WO2006001773A1 - Converting original user identity to a new anonymous user identity in order to access relevant location of a home page - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention regards a system utilizing a homepage (300, 400) on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of said goods. A person is given an account (120) providing access to a virtual bank box (140) residing on said home page (300, 400) through user identification and a password (130, 145). The bank box (140) is aimed to display at least one of a picture and a digital film of at least one stolen possession or belonging to said person.

Description

Title CONVERTING ORIGINAL USER IDENTITY TO A NEW ANONYMOUS USER IDENTITY IN ORDER TO ACCESS RELEVANT LOCATION OF A HOME PAGE. Technical field The present invention pertains to a system and a method utilizing a homepage on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of said goods. Background There is a need for preventing fencing of stolen goods by covering an entire country or perhaps even worldwide, for example, if an item is stolen in the south of Sweden it will probably, depending on its value, never be recognized as stolen in the far north of Sweden. As an example, it is well known that organized bicycle thefts are common. Hence, the thefts are simply carried out by loading as many bicycles as possible on a truck, and then transport them to another place of the country, or even to another country. Thousands of other examples of desirable goods for theft could be provided from luxury vehicles, boats, boat engines to relatively not as expensive goods such as household appliances. Hence, there is a need for a system that makes it possible or easier to retrieve stolen goods both for companies, private persons, insurance companies, police investigations and many other purposes. Summary of the invention It is an aim of the present invention to provide a system and a method to enhance and make possible to retrieve stolen goods, and thus solve some of the problems mentioned and others. In order to accomplish the aforesaid, the present invention sets forth a system utilizing a homepage on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of the goods. Thus, the system comprises: the administrator establishing a series of characters utilized as original user identities in a required quantity to open up a multiple of accounts on the home page; the administrator assigning parts or the whole of the series of characters and passwords to at least one authority, having an interest to retrieve or find stolen goods; at least one of the administrator or authority assigning a series of passwords in a required quantity to the user identities; the account providing access to a virtual bank box residing on the home page, to a person being provided the account and bank box by the authority through the user identification and password; the bank box being aimed to display at least one of a picture and a digital film of at least one stolen possession or belonging to the person; the person specifying the user identity and the password that has been assigned from the authority in the relevant location on the homepage, which is then read into a database of the administrator, which confirms the existence of the user identity and confirms if it is belonging to the administrators series of user identities; a converter subsequently when confirmed converting the original user identity to a new user identity, which is read from the screen of a computer utilized by the person, the person writing the new user identification in the relevant location of the home page and being prompted to provide a new password, thus opening the account and bank box on the home page, and the person thus being anonymous to both personnel at the administrator and the authority to prevent tampering of the bank box; the new user identification being utilized by the person when subsequently login in to the bank box; and the stolen goods being displayed on the home page to every visitor of the same, the visitors thus retrieving information about goods to be bought preventing fencing. One embodiment comprises that previous to an item being purchased, it is possible for all visitors to the homepage to check that it is not present in a bank box of the database, and possible for an insurance company as authority to see after a break-in whether articles claimed as stolen really were in the possession of the person making the claim before the claim was made. Another embodiment comprises that the system is equipped with a comparison means for digital pictures, whereby a visitor to the homepage adds a digital picture of an item to be bought and the comparison means comparing the added picture with a suspected match in a bank box. In one embodiment it comprises that insurance companies being authorities demand that customers record a possessed item from a pre determined threshold value in money of the item to be able to provide a picture or a film to the system if the item is stolen or else lost. A further embodiment comprises that it provides a print out of stolen objects at any time and any suitable place. Still a further embodiment comprises that no insurance cover is obtained before the bank boxes are checked for the item to be covered. Moreover, the present invention regards a method utilizing a homepage on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of the goods. The method comprises: establishing a series of characters utilized as original user identities in a required quantity to open up a multiple of accounts on the home page through the administrator; assigning parts or the whole of the series of characters and passwords to at least one authority, having an interest to retrieve or find stolen goods, through the administrator; assigning a series of passwords in a required quantity to the user identities through at least one of the administrator or authority; providing access to a virtual bank box through the account residing on the home page, to a person being provided the account and bank box by the authority through the user identification and password; displaying at least one of a picture and a digital film, through the bank box, of at least one stolen possession or belonging to the person; specifying