Systems and methods of securing items and verifying the same
First Claim
1. A method of utilizing a first verification mechanism to verify a configuration of an artifact over a first period of time, the method comprising:
- associating the first verification mechanism with the artifact such that the first verification mechanism is moved to a verifying configuration and the artifact is moved to a first verifiable configuration, wherein moving the artifact away from the first verifiable configuration includes moving the first verification mechanism away from the verifying configuration,utilizing a scanning feature of a first electronic device to perform a first scanning operation at a first point in time, thereby obtaining scan information for a first verification record,wherein the artifact is in the first verifiable configuration at the first point in time,wherein the first scanning operation includes obtaining information associated with the first verification mechanism,wherein the first verification record includes a time stamp representing the first point in time, thereby providing evidence that the artifact was in the first verifiable configuration at the first point in time,wherein the first verification mechanism includes a unique identifier distinguishing the first verification mechanism from a second verification mechanism, information associated with the unique identifier being included in the first verification record so as to enable the first verification record to be distinguishable from a second verification record associated with the second verification mechanism,wherein the first verification mechanism is incapable of moving back to the verifying configuration after the first verification mechanism is moved away from the verifying configuration, andwherein the first verification mechanism is configured to quickly and easily move away from the verifying configuration such that the first verification mechanism does not inhibit the artifact from moving away from the first verifiable configuration, thereby allowing the artifact to remain in a readily accessible configuration while the first verification mechanism remains in a verifying configuration.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for and method of verifying a configuration of an artifact, such as a gun, a phone, or other artifact, is provided. The system includes a plurality of unique verification mechanisms, each verification mechanism including a unique identifier for distinguishing the verification mechanism from each of the other verification mechanisms. The method includes engaging a verification mechanism with the artifact and/or with an object and/or device associated with the artifact so as to move the artifact to a verifiable configuration while simultaneously moving the verification mechanism to a verifying configuration. The method further includes scanning the verification mechanism to create a first verification record, thereby providing evidence of such configurations. The verification mechanism is configured such that moving the artifact away from the verifiable configuration moves the verification mechanism away from the verifying configuration, thereby preventing the verification mechanism from moving back to the verifying configuration.
74 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of utilizing a first verification mechanism to verify a configuration of an artifact over a first period of time, the method comprising:
-
associating the first verification mechanism with the artifact such that the first verification mechanism is moved to a verifying configuration and the artifact is moved to a first verifiable configuration, wherein moving the artifact away from the first verifiable configuration includes moving the first verification mechanism away from the verifying configuration, utilizing a scanning feature of a first electronic device to perform a first scanning operation at a first point in time, thereby obtaining scan information for a first verification record, wherein the artifact is in the first verifiable configuration at the first point in time, wherein the first scanning operation includes obtaining information associated with the first verification mechanism, wherein the first verification record includes a time stamp representing the first point in time, thereby providing evidence that the artifact was in the first verifiable configuration at the first point in time, wherein the first verification mechanism includes a unique identifier distinguishing the first verification mechanism from a second verification mechanism, information associated with the unique identifier being included in the first verification record so as to enable the first verification record to be distinguishable from a second verification record associated with the second verification mechanism, wherein the first verification mechanism is incapable of moving back to the verifying configuration after the first verification mechanism is moved away from the verifying configuration, and wherein the first verification mechanism is configured to quickly and easily move away from the verifying configuration such that the first verification mechanism does not inhibit the artifact from moving away from the first verifiable configuration, thereby allowing the artifact to remain in a readily accessible configuration while the first verification mechanism remains in a verifying configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of determining whether a configuration of an artifact has moved away from a first verifiable configuration, the method comprising:
-
associating a first verification mechanism with the artifact such that the first verification mechanism is moved to a verifying configuration and the artifact is moved to the first verifiable configuration, wherein moving the artifact away from the first verifiable configuration includes moving the first verification mechanism away from the verifying configuration; utilizing a scanning feature of a first electronic device to perform a first scanning operation while the artifact is in the first verifiable configuration, thereby obtaining scan information for a first verification record, the scan information being associated with the first verification mechanism; utilizing one of the scanning feature of the first electronic device or a scanning feature of a second electronic device to perform a second scanning operation, thereby obtaining scan information for a second verification record, the scan information being associated with a verification mechanism associated with the artifact during the second scanning operation, such verification mechanism being in a verifying configuration during the second scanning operation; comparing the second verification record with the first verification record, thereby creating a comparison record; and determining, based on the comparison record, whether the verification mechanism associated with the artifact during the second scanning operation is the first verification mechanism, wherein the second scanning operation is performed after the first scanning operation, wherein the first verification record includes information associated with the first verification mechanism, thereby providing evidence that the first verification mechanism was in its verifying configuration during the first scanning operation, wherein the first verification mechanism is incapable of moving back to the verifying configuration after the first verification mechanism is moved away from the verifying configuration, and wherein the first verification mechanism is configured to quickly and easily move away from the verifying configuration such that the verification mechanism does not inhibit the artifact from moving away from the verifiable configuration, thereby allowing the artifact to remain in a readily accessible configuration while the verification mechanism remains in a verifying configuration. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A verification system for verifying a configuration of an artifact, the verification system comprising:
-
a first verification mechanism for moving the artifact to a first verifiable configuration, the first verification mechanism including a unique identifier distinguishing the first verification mechanism from a plurality of other verification mechanisms; a scanning device for scanning the unique identifier of the first verification mechanism during a first scanning operation while the artifact is in the first verifiable configuration, thereby obtaining scan information for a first verification record; and a processor for comparing the first verification record to a second verification record, the second verification record being associated with a second scanning operation, wherein moving the artifact away from the first verifiable configuration includes moving the first verification mechanism away from a verifying configuration, wherein the first verification mechanism is incapable of moving back to the verifying configuration after it is moved away from the verifying configuration, and wherein the first verification mechanism is configured to quickly and easily move away from the verifying configuration such that the verification mechanism does not inhibit the artifact from moving away from the verifiable configuration, thereby allowing the artifact to remain in a readily accessible configuration while the verification mechanism remains in a verifying configuration. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification