RU2225641C2 - Method for protecting quantity produced items against counterfeiting - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: protection of quantity produced items against counterfeiting. SUBSTANCE: method includes applying individual identification number on surfaces of labels or material strips, or surfaces of other kinds of media attached to items and/or to their packings and/or containers; this identification number is covered with protective film to make it invisible for easy reading destroyed to degree excluding unambiguous read-out upon removal of media carrying it or destroying of media. Item is authenticated by comparing read-out individual identification numbers with their copies stored in manufacturer s database and also by stating relative conformity of readout individual identification numbers of items, their packings, and/or containers with copies of these media also stored in manufacturer s database. Individual identification number has regular part defining ordinal number of lot of items manufactured to definite brand and irregular statistically random part nonrepeatable within one lot which is assigned to each item of lot by using random number generation method or random number table. EFFECT: enhanced reliability of item protection against counterfeit, facilitated procedure, reduced cost. 1 cl, 5 ex

Description

 The method of protection against counterfeiting of mass-produced products relates to the field of manufacturing and marketing of products (products) of mass (mass) production for any purpose and can be used to protect against counterfeiting of products manufactured under a specific brand.

 Currently, leading companies both in our country and abroad suffer heavy material and moral losses due to falsification (unauthorized release) of products under the trademarks of these companies. As a means of protecting products from counterfeiting, a variety of methods are used: the use of original periodically changed packaging or containers, labels, company accessories, holographic drawings on labels, and many others. However, all of the above measures bring a short-term effect, since in modern conditions of using flexible production, the organizers of fakes quickly enough manage to establish the release of products similar to branded products.

 The most developed methods of protection against counterfeiting of valuable products: art objects, banknotes, credit documents and other securities. This circumstance is explained by the fact that significant costs are economically justified to protect valuable products. Thus, a method of protecting art paintings from falsification (RU 2164358 C1, 2001) provides, among other things, for fixing precious stones on marking plates attached to paintings. The tool is protected by patent RU 2137197 C1, 1999, based on the use for the manufacture of protective labels placed on valuable products, a material comprising a randomly generated mixture of at least two stable isotopes with different mass numbers. By comparing the results of detecting the radiation of the mark with the radiation from the standard stored by the manufacturer, the authenticity of the product is established. The main disadvantage of this method is the complexity of the processes of formation and authentication of security labels.

 Closest to the proposed method of protection against counterfeiting of products is a method for the controlled sale of products and their protection against counterfeiting (RU 2144220 C1, 2000), which includes putting on the label the serial number of a product unit in a particular batch and information on a batch of products in a bar code that are stored in database of the controlling organization. The authenticity of the products is established by comparing the information read from the label with the information stored in the database. With the protection method under consideration, the extensive product information placed on the label in the form of a two-dimensional bar code is the same for a large batch of products. Therefore, it is economically feasible to use complex equipment for reading it (the description of the invention indicates which company equipment is capable of such reading). Additional encryption (for password) of the barcode information placed on the label does not increase the degree of product protection. The fake person will not be able to read the encrypted information, but he will copy it, and the regulatory authorities will perceive such information as genuine and, having entered the password, will decrypt it “correctly”. Serial numbers placed on the label are easy to read and the pattern of their assignment is easily established.

 The difference of the claimed invention lies in the fact that an individual identification number of protection in addition to labels is applied either to the surface of the strips of material or to the surface of other types of carriers that are attached to products, their packaging and / or containers. The individual protection identification number is hidden from free reading by the protective film and is destroyed to the extent that it cannot be unambiguously read when the media on which it is applied or the integrity of the media is removed is functionally designed to determine the authenticity of products by establishing the mutual correspondence of the read individual protection identification numbers products, their packaging and / or containers with copies of such correspondence stored in the manufacturer's database. In this case, the individual protection identification number contains a regular part that determines the serial number of a batch of products manufactured under a particular brand, and an irregular statistically random, non-repeating part within one batch, which is assigned to each batch product based on the application of the method of generating random numbers or using tables random numbers.

 The proposed method of protection is simple and does not require large expenditures per one product. Therefore, it can be used for mass production products.

 The objective of the invention is the creation of a new method of protecting products from counterfeiting, based on assigning each manufactured product an individual protection identification number (IINZ).

 IINZ consists of two parts: the regular part, which determines the serial number of the batch of manufactured products, and the irregular (statistically random) part, obtained by using one of the methods for generating random numbers or based on tables of random numbers.

