Authentication and tracking system

• US 7,752,137 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verify Brand LLC
• Original Assignee: The Meyers Printing Companies, Inc.
• Inventors: Dillon, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheung; Calvin K
• Application Number:
  US10/701,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,437 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A subset of unique codes are generated from a set of codes. The subset of codes are stored in a database on a secure server and each of the codes is marked on a corresponding instantiation of the product. The marked instantiations are distributed. During their distribution, the marked instantiations are verified for authenticity and for routing. This verification is performed by reading or scanning the codes on the instantiations, and transmitting that information to the secure server for comparison against the codes and other information located in the database contained therein.

Claims

1. A method for storing a plurality of unique code strings derived from a code string model for further marking and authenticating and tracking one or more instantiations of a product comprising:

selecting a quantity of the finite parameters of code string length N and a quantity of code string character types D based on the equations P=B/(N^D) and P≦

X, wherein P is the probability of guessing any code string of a subset of unique code strings, B is a size of the subset of unique code strings, N^D is a total quantity of unique code strings and X is a user-selectable probability of guessing any code string of the subset of unique code strings, the subset of unique code strings being at least one hundred times smaller than the total quantity of unique code strings;

providing the subset of unique code strings, which are a plurality of unique code strings selected for use from the total quantity of unique code strings derived from the code string model;

associating attributes with a certain quantity of the unique code strings of the subset, the one or more attributes defining characteristics each corresponding to one or more instantiations of a product;

marking the one or more instantiations with codes strings of the certain quantity of unique code strings;

providing one or more secure servers each having a database; and

storing the subset of unique code strings within one of the databases on one of the secure servers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure server providing step further includes attaching each of one or more secure servers to a distinct Internet website, wherein each of the distinct Internet websites corresponds to a distinct product.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the secure server providing step further includes providing an intermediary Internet website linked to each of the distinct Internet websites, wherein the intermediary Internet website automatically shifts inquiry signals containing one of the subset of unique code strings marked on the one or more instantiations of the product to one of the distinct Internet websites provided the one distinct Internet website corresponds to the product of the one or more instantiations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of unique code strings providing step further includes providing the certain quantity of unique code strings to be the subset of unique code strings.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of validating authenticity of one of the one or more instantiations marked on or affixed with one of the certain quantity of unique code strings, the one instantiation validated through exchange of transmitted signals between the one secure server and a communication device,

wherein the communication device receives an entry of the one unique code string and transmits an inquiry signal containing the one unique code string to the one secure server, and

wherein the one secure server receives the inquiry signal to reveal the entered unique code string, searches the one database to validate the authenticity of the entered unique code string, and transmits a return signal to the communication device regarding validation of authenticity of the one instantiation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the storing step further includes storing the attributes assigned to the certain quantity of unique code strings within the one database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes searching the one database for the attributes in order to determine tracking parameters of the one instantiation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes storing current location information of the one instantiation within the one database if the tracking parameters are determined to be valid.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes validating the one instantiation during or following distribution, provided the one instantiation has been distributed along a chain of commerce.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes using the Internet as a network for transmitting and receiving the inquiry signal and the return signal.

11. A method for authenticating one or more instantiations of a product comprising:

selecting a size B of a subset of unique code strings of a total quantity of unique code strings based on the equation B=P*(N^D), where P is a probability of guessing a code string of a subset of unique code strings, N is a quantity of the finite parameters of a code string length, D is a quantity of code string character types, and N^D is the total quantity of unique code strings, the subset of unique code strings being at least one hundred times smaller than the total quantity of unique code strings;

providing the subset of unique code strings, which are a plurality of unique code strings selected for use from the total quantity of unique code;

associating one or more attributes with a certain quantity of the unique code strings of the subset, the one or more attributes defining characteristics corresponding to one or more instantiations of a product;

marking the one or more instantiations with codes strings of the certain quantity of unique code strings;

providing a secure server having a database storing each of the subset of unique code strings; and

validating the authenticity of one of the instantiations marked on or affixed with one of the certain quantity of unique code strings, the one instantiation validated through exchange of transmitted signals between the secure server and a communication device, the validation including

receiving, by the communication device, an entry of the one unique code string;

transmitting, by the communication device, an inquiry signal containing the one unique code string to the secure server;

receiving, by the secure server, the inquiry signal to reveal the entered unique code string;

searching, by the secure server, the database to validate the authenticity of the one unique code string; and

transmitting, by the secure server, a return signal to the communication device regarding validation of the authenticity of the one instantiation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the subset of unique code strings providing step further includes the product being from one of a plurality of technologies involving electronics, branded product enhancers, aerospace, automotive, and pharmaceutical, or products involved in government markets.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the authenticity validation step further includes manually keying the one unique code string into a keypad of the communication device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication device is a cellular phone.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the authenticity validation step further includes using the Internet as a network for transmitting and receiving the inquiry signal and the return signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication device is a laser scanner.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the subset of unique code strings providing step further includes providing the certain quantity of unique code strings to be the subset of unique code strings.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes validating the one unique code string during or following distribution, provided the one instantiation has been distributed along a chain of commerce.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes using the Internet as a network for transmitting and receiving the inquiry signal and the return signal.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes each of the certain quantity of unique code strings being marked on or affixed to a tag.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes each of the certain quantity of unique code strings being embedded within layers of a tag, the tag being a holographic compilation.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes each of the certain quantity of unique code strings being programmed in a radio frequency tag.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein the validating authenticity step further includes each of the certain quantity of unique code strings being encoded within threads of a tag.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication device is a field reader, wherein the field reader scans the one unique code string, encodes the scanned unique code string into a machine-readable format, and transmits the encoded unique code string to the one secure server, and wherein the one secure server decodes the encoded unique code string to reveal the scanned unique code string.