A system and method for identifying test bars formed during a selective laser sintering build. A part cake is formed during a selective laser sintering build. The part cake comprises parts formed from a powder by selective laser sintering and unsintered powder around the formed parts. The parts include test bars for performing material testing. Each test bar includes a plurality of indentations in a first grip section and a second grip section. The plurality of indentations are arranged in a information providing pattern that is adapted to be readable after the test part is removed from the part cake.

Data can be encoded in an optical code by a method and a system using combinations of visually distinguishable features. In some cases, the data is represented using a ratio of two or more features.

The present disclosure provides for identification systems and related methods of use. The disclosed identification systems can include a first ink and a second ink, each of which can comprise one or more time-dependent properties. The first and second inks can be disposed in a spatial pattern on a substrate. Illustrative spatial patterns include, but are not limited to, QR codes and other barcodes, text, images, and icons. A time-dependent property of the first ink and a time-dependent property of the second ink can cause a characteristic of the spatial pattern to change over time. For example, the spatial pattern can change from a first state at a first time to a second state at a second time. Evaluation and/or interpretation of the state of the spatial pattern at a second time can provide information about a product.

A surface including: multiple data pages, wherein each data page includes: multiple optically detectable marks indicating boundaries of the data page; and an array of data cells, wherein a location of an optically detectable mark in a data cell of the array of data cells encodes information and adjacent data pages use different encoding patterns such that an encoded value would be represented by a first pattern of marks on a first data page and the same encoded value would be represented by a second, different pattern of marks on a second data page.

Disclosed is a substrate with a marking thereon. A part of the substrate has a two-dimensional structure attached thereto, and a part of the marking is present on the structure and the other part of the marking is present on the substrate itself.

An authentication device comprising a woven authentication pattern, wherein the woven authentication pattern comprises a plurality of pattern forming woven elements each defining at least one pattern defining element or a plurality of pattern defining elements, and each pattern forming woven element is formed by a plurality of threads having contrasting optical or visual properties in twisted mutual engagement, wherein said pattern defining element has a spiralling outline or boundary and adjacent or abutting pattern defining elements of a pattern forming woven element are visually or optically distinguishable.

A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators, a barcode indicator reader and a product type responsive indication interpreter, each of the barcoded quality indicators including a first barcode including at least one first colorable area, the first barcode being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, at least a second barcode including at least one second colorable area, the second barcode not being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, a coloring agent located at a first location on the indicator and a coloring agent pathway operative to allow the coloring agent to move, from the first location to the first and second colorable areas simultaneously thereby causing the first barcode to become unreadable and at the same time causing the second barcode to become machine-readable.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for combining preprinted information together with coded sensor information within a two-dimensional barcode. The sensor information may be of an environmental, physical or biological nature, and records a cumulative change in status of the environmental or biological condition to which the labeled product has been exposed. A sensor dye chemistry is employed that undergoes a continuous chemical or physical state change in response to the occurrence of the environmental condition. The continuous change is between an initial state and an end state causing a change in the color state of the sensor dye embedded within the sensor-augmented two-dimensional barcode, encoding sensor digital information. Sensor information is recovered utilizing the error-correction feature during barcode decoding.

An information processing system includes an information bearing medium and an information reading unit. The information bearing medium has a two-dimensional array of unit data zones. Marks are provided on some of the unit data zones so as to form a digital code. Mark patterns of any two Y-directional adjacent unit data zone strings based on the arrangement of marks in an X-direction differ from each other. The information reading unit generates a data string on the basis of a unit signal formed from a plurality of signals output from a group of detection units that detect the marks in synchronization and recognizes the digital code of the information bearing medium on the basis of a group of the data strings sequentially obtained from the array of the unit data zones.

The disclosure features methods for generating a unique identifier, the methods including providing a dendritic structure, reading the dendritic structure to provide a signal, and generating a unique identifier from the signal.