Patent ID: 7118026

Claim:
An apparatus for positively identifying an item, the apparatus comprising: a processor configured to execute executable data structures; and a memory device connected to the processor for storing the executable data structures, the executable and operational data structures comprising: a reader module configured to read a coded identifier associated with the item; a capture module configured to capture a visual characteristic of the item, independent of the coded identifier, and convert the visual characteristic into a visual signature based on brightness, hue, color saturation, and color variation; an association module configured to identify the item in a database based on the coded identifier; a verification module configured to verify the identity of the item based on the visual signature; a presentation module configured to provide audio information describing one or more visual characteristics of an item associated with the coded identifier such that a user can detect a mismatch between the coded identifier and the item to facilitate fraud detection; and a confirmation module configured to receive a confirmation selection from the user confirming that the visual characteristic of the item matches the audio information.