WO2020190312A1

WO2020190312A1 - Content verification system for opaque sealed containers

Info

Publication number: WO2020190312A1
Application number: PCT/US2019/033798
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthew John FOGARTY
Original assignee: Bliss Distribution Inc
Current assignee: Bliss Distribution Inc
Priority date: 2019-03-18
Filing date: 2019-05-23
Publication date: 2020-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-18
Also published as: CA3038201A1

Abstract

The content verification system, for verifying the content within a sealed container, the system comprising: a data carrier comprising a unique identifier, and the data carrier being associated with a label placed on an exterior of the sealed container; a database comprising least one image and supplemental information associated with the content and the unique identifier; an electronic device for interrogating the data carrier to acquire the unique identifier and querying the database to retrieve the at least one image and the supplemental information of the content stored in a database.

Description

CONTENT VERIFICATION SYSTEM FOR OPAQUE SEALED CONTAINERS FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to verifying content of containers, and more particularly to verifying content of opaque sealed containers.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Materials such as foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products, botanical extracts and the like usually deteriorate when exposed to light and air. Hence such materials are usually packed in hermetically sealed opaque containers such as a metal can so that damage caused due to atmospheric contact, light exposure, oxidation, and dehydration may be reduced. As a result long shelf life and high quality of the materials is achieved.

[0003] However a product that is packed in an opaque sealed container cannot be viewed by a customer of the product prior to purchase. As products such as herbs and other unprocessed botanical products vary significantly from one sealed container to another sealed container, it becomes pertinent for the customer to visualize the product prior to the purchase in order to determine a quality of the product. Opening the opaque sealed container to enable the customer to view the product, may result in damaging the product due to exposure to light and air. Several methods exist to enable the customer to view contents of an opaque sealed container prior to the purchase. However, these methods suffer from one or more drawbacks as discussed below.

[0004] An existing method includes placing a representative photograph(s) of the contents of opaque sealed containers on an exterior of the opaque sealed containers. However, such representative photograph(s) do not show an actual image of the contents, but rather a representative image of a type of the contents. As a result, the customer may not be able to judge a quality of the contents by viewing the representative image. An actual quality of the contents may differ from a quality of the contents estimated by viewing the representative image, thereby resulting in a dissatisfied purchase.

[0005] Another existing method includes placing a translucent cover or using a translucent material such as a plastic film or a glass film over a part of the exterior of the opaque sealed container. The buyer may view the contents through an area of the opaque sealed container that comprises the translucent cover or the translucent material. However, passage of light through the translucent cover or the translucent material may lead to damage of the contents. Further, the translucent materials such as the plastic film or the glass film are usually fragile and expensive over metallic materials and hence may be avoided by a typical manufacturer of the opaque sealed containers.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for techniques for enabling verification and inspection of the contents of the opaque sealed containers in an effective manner.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to mitigate or obviate at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In one of its aspects, there is provided a method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, one or more images of a content of a sealed container, the one or more images of the content captured prior to sealing the content in the sealed container;

receiving, by the processor, supplemental information associated with the content from an input device, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer;

authenticating the input device;

associating, by the processor, a unique code with the one or more images and with the supplemental information of the content;

associating, by the processor, a weblink to the unique code; facilitating, by the processor, printing of the unique code for affixing the printed unique code on an exterior of the sealed container;

facilitating, by the processor, printing a subset of one or more images for affixing the subset on the exterior of the sealed container, wherein the subset of the one or more images is altered in resolution and size based on size and packaging constraint of the sealed container and also, in comparison to the one or more images before printing;

facilitating, by the processor, storage of the one or more images, the supplemental information and the unique code in a database such that the one or more images and the supplemental information are retrievable from the database via web access provided to the database through the weblink associated with the unique code; receiving a request from an electronic device to access the one or more images and the supplemental information through the weblink;

retrieving the one or more images using the unique code; and

providing the one or more images for display on the electronic device.

[0009] In another of its aspects, there is provided a method comprising:

accessing, by a processor of an electronic device, a unique code associated with a content of a sealed container by capturing an image of the unique code, wherein the unique code is affixed on an exterior of the sealed container and is a machine readable code;

sending, by the processor, a request associated with the unique code to a database that stores one or more images and supplemental information of the content corresponding to the unique code, the one or more images of the content captured prior to sealing the content in the sealed container, wherein the request is sent to the database by identifying a weblink associated with the unique code and using the weblink to access the database, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer;

retrieving, by the processor, the one or more images and the supplemental information associated with the unique code from the database; and

facilitating, by the processor, display of the retrieved one or more images and the supplemental information at a display screen associated with the electronic device.

[0010] In another of its aspects, there is provided a sealed container comprising: a subset of one or more images of a content of the sealed container provided at an exterior of the sealed container;

a scratch and sniff label configured to enable a user to scratch and sniff an emitted odor representing the odor of the content; and

a unique code provided at the exterior of the sealed container; wherein the unique code is configured to be used by an electronic device to retrieve the one or more images and supplemental information of the content stored in a database, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer.

[0011] In another of its aspects, there is provided a content verification system for verifying the content within a sealed container, the system comprising:

a unique code placed on an exterior of the sealed container;

a database comprising least one image and supplemental information associated with the content and the unique code;

an electronic device for capturing the unique code and querying the database to retrieve the at least one image and the supplemental information of the content stored in a database.

[0012] In another of its aspects, there is provided a method comprising:

authenticating the input device;

associating, by the processor, a unique identifier with the one or more images and with the supplemental information of the content;

associating, by the processor, a uniform resource identifier (URI) to the unique identifier;

encoding, by the processor, the unique identifier into a data carrier;

associating the data carrier with a label for affixing on an exterior of the sealed container;

facilitating, by the processor, storage of the one or more images, the supplemental information and the unique identifier in a database such that the one or more images and the supplemental information are retrievable from the database via the URI associated with the unique identifier;

receiving a request from an electronic device to access the one or more images and the supplemental information through the URI;

retrieving the one or more images using the unique identifier; and

providing the one or more images for display on the electronic device.

[0013] In another of its aspects, there is provided a method comprising:

accessing, by a processor of an electronic device, a unique identifier associated with a content of a sealed container, wherein the unique identifier is encoded in a data carrier, and wherein the data carrier is associated with a label;

sending, by the processor, a request associated with the unique identifier to a database that stores one or more images and supplemental information of the content corresponding to the unique identifier, the one or more images of the content captured prior to sealing the content in the sealed container, wherein the request is sent to the database by identifying a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with the unique identifier and using the URI to access the database, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer;

retrieving, by the processor, the one or more images and the supplemental information associated with the unique identifier from the database; and

[0014] In another of its aspects, there is provided a sealed container comprising: a subset of one or more images of a content of the sealed container provided at an exterior of the sealed container;

a scratch and sniff label configured to enable a user to scratch and sniff an odor representing the odor of the content; and

a unique identifier associated with a content of the sealed container, wherein the unique identifier is encoded in a data carrier, wherein the data carrier is associated with a label, and wherein the unique identifier is configured to be used by an electronic device to retrieve the one or more images and supplemental information of the content stored in a database, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer.

[0015] In another of its aspects, there is provided a content verification system for verifying the content within a sealed container; the system comprising:

a data carrier comprising a unique identifier, and the data carrier being associated with a label placed on an exterior of the sealed container;

a database comprising least one image and supplemental information associated with the content and the unique identifier;

an electronic device for interrogating the data carrier to acquire the unique identifier and querying the database to retrieve the at least one image and the supplemental information of the content stored in a database.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Several exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0017] Figures 1A-1B illustrate example environments, where various embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced;

[0018] Figure 2 is a block diagram of a content verification system configured to facilitate verification of a content of a sealed container, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0019] Figure 3 illustrates the sealed container configured to facilitate the verification of the content, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0020] Figure 4A illustrates a data representation in a storage location of a database configured to store one or more images of the content of the sealed container of FIG.2, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0021] FIG. 4B shows an image depicting the actual contents of the container, including some details of the content of the container;

[0022] FIG. 4C shows an image depicting the actual contents of the container, including additional details of the content of the container;

[0023] FIG. 4D shows a label having image depicting the actual contents of the container, in another embodiment; [0024] Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary environment, depicting an electronic device configured to verify the content of the sealed container of FIG. 2, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0025] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for facilitating verification of a content of a sealed container in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0026] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for facilitating verification of a content of a sealed container in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0027] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for verifying a content of a sealed container in accordance with another exemplary embodiment;

[0028] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for verifying a content of a sealed container in accordance with another exemplary embodiment;

[0029] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for facilitating verification of a content of a sealed container in accordance with yet another exemplary

embodiment;

[0030] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for facilitating verification of a content of a sealed container in accordance with yet another exemplary

embodiment;

[0031] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for verifying a content of a sealed container in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment;

[0032] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for verifying a content of a sealed container in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment; and

[0033] Figure 14 illustrates an exemplary of a device capable of implementing exemplary embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Various embodiments of the disclosure are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or used. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

[0036] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, system and a database that are capable of overcoming these and other obstacles and providing methods, systems, and a database for facilitating verification of a content of the sealed container. The term "content" as used herein refers to things, materials, pieces packaged within the sealed container. For example the content may include foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products, botanical extracts, herbs and such other materials. It may be noted that, the terms "content" and "contents" maybe used interchangeably herein.

[0037] By employing the embodiments of the present disclosure, a user (e.g., purchaser or customer) may view and inspect one or more images of the contents of the sealed container without actually opening the sealed container. The user is provided access to a unique code available on an exterior of the sealed container. The unique code may include visual decodable indicia comprising a two-dimensional code e.g. a quick response (QR) code, an alphanumeric code, a bar code, a logo, a graphic, or an encrypted code. In another implementation the unique code may be a 3D code. As an example, the 3D code may comprise a plurality of apertures formed within a substrate and associated with an exterior surface of the sealed container; or formed directly on the surface of the container. Each aperture includes a unique position in the 3D code relative to each of the other apertures. Additionally, each aperture has a depth parameter and at least one aperture has a depth that is different from at least one other aperture's depth. The unique code may be used by the user to access the one or more images from a database. For instance, the one or more images may be downloaded into an electronic device operable by the user. The one or more images may include a high resolution image. The user may magnify the one or more images on the electronic device to inspect and view a magnified view of the contents for verifying the contents. Various embodiments of the present disclosure are now described in detail using various figures. An example environment for facilitating verification of the contents of the sealed containers is explained with reference to FIGS. 1A-1B.

[0038] FIG. 1A illustrates an example environment 100A, where at least some embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced. The environment 100A is depicted to include a content verification system 102, a network 106, and a database 104. In an example, the content verification system 102 is deployed at a location where packaging (or sealing) of the content in a sealed container 112a, is performed. The content verification system 102 may be connected to the database 104 via the network 106. The network 106 may be a private network, a public network, a LAN, a wireless network, a Bluetooth based network, a cloud network, or any such type of network. The database 104 may be a distributed database, a centralized database or a database server accessible over the network 106 and configured to store data provided by the content verification system 102.

[0039] The content verification system 102 is configured to facilitate verification of the contents of sealed containers, for example, contents of a sealed container 112a as shown. For instance, the content verification system 102 facilitates storing images of the contents prior to sealing the contents in the container 112a, where the images are stored in the database 104. The content verification system 102 also facilitates in generation of a unique code and affixing the unique code at an exterior of the container 112a. The unique code can be used by a user of an electronic device (see, FIG. 1B) to access the images of the contents from the database 104. Some exemplary embodiments of the content verification system 102 are hereinafter explained, and especially with reference to FIG. 2.

[0040] FIG. 1B illustrates an example environment 100B, where at least some embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced. Specifically, the environment 100B represents an example set up where a user (e.g., customer or purchaser) can verify the contents of a sealed container. The environment 100B is depicted to include the user 110, the network 104, and the database 104. The user 110 may be a customer at a store 114 engaged in purchasing products packed in sealed containers 112a, 112b, 112c to 112n, hereinafter referred to as 112a-n. The store 114 may be a retail outlet, a grocery store, a medical shop, and the like where products are sold in the sealed containers 112a-n. It is noted that the environment 100B is shown to include a single user, viz. the user 110, and a single store, the store 114, but the environment 100B may include several such users engaged in purchasing products from several such stores. Each user may be associated with an electronic device capable of facilitating communication with other entities of the environment 100B via the network 106. Examples of the electronic device 108 may include, but are not limited to, laptops, desktops, smart watches, tablet devices, smart televisions, smart devices, wearable devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the like. [0041] For example, the user 110 is connected to the network 106 via the electronic device 108 (exemplarily depicted to be a tablet device). The electronic device 108 may be connected to the network 106 using, a private network, a public network, a LAN, a wireless network, a Bluetooth based network, or any such type of network. Further, the electronic device 108 may be connected to the database 104 via the network 106. In some embodiments, the electronic device 108 may be a device already present (e.g., fixed or portable) in the store 114 and such device may be used by the user 110 to verify the contents in any of the sealed containers 112_a-n. One example of such device may be an electronic kiosk or display booth.

[0042] The network 106 may be a centralized network or may comprise a plurality of sub-networks that may offer a direct communication between the entities or may offer indirect communication between the entities. Examples of the network 106 may include wireless networks, wired networks, and combinations thereof. Some non-exhaustive examples of wireless networks may include wireless local area networks (WLANs), Bluetooth networks, cellular networks and the like. Some non- exhaustive examples of wired networks may include Local Area Networks (LANs), Ethernet, Fiber Optic networks and the like. A combination of wired networks and wireless networks may include, for example, the Internet.

[0043] In another exemplary embodiment, the unique code comprises non-visual decodable indicia, such as an electronic data carrier having a unique identifier. In one implementation, the electronic data carrier is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or a near-field communications (NFC) tag 309. Accordingly, user 110 of the electronic device 108 may verify or inspect the contents of a sealed container for example, the sealed container 112a prior to making a purchase of the contents stored in the sealed container 112a. Electronic device 108 may be a stand-alone RFID/NFC reader or one integrated within a mobile computing device may then be used to read the RFID/NFC tag 309. For example, a RFID/NFC reader 108 integrated with electronic device 108 may be employed to read the RFID/NFC tag 309. In an exemplary embodiment, the user 110 may be a customer engaged in verifying or inspecting the contents of the sealed container 112a, prior to a purchase. In another exemplary embodiment, the user 110 may be a store assistant of the store 114, and the electronic device 110 may be a desktop or a laptop associated with the store 114. The store assistant may scan or read a unique code (see, unique code 306 in FIG. 3) on behalf of a customer seeking to verify or inspect the content of the sealed container 112a prior to the purchase.

[0044] To facilitate the verification or inspection of the contents of the sealed container 112a, the identification tag 309 tag affixed on the exterior of the sealed container 112a may be accessed by the electronic device 108. Verification of the content of the sealed container 112a using the unique code 306 is explained hereinafter and especially with reference to FIG.5.

[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates the content verification system 102 configured to facilitate verification of the contents of the sealed container 112a. The content verification system 102 includes a system 200, a printer 216 and an image capturing device 214. The system 200 further includes at least one processor such as a processor 202, at least one memory such as a memory 204, an input/output (I/O) module 206 and a communication interface 208. Although the system 202 is depicted to include only one processor 202, the system 200 may include more number of processors therein. In an embodiment, memory 204 is capable of storing content verification instructions 210. Further, the processor 202 is capable of executing the stored content verification instructions 210.

[0046] In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be embodied as a multi-core processor, a single core processor, or a combination of one or more multi-core processors and one or more single core processors. For example, the processor 202 may be embodied as one or more of various processing devices, such as a coprocessor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing circuitry with or without an accompanying DSP, or various other processing devices including integrated circuits such as, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, a special-purpose computer chip, and the like. In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to execute hard- coded functionality. In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be embodied as an executor of software instructions, wherein the software instructions may specifically configure the processor 202 to perform algorithms and/or operations described herein when the software instructions are executed.

[0047] The memory 204 may be embodied as one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, and/or a combination of one or more volatile memory devices and non-volatile memory devices. For example, the memory 204 may be embodied as magnetic storage devices (such as hard disk drives, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, etc.), optical magnetic storage devices (e.g., magneto- optical disks), CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory), CD-R (compact disc recordable), CD-R/W (compact disc rewritable), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), BD (BLU-RAY^TM Disc), and semiconductor memories (such as mask ROM, PROM (programmable ROM), EPROM (erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (random access memory), etc.).

[0048] The I/O module 206 is configured to facilitate provisioning of an output to a user of the system 200 and/or for receiving an input from the user of the system 200. The I/O module 206 is configured to be in communication with processor 202 and memory 204. Examples of the I/O module 206 include, but are not limited to, an input interface and/or an output interface. Some examples of the input interface may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a keypad, a touch screen, soft keys, a microphone, and the like. Some examples of the output interface may include, but are not limited to, a microphone, a speaker, a ringer, a vibrator, a light emitting diode display, a thin-film transistor (TFT) display, a liquid crystal display, an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 202 may include I/O circuitry configured to control at least some functions of one or more elements of I/O module 206, such as, for example, a speaker, a microphone, a display, and/or the like. The processor 202 and/or the I/O circuitry may be configured to control one or more functions of the one or more elements of the I/O module 206 through computer program instructions, for example, software and/or firmware, stored on a memory, for example, the memory 204, and/or the like, accessible to the processor 202.

[0049] The communication interface 208 enables the system 200 to communicate with other entities over various types of wired, wireless or combinations of wired and wireless networks, such as for example, the Internet. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the communication interface 208 includes a transceiver circuitry configured to enable transmission and reception of data signals over the various types of communication networks. In some embodiments, the communication interface 208 may include appropriate data compression and encoding mechanisms for securely transmitting and receiving data over the communication networks. The communication interface 208 facilitates communication between the system 200, the printer 216, the image capturing device 214 and the database 104, as shown in FIG. 1A.

[0050] In an embodiment, various components of the system 200, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the I/O module 206 and the communication interface 208 may be configured to communicate with each other via or through a centralized circuit system 212, as shown in FIG. 2A. The centralized circuit system 212 may be various devices configured to, among other things, provide or enable communication between the components (202-208) of the system 200. In certain embodiments, the centralized circuit system 210 may be a central printed circuit board (PCB) such as a motherboard, a main board, a system board, or a logic board. The centralized circuit system 210 may also, or alternatively, include other printed circuit assemblies (PCAs) or communication channel media.

[0051] The system 200 as illustrated and hereinafter described is merely illustrative of a system that could benefit from embodiments of the invention and, therefore, should not be taken to limit the scope of the invention. It is noted that the system 200 may include fewer or more components than those depicted in FIG. 2. As explained above, the system 200 may be included within or embody an electronic device. Moreover, the system 200 may be implemented as a centralized system, or, alternatively, the various components of system 200 may be deployed in a distributed manner while being operatively coupled to each other.

[0052] The image capturing device 214 may be a camera, a video recorder and such electronic device configured to capture images of objects such as the sealed container 112a and generate photographs or images of the objects. It is noted that though the image capturing device 214 is depicted to be in communication with the system 200, in some embodiments, the system 200 may be configured to include the image capturing device 214. In some embodiments, the image capturing device 214 may include only the hardware for capturing image frames, while the memory 204 of the system 200 stores instructions for execution by the processor 202 in the form of software for generating an image output. In an exemplary embodiment, the image capturing device 214 may further include a processing element such as a co-processor that assists the processor 202 in processing image frame data and an encoder and/or decoder for compressing and/or decompressing image frame data. The encoder and/or decoder may encode and/or decode according to a standard format, for example, a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standard format. [0053] In another implementation, image capturing device 214 may be a 3D, or stereographic, camera for capturing 3D images or image frames.

[0054] The printer 216 may be a digital printer or an analog printing device capable of printing one or more images and other data on hard surfaces such as an exterior of the sealed container or on adhesive materials such as labels, stickers, stick- on papers and the like. It is noted that though the printer 216 is depicted to be in communication with the system 200, in some embodiments, the system 200 may be configured to include the printer 216. In some embodiments, the printer 216 may be a three-dimensional printer.

[0055] Facilitating verification of contents of sealed containers is explained hereinafter with respect to a single sealed container viz. the sealed container 112a. It is noted that the content verification system 102 may be configured to facilitate verification of contents of a plurality of sealed containers.

[0056] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the processor 202 is configured to, with the stored instructions 210 of the memory 204, cause the system 200 to receive one or more images of contents of the sealed container 112a. The one or more images of the contents are captured by the image capturing device 214 prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container 112a. The system 200 may receive the captured one or more images from the image capturing device 214 via the communication interface 208. The one or more images may include a high-resolution image. In the at least one exemplary embodiment, the processor 202 is configured to, with the stored instructions 210 of the memory 204, cause the system 200 to associate a unique identifier with the one or more images of the contents. The unique identifier may include visual decodable indicia comprising a unique code such as a two-dimensional code e.g. a quick response (QR) code, an alphanumeric code, or an encrypted code; or non-visual decodable indicia, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or a near-field communication system (NFC) tag 209, as will be described below. The system 200 may further be caused to, facilitate printing of the unique code, for affixing a printed unique code 306 (as shown in FIG. 3) on an exterior of the sealed container 112a. In an exemplary embodiment, the system 200 may communicate via the communication interface 208, the unique code to the printer 216. In an exemplary embodiment, the printer 216 may perform a 2D or 3D printing of the unique code on the exterior of the sealed container 112a. In another exemplary embodiment, the printer 216 may print the unique code on an adhesive material such as a label or a sticker 308 (as shown in FIG. 3). The adhesive material may be adhered using an adhering substance such as glue to the sealed container 112a. The unique code may be printed in a human-readable format, a machine-readable format, or a combination of both. An example representation of a sealed container is explained with reference to FIG.3.

[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates the sealed container 112a including the printed unique code 306. The sealed container 112a may typically be an opaque sealed container made of a metallic material such as tin, aluminum, steel or alloys, opaque plastic, fiber and the like, which may block passage of light. The sealed container 112a maybe hermetically sealed such that air and moisture are prevented from entering the sealed container 112a. Further, the unique code 306 may be printed on the label 308, where the label 308 is adhered to the exterior of the sealed container 112a. In an exemplary embodiment, the unique code 306 may be printed directly via three-dimensional printing process on the exterior of the sealed container 112a.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more images of the contents as captured by the image capturing device 214 may be printed by the printer 216, for affixing the one or more printed images (e.g. see, an image 304) on a label 302, as shown. The label 302 may be adhered on the exterior of the sealed container 112a. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more images of the contents may be printed directly by three dimensional printing on the exterior of the sealed container 112a. Typically, a subset of the one or more images may be printed on the exterior of the sealed container 112a or on the label 302, due to paucity of space available on the exterior of the sealed container 112a. For example, a single image of the captured one or more images may be printed on the exterior of the sealed container 112a or on the label 302. The one or more images (digital images) of the contents that are high resolution images are stored in the database 104, however the one or more printed images, such as the image 304 may usually be of a lower resolution and quality in comparison to the captured one or more images that are stored in the database 104.

[0059] Further, the sealed container 112a may include a scratch and sniff label or sticker on the exterior of the sealed container 112a. The scratch and sniff label may typically include an odor similar to an odor of the contents and may be configured to emit the odor when a user scratches the scratch and sniff label. The emitted odor may enable the user to smell the contents without actually opening the sealed container 112a. In one implementation, for a sealed container 112a whose contents comprise terpenes, the scratch and sniff label may comprise an emitted odor corresponding to the actual concentrations of terpene components with the content, such as pinene, myrcene, and limonene, among others.

[0060] The system 200 may be further caused to, facilitate storage of the captured one or more images and the unique code 306 in the database 104 (FIG. 1A). The system 200 may be further caused to, associate a weblink to the unique code 306. The weblink may provide web access to a storage location 506 (as shown in FIG. 5) of the database 104 where the captured one or more images and the unique code 306 are stored. The system 200 maybe further caused to receive supplemental information associated with the contents from an input device associated with the I/O module 206. The system 200 may be caused to authenticate the input device that provides the supplemental information. For example, the input device may include a keyboard, and authentication may include verifying a password inputted by personnel authorized to provide the supplemental information. On successful authentication, the system 200 may facilitate storage of the supplemental information along with the one or more images in the database 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the supplemental information may include name and description of the contents, date of manufacture of the contents, packaging date of the contents and ancillary information, where the ancillary information may include other information pertaining to the content that may be of interest to the user. The one or more images, the unique code 306 and the supplemental information of the contents may be stored as a tuple or a data representation in the storage location 506 as shown in FIG.4A.

[0061] In another implementation, system 200 comprises an augmented reality system 215 for provisioning and configuring augmented reality (AR) markers 217, as will be described below. The AR marker 217 identifies the type and display position of augmented reality content which will be synthesized with the image, and is configured to have a predetermined shape, pattern, indicia, QR-code etc. Examples of the marker 217 include not only a typical marker used in a general marker-based augmented reality system, but also a target, such as a user-defined image or pattern, used to invoke an object in a markerless augmented reality system. Before the container 112 is sealed, 2D and/or 3D images of the content of the container 112a are captured using a video-capture device such as a camera. The exact position where the virtual content should be embedded, with respect to the container 112a, is defined, and typically this is identified either by markers 217 attached to the container 112a. Using an AR application on electronic device 208, target container 112a is brought into the field of view of the camera associated with the electronic device 208, and when an AR marker 217 exists in a real scene through the camera, the displayed target region is overlaid with the relevant virtual content based on the detected AR marker.

[0062] In more detail, once the scene becomes clearly recognized and identified, the electronic device 208 requests the corresponding virtual, typically from the Internet or from any kind of database, and then, the AR system 215 produces a mixed image of the real space as well as the virtual content on the display means associated with the electronic device 208. As an example, augmented reality content is displayed on the viewing device 208 and the user can manipulate the content using an AR application by moving the sealed container within the field of view of the camera to detect the AR marker 217. Accordingly, the image of the contents being manipulated is the actual image of the contents of that particular container.

[0063] The AR application can provide image manipulation functions via the GUI user interface associated with the electronic device 208. As an example, the user can modify image media, backgrounds, and so forth. Functions for manipulating images include, but are not limited to color skewing, cropping, zooming, rotating, conversion to black/white or grayscale, and filtering.

[0064] In another implementation, side by side comparisons of the contents of one or more sealed containers 112a may be performed. For example, the user places the container 112a in the field of view of the camera of the electronic device 208 and the images or AR content associated with the actual contents of the containers 112a, include ancillary information, are retrieved and displayed on the display means.

[0065] In another implementation, application logic of the augmented reality system 217 queries a database of marker identifiers (indexed appropriately) and returns an identifier (e.g., a uniform resource identifier (URI)) to a particular content object that the rendering application on the electronic device 208 then accesses. The URI identifies a location on the Internet (or some other network) at which the content object may be fetched. The rendering engine on the electronic device 208 then fetches the content object and returns it to the mobile device AR-run-time. Accordingly, the AR content object is then streamed or downloaded to the electronic device 208 run- time for rendering in response to the scan. The AR content object itself may be supplemented with one or more overlay call-to-action controls that are accessible by an end user viewing the content to perform additional control actions (e.g., initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container 112a and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms.

[0066] FIG. 4A illustrates a typical data representation 400 in the storage location 506 of the database 104. The data representation 400 may include a unique code 402, a weblink 404, name 406, description 408, date of manufacture 410, ancillary information 412, and the captured one or more images viz. Image₁ 414a, Image₂ 414b . . . Image_n 414n. Data provided for storage under the name 406, the description 408, the date of manufacture 410 and the ancillary information 412 may include the supplemental information provided to the database 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the name 406 includes a name of the contents of the sealed container. The description 408 includes a description of the contents, for example, a place of origin of the contents, a place of manufacture, name of the manufacturer, and such information. Further, the date of manufacture 410 may include a date when the contents are manufactured. Further, the ancillary information 412 may include other supporting data pertaining to the contents that may be of interest to the customers.

[0067] For example, the unique code 306 of the sealed container may be stored in the storage location 506 as the unique code 402. The weblink associated with the unique code 306 may be stored as the weblink 404. Further, the captured one or more images may be stored as Image_1-n 414_a-n. Further, the supplemental information inputted in association with the unique code 306 to the system 200 may be stored as the name 406, the description 408, the date of manufacture 410 and the ancillary information 412.

[0068] The one or more images 414a-n, and the supplemental information 406- 412 stored in the database 104 corresponding to the unique code 402, may be retrieved from the database 104 by providing information associated with the unique code 306 to the database 104. For example, the unique code 306 may be used as a primary key for retrieving the supplemental information 406-412 and the one or more images 414_a-n, associated with the contents of the sealed container 112a from the database. In an exemplary embodiment, when an electronic device 108 (as shown in FIG. 1B) operated by a user 110 (see FIG. 1B), accesses the affixed unique code 306 from the exterior of the sealed container 112a, and provides the unique code 306 as an input for the retrieval, the one or more images 414a-n, and the supplemental information 406-412 may be retrieved.

[0069] For example, FIG. 4B shows an image 415 depicting the actual contents, such as an agricultural product, of the container 112a on a display means associated with the electronic device 112. Additional details of the content of the container which may comprise the product details and producer details 416; test results 417 showing the levels of cannabinoids and associated interactive composition color wheel 418; and control button 419 to invoke more detailed test results, as shown in FIG.4C.

[0070] FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C may include AR content depicting the actual contents of the container 112a on a display means associated with the electronic device 112. Using controls associated with the electronic device 208, the AR content may be manipulated by the user and can therefore be zoomed in or out, rotated, and so forth.

[0071] In another implementation, the AR system 215 is capable of recognizing and interpreting gestures in order to interact with the AR content. Accordingly, electronic device 208 may comprise visual tracking components for tracking hand movements or gestures or facial expressions.

[0072] In another implementation, the AR system 215 is capable of recognizing and interpreting voice commands in order to interact with the AR content.

[0073] In another implementation, the AR system 215 is capable of recognizing and interpreting gazes in order to interact with the AR content. Accordingly, electronic device 208 may comprise eye-tracking components for tracking eye movements to enable gaze control.

[0074] FIG. 4C shows additional details 422 of the content of the container which may comprise the sample product details (e.g. product name and weight) 424; producer details 426; moisture test results 428; terpene test results 430; cannabiod test results 432; residual solvent test results 434; and microbiological test results 436.

[0075] FIG. 4D shows a label 440 having image 442 depicting the actual contents 443 of the container 112a, in another embodiment. Accordingly, the label 440 may be coupled to the body of the container 112 by a stem 444 such that the label 440 is disposed away from the body of the container. The label 440 may also include the unique code and the one or more 2D or 3D images associated with the contents of container 112a.

[0076] FIG. 5 is an example environment 500, depicting the electronic device 108 configured to verify the contents of the sealed container 112a. The environment 500 includes the electronic device 108, the database 104, the network 106, and a representative sealed container such as the sealed container 112a. The electronic device 108 may include a processor 502, and a display screen 504. Further, the database 104 may include one or more storage locations such as the storage location 506, and an input/output interface 508. The electronic device 108 may communicate with the database 104 via the network 106.

[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, the printed unique code 306 may be accessed by capturing an image of the printed unique code 306 by a scanning device, an image capturing device present in or otherwise accessible to the electronic device 108 or any such device. The scanning device or the image capturing device may be included within the electronic device 108 or may be communicatively coupled to the electronic device 108. The accessed unique code 306 is provided to the processor 502 of the electronic device 108. In an example, the printed unique code 306 may be accessed by the scanning device, the image capturing device or any such device usually when the printed unique code 306 is in the machine-readable format. In another example, where the unique code 306 is in a human-readable format such as the alphanumeric code, the unique code 306 may be visually read by the user 110 and inputted into the electronic device 108, and thereby provisioned to the processor 502.

[0078] The processor 502 may send, via the network 106, a request associated with the accessed unique code 306 to the input/output interface 508 of the database 104. Sending the request may include determining the weblink associated with the unique code and sending the weblink via the network 106 to the database 104 for accessing the one or more images 414a-n and the supplemental information 406-412 corresponding to the unique code 306. The weblink may point to the storage location 506 of the database where the unique code 402, the captured one or more images 414_a-n, and the supplemental information 406-412 associated with the contents of the sealed container 112a are stored. In the exemplary embodiment, the stored unique code 402 corresponds to the printed unique code 306.

[0079] On receiving the request including the weblink by the input/output interface 508 of the database 114, the input/output interface 508 may provide the one or more images 414a-n to the electronic device 108. The processor 502 may be caused to retrieve the one or more images 414a-n associated with the unique code 306 from the database 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 502 maybe caused to receive the one or more images 414_a-n, provided by the input/output interface 508 via the network 106.

[0080] Further, the processor 502, may facilitate the display of the retrieved one or more images 414_a-n at the display screen 504, associated with the electronic device 108. Further, the processor 502, may retrieve the supplemental information 406-412 associated with the unique code 402 from the database 114. The processor 502, may further, facilitate the display of the retrieved supplemental information 406-412 at the display screen 504, as shown. The user 110 may view the one or more images 414a-n on the display screen 504 to inspect the contents of the sealed container. The user 110 may additionally perform zoom or magnify operations on the one or more images 414a-n using typical user interfaces of the electronic device 108, in order to inspect the one or more images 414a-n with higher clarity and detail. The user 110 may be able to judge a quality of the contents on viewing the one or more images 414a-n prior to making the purchase. A method for facilitating verification of a content of a sealed container is explained with reference to FIG.6.

[0081] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example method 600 for facilitating content verification of sealed containers, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The method 600 depicted in the flow diagram may be executed by, for example, the content verification system 102 explained with reference to FIGS. 1A to 2. Operations of the flowchart, and combinations of operation in the flowchart, may be implemented by, for example, hardware, firmware, a processor, circuitry and/or a different device associated with the execution of software that includes one or more computer program instructions. The operations of the method 600 are described herein with help of the content verification system 102. For example, one or more operations corresponding to the method 600 may be executed by a processor, such as the processor 202 of the content verification system 102. Although the one or more operations are explained herein to be executed by the processor 202 alone, it is understood that the processor 202 is associated with a memory, such as the memory 204 of the content verification system 102, which is configured to store machine executable instructions for facilitating the execution of the one or more operations. The operations of the method 600 can be described and/or practiced by using a system other than the content verification system 102. The method 600 starts at operation 602.

[0082] At operation 602 of the method 600, one or more images of contents of a sealed container is received by a processor such as the processor 202 of the content verification system 102 explained with reference to FIG. 2. The one or more images of the content may be captured prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container. The one or more images may comprise high-resolution images or images of various resolutions.

[0083] At operation 604 of the method 600, a unique code is associated with the one or more images of the contents by the processor. The unique code may be one of a two-dimensional code, an alphanumeric code, and an encrypted code, configured to uniquely identify the one or more images of the contents.

[0084] At operation 606 of the method 600, the unique code may be facilitated to be printed by the processor. The printing of the unique code may be facilitated for purpose of affixing the printed unique code on an exterior of the sealed container. As explained with reference to FIG. 3, the unique code may be printed on an exterior of the sealed container or on a label configured to adhere on the exterior of the sealed container.

[0085] At operation 606 of the method 600, the one or more images and the unique code may be facilitated by the processor to be stored in a database. The one or more images may be retrievable from the database on providing the unique code to the database. Retrieval of the one or more images from the database is explained in reference to FIGS. 4-5 and is not explained herein again. Another method for facilitating verification of contents of the sealed container is explained with reference to FIG. 7.

[0086] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an example method 700 for facilitating content verification of sealed containers, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The method 700 starts at operation 702.

[0087] At operation 702 of the method 700, one or more images of contents of a sealed container may be received by a processor such as the processor 202 of the content verification system 102 explained with reference to FIG. 2. The one or more images of the contents may be captured prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container. The one or more images may comprise a high-resolution image. [0088] At operation 704 of the method 700, a unique code may be associated with the one or more images of the contents by the processor. The unique code may be one of a two-dimensional code, an alphanumeric code, and an encrypted code, configured to uniquely identify the one or more images of the contents.

[0089] At operation 706 of the method 700, the unique code may be facilitated to be printed by the processor. The printing of the unique code may be facilitated for purpose of affixing the printed unique code on an exterior of the sealed container. As explained with reference to FIG. 3 the unique code may be printed on an exterior of the sealed container or on a label configured to adhere on the exterior of the sealed container. The unique code maybe printed in a human-readable format or a machine- readable format or a combination of both.

[0090] At operation 708 of the method 700, the one or more images may be facilitated by the processor, to be printed, for purpose of affixing the one or more images on an exterior of the sealed container. For example, the one or more images may be printed directly on the exterior of the sealed container. In another example, the one or more images may be printed on an adhesive material such as a label, a sticker, stick-on paper and the like, where the adhesive material is adhered to the exterior of the sealed container, as explained in reference to FIG. 3. The printed one or more images may be altered in resolution and size in comparison to the captured one or more images. For example, a printed image may have a smaller size and lesser resolution based on a size of the sealed container and printing resolution available, respectively. In a non-limiting example, a captured image may have resolution as high as 10 mega pixels, however a printed image may be a printed copy of an image having resolution less than or equal to 5 mega pixel resolution. Further, the printed one or more images maybe a subset of the captured one or more images. For example, a single image of the captured one or more images may be printed on the sealed container based on a space constraint and other packaging constraints of the sealed container.

[0091] At operation 710 of the method 700, the one or more images and the unique code are stored in a database. The database may comprise of one or more storage locations for storing the one or more images and the unique code. A data representation of a storage location is explained in FIG. 4. The database may further include an input/output interface for receiving the one or more images and the unique code via a network from the processor of the content verification system 102. [0092] At operation 712 of the method 700, a weblink may be associated with the unique code, by the processor. The weblink may point to the storage location of the database where the unique code and the one or more images are stored.

[0093] At operation 714 of the method 700, supplemental information associated with the content may be received by the processor. The processor may authenticate an input device which provides the supplemental information. For example, authorized personnel using an input device such as a keyboard may input the supplemental information into the content verification system. The processor, may authenticate the input by a password or such means before accepting the supplemental information. The supplemental information may include a name and description of the contents, date of manufacture of the contents, and ancillary information pertaining to the contents.

[0094] At operation 716 of the method 700, the processor may facilitate a storage of the supplemental information with the one or more images in the database. Storage of the supplemental information in the storage location of the database is explained with reference to FIG. 4 and is not explained herein again.

[0095] At operation 718 of the method 700, the processor may enable retrieval of the one or more images and the supplemental information from the database. The one or more images may usually be retrieved on receiving a request from an electronic device, where the request may be initiated in response to a user seeking to verify the contents of the sealed container. A method for verification of contents of a sealed container is explained with reference to FIG.8.

[0096] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an example method 800 for verifying content of sealed containers, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The method 800 depicted in the flow diagram may be executed by, for example, an electronic device 108 explained with reference to FIGS. 1B to 5. Operations of the flowchart, and combinations of operation in the flowchart, may be implemented by, for example, hardware, firmware, a processor, circuitry and/or a different device associated with the execution of software that includes one or more computer program instructions. The operations of the method 800 are described herein with help of the electronic device 108. For example, one or more operations corresponding to the method 800 may be executed by a processor, such as the processor 502 (refer FIG. 5) of the electronic device 108. Although the one or more operations are explained herein to be executed by the processor 502 alone, it is understood that the processor 502 is associated with a memory (not shown in FIG. 5), which is configured to store machine executable instructions for facilitating the execution of the one or more operations. The operations of the method 800 can be described and/or practiced by using an electronic device other than the electronic device 108. The method 800 starts at operation 802.

[0097] At operation 802 of the method 800, a unique code associated with contents of a sealed container may be accessed by the processor of the electronic device. The unique code may be affixed on an exterior of the sealed container. In an exemplary embodiment, an image of the unique code may be captured by an image capturing device coupled to or embodied within the electronic device. The captured image of the unique code may be communicated to the processor. The unique code may be accessed when a user of the electronic device seeks to verify the contents of the sealed container. In an exemplary embodiment, the user may be a customer engaged in purchasing the contents of the sealed container and may seek to verify the contents prior to making the purchase.

[0098] At operation 804 of the method 800, a request associated with the unique code may be sent by the processor, to a database that stores one or more images of the contents corresponding to the unique code. The one or more images of the contents may be captured prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container. The one or more images may include at least one high-resolution image of the contents.

[0099] At operation 806 of the method 800, the one or more images associated with the unique code, may be retrieved by the processor, from the database. In an exemplary embodiment, an input/output interface of the database may provide the one or more images to the processor upon receiving the request comprising the unique code from the processor of the electronic device.

[00100] At operation 808 of the method 800, the retrieved one or more images may be facilitated by the processor to be displayed on a display screen associated with the electronic device. For example, the high-resolution image so retrieved may be viewed on the display screen. The user may perform a zoom operation on the high-resolution image in order to view a magnified image of the contents. The magnified image may enable the user to inspect a quality of the contents with higher precision and detail. On inspecting the quality of the contents, the user may choose to buy the contents of the sealed container. Another method for verification of contents of a sealed container is explained with reference to FIG.9. [00101] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of an example method 900 for content verification of sealed containers, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The method 900 starts at operation 902.

[00102] At operation 902 of the method 900, an image of a unique code affixed on an exterior of a sealed container may be captured by an image capturing device. The unique code may be associated with contents of the sealed container. The contents of the sealed container are to be verified using an electronic device. In an exemplary embodiment, the electronic device may be operated by a user engaged in purchasing the contents of the sealed container. The user may seek to verify or view the contents of the sealed container prior to the purchase. In order to verify the contents, the image of the unique code may be captured by the image capturing device. The image capturing device may be a part of the electronic device or may be communicatively coupled to the electronic device. The captured unique code may be communicated to a processor of the electronic device.

[00103] At operation 904 of the method 900, on accessing the unique code, a weblink associated with the unique code may be determined by the processor. The weblink may point to a storage location of a database, where one or more images of the contents of the sealed container may be stored. The electronic device may be communicate with the database via a network as explained with reference to FIG. 1B.

[00104] At operation 906 of the method 900, the weblink may be communicated, by the processor, via the network to the database for accessing the one or more images of the contents and supplemental information corresponding to the unique code. An input/output interface of the database may be configured to receive the weblink and provide the one or more images and the supplemental information to the electronic device. The one or more images of the contents may be captured prior to sealing the sealed container. Further, the one or more images may include a high-resolution image.

[00105] At operation 908 of the method 900, the one or more images associated with the unique code may be retrieved by the processor from the database.

[00106] At operation 910 of the method 900, the supplemental information associated with the unique code may be retrieved by the processor from the database. In an exemplary embodiment, the supplemental information includes a name and description of the contents, date of manufacture of the contents, and ancillary information. [00107] At operation 912 of the method 900, the one or more images may be facilitated, by the processor, to be displayed on a display screen of the electronic device. The user may perform a magnify operation on the displayed one or more images to view the contents depicted in the one or more images clearly in order to judge a quality of the contents prior to making the purchase.

[00108] At operation 914 of the method 900, the supplemental information may be facilitated by the processor to be displayed on the display screen of the electronic device. The supplemental information may be displayed to provide the user with additional information on the contents, so that the user may make an informed decision in respect to the purchase of the contents.

[00109] In another exemplary embodiment, the unique identifier comprises non- visual decodable indicia, and is included in a data carrier device, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or a near-field communication system (NFC) tag 309, as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, user 110 of the electronic device 108 may verify or inspect the contents of a sealed container for example, the sealed container 112a prior to making a purchase of the contents stored in the sealed container 112a.

[00110] A stand-alone RFID and/or NFC reader (not shown) or one integrated within the electronic device 208 may be used to read the RFID/NFC tag. In an exemplary embodiment, the user 110 may be a customer engaged in verifying or inspecting the contents of the sealed container 112a, prior to a purchase. In another exemplary embodiment, the user 110 may be a store assistant of the store 114, and the electronic device 110 may be a desktop or a laptop associated with the store 114. The store assistant may read the RFID/NFC tag 309 on behalf of a customer seeking to verify or inspect the content of the sealed container 112a prior to the purchase (as described in FIG.11).

[00111] To facilitate the verification or inspection of the contents of the sealed container 112a, the RFID/NFC tag 309 tag is associated with a label and affixed on the exterior of the sealed container 112a. Alternatively, RFID/NFC tag 309 may be embedded in the sealed container 112a. Verification of the content of the sealed container 112a using the RFID/NFC tag 309 is explained hereinafter and especially with reference to FIG. 13.

[00112] FIG. 2 will now be used to described a content verification system 102 configured to facilitate verification of the contents of the sealed container 112a using RFID/NFC tags 309. The content verification system 102 includes a system 200, an RFID/NFC writer 216 and an image capturing device 214. As an example, RFID tags 309 may be compatible with various protocols, such as UHF EPC Gen 2 V2, ISO/IEC 18000-63 and RAIN RFID protocols. The NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) may be employed to exchange information between any compatible NFC device and another NFC device or the NFC tags 309. The data format consists of NDEF Messages and NDEF Records, and can be used to store and exchange information such as URIs, plain text, etc. NFC tags 309 can be configured as NDEF tags, and data written to them by one NFC device (NDEF Records) can be understood and accessed by any other NDEF compatible device. NDEF messages can also be used to exchange data between two active NFC devices in "peer-to-peer" mode.

[00113] System 200 comprises a RFID/NFC encoder 219 for encoding RFID/NFC tags with a unique identifier, and labelling unit 220 cuts a label in which RFID/NFC inlay is attached.

[00114] Once again referring to FIG. 5 depicting the electronic device 108 configured to verify the contents of the sealed container 112a, the environment 500 includes the electronic device 108, the database 104, the network 106, and a representative sealed container such as the sealed container 112a. In an exemplary embodiment, the unique identifier encoded in RFID/NFC tag 309 may be accessed by bringing a standalone RFID/NFC reader associated with the electronic device 108, or integrated therewith, in proximity to the sealed container 112a to read the RFID/NFC tag 309. The RFID/NFC reader may be included within the electronic device 108 or may be communicatively coupled to the electronic device 108. The accessed unique identifier is provided to the processor 502 of the electronic device 108.

[00115] Similar to the description related to unique code 306, the processor 502 may send, via the network 106, a request associated with the accessed unique identifier to the input/output interface 508 of the database 104. Sending the request may include determining the URI associated with the unique identifier and sending the URI via the network 106 to the database 104 for accessing the one or more images 414a-n and the supplemental information 406-412 corresponding to the unique code 306. The URI may point to the storage location 506 of the database where the unique identifier, the captured one or more images 414_a-n, and the supplemental information 406-412 associated with the contents of the sealed container 112a are stored.

[00116] On receiving the request including the URI by the input/output interface 508 of the database 114, the input/output interface 508 may provide the one or more images 414a-n to the electronic device 108. The processor 502 may be caused to retrieve the one or more images 414a-n associated with the unique code 306 from the database 104. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 502 maybe caused to receive the one or more images 414_a-n, provided by the input/output interface 508 via the network 106.

[00117] Further, the processor 502, may facilitate the display of the retrieved one or more images 414_a-n at the display screen 504, associated with the electronic device 108. Further, the processor 502, may retrieve the supplemental information 406-412 associated with the unique identifier from the database 114. The processor 502, may further, facilitate the display of the retrieved supplemental information 406-412, 417, 418 and 422 at the display screen 504. The user 110 may view the one or more images 414a-n on the display screen 504 to inspect the contents of the sealed container. The user 110 may additionally perform zoom or magnify operations on the one or more images 414a-n using typical user interfaces of the electronic device 108, in order to inspect the one or more images 414a-n with higher clarity and detail. The user 110 may be able to judge the quality of the contents on viewing the one or more images 414a-n prior to making the purchase. A method for facilitating verification of a content of a sealed container using RFID/NFC tags is explained with reference to FIG.11.

[00118] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of exemplary method steps 1600 for facilitating content verification of sealed containers, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, similar to method 600. The operations of the method 1600 can be described and/or practiced by using a system other than the content verification system 102. The method 1600 starts at operation 1602. At operation 1602 of the method 1600, one or more images of contents of a sealed container are received by a processor such as the processor 1202 of the content verification system 102 explained with reference to FIG.2. The one or more images of the content may be captured prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container. The one or more images may comprise high- resolution 2D or 3D images or images of various resolutions.

[00119] At operation 1604 of the method 1600, a unique identifier is associated with the one or more images of the contents by the processor. The unique identifier may be configured to uniquely identify the one or more images of the contents. The one or more images and the unique identifier may be facilitated by the processor to be stored in a database. [00120] At operation 1606 of the method 1600, the unique identifier may be encoded in a RFID/NFC tag 309. In one example, the RFID/NFC tag 309 is included with a label, and the label is affixed on an exterior of the sealed container, at operation 1608. Alternatively, the RFID/NFC tag 309 is embedded within the container. The one or more images may be retrieved from the database on providing the unique identifier to the database. Retrieval of the one or more images from the database is explained in reference to FIGS.4-5 and is not explained herein again. In yet another implementation, a method for facilitating verification of contents of the sealed container is described with reference to FIG.12.

[00121] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of exemplary method steps 1700 for facilitating content verification of sealed containers, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, similar to method 700. The method 1700 starts at operation 1702, in which one or more images of contents of a sealed container is received by a processor such as the processor 202 of the content verification system 102 explained with reference to FIG. 2. The one or more images of the content may be captured prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container. The one or more images may comprise high- resolution 2D or 3D images or images of various resolutions.

[00122] At operation 1704 of the method 1700, a unique identifier is associated with the one or more images of the contents by the processor. The unique identifier may be configured to uniquely identify the one or more images of the contents.

[00123] At operation 1706 of the method 1700, the unique identifier may be encoded in a RFID/NFC tag 309. In one example, the unique identifier may be encoded in a RFID/NFC tag 309. In one implementation, the RFID/NFC tag 309 is included with a label, and the label is affixed on an exterior of the sealed container, at operation 1708. Alternatively, the RFID/NFC tag 309 is embedded within the container. The one or more images may be retrieved from the database on providing the unique identifier to the database. In another example, the one or more images may be printed on an adhesive material such as a label, a sticker, stick-on paper and the like, where the adhesive material is adhered to the exterior of the sealed container, as explained in reference to FIG. 3. The printed one or more images may be altered in resolution and size in comparison to the captured one or more images. For example, a printed image may have a smaller size and lesser resolution based on a size of the sealed container and printing resolution available, respectively. In a non-limiting example, a captured image may have resolution as high as 10 mega pixels, however a printed image may be a printed copy of an image having resolution less than or equal to 5 mega pixel resolution. Further, the printed one or more images maybe a subset of the captured one or more images. For example, a single image of the captured one or more images may be printed on the sealed container based on a space constraint and other packaging constraints of the sealed container.

[00124] At operation 1710 of the method 1700, the one or more images and the unique identifier may be facilitated by the processor to be stored in a database. The database may comprise of one or more storage locations for storing the one or more images and the unique identifier. A data representation of a storage location is explained in FIG. 4. The database may further include an input/output interface for receiving the one or more images and the unique identifier via a network from the processor of the content verification system 102.

[00125] At operation 1712 of the method 1700, a URI may be associated with the unique identifier by the processor. The URI may point to the storage location of the database where the unique identifier and the one or more images are stored.

[00126] At operation 1714 of the method 1700, supplemental information associated with the content may be received by the processor. The processor may authenticate an input device which provides the supplemental information. For example, authorized personnel using an input device such as a keyboard may input the supplemental information into the content verification system. The processor, may authenticate the input by a password or such means before accepting the supplemental information. The supplemental information may include a name and description of the contents, date of manufacture of the contents, and ancillary information pertaining to the contents.

[00127] At operation 1716 of the method 1700, the processor may facilitate a storage of the supplemental information with the one or more images in the database. Storage of the supplemental information in the storage location of the database is explained with reference to FIG.4 and is not explained herein again.

[00128] At operation 1718 of the method 1700, the processor may enable retrieval of the one or more images and the supplemental information from the database. The one or more images may usually be retrieved on receiving a request from an electronic device, where the request may be initiated in response to a user seeking to verify the contents of the sealed container. Another method for verification of contents of a sealed container is explained with reference to FIG.12. [00129] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of exemplary method steps 1800 for verifying content of sealed containers, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The method 1800 depicted in the flow diagram may be executed by, for example, an electronic device 108 explained with reference to FIGS. 1B to 5. The operations of the method 800 can be described and/or practiced by using an electronic device other than the electronic device 108. The method 1800 starts at operation 1802.

[00130] At operation 1802 of the method 1800, a unique identifier associated with contents of a sealed container may be accessed by the reader of the electronic device. The unique identifier may be encoded in a RFID/NFC tag 309 readable by the RFID/NFC reader. In one example, RFID/NFC tag 309 is included with a label, or embedded within the container and the label is affixed on an exterior of the sealed container, at operation 1808. The read unique identifier may be communicated to the processor. The unique identifier may be accessed when a user of the electronic device seeks to verify the contents of the sealed container. In an exemplary embodiment, the user may be a customer engaged in purchasing the contents of the sealed container and may seek to verify the contents prior to making the purchase.

[00131] At operation 1804 of the method 1800, a request associated with the unique identifier may be sent by the processor, to a database that stores one or more images of the contents corresponding to the unique identifier. The one or more images of the contents may be captured prior to sealing the contents in the sealed container. The one or more images may include at least one high-resolution 2D or 3D image of the contents.

[00132] At operation 1806 of the method 1800, the one or more images associated with the unique identifier, may be retrieved by the processor, from the database. In an exemplary embodiment, an input/output interface of the database may provide the one or more images to the processor upon receiving the request comprising the unique identifier from the processor of the electronic device.

[00133] At operation 1808 of the method 1800, the retrieved one or more images may be facilitated by the processor to be displayed on a display screen associated with the electronic device. For example, the high-resolution image so retrieved may be viewed on the display screen. The user may perform a zoom operation on the high- resolution image in order to view a magnified image of the contents. The magnified image may enable the user to inspect a quality of the contents with higher precision and detail. On inspecting the quality of the contents, the user may choose to buy the contents of the sealed container. Another method for verification of contents of a sealed container is explained with reference to FIG. 13.

[00134] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of flow diagram of exemplary method steps 1900 for content verification of sealed containers, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The method 1900 starts at operation 1902.

[00135] At operation 1902 of the method 1900, a unique identifier associated with contents of a sealed container may be accessed by the reader of the electronic device. The unique identifier may be encoded in a RFID/NFC tag 309 readable by the RFID/NFC reader. In one example, RFID/NFC tag 309 is included with a label, or embedded within the container and the label is affixed on an exterior of the sealed container. The contents of the sealed container are to be verified using an electronic device. In an exemplary embodiment, the electronic device may be operated by a user engaged in purchasing the contents of the sealed container. The user may seek to verify or view the contents of the sealed container prior to the purchase. The

RFID/NFC tag 309 is queried by the RFID/NFC reader to acquire the unique identifier, and the acquired unique identifier is communicated to a processor of the electronic device.

[00136] At operation 1904 of the method 1900, on accessing the unique identifier, a URI associated with the unique identifier may be determined by the processor. The URI may point to a storage location of a database, where one or more images of the contents of the sealed container may be stored. The electronic device may communicate with the database via a network as explained with reference to FIG. 1B.

[00137] At operation 1906 of the method 1900, the URI may be communicated, by the processor, via the network to the database for accessing the one or more images of the contents and supplemental information corresponding to the unique identifier. An input/output interface of the database may be configured to receive the URI and provide the one or more images and the supplemental information to the electronic device. The one or more images of the contents may be captured prior to sealing the sealed container. Further, the one or more images may include a high-resolution image.

[00138] At operation 1908 of the method 1900, the one or more images associated with the unique identifier may be retrieved by the processor from the database.

[00139] At operation 1910 of the method 1900, the supplemental information associated with the unique identifier may be retrieved by the processor from the database. In an exemplary embodiment, the supplemental information includes a name and description of the contents, date of manufacture of the contents, and ancillary information.

[00140] At operation 1912 of the method 1900, the one or more images may be facilitated, by the processor, to be displayed on a display screen of the electronic device. The user may perform a magnify operation on the displayed one or more images to view the contents depicted in the one or more images clearly in order to judge a quality of the contents prior to making the purchase.

[00141] At operation 1914 of the method 1900, the supplemental information may be facilitated by the processor to be displayed on the display screen of the electronic device. The supplemental information may be displayed to provide the user with additional information on the contents, so that the user may make an informed decision in respect to the purchase of the contents.

[00142] In another implementation, the RFID/NFC tag 309 and the unique code 306 are included on the same label 308. In one example, the RFID/NFC tag 309 is encoded and then the indicia corresponding to optically readable information, such as unique code 306 is printed on the label, or vice-versa.

[00143] In another implementation, the unique code 306 is inscribed or formed onto the outer surface of the container. For example, the unique code 306, such as a quick response (QR) code, an alphanumeric code, a barcode, a logo, a graphic, or an encrypted code, is etched using a suitable laser etching process.

[00144] In another implementation, additional control actions associated with the URI include consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer-loyalty programs, product authentication and continued customer interaction, and so forth.

[00145] The disclosed methods 600, 700, 800, 900, 1600, 1700, 1800, and 1900 may be implemented using software including computer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media (e.g., non-transitory computer- readable media, such as one or more optical media discs, volatile memory components (e.g., DRAM or SRAM), or non-volatile memory or storage components (e.g., hard drives or solid-state non-volatile memory components, such as Flash memory components) and executed on a computer (e.g., any suitable computer or image processor embedded in a device, such as a laptop computer, net book, web book, tablet computing device, smart phone, or other mobile computing device). Such software may be executed, for example, on a single local computer or in a network environment (e.g., via the Internet, a wide-area network, a local-area network, a remote web-based server, a client-server network (such as a cloud computing network), or other such network) using one or more network computers. Additionally, any of the intermediate or final data created and used during implementation of the disclosed methods or systems may also be stored on one or more computer-readable media (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable media) and are considered to be within the scope of the disclosed technology. Furthermore, any of the software-based embodiments may be uploaded, downloaded, or remotely accessed through a suitable communication means. Such suitable communication means include, for example, the Internet, the World Wide Web, an intranet, software applications, cable (including fiber optic cable), magnetic communications, electromagnetic communications (including RF, microwave, and infrared communications), electronic communications, or other such communication means.

[00146] Referring now to FIG. 14, a schematic block diagram of a device 2000 is shown that is capable of implementing embodiments of techniques for facilitating verification of contents of sealed containers as described herein. The device 2000 may be an example of the content verification system 102 and/or the electronic device 108. It is noted that the device 2000 as illustrated and hereinafter described is merely illustrative of one type of device and should not be taken to limit the scope of the embodiments. As such, it should be appreciated that at least some of the components described below in connection with the device 2000 may be optional and thus in an exemplary embodiment may include more, less or different components than those described in connection with the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 14. As such, among other examples, the device 2000 could be any of device from among fixed electronic devices, such as desktop computers and electronic kiosks, to mobile electronic devices, such as for example, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile televisions, cellular phones, tablet computers, laptops, mobile computers or any combination of the aforementioned, and other types of communication or multimedia devices.

[00147] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the device 2000 may be a personal electronic device such as a smartphone, a tablet, a personal digital assistant and the like in which a content verification application may be installed and running. For example, a user such as a customer of a retail store, may carry the electronic device to a facility such as a store, retail outlet, a medical shop, and the like where contents are sold in sealed containers. In such a scenario, an acquired unique identifier or captured image of a unique code printed on an exterior of a sealed container, or a data carrier having the unique identifier and included in a label, may be received by the content verification application installed on the electronic device and processed via components of the electronic device. In some scenarios, the content verification application may be accessed through a web browser installed on a personal electronic device of the customer or downloaded through an online application store onto the personal electronic device. In another exemplary embodiment, the device 2000 may correspond to a kiosk device pre-installed with the content verification application. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the device 2000 may be an example of the content verification system 102 which is used to capture images of the contents prior to sealing the container, and interact with peripheral devices such as printer for printing of the one or more images and interact with the database for storage of the images along with supplemental information.

[00148] It may be noted that the computer program code corresponding to the content verification application installed in the device 2000 may not only be configured to display one or more user interfaces associated with the content verification application, but also cause the electronic device to perform various functionalities associated with verifying contents of sealed containers, such as for example, accessing, by a processor of the electronic device, a unique code or unique identifier associated with contents of a sealed container, the unique code affixed on an exterior of the sealed container, or data carrier having the unique identifier and included in a label; sending, by the processor, a request associated with the unique code or unique identifier to a database that stores one or more images of the content corresponding to the unique code or unique identifier, the one or more images of the content captured prior to sealing the content in the sealed container; retrieving, by the processor, the one or more images associated with the unique code or unique identifier from the database; and facilitating, by the processor, display of the retrieved one or more images at a display screen associated with the electronic device. The verification of the contents of the sealed containers may be performed by the device 2000 as explained with reference to FIGS. 1A-1B to 9 and is not explained again herein.

[00149] The illustrated device 2000 includes a controller or a processor 2002 (e.g., a signal processor, microprocessor, ASIC, or other control and processing logic circuitry) for performing tasks such as signal coding, data processing, image processing, input/output processing, power control, and/or other functions. An operating system 2004 controls the allocation and usage of the components of the device 2000 and support for one or more applications programs (see, applications 2006), such as the content verification application, that implements one or more of the innovative features described herein. In addition to content verification application, the applications 2006 may include common mobile computing applications (e.g., telephony applications, email applications, calendars, and contact managers, web browsers, messaging applications) or any other computing application.

[00150] The illustrated device 2000 includes one or more memory components, for example, a non-removable memory 2008 and/or removable memory 2010. The non-removable memory 2008 can include RAM, ROM, flash memory, a hard disk, or other well-known memory storage technologies. The removable memory 2010 can include flash memory, smart cards, or a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). The one or more memory components can be used for storing data and/or code for running the operating system 2004 and the applications 2006. Examples of data can include web pages, text, images, sound files, image data, video data, or other data sets to be sent to and/or received from one or more network servers or other devices via one or more wired or wireless networks. The device 2000 may further include a user identity module (UIM) 2012. The UIM 2012 may be a memory device having a processor built in. The UIM 2012 may include, for example, a SIM, a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), a removable user identity module (R-UIM), or any other smart card. The UIM 2012 typically stores information elements related to a mobile subscriber. The UIM 2012 in form of the SIM card is well known in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) communication systems, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, or with third-generation (3G) wireless communication protocols such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), CDMA9000, wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and time division-synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA).

[00151] The device 2000 can support one or more input devices 2020 and one or more output devices 2030. Examples of the input devices 2020 may include, but are not limited to, a touch screen 2022 (e.g., capable of capturing finger tap inputs, finger gesture inputs, multi-finger tap inputs, multi-finger gesture inputs, or keystroke inputs from a virtual keyboard or keypad), a microphone 2024 (e.g., capable of capturing voice input), a camera module 2026 (e.g., capable of capturing still picture images and/or video image frames) and a physical keyboard 2028. Examples of the output devices 2030 may include, but are not limited to a speaker 2032 and a display 2034. Other possible output devices (not shown) can include piezoelectric or other haptic output devices. Some devices can serve more than one input/output function. For example, the touch screen 2022 and the display 2034 can be combined into a single input/output device.

[00152] In an embodiment, the camera module 2026 may include a digital camera capable of facilitating image/video capture. In some implementations, the camera module 2026 may include two or more cameras, for example, a front camera and a rear camera positioned on two sides of the device 2000. As such, the camera module 2026 includes all hardware, such as a lens or other optical component(s), and software for capturing images and/or creating a video stream from a captured video. Alternatively, the camera module 2026 may include the hardware needed to view the video, while a memory device of the device 2000 stores instructions for execution by the processor 2002 in the form of software to create a video stream from a captured video. In an exemplary embodiment, the camera module 2026 may further include a processing element such as a co-processor, which assists the processor 2002 in processing image frame data and an encoder and/or decoder for compressing and/or decompressing image data. In an embodiment, the camera module 2026 may provide live image data (viewfinder image data) to the display 2034.

