公开(公告)号：EP1034587A4

公开(公告)日：2002-05-29

申请号：EP98961787

申请日：1998-11-24

申请人： SPECTRA SCIENCE CORP

发明人： GOLTSOS WILLIAM

IPC分类号： B65G47/48 ,  B07C5/34 ,  B07C5/342 ,  D06F93/00 ,  G01B11/03 ,  G06K7/12 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/14 ,  B07C5/00

CPC分类号： B07C5/3412 ,  B07C5/342

摘要： A method and apparatus for identifying articles (30) is disclosed. The method includes steps of: (a) providing a plurality of articles (30), each of the articles (30) having at least one portion (38) that includes a photonically active material; (b) for each article (30), illuminating the at least one portion (38) with light from a stimulus source (52); (c) identifying a location (50) of the at least one portion (38) by detecting an emission (56) from the photonically active material; (d) pointing an excitation source (44) at the identified location (50); and (e) illuminating the at least one portion (38) within the identified location (50) with light from the excitation source (44). A next step detects an information-encoded emission (62) from the photonically active material in response to the light from the excitation source (44). An optional step (g) sorts the articles (30) based on the detected emission (62).