SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AND AUTHENTICATING THE PRESENCE OF HIGH VALUE ASSETS AT REMOTE LOCATIONS

• US 20100228585A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TB Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TB Group, Inc.
• Inventors: BRADLEY, A. W. (Tony)
• Application Number:
  US12/782,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228585A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for identifying and authenticating the presence of high value assets at remote location includes associating an identification tag with the asset. The identification tag includes identification information that can be electronically read and sent to a remote location for verifying the authenticity of the asset.

Claims

1. A method for verifying compliance with a finance agreement between a first party and a second party, the finance agreement associated with an asset, the method comprising:

affixing an identification tag to the asset associated with said finance agreement;

performing an audit of the asset by;

(a) reading said identification tag using a machine configured to read encrypted data from said identification tag,

(b) sending audit information based on the encrypted data to the first party,

(c) analyzing the audit information to determine whether the second party is complying with the finance agreement based on the audit information; and

wherein the step of analyzing the audit information is performed by a server programmed to analyze the audit information and determine whether the second party is complying or not complying with the finance agreement based on the audit information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the asset associated with the finance agreement is selected from a set consisting of a car, a truck, a recreational vehicle, a boat, a motorcycle, construction equipment, farm equipment, manufacturing equipment, containerized freight, art, an antique, and a collectible.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification tag is self-destructing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification tag includes a radio frequency identification tag.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification tag includes a bar code.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the audit information comprises a hash.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine that is configured to read encrypted data from said identification tag is integrated in a cell phone.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the encrypted data includes a geographic position associated with the asset.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the auditor is the second party to said finance agreement.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said server includes a database containing information related to second party of said finance agreement.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said information related to second party contained on said database which can be used for a purpose selected from the set consisting of targeted advertising, customer relationship management, sales force automation, logistics management, title history, repair work orders, maintenance records, inventory control, retail sales activity, and document control.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said cell phone includes a bar code reader.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said cell phone includes a radio frequency identification tag reader.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein compliance with said finance agreement is based on location of said asset.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the location of said asset is determined by a radio location method from the set consisting of GPS, ultra wideband, Bluetooth, wireless local are network, and cellular.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification tag includes a bar code.

16. A method for verifying compliance with a finance agreement between a first party and a second party, the finance agreement associated with an asset, the method comprising:

affixing an identification tag to the asset associated with said finance agreement,

assigning an auditor to audit said asset,

performing an audit of the asset,

reading said identification tag using a machine configured to read encrypted data from said identification tag,

said auditor sending audit information based on the encrypted data to the first party,

analyzing the audit information to determine whether the second party is complying with the finance agreement based on the audit information; and

wherein the step of analyzing the audit information is performed by a server programmed to analyze the audit information and determine whether the second party is complying or not complying with the finance agreement based on the audit information.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the asset associated with the finance agreement is selected from a set consisting of a car, a truck, a recreational vehicle, a boat, a motorcycle, construction equipment, farm equipment, manufacturing equipment, containerized freight, art, an antique, and a collectible.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the identification tag is self-destructing.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the identification tag includes a radio frequency identification tag.