SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF PHYSICAL OBJECTS

• US 20070180262A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory P. Benson
• Original Assignee: Glenbrook Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Benson, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 9,569,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

Methods and systems for verifying authenticity of a physical object and/or for verifying possession of the object by an individual are described. In one embodiment, the object is registered with a remote processing system. Data representing at least one characteristic of the object is obtained and stored in the remote system and the identity of the individual or entity possessing the object is authenticated. After authenticating the individual, an identifier is collocated (or an existing mechanism is activated or modified to replicate the identifier) with the object, where the identifier uniquely identifies the object and the individual possessing the object. The object and the identity of the individual possessing the object can be authenticated at a future time by sensing the collocated identifier and sending the sensed identifier to the remote system. The remote system can send instructions to an entity wishing to authenticate the object and its association with the individual possessing the object. The instructions can be set up at the time the object is registered in the remote system. The remote system can perform an interactive or automated session with the entity wishing to authenticate the object, thereby saving time and providing a robust method of authentication and means for carrying out additional processing functions.

Claims

1. A method comprising;

storing data representing at least one characteristic of a physical object in the possession of a first entity;

authenticating the identity of the first entity;

subsequent to authenticating the identity of the first entity, collocating an identifier with the object that uniquely identifies the object and the first entity;

receiving data representing the identifier from a second entity;

electrically receiving second data representing the at least one characteristic of the physical object from the second entity; and

electrically determining whether the received second data matches the stored data and whether the received identifier matches the collocated identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electrically receiving data representing the identity of the first entity from the second entity; and

electrically determining whether the received identity data matches the authenticated identity of the first entity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an authentication signal to the second entity, the authentication signal indicating whether the received second data was determined to match the stored data and whether the received identifier was determined to match the collocated identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the data representing the identifier from the second entity, receiving one or more rules defining one or more actions to be taken after receiving the data representing the identifier from the second entity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more received rules modifies the collocated identifier, the method further comprises storing data representing the modified identifier such that the modified identifier uniquely identifies the object and the first entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical object is associated with digital content and the at least one characteristic that is stored is the associated digital content.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising processing the digital content subsequent to electrically determining that the second data matches the stored data and that the received identifier matches the collocated identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating instructions to the second entity subsequent to receiving the data representing the identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing data representing an audit trail of event information associated with the physical object;

receiving new event information associated with the physical object; and

electrically determining whether the received new event information is consistent with the stored event information.