Abstract: A method for confirming the authenticity of an article including placing a semi hard piece of material on an article then printing a magnetic pattern on the semi hard piece of material. In order to view the pattern, a viewer containing a suspension of materials will be placed over the semi hard piece of material. The suspension of materials will then orient in the presence of a magnetic field adjacent to the magnetic material.

Abstract: A desensitizer apparatus for desensitizing a security sensor element in a book spine. The apparatus includes a scanner which scans along a surface against which book spines are positioned and which detects sensor elements in the spines to be sure that only one book is positioned against the surface. If only one sensor element is detected, a signal is generated which operates a drive mechanism to move desensitizer magnets close to the surface to deactivate the sensor element in the book.

Abstract: Magnetically desensitized targets or sensor elements on protected articles are resensitized by means of rotating permanent magnets which are moved relative to the magnetized target desensitizer elements such that the elements become subjected to reversing magnetic fields of gradually decreasing intensity.

Abstract: Articles of merchandise (42) which contain deactivatable theft detection targets (44) have their targets deactivated by passing them through a box-like apparatus (30) made of low coercive force, high saturation induction material with a multiplicity of permament magnets (48) on its inside surfaces so as to generate magnetic fields which extend at different directions and at decreasing intensities from one end of the apparatus to the other so that irrespective of a target's orientation while passing through the apparatus, the target's magnetic deactivation slugs or elements will encounter a magnetizing field along the target's length sufficient to magnetize the elements.