WO2010083609A1

WO2010083609A1 - Anti-counterfeiting system

Info

Publication number: WO2010083609A1
Application number: PCT/CA2010/000102
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard J. Rusiniak; Steven H. Leach
Original assignee: Rusiniak Richard J; Leach Steven H
Priority date: 2009-01-22
Filing date: 2010-01-22
Publication date: 2010-07-29

Abstract

An anti-counterfeiting system is disclosed. The system comprises a facility for: creating virtual authenticity certificates; assigning virtual authenticity certificates to mobile telephone devices; and providing for the assignment of virtual authenticity certificates as between mobile telephone devices to be modified through telephone messaging.

Description

ANTI-COUNTERFEITING SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of goods tracking

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many transactions involving counterfeit goods occur every day. Although some jurisdictions expend substantial resources trying to minimize trafficking in and the manufacturing of counterfeit goods, the problem is large and growing, as some jurisdictions turn a blind eye, and the potential profits to be made are substantial.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An anti-counterfeiting system forms one aspect of the invention. The system comprises a facility for: creating virtual authenticity certificates; assigning virtual authenticity certificates to mobile telephone devices; and providing for the assignment of virtual authenticity certificates as between mobile telephone devices to be modified through telephone messaging.

According to another aspect of the invention, the facility can also be for maintaining a registry.

According to another aspect of the invention, the registry can comprise a database of: virtual authenticity certificates; and numbers of mobile telephone devices to which said virtual authenticity certificates are assigned. According to another aspect of the invention, the registry can further permit the entry of a unique personal identifier number (PIN) for each telephone number in the database.

According to another aspect of the invention, in use, to transfer virtual authenticity certificates assigned to one device to another device, the operator of the one device can: select, from the virtual authenticity certificates assigned to the one device, the virtual authenticity certificate(s) to be transferred; and identify the other device by telephone number, such selection and identification being embodied in a SMS message sent from the one device to the facility.

According to another aspect of the invention, in use, on an initial assignment of an authenticity certificate to a mobile telephone device, the facility sends an invitation to said device to: link to a WAP page or download software for interacting with the facility; and enter a personal identifier number (PIN).

According to another aspect of the invention, in use, to transfer a virtual authenticity certificate assigned to one device to another device, the operator of the one device can: select, from the virtual authenticity certificates assigned to said one device, the virtual authenticity certificate to be transferred; identify the other device by telephone number; and authorize the transaction through entry of the PIN associated with the one device, such selection and identification being embodied in a SMS message sent by the one device to the facility.

According to another aspect of the invention, in use, on a virtual authenticity certificate assignment in favor of a mobile telephone device, the facility can: send a notification to said mobile telephone device of said assignment; and update the registry, to reflect the assignment. According to another aspect of the invention, the system can further comprise a portal for access by producers of goods to permit assignment of virtual authenticity certificates to mobile telephone devices.

A goods tracking system forms yet another aspect of the invention. This system comprises: a facility for: creating virtual identity certificates; assigning virtual identity certificates to mobile communication devices; and providing for the assignment of virtual identity certificates as between mobile communication devices to be modified through electronic messaging.

Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a money transfer system, there is included a facility.

The facility takes the form of a computer server which functions to generate three databases which together define a registry.

The first database is a database of virtual authenticity certificates. This database permits the creation of multiple authenticity certificate records. Each authenticity certificate record comprises a location field, a brand field, a product type field, a serial number field and a contact field.

The second database is a database of locations, which permits the creation of multiple location records. Each location record comprises a location field and a personal identifier number (PIN) field. The third database is a database of users, which permits the creation of multiple user records. Each user record comprises a user field, a password field and a brand field.

The functionality of the facility is most easily described in use.

Facility Operator

The facility operator populates the user database with details of the permitted users, the brands of each user and passwords. The password for each brand of the user may be the same or different.

