Distribution management method and system

• US 6,880,753 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mizuno, Yasuhiko, Itsuki, Rei, Ogihara, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US10/222,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/375, 235/380, 235/487, 705/22, 705/28, 705/67, 705/57, 705/14, 340/572.1, 380/201, 380/51, 380/55, 380/202
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a product distribution management system includes a product management center. The product management center includes a management device to receive product security data on a product from a distribution site and a product management database to store the data received from the distribution site for use in a product authentication process. The data includes product identification information and security information used to authenticate the product.

Claims

1. A product distribution management system, comprising:

a product management center including;

a management device to receive product security data on a product from a plurality of distribution sites in a distribution chain of the products, the data including product identification information and security information used to authenticate the product, wherein the product is authenticated if the product is determined to be genuine based on the product identification information and security information and is not authenticated if the product is determined not to be genuine based on the product identification information and security information, and

a product management database to store the data received from the distribution sites for use in a product authentication process.

2. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the distribution sites include a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or consumer, or a combination thereof.

3. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the product identification information is retrieved by reading a tag attached to the product.

4. The product distribution management system of claim 3, wherein the tag is an electronic device having a non-volatile memory and an antenna.

5. The product distribution management system of claim 4, wherein the electronic device has an area of no more than about 0.16 mm².

6. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the security information relates to product distribution information.

7. The product distribution management system of claim 6, wherein the product distribution information relates to information on product destination or product origination, or both.

8. The product distribution management system of claim 6, wherein the product distribution information relates to information on shipping time of the product from a distribution site, or arrival time of the product at a destination, or both.

9. The product distribution management system of claim 1, further comprising:

an authenticity evaluation site coupled to the product distribution center and configured to access the product security data stored in the product management database to evaluate the authenticity of the product.

10. The product distribution management system of claim 1, wherein the product management center is coupled to a plurality of distribution sites including a manufacturer, a wholesaler, and a retailer,wherein the management device of the product management center is configured to receive product security data from the plurality of distribution sites.

11. A product distribution management center, comprising:

a management device to receive product security data on a product from a distribution site located along a distribution chain of the product, the data including tag identification information that is associated with the product and security information generated at the distribution site for use in a product authentication process; and

a product distribution management database to store the product security data received from one of the distribution sites for use in another distribution site to authenticate the product,

wherein the product is authenticated if the product is determined to be genuine based on the product security data and is not authenticated if the product is determined not to be genuine based on the product security data.

12. The management center of claim 11, wherein the security information includes information relating to shipping time of the product, or arrival time of the product, or both.

13. The management center of claim 11, wherein the security information includes information relating to a destination site or origination site, or both.

14. The management center of claim 11, wherein the management database is configured to store a record including security information generated by a manufacturer, a wholesaler, and a retailer.

15. The management center of claim 11, wherein the management database is configured to store a record including security information relating to a purchaser of the product.

16. A product distribution management method, comprising:

reading identification information identifying a product at a first distribution site;

associating the identification information with first security information relating to the product to generate a first distribution record;

storing the first distribution record in a product management center located at a remote location from the first distribution site;

accessing the first distribution record in the product management center to authenticate the product that has been received at a second distribution site;

associating the identification information with second security information relating to the product, the second security information including a result of the authenticity evaluation of the product to generate a second distribution record;

storing the second distribution record in the product management center, the second distribution record being associated with the first distribution record;

reading the identification information identifying the product at a third distribution site; and

accessing the second distribution record stored in the product management center to authenticate the product that has been received at the third distribution site.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first security information includes information on a destination of the product, wherein the authentication of the product at the second distribution site includes:

retrieving the information on the destination of the product; and

determining whether or not the destination of the product corresponds to the second distribution site.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first security information includes information on shipping time of the product, wherein the authentication of the product at the second distribution site includes:

determining a difference between the current time and the shipping time of the product related to the first security information; and

determining whether or not the determined difference of time is within a predetermined range of transport time for transporting the product.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first, second, and third distribution sites are manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer, respectively.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

attaching an electronic tag having the identification information to the product at a location where tag is not visible under normal circumstances.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

associating the identification information with the third security information relating to the product including a result of the authenticity evaluation of the product to generate a third distribution record; and

storing the third distribution record in the product management, the third distribution record being associated with the first and second distribution records.

22. A product authentication method, comprising:

retrieving tag identification information identifying a product at a first distribution site by reading an electronic tag attached to the product;

associating the tag identification information with first security information relating to the product to generate a first distribution record, the first security information including product-distribution-related information;

transmitting the first distribution record to a product management center that is provided at a remote location from the first distribution site;

storing the first distribution record in the product management center;

retrieving the tag identification information at a second distribution site by reading the electronic tag attached to the product, wherein the product has been received from the first distribution site;

generating product data including the tag identification information at the second distribution site;

transmitting the product data to the product management center from the second distribution site;

retrieving at least a portion of the first distribution record from the product management center using the product data;

evaluating the authenticity of the product using the retrieved portions of the first distribution record; and

storing a result of the evaluation to the product management center for use in a product authentication process at the third distribution site.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the evaluating step is performed in the second distribution site or the product management center.

24. A product distribution management center, comprising:

means for receiving product security data from a plurality of distribution sites located along a distribution chain of the product, the data including tag identification information that is associated with the product and security information generated at the distribution sites for use in a product authentication process; and

means for storing the product security data received from one of the distribution sites for use in another distribution site to authenticate the product,

wherein the product is authenticated if the product is determined to be genuine based on the product security data and is not authenticated if the product is determined not to be genuine based on the product security data.

25. A product distribution management method, the method comprising:

accessing a first distribution record in a product management center to authenticate a product that has been received at a second distribution site, wherein identification information identifying a product is read at a first distribution site, the identification information being associated with first security information relating to the product to generate a first distribution record, the first distribution record being stored in a product management center located at a remote location from the first distribution site;

associating the identification information with second security information relating to the product, the second security information including a result of the authenticity evaluation of the product to generate a second distribution record; and

transmitting the second distribution record to the product management center, the second distribution record being associated with the first distribution record.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second distribution record is transmitted to the product management center to be stored in the product management center, so that the second distribution record may be accessed to authenticate the product received at the third distribution site.

27. A product distribution management method, comprising:

reading identification information identifying a product received at a first distribution site;

associating the identification information with first security information relating to the product to generate a first distribution record; and

transmitting the first distribution record to a product management center located at a remote location from the first distribution site,

wherein the first distribution record is transmitted to the product management center to be stored in the product management center for use in authenticating the product received at a second distribution site,

wherein the first distribution record is configured to be associated with a second distribution record generated at the second distribution site, the second distribution record being generated by associating the identification information with second security information relating to the product,

wherein the second distribution record is stored in the product management center for use in authenticating the product received at a third distribution site.