Unique Code Generation and Authentication for Product Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in effectively tracking and authenticating products across diverse global supply chains to prevent defects, counterfeiting, and compliance with varying regulations, which is often time-consuming and labor-intensive due to global manufacturing and differing export/import controls.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for generating unique codes for each product unit, including a check value, which are encrypted and decrypted using a key identifier for authentication, allowing for timely identification of product authenticity and source tracing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tracking and authentication methods are used for products in global supply chains, then product authenticity can be verified, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates and assigns unique authentication codes to products during the manufacturing process, before distribution. This preliminary encoding of product identity information enables rapid verification later without manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between reliable authentication and time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual tracking and authentication methods with an automated electronic system that uses unique codes, databases, and computational verification. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated electronic systems dramatically reduces authentication time while maintaining reliability.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If detailed tracking information is collected for each product unit, then defect sources can be identified, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system divides product information into segmented unique codes that encode specific attributes (manufacturing location, batch, date, etc.). This segmentation allows the system to track detailed defect sources without requiring a monolithic complex database, as each code contains self-contained information about product provenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The unique code system serves multiple functions simultaneously: product identification, tracking, authentication, and defect source identification. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate systems for each function, as a single unified code structure handles diverse tracking requirements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If encryption is applied to protect product code security, then counterfeit prevention improves, but the authentication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses encryption algorithms as intermediaries that transform readable product codes into secure encrypted forms. These cryptographic intermediaries provide strong counterfeit prevention while maintaining relatively simple authentication processes, as the complexity of the encryption is handled by standardized algorithms rather than custom complex systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of code generation and authentication are disclosed here. One embodiment includes receiving a request for a batch of codes, each code being unique for a separate unit item, generating a batch of codes, each code being unique for a separate unit item, wherein a subsection of the code comprises a check value, and encrypting the code. In response to receiving a request to authenticate a code, decrypting the code to access a subsection of the code comprising a check value, comparing the check value to a value to authenticate the code. In one embodiment, the encrypting further comprises encrypting the code with a key, and including a key identifier as a subsection of the encrypted code; and decrypting the code further comprises using the key identifier included in the encrypted code to access the key to decrypt the code. Further more, in one embodiment, the batch of codes are provided to be marked on a plurality of products as at least one of a numeric representation, an alphanumeric representation, or a graphic symbol.