Merchandise verification and information system

• US 4,816,824 A
• Filed: 11/30/1987
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Light Signatures Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Light Signatures Incorporated
• Inventors: Goldman, Robert N., Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSKO, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US07/126,385
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.340, 340/825.350, 235/385, 235/375, 235/487, 235/454, 283/72, 283/74, 283/79, 283/110, 283/113, 283/70
• US Class Current: 340/5.86
• 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: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0043 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10

Abstract

A system is disclosed for individually tracing units of merchandise with authentication devices or tags as such tags (with merchandise) move through channels of commerce. The total system incorporates a non-counterfeitable authenticator or verification tag which bears a machine-readable identification number and which in one form includes perforated, tear-off sections bearing the identification number and in another form is adhesively integrated with a product package. Operating with the tag, the physical system includes a central processor with a memory means that is addressable by using the tag identification number. A tag reader senses the machine-readable identification number (may alo verify the tag) and addresses the memory means for registering information to specifically identify the tag and indicate batch information. As the tag (and unit of merchandise) move to commerce, the memory information is supplemented to provide a history of such movement. In subsequent operations, the memory can then be tested for meaningful information on the merchandise. As one key to using the method to procure significant data, the system incorporates apparatus for testing the content of the memory to manifest the identification of specific tags that are related as a subset of merchandise of interest.

Claims

1. A merchandise unit form of document comprising:

a plurality of document sections separately fixed together, at least one of the said sections having an identified sensible anticounterfeit characteristic;

verification indicia on at least one of said sections for use to authenticate said anticounterfeit characteristic; and

identification indicia on said document sections for facilitating said document to flow in commerce as by separation of said sections.

2. A form of document according to claim 1 wherein said identification indicia includes a batch and document designation for said document.

3. A form of document according to claim 1 wherein said verification indicia comprises a record on said one section.

4. A form of document according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of document sections are joined by perforations for separation.

5. A form of document according to claim 1 wherein said document sections comprise paper sections interconnected by lines of perforations.

6. A form of document according to claim 1 wherein said identification indicia includes a batch and document designation for said document and wherein said plurality of document sections are joined by perforations for separation.

7. A form of document according to claim 1 wherein said verification indicia comprises a record on said one section and wherein said document sections comprise paper sections interconnected by lines of perforations.

8. A verification and information system for use with specific documents comprising a medium having a sensible anticounterfeit characteristic, said devices bearing identification indicia, said system comprising:

means for sensing said sensible anticounterfeit characteristic of said documents to determine the authenticity of each specific document;

means for printing indicia on said documents to provide specific identification for each document;

a central processor apparatus including a memory means comprising cells to register data on each document;

means for entering data in a cell on each document as manifest by said indicia; and

means to enter status data in a cell for each document to represent at least one status and thereby provide a record in said central processor of at least one specific location in commerce of said document.

9. A system according to claim 8 further including means for recording said anticounterfeit characteristic on said document.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said means for printing prints identification indicia on plural sections of said document.

11. A method of auditing the commercial history of documents comprising the steps of:

providing sheets of medium having a unique anticounterfeit characteristic to function as a part of said documents;

sensing and recording said anticounterfeit characteristic for determining authenticity of specific documents;

assigning identification data to each of said documents;

imprinting said documents with indicia representative of said identification data;

registering at least one status for said documents in a record stage using said identification data; and

tracing said documents by verifying said anticounterfeit characteristic and indexing said record storage with said identification data.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said step of imprinting includes printing identification data on plural sections of said document.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein said step of imprinting includes printing both batch and document identification on said document.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein said step of sensing and recording includes recording said characteristic on said document.