WO2012147029A1

WO2012147029A1 - Anti-counterfeit labeling system

Info

Publication number: WO2012147029A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/052047
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto CONZATO; Antonio POLIMENI
Original assignee: Tierre S.R.L.
Priority date: 2011-04-29
Filing date: 2012-04-24
Publication date: 2012-11-01
Also published as: ITVR20110086A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an anti-counterfeiting labeling system comprising at least one fixed device (1 ), designed to receive, in input, information related to at least one good or service, encoded in suitable input electrical signals (s_i) and to obtain, at the output, output electrical signals (s_o, s_ci) correlated with that information; at least one memory (7) outside the at least one fixed device (1 ), in use, remote connectable to the at least one fixed device (1 ), the at least one external memory (7) being designed to receive in input the output electrical signals (s_ci) transmitted by the at least one fixed device (1 ) and to produce, in response, suitable output signals (s_co). The external memory (7) of the anti-counterfeiting labeling system is of the type which does not allow modifying the information related to the at least one good or service and correlated with the output electrical signals (s_ci) once the information is stored therein for the first time. A cell of the external memory (7), starting from which the information is stored therein, has its own address codifiable in at least one suitable unique code associable in a permanent manner with the at least one good or service.

Description

ANTI-COUNTERFEIT LABELING SYSTEM

The present invention regards an anti-counterfeit labeling system. More particularly, it concerns a marking system adapted to ensure users with regard to the originality and/or actual origin of goods or services or services placed on the market.

The anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention is particularly advantageous in the management of documents and/or goods or products of various type, such as foods, jewelry accessories, clothing fabrics, etc.

For some time, there has been the need to ensure the traceability of the productive and/or commercial chain of goods placed on the market, in order to ensure the originality thereof and to unmask possible imitations, counterfeits and forgeries in general.

In the present description and in the claims, with the term "system" it is intended a group or set of devices and/or components connected with each other, even remotely connected, and capable of communicating via sending/receiving information encoded in suitable control signals.

In recent years, numerous anti-counterfeit labeling systems have been developed. One of these, for example, uses RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology based on the possibility to store sensitive data relative to an object or good to be protected on electronic devices (typically on microchips), which are applied to such object or good. RFID technology also allows accessing such data by using suitable remote reader devices. Such electronic devices or microchips, which are applied in a permanent manner to the goods to be protected, emit radiofrequency signals that are receivable and decodable by respective remote readers. RFID technology provides that the microchips associated with the respective services or goods can be "active", in the sense that they can produce an input and output signal exchange between these goods/services and the respective readers, with the possibility to store additional information in the microchips themselves; or the microchips can be "passive", in the sense that the information contained therein can only be read. Stored in the microchips is all the information relative to the goods to which they are applied/associated, e.g. the date of production, the series number, the factory trademark, the manufacturing date and the like.

Another known system of anti-counterfeit labeling provides for the use of holograms, which are applied in a permanent manner to a good or service, e.g. printed, inserted or even pasted thereon or on a package thereof during production or packaging. Given that such holograms are very difficult to reproduce, they are used as an anti-forgery system in many fields, e.g. in the production of banknotes, identity cards, passports, credit cards, digital media (CD-ROMs, DVDs, videocassettes), revenue stamps, stamps, etc.

Other known systems of anti-counterfeit labeling provide for the application of labels reproducing codes of various type, e.g. bar codes, QR codes, data matrix codes or the like. These serve to unequivocally identify the good or service to which they are applied, given that the series of information necessary for the recognition of the products is encoded in such codes, e.g. their date of production, series number, etc.

There are numerous drawbacks of the above-described anti-counterfeit labeling systems. For example, with regard to the systems employing microchips, it is easy to understand that the production of the microchips themselves and the management of the respective anti-counterfeit labeling system in its entirety are complicated and costly. In addition, a microchip is in some cases rewritable, hence the information contained therein can be altered by third parties. Furthermore, a microchip can be removed and applied to other products that can be counterfeits. Therefore, it is understood that if an original microchip is applied to a counterfeit product, the data reading via the suitable reader would not allow recognizing the fake nature of such product.

In the case of the anti-counterfeit labeling systems using holograms, the management costs are high and also in this case the authenticity of a good or service is difficult to ensure or in any case complex to prove. For example, if one uses an original card-paper, like those commonly used for identity cards, in order to print false information thereon, it would not be possible to distinguish the fake nature of the card, at least without a very in-depth control.

With regard to the systems which employ unique codes, e.g. paper, applied or inserted in the goods or services to be protected, these codes serve to unequivocally identify a good or service; however, even if these are inexpensive to produce and hence attractive from a practical standpoint, they are incapable on their own of ensuring the originality and/or traceability of the good or service to which they are applied, because it is very easy to reproduce them and apply them on objects, e.g. on fake objects.

Therefore, none of the above-listed anti-counterfeit labeling systems are capable of per se ensuring the authenticity of a good or service to which they are associated, without requiring further protective measures that are not simple to implement and often require the implementation of additional complex technical systems, as well as the use of specifically trained personnel to recognize possible tampering/alterations of such systems. In the case of a fake identity card printed on an original medium with hologram, a control by highly-trained police force personnel or a control in their computer system would be required.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an anti- counterfeit labeling system that is safe and practical, in the sense that it allows verifying with certainty the authenticity and/or productive/commercial history of a good or service identified by such system, without requiring additional complex and/or elaborate control measures.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-counterfeit labeling device that is easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-counterfeit labeling device usable on a wide scale, even by users lacking specific competencies in the field of anti-counterfeit labeling systems.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an anti-counterfeit labeling method that is easy to implement.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an anti-counterfeit labeling system is provided comprising:

- at least one fixed device, intended to receive information in input relative to at least one good or service, such information being encoded in suitable electrical input signals, and designed to produce electrical output signals correlated with said information;

at least one memory outside said at least one fixed device, in use remotely connectable with said at least one fixed device, said at least one external memory being arranged to receive, in input, said electrical output signals transmitted from said at least one fixed device, and to produce suitable output signals in response; characterized in that

- said external memory is of the type that does not allow modifying said information, relative to said at least one good or service, correlated with said electrical output signals once the latter are stored in such memory for the first time, and in that

the cell of said external memory, from which said information is stored, has its own address encodable in at least one suitable unique code associable in a permanent manner with said at least one good or service.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, an operation method is provided for an anti-counterfeit labeling system comprising the following operative steps:

preparation of an anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the first aspect of the present invention;

storage of said information relative to said at least one good or service in said at least one external memory;

- generation of at least one unique code associated with said at least one good or service in response to said storage; and

permanent assigning of said at least one unique code to a respective good or service.

In the present description and in the claims, with the term "fixed device" it is intended a device suitable for remaining in a pre-established fixed position in use, preferably electrically connected with the electrical network and/or with other devices of a local network.

Moreover, in the present description and in the claims, with the term "portable device" it is intended a device with reduced size and weight with respect to said fixed device and which is easily transportable by a user.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be clearer from the following detailed description of a number of preferred embodiments thereof, illustrated as a merely non-limiting examples in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of a fixed device of the anti- counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a fixed device of the anti- counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention, particularly suitable for managing documents;

Figure 3 is a block diagram of an anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention comprising the fixed device according to Fig. 1 or 2 and an optional portable device;

Figure 4 illustrates a flow diagram of the functioning method for the fixed device of the anti-counterfeit labeling system of Fig. 1 or 2; and

Figure 5 shows a flow diagram relative to the functioning of the optional portable device of the anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention.

In the drawing set, equivalent or similar parts or components were marked with the same reference numerals. First, with reference to Figures 1 , 2 and 3, it will be observed that an anti- counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention provides for a fixed device indicated with the reference number 1 comprising a housing body 2, e.g. box-like, intended to house a data processing board or CPU 3 which is electrically connected to a service memory 4 as well as to input means 5 and to output means 6.

More particularly, the input means 5 are intended, in use, to send suitable electrical input signals s, to the CPU 3, and the output means 6 are intended in use to receive respective electrical output signals s₀ from the CPU 3.

The CPU 3 of the fixed device 1 according to the present invention comprises means for the remote connection, of any suitable type, e.g. radio or electrical connection means, with an external memory 7, e.g. a database implemented on a PC or remote server. The CPU 3 is designed to send suitable electrical control signals

to such external memory 7, for the purpose of storing information therein relative to services or goods/products to be protected. The CPU is also arranged to receive one or more electrical return signals s_co from the external memory 7; in such signals, information is encoded which was previously stored in the external memory 7.

The input means 5 of the fixed device 1 according to the present invention comprises a display screen 8 of "touch screen" type, on which the user instructions are displayed in use, according to the method that will be described below; from such screen, suitable electrical input signals s, are sent to the CPU 3 in response to the user's touch.