Goods producers

A goods producer intending to release a good into the marketplace logs on to a secure online portal which has been made available by the facility, identifies itself and indicates to the facility that it wishes to create an authenticity certificate. The facility scans the user records for brands associated with that user. If the producer has only brand, then the facility prompts the user for entry of a password. If the password entered matches that associated with the sole brand, an authenticity certificate record is created, wherein the brand is self-populated. If more than one brands are associated with the user, the facility prompts the user to select the brand and then to enter the associated password; upon selection of a brand and entry of the appropriate password, an authenticity certificate record is created and populated with the chosen brand.

The producer, if desired, may also populate the authenticity certificate record with de.tails of the type of the good [product field], any serial number which has been associated with the good [serial number field] and the coordinates [telephone or email] of the producer [coordinate field]. In some cases, because of the nature of the goods, the producer will wish to ensure that the serial number field is populated (with a unique serial number the producer assigns to each good produced, or perhaps with a lot of batch number). This will add to the complexity of inventory and package handling during the distribution process. In other cases, the producer will see no need to incur the inconvenience associated with tracking each unique parcel to its ultimate actual destination and will be satisfied with a system which provides an indication as the ultimate recipients of goods of the same or similar type.

The goods producer will also populate the location field of the authenticity certificate record with the number of a mobile telephone controlled by the producer. This entry into the location field of the authenticity certificate record with a mobile telephone number, for the purpose of this description and the accompanying claims, constitutes an "assignment" of the virtual certificate.

^• Assignment

Upon any assignment of a certificate to a mobile phone number not already present in the location record database, a new location record is created and the location field thereof is populated with the mobile telephone number. Following assignment of the authenticity certificate, the facility sends a text message to the phone number assigned, confirming the assignment. First Time Recipients

Upon the creation of a new location record, the facility sends an invitation in the form of a text message to the device indicated in the record which allows its bearer to either access a WAP page or download software from the facility onto the device. For security purposes, the first time the device accesses the system, i.e. communicates with the server via the software/WAP page, the operator of the device is prompted to enter a PIN (personal identifier number) that must be used to view and reassign the virtual authenticity certificate; and the location record for that device is populated accordingly by the facility.

Transferring Certificates

Virtual authenticity certificates may be transferred. The holder of a device to which authenticity certificates have been assigned (the "transferor device") may, upon accessing the software and entering the PIN associated with that device, select one or more of the authenticity certificates associated to said telephone device and enter the telephone number of a recipient device. This information is relayed to the facility in a SMS text message.

The facility verifies the PIN entered by holder of the transferor device against the PIN assigned to the transferor device, and, upon verification:

• updates the authenticity certificate database to reflect the new assignee information of the selected authenticity certificate(s); and

• following assignment of the authenticity certificate(s), sends a text message to each of the transferor device and the recipient device, confirming the assignment of virtual authenticity certificate(s). It should be understood that amendment of an authenticity certificate record to include a new location constitutes a form of "assignment" as previously indicated, or, more specifically, a "reassignment".

Locations

The operator of a device to which an authenticity certificate has been assigned can access the facility to display, on the device, an inventory of all authenticity certificates assigned to the device.

Usefulness

Virtual authenticity certificates can be conveniently transferred by goods producers to shippers, from shippers to distributors, from distributors to retailers, from retailers to consumers, and between consumers, merely through SMS messaging, in the manner hereinbefore described.

This provides a level of comfort to purchasers that they have received authentic goods.

It also provides a mechanism for enforcement officials, such as customs officers and police, to verify, with a measure of certainty, that brand-name goods in the possession of a vendor, such as a flea market operator, are authentic goods.

This could be done simply by allowing the vendor to access the inventory of his or her mobile phone, to demonstrate concordance between the products possessed and the products believed to be possessed. Alternatively, enforcement officials may be given access to the system, to browse inventories associated with a given phone number, and may also be given selective access to the confirmation code, so that, if a question arises about a particular shipment, contact can be made immediately with a representative of the goods producer.

Subversion of the system is, of course, possible.

However, the use of a mobile phone carrier adds a level of sophistication that will be beyond many potential counterfeiters, and that is certainly well beyond that of many of the goods producers that could benefit from the system and would normally not consider anti-counterfeiting methodologies. Celebrities or artists, for example, could readily register with the facility as a goods producer, and have assigned to a mobile phone in their possession authenticity codes that could be transferred along with an autograph/artwork/etc.

