Item having a data tag

• US 20080128492A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pride Technologies LLC (Pride Capital Partners LLC)
• Inventors: Roth, Joseph D., Holz, John B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

A method of enabling subsequent validation of an item having a data tag. Data may be read from a tag using an electronic reader. A readable marker, such as a barcode, may be selected from a plurality of different readable markers and applied in proximity to the tag. An association request can be created and communicated to a database, where the association request comprises data from the tag and data relating to the selected readable marker, so that the database may use data from the association request for subsequent validation of the tag. An authentication database for recording an association between a data tag and a readable marker applied to an item carrying that data tag are also described.

Claims

1. A method of method of enabling subsequent validation of an item having a data tag, the method comprising:

reading data from a tag using an electronic reader;

selecting a readable marker from a plurality of different readable markers;

applying the selected readable marker in proximity to the tag; and

communicating an association request to a database, where the association request comprises data from the tag and data relating to the selected readable marker, so that the database may use data from the association request for subsequent validation of the tag.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a readable marker from a plurality of different readable markers is performed before or contemporaneously with the step of reading data from a tag using an electronic reader.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a readable marker from a plurality of different readable markers is implemented by selecting from a prepared batch of different readable markers of the same type.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying the selected readable marker in proximity to the tag is implemented by removing the selected readable marker from a holder and adhering the label to the tag or to an item to which the tag is affixed.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of reading the selected readable marker either before, during, or after the step of applying the selected readable marker in proximity to the tag.

6. A method of recording an association between an item having a data tag and a readable marker applied to that item, the method comprising:

receiving an association request comprising data from the data tag and information about a readable marker applied to the item;

verifying the validity of the association request; and

creating an entry for the tagged item in the event that the association request is validated, the entry comprising data from the tag, and information about the readable marker applied to the tagged item.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the step of creating an entry for the tagged item includes indexing the entry using information read from the tag.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the step of verifying the validity of the association request includes validating that the association request relates to an item not previously associated.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein creating an entry includes providing a field including or referencing information about secure readers permitted to request authentication of the tagged item.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein verifying the validity of the association request includes validating that the association request was transmitted by an authorized marker reader.

11. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method includes the further steps of:

receiving an authentication request comprising data read from a tag on an item and information about a readable marker applied to the tagged item,

comparing the authentication request with the created entry to ascertain if the tagged item is authentic, and

validating the authentication request in the event of a match.

12. An authentication database for recording an association between a data tag and a readable marker applied to an item carrying that data tag, the database comprising:

an interface which receives an association request comprising data from a tag applied to an item and information about a readable marker applied to the item; and

an authenticator which is operable to (i) validate the association request, and (ii) create an entry for the tag in the event that the association request is validated, the entry comprising data from the tag, information about the tagged item, and information about the readable marker applied to the tagged item.

13. A database according to claim 12, wherein the database includes a security component.

14. A database according to claim 13, wherein the security component includes a timestamp generator, a transaction identifier counter, and a unique system identification.

15. A database according to claim 12, wherein the database includes a log file for storing details of successful and/or failed authentication requests.

16. A database according to claim 12, wherein the authenticator is also operable to (iii) receive an authentication request comprising data from a tag and information about a readable marker applied to an item carrying that tag, (iv) identify any created entry including identical tag data to the data from a tag in the authentication request, (v) compare the readable marker information in the identified created entry with the readable marker information in the authentication request, and (vi) confirm the authenticity of the tag in the event of a match.

17. A method of enabling subsequent validation of an item, the method comprising:

reading data from a readable marker provided on an item;

writing data to a tag carried by that item; and

communicating an association request to a database, where the association request comprises data written to the tag and data read from the readable marker, so that the database may use data from the association request for subsequent validation of the tag.

18. A reader for reading an item carrying a radio-frequency data tag, a barcode, and an optical security feature, the reader comprising:

an RFID reading engine for reading data stored in the data tag;

a barcode reading engine for reading the barcode, and

a spectral read engine for reading the optical security feature.

19. A reader according to claim 18, wherein the spectral read engine comprises an illumination source to excite the optical security feature, and a spectrometer to measure luminescence in response to excitation by the illumination source.

20. A reader according to claim 18, wherein the reader further comprises a security module including a unique identification, the reader being operable to transmit the unique identification each time an authentication request is sent to a database, to allow the database to identify the reader.