Abstract: A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.

Abstract: A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.

Abstract: A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.

Abstract: A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.

Abstract: A system for printing and emissive image on a substrate that includes red, green, and blue additive-color emissive inks configured to be printed to a substrate using an ink printer device intended for use with subtractive-color ink. An image to be printed can be converted to color negative form prior to printing using the subtractive-color ink printer. The system may include a subtractive-color ink printer intended for use with subtractive-color ink cartridges. The system may also include a computer device programmed to convert an image to a color negative form.

Abstract: A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.

Abstract: An emissive toner composition for producing an emissive image component of an image indicia on a substrate. The emissive toner composition includes a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives, each selected and present in an amount such that when the toner composition is printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the toner composition has stable spectral characteristics. In one embodiment, the emission spectra of the image component printed on the substrate, for irradiation with an excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. In another embodiment, the image component has a photoluminescent toner stability factor of about greater than or equal to 25.

Abstract: A system for printing and emissive image on a substrate that includes red, green, and blue additive-color emissive inks configured to be printed to a substrate using an ink printer device intended for use with subtractive-color ink. An image to be printed can be converted to color negative form prior to printing using the subtractive-color ink printer. The system may include a subtractive-color ink printer intended for use with subtractive-color ink cartridges. The system may also include a computer device programmed to convert an image to a color negative form.

Abstract: A method of marking a substrate with an emissive image wherein the substrate includes optical brighteners, the substrate having applied thereon a substance having one or more fluorescent quenchers and a quench prevention substance. An emissive color component is applied over at least a portion of the quench prevention substance. An article with authentication features may include a substrate having a layer of one or more fluorescent quenchers, a layer of a quench prevention substance, and an emissive image component. An article with authentication features may be used to authenticate the article using an emissive image produced from an emissive color component positioned over at least a portion of a quench prevention substance.

Abstract: An article is marked with image indicia for authentication, information, or decoration by providing a plurality of inks having a plurality of fluorescence colors when exposed to excitation energy, separating colors of the image indicia into a plurality of image levels in accordance with the fluorescence colors of the inks, and printing each image level in mutual registration on the article using the corresponding ink. The image printed with each ink may be substantially invisible under illumination within the visible spectrum. The invisibly printed images have multiple authentication features, including the use of covert UV-fluorescent materials, IR-fluorophores, microparticles, and other chemical taggants. Ink compositions, methods for making the inks, and methods and apparatus for using the inks are also disclosed.

Abstract: An article is marked with image indicia for authentication, information, or decoration by providing a plurality of inks having a plurality of fluorescence colors when exposed to excitation energy, separating colors of the image indicia into a plurality of image levels in accordance with the fluorescence colors of the inks, and printing each image level in mutual registration on the article using the corresponding ink. The image printed with each ink may be substantially invisible under illumination within the visible spectrum. The invisibly printed images have multiple authentication features, including the use of covert UV-fluorescent materials, IR-fluorophores, microparticles, and other chemical taggants. Ink compositions, methods for making the inks, and methods and apparatus for using the inks are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system (10) is provided for performing first order authentication of articles marked with indicia (30) discernible in visible, ultraviolet, or infrared light or tagged with UV- or IR-sensitive chemicals. The first-order authentication system provides reliable visual authentication by providing for juxtaposition of the article-under-test (20) with a known reference-standard sample-specimen (90, 100, or 300), while the article-under-test (20) is illuminated by a suitable source (65 or 250) of radiation in the visible, ultraviolet, or infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thus, the system (10) facilitates comparison to differentiate a genuine article from a counterfeit article with first-order accuracy but at a substantially lower cost than that of automated authentication systems. Additionally, the system can be used in both portable and desk top embodiments.

Abstract: A system (10) is provided for performing first order authentication of articles marked with indicia (30) discernible in visible, ultraviolet, or infrared light or tagged with UV- or IR-sensitive chemicals. The first-order authentication system provides reliable visual authentication by providing for juxtaposition of the article-under-test (20) with a known reference-standard sample-specimen (90, 100, or 300), while the article-under-test (20) is illuminated by a suitable source (65 or 250) of radiation in the visible, ultraviolet, or infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thus, the system (10) facilitates comparison to differentiate a genuine article from a counterfeit article with first-order accuracy but at a substantially lower cost than that of automated authentication systems. Additionally, the system can be used in both portable and desk top embodiments.

Abstract: An authentication system combines a source of ultraviolet light (and optionally a scanning mechanism) with apparatus for capturing and recognizing either graphic images or characters or both, where the graphic images and/or characters have been previously made with fluorescent substances that may be invisible under ordinary visible light, but are rendered detectable by the ultraviolet light. As in conventional optical character recognition (OCR), the characters may be conventional alphanumeric characters readable by human readers once they are made visible. The authentication system has a housing enclosing its optical path, a source of UV light, a detector for detecting graphic images or characters, conversion of the detector signal to digital form, a memory storing predetermined indicia, recognition logic, and indicating means. The system may also include a scanning mechanism and optical filters to select predetermined wavelengths of fluorescent light.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing an output signal responsive to a sensor signal having a unit for setting desired hysteresis values and desired reference values of the sensor signal, aunit for detecting whether the sensor signal has a positive or negative slope with respect to time, a unit for triggering one logical signal when the sensor signal has a positive slope and also exceeds one reference value minus a first hysteresis value, and a unit for triggering another logical signal when the sensor signal has a negative slope and also falls below the sum of a second reference value and a second hysteresis value. The apparatus and method may have more than two reference values and/or more than two hysteresis values simultaneously. The apparatus may be implemented by an embedded microcomputer of conventional type, programmed to perform the signal-processing disclosed. The steps of the process and initial values of the reference values and hysteresis values may be stored in a read-only memory.

Abstract: An authentication system combines a source of ultraviolet light (and optionally a scanning mechanism) with apparatus for capturing and recognizing either graphic images or characters or both, where the graphic images and/or characters have been previously made with fluorescent substances that may be invisible under ordinary visible light, but are rendered detectable by the ultraviolet light. As in conventional optical character recognition (OCR), the characters may be conventional alphanumeric characters readable by human readers once they are made visible. The authentication system has a housing enclosing its optical path, a source of UV light, a detector for detecting graphic images or characters, conversion of the detector signal to digital form, a memory storing predetermined indicia, recognition logic, and indicating means. The system may also include a scanning mechanism and optical filters to select predetermined wavelengths of fluorescent light.

Abstract: An authentication system combines a source of ultraviolet light (and optionally a scanning mechanism) with apparatus for capturing and recognizing either graphic images or characters or both, where the graphic images and/or characters have been previously made with fluorescent substances that may be invisible under ordinary visible light, but are rendered detectable by the ultraviolet light. As in conventional optical character recognition (OCR), the characters may be conventional alphanumeric characters readable by human readers once they are made visible. The authentication system has a housing enclosing its optical path, a source of UV light, a detector for detecting graphic images or characters, conversion of the detector signal to digital form, a memory storing predetermined indicia, recognition logic, and indicating means. The system may also include a scanning mechanism and optical filters to select predetermined wavelengths of fluorescent light.

Abstract: A multiple-reader system for authentication of articles uses a first reader (400) which employs predetermined modulated illuminating light (20) and a multiplicity of discriminating variables, such as wavelengths (110), amplitudes (120), and time delays (140) relative to the modulated illuminating light (20) to characterize fluorescent light (70) detected from fluorescent indicia on the articles. The fluorescent indicia may also incorporate spatial distributions such as bar codes as discriminating features. Additional readers (410 and 420), which may be readers of fluorescent marks and/or readers of other indicia, are synchronized with the fluorescence reader by timing signals. The discriminating features may be re-programmed by the user of the authentication system. Thus the discriminating features define a user-determined and programmable encryption of the articles' authentic identity.

Abstract: A release agent is first applied to a target article and on top of the release agent is applied an ultraviolet radiation fluorescent material to enable fraud detection. To prevent fraud, a security label may also be used comprising a label substrate, a release layer, a layer of ultraviolet radiation fluorescent material, and an adhesive layer for adhering to a target article. When the substrate is peeled off, part of the ultraviolet sensitive material will be peeled off also to enable detection.