 The total number of IINZ categories and their distribution between the regular and random parts of the IINZ should be selected based on the annual volume of products manufactured under the protected trademark, so that the number of products in a batch is significantly less (by an order or more) of the largest number that can be reproduced in the ranks of the irregular (random) part of the INE. The reappearance of the same random numbers within each batch of products is monitored and such numbers are not allowed for use. The coincidence of the random parts of the IINZ for products belonging to different production batches is not controlled, that is, the coincidence of the random parts of the IINZ in different batches of manufactured products is allowed. IINZ is placed on labels, strips of materials, other types of media in places of product samples requiring their removal or integrity violation in preparation for their intended use. When removing labels or violating the integrity of the strips, the IINZ carrier should be destroyed to the extent that it cannot be read unambiguously.

 IINZ (in the state of the product offered for sale) must be covered with a film impervious to reading it so that its removal indicates a violation of the integrity of the label or other IINZ carrier. After the purchase of the product, the buyer must be able to open the protective film and read the IINZ before preparing it for use (use) (for example, remove the perforated strip of protective film covering the IINZ).

 The manufacturer (or a trusted legal entity or individual) shall keep the IINZ database for all products manufactured under the protected brand (protected brands) for a period of their choice.

 The consumer (supervisory authority) in the manner established by the manufacturer: Internet, fax, telegraph, telephone, mail, direct personal inquiry, inquiry through trusted legal entities and individuals, in case of doubt about the authenticity of the purchased product, refers to the manufacturer’s database and compares the ININ stamped on the purchased product , with IINZ stored in the manufacturer’s database. If the number does not match and / or is requested repeatedly, this is a signal to the consumer that the product is tampered with. For bodies of state, departmental or extra-departmental control, this circumstance may serve as a signal for conducting relevant inspections.

 Evidence of a fake is also the fact that at least two IINZs coincide on purchased (received for sale) products regardless of the place (s) of acquisition (sale) and the number of purchased (received for sale) products.

 In addition, a separate (own) IINZ is additionally placed on packages and / or containers in which (which) the products are loaded. The manufacturer’s database stores information on all ININ packages and / or containers, on all ININ loaded in such packages and / or containers, and on the compliance of each ININ on packages and / or containers of the corresponding ININ set placed on products loaded in this container . A consumer, a trade organization (entrepreneur), a wholesale buyer, or a control body, in the manner established by the manufacturer, requests the manufacturer’s database on the presence of the read ININ located on the package and / or container, on the presence of the read ININ placed on one, two randomly extracted from the package and / or containers of product samples and the mutual compliance of these ININS. The absence of one of the requested ININs, the inconsistency of the INEZs placed on the products, the INEIs placed on the packaging and / or packaging, and / or the presence of two or more matching INEIs indicate a fake of such products.

 The proposed method of protection does not exclude the possibility of single fakes of product samples. However, single fakes of mass-produced products are economically disadvantageous and cannot provide the organizers of fakes a stable income. In the case of packaging products in containers (especially double or more on the principle of "nesting dolls") and the manufacturer storing data on the mutual compliance of the ININ products and containers, undisclosed falsification is in principle impossible without collusion with trading organizations (wholesale suppliers). The threat of refusal of respectable buyers in the event of the fact of fraud from the services of dishonest trading organizations (respectively, trade organizations from the services of dishonest wholesale suppliers) makes such a conspiracy unlikely.

Первые два разряда целесообразно отвести под порядковый номер месяца изготовления партии продукции (относительно начала ведения базы данных): 1-й год: с 1-го по 12-й месяцы, 2-й год: с 13-го по 24-й месяцы и т.д., 8-й год: с 85-го по 96-й месяцы.The choice of bit depth. The use of a 9 or 12-bit IINZ is recommended. It is advisable to assign the first six digits to the regular part of the ININ, the three (four, five) or six subsequent digits to the irregular (random) part of the ININ:

It is advisable to assign the first two digits to the serial number of the month of production of the batch of products (relative to the beginning of database maintenance): 1st year: from the 1st to the 12th months, 2nd year: from the 13th to the 24th months and etc., 8th year: from the 85th to the 96th month.

 It is advisable to assign the second two categories to the serial number of the shift in the production of the production lot: 31 days for 3 (8-hour) shifts will be no more than 93 shifts.

 It is advisable to assign the third two categories to the serial number of the batch of production: in one hour - 12 five-minute batches, in an 8-hour shift - 96 such batches. In this case, a batch is the number of products of the protected brand manufactured within 5 minutes.

 The remaining 3, 4, 5, or 6 bits of the ININ must be a random number generated by a random number sensor or taken from random number tables.

 Thus, for example, the entry: IINZ 614 654 845 or 614 654 845 117 means that the product sample was made on the 6th year from the start of the database maintenance, in the 1st month, on the 16th day, on the 1st shift , in the period from 4 hours 25 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes from the start of the shift and he was assigned a random number 845 or 845 117.

 It is advisable to apply three categories for the random part of the IINZ when the production rate does not exceed 100 products every 5 minutes. A random six-digit number allows a production rate of up to 100,000 items every 5 minutes.

