substituted isoviolanthrone.