Secure diamond smart cards and exchange systems therefor

Abstract

A tamperproof diamond package comprises a package body; at least one chip embedded in the package body and at least one antenna configured to enable communication with the chip; anti-counterfeiting visual impressions on the package body; a diamond pouch formed at a predetermined section within the package body; and one or more diamonds located inside the diamond pouch and an outer covering encasing the package body and configured to reveal any tampering with the one or more diamonds located in the diamond pouch. The diamond package can be credit card shaped and also contains serial number and website information and be provided in nominal dollar values. An associated diamond exchange system utilizes the diamond packages and provides a registration server which stores unique identifying information that enable interrogating the individual diamond packages and checking their authenticity with the registration server.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tamperproof diamond package, comprising:
 a package body;   at least one chip embedded in the package body and at least one antenna configured to enable communication with the chip;   anti-counterfeiting visual impressions on the package body;   a diamond pouch provided at a predetermined section within the package body; and   one or more diamonds located inside the diamond pouch and an outer covering encasing the package body and configured to reveal any tampering with the one or more diamonds located in the diamond pouch.   
     
     
         2 . The diamond package of  claim 1 , wherein the package body comprises a thin, credit card shaped body with a thickness that is not greater than 0.25 other dimensions associated with said package body. 
     
     
         3 . The diamond package of  claim 2 , wherein the body shape is rectangular. 
     
     
         4 . The diamond package of  claim 2 , wherein the visual impressions includes at least a serial number, and website information that is configured to enable checking the authenticity of the diamond package. 
     
     
         5 . The diamond package of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more diamonds comprises a plurality of diamonds having an aggregate price equal to a nominal dollar value. 
     
     
         6 . The diamond package of  claim 5 , wherein the nominal dollar value comprises one or more $10,000.00, $40,000.00 and $100,000.00. 
     
     
         7 . The diamond package of  claim 2 , wherein the package body includes a distribution of microspheres that creates a unique visual image in each package that is different from any such image on any other diamond package. 
     
     
         8 . The diamond package of  claim 7 , wherein the microspheres have respective diameters that measure less than or equal to 1 mm, on average. 
     
     
         9 . The diamond package of  claim 7 , wherein the microspheres are manufactured from one or more of a natural, a synthetic, a glass, a polymer, and a ceramic material. 
     
     
         10 . The diamond package of  claim 9 , wherein the microspheres are made of one of polyethylene and polystyrene. 
     
     
         11 . The diamond package of  claim 2 , wherein the diamond pouch includes a distribution of precious stone dust in multiple colors laid out in discrete dust particles. 
     
     
         12 . A diamond exchange system, operating in combination with the diamond packages of  claim 1 , and a system comprising:
 one or more entities which package and make available the diamond packages;   a registration server which stores unique identifying information for each of the diamond packages and which provides an interface to members of the public that enable providing to the registration server responses to interrogation signals submitted to a given diamond package and carries out an authentication process that verifies the authenticity of the given diamond package.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , including a marketplace server that is configured to allow members of the public to list diamond packages for sale or to submit purchase requests for diamond packages to be purchased. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , including an auxiliary verification server which is configured to enable access in diamond authenticity certificates that identify the features of the diamonds in the given diamond package in order to obtain the information of the physical diamonds in the given diamond package. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , including an inventorying warehouse and an associated server configured to enable purchasers of the diamond packages to store their diamond packages thereat. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , including at least one price information server that enables automatic pricing of diamonds packaged in any one of said given diamond packages. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a tamper-proof diamond package, comprising the steps of:
 preparing a card-shaped package having length, width and thickness dimensions and forming in the card body a diamond puck location; and   forming a diamond puck for installing into said puck location, said diamond puck formation including:
 i) forming at least one formation cavity; 
 ii) injecting a top layer in said cavity comprising a lens for said diamond puck; 
 iii) placing a plurality of diamonds atop said lens with a table surface of the diamonds facing the lens and substantially covering the diamonds with a second layer; and 
 iv) placing a plurality of taggants into said resin in a manner whereby said taggants are interspersed between said diamonds and visible from the lens side of the diamond puck. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including applying a further layer to a culet side of said plurality of diamonds and embedding therein an electronic chip and thereafter, removing said puck from said formation cavity and installing in said puck location in said card body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , including providing the card with an RFID circuit. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising burning the chip to have a unique identity which is impossible to alter.