EP-4740133-A1 - AUTHENTICATION ELEMENTS FOR AUTHENTICATING OBJECTS AND

Abstract

Authentication elements that can be physically associated with objects in order to authenticate the objects are provided. An authentication element encodes at least a portion of an authentication code. In some embodiments, an authentication element is readable using x-rays, radio waves (e.g., in combination with a magnetic field), sound waves, or a combination thereof. An authentication code may be known only to a certain individual or organization. An authentication code may be distinct in some manner, for example, may be unique or correspond to a certain individual or organization. In some embodiments, a composite authentication element is used, for example, for a set of objects where each object is physically associated with a distinct portion of the composite authentication element. An authentication element (or composite authentication element) may be a passive element, for example that does not contain any circuitry and/or antenna.

Inventors

• KURRA, Chandana
• WASSERMAN, PAUL
• Freidl, Michael C.
• MEYER, TRAVIS EUGENE
• SPENCINER, DAVID B.

Assignees

• Mineral City Biotechnologies, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240709

Claims (20)

1. 1. An object that can be authenticated, wherein the object is physically associated with a passive authentication element that encodes at least a portion of an authentication code (e.g., encodes an entire authentication code) for the object.
2. 2. A passive authentication element that encodes at least a portion of an authentication code (e.g., encodes an entire authentication code) (e.g., for an object).
3. 3. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more radiopaque encoding portions.
4. 4. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more threads and/or one or more fibers that encode at least a portion of the authentication code [e.g., one or more fibers that are braided into a thread (e.g., with or without one or more other fibers) such that the one or more fibers encode at least a portion of the authentication code],
5. 5. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more threads and/or one or more fibers that are radiopaque (e.g., comprise one or more radiopaque filaments).
6. 6. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication code comprises one or more characters and the authentication element comprises one or more encoding portions [e.g., one or more threads and/or one or more fibers and/or made of ink (e.g., radiopaque ink)] that each encode one of the one or more characters.
7. 7. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication code comprises one or more characters and the authentication element comprises a plurality of encoding portions [e.g., one or more threads and/or one or more fibers and/or made of ink (e.g., radiopaque ink)], wherein two or more of the plurality of encoding portions together encode one of the one or more characters.
8. 8. The object or authentication element of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the one or more encoding portions are spatially arranged, spatially distributed, phased, positioned, oriented, or a combination thereof such that the one or more encoding portions encode at least a portion of the authentication code.
9. 9. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more encoding portions (e.g., one or more threads and/or one or more fibers) that are spatially arranged, spatially distributed, phased, positioned, oriented, shaped, sized, constructed to produce a responsive signal, or a combination thereof such that the one or more encoding portions encode at least a portion of the authentication code.
10. 10. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the authentication code is encoded by a spatial distribution, position, and/or size of one or more encoding portions of the authentication element.
11. 11. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more encoding portions [e.g., one or more threads and/or one or more fibers and/or made of ink (e.g., radiopaque ink)] that form a readable pattern (e.g., QR code or barcode) that encodes at least a portion of the authentication code.
12. 12. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more braided elements that encode at least a portion of the authentication code based on one or more spacings between adjacent portions of the one or more braided elements (e.g., between adjacent braided elements).
13. 13. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element is readable using x-rays, radio waves (e.g., in combination with a magnetic field), sound waves, or a combination thereof to determine the at least a portion of the authentication code.
14. 14. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises one or more materials of variable radio-density that encode at least a portion of the authentication code.
15. 15. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises a plurality of radiopaque elements that together encode at least a portion of the authentication code.
16. 16. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element comprises a plurality of radiopaque elements that each encode a character in the authentication code.
17. 17. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the object is an artwork and the object comprises a substrate [e.g., canvas or board (e.g., wood board)] that comprises the authentication element.
18. 18. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element is integrated (e.g., not removable without noticeably damaging the object) into the object [e.g., woven into a substrate thereof (e.g., wherein the object is an artwork and the authentication element is woven into a canvas of the artwork)].
19. 19. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element is covered (e.g., by a portion of the object) (e.g., from external view from a human observer).
20. 20. The object or authentication element of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the authentication element is woven into the object.