The input means 5 also comprises a unique code reader 9 provided in a reception seat 10 in said housing body 2. More particularly, the unique code reader 9 comprises a device, typically a telecamera or an optical reader or a camera, adapted in use to acquire an image of a unique code assigned or associated with a good or service, e.g. applied by means of printout, label or incision directly on the product, or indirectly applied on packaging or informative material in any case connected, connectable or traceable to the good or service; the device is also adapted to send such image, encoded in a suitable electrical input signal s,, to the CPU 3 for the subsequent processing thereof.

Optionally, the input means 5 of the fixed device 1 according to the present invention also comprises a keyboard 1 1 , provided in the housing body 2 of the device 1 or connectable thereto by means of suitable connector means 12, such as one or more USB ports, intended for the user's insertion of important additional information relative to services or goods to be protected. The information will be encoded in suitable electrical input signals s, and sent, by the keyboard 1 1 , to the CPU 3 of the device 1 for the subsequent processing thereof.

The input means 5 also optionally comprises a scanner 13, incorporated in the housing body 2 of the device 1 (as illustrated in Fig. 2) or electrically connected thereto by means of suitable connection means (not illustrated in the drawings), provided for acquiring images of documents to be protected; such images will also be encoded in suitable electrical signals s, and sent to the CPU 3 of the device for the subsequent processing thereof.

The sensitive data relative to the goods or services to be protected, sent by the touch display screen 8, by the keyboard 1 1 or by the scanner 13 and/or the unique code assigned to a good or service, sent by the unique code reader 9, once arrived at the CPU 3 of the device 1 , in the form of electrical input signals s,, are transmittable to the external memory 7 in the form of electrical signals s_c. The transmission of such sensitive data occurs, for example, by means of a protected VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection or any other suitable connection adapted to ensure the access to the external memory 7 only to authorized users.

Advantageously, the external memory 7 is of the type that allows storing all the desired information thereon relative to a good or service to be protected, without allowing the possibility to alter such information, once the latter has been stored for the first time. Among the sensitive information that can be advantageously stored in relation to a good or service to be protected, there is the following: its date of production, the geographical coordinates of the place in which such good or service was manufactured (obtainable in any suitable manner, e.g. by means of the localization of the IP address of the fixed device), its technical characteristics, the possible batch or series number, one or more images of the product (especially useful in the case of document storage), and other possible information inserted by the user.

Among the information that the user can insert, there is so-called "public" information and other so-called "confidential" information. The public information comprises, for example, the addresses of one or more web pages in which a good or service is advertized, or the data of its producer or other commercial information. As will be explained below, such information can be made accessible without restrictions to all users of the anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention. With regard however to confidential information, this comprises the information that one wishes to make accessible only to users of the anti-counterfeit labeling system provided with specific authorizations, e.g. suitable username and password. The information of a respective good or service to be protected can be stored in the external memory 7 from a specific memory station, and the details or address thereof can be sent to the CPU 3 in the form of an electrical signal s_c and encoded in a unique code to be assigned to the product. In this manner, the unique code assignable to a product or good to be protected according to the present invention will only have such memory address encoded therein.

Hence, it is understood that the connection between the CPU 3 and the external memory 7 is bidirectional, in the sense that in addition to the memory address returned to the CPU 3 by the external memory 7, it is possible, in response to a specific user request, to also send a copy of one or more stored data relative to a good or service to the CPU 3.

The output means 6 of the fixed device 1 according to the present invention comprises the display screen 8 (which also acts as input means) which, in addition to displaying the user instructions, is also set to display other information sent by the CPU 3 regarding (for example) the sensitive data relative to a unique code read with the code reader 9. The output means 6 also comprise one or more USB ports 12 intended to act as connection means for one or more external media (not shown in the drawings), typically a USB key or an external hard disc, to which the unique code or other sensitive data can be forwarded by the CPU 3.

Advantageously, the output means also comprise a printer 14, of any suitable type, provided integrated in the housing body 2 of the fixed device 1 or external with respect thereto; in use, such printer is intended to print the unique code assigned to a good or service to be protected, which is reproduced in a known manner (e.g. via a QR code, a bar code, data matrix code, a Mstag, a Pdf417, a Maxicode, a Codablock or the like) on a suitable medium, e.g. an adhesive label or directly on the product or on the packaging thereof.

