Authentix, Inc.

Paul Carr

Ian Eastwood

Iain Webster

Jeffrey L Conroy

Olusola O Soyemi

Erwin Dorland

Ben Weaver

Charles White

A known amount of marker may be added to a pressurized hydrocarbon fluid, or combined with an additive to form a mixture, and the mixture may be added to a pressurized hydrocarbon fluid. An amount of the marker in the hydrocarbon fluid may be determined. An amount of the additive in the hydrocarbon fluid may be determined based on the amount of the marker in the pressurized hydrocarbon fluid. An inline system may be used for detection of a marker in a pressurized hydrocarbon fluid. The system is fixed in a pressurized hydrocarbon fluid supply line such that pressurized hydrocarbon fluid flowing from a first location to a second location in the supply line passes through the detection system. The hydrocarbon fluid may be a liquid or a gas. The markers may include a variety of optical markers, such as fluorescent markers. Detection of the markers may include, for example, fluorescence detection.

Detection of markers in pressurized hydrocarbon fluids

At least two luminescent materials are intermingled within a security feature. The materials are selected from among a larger set of luminescent materials each having a different individual exponential decay characteristic (decay constant and initial amplitude response to the degree of excitation) for photo-luminescent emission from the respective material following excitation. The ratio of the decay constants for any two materials is greater than or equal to about 1.5. The selected materials are mixed in one of a plurality of predetermined ratios. The combined emissions from the intermingled materials appear, to an unsophisticated measuring device, to have a single exponential decay constant. Based on measurements for the decay of the combined emissions following excitation, estimates of the individual decay constants and associated initial emission amplitudes allow decoding of the particular combination of materials and/or their ratios to validate the security feature, authenticating the article.

Security aspects of multiexponential decays

This invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for direct detection of one or more markers in pressurized hydrocarbon fluids. The apparatus includes a vessel () and one or more valves (). The hydrocarbon fluid () may be a liquid or gas. Markers may include a variety of optical markers, such as fluorescent markers. The apparatus may be coupled to a hydrocarbon fluid source (), and the vessel () may be at least partially filled with hydrocarbon fluid from the hydrocarbon fluid source (). A&#x3e; detector () coupled to the vessel () may be used to detect at least one of the markers in the hydrocarbon fluid () while the apparatus is coupled to the hydrocarbon fluid source () and without the addition of reagents. Detection of markers may include, for example, fluorescence detection.

Direct detection of markers in pressurized hydrocarbon fluids

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Paul Carr