Method and system for authenticating a package good

• US 20040267711A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xiao Jun Zhu
• Original Assignee: Xiao Jun Zhu
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiao Jun
• Application Number:
  US10/493,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of and system for establishing the authenticity of packaged goods. The method comprises the following steps: receiving from a client (1) a first code identifying the good, receiving from the client (1) a second code identifying the packaging, and verifying a correlation between said first and said second code, the packaged good being authenticated if the first and the second code correlate with a pre-selected combination. The codes identifying the good and the packaging are stored together on a list (4) or in a computer database (5) management system. The systems render possible a reliable detection of fake copies of the packaged goods.

Claims

1. A method of establishing the authenticity of a packaged good comprising the following steps:

receiving from a client (1) a first code (C₁) identifying the good,

receiving from the client (1) a second code (C₁) identifying the packaging, and

verifying a correlation between said first and said second code (C₁;

C₂), the packaged good being authenticated if the first and the second code (C₁;

C₂) correlate with a pre-selected combination (I₁, I₂, . . . ;

O₁, O₂, . . . ).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein verifying of the correlation comprises the steps of:

using the first code (C₁) as an input key (I₁, I₂, . . . ) for a database query resulting in an output key (O₁, O₂, . . . ) from the database (5), comparing said output key (O₁, O₂, . . . ) with the second code (C₂), the correlation being established if the output key (O₁, O₂, . . . ) matches with the second code (C₂).

3. A method as claimed in to claim 2, further comprising a step of providing said input key (I₁, I₂, . . . ) and/or said output key (O₁, O₂, . . . ) with flags (F₁, F₂, . . . ) in the database (5) when the correlation has been established.

4. A method as claimed in to claim 3, wherein the authenticity of the packaged good is invalidated upon reception a first code (C₁) corresponding to an input key (I₁, I₂, . . . ) in the database (5) provided with a flag (F₁, F₂, . . . ) and/or reception of a second code (C₂) corresponding to an output key in the database provided with a flag (F₁, F₂, . . . ).

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, further comprising a step of providing the client (1) with a verification code (V₁, V₂, . . . ) upon authenticating the packaged good,

enabling a further verification of the authenticity upon reception from the client of the first code (C₁), the second code (C₂), and the verification code (V₁, V₂, . . . ).

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, further comprising a step of providing the client (1) with a certificate comprising the first and the second code (C₁, C₂, . . . ) and/or a statement relating to the authenticity of the packaged good.

7. A method as claimed in to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein verifying of the correlation comprises a step of looking up the pair of the first code (C₁) and the second code (C₂) in a list (4).

8. A system for authenticating a packaged good comprising:

receiving means for receiving from a client a first code identifying the good and a second code identifying the packaging, and

a database management system for verifying a correlation between said first and said second code, the packaged good being authenticated if the first and the second code correlate with a pre-selected combination.

9. A system as claimed in to claim 8, wherein the system comprises a device coupled to the internet, comprises a device coupled to a telephone, or comprises a customer service entity.