Patent ID: 7856555

Claim:
A reader device for use with electronic paper material having label-type information thereon, the reader device comprising: a sensor capable of being operably coupled to the electronic paper material in order to scan encrypted and/or encoded informational data incorporated on the electronic paper material in the form of protected visible and protected hidden encrypted and/or encoded informational data and being written by at least one authorized entity via a write access interface using an encoder/encryption module, wherein said sensor detects authentication indicia on the electronic paper material, which authentication indicia are provided for establishing whether the electronic paper material and/or the informational data and/or an associated item has been altered from the electronic paper material and/or the informational data and/or an associated item originated from a provider of the item or from another authorized entity; and wherein said sensor outputs at least one of an “ok” status output or a warning status based on a determination of whether the electronic paper material and/or the informational data and/or an associated item has been altered; a coupling link that includes an encrypted or encoded symbolic representation on the electronic paper material that correlates with another symbolic representation on the related said item or said product or said container or said package; and a status indicator operatively coupled to the coupling link with at least one of an original related said item or said product or said container or said package, to provide confirmation that the electronic paper material has not been detached from its original related said item or said product or said container or said package.