WO2019149643A1 - Combating product piracy and undesired counterfeit products - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention deals with measures for combating product piracy and undesired counterfeit products. The present invention relates to a method, a system and a computer program product for combating product piracy and undesired counterfeit products.

Description

 Combating piracy and unwanted imitations

 The present invention is concerned with measures to combat piracy and unwanted imitations. The present invention relates to a method, a system and computer program products for combating product piracy and unwanted imitations.

 As a product piracy, counterfeiting or piracy the business is referred to with imitation goods, which are manufactured with the aim to be similar to an original commodity to the confusion. As a rule, trademark rights or competition regulations are violated. Often, piracy also involves copyright, registered design, utility model, patent, and other intellectual property and intellectual property infringement.

 Not just for the originator, i. It is important for the manufacturer and / or distributor of the original product to know where and by whom counterfeit or counterfeit products are offered, but also customers have a great interest in knowing whether an offered product is an original product or a product Fake or imitation is. This is especially true for counterfeit medicines that either have no effect or, in the worst case, have undesirable effects that can cause harm to health. The same applies to the erroneous application of a merely counterfeited drug.

 There is therefore a great interest in being able to identify product counterfeiting and counterfeiting.

 This object is achieved with the present invention.

 A first subject of the present invention is a method comprising the steps:

 • create a digital image of a product,

 • determining location information about where the digital image was taken,

 Determining time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,

 Linking the digital image acquisition with the location information and the time information,

 Transmitting the digital image capture together with the location information and the time information via a network to a server,

 • Analyzing the digital image capture and identifying features that give an indication of the alleged originator and / or the supposed original product,

 • checking the identified characteristics for their conformity with characteristics of the original product,

 • grading the product as an original product or as a counterfeit or as an imitation,

• Checking that the product classified as an original product had an offering approval at the time of the site, and

 • Issuing and / or submitting a message via

 the authenticity of the product,

and in the case of a product classed as an original product, the authorization to offer the product to the site at that time. Another object of the present invention is a system comprising

An image capture unit for creating a digital image capture of a product,

A position determination unit for determining location information about where the digital image acquisition was made,

 A time determination unit for determining a time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,

 A transmitting unit,

 A control and data processing unit configured to associate the digital image capture with the location information and the time information, and to cause the sending entity to transmit the digital image capture together with the location information and the time information to a server via a network,

 • an image analysis unit configured to examine the digital image capture for the presence of features indicative of the alleged originator and / or the alleged original product,

 • one or more databases storing information about originators, original products, characteristics of genuine products and authorizations for offering original products at points in time,

 • an audit unit configured to check the identified characteristics for compliance with characteristics of the original product,

 • An Approval Determination Unit configured to check, for a product classified as an original, whether there was an authorization to tender at the location at the time,

 • A dispensing unit that can issue a message about the authenticity of the product and, for a product classified as an original product, about the authorization to offer the product to the site at that time.

A further subject of the present invention is a first computer program product comprising program code which can be loaded into a working memory of a mobile computer system and causes the mobile computer to carry out the following steps:

 • determining location information indicating where the mobile computer system is located,

 • create a digital image of a product,

 Determining time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,

 Linking the digital image acquisition with the location information and the time information,

 Transmitting the digital image capture together with the location information and the time information via a network to a server,

 • Receive a message via

 the authenticity of the product,

 and, in the case of a product classed as an original product, a present or non-existent license to offer the product at the site at the time,

• Display the message to a user. A further subject of the present invention is a second computer program product comprising a data carrier, and program code which is stored on the data carrier and which causes a computer in whose main memory the program code is loaded to carry out the following steps:

 Receiving a digital image capture of a product having location information indicating at which location the digital image capture has been made and a time information indicating when the digital image capture was made;

 Analyzing the digital image capture and identifying features that give an indication of the alleged originator and / or the supposed original product,

 • checking the identified characteristics for their conformity with characteristics of an original product,

 • grading the product as an original product or as a counterfeit,

 • Checking that the product classified as an original product had an offering approval at the time of the site, and

 • Issuing and / or submitting a message via

 the authenticity of the product,

 and in the case of a product classed as an original product, the authorization to offer the product to the site at that time.