More particularly, the printer 14 provided for printing directly on the product or good to be protected will be of a specific type suitable for the needs of the case. For example, it can be a thermal printer provided for printing the encoded unique code on an adhesive paper label or directly on a document, or it can be a screen printer, provided for impressing the unique code, e.g. on a fabric or another suitable material, or another printer type capable of engraving the unique code, for example on the case of a watch.

The anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention optionally also comprises a portable device 15, intended in use to establish a connection with the aforesaid external memory 7, according to the modes mentioned above with reference to the fixed device 1 . From the external memory 7, the portable device can receive, in accordance with the case, a greater or smaller set of information relative to the sensitive data regarding a good or service to be protected. Such portable device 15, which substantially comprises all (or nearly all) the components provided for the fixed device 1 (CPU, service memory, remote connection means to the external memory 7, unique code reader, display screen, keyboard, etc.) is advantageously incorporated in a cell phone or in a dedicated device and has reduced size and weight, so as to result easily transportable by a user. Its particular characteristic lies in the fact that such portable device 15 only allows read access for the sensitive data stored in the external memory 7, i.e. it is not possible, by means of the portable device 15, to insert new data relative to services or goods to be protected. The operation of the anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention is quite simple and reliable.

Fig. 4 illustrates a flow diagram relative to the functioning of the fixed device 1 and to its interaction with the external memory 7 according to the present invention.

More particularly, an initial step 100 is provided in which a request for identification/authentication by a user is displayed on the display screen of the fixed device 1.

Once identified, in step 1 10, the user can access a screen in which all the options available to him are illustrated. There are three provided options, according to a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention:

the first provides for the possibility to insert the sensitive data relative to a good or service to be protected and to obtain, in response, a unique code assignable thereto;

- the second provides for the possibility to access the external memory

7 in order to display the contents thereof, and in particular to recover some specific information relative to a service or good selectable by the user;

the third provides for the possibility to read a unique code relative to a service or good, to recover the information associated therewith already present in the external memory 7, and possibly to insert the additional information.

With particular reference to the first option, a step 120 is provided in which the user inserts the data relative to the good or service to be "registered" in the external memory 7, preferably implemented on a suitable database. Such step can provide for the insertion of information relative to the good by means of the keyboard 1 1 , or by means of the touch display screen 8, or (as illustrated in Fig. 4) by means of the scanner 13 which can be used for obtaining a digital copy of a document.

In step 121 , the sensitive data forwarded to the CPU 3 by the input means

5 is sent (in the form of suitable electrical signals s_c) to the external memory 7, on which it is saved. The address of the memory cell, from which the sensitive data was saved, is returned to the CPU 3, which will encode the received memory address (in a known manner) in a unique code (step 122). The unique code thus obtained is exported in step 123. Examples of such exportation can be printing by means of a printer 14, integrated or not integrated in the fixed device 1 ; saving the code on an external medium (USB key) connected to the connection ports USB 12; or sending said unique code via electronic mail.

With regard to the second option available to a user, in step 130 a connection with the external memory 7 is established, the information relative to all goods or services stored therein is displayed on the display screen 8 (step 131 ) in any suitable manner. In step 132, the user has the possibility to select the set of information of interest relative to a specific good or service.

Such information can be displayed on the display screen in step 133 and if desired a copy thereof can be exported (step 200), e.g. sent to third parties by means of electronic mail, or printed, or stored on an external medium (e.g. a USB key connected to the connection port 12).

The third option available to a user provides for, in step 140, the activation of the unique code reader 9 and the acquisition of an image of a code assigned (e.g. applied) to a good or service. The image of such code is sent to the CPU 3, which forwards it to the external memory 7. In response, if the good or service was previously "registered" in the external memory 7, this sends to the CPU 3 the information relative to the good or service assigned with such unique code. The CPU 3, in turn, sends the information to the display screen 8, in step 141.

At this point, the user can choose if he wishes to insert (in the optional step 142) additional information relative to the good or service assigned with the read unique code or if he wishes to directly copy all the information displayed on the screen 8 (or part thereof) in the above-described step 200. In the first case (step 142), the inserted information will be added "after" the other information and will in no case modify that previously saved. In this manner, one can store the entire productive and/or commercial "history" of a good or service.

Subsequently, the control of the fixed device 1 returns to the menu (step

1 10).

With regard instead to the portable device 15, its operation as well as its interaction with the external memory 7 is schematically illustrated in the flow diagram of Fig. 5.

