Recording transactional information relating to an object

• US 20060174136A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lyons, Nicholas P., Bhatti, Nina T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A unique identifier on a tag of an object is read. Transactional information relating to the object is recorded and used to encrypt the unique identifier into a code. The code is then written into memory of the tag such that the code records the transactional information.

Claims

1. A method for recording transactional information relating to an object including a tag having a unique identifier and memory, the method comprising:

reading the unique identifier of the tag;

recording the transactional information relating to the object;

encrypting the unique identifier and at least one portion of the transactional information into a code; and

writing the code to the memory of the tag.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading the code and the unique identifier from the tag;

collecting the at least one portion of the transactional information;

decrypting the code; and

comparing the unique identifier and the at least one portion of the transactional information to the decrypted code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the unique identifier and the transactional information to a server; and

storing the unique identifier and the transactional information in a record on the server using the code as a key to the record.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if the server is unavailable, storing the unique identifier and the transactional information for transferring to the server when the server is available.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

reading the code;

transmitting the code to the server;

decrypting the code; and

comparing the unique identifier and the transactional information to the decrypted code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting the at least one portion of the memory to a read-only state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of writing the code to at least one portion of the writable memory further comprises debiting an account value related to the object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of writing the code to at least one portion of the writable memory further comprises crediting an account value related to the object.

9. A method for verifying transactional information relating to an object including a tag having a unique identifier and memory for storing a code created from encrypting the transactional information and the unique identifier, the method comprising:

reading the code and the unique identifier from the tag;

collecting at least one portion of the transactional information at a redemption device;

determining if a server is available;

if the server is unavailable,

decrypting the code; and

comparing the unique identifier and the at least one portion of the transactional information to the decrypted code.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if a server is available,

transmitting the code to a server;

decrypting the code at the server; and

transmitting the decrypted code to the redemption device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

upon verification of the transactional information, providing a rebate to a user.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if the server is available,

transmitting the code to the server;

using the code to access a record verifying the transactional information; and

transmitting verification of the transactional information to the redemption device.

13. A computer readable medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for recording transactional information relating to an object including a tag having a unique identifier and memory, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:

reading the unique identifier of the tag;

recording the transactional information relating to the object;

encrypting the unique identifier and at least one portion of the transactional information into a code;

writing the code to the memory of the tag;

setting the at least one portion of the memory to a read-only state.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

reading the code and the unique identifier from the tag;

collecting the at least one portion of the transactional information;

decrypting the code;

comparing the unique identifier and the at least one portion of the transactional information to the decrypted code.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

transmitting the unique identifier and the transactional information to a server; and

storing the unique identifier and the transactional information in a record on the server using the code as a key to the record.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, the one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

if the server is unavailable, storing the unique identifier and the transactional information for transferring to the server when the server is available.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, the one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

reading the code;

transmitting the code to the server;

decrypting the code; and

comparing the unique identifier and the transactional information to the decrypted code.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

debiting an account value related to the object.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

crediting an account value related to the object.

20. A computer system for recording transactional information relating to an object including a tag having a unique identifier and writable memory comprising:

means for reading the unique identifier of the tag;

means for recording the transactional information relating to the object;

means for transmitting the unique identifier and the transactional information to a server;

means for encrypting the unique identifier and at least one portion of the transactional information into a code; and

means for writing the code to at least one portion of the writable memory.

21. The computer system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for reading the code;

means for collecting the at least one portion of the transactional information;

means for decrypting the code; and

means for comparing the unique identifier and the at least one portion of the transactional information to the decrypted code.

22. The computer system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for reading the code;

means for transmitting the code to the server;

means for decrypting the code; and

means for comparing the unique identifier and the transactional information to the decrypted code.

23. A computer system comprising:

a point of sale device for capturing transactional information;

a reader for reading a unique identifier from a tag;

an encryption device for encrypting the unique identifier with at least one portion of the transactional information into a code; and

a writer for writing the code to memory of the tag.

24. The computer system of claim 23, further comprising:

a transmitter for sending a request to record transactional information relating to an object having the tag.

25. The computer system of claim 24, further comprising:

a server for receiving the request and storing the transactional information and the unique identifier.

26. The computer system of claim 25, further comprising:

a redemption device having a transmitter for transmitting the code to the server to verify the transactional information.

27. The computer system of claim 23, further comprising:

a decryption device for decrypting the code to verify the transactional information.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the encryption device and the decryption device reside in the server.

29. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the encryption device and the decryption device reside in the point of sale device.

30. The computer system of claim 23, further comprising:

a redemption device having a decryption device for decrypting the code to verify the transactional information.

31. A computer system comprising:

a redemption device for capturing transactional information;

a reader for reading a unique identifier and a code from a tag; and

a decryption device for decrypting the code using at least one portion of the transactional information.

32. The computer system of claim 31, further comprising:

a transmitter for sending a request to read transactional information relating to an object having the tag.

33. The computer system of claim 32, further comprising:

a server for receiving the request and transmitting the transactional information to the redemption device.