Patent ID: 8818874

Claim:
A computerized method to authenticate a product, the method comprising: performing processing using a computer, the processing associated with receiving identity data corresponding to a product only from a manufacturer in an authentication database, the identity data comprising original product information assigned by a manufacturer to the product; performing processing using the computer, the processing associated with registering the original product information in an authentication server after manufacture of the product; performing processing using the computer, the processing associated with enabling only certain product information to be updated using the authentication server after the product enters commercial distribution, the certain product information to be updated comprising: information registering an authorized distributor of the product as the owner of the product and information regarding whether the product is for sale or not for sale; performing processing using the computer, the processing associated with authenticating a product being sold using a point-of-sale device, the authenticating comprising receiving point-of-sale identity data for the product and comparing this point-of-sale identity data to the updated product information to determine whether the product being sold is authentic and available for sale; performing processing using the computer, the processing associated with enabling further updating of only certain product information in the authentication database when the product being sold is certified as authentic, the certain product information comprising information registering any buyers of the product as the owner of the product in the updated product information; and performing processing, using the computer, the processing associated with enabling authorized potential buyers to view the updated product information in order to understand who has previously owned the product, where the product was purchased, and the length of ownership.