 The invention is explained in more detail below, without distinguishing between the subject invention. Rather, the following explanations are to apply to all subject matters in an analogous manner, regardless of the context in which they take place.

 Whenever steps are mentioned in an order in the present specification or in the claims, this does not necessarily mean that the invention is limited to said order. Rather, it is conceivable that the steps can also be performed in a different order or even parallel to each other; unless one step builds on another step, which makes it imperative that the constructive step be carried out below (which, however, becomes clear in the individual case). The said sequences thus represent preferred embodiments of the invention.

 The object of the invention is to determine, for a product offered at one location at a time, whether it is an original product or a forgery or an imitation.

 An original product is a product that has manufactured an originator and / or that is distributed by an originator.

 Counterfeiting and counterfeiting are products that are not manufactured and / or distributed by an originator.

 A counterfeit tries to copy the outer appearance of the original exactly.

An imitation looks so similar to the original product that it can be recognized in it. An originator is usually a manufacturer of a product. Usually, the product is protected by copyrights, ancillary copyrights, industrial property rights and / or similar intellectual property rights, whereby the originator is usually the copyright owner or has a right to enforce the said rights. It is also conceivable that the originator a Distributor of a product. It may be that the distributor rights owner of copyrights, ancillary copyright, industrial property rights and / or the like, and the product on behalf of one or more manufacturers relates. However, it is also conceivable that the distributor owns a right of use (an exclusive or non-exclusive license) under one or more of the aforementioned or comparable industrial property rights and therefore has a license to distribute the product.

 For an original product, a distinction can be made between an approved and an unapproved original product. An approved original product is an original product that has one site approval at a time. An unauthorized original product is an original product that does not have a single site approval at a time. Such approval may be granted by the originator of the original product and / or by an authority. If an unauthorized original product is offered at one location at a time, it is not a counterfeiting or imitation, but the original product is likely to be on the site at that time for other, mostly legal reasons (eg import regulations, customs regulations, Provisions for the authorization of placing on the market of medicinal products, environmental regulations and the like) are not offered.

In a first step of the method according to the invention, a digital image of a product is created.

 The term "image capture" means an image of a product or a part of a product. An image capture can also show multiple products. The image is usually two-dimensional; However, a three-dimensional image is also conceivable.

 Image capture is usually a digital image capture; In principle, however, it is also conceivable to use analogue image recordings (photographs) which are digitized after their generation in order to process them digitally, to transmit them via a network to a unit for processing digital information and to be able to supply them with digital image analysis.

 The term "digital" means that the image acquisition has discrete pixels (pixels, voxels) and is in a form in which it can be fed to a machine processing, usually by a computer system. To keep the memory requirement low, it is common for the digital image recording to be binary-coded and possibly compressed. By "machine processing" the known methods for electronic data processing (EDP) are understood.

 The term "product" is understood to mean any physical object that can be offered commercially. It is also conceivable that services are a "product" in the sense of the present invention, for example when they are advertised in the form of a physical object, for example in the form of a flyer or a poster, from which a digital image recording can be made ,

 Examples of products for the purposes of the present invention are in particular pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, cosmetics, pesticides, pesticides, perfumes, clothing, bags, tools, sound carriers, videos, computer games, software, u.v.m.

In particular, the products may be so-called branded goods, which are tangible goods that have one or more trademarks (usually a word and / or figurative mark and / or word-image mark). The trademark referred to by the trademark may be a maker's mark or a trademark.

 Products are usually offered in packaged form on the market. The package may be used to transport the product to a portable condition and / or to protect it from environmental hazards that may damage the product (e.g., moisture, atmospheric oxygen, light, and the like).