the user identity and the password that has been assigned to the person from the authority in the relevant location on the homepage, which is then read into a database of the administrator, which confirms the existence of the user identity and confirms if it is belonging to the administrators series of user identities; converting the original user identity to a new user identity when confirmed, which is read from the screen of a computer utilized by the person, the person writing the new user identification in the relevant location of the home page and being prompted to provide a new password, thus opening the account and bank box on the home page, and the person thus being anonymous to both personnel at the administrator and the authority to prevent tampering of the bank box; utilizing the new user identification when subsequently login in to the bank box; and displaying the stolen goods on the home page to every visitor of the same, the visitors thus retrieving information about goods to be bought preventing fencing. It is appreciated that further embodiments of the present method are suggested by the above system claims, and attached as dependent method claims. Brief description of the drawings Henceforth, the present invention is further described by reference to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of given examples and embodiments, wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates in a flowchart one embodiment of how a person accesses the system homepage of the present invention; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates one embodiment of how a person is prompted to access the system homepage in accordance with Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 schematically illustrates one embodiment of the multiple of choices a person that is login on to the homepage of the present invention may be provided in order to find stolen goods; and Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a homepage in accordance with the present invention. Detailed description of preferred embodiments The present invention regards a system and a method for displaying and retrieving stolen goods, which has been given the working name SecretSecure™System (SSS). It is an Internet-based system that allows, for example, companies, organizations and private individuals anonymously to store information in the form of text, photographs, video sequences and other relevant information, serial number, manufacturer's number, receipts, and the like, about possessions in SSS databases in an assigned user account, a virtual, personal "bank box". This procedure takes place by receiving from, for example, the insurance company a 10-digit user number/character as a user identity (UserlD) and a 4-digit password that is associated with it, in one embodiment of the present invention. These numbers are assigned in advance by SSS, which is the administrator of the system, to for instance the insurance companies, which are an example of possible authorities, from SSS's existing number series in a required quantity. In order to protect a user/person such that neither the insurance company or any other actor nor any person in SSS's organization will be able to identify the user, conversion of the assigned user number/identity takes place when registration in an SSS database takes place. When the user specifies the user number that has been assigned from the insurance company in the relevant location on the homepage, this is read into the SSS database, which "flags'Vconfirms the existence of the number and confirms that it is correct. The original user number is subsequently converted/deleted and a new user number is read from the screen. The user is then encouraged to specify a new personal password and to confirm this password, after which a message on the screen specifies that the user has been registered and that authority to use the personal user account has been activated. When a user/person subsequently as a registered user is to "log in to" the SSS homepage and provides the wrong password three times in a row, the account is locked and the user is encouraged to contact the SSS Customer Service Office, where the user is instructed to contact the insurance company in order to obtain a new user number/identity from the company, after which a new registration process must be carried out. One of the aims of SSS is that registered users will, when a registered object/item (possession) has been stolen, display this on the SSS homepage using the functions offered by the homepage. This section displaying stolen objects on the homepage will be accessible for anyone with access to the Internet. The effect of this system in addition to the preventative effect is, among other things, that the general public will be able to view all registered items that are located in the database for stolen goods. Before a second-hand item is purchased, it will be possible for all to check that it is not present in the relevant database. It will also be possible for insurance companies to see after a break-in whether articles claimed as stolen really were in the possession of the person making the claim before the claim was made. The system also makes it more difficult to deal in stolen goods when, for example, an item is stolen in southern Sweden in order to be sold in northern Sweden, the opportunity is available to determine if the item has been stolen or not, both in the north and in the south at the same time. This makes it possible for the police, and for other actors, to rapidly determine that goods are stolen goods during, for example, searches of premises. Other functions, areas of application, effects, etc., are to be described. Fig. 1 illustrates in a flowchart 100 one embodiment of how a person accesses the system homepage of the present invention. In order to accomplish the aforesaid, the present invention sets forth a system utilizing a homepage on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of the goods. Thus, the system comprises, the administrator establishing a series of characters 110 utilized as original user identities in a required quantity to open up a multiple of accounts on the home page. Furthermore, the administrator is assigning parts or the whole of the series