Systems for secure tracking code generation, application, and verification
First Claim
1. A computer system, comprising:
- one or more hardware processors;
a durable computer-readable hardware storage medium; and
one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more hardware processors to configure the computer system to verifiably imprint tracking codes onto physical articles and package the physical articles into a grouping container, the computer-executable instructions including instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to perform at least the following;
generate, at the one or more hardware processors, a plurality of different tracking codes that are part of a grouping of tracking codes;
send the plurality of tracking codes towards an automated computer-controlled production line, along with one or more first messages that cause the production line to perform at least the following;
physically imprint, by one or more hardware imprinting units of the production line, each of the plurality of different tracking codes onto a different corresponding article; and
physically verify, by one or more hardware verification units of the production line, the physical imprinting by the one or more hardware imprinting units of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, including the one or more hardware verification units performing a machine reading of each tracking code as it is imprinted on its corresponding article; and
receive at least one result of the verification by the one or more hardware verification units of the physical imprinting of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, and, for each tracking code;
based at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was correctly imprinted on its corresponding article;
direct the article for packaging in a grouping container; and
record, in the durable computer-readable hardware storage medium, one or more records that indicate the tracking code as being imprinted on an article and as being part of the grouping;
orbased at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was incorrectly imprinted on its corresponding article ;
send one or more second messages towards the automated computer-controlled production line, causing the one or more hardware verification units to physically direct the corresponding article away from the grouping container; and
re-queue the tracking code for a subsequent imprinting an article for packaging in the grouping container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments include a computer-implemented management platform for securely generating tracking codes, and for verifiably imprinting those tracking codes onto physical articles. In an embodiment, one or more hardware processors generate tracking code(s) and send the tracking code(s) towards an automated computer-controlled production line, and which physically imprint each tracking codes onto a corresponding article, and physically verify the physical imprinting. If a tracking code was correctly imprinted on its corresponding article, one or more records are recorded in a durable storage medium, which indicate that the tracking code imprinted on an article. If a tracking code was incorrectly imprinted on its corresponding article, the factory line physically rejects the corresponding article. Embodiments also include the computer-implemented management platform securely managing those physical articles throughout their lifecycle, based on the securely-generated and verifiably-imprinted tracking codes.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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one or more hardware processors; a durable computer-readable hardware storage medium; and one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more hardware processors to configure the computer system to verifiably imprint tracking codes onto physical articles and package the physical articles into a grouping container, the computer-executable instructions including instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to perform at least the following; generate, at the one or more hardware processors, a plurality of different tracking codes that are part of a grouping of tracking codes; send the plurality of tracking codes towards an automated computer-controlled production line, along with one or more first messages that cause the production line to perform at least the following; physically imprint, by one or more hardware imprinting units of the production line, each of the plurality of different tracking codes onto a different corresponding article; and physically verify, by one or more hardware verification units of the production line, the physical imprinting by the one or more hardware imprinting units of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, including the one or more hardware verification units performing a machine reading of each tracking code as it is imprinted on its corresponding article; and receive at least one result of the verification by the one or more hardware verification units of the physical imprinting of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, and, for each tracking code; based at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was correctly imprinted on its corresponding article; direct the article for packaging in a grouping container; and record, in the durable computer-readable hardware storage medium, one or more records that indicate the tracking code as being imprinted on an article and as being part of the grouping;
orbased at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was incorrectly imprinted on its corresponding article ; send one or more second messages towards the automated computer-controlled production line, causing the one or more hardware verification units to physically direct the corresponding article away from the grouping container; and re-queue the tracking code for a subsequent imprinting an article for packaging in the grouping container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes one or more processors, for verifiably imprinting tracking codes onto physical articles and packaging the physical articles into a grouping container, the method comprising:
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generating, at the one or more processors, a plurality of different tracking codes that are part of a grouping of tracking codes; sending the plurality of tracking codes towards an automated computer-controlled production line, along with one or more first messages that cause the production line to perform at least the following; physically imprinting, by one or more hardware imprinting units of the production line, each of the plurality of different tracking codes onto a different corresponding article; and physically verifying, by one or more hardware verification units of the production line, the physical imprinting by the one or more hardware imprinting units of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, including the one or more hardware verification units performing a machine reading of each tracking code as it is imprinted on its corresponding article; and receiving at least one result of the verification by the one or more hardware verification units of the physical imprinting of each tracking onto its corresponding article, and, for each tracking code; based at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was correctly imprinted on its corresponding article directing the article for packaging in a grouping container; and recording, in a durable computer-readable hardware storage medium, one or more records that indicate the tracking code as being imprinted on an article and as being part of the grouping;
orbased at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was incorrectly imprinted on its corresponding article sending one or more second messages towards the automated computer-controlled production line, which cause the one or more hardware verification units to physically direct the corresponding article away from the grouping container; and re-queuing the tracking code for a subsequent imprinting an article for packaging in the grouping container. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program product comprising one or more hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a computer system to configure the computer system to verifiably imprint tracking codes onto physical articles and package the physical articles into a grouping container, the computer-executable instructions including instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to perform at least the following:
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generate, at the one or more processors, a plurality of different tracking codes that are part of a grouping of tracking codes; send the plurality of tracking codes towards an automated computer-controlled production line, along with one or more first messages that cause the production line to perform at least the following; physically imprint, by one or more hardware imprinting units of the production line, each of the plurality of tracking codes onto a different corresponding article; and physically verify, by one or more hardware verification units of the production line, the physical imprinting by the one or more hardware imprinting units of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, including the one or more hardware verification units performing a machine reading of each tracking code as it is imprinted on its corresponding article; and receive at least one result of the verification by the one or more hardware verification units of the physical imprinting of each tracking code onto its corresponding article, and, for each tracking code; based at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was correctly imprinted on its corresponding article direct the article for packaging in a grouping container; and record, in a durable computer-readable hardware storage medium, one or more records that indicate the tracking code as being imprinted on an article and as being part of the grouping;
orbased at least on the at least one result of the verification indicating that the tracking code was incorrectly imprinted on its corresponding article; send one or more second messages towards the automated computer-controlled production line, causing the one or more hardware verification units to physically direct the corresponding article away from the grouping container; and re-queue the tracking code for a subsequent imprinting an article for packaging in the grouping container.
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Specification