 Products within the meaning of the present invention have or possess features which give an indication of the manufacturer and / or distributor of the products. Often, these features are applied to the packaging. In this description, no distinction is made between a product and its packaging. When it is said that a digital image pickup is made by a product, this includes the case where a digital image pickup is made from a packaging of a product. The purpose of creating a digital image capture is to capture and digitally display features of a product (or packaging) that give an indication of the manufacturer and / or distributor of the product. It is irrelevant whether the features are present on or on the packaging or the product itself. For reasons of simplification, therefore, reference is made only to the product in the description of the invention.

 It is also conceivable for a product to produce a plurality of digital image frames, for example from different perspectives and / or from different sides.

For a manufacturer and / or distributor of original products, it is beneficial to be aware of offers of counterfeiting and counterfeiting worldwide. Therefore, it would be beneficial if digital image captures of products could be made from anywhere in the world.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, a software product ("app") is preferably provided by the manufacturer and / or distributor or a contractor of the manufacturer and / or distributor for download in a download portal (eg, an "app store"), so that in principle everyone this software product (also referred to in this description as the first computer program product). The software product is preferably designed for use on a mobile computer (data acquisition device) such as a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a smartphone, or the like. The computers mentioned are usually equipped with a digital camera, with the digital images can be created. A user downloads the software product from a download portal on his preferably mobile computer and installs it. The software product is designed to assist the user in creating one or more digital image frames. It is conceivable that the user has the opportunity to input further information on a digital image recording into the computer, such as the name of the product, a price of the product, the name of the supplier, the name of the business in which the product is located and the like. The input can be made by means of a keyboard, via a touch screen, via a microphone by voice input or the like. It is also conceivable that the user a bar code (eg Codabar, Codel28, etc.), a 2D code (eg Codablock, Code 49, etc.) or a matrix code (eg DataMatrix, MaxiCode, Aztec code, QR code, ua), which is located on the product or on a shelf or the like, scanned with the help of the camera of his mobile computer. It is conceivable that the computer (eg via the installed software product) is configured to interpret such opto-electronically readable codes. It is conceivable that the interpreted code is linked as information with the digital image pickup. Information about where (at which location) the digital image acquisition was taken and when (when) the digital image acquisition has been made is determined for a created digital image acquisition. This information is referred to as location information or time information.

To determine the location information, a position determination system can be used. A known position-finding system is, for example, a satellite navigation system such as NAVSTAR GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or Beidou. Since the acronym GPS (Global Positioning System) has established itself in colloquial speech as a generic term for all satellite navigation systems, the term GPS is used below as a collective term for all position-finding systems.

 Preferably, the data acquisition device with which a user creates a digital image capture, with a position detection unit, such as a GPS sensor, equipped. The GPS sensor receives signals from a plurality of satellites and is configured to determine its geo-coordinates based on the signals. The geocoordinates can be recorded as location information. It is also conceivable that the location information is determined from the cell ID of the mobile radio cell in which the data acquisition device is located or from the IP address of a WLAN router to which the data acquisition device is connected. The location information comprises, in particular, information about the country in which the digital image acquisition has been created, and / or information from which the country can be determined. The city and / or the location and / or the district (district) and / or the street and / or the house number of the building on which the digital image acquisition has been created, may be part of the location information or may be from the Location information can be determined.

To determine the time information, a timer may be used that is part of the data acquisition device. However, it is also conceivable that the time information is obtained via a network from a separate timer. The time information includes in particular the date; the time is less important, but can also be recorded. In the event that the data acquisition device is configured to send a digital image capture directly or at least the same day via a network to an external server (evaluation device), the time of the shipment and / or the time of receiving the digital image acquisition be used as time information. However, it is also conceivable that the data acquisition device is configured so that it first stores a digital image recording in an internal data memory and only at a later time, for example, when the data acquisition device is connected to a network, to the external server ( Evaluation unit). In such a case, the data acquisition device therefore preferably has access to a timer in order to be able to record the point in time at which a digital image acquisition was created.

