Anti-counterfeiting system and method

Abstract

An online auction website has anti-counterfeiting measures. 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. If entered, the brand and the product identification code are included in the listing on the online auction webpage that advertises the product for sale during the auction period. Verification may be performed on the item to determine its authenticity. The verification process includes comparing the listed brand and product identification codes with a plurality of authentic brand and product identification codes. When the brand and product identification codes are determined to be counterfeit, the listing is terminated and the sale of counterfeit items is prevented.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus at least to:
 process a manufacturer and product code indicated to be associated with an item for sale in an online auction; 
 compare the product code to a listing of product codes associated with the manufacturer; 
 determine that the item is potentially counterfeit due to the product code not matching at least one product code included in the listing of product codes; and 
   in response to the determining, permit a listing for the item to identify the manufacturer as a producer of the item and to remain on a website for the online auction even though the item is potentially counterfeit, identify a second item that is associated with a seller of the item, and track a sale or an attempted sale of the item and a sale or an attempted sale of the second item via the online auction website.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to query for entry of a product code corresponding to a manufacturer of the item. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to identify the second item as potentially being counterfeit. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to verify whether the product code matches a format for authentic product codes for the manufacturer. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to verify whether at least one of a color, style, year of manufacture, and material of the item corresponds to at least one of a color, style, year of manufacture, and material associated with the product code. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus recited in  claim 5 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to verify whether the product code matches the item in the listing. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus recited in  claim 5 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to process information about the item, the information including at least one of the manufacturer of the item and a sub-brand of the item. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus recited in  claim 7 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to compare the product code to known authentic product codes for the manufacturer of the item and the sub-brand. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus recited in  claim 7 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to identify at least one characteristic of products sold by the manufacturer and compare the at least one characteristic with the item. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus at least to:
 query for entry of a product code corresponding to a manufacturer of an item for sale in an online auction; 
   determine that the item is potentially counterfeit due to the product code not being provided or not being authentic; and   in response to the determining, permit a listing for the item to identify the manufacturer as a producer of the item and to remain on a website for the online auction, identify a second item that is associated with a seller of the item, and track a sale or an attempted sale of the item and a sale or an attempted sale of the second item via the online auction.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus recited in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus determines that the product code is not authentic if the product code does not match a format for authentic product codes for the manufacturer. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus recited in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus determines that the product code is not authentic by verifying that at least one of a color, style, year of manufacture, and material of the item does not correspond to at least one of a color, style, year of manufacture, and material associated with the product code. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus recited in  claim 10 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, further cause the apparatus to present a query requiring inclusion of the manufacturer in the listing. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus recited in  claim 10 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, further cause the apparatus to place the listing on hold until the product code for the item is provided. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus recited in  10 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, further cause the apparatus to compare the product code to authentic product codes for the manufacturer. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein the memory having stored therein machine executable instructions, that when executed, further cause the apparatus to verify whether the product code matches the item in the listing. 
     
     
         17 . A computer readable medium storing executable instructions, that when executed, cause an apparatus at least to:
 process a manufacturer and a product code indicated to be associated with an item for sale in an online auction;   compare the product code to product codes associated with the manufacturer;   determine that the item is potentially counterfeit due to the product code not matching at least one product code of the product codes associated with the manufacturer; and   in response to the determining, identify the item as potentially being counterfeit, permit a listing for the item to identify the manufacturer as a producer of the item and to remain on a website for the online auction, identify a second item that is associated with a seller of the item, and track a sale or an attempted sale of the item and a sale or an attempted sale of the second item via the online auction.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium recited in  claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to determine that the product code is not authentic if the product code does not match a format for authentic product codes for the manufacturer. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium recited in  claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to determine that the product code is not authentic by verifying that at least one of a color, style, year of manufacture, and material of the item does not correspond to at least one of a color, style, year of manufacture, and material associated with the product code. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium recited in  claim 17 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to place the listing on hold until the product code for the item is provided.