Distribution management method and system

• US 20030085276A1
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mizuno, Yasuhiko, Itsuki, Rei, Ogihara, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a product distribution management system includes a product management center. The product management center includes a management device to receive product security data on a product from a distribution site and a product management database to store the data received from the distribution site for use in a product authentication process. The data includes product identification information and security information used to authenticate the product.

Claims

1. A product distribution management system, comprising:

a product management center including;

a management device to receive product security data on a product from a distribution site, the data including product identification information and security information used to authenticate the product, and a product management database to store the data received from the distribution site for use in a product authentication process.

2. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the distribution site is a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or consumer.

3. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the product identification information is retrieved by reading a tag attached to the product.

4. The product distribution management system of claim 3, wherein the tag is an electronic device having a non-volatile memory and an antenna.

5. The product distribution management system of claim 4, wherein the electronic device has an area of no more than about 0.4 mm².

6. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the security information relates to product distribution information.

7. The product distribution management system of claim 6, wherein the product distribution information relates to information on product destination or product origination, or both.

8. The product distribution management system of claim 6, wherein the product distribution information relates to information on shipping time of the product from a distribution site, or arrival time of the product at a destination, or both.

9. The product distribution management system of claim 1, further comprising:

an authenticity evaluation site coupled to the product distribution center and configured to access the product security data stored in the product management database to evaluate the authenticity of the product.

10. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the product management center is coupled to a plurality of distribution sites including a manufacturer, a wholesaler, and a retailer, wherein the management device of the product management center is configured to receive product security data from the plurality of distribution sites.

11. A product distribution management center, comprising:

a management device to receive product security data from a distribution site, the data including tag identification information that is associated with the product and security information generated by the distribution site for use in a product authentication process; and

a product distribution management database to store the product security data for use by another distribution site to authenticate the product.

12. The management center of claim 11, wherein the security information includes information relating to shipping time of the product, or arrival time of the product, or both.

13. The management center of claim 11, wherein the security information includes information relating to a destination site or origination site, or both.

14. The management center of claim 11, wherein the management database is configured to store a record including security information generated by a manufacturer, a wholesaler, and a retailer.

15. The management center of claim 11, wherein the management database is configured to store a record including security information relating to a purchaser of the product.

16. A product distribution management method, comprising:

reading identification information identifying a product at a first distribution site;

associating the identification information with first security information relating to the product to generate a first distribution record; and

storing the first distribution record in a product management center located at a remote location from the distribution site.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

reading the identification information identifying the product at a second distribution site;

associating the identification information with second security information relating to the product to generate a second distribution record; and

storing the second distribution record in the product management center, the second distribution record being associated with the first distribution record.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

reading the identification information identifying the product at a third distribution site;

associating the identification information with third security information relating to the product to generate a third distribution record; and

storing the third distribution record in the product management, the third distribution record being associated with the first and second distribution records.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first, second, and third distribution sites are manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer, respectively.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

attaching an electronic tag having the identification information to the product at a location where tag is not visible under normal circumstances.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

accessing the first distribution record stored in the management database to authenticate the product that has been received at the second distribution site;

evaluating the authenticity of the product using the first security information associated with the first distribution record; and

storing a result of the evaluation to the product management center.

22. A product authentication method, comprising:

retrieving tag identification information identifying a product at a first distribution site by reading an electronic tag attached to the product;

associating the tag identification information with first security information relating to the product to generate a first distribution record, the first security information including product-distribution-related information;

transmitting the first distribution record to a product management center that is provided at a remote location from the first distribution site;

storing the first distribution record in the product management center;

retrieving the tag identification information at a second distribution site by reading the electronic tag attached to the product, wherein the product has been received from the first distribution site;

generating product data including the tag identification information at the second distribution site;

transmitting the product data to the product management center from the second distribution site;

retrieving at least a portion of the first distribution record from the product management center using the product data;

evaluating the authenticity of the product using the retrieved portions of the first distribution record; and

storing a result of the evaluation to the product management center.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the evaluating step is performed in the second distribution site or the product management center.