 The location information and the time information are linked with the digital image acquisition. Preferably, a file is created that includes both digital image capture and location information and time information. This file may include other information, such as information entered or collected by the user as described above. Information about the user himself, for example, when the software product is registered, can also be part of the file.

The file, at least comprising the digital image recording and the associated location information and the associated time information is transmitted via a network (eg a mobile network and / or the Internet) to an external server (evaluation device). A second computer program product is installed on the external server (evaluation unit); on the server, an analysis of the digital Bildaufinahme takes place. A goal of this analysis is the identification of characteristics (origin characteristics), which give an indication of the putative originator and / or the alleged original product.

A product may have a plurality of such characteristics of origin. Examples of origin characteristics that may be present on the product are:

 - Name of the product

 - name of an active substance

 - Name of the producer

- identification number (e.g., lot number, lot number, etc.)

 - logo

 - Trademark

 - Template

 - color design

- shape design

 - Character

 - Fonts

 - Font sizes

 - bar and / or matrix codes

- hologram

 - texture

u.v.m.

It may also be a combination of features that provide information about an alleged manufacturer and / or distributor of the product, such as spacing of characters from one another and / or other graphic elements and / or corners and / or edges of the product and the like.

 To identify the features, image analysis methods described in the prior art can be used (see, for example, SE Umbaugh: Digital Image Processing and Analysis, CRC Press, 2nd Ed. 2010; WG Kropatsch, H. Bischof: Digital Image Analysis, Springer-Verlag 2001; M. Sonka, V. Hlavac, R. Boyle: Image Processing, Analysis, and Machine Vision, 4th Ed., Cengage Leaming 2013; S. Bhattacharyya et al .: Hybrid Intelligence for Image Analysis and Understanding, Wiley, 2017; SV Rice et al .: Optical Character Recognition, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2012).

Characters can be recognized by means of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) techniques and bar or matrix codes can be read out using the corresponding interpretation tools. Logos and glyphs can be captured using feature extraction techniques.

By comparing the determined features with the characteristics of original products (original features) that original product is determined, which is supposed to be present, and / or it is determined that originator, of which the present product is supposed to come from.

The original features can be stored in one or more databases that the external server can access.

Furthermore, by comparing the identified features and / or combinations of features with the original features and / or combinations of original features, it can be checked whether the identified features are genuine (authentic). Everyone votes If features identified with original features match and match combinations of identified features with combinations of original features, then the identified features are highly likely to be authentic and the product from which a digital image capture has been created is highly probable an original product. If not all of the identified features match the corresponding original features, or if combinations of identified features do not match the corresponding combinations of original features, then it is very likely a forgery or imitation.

 It is clear to a person skilled in the art of image analysis that classifying a product as an original product or counterfeiting or imitation is usually associated with a degree of uncertainty. It is conceivable that the digital image pick-up of the offered product may be distorted due, for example, to lens defects. This distortion may result in characteristics of the product offered not being one hundred percent consistent with the corresponding characteristics of the original product. Such discrepancies in the match may also occur due to color errors in the exposure (for example, a color cast due to a false white balance). It is therefore conceivable that a probability of the existence of an original product is determined. It is conceivable that thresholds are defined; if the likelihood of the presence of an original product is above a defined threshold, the depicted product is considered genuine; if the likelihood of the presence of an original product is below a defined threshold, or if the likelihood is equal to the defined threshold, then the imaged product will be considered counterfeit or counterfeit.

