System and method for tracking authenticated items

• US 8,898,077 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prova Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Prova Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Tommy L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Seye
• Application Number:
  US13/556,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

A system for tracking an authenticated item is provided. The system includes an authentication device affixed to the item. An item registration system receives authentication device data from the authentication device and associated item data and stores the authentication device data and the associated item data. An owner registration system receives owner registration data after a buyer has acquired the item. A buyer verification system receives the authentication device data, the associated item data and the owner registration data and stores buyer verified data if the associated item data correlates to the owner registration data, such as if the external tag number or event data entered by the owner matches external tag number or event data for the item.

Claims

1. A method for tracking an authenticated item comprising:

reading authentication device data from an authentication device affixed to an item;

storing the authentication device data and item description data;

receiving owner registration data;

generating confirmation data if the owner registration data and the item description data are correlated to the authentication device data;

receiving seller data, buyer data and payment confirmation data;

modifying the owner registration data as a function of the seller data, the buyer data and the payment confirmation data using a processor;

receiving item transfer data from a current owner;

receiving transfer confirmation data from a prospective owner; and

storing the prospective owner data as the owner registration data after receiving the transfer confirmation data, wherein an item registration system is configured to receive the identifier, location data and time data and to associate the location data and the time data with the associated item data using a processor;

an event verification system is configured to determine whether the location data matches event location data using a processor; and

an owner registration system is configured to store the owner registration data as authenticated owner registration data if the location data matches the event location data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the item registration system further comprises an item identification system configured to receive the identifier for the authentication device attached to the item and to associate the identifier with the item data in a database.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising an owner flagging system configured to receive flag data for the item and to generate item transfer data.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising a buyer identification system configured to receive buyer identification data and to generate buyer transfer query data.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising a buyer verification system configured to receive buyer transfer confirmation data and to change the owner registration data to the buyer identification data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a purchase system configured to receive seller data from the first party, buyer data from a second party and payment confirmation data and to modify the owner registration data as a function of the seller data, the buyer data and payment confirmation data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication device comprises:

a radio frequency identification tag having a unique identifier;

a metallic tag having a hologram etched upon a surface; and

a peel-away adhesive layer affixed to the radio frequency identification tag and the metallic tag, wherein a portion of the peel-away adhesive layer remains affixed to the item if the authentication device is removed from the item.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the radio frequency identification tag is affixed to the peel-away adhesive layer and is separate from the metallic tag, such that the radio frequency identification tag remains affixed to the item if the authentication device is removed from the item.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the item registration system further comprises:

an item check-out system for receiving item check-out data for the item when it is removed from inventory for use;

an item check-in system for receiving item check-in data for the item when it is returned to inventory from use; and

an event verification system for providing event verification data associated with the item while it was in use.

10. A method for tracking an authenticated item comprising:

reading authentication device data from an authentication device affixed to an item;

storing the authentication device data and item description data;

receiving owner registration data;

generating confirmation data if the owner registration data and the item description data are correlated to the authentication device data;

receiving seller data, buyer data and payment confirmation data;

modifying the owner registration data as a function of the seller data, the buyer data and the payment confirmation data using a processor;

receiving item transfer data from a current owner;

receiving transfer confirmation data from a prospective owner; and

storing the prospective owner data as the owner registration data after receiving the transfer confirmation data, wherein an item registration system is configured to receive the identifier, location data and time data and to associate the location data and the time data with the associated item data using a processor;

an event verification system is configured to determine whether the location data matches event location data using a processor;

an owner registration system is configured to store the owner registration data as authenticated owner registration data if the location data matches the event location data;

wherein the item registration system further comprises an item identification system configured to receive the identifier for the authentication device attached to the item and to associate the identifier with the item data in a database; and

a purchase system configured to receive seller data from the first party, buyer data from a second party and payment confirmation data and to modify the owner registration data as a function of the seller data, the buyer data and payment confirmation data.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising an owner flagging system configured to receive flag data for the item and to generate item transfer data.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a buyer identification system configured to receive buyer identification data and to generate buyer transfer query data.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising a buyer verification system configured to receive buyer transfer confirmation data and to change the owner registration data to the buyer identification data.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the authentication device comprises:

a radio frequency identification tag having a unique identifier;

a metallic tag having a hologram etched upon a surface; and

a peel-away adhesive layer affixed to the radio frequency identification tag and the metallic tag, wherein a portion of the peel-away adhesive layer remains affixed to the item if the authentication device is removed from the item.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the radio frequency identification tag is affixed to the peel-away adhesive layer and is separate from the metallic tag, such that the radio frequency identification tag remains affixed to the item if the authentication device is removed from the item.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the item registration system further comprises:

an item check-out system for receiving item check-out data for the item when it is removed from inventory for use;

an item check-in system for receiving item check-in data for the item when it is returned to inventory from use; and

an event verification system for providing event verification data associated with the item while it was in use.

17. A method for tracking an authenticated item comprising:

reading authentication device data from an authentication device affixed to an item, wherein the authentication device comprises;

a radio frequency identification tag having a unique identifier;

a metallic tag having a hologram etched upon a surface; and

a peel-away adhesive layer affixed to the radio frequency identification tag and the metallic tag, wherein a portion of the peel-away adhesive layer remains affixed to the item if the authentication device is removed from the item;

storing the authentication device data and item description data;

receiving owner registration data;

generating confirmation data if the owner registration data and the item description data are correlated to the authentication device data;

receiving seller data, buyer data and payment confirmation data;

modifying the owner registration data as a function of the seller data, the buyer data and the payment confirmation data using a processor;

receiving item transfer data from a current owner;

receiving transfer confirmation data from a prospective owner; and

storing the prospective owner data as the owner registration data after receiving the transfer confirmation data, wherein an item registration system is configured to receive the identifier, location data and time data and to associate the location data and the time data with the associated item data using a processor;

an event verification system is configured to determine whether the location data matches event location data using a processor;

an owner registration system is configured to store the owner registration data as authenticated owner registration data if the location data matches the event location data; and

wherein the item registration system further comprises an item identification system configured to receive the identifier for the authentication device attached to the item and to associate the identifier with the item data in a database.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising an owner flagging system configured to receive flag data for the item and to generate item transfer data.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising a buyer identification system configured to receive buyer identification data and to generate buyer transfer query data.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising a buyer verification system configured to receive buyer transfer confirmation data and to change the owner registration data to the buyer identification data.