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Anti-counterfeit patent news in brief

Patent documentOur periodic round-up of patents awarded by the US Patent and Trademark Organisation (USPTO) has uncovered interesting anti-counterfeit and brand protection approaches from the likes of Nike, Sata, NanoInk, Oracle and Seiko Epson.



Nike aims for online brand protection

Nike has patented an anti-counterfeit measure designed to protect branded products sold via online auction websites. The website requires a seller of an item to input information about the product for sale, including at least a brand of the product and a product identification code. If the brand code and product identification code are not entered, the website does not allow the seller to post the item for sale. The verification process includes comparing the listed brand and product identification codes with authentic brand and product identification codes, and where these are invalid the listing is terminated and the sale of counterfeit items is prevented.

No. 8,374,920



Sata patents improved product authentication approach

German engineering company Sata has developed a new spin on the use of serial numbers or other codes on the packaging products that can be queried via a secure database to deliver a genuine or authentic response, depending on whether the code is valid or has been used before. An often-cited weakness in this approach is that a counterfeiter may beat the originator company to market with a product bearing a valid but fraudulent code. Sata's patent describes a method which relies on the use of removable covers for two hidden codes which - it claims - makes it possible to distinguish with adequate reliability between originals and counterfeits.

No. 8,352,744



NanoInk patents Moiré pattern based counterfeit protection

NanoInk has been granted a patent an anti-counterfeiting approach involving the use of Moiré patterns on the surfaces of products which are detectable using a revealing layer only when the surfaces are illuminated at or near particular angles. Moiré patterns are a form of interference pattern, generally created by overlapping grids or shapes. The patent covers the use of Moiré patterns for pharmaceutical compositions - for example on a dosage form such as an embossed tablet - as well as ways to incorporate the revealing layers into detection systems, such as microscopes. It claims the approaches described can be either overt or covert and provide an additional layer of security over previous methods of detecting counterfeit articles.

No. 8,382,002



Oracle looks at telemetric fingerprinting for electronic components

Oracle America has patented an approach for the detection of counterfeit electronic components based on the use of electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals that can be used as a fingerprinting motif.  The patent describes a means of non-intrusively detecting counterfeit components in a computer system via the EMI patterns using one or more antennas "positioned in close proximity". A target EMI fingerprint is generated which can be compared to a reference EMI fingerprint to determine whether the computer system contains a counterfeit component.

No. 8,341,759



Seiko technology blocks counterfeit receipts

Japan's Seiko Epson Corp has described a receipt printer, control method and programme that prevent the production of counterfeit printouts, which can be used to take products out of a store, or to return products to a store and receive money in return. In some cases counterfeiters produce and sell counterfeit receipts to customers, notes the patent. The receipt printer communicates with the point-of-sale terminal and only allows a receipt to be printed if various data criteria are met. The patentees claim the method described is superior to existing systems based on the use of specialty inks, as these can be counterfeited if the receipt printer itself is acquired.  "Making the production of counterfeit receipts difficult even when in possession of the receipt printer is therefore desirable," they note.

No. 8,321,287



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