 It is conceivable that the image analysis software installed on the server is configured to detect aberrations, which are all errors that may occur when taking a digital image capture. If the errors are so significant that unambiguous classification can no longer be done, the server can send a message to the user of the data acquisition device notifying them that the image pick-up does not have the required quality for classification. The user may be asked to do so to create another digital image of the product. It can be transmitted and / or displayed to him one or more images or comparable information that represent how (from which sides, from which perspective, from which distance, with which resolution, with which lighting and / or the like) he creates an image pickup should.

 It is also conceivable that an identification of a supposed originator and / or a supposed original product is not possible on the basis of the depicted features. In such a case, the server can transmit a message to the user of the data acquisition device and inform him that based on the digital image acquisition, no assignment to a known original product and / or originator could be made. The message may ask the user to take another digital image of the product. It can be transmitted and / or displayed to him one or more images or the like, which represent how (from which sides, from which perspective, from which distance, with which resolution, with which lighting and / or the like) he should create an image , The user may be asked to enter information about the alleged originator and / or the supposed original product.

The location information and the time information may be used in conjunction with the identified characteristics as genuine to determine whether an authentic product is authentic or whether it is an approved or an unauthorized one Original product is. If the original product has the characteristics that an original product should have at the site at the time, it is most likely an approved original product. If the original product has other characteristics than the characteristics that an original product at the site should have at the time, it is most likely an unauthorized original product. This verification of an existing approval is carried out with the help of one or more databases storing originators and / or original products, at which locations and at what times an authorization to tender is available.

 The results of the analyzes and reviews may be stored in one or more pirating or imitation databases accessible to the server.

 The results of the analyzes and tests can be displayed to a user of the server; for example via a screen.

In a preferred embodiment, the user who has created the digital image capture of a product receives notification of the product's authenticity and, in the event that the product is rated as the original product, a notification as to whether the product has received approval for Offer present / present or not. The user can then, for example, make his purchase decision dependent on this information. The originator receives information about where in the world counterfeit, counterfeit or unauthorized products are offered by accessing the piracy or counterfeit databases.

 It is conceivable that the user who has created the digital image recording of a product receives further information from the server.

 For example, if the product is a fake, imitation, or unauthorized product, the server may submit a picture of an approved original product so that the user can see what an approved original product looks like. Further, the server may provide the address of a vendor of approved original products to the user so that the user knows where to obtain an original product.

It is also conceivable that a user to whom a product is offered initially transmits information about the supposed originator and / or the offered product (eg a brand name) via a network to an external server. This information is linked before it is sent to the server with location information (where is the product) and time information (when does the product be offered). Based on the information provided (information about the product offered, location information, and time information), the server determines original characteristics that should be present at the site at the time of a corresponding original product. The server then notifies the user which features of the offered product of the users should preferably be recorded in one or more digital image captures to allow the server to authenticate and approve. The user receives the message and then creates one or more digital images that are transmitted to the server. The server verifies the authenticity of the product and verifies that the offer is approved and submits the results of the checks to the user. The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to figures and examples, without wishing to restrict the invention to the features or combinations of features shown in the figures and examples.

 Show it:

FIG. 1 shows by way of example a product with a multiplicity of origin features.

 The product is shown in the form of a package (1). The packaging bears a product name (10), which also represents a well-known brand (Aspirin®). The packaging (1) carries a logo (11), which points to the originator (Bayer). The logo (11) is also a well-known logo. The package bears the name (12) of an apparently containing active substance (acetylsalicylic acid). On the package (1) two tablets (16) are shown. The package (1) has graphic elements (15) that have specific shapes and colors. On one side further information (17) are printed; it may be a date of manufacture, an expiration date and / or a batch number or the like. On another side, information (18) about the contents of the package and / or its use is printed. There is also information (19) for disposal of the package.

 The features described (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) represent traits of origin which provide information about the alleged originator (Bayer) and / or the supposed original product (Aspirin® tablets in size N2, 20 pieces). But also the relationship of the described features to each other, their respective sizes and distances from each other and to the corners and edges of the package (1) can be used as origin features.

