Patent ID: 8028891

Claim:
An authentication and tracking system, comprising: a network-connected server having a communication interface to individual ones of a plurality of manufacturers of articles and software executing on the server from a machine-readable physical media, the software providing: functionality enabling receipt of a request for authentication codes from an individual one of the plurality of manufacturers via the communication interface, the request specifying quantity of authentication codes to generate and information regarding the articles for which the authentication codes will be used, and assigning and associating a master batch code; functionality enabling generating the quantity of authentication codes associated with the master batch code, the generated authentication codes comprising the information regarding the articles for which the codes will be used; and functionality for transmitting the generated authentication codes to the individual manufacturer to be applied to the articles, wherein the codes generated associated with a master batch code are maintained as inactive until a further request from the individual manufacturer is received, the request including the associated master batch code, wherein the codes are made active; and functionality for verifying authentication codes received in requests for verification from third parties who have received articles bearing the authentication codes, the articles having originated from the individual manufacturer.