of characters 110 and passwords to at least one authority 115, having an interest to retrieve or find stolen goods. At least one of the administrator or authority 115 is assigning a series of passwords in a required quantity to the user identities. If the authority 115 assigns the passwords it will be even harder for an administrator to tamper with given identities, as the administrator will not be aware of which user identity is assigned which password. The account provides access to a virtual bank box residing on the home page, to a person being provided the account and bank box by the authority through the user identification and password 120, whereby the bank box being aimed to display at least one of a picture and a digital film of at least one stolen possession or belonging of the person. At box 125 in the flow chart of Fig. 1 , the person is asked if or not already being an SSS customer. If the answer to the question is yes, the person has to specify the user identity and the password that has been assigned from the authority in the relevant location on the homepage 130, which is then read into a database of the administrator, which confirms the existence of the user identity and confirms if it is belonging to the administrators series of user identities. As is customary when log in/on is performed, the person who logs in will be given three attempts 135 to provide the correct password, and herein being provided access 140 to the bank box. If the person/user fails to provide the correct password a block out 170 to the account and bank box occurs. If the user/person makes its first attempt to become a customer to the system of the present invention, the No passage in box 125 will apply, and the user logs in with the given original user identity and the password 145. As customary, the user is provided three attempts to correctly log in 150, if yes to three attempts, the account and bank box will be blocked 170. On the other hand if the log in procedure is correctly conducted a converter subsequently, when log in is confirmed, converting the original user identity to a new user identity, which is read from the screen of a computer utilized by the person, the person writing the new user identification in the relevant location of the home page and being prompted to provide a new password 155, thus opening the account and bank box on the home page, and the person thus being anonymous to both personnel at the administrator and the authority to prevent tampering of the bank box. In box 160 the user/customer is prompted to decide if the account for instance should be invoiced, for how long time the stolen item should be displayed in the bank box, and how much memory space that should be assigned the account. The account is confirmed 165, for example, by e-mail to the user/customer. Stolen goods is being displayed on the home page to every visitor of the same, the visitors thus retrieving information about goods to be bought preventing fencing. Fig. 2 schematically illustrates one embodiment of how a person is prompted to access the system homepage in accordance with Fig. 1. The person or company is login in 200 to the homepage, and the bank box is activated 205 through the new UserlD. In box 210 the new password is provided. The user is registered 215 and provided a list of UserIDs to utilize and furthermore linked to the homepage 220 to log in with UserlD and password. At box 225, the customer is for instance provided the option to have objects/items already stored in the bank box displayed or to add a new object. As an example in Fig. 2 a new object is added which is seen in the bottom of box 225, where the object is given a specific object id number, a8798650985, and the object is a horse. Fig. 3 schematically illustrates one embodiment of the multiple of choices a person that is login in to the homepage 300 of the present invention may be provided in order to find stolen goods. Different suggestions to information are linked to the headings info, new customer, contact news, and search database (DB). Fig. 4 very schematically illustrates an embodiment of a graphic outlining 400 of the homepage in accordance with the present invention bearing the headings of Fig. 3. Henceforth, suggestions for how a website for Secret Secure System could appear are made through details of the system for handling and taking action in a Secret Secure™ System. The recording of an item/objects possible identity should of course be made. Thus, the database can be searched through, for example, bicycle number and frame number. In one embodiment documentation using registration of identity are utilized, which for instance are valid one year. Moreover, there could be a requirement placed on car-owners to register purchase of accessories, etc., in order to qualify for compensation. For the reliability of photographs it is appreciated If they are taken at the same distance, as the suspected item in a bank box in order to facilitate identification during comparison of a photo applied by a visitor and an existing photo in a bank box reassembling the visitor photo. The system is in one embodiment equipped with a comparison means for digital pictures, whereby a visitor to the homepage adds a digital picture of an item to be bought and the comparison means comparing the added picture with a suspected match in a bank box. Persons should be taught at various advertisement locations on the home page what is to be recorded when registering an item: for example, serial number, manufacturer's number, manufacturing number, etc., and given advice about where such information is located on each product, for example, where the frame number is located on a scooter of model yyyy. If compensation is to be paid, the insurance company (authority) informs the customer that the object must be deregistered. Labelling on boats, for example, is to be carried out at a location that is not public. Persons should also be instructed to label objects in chronological order and to enter some form of document such that it is known what has been labelled and the number used. When purchasing an object that is already registered, it is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that the object is moved from the previous bank box to a new one.

