80 results about "Distribution chain" patented technology

The invention provides a secure and efficient resource management system and a corresponding method for managing resources of a product that is put on the market by a licensor via a distribution chain. In particular, the number of keys needed for managing said resources can be reduced. At the time that the product is released to the market the exact licensing conditions of the product need not be known yet. The licensing conditions and the associated configuration of resources of the product are managed via a second key which is provided to a licensee. The licensee, however, has no knowledge of the first key and the derivation function which generates said second key based on the first key. Therefore, it is ensured that the licensee cannot claim more resources of the product than the licensor allows.

A method of performing digital asset management of content is provided. The content is identified with an identifier. The identifier can be identified with a digital watermark, header file, or both. The identifier is linked to usage rules to regulate usage and protect the content. The usage rules can be maintained on a remote or local database or server. Once extracted, an identifier is used to index the database to locate a corresponding usage rule, and can be used to override copy control information with proper purchase and subsequent protection. Content can be managed from such. In another embodiment, an identifier is used to track usage, such as amount of content viewed, time played, and copies made. In yet another embodiment, a content identifier is used to regulate content throughout a distribution chain, and a distributed set of databases with information relevant only to the owner of the database act as one database due to a central router.

A system and method for providing end-to-end security of content over a heterogeneous distribution chain is provided. A content owner provides content to an aggregator that receives the content and processes the content. The processing may involve decrypting the content and associating at least one of a unique fingerprint and a watermark to the decrypted content. The unique fingerprint and a watermark to the decrypted content provide identifying characteristics to the content. Additional content-based fingerprints may be used to monitor quality of consumer experience for Video and Audio. The content may be sent in a decrypted state to a client or in an encrypted state. When the content is encrypted the aggregator wraps and encrypts the content with a signature such that an end-to-end flow of the content may be determined. Application Level encryption is used to provide network / distribution medium transparency as well as persistent encryption. When the content is transmitted from a consumer to another consumer the transmitting consumer loses rights to the content.

The carbon footprint of a supply and distribution chain is modeled as a carbon dioxide (CO2) cost that can be considered alongside monetary or dollar ($) costs in supply, manufacturing, and distribution operations. Databases on products and services, supply chain policies, and targets, costs, and / or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are used by a GHG calculator to output carbon footprint data and / or by a supply chain optimizer to output supply chain planning and policy data. Client computers obtain carbon footprint and / or supply chain planning and policy data by querying a server with access to a database storing calculated carbon footprint data. Input data to the GHG calculator is updated based on choices made by users of the system.

Methods and systems for tracking a physical object to identify or authenticate it utilizing digital fingerprints which are based on natural features extracted from a digital image of the object. Digital fingerprints do not require or rely on any labels, tags, integrated materials, unique identification characters, codes or other items that may be added to the object specifically for the purpose of identification. Consequently, the disclosed digital fingerprint techniques help to detect or prevent unauthorized alterations of documents, apparel, drugs and pharmaceuticals, etc. Further digital fingerprints can be used to better track and trace a wide variety of objects throughout the distribution chain to demonstrate their provenance and to detect counterfeit objects.

The Common Point Authoring system functions to provide Livestock Informational Objects via the use of a centralized repository of uniquely identified, immutable Livestock Informational Objects. This system automates the authoring, maintenance, and distribution of the Livestock Informational Objects by using an Internet-based paradigm and a centralized repository of uniquely-identified, immutable Data Elements. The Common Point Authoring system provides a set of software modules that the manufacturers can use to author, maintain, and distribute Livestock Informational Objects and their customers, as Members of the system of Livestock Informational Objects, can use to retrieve, maintain, and distribute the Livestock Informational Objects. The system's interconnectivity allows for the use of an Internet-based paradigm for the purchase and sale among Members of the system of Livestock Informational Objects as commodities, and for reducing the burden costs among Members of compliance with government regulations.