Fig. 2 shows schematically an example of the system according to the invention. In the present example, the system comprises three physically separate devices communicating with each other, i. Data exchange: a data acquisition device (20), an evaluation device (30) and a database (40).

The data acquisition device (20) comprises an image acquisition unit (21) for creating a digital image capture of a product, a position determination unit (25) for determining location information about where the digital image capture has been created, a time determination unit (23) for acquiring time information about it at which time the digital image acquisition has been made, a transmitting and receiving unit (22) via which the data acquisition device (20) can exchange data with the evaluation device (30), a control and data processing unit (24) thus configured in that it combines the digital image recording with the location information and the time information and causes the transmitting and receiving unit (22) to transmit the digital image recording together with the location information and the time information to the evaluation device (30) via a network, and a user interface ( 26) through which a user with d Em data acquisition device (20) can communicate. Typically, the user interface (26) comprises input means (also referred to as an input unit) such as a keyboard, a microphone or a touch screen, via which a user can enter data into the data acquisition device (20) and through which a user can control the data acquisition device (20) , and output means (also referred to as output unit) such as a screen and / or a speaker, via which messages can be transmitted to a user. The evaluation device (30) comprises a transmitting and receiving unit (32), via which the evaluation device (30) can exchange data with the data acquisition device (20), an image analysis unit (31) which is configured to apply the digital image recording to the data acquisition device Examining the presence of features indicating the alleged originator and / or product, a verification unit (33) configured to check the identified features for compliance with features of an original product, an approval determination unit (35) , which is configured to check for a product classed as an original product, whether there was an authorization to offer at the time at the location, a control and data processing unit (34) for controlling the individual units of the evaluation device (30) and Coordinate the data flows, and a user interface (36) through which a user with the evaluation device (30) can communicate. Typically, the user interface (36) comprises input means (also referred to as an input unit) such as a mouse, a keyboard, a microphone and / or a touch screen, via which a user can enter data into the evaluation device (30) and via which a user the evaluation device (30) and output means (also referred to as output unit) such as a screen and / or a speaker, via which messages can be transmitted to a user. The evaluation unit (30) is connected to a database (40).

 The database (40) is representative of one or more databases that store information about originators, original products, characteristics of genuine products, and permits for offering original products to sites at times.

 On the data acquisition device (20), the first computer program is installed; on the evaluation device (30) the second computer program.

Fig. 3 shows by way of example and schematically with reference to a flow chart the steps which are carried out by the data acquisition device when the first computer program is loaded into a working memory of the data acquisition device.

 (110) Creating a digital image of a product by a user of the data acquisition device

 (120) Determining time information about when the digital image acquisition was made

 (130) determining location information indicating at which location the data acquisition device was located at the time of generating the digital image capture (140) associating the digital image capture with the location information and

time information

 (150) transmitting the digital image pickup together with the location information and the time information via a network to an evaluation device

 (160) receiving a message from the evaluator via

the authenticity of the product, and, in the case of a product classed as an original product, a present or non-existent license to offer the product at the site at the time,

 (170) Display the message to the user.

4 shows, by way of example and schematically with reference to a flow chart, the steps which are carried out by the evaluation device when the second computer program is loaded into a main memory of the evaluation device.

 (210) receiving a digital image capture of a product having location information indicating at which location the digital image capture has been made and time information indicating when the digital image capture was made

 (220) analyzing the digital image capture and identifying features indicative of the alleged originator and / or the alleged original product (230) checking the identified features for compliance with features of a

original product

 (240) Classifying the product as an original product or as a counterfeit

 (250) Checking that the product classified as an original product at the time of the site had an authorization to tender

 (260) Issuing and / or submitting a message via

 the authenticity of the product,

 and in the case of a product classed as an original product, the authorization to offer the product to the site at that time.

 5 shows, by way of example and schematically with reference to a flowchart, the steps which are carried out by the data acquisition device (20) and the evaluation device (30) when the first computer program is loaded into a main memory of the data acquisition device and the second computer program into a main memory of the evaluation device loaded.

 (110) creating a digital image capture of a product by a user of the data acquisition device

 (120) Determining time information about when the digital image acquisition was made

 (130) determining location information indicating at which location the data acquisition device was located at the time of creating the digital image capture

(140) linking the digital image capture with the location information and the time information

 (150) transmitting the digital image recording together with the location information and the time information via a network to the evaluation device

(210) Receiving the digital image acquisition by the evaluation device (220) analyzing the digital image capture and identifying features indicative of the alleged originator and / or the alleged original product

(230) checking the identified features for their conformity with features of an original product

 (240) Classifying the product as an original product or as a counterfeit

 (250) Checking that the product classified as an original product at the time of the site had an authorization to tender

 (260) transmitting a message to the data acquisition device via

 the authenticity of the product,

 and, in the case of a product classed as an original product, with the approval of

Offer the product to the site at the time.

 (160) Receiving the message from the evaluation device

 the authenticity of the product,

 and, in the case of a product classed as an original product, an existing or non - existent license to offer the product at the site

Time,

 (170) Display the message to the user.

Fig. 6 shows an example of an embodiment of the system according to the invention. In the present example, the system comprises three physically separate devices that communicate with each other, i. Data exchange: a data acquisition device (20), an evaluation device (30) and a database (40).

 The database (40) is representative of one or more databases that store information about originators, original products, characteristics of genuine products, and permits for offering original products to sites at times.

 The data acquisition device (20) is embodied as a smartphone with which a user (60) can create one or more digital image recordings (G) of a product (1) on a shelf (50). The smartphone comprises the units discussed in connection with FIG. 2: image recording unit, position determination unit, time determination unit, transmission and transmission unit

Receiving unit, control and data processing unit and user interface.

 Via the transmitting and receiving unit (22), digital image recordings with the associated location information and time information are transmitted to the evaluation unit (30).

 The evaluation device (30) is designed as a tower computer. It comprises the units discussed in connection with FIG. 2: transmitting and receiving unit, image analysis unit, testing unit,

Approval determination unit, control and data processing unit, and user interface.

The evaluation unit (30) receives digital image recordings with the associated location information and time information from the data acquisition device (20) via the transmitting and receiving unit (32). With the help of the image analysis unit, the digital image recordings are examined for the presence of features indicative of the supposed Originator and / or the supposed original product. With the help of the verification unit and the database (40), the identified features are checked for conformity with features of an original product. Using the approval determination unit and the database (40), a product classified as an original product is checked to see if there was an authorization to offer it at the location.

 The results of the tests can be stored in the evaluation unit (30), stored in the database (40), displayed to a user via an output unit of the user interface of the evaluation unit (30) and / or via the transmitting and receiving unit (32) the data acquisition device (20) are transmitted, where they can be displayed to a user via an output unit of the user interface of the data acquisition device (20).

