Authentication of "SOURCE" for brands

A. Brand “source” indentifier;

• comprising,
• a). a first identifier portion with a human recognizable Brand of a Brand “source” authenticator;
• b). a second identifier portion to receive encoded symbology of a selected number of characters;
• c). said encoded symbology including at least first, second and third data fields;
• i). said first data field to receive characters pertinent to a prospective Brand “source” for authentication of a respective Brand of the Brand “source”;
• ii). said second data field to receive a date corresponding to the date of preparation of the identifier;
• and
• iii). said third data field to receive characters that are different from characters of all other third date field characters provided on said date of said second data field.

A Brand “source” authentication system for multiple articles;

• comprising
• a). a Brand “source” identifier to be attached to each such article;
• b). encoded Brand “source” authentication symbology carried by each of said Brand “source” identifiers;
• c). each said authentication symbology including an indicia unique to the article to which it is to be attached such that each of said Brand “source” identifier is unique and differs from all other Brand “source” identifiers;
• d). said Brand “source” authentication symbology including said unique indicia being applied to each said identifier by a party other then the Brand “source”.
• e). said authenticator providing a selected number of said identifiers upon request by the authentication Brand “source”;
• f). said authenticator receiving and storing, in an authenticator data storage, data concerning use of said selected number of said identifiers;
• g). said authenticator furthermore receiving all requests for verification of authentication of the respective Brand “source” to enable said authenticator to advise an inquiring party of such verification, or of the lack of same.

A method of Brand “source” authentication;

• comprising
• a). having at least one Brand “source” identifier prepared by an authenticator after a request by a Brand “source” to do so;
• b). applying to said at least one Brand “source” identifier authentication symbology, part or all of which may be encrypted, including an encoded unique indicia;
• c). said at least one Brand “source” authenticator's unique indicia to differ from the indicia of all other Brand “source” authenticators;
• d). applying to said Brand “source” identifier a human recognizable Brand of said authenticator;
• e). providing said authenticator with an authenticator data base;
• f). said authenticator receiving and storing, in said authenticator data base data concerning use of said identifier;
• g). said authenticator receiving all requests for verification of authentication Brand “source” to enable said authenticator to advise an inquiring party of such verification or of the lack of same.

A method for preparing multiple articles for Brand “source” authentication;

• comprising
• a). obtaining Brand “source” identifiers for at last the number of articles for which the Brand “source” is to be authenticated;
• including
• (i). applying to the Brand “source” identifiers authentication symbology with at least encoded indicia unique to the articles;
• (ii). said Brand “source” unique authentication symbology indicia to be different for each identifier from the indicia of all other Brand “source” identifiers;
• and
• (iii). said Brand “source” authentication symbology including said unique indicia having been previously applied to said Brand “source” identifiers by a party other then the article's Brand “source”;
• and
• b), applying a Brand “source” identifier to each article for which its Brand “source” is to be authenticated so that said indicia thereon is readily visible.

A method for authenticating the Brand “source” authorization of establishments and/or literature offering sales and/or service of a specified Brand “source”;

• including n there is a Brand “source” identifier indicating that the article is authenticateable, including Brand “source” authentication symbology including encoded indicia unique to each Branded article, associated with the article and wherein at least the encoded unique indicia are stored in an appropriate data storage;
• comprising
• (a). observing the advertisement and/or place of business to see if there is a readily visible Brand “source” identifier upon which there is symbology indicating that the alleged authorized Brand “source” authenticateable;
• (b). imaging the symbology with a camera enabled cell phone, smart phone, or other camera like imaging device;
• (c). decode the encoded indicia;
• (d) transmit the image or decode or the symbology, or both, to a data Storage;
• (e). compare the image of the symbology, or its decode, with the data in Data Storage and provide an indication of the comparison.

A method of creating a Brand “source” identifier;

• including the steps of
• a). providing a first identifier portion with a human recognizable Brand of a Brand “source” authenticator;
• b). providing a second identifier portion to receive encoded symbology of a selected number of characters;
• c). providing encoded symbology including at least first, second and third data fields;
• i). encoding said first data field to receive characters pertinent to a prospective Brand “source” for authentication of a respective Brand of the Brand “source”;
• ii). encoding said second data field to receive a date corresponding to the date of preparation of the identifier;
• and
• iii). encoding said third data field to receive characters that are different from characters of all other third date field characters provided on said date of said second data field.