As well, the use of a mobile phone infrastructure provides enhanced opportunities for tracking the source of counterfeit goods. [If consumers demand delivery of an authentication code as part of a transaction, the delivery of the code by SMS messaging will provide useful information to authorities if it is later found that the good received was a counterfeit.]

Additionally, the brand owners could be provided limited, secure access to the records of the facility; if the system were subverted in some way, such that unauthorized authenticity certificates were created, the brand owners could identify same through an inventory comparison, and take action using the records of the facility to identify the source and make appropriate corrections. Yet further advantages associated with the system relate to the field of marketing and brand loyalty. Even if the system is occasionally subverted, the database of locations has value to goods producers for marketing purposes, as a collection of persons who believe themselves to be in possession of authentic goods.

As well, the authenticity certificates may be used for promotional purposes, or to build exclusivity in a marque. For example, only, to build exclusivity, the proprietor of a strong brand might extract higher prices from potential buyers who are not already in possession of an authenticity certificate, or even restrict sales to persons who redeem a worn product along with its associated authenticity certificate. Using the authenticity certificates in this manner would have the added advantage of encouraging buyers to demand authenticity certificates as part of the purchase transaction, thereby driving adoption of the technology.

It will be understood that further changes are possible.

For example, only, additional tools may be created to automate bulk assignments and reassignments, to make the system easy to manage for large volume producers and shippers. These tools may interact with the facility through a secure computer link, without the interposition of the mobile phone system, or could be embodied as software applications on an actual mobile phone.

As well, tools may be provided for retailers, to permit authenticity certificates to be assigned directly to buyers' phones through a secure linkage between the cash register and the facility [i.e. without the use by the retailer of a mobile phone to complete the transaction]. Further, the system may be adapted to permit authenticity certificates to be assigned to persons who lack mobile phones. In at least the last-mentioned situation, it would be contemplated that the user of the system, who wished to receive certificates without the involvement of a mobile phone, would be required to access the facility through a secure computer connection and create a private account. [In this case, the location field in the relevant records would not be a mobile phone number, but a unique user number.]

Tools based on a secure computer network connection between a private computer and the facility could also be made available for phone-based users, for example, to provide enhanced options for record-viewing, or to enable accounts to be updated, if a phone number needs to be changed.

As well, authenticity certificates may be of usefulness in online transactions generally. For example, an auction site could make available a facility whereby an authenticity certificate could be tied to a sale such that, upon completion of the sale, the certificate is transferred automatically to a telephone number selected by the buyer.

In tied transactions of this type, the auction site could display a logo-weblink which, if followed by a prospective buyer, leads to the portal and displays details of the authenticity certificate which has been tied to the sale, so that the buyer can confirm that the certificate which has been linked corresponds to the type of good intended to be purchased. To ensure transfer of the certificate occurs following the sale, the prospective vendor would be required to transfer the certificate to a telephone number maintained by the auction site when posting the associated good for bid; the auction site would agree to return the certificate to the vendor if no sale occurred. Further, although it has not hereinbefore been clearly specified, each of at least the authenticity certificate records would normally be provided with an identifier that is unique in the database, which would be of usefulness at least to the facility in terms of internal data handling and might also have usefulness, for example, in the creation of the above-noted automated bulk handling tools.

As well, the present invention could be usefully deployed in combination with other anti-counterfeiting technologies.

For example, one known anti-counterfeiting technology is that provided under the trade-mark DINTAG by Dintag Corporation Oy ("Dintag"), of Finland. The DINTAG label is a self-adhesive label carrying an overt running number and a covert unique identification code, readable only after obviously damaging the integrity of the label. The manufacturer applies the self-adhesive label, and provides details to Dintag as to the nature of the product to which it has been affixed, referenced to the overt running number. A person who wishes to authenticate a product removes the upper layer of the DINTAG label, revealing the identification code on the lower layer of the DINTAG label, and subsequently relays the code to Dintag via a website or SMS message (i.e. by mobile phone).

