Merchandise-integral transaction receipt and auditable product ownership trail
First Claim
1. A computer program product for providing an auditable trail of product transfers, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:
- computer-readable program code for computing, for each transfer of a particular product, a globally-unique identifier for the transfer and a cryptographic signature over one or more values describing the transfer;
computer-readable program code for recording, for each of the transfers, the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and zero or more of the values in an ownership transfer record in a product-integral ownership repository an the particular product, wherein the ownership transfer record is access-protected using control fields to dictate which of the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the zero or more of the values are updateable and which are not;
computer-readable program code for recording an audit record for each of the transfers in an audit repository, wherein the audit record for each of the transfers comprises the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the one or more values describing the transfer; and
computer-readable program code for tracing transfers of the particular product using each of the audit records that pertains to the particular product.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for writing data directly onto a product to record each ownership transfer. As a result, the product itself now carries a traceable, auditable, non-forgeable, non-repudiable proof of ownership (and, optionally, ownership history) that can be used in a variety of ways. This recorded ownership transfer information provides an electronic receipt, which may be used by the present owner to prove his or her ownership. (Optionally, other types of transfers may be recorded in addition to, or instead of, ownership transfers.) A transfer agent or registrar creates a unique transaction identifier to represent the transfer, and preferably creates a cryptographic signature over fields representing the transfer. This information is then recorded in a repository that is external from the product.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer program product for providing an auditable trail of product transfers, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:
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computer-readable program code for computing, for each transfer of a particular product, a globally-unique identifier for the transfer and a cryptographic signature over one or more values describing the transfer; computer-readable program code for recording, for each of the transfers, the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and zero or more of the values in an ownership transfer record in a product-integral ownership repository an the particular product, wherein the ownership transfer record is access-protected using control fields to dictate which of the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the zero or more of the values are updateable and which are not; computer-readable program code for recording an audit record for each of the transfers in an audit repository, wherein the audit record for each of the transfers comprises the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the one or more values describing the transfer; and computer-readable program code for tracing transfers of the particular product using each of the audit records that pertains to the particular product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for providing an auditable trail of product transfers, comprising steps of:
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computing, for each transfer of a particular product, a globally-unique identifier for the transfer and a cryptographic signature over one or more values describing the transfer; recording, for each of the transfers, the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and zero or more of the values in an ownership transfer record in a product-integral ownership repository on the particular product, wherein the ownership transfer record is access-protected using control fields to dictate which of the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the zero or more of the values are updateable and which are not; recording an audit record for each of the transfers in an audit repository, wherein the audit record for each of the transfers comprises the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the one ore more values describing the transfer; and tracing transfers of the particular product using each of the audit records that pertains to the particular product. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system an auditable trail of product transfers, comprising:
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means for computing, for each transfer of a particular product a globally-unique identifier for the transfer and a cryptographic signature over one or more;
values describing the transfer;means for recording, for each of the transfers, the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and zero or more of the values in an ownership transfer record in a product-integral ownership repository on the particular product, wherein the ownership transfer record is access-protected using control fields to dictate which of the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the zero or more of the values are updateable and which are not; means for recording an audit record for each of the transfers in an audit repository, wherein the audit record for each of the transfers comprises the cryptographic signature, the globally-unique identifier, and the one or more values describing the transfer; and means for tracing transfers of the particular product using each of the audit records that pertains to the particular product. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification