METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SECURITY INFORMATION WHEN AUTHENTICATING PRODUCT CODE

• US 20070170241A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Infinity Coding Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: SELF, Matthew, STIRLING, Warwick, GRANT, Elliot
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating goods and thereby detecting and deterring counterfeits are disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, a client utilizes data received from a host to generate a plurality of security codes and to direct a printing device to print the plurality of security codes on a plurality of products, without retaining the plurality of security codes after the printing device has printed the plurality of security codes on the plurality of products. After the security codes have been printed, a person can communicate the security code to the host, which can verify its authenticity.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method comprising:

receiving a request to generate a set of unique security codes, each separate security code to be placed on a separate product item;

further receiving product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed;

generating and providing the security codes in response to the request;

in response to receiving a request to authenticate whether a security code is one of the generated security codes, determining whether a security code is one of the generated security codes; and

providing a result of the determining whether the security code is on of the generated security codes, and further providing at least part of previously received product data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises an intended destination of the product

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a universal product code (UPC), a product description, a package size, a quantity, or a product or packaging image.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a time attribute, a location attribute, a work order, a lot number, a manufacturing date, a use-by date, an operator name, or a manufacturing plant.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the providing at least part of the previously received product data, is dependent on an identified position of a requester.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the identified position of the requester is one of a customs official or a consumer.

31. A machine readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which when executed perform a method comprising:

receiving request to generate a set of unique security codes, each separate security code to be placed on a separate product item;

further receiving product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed;

generating and providing the security codes in response to the request;

in response to receiving a request to authenticate whether a security code is one of the generated security codes, determining whether a security code is one of the generated security codes; and

providing a result of the determining whether the security code is on of the generated security codes, and further providing at least part of previously received product data.

32. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises an intended destination of the product.

33. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a universal product code (UPC), a product description, a package size, a quantity, or a packaging image.

34. The machine readable medium of claim 7claim 31, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a time attribute, a location attribute, a work order, a lot number, a manufacturing date, a use-by date, an operator name, or a manufacturing plant.

35. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the providing at least part of the previously received product data, is dependent on an identified position of a requester.

36. The machine readable medium of claim 35, wherein the identified position of the requester is one of a customs official or a consumer.

37. A system comprising:

a unit to receive request to generate a set of unique security codes, each separate security code to be placed on a separate product item;

a unit to further receive product data associated with a product on which the security codes are to be printed;

a unit to generate and provide the security codes in response to the request;

a unit to determine whether a security code is one of the generated security codes, in response to receiving a request to authenticate whether a security code is one of the generated security codes; and

a unit to provide a result of the determining whether the security code is on of the generated security codes, and further providing at least part of previously received product data.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises an intended destination of the product

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a universal product code (UPC), a product description, a package size, a quantity, or a packaging image.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the product data associated with the product on which the security codes are to be printed comprises one or more of a time attribute, a location attribute, a work order, a lot number, a manufacturing date, a use-by date, an operator name, or a manufacturing plant.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the providing at least part of the previously received product data, is dependent on an identified position of a requester.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the identified position of the requester is one of a customs official or a consumer.