A system like the present is likely to reduce the amount of insurance fraud in that, for example, it is impossible to specify other items than those that are documented, and there will be a reduced market for dealers in stolen goods = reduction in this type of crime. There will also possibly be a multi-dimensional effect - for example: reduced demand for stolen items together with spin-off effect of a decreased insurance premium.

All insurance companies could be connected to a database for national collaboration. Furthermore, products exceeding a certain value in kronor or any other currency could be obliged to have their identity recorded before insurance may be taken out.

Even if a possession is lost or in some other way passes out of one's possession, the chances of recovering the possession are considerably higher with this insurance in form of a database for stolen goods. With the present invention insurance companies can offer finder's fees for information concerning all types of stolen goods. This invention will create "hunters" looking for stolen goods. The effects of a finder's fee would be that the one who has a stolen item submits this, and, of course, receives the finder's fee, but the stolen goods are returned to the owner - no costs for obtaining a replacement.

The present invention could also be advertised associated with markets of second-hand articles, for example, a full-page advert with a telephone number in a newspaper. People can then telephone and check whether the object they are to purchase has been stolen. Insurance companies, the police and other authorities should have priority when carrying out searches, and possibly an emergency service with immediate search and reply.

The preventative effect when calculated for 25% fewer bicycle thefts, based on a calculated price of SEK 3,500 per bicycle will be SEK 61 million per year. This preventative effect when calculated for 25% fewer domicile break-ins, based on a calculated value of items of SEK 40,000 per break-in will be SEK 173 million per year. Moreover there will be a preventative effect corresponding to fewer dealers in stolen goods. Fewer break-ins would occur, and there would be greater risks involved when handling stolen goods.

A "unit" adapted for the police could be provided together with the present invention in which different types of goods are registered when they are recovered during, for example, house searches, or wherever it is suspected that stolen goods are involved. The information in the unit concerning stolen goods is stored, and it appears on the screen, together with if any matches were found. Information is stored for, for example, one month for, for example, subsequent reporting as stolen or similar.

A magazine could be published each week, financed by insurance companies, in which all objects reported stolen, all objects recovered, and finder's fees paid out are presented. An alternative is that companies finance the magazine, in which they are then given advertising space.

Furthermore information to telephone customers who are checking for a stolen car can be provided. They are then informed whether the object has been stolen and, in the case that it has been, which insurance company is involved and the identity number. An auction of the articles for which insurance companies have already paid out compensation to policy-holders, or, alternatively, ask the policy-holder if he/she wants to repurchase the item that has been recovered.

The strength, magnitude and efficiency of the present invention reside in the fact that a stolen product is rapidly registered among stolen objects, such that it cannot then be sold. It provides an opportunity to print out the latest registered object, for example, each hour, town, local area and time of discovery. Target groups, Collaborators for Secret Secure System could be house-owners, those holding tenancy rights, members of housing co-operatives. Some could have a fixed subscription to the database for, for example, pawn-brokers, antique dealers, the police, companies, museums etc. Other target groups are: schools, universities, centres of education, AMS ("The Swedish National Labour Market Administration"), day-care centres, local health centres, hospitals, nursing homes, the coast guard, customs authorities, for example, before stolen goods leaves the country, boat registers, car registers, motor cycles, and different garages, exhibition locations, for example, boats, and Premises of clubs and societies.

Categories to be registered in the Secret Secure System multiple of bank boxes are cars / mobile homes, caravans / trailers, EU mopeds / motor cycles, bicycles / other mopeds, snow scooters, competitive vehicles, car HiFi systems, home HiFi systems, boats, boat accessories, car accessories, film cameras / cameras, jewellery / clocks, antiques, art, sculptures, computers, mobile telephones, other consumer electronic devices, kitchen equipment, animals such as dogs and cats (collar with the SSS number), collector's pieces, prams, farming machinery, garden equipment / household machines etc.

The system of the present invention can also become an advertising market, a "Green Newspaper", with goods guaranteed to be honest. This will not only, for example, give new customers because one must be registered. Advertisements in the Green Newspaper can finance the newspaper, making it free of charge. It could be developed to a system for the police such that they can carry reading equipment.

A display of what has been recorded as stolen could be accomplished at regular intervals on, for example, advertising hoardings. Encourage people to check any numbers present on different items in the advertisements. This is to be placed in collaboration with the police authorities. Recovered items for which compensation has already been paid by insurance companies can be sold in some form of auction. They will, however, first be offered for repurchase to the original owner.

Further development regards a direct alarm to the police and customs authorities, this refers to vehicles, equip police vehicles with a screen that is updated with images of stolen vehicle. To be integrated with shipping companies.

