Data word analysis by spectroscopy

1. A method comprising:

selecting an identifier indicative of a binary number comprising at least six bits;

for each bit of the at least six bits of the binary number, determining whether the bit is a “one” or a “zero”;

for each bit of the at least six bits that is a “one”, providing a respective taggant having a respective spectroscopic activity, whereby said taggant is associated with a respective bit position within the at least six bits;

for the provided taggants, joining them to an authentication material; and

placing the authentication material upon a package;

wherein the authentication material is a sheet, and the package contains a consumer product, and the joining step comprises laminating the sheet to a face of the package;

wherein the package is a flexible heat-sealed bag and the consumer product is an edible or drinkable or consumable product within the bag; and

wherein at least one taggant changes if exposed to a predetermined temperature such that the spectral properties of the taggant chemical are measurably altered.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at or below the freezing point of water.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature above the temperature of a standard refrigerator.

4. A method for use with a package having a sealing location, the package further having a authentication material upon the sealing location, the method carried out with respect to a plurality of taggants each having a respective spectroscopic activity, each taggant associated with a respective bit position, the method comprising the steps of:

carrying out a spectroscopic analysis of the spectroscopic activities detected at the authentication material of the package, thereby determining which taggants, from among the plurality of taggants, are detected;

assembling “one” bits corresponding to the bit positions associated with the detected taggants, yielding a binary number, the binary number indicative of an identifier;

in the event of the indentifier satisfying a predefined condition, making use of contents of the package; and

further comprising the step, performed before the step of making use of the contents of the package, of removing at least some of the authentication material.

5. Apparatus comprising a package;

the package having an authentication material placed thereon;

the authentication material having joined to it a plurality of taggants, each taggant having a respective spectroscopic activity;

said taggant being an ingestible and covert commodity chemical;

wherein the authentication material is a sheet, and the package contains a consumer product, and the joining step comprises laminating the sheet to a face of the package; and

wherein the package is a flexible heat-sealed bag and the consumer product is an edible or drinkable or consumable product within the bag

wherein at least one taggant changes if exposed to a predetermined temperature such that the spectral properties of the taggant chemical are measurably altered.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at or below the freezing point of water.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature above the temperature of a standard refrigerator.

8. A method for use with a package having a sealing location, the package further having an authentication material upon the sealing location, the method carried out with respect to a plurality of taggants each having a respective spectroscopic activity, each taggant associated with a respective bit position, the method comprising the steps of:

carrying out a spectroscopic analysis of the spectroscopic activities detected at the authentication material of the package, thereby determining which taggants, from among the plurality of taggants, are detected; and

assembling “one” bits corresponding to the bit positions associated with the detected taggants, yielding a binary number, the binary number indicative of an identifier;

wherein at least one taggant changes if exposed to a predetermined temperature such that the spectral properties of the taggant chemical are measurably altered.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at or below the freezing point of water.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature above the temperature of a standard refrigerator.

11. A method for use with a package having a sealing location, the package further having a authentication material upon the sealing location, the method carried out with respect to a plurality of taggants each having a respective spectroscopic activity, and each taggant associated with a respective bit position, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a user the results of a spectroscopic analysis of the spectroscopic activities detected at the authentication material of the package,

determining from the received results which taggants, from among the plurality of taggants, are detected;

assembling “one” bits corresponding to the bit positions associated with the detected taggants, yielding a binary number, the binary number indicative of an identifier;

arriving at a conclusion, based upon the identifier, regarding the authenticity of the package; and

reporting the conclusion to the user;

wherein at least one taggant changes if exposed to a predetermined temperature such that the spectral properties of the taggant chemical are measurably altered.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at or below the freezing point of water.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature above the temperature of a standard refrigerator.

14. A method for use with a package having a sealing location, the package further having a authentication material upon the sealing location, the method carried out with respect to a plurality of taggants each having a respective spectroscopic activity, and each taggant associated with a respective bit position, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a user the results of a spectroscopic analysis of the spectroscopic activities detected at the authentication material of the package, the analysis comprising determining from the activities which taggants, from among the plurality of taggants, are detected, the analysis further comprising assembling “one” bits corresponding to the bit positions associated with the detected taggants, yielding a binary number, the binary number indicative of an identifier, the received results being indicative of the binary number;

arriving at a conclusion, based upon the received results indicative of the binary number, regarding the authenticity of the package; and

reporting the conclusion to the user;

wherein at least one taggant changes if exposed to a predetermined temperature such that the spectral properties of the taggant chemical are measurably altered.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at or below the freezing point of water.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature above the temperature of a standard refrigerator.