System and method for tracking authenticated items

• US 9,082,124 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• 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:
  US14/553,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/22, 705/333
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 system configured to maintain authentication information associated with an item, the system comprising:

a system including a radio frequency device reader and a bar code reader;

a master control unit that is operably coupled to the radio frequency device reader and the bar code reader, said master control unit configured to receive product identification data from the radio frequency device reader and the bar code reader;

a database system communicatively coupled to the master control unit, the database system configured to store authentication information associated with a plurality of items, the authentication information including information relating to a chain of custody of the items and, for each item, at least two of i) a location and date of origin, ii) a person associated with the item at the origin of the item, and iii) a previous owner;

a display unit operably coupled to the master control unit and disposed proximate to the support structure, said display unit configured to receive and display said authentication information to a user; and

an alert system operably connected to the master control unit that is configured to notify the user if the chain of custody information is incomplete, and to display a notification if the chain of custody is incomplete wherein, in response to the movement of the item proximate the radio frequency reader reader or the bar code reader, the master controller submits a query to the database system, receives the authentication information, and causes the display unit to display at least a portion of the authentication information to the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the query includes at least a portion of product identification data associated with the item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a user interface adapted to control the master control unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the barcode reader and the RFID reader is coupled to an authentication device data entry system to provide increased data processing efficiency.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of data processing systems at a corresponding plurality of item handling facilities, the data processing systems retrieving and storing the authentication information; and

a central system communicating with the plurality of data processing systems and the database system, the central system updating the chain of custody information stored in the database system according to input from the data processing systems.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the alert data is transmitted to a current owner of the item.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the alert data is transmitted to an operator of the database system.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a buyer verification system configured to generate a query to a current owner of the item and to authorize a transfer of the item in response to the query.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a buyer verification system configured to generate a query to a current owner that includes an identification of a prospective buyer of the item and to authorize a transfer of the item in response to the query.

10. A computer-implemented method of tracking items, the method comprising:

receiving an item at an item handling facility;

identifying the item using a scanning system having a radio frequency reader, a barcode reader, a computing device configured to electronically communicate with a database system, and a display, wherein identifying the item includes moving the item proximate the radio frequency reader or the bar code reader;

querying the database system to retrieve authentication information associated with the item, wherein said authentication includes information relating to a chain of custody of the item and at least two of i) a location and date of origination of the item, ii) a person associated with the location and date of origination of the item, and iii) a previous owner of the item;

displaying at least a portion of the authentication information on the display, wherein displaying at least a portion of the authentication information includes displaying a notification if the chain of custody is incomplete; and

updating the authentication information to reflect that the item has been received.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein querying the database system includes submitting, from the scanning system, at least a portion of identification information associated with the item.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying at least a portion of the authentication information includes displaying a notification if the authentication information is unavailable.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating alert data if the chain of custody is incomplete.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising entering into the scanning system handling information associated with the item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the database system is updated to include the handling information at each transfer of ownership of the item.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the handling information is entered by scanning the item.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting alert data to an owner of the item if the chain of custody is incomplete.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting alert data to an operator of the database system if the chain of custody is incomplete.

19. In a system configured to maintain authentication information associated with an item that includes a radio frequency device reader and a bar code reader, a master control unit that is operably coupled to the radio frequency device reader and the bar code reader, said master control unit configured to receive product identification data from the radio frequency device reader and the bar code reader, a database system communicatively coupled to the master control unit, the database system configured to store authentication information associated with a plurality of items, the authentication information including information relating to a chain of custody of the items and, for each item, at least two of i) a location and date of origin, ii) a person associated with the item at the origin of the item, and iii) a previous owner, a display unit operably coupled to the master control unit and disposed proximate to the support structure, said display unit configured to receive and display said authentication information to a user, an alert system operably connected to the master control unit that is configured to notify the user if the chain of custody information is incomplete, and to display a notification if the chain of custody is incomplete wherein, in response to the movement of the item proximate the radio frequency reader reader or the bar code reader, the master controller submits a query to the database system, receives the authentication information, and causes the display unit to display at least a portion of the authentication information to the user, wherein the query includes at least a portion of product identification data associated with the item, wherein the display unit includes a user interface adapted to control the master control unit, wherein the barcode reader and the RFID reader is coupled to an authentication device data entry system to provide increased data processing efficiency, a plurality of data processing systems at a corresponding plurality of item handling facilities, the data processing systems retrieving and storing the authentication information;

a central system communicating with the plurality of data processing systems and the database system, the central system updating the chain of custody information stored in the database system according to input from the data processing systems, wherein the alert data is transmitted to a current owner of the item, wherein the alert data is transmitted to an operator of the database system and a buyer verification system configured to generate a query to a current owner that includes an identification of a prospective buyer of the item and to authorize a transfer of the item in response to the query, a method comprising;

receiving an item at an item handling facility;

identifying the item using a scanning system having a radio frequency reader, a barcode reader, a computing device configured to electronically communicate with a database system, and a display, wherein identifying the item includes moving the item proximate the radio frequency reader or the bar code reader;

querying the database system to retrieve authentication information associated with the item, wherein said authentication includes information relating to a chain of custody of the item and at least two of i) a location and date of origination of the item, ii) a person associated with the location and date of origination of the item, and iii) a previous owner of the item;

displaying at least a portion of the authentication information on the display, wherein displaying at least a portion of the authentication information includes displaying a notification if the chain of custody is incomplete;

updating the authentication information to reflect that the item has been received;

wherein querying the database system includes submitting, from the scanning system, at least a portion of identification information associated with the item;

wherein displaying at least a portion of the authentication information includes displaying a notification if the authentication information is unavailable;

generating alert data if the chain of custody is incomplete;

entering into the scanning system handling information associated with the item;

wherein the database system is updated to include the handling information at each transfer of ownership of the item;

wherein the handling information is entered by scanning the item;

transmitting alert data to an owner of the item if the chain of custody is incomplete; and

transmitting alert data to an operator of the database system if the chain of custody is incomplete.