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Methods for identification and verificationRelated Patent Categories: Stock Material Or Miscellaneous Articles, Structurally Defined Web Or Sheet (e.g., Overall Dimension, Etc.), Discontinuous Or Differential Coating, Impregnation Or Bond (e.g., Artwork, Printing, Retouched Photograph, Etc.), Including Particulate MaterialMethods for identification and verification description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060194030, Methods for identification and verification. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/842,237 filed May 10, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,632 issued on May 9, 2006, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/436,145, filed Nov. 9, 1999, now abandoned, which claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/107,829, filed Nov. 9, 1998, the contents of each incorporated in this application in their entirety by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to application of water-soluble nanocrystals to carrier materials to provide an identifying code pattern comprising discrete, detectable signals which may be detected for identification and/or verification purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Counterfeiting and diversion continue to be a significant problems in the area of consumer goods. Various marking authenticating, and identifying schemes have been devised to authenticate and/or track the distribution of goods. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,547 discloses a method for authenticating articles by incorporating into a carrier composition a mixture of at least two photochromic compounds having different characteristics including absorption maxima during an activated state and color. Discriminating between the different characteristics of the photochromic compounds used, enables the method of identification. U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,205 discloses a code identification by use of microparticles of precise size, shape, and color, and by applying such particles in combinations to an item to be marked. The color identifying system disclosed comprises recognizing and identifying with a light microscope the code comprised of the microparticles. Other methods and compositions have been described for authentication, including inks or dyes or paints that impart photoluminescent or ultraviolet properties; and geometric positioning of threads or strips or particles which are either visibly detectable or detectable by x-ray. [0004] There remains a need to enable efficient labeling or encoding of large numbers of items such as sensitive documents, bank cards, credit cards, controlled access cards, currency, fine art, goods wherein the distribution of which is desirably to be controlled by tracking, objects of commercial value, and such other items which are desired to be tracked or identified. Desirably, the compositions and methods would not be easily duplicated. [0005] The present invention provides compositions comprising nanocrystals that can be used to establish an identifiable code pattern. The compositions comprise water-soluble quantum dots which can be prepared in several uniform sizes, wherein the water soluble quantum dots can be excited with a single wavelength of light resulting in a detectable luminescence and/or fluorescence emission of high quantum yield. However, a discrete luminescence peak of narrow bandwidth and of a particular color emitted by a water-soluble quantum dot is primarily size-dependent. Thus, an identifiable code pattern may comprise a combination of separate deposits or localizations of water-soluble quantum dots spatially arranged in or on the carrier material, wherein each deposit or localization may comprise a plurality of water-soluble quantum dots of a specific uniform size. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention provides compositions comprising nanocrystals that can be used to establish an identifiable code pattern. The compositions comprise water-soluble quantum dots which can be prepared in several uniform sizes, wherein the water soluble quantum dots can be excited with a single wavelength of light resulting in a detectable luminescence and/or fluorescence emission of high quantum yield. However, a discrete luminescence peak of narrow bandwidth and of a particular color emitted by a water-soluble quantum dot is primarily size-dependent. Thus, an identifiable code pattern may comprise a combination of separate deposits or localizations of water-soluble quantum dots spatially arranged in or on the carrier material, wherein each deposit or localization may comprise a plurality of water-soluble quantum dots of a specific uniform size. [0007] The present invention provides a method for providing a carrier material with an identifiable code pattern by applying water-soluble nanocrystals in a manner to establish an identifiable code pattern. The water-soluble nanocrystals can be prepared in several uniform sizes, and can be excited with a single wavelength spectrum of light resulting in a detectable fluorescence emission of high quantum yield. However, a discrete fluorescence peak of narrow bandwidth and of a particular color emitted by a water-soluble nanocrystal is primarily size-dependent. Thus, an identifiable code pattern may comprise a combination of separate deposits or localizations of water-soluble nanocrystals spatially arranged in or on the carrier material, wherein each deposit or localization may comprise a plurality of water-soluble nanocrystals of a specific uniform size. For an identifiable code pattern comprised of a plurality of colors, the specific uniform size (e.g., single color) or sizes (e.g., multiple colors) of the water-soluble nanocrystals of one deposit or localization may differ from the uniform size or sizes of the water-soluble nanocrystals of another deposit or localization thereby forming an identifiable code pattern. In accordance with the present invention, an identifiable code pattern comprised of a plurality of colors, as provided by the fluorescence properties of the water-soluble nanocrystals, enables a large number of combinations and permutations which may be used to identify or track a carrier material and which may also increase the difficulty of imitating the identification system. The identifiable code pattern is easily observed by exposing the identifiable code to an exciting light source (visible, or UV, or a combination thereof), wherein the water-soluble nanocrystals become excited, and emit a fluorescence emission