A product packaging comprises a cap on a transparent bottle to seal in a protected product. The cap includes an RFID chip and antenna that can report a serial number and product identification code to a nearby scanner. Reports from several such scanners in the distribution chain from manufacturer to retailers are logged and used to validate legitimate products by their movements. The caps are designed such that when opened the RFID antenna will break away from its associated RFID chip. The cap is molded of cross-linked polymers with a memory that makes it impossible to reseat it properly to the bottle once removed. A hologram target is placed backwards under a label on the side of the bottle so a laser beam can be directed through the backside of the bottle, through the contents, and to the hologram. The reflected laser light will have a signature that is very sensitive to the exact chemistry of the contents. Adulterations and fake products substituted for the genuine articles inside the bottle are detectable using non-invasive hologram reflected laser light and analysis.

A process / method is provided, which authenticates electronic devices allowing the installation and utilization of encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure in combination with electronic devices without need for such encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure to be installed at the same time as manufacture of the electronic device. The disclosed process / method may then provide a system for monitoring various metrics and statuses of the electronic devices through the manufacturing chain, distribution chain and product lifecycle. The process / method can be utilized to create electronic devices secured with encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure, free from the security risks inherent with the current method of installing encryption enabling software onto electronic devices, which will render such secured electronic devices suitable for tasks requiring such enhanced security or encryption. Moreover, electronic devices utilizing the disclosed process / method to install encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure will be enabled to benefit from and facilitate public key infrastructure functionality, including, but not limited to, the renew encryption enabling software on a defined renewal interval.

A pre-printed case label is provided for labeling cases that contain item-level packages such as clamshells of produce or loose bulk produce. The pre-printed case label includes a common identifier and space for adding a tag that includes a unique identifier. A case that includes the pre-printed case label and the tag provides case-level traceability through the distribution chain. Additionally, the item-level packages, or items of loose bulk produce, can include their own individual traceability codes to extend the traceability down to the item level. Methods provided herein associate non-lot-specific information, like brand and quantity, and lot-specific information, like harvest event data, with the unique identifier.

Methods and systems for an autonomous supply and distribution chain management network are disclosed. A server may control and coordinate the processes involved in distributing a product from suppliers to the customers, including generation of purchase orders and payment of invoices. A defined set of interactions may occur in a particular sequence and at designated times that may permit the chain to be synchronized between a customer and a supplier. Unlike a regular supply and distribution chain, in which human beings decide vehicle or asset compatibility types, the autonomous chain of the present invention may maintain a compatibility database within the platform, as well as detailed information about each asset and how it can function interactively with the others. The invention may also allow for dynamic modification of transit operations to alter one or more destinations of the inventory while it is in transit to a new location at any time.

A system for supply chain management is provided. The system includes two or more manufacturer systems receiving order data, such as data identifying goods that have been ordered for each of two or more warehouses, and generating first and second shipment data, such as data identifying the actual amount of goods that were shipped. A warehouse system receives the order data, such as to allow a warehouse operator to make plans for accommodating the order, and the shipment data, such as to notify the warehouse operator of actual amounts of goods that have been shipped. An order controller system generates the order data and receives the shipment data, such as data identifying goods that are being shipped to the order controller system.

Systems, methods and devices are provided for tracking and managing waste or recyclable materials, which may include one or more devices enabled to capture and record information about waste material at a point in a distribution chain, as well as information technology systems for collecting, processing, analyzing and otherwise managing information about a large number and variety of streams of waste material. A system includes an imaging device for capturing an image of a batch of waste or recyclable material or a bin for the material, wherein the imaging device is located at or on the originating site, a transport device for the material, or a material handling site that is remote from the originating site.

A computer-implemented method of optimizing at least one production or testing processes in a mass manufacturing industry, includes steps of: collecting error data relating to a product at a plurality of points along its production and distribution chain; classifying the error data into categories of errors to provide classified error data; analyzing relationships among the classified error data; and suggesting modifications to at least one of the production or testing processes based on the analysis.

A system and method for distribution of content is disclosed in which the content in the form of a content record is distributed from a content originator through a series of intervening recipients of copies of the content record. Each recipient of a copy of a content record is capable of making further copies for distribution to other recipients. Each content record includes certain tracer information for tracking the distribution of the content and preferably uniquely identifying each recipient along the distribution chain.

