Certified factory location

• US 9,384,459 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GTNX Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sorgie, Thomas, Cavano, Kurt Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/291,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20140354408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1, 340/6.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data

Abstract

A methods and systems are provided that relate to providing location data so that a retailer can know whether an item is produced at a factory it is purported to be produced at. A website may be provided to the retailer and/or exposed to the consumer. The consumer may be able to view information about the location of the factory, pictures of the factory, data about the factory (e.g., wage information, carbon footprint, size of the factory, inspection data, social compliance data, regulatory violations if any, etc.). A first geolocation may be received from a microchip associated with an item. A second geolocation may be obtained from a label associated with the item. The first geolocation and the second geolocation may be compared to determine whether the item was manufactured at the same place from or in which it is being packaged, shipped, and/or invoiced.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a microchip associated with an item, at least one indication of geolocation, wherein the at least one indication of geolocation comprises a set of location coordinates;

obtaining a second geolocation from a label wherein the second geolocation corresponds to a location of the label and comprises a set of location coordinates;

wherein a pre-defined boundary region is defined by one or more sets of location coordinates, and any geolocation within the pre-defined boundary region is associated with a named location;

receiving a request based on a scan of the label by a consumer, wherein the request includes geolocation data associated with the item, and wherein the geolocation data comprises the at least one indication of geolocation and the second geolocation from the label;

generating a response to the request, wherein the response comprises a representation that the at least one indication of geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same named location;

providing the response to an electronic device of the consumer, the response verifying or not verifying the representation; and

if the response does not verify the representation, sending a message to an authority or other third party indicating a discrepancy concerning a lack of representation verification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting, into the item, the microchip that communicates the at least one indication of geolocation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of inserting the microchip is performed by a scanner or a printer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a time reference contemporaneously with each of the at least one indication of geolocation and with the second geolocation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each time reference is accompanied by a certification from a worker responsible for activity occurring at the respective time reference.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises one or more components, each of the one or more components is associated with a unique microchip, each microchip provides an indication of geolocation comprising a set of location coordinates, and the response comprises a representation that every indication of geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same named location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a manufacture of the item comprises one or more steps, the method further comprising obtaining at least one of a third geolocation and a third time reference from the microchip at each of the one or more steps.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

comparing the third geolocation to the second geolocation; and

determining that the third geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same named location.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein each third time reference is accompanied by a certification from a worker responsible for the respective step.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving one or more image captures from a camera associated with the microchip.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the named location is associated with a manufacturer, and the response further provides a representation that the at least one indication of geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same manufacturer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the response further comprises data specific to the manufacturer, and wherein the data includes image data of the item at each of the at least one geolocation, image data at the second geolocation, and social compliance data of the manufacturer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the response further comprises employment data of a worker responsible for activity occurring at each of the at least one geolocation and the second geolocation.

14. A system, comprising:

a database for storing geolocation data for at least one manufacturer of an item;

a processor connected to the database, configured to;

receive, from a microchip associated with the item, at least one indication of geolocation, wherein the at least one indication of geolocation comprises a set of location coordinates;

obtain a second geolocation from a label wherein the second geolocation corresponds to a location of the label and comprises a set of location coordinates;

wherein a pre-defined boundary region is defined by one or more sets of location coordinates, and any geolocation within the pre-defined boundary region is associated with a named location;

receive a request based on a scan of the label by a consumer, wherein the request includes geolocation data associated with the item, and wherein the geolocation data comprises the at least one indication of geolocation and the second geolocation from the label;

generate a response to the request, wherein the response comprises a representation that the at least one indication of geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same named location;

provide the response to an electronic device of the consumer, the response verifying or not verifying the representation; and

if the response does not verify the representation, send a message to an authority or other third party indicating a discrepancy concerning a lack of representation verification.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a time reference contemporaneously with each of the at least one indication of geolocation and with the second geolocation, where each time reference is accompanied by a certification from a worker responsible for activity occurring at the respective time reference.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a manufacture of the item comprises one or more steps, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain at least one of a third geolocation and a third time reference from the microchip at each of the one or more steps, where each third time reference is accompanied by a certification from a worker responsible for the respective step;

compare the third geolocation to the second geolocation; and

determine that the third geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same named location.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the named location is associated with a manufacturer, and the response further provides:

a representation that the at least one indication of geolocation and the second geolocation are of the same manufacturer; and

data specific to the manufacturer, the data including image data of the item at each of the at least one geolocation, image data at the second geolocation, social compliance data of the manufacturer, and employment data of a worker responsible for activity occurring at each of the at least one geolocation and the second geolocation.

18. A computer-implemented method for validating location of product manufacture, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a microchip associated with a first item, an indication of time and location of the first item at each of;

first item arrival at a new location;

transformation of the first item, a beginning and end of transportation of the first item, a beginning and end of storage of the first item, and combination of the first item with a second item;

receiving, from a microchip associated with the second item, an indication of time and location of the second item at each of;

second item arrival at a new location;

transformation of the second item, a beginning and end of transportation of the second item, a beginning and end of storage of the second item, and combination of the second item with the first item;

receiving, from a label associated with a product, an indication of time and location of the product upon association of the label to the product, where the product is comprised of the first and the second items;

receiving, from the label associated with the product, an indication of time and location of the product at each of;

product arrival at a new location;

transformation of the product, a beginning and end of transportation of the product, and a beginning and end of storage of the product;

wherein location indications include predefined boundaries, where the predefined boundaries include one or more facilities defined as being within a single named location, and where the location indications include all of an actual location, an associated named location, and a named manufacturer associated with the associated named location;

receiving a request, based on a scan of the label, to assess certain, pre-defined indications of location of the first and the second items relative to certain, pre-defined indications of location of the product; and

generating a response to the request, wherein the response comprises a representation that the certain, pre-defined indications of location of the first and the second items are the same as the certain, pre-defined indications of location of the product.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the certain, pre-defined indications of location of the first item, of the second item, and of the product all have the same associated named location and the response therefore validates location of product manufacture.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein each indication of time and location for each of the first and the second items further includes an identification of individual overseeing each indication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the certain, pre-defined indications of location of the first item, of the second item, and of the product all have the same associated named location, and the response therefore validates location of product manufacture and further provides the identification of the individuals overseeing each indication.