The first time the code is relayed to Dintag, Dintag responds with the product details, and a message that the product is authentic. In the event of a repeated authentication using the same identification code, Dintag issues a warning to the effect that the product under examination is likely to be counterfeit.

Because of the single use nature of the DINTAG label, Dintag suggests that Wholesale packages be marked by several DINTAG labels, thus enabling multiple authentications throughout the supply chain. Keeping an inventory of labels and applying same in the appropriate numbers for downstream use adds complexity to the task of the manufacturer, especially since a black market would exist for "spare" labels. [The manufacturer needs to know how many times a given package will be authenticated during transportation to the ultimate buyer, to ensure the correct number of labels is provided. If insufficient labels are provided, the ultimate buyer will have no mechanism to ensure authenticity; if excess labels are provided, there will be created an opportunity for labels to be removed and transferred to counterfeit goods.]

An advantageous modification to the DINTAG system is to ensure that each product bears only one DINTAG label, and that, when the product is authenticated by a mobile phone accessing the DINTAG database, a virtual authenticity certificate according to the present invention is automatically assigned to the authenticating telephone.

As yet another alternative, the present system could be used more generally as a goods tracking system. For example, a manufacturer of medicines could assign an authenticity certificate to a package of medicine, which certificate could be transferred, in the manner discussed previously, to the distributor, pharmacy and ultimate patient. The manufacturer could track expiry dates and send a test message to the holder of the certificate to remove the medicine from use if it has not already been consumed.

As well, if, for some reason, a product was desired to be recalled, a manufacturer could send messages to the holders of the authenticity certificates to return the products.

Further, in certain jurisdictions, manufacturers are obligated to maintain cradle- to-grave responsibility for their products. In such jurisdictions, when a product to which an authenticity certificate was assigned was disposed of, the certificate could be assigned to the disposal site. This might, for example, trigger the issuance of a bill to the manufacturer for some or all of the cost of the disposal.

Accordingly, the invention should be understood as limited only by the claims appended hereto, purposively construed.

Claims

1. An anti-counterfeiting system, comprising

a facility for: creating virtual authenticity certificates; assigning virtual authenticity certificates to mobile telephone devices; and providing for the assignment of virtual authenticity certificates as between mobile telephone devices to be modified through telephone messaging.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the facility is also for maintaining a registry.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the registry comprises a database of: virtual authenticity certificates; and numbers of mobile telephone devices to which said virtual authenticity certificates are assigned.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the registry further permits the entry of a unique personal identifier number (PIN) for each telephone number in the database.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein, in use, to transfer virtual authenticity certificates assigned to one device to another device, the operator of the one device:

selects, from the virtual authenticity certificates assigned to the one device, the virtual authenticity certificate(s) to be transferred; and

identifies the other device by telephone number,

such selection and identification being embodied in a SMS message sent from the one device to the facility.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein, in use, on an initial assignment of an authenticity certificate to a mobile telephone device, the facility sends an invitation to said device to:

link to a WAP page or download software for interacting with the facility; and

enter a personal identifier number (PIN).

. A system according to claim 6, wherein, in use, to transfer a virtual authenticity certificate assigned to one device to another device, the operator of the one device:

selects, from the virtual authenticity certificates assigned to said one device, the virtual authenticity certificate to be transferred;

identifies the other device by telephone number; and

authorizes the transaction through entry of the PIN associated with the one device,

such selection and identification being embodied in a SMS message sent by the one device to the facility.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein, in use, on a virtual authenticity certificate assignment in favor of a mobile telephone device, the facility

sends a notification to said mobile telephone device of said assignment; and

updates the registry, to reflect the assignment.

9. A system according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a portal for access by producers of goods; and

wherein the facility is also for: assigning virtual authenticity certificates to mobile telephone devices on receipt of authorizations from said producers.

10. A goods tracking system, comprising

a facility for: creating virtual identity certificates; assigning virtual identity certificates to mobile communication devices; and providing for the assignment of virtual identity certificates as between mobile communication devices to be modified through electronic messaging.