The present invention provides a product authentication process and system for detecting the distribution of unauthorized product. In one exemplary embodiment the process includes the step of inputting product information of a plurality of products into an internet accessible database, the product information including identification information of the plurality of products. The method further includes the step of inputting distribution information of the plurality of products into the internet accessible database, the distribution information including locations of the plurality of products along a distribution chain. The method further comprises the step of providing a search engine data server for searching and viewing the identification information and distribution information of the plurality of products. The method further includes the step of generating an alarm if there is a difference between product information or distribution information inputted into the internet searchable database and actual product information or distribution information.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for tracking and managing waste or recyclable materials, which may include one or more devices enabled to capture and record information about waste material at a point in a distribution chain, and information technology systems for collecting, processing, and analyzing information about a large number and variety of streams of waste material. A forklift system may include a forklift, an RFID reader with an antenna positioned on or in proximity to the forklift, wherein the antenna is positioned to read RFID information from an RFID tag positioned on an item handled by the forklift. The system may also include a device for measuring a parameter indicative of the weight of the item handled by the forklift, and a processing facility with a server for associating the information read by the RFID reader and the parameter indicative of the weight of the item.

A logistics node receives a purchase order from a customer. The logistics node selects an appropriate carrier to transport products specified in the purchase order and conveys shipping instructions to the selected carrier. The logistics node also coordinates the shipment by interacting with a source node (associated with a supplier of the products) and a destination node (associated with the recipient of the products). According to one exemplary feature, the logistics node provides an interface that permits users involved in the distribution chain to track the status of the shipments without having to enter tracking codes that are unique to individual carriers. According to another exemplary feature, the interface allows a user to access multiple “levels” of information regarding a shipment, including information pertaining to an individual product within a shipment containing multiple products. According to another exemplary feature, the interface allows a user to change the priority status associated with particular products that have already been presented for shipment. According to another exemplary feature, the interface provides different “views” for use by different respective users. Each of the views provides a corresponding different set of tools for use in interacting with the freight managing service.

Food distributed to consumers through a distribution chain may be traced by tagging the food with DNA tags that identify the origin of the food, such as the grower, packer and other points of distribution, and their attributes. This makes it much quicker and easier to trace the food in case of food contamination or adulteration. Preferably these attributes indicate the field, location, crew and machine used to grow and process the food, and the dates of the various steps of food harvesting, processing and distribution. Natural or synthetic DNA pieces may be used to tag items, including food items. Multidigit binary or other types of bar codes may be represented by multiple types of DNA. Each digit of the bar code may be represented by one, two or more unique DNA pieces.

Briefly, a new network processing system is provided that collects and coordinates key indicators regarding a product's quality as that product moves from supplier to end user. By doing so, the processing system provides robust, authentic, and trustworthy data that (1) reports the time period when any custodian had the product, (2) identifies what timing or environmental condition caused the product to go bad, and (3) verifies which custodian acted to make the product defective. In use, an intelligent label is attached to a product, and the intelligent label has a timer as well as one or more sensors for monitoring environmental conditions. Upon exceeding timing or environmental rules, a visual alarm indicator is activated on the label. Since the label has electronically retrievable data, electronically scanable data, and human readable date, the network process can collected key data regarding the product along the entire distribution chain.

A logistics node receives a purchase order from a customer. The logistics node selects an appropriate carrier to transport products specified in the purchase order and conveys shipping instructions to the selected carrier. The logistics node also coordinates the shipment by interacting with a source node (associated with a supplier of the products) and a destination node (associated with the recipient of the products). According to one exemplary feature, the logistics node provides an interface that permits users involved in the distribution chain to track the status of the shipments without having to enter tracking codes that are unique to individual carriers. According to another exemplary feature, the interface allows a user to access multiple “levels” of information regarding a shipment, including information pertaining to an individual product within a shipment containing multiple products. According to another exemplary feature, the interface allows a user to change the priority status associated with particular products that have already been presented for shipment. According to another exemplary feature, the interface provides different “views” for use by different respective users. Each of the views provides a corresponding different set of tools for use in interacting with the freight managing service.

