Luminescence imaging for sensing and/or authentication
Inventors
Swager, Timothy Manning • Cox, Jason R. • Deans, Robert
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12385835-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
Compositions, articles, systems, and methods for sensing and/or authentication using luminescence imaging are generally provided. In some embodiments, an article (or packaging material of an article) is associated with an emissive material comprising an emissive species (e.g., a luminescent species). In some cases, the emissive species has an emission lifetime of at least 10 nanoseconds (ns). In some cases, a characteristic of an article (e.g., identity, authenticity, age, quality, purity) may be determined by obtaining an image (or series of images) comprising time-dependent information related to an emissive species. In certain instances, for example, the emission lifetime of an emissive species may be determined from an image (or series of images). Since the emission lifetime of an emissive species may be modified by a number of factors, including but not limited to binding or proximity to other molecules (e.g., water, oxygen, carbon monoxide), temperature, pH, and radiation exposure, the measured length of the emission lifetime (e.g., the observed emission lifetime, the emission time period) may provide information regarding a characteristic of an associated article. In some instances, an emissive material comprising one or more emissive species may be used to identify and/or authenticate an associated article.
Core Innovation
The invention uses luminescence imaging with non-steady-state emission lifetimes during an emission time period of at least 10 nanoseconds to generate a detectable emission. An emissive species is excited so that the detectable non-steady-state emission is produced and varies over an image capture time period. The system converts the varying detectable non-steady-state emission into a single image in which different image portions correspond to different portions of the emission time period.
A rolling shutter image sensor detects the non-steady-state emission while sequentially reading a first row or first column and a second row or second column of pixels. Electronic hardware produces a single image comprising a first portion corresponding to a first portion of the emission time period and a second portion corresponding to a second portion of the emission time period. Differences between properties of the image portions encode characteristics linked to the emissive species and associated information.
The invention is applied to identification of a characteristic of an article by using a chemical tag that comprises an emissive species producing detectable non-steady-state emission under set of conditions. The excitation component excites the emissive species under the set of conditions so that the detectable non-steady-state emission varies over the image capture time period. A difference between a property of the first portion and the second portion is associated with a characteristic of the chemical tag, enabling authentication and sensing based on emission lifetime-related information, including effects of quenching molecules and environmental conditions.
Claims Coverage
The document contains three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive structure combines non-steady-state luminescence with a rolling-shutter image sensor and a single-image output that partitions emission time into spatially distinct image portions, with one claim specifically defining sequential row/column reading and one claim tying encoded differences to identification of an article characteristic via a chemical tag.
Non-steady-state emission captured as a single rolling-shutter image portioned by emission time
A system with an excitation component configured to excite an emissive species to produce detectable non-steady-state emission during an emission time period of at least 10 nanoseconds, an image sensor with a rolling shutter to detect at least a portion of the detectable non-steady-state emission, and electronic hardware configured to produce a single image with a first portion corresponding to a first portion of the emission time period and a second portion corresponding to a second portion of the emission time period.
Sequential rolling-shutter reading mapping first and second pixel portions to emission time portions
The rolling shutter is configured, upon detection of the detectable non-steady-state emission, to sequentially read a first row or first column of pixels and a second row or second column of pixels while the electronic hardware produces the single image comprising the first and second image portions corresponding to different portions of the emission time period.
Single image portions corresponding to different emission points in time using a rolling shutter
A system with an excitation component configured to expose an emissive species to non-steady-state electromagnetic radiation, an image sensor configured to detect at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emissive species using a rolling shutter, and electronic hardware configured to produce a single image comprising at least a first image portion corresponding to emission at a first point in time and a second image portion corresponding to emission at a second point in time.
Article identification using a chemical tag whose non-steady-state emission encodes characteristics via image portion differences
A system configured for identification of a characteristic of an article comprising a chemical tag associated with the article, where the chemical tag comprises an emissive species producing detectable non-steady-state emission during an emission time period of at least 10 nanoseconds under set of conditions; an excitation component configured to excite the emissive species under the set of conditions so that the detectable non-steady-state emission varying over the image capture time period is produced; an image sensor with a rolling shutter configured to detect the detectable non-steady-state emission; and electronic hardware configured to convert the detectable emission into a single image with a first portion and a second portion corresponding to different portions of the emission time period, where a difference between a property of the first portion and the second portion is associated with a characteristic of the chemical tag.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage centers on exciting an emissive species to generate detectable non-steady-state emission for an emission time period of at least 10 nanoseconds and using a rolling-shutter image sensor to capture that emission as a single image with spatial portions corresponding to different emission-time portions or points in time. In the article-identification claim, differences between properties of the image portions are associated with a characteristic of a chemical tag on the article.
Stated Advantages
Enables identification of a characteristic of an article using a chemical tag whose detectable non-steady-state emission is converted into a single image with portion differences associated with the characteristic.
Uses a rolling-shutter image sensor to produce a single image comprising portions corresponding to different portions of an emission time period, thereby encoding information in differences between image portions.
Documented Applications
Identification of a characteristic of an article using a chemical tag associated with the article.
Authentication of articles based on encoded characteristics derived from non-steady-state emission captured as a single image with time-partitioned portions.
Packaging and security tags based on differences between emission properties encoded in image portions.
Stimulus detection and sensing scenarios based on emission-time-related information, including effects from quenching molecules and environmental conditions.
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