Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 2967018 2017-05-12
AUTHENTICITY CONTROL SYSTEM
Subject of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to a safe and easy-to-use control system
enabling a
consumer to inquire about authenticity of a purchased product. The present
invention makes use of
near field communication (NFC) and radio frequency identification (RFID)
technologies.
Background of the Invention and the State of the Art
[0002] Nowadays, imitation products are getting more and more common
and it is
getting harder to distinguish these products from the original ones. Imitation
products are commonly
found in garment, electronics etc. sectors as well as in cigarettes and
alcohols. Consumers using some of
these imitation products cannot get their money's worth, and for some of them,
they encounter severe
health problems, or even death.
[0003] Various countries have banderole regulations for preventing
sales of imitation
products and penalizing people who sell imitation products. Manufacturers of
original products stick the
banderoles provided to them by relevant institutions, on the products they
manufacture. In this way, it
is both made possible to ensure financial auditing and enable consumers to
check the banderoles on the
products they purchase, and thus raise awareness for using original products.
However, security
elements found on the presently used banderoles are quite inadequate.
Presently used banderoles can
easily be imitated and it becomes quite difficult for consumers to notice the
difference.
[0004] Some improvements are already made, in order to reduce the
imitability of the
presently used banderoles and provide control systems that are more secure.
Another example in the
state of the art is the patent application No. WO 0129790 Al. A product
control system is disclosed in
the document. In the banderole placed on the products, visible numbers are
found and among these
numbers,various codes are inserted for various manufacturers, wherein the
codes are so small that they
cannot be seen with the naked eye. Although this improvement has more security
elements than the
banderoles already used in the prior art, it also has many disadvantages. One
of these disadvantages is
the difficulty of checking of these small codes found on the banderole which
cannot be seen with the
naked eye. Moreover, there is still a possibility for imitation product
manufacturers to examine and copy
these banderoles too, even though it would be harder than copying other prior
art banderoles.
[0005] With the product according to the present invention, it is
aimed to provide a
system that is hard to imitate, easy to use by the manufacturer and the
consumer, at the same time
which also enables determination of used products in addition to imitation
products, and makes things
easier for the inspection mechanism.
CA 2967018 2017-05-12
Brief Description of the Invention
[0006] The invention is an electronic authenticity control system
for preventing
imitation, independently from the manufacturers, by using a near field
communication (NEC) chip (1).
The system consists of a near field communication (NFC) chip (1), hardware
running the software that
ensures communication with this chip, a novel singularity algorithm operating
on local and regional
servers, and a system allowing secure communication among the hardware. The
most significant
characteristic of the system is the production of the near field communication
(NEC) chip (1) found in
the system in a destructible manner, so that when the product, on which the
(NFC) chip (1) is mounted
for authenticity check, is used, the chip would lose its function and be left
out of the system.
[0007] Special hardware servers on which the singularity algorithm
works have a
network structure that is protected against cyber attacks and can backup each
other. There is a
hardware-aided special software that runs the singularity algorithm on the
servers. A security code is
formed in an inimitable manner by using novel singularity algorithm reader
device chip identity and
parameters compiled from previously read values.
[0008] The hardware-aided special software running the singularity
algorithm at least
has the SSL 2048 seal. The control software comprises a module which stores
information such as the
location, type, and amount of the products determined as imitation product by
the singularity
algorithm, and when required, allows instant sharing of this information with
law enforcers and other
competent authorities. The whole process history of the singularity algorithm
is stored in a specially
protected database.
[0009] The invention is an integrated system performing the below
given operations
and during all of these operations, ensuring operation security and
instantaneous control of data:
Reading of the label or piece carrying the NEC chips via readers operated by
special reader software
produced by the system provider, and sending the read information to the
special singularity algorithm
in encrypted form, combining the near field communication (NEC) chip (1)
number received at the
servers with the previously read values found in the reader device information
database, and thus
formation of a new security code by the singularity algorithm, and rewriting
of the read information
back to the near field communication (NFC) chip (1) and at the same time
transmitting the information
of whether the product is original or fake/imitation to the hardware.
CA 2967018 2017-05-12
Detailed Description of the Invention
[00010] In general terms, the invention is an online electronic
authenticity control
system. In more detail, it is an authenticity control system run through an
NFC or RFID-compatible web,
online, and system network for determining imitation products. The invention
basically comprises a near
field communication (NEC) chip system (3). The near field communication (NEC)
chip system (3)
comprises a near field communication (NFC) chip (1) and a near field
communication (NEC) chip antenna
(2)-
[00011] In the present invention, the near field communication (NFC)
chip (1) and the
radio frequency identification (RFID) system are integrated into the
banderoles or labels found on
products. The producer activates the label through a provided system access
point. During this
activation, an unalterable identification number and inquiry variables
assigned by the security system
are installed into the near field communication (NEC) chip (1). These
operations are performed over a
256-bit secure socket layer (SSL).