An incentivized peer-to-peer content and royalty distribution system is disclosed. This system may distribute contents including, without limitation, music files and other playable formats, videos, e-News, eZines, eBooks, software, applications, learning tools, and other types of content. The system allows users to support a product, content or artist not available through traditional distribution systems such as brick-and-mortar retailers, online retailers, and also allows users to market, promote, or solicit other users, buyers and / or promoters to license, buy or use the content they are supporting and to share in the royalties collected from the plurality of purchases occurring within the peer-to-peer, informal distribution chain. Further, the distribution system may reward users who are successful in convincing other users to license or purchase the product or content based at least in part on use and analysis of metadata associated with content transferred within an informal distribution chain.

Systems, methods and devices are provided for tracking and managing waste or recyclable materials, which may include one or more devices enabled to capture and record information about waste material at a point in a distribution chain, as well as information technology systems for collecting, processing, analyzing and otherwise managing information about a large number and variety of streams of waste material.

In a virtualized distribution system for offering virtual products or services to clients over a distributed network a service provider manages physical resources. One or more orchestration servers having access to the physical resources run cloud management software that maintain a service providers portal to permit the service provider to manage the physical resources and accounts for distribution partners, a partner portal to permit the distribution partners to create virtual products or services using the available physical resources and establish a virtual presence on said distributed network, and a client portal for offering to clients the virtual products or services created by the distribution partners through their virtual presence. In this way product distribution can be offered as a service, which emulates the manner in which real products and services are distributed through a traditional distribution chain.

Container based oversight and management of orders for multi-component, fabricated articles. This is done by entering an order for multi-component, fabricated articles into a database and virtually associating the ordered multi-component, fabricated articles to a virtual shipping container. The virtual shipping container corresponds to a real shipping container. One or more fabricators receive the ordered constituent components and fabricate the constituent components into the ordered multi-component articles, and packs packing the fabricated multi-components articles into the associated real shipping containers. The real shipping containers are then shipped along the distribution chain.

The invention discloses an automatic reinforcement mesh welding system. The automatic reinforcement mesh welding system comprises a vertical reinforcement distribution chain module, a vertical reinforcement forward stepper conveying module, a welding module, a transverse reinforcement supply module, a mesh stepper moving module and a mesh storage module arranged in sequence; a chain of the vertical reinforcement distribution chain module is used for placing vertical reinforcements; the vertical reinforcement forward stepper conveying module forwards conveys the distributed vertical reinforcements; the transverse reinforcement supply module with transverse reinforcements is positioned at the top of the welding module; the welding module is used for welding the vertical reinforcements and the transverse reinforcements; the mesh stepper moving module forwards shifts the welded reinforcements; and the mesh storage module is used for storing welded finished reinforcement meshes. The systemuses straightened cut reinforcements as raw materials, and has the characteristics of simple structure, energy conservation and high efficiency.

A clock circuit includes a frequency or phase comparator for receiving a reference clock signal, an LC VCO coupled to the comparator, a feedback divider coupled between the LC VCO and the comparator, a clock distribution chain coupled to the feedback divider and the first VCO, and a DLL or injection-locked ring-VCO coupled to the clock distribution chain for providing a plurality of phased output clock signals.

Systems, methods and devices are provided for tracking and managing waste or recyclable materials, which may include one or more devices enabled to capture and record information about waste material at a point in a distribution chain, as well as information technology systems for collecting, processing, analyzing and otherwise managing information about a large number and variety of streams of waste material. A system includes a label reader for reading a label that was associated with a batch of material at an originating site, a device for measuring a parameter indicative of the weight of the batch of material, and a communications facility for communicating the weight of the batch of material and the label information to a system for tracking the batch of waste material.

A method for tracking containers. The method includes manufacturing containers, including forming the containers and serializing them with machine-readable codes. The method further includes using the machine-readable codes to store data associated with the containers, and supplying the containers to a customer. The method still further comprises receiving from the customer, data obtained from customer-readings of the machine-readable codes; and receiving from one or more the locations in a distribution chain in which the containers travel, data obtained from readings of the machine-readable codes at those locations. The method still further comprises comparing the data from the customer-readings and other readings or the to machine-readable codes across product brands, product distribution channels, and / or container types, and providing the data to the customer. In at least some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving from the customer a compensation for the containers, for example, a per-refill compensation.