Digitally Secured Electronic Titles for Supply Chain Authenticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Counterfeit, stolen, and unauthorized goods can enter a supply chain through diversion, posing challenges in preventing the sale and distribution of illegal or unauthorized products.
Innovation Solution
Digitally Secured Electronic Titles (DSETs) are used, which include unique identifiers on products and are digitally signed by manufacturers, allowing verification of authenticity through public keys, and tracked within an electronic registry to inhibit unauthorized entry into the supply chain by ensuring each transfer and ownership change is recorded, preventing duplication and ensuring only legitimate products are further distributed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional supply chain tracking methods are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but reliability of preventing counterfeit goods deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies (electronic titles) of product ownership records that can be verified without physical inspection. Each product has an electronic title containing unique identifiers that replicate the ownership information, allowing remote verification of authenticity through digital means rather than physical examination.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic registry acts as an intermediary system between manufacturers, distributors, and customers. It mediates the verification process by storing and validating electronic titles, eliminating the need for direct trust relationships between supply chain participants while ensuring product authenticity.
2Productivity
If manual verification of product authenticity is used, then device complexity is minimized, but productivity of supply chain operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual verification processes with automated electronic verification. Instead of physically inspecting products and maintaining paper records, the system uses digital electronic titles that can be automatically validated against the electronic registry, dramatically speeding up verification while reducing human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
Electronic titles are created and registered in advance before products move through the supply chain. This preliminary digital documentation allows for rapid verification at each transaction point without requiring time-consuming inspection or record-keeping during actual product transfers.
3Measurement precision
If electronic titles with unique identifiers are implemented, then measurement precision of product tracking is improved, but loss of information increases due to digital dependency
Solution Approach 1:
Each electronic title contains localized, product-specific information including unique identifiers, ownership details, and verification data tailored to individual products. This granular level of detail ensures precise tracking of each item while maintaining comprehensive information locally within the digital record.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple critical information elements (unique identifiers, ownership records, verification data) into a single integrated electronic title. This consolidation ensures that all necessary product information is captured in one digital record, reducing the risk of information loss while maintaining high tracking precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided for inhibiting entry of unauthorized products in a supply chain. The methods and systems feature unique identifiers placed on products in the supply chain and Digitally Secured Electronic Titles (DSETs) for products. The DSETs are exchanged upon transfer of the products in the supply chain and tracked in an electronic registry.