SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STREAMLINED REGISTRATION OF ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS OVER A COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND FOR VERIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION RELATED THERETO

• US 20090287498A2
• Filed: 11/29/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhenuine Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zhenuine Corporation
• Inventors: Choi, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The system and method of the present invention provide integrated or embedded components, for electronic (or other) products, each operable to securely store and selectively provide access to, a unique ID (UID) previously assigned to its corresponding specific product, where the UID of each product is registered with one or more particular UID registration centers over at least one communication network, and associated with one or more data records stored in a corresponding database file at the particular UID registration center, the data records being inclusive of information related to the product, the product purchase history, current ownership, etch, and wherein one or more authorized parties may subsequently advantageously utilize at least one UID (and optionally a verifier) to access, verify, edit, transfer, transmit, and/or otherwise manage at least one information item related to the one or more corresponding registered products in their UID registration center database file. Also provided is an optimized process for verifiable transfer of ownership rights between a product'"'"'s authorized owner and intended recipient, the transfer process being implemented over at least one communication network with graphical user interfaces provided for each party, where the transfer of ownership rights involves association of the product'"'"'s UID with the receiving party'"'"'s data record and confirming ownership transfer, and optional transfer of additional product-related information from the former product owner to the current recipient.

Claims

1. A data processing system for selectively managing at least one information item related to the product comprising:

embedding means for electronically embedding a unique identification code, representative of a predefined product information item, provided by an originating authorized party, at a predefined location in at least a portion of the product, such that said unique identification code is not changeable without damaging or destroying the product'"'"'s functionality; and

output means, selectively operable by at least one authorized party, to retrieve said unique identification code from said predefined location, and to output said unique identification code thereto, for at least one predefined purpose.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said at least one authorized party comprises at least one of:

a product manufacturer, a product distributor, a store selling the product, an owner of the product, an intended recipient of ownership rights to the product, law enforcement personnel, and a party finding a product that has been previously lost or stolen.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said output means further comprise at least one of:

a display component, incorporated in the product, operable to visually display information, and selectively operable to display said unique identification code to said at least one authorized party in response to a predefined request therefor;

an audio output component, incorporated in the product operable to audibly output information, and selectively operable to audibly output said unique identification code to said at least one authorized party, in response to said predefined request therefor; and

an unique identification code reading systems separate from the product, selectively operable, by said at least one authorized party, to selectively retrieve said unique identification code from said embedding means and to output said unique identification code to said at least one authorized party, in response to a predefined request therefore by at least one of;

visual output, or audio output.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said embedding means further comprise one of:

an electronic product component operable to perform at least one predetermined function for the product, and further operable to store said unique identification code at said predefined location therein;

or

a dedicated electronic component, located at a predetermined position within the product operable to store said unique identification code therein.

5. The data processing system of claim 4, further configured for use in conjunction with a unique identification code remote reading system, wherein said embedding means and said output means further comprise a remotely readable data provision component selectively operable to remotely provide said unique identification code, across a predefined transmission distance, to said unique identification code remote reading system, in response to a command thereto by said at least one authorized party.

6. The data processing system of claim 5, further comprising at least one of a product electrical power source and a dedicated embedding means power source wherein said remotely readable data provision component is configured for active operation requiring electrical power therefor, said electrical power being provided by at least one of said a product electrical power source, or said embedding means power source, such that said remotely readable data provision component is not operable in the absence of provision of electrical power thereto.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, comprising both said product electrical power source and said dedicated embedding means power source, wherein said dedicated embedding means power source is only operable to provide electrical power to the remotely readable data provision component when said product electrical power source is not operable.

8. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein said remotely readable data provision component is configured for passive operation requiring no electrical power therefor, such that said remotely readable data provision component is only operable to provide said unique identification code in response to an authorized command from a unique identification code remote reading system configured to be operable to passively interface with said passive remotely readable data provision component.

9. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein:

said remotely readable data provision component is implemented and configured utilizing at least one of the following techniques for provision of said unique identification code;

radio frequency ID (RFID), Bluetooth, wireless data transmission, RuBee, magnetic contact data transfer, at least one high speed cellular data transmission protocol, and infrared (IR), and

said predefined transmission distance is configured to be at least one of;

substantially physical contact between said unique identification code remote reading system and said product, a predefined proximity distance between said unique identification code remote reading system and said product, and a line of sight distance between said unique identification code remote reading system and said product.

10. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein said remotely readable data provision component further comprises means for deactivation thereof by at least one predetermined authorized party, to selectively prevent said remotely readable data provision component from providing said unique identification code to any unique identification code remote reading system.

11. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said unique identification code comprises a unique serial number assigned to the product by said originating authorized party.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, further comprising data processing means for enabling each of a plurality of authorized originating parties to verify the uniqueness of an intended unique serial number prior to assignment thereof to a corresponding product as said corresponding product'"'"'s unique identification code.

13. The data processing system of claim 1 further comprising:

a data management system, responsive to said at least one authorized party, operable to;

selectively register said unique identification code associated with the product, in a product data record in a corresponding product account owned by said at least one authorized party,

associate at least one information item related to the product with said unique identification code, and

store said at least one information item in said product data record; and

verification means for verifying, by said at least one authorized party, said at least one information item related to the product, by supplying at least said unique identification code to said data management system to access at least a portion of said product data record containing said at least one information item.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein said verification means further comprise authorization means for ensuring that said data record is only accessible to said at least one authorized party by requiring said at least one authorized party to provide, to said verification means, proof of an authorization to access said product data record.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein said authorization means comprise a verifier requiring an authorization code for access therethrough, and wherein said proof of an authorization to access said product data record, comprises said authorization code.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein said authorization code is provided to said at least one authorized party by another authorized party having previous ownership rights to the product.

17. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein said at least one information item comprises a record of current ownership rights in the product, further comprising data management means for selectively transferring, in response to a transfer authorization by a predetermined authorized party, of said current ownership rights in a product between a first authorized party, of said at least one authorized party, and a second authorized party, of said at least one authorized party, by reassigning said unique identification code associated with the product from a first product data record in said first authorized party'"'"'s product account to a second product data record in said second authorized party'"'"'s product account, and associating said record of current ownership rights with the second product data record in said second authorized party'"'"'s product account.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein said data management means further comprises means for transferring at least a portion of said at least one information item, in addition to said current ownership rights, from said first product data record to said second product data record, in response to said transfer authorization.

19. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein said data management means is implemented as an Internet website with a graphical user interface, accessible by said first and said second authorized parties, and where said verifier comprises at least one of:

authorization code request security responsive to a predetermined authorization code provided by a predefined authorized party, or a biometric identity verification of at least one of said first and said second parties.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein said predetermined authorization code is provided by said originating authorized party to an initial authorized party acquiring said ownership rights in the product, and wherein said predetermined authorization code is provided by said initial authorized party to each subsequent authorized party acquiring said ownership rights in the product, wherein at least one of said initial authorized party and said each subsequent authorized party, comprise said first authorized party.

21. A data processing system for managing, over at least one communication network, a plurality of information items related to a product, and to transactions between plural parties involving the product, comprising:

embedding means for electronically embedding a unique identification code, representative of a predefined plural product information item, provided by an authorized party of the plural parties, at a predefined location in at least a portion of the product, such that said unique identification code is not changeable without damaging or destroying the product'"'"'s functionality;

an information management system operable to;

enable configuration, storage, access and management of at least one product management account for each of the plural parties, wherein each said at least one product management account comprises a product record corresponding to the product, and configured for storing, viewing, and managing at least a portion of the plural product information items corresponding to the product and at least comprising said unique identification code;

enable said plural authorized parties to at least one of access and manage, a least a portion of information contained in said product record; and

selectively enable a first plural authorized party to transfer proof of ownership rights in the product to a second plural authorized party by transferring, in response to a transfer authorization, said unique identification code of the product and at least corresponding ownership information from said first plural authorized party'"'"'s product record to said second plural authorized party'"'"'s product record.

22. A data processing system for managing, over at least one communication network a plurality of information items related to a product, and to transactions between plural parties involving the product, the plural information items including at least a unique identification code associated with the product, comprising:

a data management system, responsive to at least one instruction from at least one authorized party of the plural parties, and operable to;

selectively register the unique identification code associated with the product, in a product data record in a corresponding product account owned by said at least one authorized party,

associate at least one product information item, of the plural information items with the unique identification code, and

store said at least one product information item in said product data record; and

verification means for verifying, by said at least one authorized party, said at least one product information item, by supplying at least the unique identification code to said data management system to access at least a portion of said product data record containing said at least one product information item.

23. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein said verification means further comprise authorization means for ensuring that said data record is only accessible to said at least one authorized party, by requiring said at least one authorized party to provide, to said verification means, proof of an authorization to access said product data record.

24. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein said proof if authorization is provided to said at least one authorized party by another authorized party having previous ownership rights to the product.

25. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein said at least one product information item comprises a record of current ownership rights in the product, further comprising data management means for selectively transferring, in response to a transfer authorization by a predetermined authorized party, of said current ownership rights in a product between a first authorized party, of said at least one authorized party, and a second authorized party, of said at least one authorized party, by reassigning the unique identification code associated with the product from a first product data record in said first authorized party'"'"'s product account to a second product data record in said second authorized party'"'"'s product account, and associating said record of current ownership rights with the second product data record in said second authorized party'"'"'s product account.

26. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein said data management means is implemented as an Internet website with a graphical user interface, accessible by said first and said second authorized parties, and where said verifier comprises at least one of:

authorization code request security responsive to a predetermined authorization code provided by a predefined authorized party, or a biometric identity verification of at least one of said first and said second parties.

27. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the unique identification code is assigned to the product by an originating authorized party of the plural parties, further comprising:

embedding means for electronically embedding the unique identification code, at a predefined location in at least a portion of the product, such that the unique identification code is not changeable without damaging or destroying the product'"'"'s functionality, and

output means, selectively operable by at least one authorized party of the plural parties, to retrieve the unique identification code from said predefined location, and to output said unique identification code thereto, for at least one predefined purpose.

28. The data processing system of claim 27, wherein said data management system further comprises said verification means, and herein, said at least one predefined purpose comprises at least one of:

registering the product with said data management system, creating said product data record in said data management system viewing at least one product information item in said product data record, updating or changing at least one product information item in said product data record, verifying product ownership rights of a particular party, determining a legal status of the product, verifying a possession-claiming party'"'"'s physical possession of the product, and verifying the product'"'"'s authenticity.

29. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein said data management system is configured for use with an electronic commerce system operable to enable a selling party to generate an electronic posting offering a predetermined product for sale in accordance with predetermined sales posting criteria, wherein said data management system further comprises a sales posting verification system, interfaced with said electronic commerce system, operable to:

enable said selling party to provide, to said data management system, a corresponding predetermined UID for said predetermined product being offered for sale, in conjunction with at least a portion of product sales information from said electronic posting, and seller identity information;

verify said selling party'"'"'s compliance with said predetermined sales posting criteria, by comparing said predetermined UID, said seller identity information, and said at least a portion of product sales information with information available in a predetermined product data record corresponding to said predetermined UID; and

when said predetermined sales posting criteria are successfully verified, enabling said selling party to complete said electronic posting, and when said predetermined sales posting criteria are not verified, preventing said selling party from completing said electronic posting.