The present invention is not limited to given examples and embodiments. Hence, the attached set of claims shows further embodiments to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims:

1. A system utilizing a homepage (300, 400) on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of said goods, characterized by comprising: said administrator establishing a series of characters (110) utilized as original user identities in a required quantity to open up a multiple of accounts on said home page; said administrator assigning parts or the whole of said series of characters and passwords to at least one authority (115), having an interest to retrieve or find stolen goods; at least one of said administrator or authority assigning a series of passwords in a required quantity to said user identities; said account providing access to a virtual bank box (140) residing on said home page (300, 400), to a person being provided (120) said account and bank box (140) by the authority (115) through said user identification and password; said bank box (140) being aimed to display at least one of a picture and a digital film of at least one stolen possession or belonging to said person; said person specifying the user identity and the password (145) that has been assigned from the authority in the relevant location on the homepage, which is then read into a database of said administrator, which confirms the existence of said user identity and confirms if it is belonging to said administrators series of user identities; a converter subsequently when confirmed converting said original user identity to a new user identity (155), which is read from the screen of a computer utilized by said person, said person writing said new user identification in the relevant location of the home page and being prompted to provide a new password, thus opening said account and bank box on said home page, and the person thus being anonymous to both personnel at the administrator and the authority to prevent tampering of the bank box (140); said new user identification (130) being utilized by said person when subsequently login in to said bank box (140); and the stolen goods being displayed on said home page (300, 400) to every visitor of the same, said visitors thus retrieving information about goods to be bought preventing fencing.

2. A system according to claim 1 , characterized in that previous to an item being purchased, it is possible for all visitors to said homepage to check that it is not present in a bank box (140) of said database, and possible for an insurance company as authority to see after a break-in whether articles claimed as stolen really were in the possession of the person making the claim before the claim was made.

3. A system according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said system comprises a comparison means for digital pictures, whereby a visitor to said homepage adds a digital picture of an item to be bought and said comparison means comparing said added picture with a suspected match in a bank box.

4. A system according to claims 1-3, characterized in that insurance companies being authorities demand that customers record a possessed item from a pre determined threshold value in money of the item to be able to provide a picture or a film to said system if the item is stolen or else lost.

5. A system according to claims 1-4, characterized in that it provides a print out of stolen objects at any time and any suitable place.

6. A system according to claims 1-5, characterized in that no insurance cover is obtained before the bank boxes are checked for the item to be covered.

7. A method utilizing a homepage (300, 400) on the Internet provided by an administrator of it for displaying stolen goods, and supporting retrieval of said goods, characterized by comprising: establishing a series of characters utilized as original user identities (110) in a required quantity to open up a multiple of accounts on said home page (300, 400) through said administrator; assigning parts or the whole of said series of characters and passwords to at least one authority (115), having an interest to retrieve or find stolen goods, through said administrator; assigning a series of passwords in a required quantity to said user identities through at least one of said administrator or authority; providing access to a virtual bank box (140) through said account residing on said home page, to a person being provided said account and bank box by the authority through said user identification (120) and password; displaying at least one of a picture and a digital film, through said bank box (140), of at least one stolen possession or belonging to said person; specifying the user identity and the password that has been assigned to said person from the authority in the relevant location on the homepage, which is then read into a database of said administrator, which confirms the existence of said user identity and confirms if it is belonging to said administrators series of user identities; converting said original user identity to a new user identity (155) when confirmed, which is read from the screen of a computer utilized by said person, said person writing said new user identification in the relevant location of the home page and being prompted to provide a new password, thus opening said account and bank box (140) on said home page (300, 400), and the person thus being anonymous to both personnel at the administrator and the authority (115) to prevent tampering of the bank box (140); utilizing said new user identification (130) when subsequently login in to said bank box (140); and displaying the stolen goods on said home page to every visitor of the same, said visitors thus retrieving information about goods to be bought preventing fencing.

8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that previous to an item being purchased, it is possible for all visitors to said homepage to check that it is not present in a bank box of said database, and possible for an insurance company as authority to see after a break-in whether articles claimed as stolen really were in the possession of the person making the claim before the claim was made.

9. A method according to claims 7 or 8, characterized comparing digital pictures, whereby a visitor to said homepage adds a digital picture of an item to be bought and comparing said added picture with a suspected match in a bank box.

10. A method according to claims 7-9, characterized in that insurance companies being authorities demand that customers record a possessed item from a pre determined threshold value in money of the item to be able to provide a picture or a film by said method if the item is stolen or else lost.

11. A method according to claim 7-10, characterized in providing a print out of stolen objects at any time and any suitable place.

12. A system according to claim 7-11 , characterized in that no insurance cover is obtained before the bank boxes are checked for the item to be covered.