An initial step 300 is provided in which the portable device 15 activates the unique code reader 9 so as to obtain an image of the code. Such image is sent to the CPU of the portable device 15 and is forwarded from here to the external memory 7, by means of a connection protected in the sense described above (step 310).

At this point, in response to the sending of the unique code by a portable device 15, a "public" subset of data stored in the external memory 7 will be sent to the portable device 15, which will display the contents thereof (step 320). In order to access the additional data associated with the unique code read by the device 15, it will be necessary to access a reserved area (step 330). The user provided with password (step 340) will be able to send it (step 350) to the external memory 7 and obtain, in response, the sending of the additional or "confidential" sensitive information associated with the read unique code, which can be displayed on the display screen 8 of the portable device 15 (step 360).

After this, in step 400, the process of acquiring and displaying the information concerning the read unique code terminates. It is recalled that, as state above, the portable device 15 according to the present invention can only read the information stored in the external memory 7 - it is not designed for inserting new information therein.

The above-described method can be implemented by means of software installable in the fixed 1 and portable 15 devices and in a remote PC or server, on which the external memory 7 is physically present.

The installable operating system is, for example, the Ubuntu Linux 10.04

LTS operating system (for the fixed device 1 and for the optional portable device 15) and the corresponding Ubuntu 10.04 LTS server for the server.

The fixed 1 and portable 15 devices according to the invention must be configured for correctly managing a connection with the external memory 7, e.g. via Internet, and the information exchange therewith. In addition, the following must be correctly managed: the drivers for the unique code reader 9 and the display screen 8, and in the case of the fixed device 1 , the drivers for the scanner 13, if present.

The server that supports the external memory 7 will have the following additional software installed thereon for the correct management of the connection between the fixed device 1 or the optional device 15 and the external memory 7: the Apache version 2.2.17 software and following versions, the PHP version 5.3.6 software and following versions, and the SQL Server version 5.1.50 software and following versions.

With regard instead to the software for the interaction with the users of the anti-counterfeit labeling system, such software can be implemented in PHP.

As a mere example, a brief description of the components will now be made, it being provided that such components can constitute a technical-practical embodiment of the fixed device 1 according to the present invention and of the external memory 7.

The CPU 3 (provided, for example, with 8 GB solid state disc) can for example be a compatible x86 Microprocessor with motherboard equipped with connection interfaces with: 8 USB ports, 4 SATA ports, housing slot for the service memory 4 (provided with at least 1 GB capacity), a video output (VGA) for the display screen 8 and an Ethernet interface for the connection with the external memory 7. The scanner 14 can for example be self-powered, as can the unique code reader 9. The thermal printer of the unique codes can be connected by means of USB port, as can the other components of the device.

Below, it is described in a more detailed manner how one such architecture of the fixed 1 and portable 15 devices according to the present invention, of the external memory 7 and of the method for operating/interaction between these achieves a safe and practical anti-counterfeit labeling system, easy to implement and obtain and also accessible to users lacking specific competencies in the field of anti-counterfeit labeling. For example, in the case of document management, with an anti- counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention it is very easy and convenient to verify the authenticity of a document and obtain the "history" of all of its subsequent modifications.

Take a notary document, for example. A notary, provided with the fixed device 1 according to the present invention, once he has drafted a document can easily scan it and obtain therefrom an adhesive label with a unique code that will be applied to the document itself. In the external memory 7, the notary will save a copy of the document, the date of its creation, his personal information, the place of creation of the document etc. It should be recalled that such data, once saved, can no longer be modified.

At this point, the document can be safely passed along to different people. If necessary, with every passage additional information will be stored on the external memory 7 relative to possible modifications sustained by the document (e.g. the date and place in which the document was altered, the name of the person who modified the document, a copy of the modified document etc.).

If it is desired to ascertain the originality of the document, it will suffice to read the unique code applied thereon with the suitable reader 9, also by means of the optional device 15, and connect to the external memory 7 in order to verify if the final version of the document is present therein and if all the other information stored therein coincides. If this is not the case, one would know with certainty that the document is not the original one.

As stated above, the verification of the data can occur in a simple manner, even with the optional device 15, and is quite immediate. Another application of the anti-counterfeit labeling system 1 according to the present invention could for example regard the watchmaking field.

