3D Printed Product Watermark Verification System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity and ubiquity of three-dimensional printing and on-demand manufacturing pose challenges in visually determining the authenticity of products, making it difficult for manufacturers and consumers to distinguish between authentic and unlawfully manufactured or stolen items.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that incorporate a watermark into products printed by three-dimensional printers, which can be scanned using a device to verify authenticity, involving a blueprint with instructions for producing the watermark, registration with an authenticity verification service, and authorization of product owners and possessors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If three-dimensional printing and on-demand manufacturing are used to produce products, then productivity and manufacturing flexibility are improved, but the risk of unlawful replication and counterfeiting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system embeds unique watermarks into products during the manufacturing process itself, before distribution. This preliminary action of incorporating authentication features during production enables later verification of authenticity without compromising the manufacturing efficiency or productivity gains from three-dimensional printing and on-demand manufacturing.
2Ease of operation
If visual inspection methods are used to determine product authenticity, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision and detection accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a scanning device as an intermediary tool that bridges the gap between simple visual inspection and complex authentication. The scanning device captures images of watermarks and communicates with a verification service, providing accurate authenticity determination while maintaining ease of operation for end users through ubiquitous devices like cellular telephones.
3Measurement precision
If watermark embedding and verification systems are implemented, then product authenticity verification capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system is designed to be self-service oriented, where the scanning device automatically captures watermark images, communicates with the verification service, and provides authentication results without requiring complex manual operations. The system handles the complexity of watermark detection and verification internally, presenting a simple interface to end users.
4Loss of information
If unique watermarks are embedded in each product, then ability to track and identify counterfeit items is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the watermark embedding process with the existing three-dimensional printing and on-demand manufacturing processes. By integrating authentication feature incorporation into the base manufacturing workflow, the system achieves product traceability and counterfeit identification capabilities without significantly increasing manufacturing process complexity or requiring separate production steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for determining authenticity and authorized possessorship of an item that includes operations of determining a watermark comprised of one or more variations of a set of characteristics integrated into composition of the item, requesting confirmation of authenticity from an authenticity verification service that the determined watermark corresponds to an authentic, registered item, and, in response to the request for confirmation of authenticity, receiving an indication of authenticity of the item and an indication of possessor ship based at least in part on the determined watermark. Further including a system and method for obtaining a blueprint for producing the item, determining the watermark for the item, producing the item with the watermark according to the blueprint, and registering the watermark and at least one authorized possessor of the item with the authenticity verification service of a computing resource service provider.