Claims

claims  A method comprising the steps of:  • create a digital image of a product,  • determining location information about where the digital image was taken,  Determining time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,  Linking the digital image acquisition with the location information and the time information,  Transmitting the digital image capture together with the location information and the time information via a network to a server,  Analyzing the digital image capture and identifying features that give an indication of the alleged originator and / or the supposed original product,  • checking the identified characteristics for their conformity with characteristics of the original product,  • grading the product as an original product or as a counterfeit or as an imitation, • Checking that the product classified as an original product had an offering approval at the time of the site, and  • Issuing and / or submitting a message via  the authenticity of the product,  and in the case of a product classed as an original product, the authorization to offer the product to the site at that time. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the product creates a plurality of digital image recordings showing the product from different sides. 3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the features giving an indication of the putative originator and / or product are selected from the list: name of the product, name of an active substance, name of a manufacturer of the product, Identification number, logo, trademark, pattern, color design, shape design, characters, fonts, font sizes, bar codes, matrix codes, hologram, texture and / or spacing of said features with each other and / or corners and / or edges of the product. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a probability for the presence of an original product is calculated and output and / or transmitted. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising the step - Submitting a message with instructions for recording digital image capture. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising the step - in the event that the product is not an original product, or in the event that there is no authorization to offer the product: transmission of information as to what features an original product has and / or where an approved original product can be obtained. 7. System comprising  An image capture unit for creating a digital image capture of a product, A position determination unit for determining location information about where the digital image acquisition was made,  A time determination unit for determining a time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,  A transmitting unit,  A control and data processing unit configured to associate the digital image capture with the location information and the time information, and to cause the sending entity to transmit the digital image capture together with the location information and the time information to a server via a network,  • an image analysis unit configured to examine the digital image capture for the presence of features indicative of the alleged originator and / or the alleged original product,  • one or more databases storing information about originators, original products, characteristics of genuine products and authorizations for offering original products at points in time,  • an audit unit configured to check the identified characteristics for compliance with characteristics of the original product,  • An Approval Determination Unit configured to check, for a product classified as an original, whether there was an authorization to tender at the location at the time,  • A dispensing unit that can issue a message about the authenticity of the product and, for a product classified as an original product, about the authorization to offer the product to the site at that time. 8. System according to claim 7, comprising - comprising a data acquisition device  An image capture unit for creating a digital image capture of a product, A position determination unit for determining location information about where the digital image acquisition was made,  A time determination unit for determining a time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,  A transmitting unit, A control and data processing unit configured to associate the digital image capture with the location information and the time information, and the Sending unit causes to transmit the digital image recording together with the location information and the time information via a network to a server, and • a dispensing unit that can issue a statement about the authenticity of the product and, in the case of a product classified as an original product, about a present or non-existent product offering authorization;  - one or more databases storing information on originators, original products, characteristics of genuine products and authorizations for offering original products at points in time,  - And an evaluation device comprising  A receiving unit for receiving the digital image recording together with the location information and the time information via a network from the mobile computer system,  • an image analysis unit configured to examine the digital image capture for the presence of features indicative of the alleged originator and / or the alleged original product,  • an audit unit configured to check the identified characteristics for compliance with characteristics of the original product,  • An Approval Determination Unit configured to check for a product classified as an original product, whether there was an authorization to offer at that location, and  • A sender unit for communicating a message about the authenticity of the product, and for a product classified as an original product, a present or non-existent license to offer the product over a network to the mobile computer system. A computer program product comprising a data carrier and program code which is stored on the data carrier and which causes a computer in whose memory the program code is loaded to carry out the following steps:  Receiving a digital image capture of a product having location information indicating at which location the digital image capture has been made and a time information indicating when the digital image capture was made;  Analyzing the digital image capture and identifying features that give an indication of the alleged originator and / or the supposed original product,  • checking the identified characteristics for their conformity with characteristics of an original product,  • grading the product as an original product or as a counterfeit or as an imitation, • Checking that the product classified as an original product had an offering approval at the time of the site, and  • Issuing and / or submitting a message via  the authenticity of the product, and in the case of a product classed as an original product, the authorization to offer the product at the site at that time. A computer program product comprising program code that can be loaded into a memory of a mobile computer system and causes the mobile computer to perform the following steps:  • determining location information indicating where the mobile computer system is located,  • create a digital image of a product,  Determining time information about when the digital image acquisition was made,  Linking the digital image acquisition with the location information and the time information,  Transmitting the digital image capture together with the location information and the time information via a network to a server,  • Receive a message via  the authenticity of the product,  and in the case of a product classed as an original product, a present or non-existent license to offer the product at the time at the site,  • Display the message to a user. 11. Computer program product according to claim 10, which is stored on a data carrier and can be loaded via a download portal to a mobile computer system.