Digitally secured electronic titles for products in supply chains
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for inhibiting entry of unauthorized products in a supply chain, comprising:
- (a) electronically registering at a computer system a multiplicity of different manufacturers each manufacturing one or more corresponding products and electronically receiving, at the computer system, from each of the different manufacturers for each of the corresponding products, a digitally signed electronic title signed with a corresponding private key of a corresponding manufacturer, the electronic title containing information indicating a public key paired with the private key used to sign the electronic title and information on a corresponding one of the products including a unique identifier that is indicated on the corresponding one of the products, creating by the computer system an entry for each received one of the electronic titles in an electronic registry and returning in response to each received electronic title from a corresponding one of the different manufacturers, returning a transaction token to the corresponding one of the different manufacturers;
(b) receiving from one of the different manufacturers upon shipment of a corresponding product, an electronic title and an associated transaction token for a particular one of the different products and responding to the receipt of the electronic title and associated transaction token by issuing a new transaction token in the computer system and transmitting the new transaction token to the one of the different manufacturers;
(c) receiving the new transaction token and associated electronic title from a first custodian thereby indicating a state of the associated electronic title as being claimed by the first custodian to the particular one of the products and updating the registry to indicate that the associated electronic title has been claimed by the first custodian;
(d) for each transfer of the particular one of the products from a custodian indicated in the electronic registry as claiming the associated electronic title to a subsequent custodian in the supply chain;
(i) electronically receiving, at the computer system, the associated electronic title for the particular one of the products from the custodian indicated in the electronic registry as claiming the associated electronic title when that custodian sends the particular one of the products and the associated electronic title to a subsequent custodian, and updating the state of the associated electronic title in the electronic registry as being released; and
(ii) electronically receiving, at the computer system, the associated electronic title for the particular one of the products from the subsequent custodian after the subsequent custodian has received the associated electronic title and the particular one of the products and has verified authenticity of the associated electronic title and matched the unique identifier indicated in the associated electronic title to the unique identifier indicated on the particular one of the products, and updating the state of the associated electronic title in the electronic registry as being claimed by the subsequent custodian; and
(e) once the particular one of the products has been received by a custodian who is an end customer or once the particular one of the products has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, updating by the computer system the state of the associated electronic title in the registry as being closed.
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Abstract
Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided for inhibiting entry of unauthorized products in a supply chain. The methods and systems feature unique identifiers placed on products in the supply chain and Digitally Secured Electronic Titles (DSETs) for products. The DSETs are exchanged upon transfer of the products in the supply chain and tracked in an electronic registry.
25 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for inhibiting entry of unauthorized products in a supply chain, comprising:
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(a) electronically registering at a computer system a multiplicity of different manufacturers each manufacturing one or more corresponding products and electronically receiving, at the computer system, from each of the different manufacturers for each of the corresponding products, a digitally signed electronic title signed with a corresponding private key of a corresponding manufacturer, the electronic title containing information indicating a public key paired with the private key used to sign the electronic title and information on a corresponding one of the products including a unique identifier that is indicated on the corresponding one of the products, creating by the computer system an entry for each received one of the electronic titles in an electronic registry and returning in response to each received electronic title from a corresponding one of the different manufacturers, returning a transaction token to the corresponding one of the different manufacturers; (b) receiving from one of the different manufacturers upon shipment of a corresponding product, an electronic title and an associated transaction token for a particular one of the different products and responding to the receipt of the electronic title and associated transaction token by issuing a new transaction token in the computer system and transmitting the new transaction token to the one of the different manufacturers; (c) receiving the new transaction token and associated electronic title from a first custodian thereby indicating a state of the associated electronic title as being claimed by the first custodian to the particular one of the products and updating the registry to indicate that the associated electronic title has been claimed by the first custodian; (d) for each transfer of the particular one of the products from a custodian indicated in the electronic registry as claiming the associated electronic title to a subsequent custodian in the supply chain; (i) electronically receiving, at the computer system, the associated electronic title for the particular one of the products from the custodian indicated in the electronic registry as claiming the associated electronic title when that custodian sends the particular one of the products and the associated electronic title to a subsequent custodian, and updating the state of the associated electronic title in the electronic registry as being released; and (ii) electronically receiving, at the computer system, the associated electronic title for the particular one of the products from the subsequent custodian after the subsequent custodian has received the associated electronic title and the particular one of the products and has verified authenticity of the associated electronic title and matched the unique identifier indicated in the associated electronic title to the unique identifier indicated on the particular one of the products, and updating the state of the associated electronic title in the electronic registry as being claimed by the subsequent custodian; and (e) once the particular one of the products has been received by a custodian who is an end customer or once the particular one of the products has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, updating by the computer system the state of the associated electronic title in the registry as being closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer system, comprising:
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at least one processor; memory associated with the at least one processor; and a program supported in the memory for use to inhibit entry of unauthorized products in a supply chain, the program containing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to; (a) electronically registering at a computer system a multiplicity of different manufacturers each manufacturing one or more corresponding products and electronically receiving, at the computer system, from each of the different manufacturers for each of the corresponding products, a digitally signed electronic title signed with a corresponding private key of a corresponding manufacturer, the electronic title containing information indicating a public key paired with the private key used to sign the electronic title and information on a corresponding one of the products including a unique identifier that is indicated on the corresponding one of the products, creating by the computer system an entry for each received one of the electronic titles in an electronic registry and returning in response to each received electronic title from a corresponding one of the different manufacturers, returning a transaction token to the corresponding one of the different manufacturers; (b) receiving from one of the different manufacturers upon shipment of a corresponding product, an electronic title and an associated transaction token for a particular one of the different products and responding to the receipt of the electronic title and associated transaction token by issuing a new transaction token in the computer system and transmitting the new transaction token to the one of the different manufacturers; (c) receiving the new transaction token and associated electronic title from a first custodian thereby indicating a state of the associated electronic title as being claimed by the first custodian to the particular one of the products and updating the registry to indicate that the associated electronic title has been claimed by the first custodian; (d) for each transfer of the particular one of the products from a custodian indicated in the electronic registry as claiming the associated electronic title to a subsequent custodian in the supply chain; (i) electronically receiving, at the computer system, the associated electronic title for the particular one of the products from the custodian indicated in the electronic registry as claiming the associated electronic title when that custodian sends the particular one of the products and the associated electronic title to a subsequent custodian, and updating the state of the associated electronic title in the electronic registry as being released; and (ii) electronically receiving, at the computer system, the associated electronic title for the particular one of the products from the subsequent custodian after the subsequent custodian has received the associated electronic title and the particular one of the products and has verified authenticity of the associated electronic title and matched the unique identifier indicated in the associated electronic title to the unique identifier indicated on the particular one of the products, and updating the state of the associated electronic title in the electronic registry as being claimed by the subsequent custodian; and (e) once the particular one of the products has been received by a custodian who is an end customer or once the particular one of the products has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, updating by the computer system the state of the associated electronic title in the registry as being closed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification