Method and system for item authentication and customization

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of authenticating an item, the method comprising:
 applying an adhesive to a surface of the item, the adhesive comprising a first taggant and second taggant;   applying a second adhesive in a second adhesive area, the second adhesive comprising the second taggant;   illuminating the item with an excitation signal, wherein the first taggant and second taggant emit luminescence in response to the excitation signal, the emitted luminescence comprising a desired image;   sensing the emitted luminescence from the taggant; and   determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence having the desired image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the excitation signal comprises electromagnetic energy within a predetermined spectrum. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the emitted luminescence comprises electromagnetic energy within a predetermined spectrum. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the taggant comprises two or more taggants which emit different wavelengths of electromagnetic energy when excited by the excitation signal. 
     
     
         5 . A method of authenticating an item through a substrate, the method comprising:
 applying a taggant to a substrate of the item, the taggant configured to emit luminescence in response to illumination by an excitation signal, and wherein the substrate comprises regions having varying relative transparency to the emitted luminescence of the taggant;   illuminating the substrate with an excitation signal, wherein the properties of the excitation signal allow the excitation signal to pass through the substrate to excite luminescence by the taggant, wherein the regions of varying transmissivity form an excitation image;   sensing the excitation image;   determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed excitation image.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the relative transparency of the substrate is determined across a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the taggant is excited by the excitation signal having a wavelength corresponding to high relative transparency of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the taggant emits luminescence having a wavelength corresponding to a high relative transparency of the substrate in response to illumination by the excitation signal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the excitation signal comprises electromagnetic energy within a predetermined spectrum. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the emitted luminescence comprises electromagnetic energy within a predetermined spectrum. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the taggant comprises two or more taggants which emit different wavelengths of electromagnetic energy when excited by the excitation signal. 
     
     
         12 . A system for authenticating an item, the system comprising:
 a label comprising:
 a substrate; 
 adhesive applied to a portion of the substrate, the adhesive having a first adhesive region and a second adhesive region; and 
 a first taggant interspersed in the first adhesive region and a second taggant interspersed in the second adhesive region, wherein the second adhesive region is positioned relative to the first adhesive region to create a desired image in the emitted luminescence of the first and second taggants upon excitation; and 
   a detector comprising:
 an illuminator configured to generate a signal that excites the taggant to luminesce; and 
 a sensor configured to detect luminescence emitted by the first taggant and the second taggant upon excitation by the generated signal and to recognize the desired image produced by the emitted luminescence. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second adhesive regions are applied to a first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the signal emitted by the illuminator passes through the substrate before it excites the first and second taggants to luminesce. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the luminescence emitted by the first and second taggants passes through the substrate before it is detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         16 . A label for authentication, the label comprising:
 a substrate;   a first adhesive applied to a first portion of the substrate and a second adhesive applied to a second portion of the substrate; and   a first taggant interspersed in the first adhesive and a second taggant interspersed in the second adhesive, wherein the first and second taggants emit a luminescence in response to an excitation signal, the emitted luminescence being detectable by a detector, wherein the second adhesive is positioned relative to the first adhesive to create a desired image in the emitted luminescence of the first and second taggants upon excitation, and wherein the emitted luminescence is usable for authenticating the label.   
     
     
         17 . The label of  claim 16  wherein the taggant is interspersed in the adhesive in a non-random manner such that a recognizable image is generated by the luminescence emitted from the taggant. 
     
     
         18 . The label of  claim 17 , wherein the substrate and adhesive are at least partially transparent to the emitted luminescence.