The unique code obtained in response to a registration on the external memory 7 of the data relative to a valuable watch could, for example, be incised on the case of the watch itself. The watch could be resold and every possible buyer could verify the authenticity of the watch to be purchased by means of his own portable device 15, or by going to a jewelry store provided with an anti- counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention, in order to verify, by connecting to the external memory 7, all the information relative to the watch in question. For example, if the external memory 7 did not contain any information relative to such watch, or if the information did not correspond to that possessed by the possible purchaser, he would have certain knowledge that the watch is a fake.

In any case, it is understood that this anti-counterfeit labeling system is applicable to all productive and/or commercial fields.

The above-described anti-counterfeit labeling system according to the present invention, comprising the fixed device 1 , the optional portable device 15, an external memory 7 and the method for their functioning/interaction is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the protection scope defined by the claims.

Thus, for example, it can be provided that a number of copies selected by the user of a unique code can be printed, e.g. in the case of batches of equivalent products manufactured on the same day by the same producer.

Claims

1. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system comprising:

at least one fixed device (1 ), designed to receive, in input, information related to at least one good or service, encoded in suitable input electrical signals (s,) and to obtain, at the output, output electrical signals (s₀, s_Ci) correlated with said information;

at least one memory (7) outside said at least one fixed device (1 ), in use, remote connectable to said at least one fixed device (1 ), said at least one external memory (7) being designed to receive in input said output electrical signals (s_Ci) transmitted by said at least one fixed device (1 ) and to produce, in response, suitable output signals (s_co); characterized in that

said external memory (7) is of the type which does not allow modifying said information related to said at least one good or service and correlated with said output electrical signals (s_Ci) once it is stored therein for the first time, and in that

a cell of said external memory (7), starting from which said information is stored therein, has its own address codifiable in at least one suitable unique code associable in a permanent manner with said at least one good or service.

2. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 1 , characterized in that said remote connection between said at least one external memory (7) and said at least one fixed device (1 ) is an internet connection.

3. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 3, characterized in that said internet connection between said at least one external memory (7) and said at least one fixed device (1 ) is a VPN connection.

4. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 1 to 3, characterized in that said at least one fixed device (1 ) comprises:

at least one data processing board or CPU (3);

input means (5) electrically connected to said at least one data processing board (3) and designed, in use, to send to said data processing board (3) said input electrical signals (s,) in which said information related to at least one good or service is encoded; output means (6) electrically connected to said at least one data processing board (3) and designed, in use, to receive from said data processing board (3) said output electrical signals (s₀) correlated with said information related to at least one good or service;

means of remote connection with said at least one external memory

(7), which are electrically connected to said data processing board (3) and provided for transmitting and receiving said input electrical signals

(s_ci) and output electrical signals (s_co).

5. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 4, characterized in that said input means (5) comprise at least one display screen (8) of touch screen type, which, in response to the touch of a user, is set to send said input electrical signals (s,) to said at least one data processing board (3).

6. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said input means (5) comprise at least one code reader (9), designed, in use, to acquire an image of said at least one unique code.

7. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 6, characterized in that said at least one code reader (9) comprises at least one between a telecamera, an optical reader or a camera.

8. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 4 to 7, characterized in that said input means (5) also comprise a scanner (13) set to acquire an image of at least one document and encode it in at least one electrical signal (s,) to be sent in input to said data processing board (3).

9. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 4 to 8, characterized in that said input means (5) comprise a keyboard (1 1 ) designed to send to said at least one data processing board (3) additional information related to said at least one good or service, encoded in electrical signals (s,), obtained in response to actuated keys of the keyboard (1 1 ).

10. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 4 to 9, characterized in that said output means (6) comprise at least one printer (14) designed, in use, to print said at least one unique code, sent by said data processing board (3) encoded in a suitable electrical signal (s₀).

1 1 . An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 10, characterized in that said printer (14) is a thermal printer set to print said at least one unique code on one or more adhesive labels.

12. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 10, characterized in that said printer (14) is set to print said at least one unique code directly on said good or service.

13. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises at least one portable device (15), remote connectable to said at least one external memory (7) and comprising: at least one data processing board or CPU;

input means electrically connected to said at least one data processing board and designed, in use, to send to said data processing board said input electrical signals (s,) in which said at least one unique code related to a good or service is encoded;

output means electrically connected to said at least one data processing board and designed, in use, to receive from said data processing board said output electrical signals (s₀) correlated with said information related to at least one good or service associated with said unique code;

means of remote connection with said at least one external memory (7), which are electrically connected to said data processing board and provided for transmitting suitable electrical signals (s_Ci) correlated with said at least one unique code and for receiving suitable electrical signals (s_co) correlated with said information related to at least one good or service associated with said unique code and stored on said at least one external memory (7).

14. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 13, characterized in that said input means of said at least one portable device (15) comprise at least one reader (9) of said at least one unique code.

15. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that said output means of said at least one portable device (15) comprise at least one display screen set to display said information related to said good or service associated with said at least one unique code.

16. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 13 to

15, characterized in that said portable device (15) is incorporated in a cell phone.

17. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 13 to

16, characterized in that said remote connection between said portable device (15) and said external memory (7) is an internet connection.

18. An anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to claim 17, characterized in that said internet connection between said at least one portable device (15) and said at least one external memory (7) is a VPN connection.

19. An anti-counterfeiting labeling method comprising the following operative steps:

preparing an anti-counterfeiting labeling system according to any claim from 1 to 18;

storing said information related to said at least one good or service in said at least one external memory (7) (step 121 );

generating at least one unique code associated with said at least one good or service (step 122) in response to said storage; and permanent assigning of said at least one unique code to a respective good or service.

20. A method according to claim 19, characterized in that said storage step (121 ) comprises saving said information in said external memory (7) and sending, to said data processing board (3) of said fixed device (1 ), the address of a cell of said external memory (7), starting from which said information was saved.

21 . A method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that said storage step provides that said information is unmodifiable, once saved in said external memory (7).

22. A method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that step (122) for generating said unique code comprising the encoding of said address of said cell of said external memory (7), starting from which said information was saved, in a two-dimensional medium.

23. A method according to claim 22, characterized in that said two- dimensional medium comprises at least one between a QR code, a data matrix code, a Mstag code, a Pdf 417 code, a Maxicode or a Codablock.

24. A method according to any claim from 19 to 23, characterized in that said permanent assigning of said at least one unique code to a respective good provides for the step of exporting said unique code (step 123) and that said exportation comprises one operation to be selected from among the following operations:

printing said unique code on a medium that can be applied to said good or service;

- printing said unique code directly on said good or service;

saving said unique code on an electronic medium outside said fixed device (1 ); or

sending said unique code via electronic mail.

25. A method according to any claim from 19 to 24, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of:

accessing (step 130) said external memory (7);

displaying said information stored therein (step 131 );

selecting a set of said information related to at least one good or service (step 132) and displaying (step 133) and/or exporting said set of information (step 200).

26. A method according to claim 25, characterized in that said exporting (step 200) comprises one operation to be selected from among the following operations:

sending said unique code via electronic mail;

printing said unique code; or

storing said unique code on an external electronic medium.

27. A method according to any claim from 19 to 26, characterized in that it also comprises:

the acquisition of a unique code associated with a good or service by said at least one fixed device (1 ) or said at least one portable device (15) (steps 140, 300) remote connectable to said external memory (7); and

- the display on said at least one fixed device (1 ) or at least one portable device (15) of the information stored in said external memory (7) and associated with said acquired unique code (steps 141 , 320, 360).

28. A method according to claim 27, characterized in that said step of acquiring said unique code comprises activating means (9) for reading unique codes and sending the image of said unique code in the form of a suitable input electrical signal (s,) to said data processing board (3) of said device.

29. A method according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that said step of displaying on said at least one device (1 , 15) of said information related to said unique code acquired and stored on said external memory (7), comprises the establishment of a remote connection between said at least one device (1 , 15) and said external memory (7), as well as the sending by said external memory (7) of said information related to said unique code and its display on said display screen (9) of said at least one device (1 , 15).

30. A method according to any claim from 27 to 29, characterized in that it comprises the insertion, by means of said at least one fixed device (1 ), of additional information (step 142) related to a good or service previously stored in the external memory (7).

31 . A method according to claim 30, characterized in that said additional information is saved in cells of said external memory (7) that are different from those already used for saving the previously stored information related to said good or service.

32. A method according to any claim from 19 to 31 , characterized in that the storage of said information in said external memory (7), by means of said fixed device (1 ), requires the insertion of at least one password.

33. A method according to any claim from 19 to 32, characterized in that said information stored on said external memory (7) is accessible, by said at least one portable device (15), as read-only.

34. A method according to any claim from 27 to 33, characterized in that the access to said information stored on said external memory (7), by said at least one portable device (15), provides for the insertion of at least one password (step 350).