Unauthorized product detection techniques

Abstract

An unauthorized-product detection system may compare data representing various authentication markers of items presumed to have been produced or sourced by a particular entity with stored data representing valid authentication markers of items produced or sourced by the particular entity. The authentication markers may represent inherent physical characteristics of the items or their packaging, or may be generated and applied to the items or their packaging to facilitate counterfeit detection and/or for other purposes. The data (some of which may be encrypted) may be captured using high-resolution cameras, scanners, or other devices, and then communicated to the unauthorized-product detection system for analysis. The system may maintain a data store of data representing captured or valid authentication markers and may store tracking information reflecting the use of various authentication markers. The system may provide various unauthorized product detection services to consumers, retailers, or members of a supply-chain.

1 .- 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memories, wherein the one or more memories have stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a web service, wherein the web service is configured to:
 receive a query for an indication of whether at least a portion of an item contained in an image is authentic; 
 compute a confidence score for the item, wherein the confidence score is a dependent value based at least on a number of times images of the item have been queried at the web service, wherein the confidence score lowers as the number of times images of the item have been queried at the web service increases; and 
 provide an indication of whether the item is authentic based on the confidence score. 
   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the web service is further configured to:
 receive, from a provider of the item, at least one identifier of the item.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein to receive the at least one identifier of the item, the web service is configured to receive, via an application program interface, a request including the at least one identifier of the item, and wherein the web service is further configured to:
 authenticate a digital signature in the request with a key associated with the provider of the item; and   store the at least one identifier of the item and information identifying the provider of the item.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the confidence score is further based on a similarity score, wherein the similarity score is based on a comparison of the queried-image to an identifier of the item, wherein the identifier of the item comprises a stored representation of an authentication marker for the item. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the comparison of the queried-image to the identifier of the item is based at least on a match of locations of features of the queried-image to locations of features found in the representation of the authentication marker for the item. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the queried-image comprises a captured image of at least a portion of the item or at least a portion of packaging of the item, and wherein the queried-image is captured by an image sensor. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the queried-image for the item comprises a representation of a physical characteristic of a portion of the item or a portion of packaging of the item, and wherein the representation of the authentication marker for the item is stored in one or more data stores accessible to the web service. 
     
     
         49 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a web service, a query for an indication of whether at least a portion of an item contained in an image is authentic;   computing, by the web service, a confidence score for the item, wherein the confidence score is a dependent value based at least on a number of times images of the item have been queried at the web service, wherein the confidence score lowers as the number of times images of the item have been queried at the web service increases; and   providing, by the web service, provide an indication of whether the item is authentic based on the confidence score.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the web service from a provider of the item, at least one identifier of the item.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the confidence score is further based on a similarity score, wherein the similarity score is based on a comparison of the queried-image to an identifier of the item, wherein the identifier of the item comprises a stored representation of an authentication marker for the item. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the queried-image comprises a captured image of at least a portion of the item or at least a portion of packaging of the item. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the confidence score is further based one or more of:
 a location associated with the query,   one or more locations associated with previous queries for the item, or   an identity of a requester that submitted the query.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the queried-image is captured by an acquisition component installed in a facility associated with a retailer. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the at least one image for the item comprises a representation of a physical characteristic of a portion of the item or a portion of packaging of the item. 
     
     
         56 . One or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media storing program instructions that when executed on or across one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, at a web service, a query for an indication of whether at least a portion of an item contained in an image is authentic;   compute, by the web service, a confidence score for the item, wherein the confidence score is a dependent value based at least on a number of times images of the item have been queried at the web service, wherein the confidence score lowers as the number of times images of the item have been queried at the web service increases; and   provide, by the web service, an indication of whether the item is authentic based on the confidence score.   
     
     
         57 . The one or more storage media as recited in  claim 56 , further comprising program instructions that when executed on or across the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, by the web service from a provider of the item, at least one identifier of the item.   
     
     
         58 . The one or more storage media as recited in  claim 56 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the confidence score is further based on a similarity score, wherein the similarity score is based on a comparison of the queried-image to an identifier of the item, wherein the identifier of the item comprises a stored representation of an authentication marker for the item. 
     
     
         59 . The one or more storage media as recited in  claim 56 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the queried-image comprises a captured image of at least a portion of the item or at least a portion of packaging of the item. 
     
     
         60 . The one or more storage media as recited in  claim 56 , wherein the query comprises a queried-image for the item, and wherein the at least one image for the item comprises a representation of a physical characteristic of a portion of the item or a portion of packaging of the item. 
     
     
         61 . The one or more storage media as recited in  claim 56 , wherein the confidence score is further based one or more of:
 a location associated with the query,   one or more locations associated with previous queries for the item, or   an identity of a requester that submitted the query.