Description

AUTHENTICATION ELEMENTS FOR AUTHENTICATING OBJECTS AND SYSTEMS, OBJECTS, AND METHODS USING THEM BACKGROUND [0001] There is an ongoing need to be able to verify the authenticity of objects, especially high-value objects and objects for which there is a desire to track them. For example, it is desirable to be able to verify the authenticity of artworks, antiques, and designer fashion items (e.g., clothing, handbags, and accessories). As another example, it is desirable to be able to verify the authenticity of weapons and ammunition for weapons, in some contexts for valuation purposes (e.g., for collectable weapons) and in some contexts for tracking purposes (e.g., crime solving). [0002] Current approaches rely on technology, such as Radiofrequency Identification (RFID), that is not suitable for all applications. For example, RFID does not fit on all objects, is usually visible to humans (e.g., such that it can be defeated by removal and/or interferes with aesthetics), can be blocked, and is active (e.g., uses circuitry powered internally or using an internal antenna). Other authentication schemes that are not RFID are often human-visible or require being viewed by a human in order to be used for authentication. Therefore, there is a need for alternative ways to verify authenticity of objects, especially those that are difficult for counterfeiters to circumvent. SUMMARY [0003] Authentication elements disclosed herein encode at least a portion of an authentication code. Such authentication elements can address one or more problems associated with conventional authentication schemes, like RFID. For example, authentication elements disclosed herein may be invisible to an unaided human viewer, may be readable when covered and/or embedding in an object, may be readable when disposed inside an opaque outer container, may be irremovable from being associated with an object (e.g., irremovable from the object or a label affixed to an object), or a combination thereof. Therefore, it may be harder (or impossible) to defeat authentication schemes that use one or more authentication elements disclosed herein than it is to defeat conventional security schemes, such as RFID-based schemes. Similarly, authentication elements disclosed herein may be hard to duplicate thereby being less susceptible to counterfeiting. Moreover, some such authentication elements disclosed herein can be read inline, such as during an existing logistics process for shipping, sorting, and/or storing objects. In some embodiments, an authentication element is readable using commercially available equipment, such as an x-ray, CT, or MRI machine with a conveyor belt, thereby facilitating easy integration into existing processes. Examples of such processes include a logistics process, such as a sorting process, a routing process, a shipping process, a warehouse process, and/or a distribution process. Authentication elements disclosed herein may be used to determine whether one or more objects is authentic or inauthentic (e.g., fraudulent and/or counterfeit). [0004] Authentication elements may be physically associated with objects in order to authenticate the objects. An authentication element encodes at least a portion of an authentication code, for example using one or more encoding portions, such as radiopaque and/or sound-attenuating encoding portion(s). In some embodiments, an authentication element is readable using x-rays, radio waves, sound waves, magnetization, or a combination thereof. An authentication code may be known only to a certain individual or organization. An authentication code may be distinct in some manner, for example, may be unique or correspond to a certain individual or organization. In some embodiments, a composite authentication element is used, for example, for a set of objects where each object is physically associated with a distinct portion of the composite authentication element. An authentication element (or composite authentication element) may be a passive element, for example that does not contain any circuitry and/or antenna. Using circuitry and/or antenna as part of an authentication element, such as with RFID, can require using larger sizes and/or more complex manufacturing, leading to increased costs and reduced versatility. In some embodiments, an authentication element may be able to be read to determine an authentication code, for example using only that information which is readable from the authentication element or in combination with other information (e.g., another portion of the authentication code or a key), in order to verify authenticity of an object. [0005] An object may be physically associated with an authentication element. For example, an object may include an authentication element, for example embedded in the object, integrated with the object, or disposed on an interior or exterior surface of the object. As another example, an authentication element may be included in a label affixed to (e.g.,