characteristic for its size. [0008] Thus, in a method of detecting an identifiable code pattern comprised of water-soluble nanocrystals according to the present invention, the carrier material being analyzed for the presence or absence of an identifiable code pattern is briefly illuminated with a light source comprising the appropriate excitation wavelength. On exposure to such light, the water-soluble nanocrystals comprising the identifiable code pattern will, if present, emit a discrete fluorescence peak of narrow bandwidth and of a particular color (one color) or discrete fluorescence peaks (multicolor), thereby making the identifiable code pattern detectable. The user may quickly detect the identifiable code pattern encoded by the spatial arranged deposits or localizations of water-soluble nanocrystals using a detection system for detecting the one or more discrete fluorescence peaks emitted by the excited water-soluble nanocrystals comprising the identifiable code pattern, if present. By detecting the one or more discrete fluorescence peaks, the identifiable code pattern may be identified, and a determination may be made as to one or more of the identity or authenticity or localization of the carrier material. The identifiable code pattern may comprise a mark or symbol or specific arrangement of deposits or localizations of the water-soluble nanocrystals. Detection may be by detection system comprising a scanner or reader which can detect and distinguish discrete fluorescence peaks. Preferably, the detection system also has a means of directly comparing the detected identifiable code pattern identified with a database of authenticated codes to confirm that the code pattern so identified is authentic. Identification of an identifiable code pattern may further comprise reading of data encoded by the code pattern, which can be decoded by the detection system in a process of identifying or tracking the carrier material (as analogous to a barcode). [0009] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following Detailed Description of the Invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which reference letters denote the same or similar parts throughout the several illustrated views and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating chemically modifying a water-soluble nanocrystal containing a layer of a capping compound to further comprise a layer of a diaminocarboxylic acid, and then operably linking the diaminocarboxylic acid to a carrier material. [0011] FIG. 2 is a bar graph comparing the stability of water-soluble nanocrystals ("W--SN") to the stability of functionalized nanocrystals ("FN") under oxidizing conditions. [0012] FIG. 3 is a bar graph comparing the non-specific binding of water-soluble nanocrystals ("W--SN") to the non-specific binding of functionalized nanocrystals ("FN") [0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an identifiable code pattern, associated with a card, comprised of separate deposits or localizations of water-soluble nanocrystals of different uniform sizes which enable a detectable and identifiable pattern comprised of multiple colors. [0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an identifiable code pattern comprised of separate deposits or localizations of water-soluble nanocrystal of different uniform sizes which enable a detectable and identifiable pattern comprised of multiple colors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions [0015] By the term "carrier material" is meant, for the purposes of the specification and claims to refer to sensitive documents, checks, bank cards, credit cards, controlled access cards, currency, passports, visas, tickets, driver's licenses, personal identification cards, stock certificates, fine art (including paintings and sculptures), goods or items wherein the distribution or localization of which is desirably to be controlled by tracking, objects of commercial values, building materials, articles of clothing, packaging of goods, containers, machine parts, toys, body tissue (i.e., in applications such as tattoos or identification of individual animals in a colony), items of manufacture, containers for goods, polymeric materials (including beads, polymeric biosensors, and the like), inorganic materials, and organic materials. A carrier material of the aforementioned carrier materials may be used in a preferred embodiments, and a preferred carrier material may be used separately in the method according to the present invention to the exclusion of carrier materials other than the preferred carrier material. [0016] By the term "reactive functionality" is meant, for purposes of the specification and claims to refer to a compound or moiety that acts to operably link two different molecules. As known to those skilled in the art, and as will be more apparent by the following embodiments, there are several methods and compositions in which two or more molecules may be operably linked utilizing reactive functionalities. Reactive functionalities include, but are not limited to, bifunctional reagents, linker molecules "linker"), biotin, avidin, free chemical groups (e.g., thiol, or carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino, amine, sulfo, etc.), and reactive chemical groups (reactive with free chemical groups). A reactive functionality of the aforementioned reactive functionalities may be used in a preferred embodiment, and a preferred reactive functionality may be used separately in the method according to the present invention to the exclusion of reactive functionalities other than the preferred reactive functionality. [0017] By the term "operably linked" is meant, for purposes of the specification and claims to refer to fusion or bond or an association, of sufficient stability to withstand conditions encountered in common usage of the carrier material, between a combination of different molecules or materials such as, but are not limited to, between the quantum dot and a capping compound, between a capping compound and a diaminocarboxylic acid, between a diaminocarboxylic acid and a diaminocarboxylic acid, between a diaminocarboxylic acid and a linker, between a diaminocarboxylic acid and an amino acid, between an amino acid and an affinity ligand, between a water-soluble nanocrystal and a carrier material, and a combination thereof. As known to those skilled in the art, and as will be more apparent by the following embodiments, there are several methods in which reactive functionalities may be used for a combination to be operably linked. 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