[00012] When a user wants to make an authenticity check on a product
with a
banderole comprising an activated near field communication (NEC) chip system
(3), the product label is
read by using software developed by a cellular phone, tablet etc. mobile
device or another device
supporting near field communication. The user is informed about the
authenticity, production date, and
other required information of the product by means of matching the information
found on the label
with the information found in the central server, through the internet. The
servers are preferably
independent from the producer and the product and they are controlled by the
system provider. In
order to increase system security during this operation, the media access
control (MAC) address,
internet protocol (IP) address, and near field communication (NEC) reader
address information of the
device performing the label reading operation is transferred to the central
server. New security variables
are formed at the central server and transferred to the label via the device.
In this way, while security
gaps such as copying of the variables are eliminated, at the same time, the
information of by which
device and at which date the label was scanned is also recorded. The novel
software performing the
transfer preferably has a SSL (secure socket layer) 2048 seal.
[00013] The process flow scheme of the invention is shown in Figure 2.
In this way, the
connection formed between the near field communication (NFC) chip system (3)
and mobile phone,
tablet etc. mobile devices or any other device compatible with near field
communication and the
connection formed between these devices and the server are schematically
shown.
CA 2967018 2017-05-12
[00014] In the near field communication (NFC) chip system (3) used,
in addition to the
near field communication (NFC) chip (1), a near field communication (NFC) chip
antenna (2) is also
found. When the product of the system is used, the label comprising the near
field communication (NEC)
chip system (3) breaks up and the near field communication (NFC) chip antenna
(2) and the near field
communication (NFC) chip (1) are separated from each other. Therefore, the
label loses its
readability/scannability characteristic. In this way, used products can easily
be determined. This system
is especially a significant novelty for the fields of the lids of alcoholic
beverage bottles.
[00015] The software providing communication between the near field
communication
(NFC) chip system (3) and the central server where the verification will be
made comprises a module
which stores information such as the location, type, and amount of the
products determined as
imitation product by the singularity algorithm, and when required, allows
instant sharing of this
information with law enforcers and manufacturers.
[00016] It is obvious that this system according to the present
application would
contribute to the prior art, since it is easy to use, secure, makes the work
of inspection mechanisms
easier, and allows access to the history of the product.
[00017] As a result, the invention is a system for the determination
of authenticity of
products, characterized in that; it comprises: a near field communication
(NFC) chip (1), in which
product information and product-specific codes are installed by a near field
communication-compatible
device, and from which this information can be read by a user via a near field
communication-
compatible device; a near field communication (NEC) chip antenna (2) connected
to the near field
communication (NEC) chip (1), and preventing performing of reading operation
by getting separated
from the near field communication (NEC) chip (1) as a result of a physical
intervention, and thus allowing
determination of a used device; and software providing communication between a
near field
communication (NFC) chip system (3), formed of said near field communication
(NEC) chip (1) and near
field communication (NFC) antenna (2), and the central server where the
verification will be made.
[00018] Moreover, the method of the present invention is the
operation method of a
system enabling determination of authenticity of products, characterized in
that; it comprises the
operation steps of: activation of the label comprising the near field
communication (NFC) chip system (3)
by the provider through the system access point and installation of the
variables generated by the novel
encryption algorithm to the near field communication (NEC) chip (1); when a
user wants to make an
authenticity check on a product with a banderole comprising an activated near
field communication
(NEC) chip system (3), reading of the product label using software developed
by a cellular phone, tablet
etc. mobile device or another device supporting near field communication;
informing the user about the
authenticity, production date, and other required information of the product
by means of matching the
information found on the label with the information found in the central
server, through the internet;
transfer of the
CA 2967018 2017-05-12
media access control (MAC) address, internet protocol (IP) address, and near
field
communication (NEC) reader address information of the device performing the
label reading operation
to the central server; formation of new security variables at the central
server and transferring to the
label via the device; and when the product comprising the system is used,
separation of the near field
communication (NEC) chip antenna (2) and the near field communication (NFC)
chip (1) from each other,
and the label losing its readability/scannability characteristic. An
authenticity control system operating
with said method and a device and/or devices comprising and running this
authenticity control system
are also within the scope of the present invention.
Description of the Figures
[00019] Figure 1: is the schematic view of the near field
communication (NEC) chip
system.
[00020] Figure 2: is the schematic view showing connection of the
near field
communication (NEC) chip system to the server via devices.