 Random numbers replayed within the same batch do not use (skip). In different parties they allow the use of the same random part of the ININ, i.e. coincidence of random numbers within different parties do not control.

 It is not necessary to achieve the coincidence of the real time of production with the time corresponding to the regular part of the ININ. IINZ carriers can be made in advance and any discrepancies between the actual production time and the time corresponding to the regular part of the IINZ will not affect the protection process.

 It is advisable to store in the manufacturer’s database (in files with the corresponding ININ) addresses (conventional addresses, phone numbers, mailbox numbers, etc.) of persons (organizations) that have requested reconciliation of ININ.

 Application example 1. Protection of bottled products. Screw capping. The IINZ carrier is placed around the throat of the bottle (bottle) so that the cut-off portion of the closure falls in the middle of the IINZ carrier. IINZ cover with a perforated strip of protective film with a tip to remove it. When you pull on the tip of the protective strip, it should be easy to remove, opening the IINZ for reading. When the plug is turned off, the integrity of the IINZ carrier must be violated and the unambiguous reading of the IINZ becomes impossible.

 Application example 2. Protection of bottled products. Cork corking. The carrier (strip) with IINZ is placed so that its middle falls on the circle between the outer circumference of the cork and the inner circumference of the neck of the bottle. A perforated strip of an impermeable protective film is placed above the IINZ strip, the opening of which allows the buyer to read the IINZ. When removing the cork from the bottle, the strip with IINS should break.

 Application example 3. Protection of products with labels. The label is attached (for example, attached) to the product at the place (except for the necessary others) of the placement of the strip with the applied ININ. The IINZ strip is covered with a protective perforated strip of impermeable film. Removing the protective strip allows the buyer to read the ININ. When a label is removed (or lines are removed), the IINZ carrier must be destroyed.

 Application example 4. Protection of packaged products, products equipped with caps, gate valves, other devices requiring opening before first use. The carrier (strip) with IINZ is placed so that its middle falls on the line between the hinged lids of the packaging box, between the lid (s) and the case of the packaging box, between the body of the product and the lid, gate valve or other device that needs to be opened before first use. A perforated strip of an impermeable protective film is placed above the IINZ strip, the opening of which allows the buyer to read the IINZ. When opening the lid, gate valve or other device, the strip with IINZ must be destroyed.

 Application example 5. Additional protection for products packaged in containers (boxes, boxes and other packaging materials). Along with the IINZ, placed directly on the products, an independent IINZ is placed on the container (boxes, boxes, other packaging means) (as recommended in clause 4). The manufacturer’s database stores information about the ININ placed on the container, and about all the ININ products packed in this container. At the same time, the manufacturer’s database provides storage of information on the one-to-one correspondence of IINZ containers with all IINZ products loaded into this container. On containers that can be opened from two sides, the same IINZ packaging is also placed on two such sides.

 The consumer, wanting to verify the authenticity of the purchased product, opens the protective films on the product, packaging and / or container, reads the IINZ and contacts the database with the stored IINZ in the manner established by the manufacturer. The mismatch and / or mutual inconsistency of the IINZ read by the consumer with the IINZ stored in the manufacturer’s database, repeated and more requests from the same IINZ and / or complete coincidence of at least two IINZ indicate a fake product.

 The trade organization (entrepreneur), wholesale buyer, product quality control body, wishing to verify the authenticity of the delivered products, opens the protective films on the product, packaging and / or packaging, reads the ININ and requests the manufacturer’s database in the manner established by the manufacturer about the presence of read-in ININ containers ( packaging), on the availability of one or two SINS product samples loaded into this container (packaging) and on the mutual compliance of the requested SINS packaging (packaging) and IINZ products. The absence in the manufacturer’s database of the requested IINZ, their mutual inconsistency, the presence of repeated requests and / or repeated numbers indicate a fake product.

Claims (1)

A method of protection against counterfeiting of mass-produced products, including applying to the surface of labels, or on the surface of strips of material, or on the surface of other types of media that attach to the products, their packaging and / or packaging, an individual identification number of the protection hidden from free reading by a protective film and collapsing to the extent that excludes the possibility of its unambiguous reading when removing the media on which it is applied, or violating the integrity of the media, and is functionally designed to determining the authenticity of products by comparing the read individual protection identification numbers with copies of the individual protection identification numbers stored in the manufacturer's database, as well as by establishing the correspondence of the read individual protection identification numbers of the products, their packaging and / or containers with copies of such correspondence also stored in the manufacturer’s database, while the individual protection identification number contains a regular part that determines the ordinal the batch number of products manufactured under a particular brand of goods, and an irregular statistically random part that is not repeated within the same batch that is assigned to each batch product based on the application of the random number generation method or based on the use of random number tables.