Patent ID: 9727902
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: G06Q

Claim:
1. A computer implemented method for mitigating distribution of a counterfeit product, the computer implemented method comprising: configuring a network with at least three independent systems, a first system being configured as a trusted counterfeit detection service (CDS) such that another system acting as a CDS will be ignored by a second system and a third system, the second system operating as a point of sale (POS) system and configured to confirm an authenticity of a product in a data communication with the first system; and the third system operating as a user device and configured to confirm the authenticity of the product in a separate data communication with the first system; generating, using a processor and a memory, in a first application executing in the first system, a first set of identifiers to associate with a product to be manufactured, the first set of identifiers including identifiers corresponding to a customer reference number (CRN), a customer acknowledgment number (CAN), and a merchant acknowledgment number (MAN), wherein the CRN uniquely identifies the product, the CAN is used by a user for determining the authenticity of the product, and the MAN is used by the merchant for determining the authenticity of the product; associating the first set of identifiers with the product and a status indicator; setting the status indicator to a first value representative of the product being an original product and the product being available for sale; transmitting, from the CDS of the first system to establish the authenticity of the product, and responsive to the third system sending the CRN to the first system the CAN to the third system; and transmitting, from the CDS of the first system to establish the authenticity of the product, and responsive to the second system sending the CRN to the first system, the MAN to the second system.