Quality assurance system and quality assurance method

• US 20070241860A1
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takehiko, Matsushima, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.900
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A managing unit manages an identifier for identifying an authenticated container that is authenticated as a legitimate container. An inquiring unit inquires, before transferring a substance between containers, the managing unit whether both of the containers are the authenticated containers. An approving unit approves a transaction of the substance, upon acquiring a response from the inquiring unit saying that both of the containers are the authenticated containers.

Claims

1. A system for assuring quality of a substance transacted by being transferred from container to container, the system comprising:

a managing unit that manages an identifier for identifying an authenticated container that is authenticated as a legitimate container;

an inquiring unit that inquires, before transferring the substance between containers, the managing unit whether both of the containers are the authenticated containers; and

an approving unit that approves a transaction of the substance, upon acquiring a response from the inquiring unit saying that both of the containers are the authenticated containers.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the inquiring unit and the approving unit is implemented in a security chip in a port control device that controls opening and closing of a port for the authenticated container.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the approving unit registers, to the managing unit, a transaction identifier for uniquely identifying a done transaction with the identifier of the authenticated container related to the done transaction.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein

the inquiring unit inquires the managing unit whether both of the containers are the authenticated containers, based on the transaction identifier stored in a container on a providing side.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the managing unit is installed in a server on a network.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the approving unit approves the transaction of the substance provided that a type of the substance is the same between a container on a providing side and a container on a receiving side.

7. A method of assuring quality of a substance transacted by being transferred from container to container, the method comprising:

managing an identifier for identifying an authenticated container that is authenticated as a legitimate container;

inquiring, before transferring the substance between containers, the managing whether both of the containers are the authenticated containers; and

approving a transaction of the substance, upon acquiring a response from the inquiring saying that both of the containers are the authenticated containers.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

at least one of the inquiring and the approving is executed in a security chip in a port control device that controls opening and closing of a port for the authenticated container.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the approving includes registering, to the managing, a transaction identifier for uniquely identifying a done transaction with the identifier of the authenticated container related to the done transaction.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the inquiring includes inquiring the managing whether both of the containers are the authenticated containers, based on the transaction identifier stored in a container on a providing side.