Apparatus and method for automated inventory tracking and authentication

A computer readable medium storing a software program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform an operation of automatically tracking inventory and performing device authentication using device identity-containing information associated with at least one device that is part of an inventory, the operation comprising:

• accepting initial device identity-containing information indicative of movement of at least one device from an inventory origination point to a first sales distribution point;
• accepting additional device identity-containing information indicative of movement of said at least one device from each instance of a new and successive sales distribution point as said at least one device moves through a supply chain;
• comparing a device ID of said at least one device subsequently connected to an end user networking access point to said accepted initial and additional device identity-containing information;
• and
• authenticating said at least one device subsequently connected to an end user networking access point based upon said accepted initial and additional device identity-containing information.

A system for tracking inventory and performing device authentication using device identity-containing information associated with at least one device that is part of an inventory, the system comprising:

• means for accepting initial device identity-containing information indicative of movement of at least one device from an inventory origination point to a first sales distribution point;
• means for accepting additional device identity-containing information indicative of movement of said at least one device from each instance of a new and successive sales distribution point as said at least one device moves through a supply chain;
• means for storing said initial and additional device identity-containing information;
• and
• means for authenticating said at least one device, subsequently connected to an end user networking access point, based upon said accepted initial and additional device identity-containing information.