Systems and Methods for tracking and authenticating goods

• US 20130284803A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covectra, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Covectra, Incorporated
• Inventors: Wood, Stephen M., Smith, Richard, Bear, David, Kechter, George, O'Neill, Conor
• Granted Patent: US 8,908,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06056 the marking comprising a further embedded marking, e.g. a 1D bar code with the black bars containing a smaller sized coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/2033 Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paper

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying, tracking, tracing and determining the authenticity of a good are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes an imaging system, a database, and an authentication center. The imaging system is configured to capture an image of a unique signature associated with a good at the good'"'"'s origin. The unique signature can be, for example, a random structure or pattern unique to the particular good. The imaging system is configured to process the image of the good to identify at least one metric that distinguishes the unique signature from unique signatures of other goods. The database is configured to receive information related to the good and its unique signature from the imaging system; and is configured to store the information therein. The authentication center is configured to analyze the field image with respect to the information stored in the database to determine whether the unique signature in the field image is a match to the captured image stored in the database.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a label including a substrate and a plurality of flecks being randomly distributed on the substrate, at least a portion of the plurality of flecks forming a unique signature configured to be associated with a good and to be captured by an imaging device for verifying the authenticity of the good, the label including a serialization code configured to be electronically associated with the unique signature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the label includes a top layer coupled to the substrate, the plurality of flecks being randomly disposed between the substrate and the top layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of flecks are disposed in an adhesive layer between the substrate and the top layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serialization code includes at least one of a unique alphanumeric or bar code having instructions for a lighting configuration to be implemented by the imaging device for capturing an image of the unique signature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serialization code includes instructions identifying which portion of the label includes the unique signature.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serialization code includes instructions for locating the unique signature with reference to a fiducial mark.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serialization code includes a bar code.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a graphic is printed onto a top layer of the label.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the label includes a fiducial mark.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flecks have different colors.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flecks are substantially planar.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flecks are not coplanar.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the serialization code is configured to be electronically associated with the unique signature but not derivable from the unique signature by algorithm.

14. A system, comprising:

a plurality of labels, each label of the plurality of labels including a unique signature formed by a random pattern of particles disposed thereon, each label of the plurality of labels including a serialization code; and

a database configured to store information associated with the unique signature of each label of the plurality of labels, the database configured to store information associated with the serialization code of each label of the plurality of labels such that the information associated with the unique signature for a first label of the plurality of labels is electronically linked to the information associated with the serialization code of the first label.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the code of the first label includes instructions for a lighting configuration to be implemented by an imaging device for capturing an image of the unique signature of the first label.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the code of the first label includes instructions identifying which portion of the label includes the unique signature.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the code of the first label includes instructions for locating the unique signature with reference to a fiducial mark.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an authentication center in electrical communication with the database, the authentication center configured to interrogate the unique signature of the first label of the plurality of labels, the authentication center configured to make an authenticity determination based on the interrogation.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the particles have different colors.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the particles are substantially planar.