[00153] A wireless modem 2040 can be coupled to one or more antennas (not shown in FIG. 14) and can support two-way communications between the processor 2002 and external devices, as is well known in the art. For example, the communication may include provisioning notifications to the coordinator, establishing a chat link between the participant and the coordinator and the like. The wireless modem 2040 is shown generically and can include, for example, a cellular modem 2042 for communicating at long range with the mobile communication network, a Wi-Fi-compatible modem 2044 for communicating at short range with an external Bluetooth-equipped device or a local wireless data network or router, and/or a Bluetooth-compatible modem 2046. The wireless modem 2040 is typically configured for communication with one or more cellular networks, such as a GSM network for data and voice communications within a single cellular network, between cellular networks, or between the mobile device and a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

[00154] The device 2000 can further include one or more input/output ports 2050, a power supply 2052, one or more sensors 2054 for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a compass, or an infrared proximity sensor for detecting the orientation or motion of the device 2000, a transceiver 2056 (for wirelessly transmitting analog or digital signals) and/or a physical connector 2060, which can be a USB port, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port, and/or RS-232 port. The illustrated components are not required or all-inclusive, as any of the components shown can be deleted and other components can be added.

[00155] Various exemplary embodiments offer, among other benefits, techniques for efficient verification of contents of sealed containers. The methods and systems disclosed herein overcome several drawbacks of conventional mechanisms by providing the user with actual images of the content of the sealed container. Further, disclosed methods enable the user to view high-resolution images of the content on personal electronic devices, thereby enabling the user to judge a quality of the content prior to making a purchase of the content. Further, provisioning of supplementary information associated with the content to the user, enable the user to make informed decisions with respect to the purchase.

[00156] It is noted that various exemplary embodiments as described herein may be implemented in a wide variety of devices, network configurations and applications.

[00157] Computer executable instructions may be provided using any computer- readable media that is accessible by computing based device. Computer-readable media may include, for example, computer storage media such as memory and communications media. Computer storage media, such as memory, includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or the like. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transmission medium that may be used to store information for access by a computing device. In contrast, communication media may embody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or the like in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave, or other transport mechanism. As defined herein, computer storage media does not include communication media. Therefore, a computer storage medium should not be interpreted to be a propagating signal per se. Although the computer storage media is shown within the computing- based device it will be appreciated that the storage may be distributed or located remotely and accessed via a network or other communication link, for example by using communication interface.

[00158] The methods described herein may be performed by software in machine readable form on a tangible storage medium e.g. in the form of a computer program comprising computer program code means adapted to perform all the operations of any of the methods described herein when the program is run on a computer and where the computer program may be embodied on a computer readable medium. Examples of tangible storage media include computer storage devices such as disks, thumb drives, memory etc. The software can be suitable for execution on a parallel processor or a serial processor such that the method operations may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously.

[00159] Alternatively, or in addition, the functionality described herein (such as the content verification instructions) can be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For example, and without limitation, illustrative types of hardware logic components that can be used include Field-programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Program-specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Program-specific Standard Products (ASSPs), System-on-a-chip systems (SOCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). For example, some or all of the device functionality or method sequences may be performed by one or more hardware logic components.

[00160] The benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. The operations of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Additionally, individual blocks may be added or deleted from any of the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form further examples without losing the effect sought.

[00161] The above description is given by way of example only and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this specification.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A method, comprising:

authenticating the input device;

associating, by the processor, a weblink to the unique code;

facilitating, by the processor, printing of the unique code for affixing the printed unique code on an exterior of the sealed container;

retrieving the one or more images using the unique code; and

providing the one or more images for display on the electronic device. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing the printed unique code on the exterior of the sealed container comprises printing the unique code on the exterior of the sealed container using three dimensional printing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique code is a bar code. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique code is a quick response (QR) code. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique code is an alphanumeric code. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique code is an encrypted code. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique code comprises indicia. 8. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique code is a 3D code. 9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database via a network. 10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the unique code is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text and multimedia and augmented reality (AR) content. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the AR content comprises at least one call- to-action control accessible by the user viewing the AR content. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least call-to-action control allows the user to perform additional control actions comprising at least one of initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms, and consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer- loyalty programs, and customer interaction.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the exterior of the sealed container comprises a label, the label comprising at least one of the unique code and the one or more images. 14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the label is coupled to the exterior of the sealed container such that the label is disposed away from exterior of the sealed container. 15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the unique code is inscribed or formed onto the exterior of the sealed container. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique code is inscribed or formed onto the exterior of the sealed container via a laser etching process. 17. The method of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the one or more images are at least one of a 2D image and a 3D image. 18. A method, comprising:

retrieving, by the processor, the one or more images and the supplemental information associated with the unique code from the database; and facilitating, by the processor, display of the retrieved one or more images and the supplemental information at a display screen associated with the electronic device. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique code is a bar code. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique code is a QR-code. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique code is an alphanumeric code. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique code is an encrypted code. 23. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique code comprises indicia. 24. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique code is a 3D code. 25. The method of any one of claims 18 to 24, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database via a network. 26. The method of any one of claims 18 to 25, wherein the unique code is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text and multimedia, and augmented reality (AR) content. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the AR content comprises at least one call- to-action control accessible by the user viewing the AR content. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least call-to-action control allows the user to perform additional control actions comprising at least one of initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms, and consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer- loyalty programs, and customer interaction.

29. The method of any one of claims 18 to 28, wherein the unique code is inscribed or formed onto the exterior of the sealed container via a laser etching process. 30. The method of any one of claims 18 to 28, wherein the exterior of the sealed container comprises a label comprising at least one of the unique code and the one or more images. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the label is coupled to the exterior of the sealed container such that the label is disposed away from exterior of the sealed container. 32. The method of any one of claims 18 to 31, wherein the one or more images are at least one of a 2D image and a 3D image. 33. A sealed container, comprising:

a subset of one or more images of a content of the sealed container provided at an exterior of the sealed container;

a unique code provided at the exterior of the sealed container; wherein the unique code is configured to be used by an electronic device to retrieve the one or more images and supplemental information of the content stored in a database, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer. 34. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the unique code is a bar code. 35. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the unique code is a QR-code. 36. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the unique code is an alphanumeric code.

37. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the unique code is an encrypted code. 38. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the unique code comprises indicia. 39. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the unique code is a 3D code. 40. The sealed container of any one of claims 33 to 39, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database via a network. 41. The sealed container of any one of claims 33 to 40, wherein the unique code is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text and multimedia, and augmented reality (AR) content. 42. The sealed container of any one of claims 33 to 41, wherein the emitted odor comprises the odor of the content corresponding to concentrations of terpene components in the content. 43. The sealed container of claim 42, wherein the terpene components comprises at least one of pinene, myrcene, and limonene. 44. The sealed container of any one of claims 33 to 43, wherein the exterior of the sealed container comprises a label comprising at least one of the unique code and the one or more images. 45. The sealed container of claim 45, wherein the label is coupled to the exterior of the sealed container such that the label is disposed away from exterior of the sealed container. 46. The sealed container of any one of claims 33 to 43, wherein the unique code is inscribed or formed onto the exterior of the sealed container via a laser etching process.

47. The sealed container of any one of claims 33 to 46, wherein the one or more images are at least one of a 2D image and a 3D image. 48. The content verification system for verifying the content within a sealed container; the system comprising:

a unique code placed on an exterior of the sealed container;

an electronic device for capturing the unique code and querying the database to retrieve the at least one image and the supplemental information of the content stored in a database. 49. The content verification system of claim 48, wherein the unique code is a bar code. 50. The content verification system of claim 48, wherein the unique code is a QR- code. 51. The content verification system of claim 48, wherein the unique code is an alphanumeric code. 52. The content verification system of claim 48, wherein the unique code is an encrypted code. 53. The content verification system of claim 48, wherein the unique code comprises indicia. 54. The content verification system of claim 48, wherein the unique code is a 3D code. 55. The content verification system of any one of claims 48 to 54, wherein the unique code is associated with a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the at least one image and supplemental information.

56. The content verification system of any one of claims 48 to 55, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database. 57. The content verification system of any one of claims 48 to 56, wherein the unique code is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text and multimedia, and augmented reality (AR) content. 58. The content verification system of any one of claims 48 to 57, wherein the unique code is inscribed or formed onto the exterior of the sealed container via a laser etching process. 59. The content verification system of any one of claims 48 to 57, wherein the exterior of the sealed container comprises a label comprising at least one of the unique code and the one or more images. 60. The content verification system of claim 59, wherein the label is coupled to the exterior of the sealed container such that the label is disposed away from exterior of the sealed container. 61. The content verification system of any one of claims 48 to 60, wherein the one or more images are at least one of a 2D image and a 3D image. 62. A method, comprising:

authenticating the input device;

associating, by the processor, a unique identifier with the one or more images and with the supplemental information of the content; associating, by the processor, a uniform resource identifier (URI) to the unique identifier;

encoding, by the processor, the unique identifier into a data carrier;

retrieving the one or more images using the unique identifier; and

providing the one or more images for display on the electronic device. 63. The method of claim 62, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database via a network. 64. The method of any one of claims 62 to 63, wherein the unique identifier is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text, multimedia and augmented reality (AR) content. 65. The method of any one of claims 62 to 64, wherein the data carrier is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. 66. The method of any one of claims 62 to 64, wherein the data carrier is a near field communications (NFC) device. 67. The method of any one of claims 64 to 66, wherein the AR content comprises at least one call-to-action control accessible by the user viewing the AR content.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the at least call-to-action control allows the user to perform additional control actions comprising at least one of initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms, and consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer- loyalty programs, and customer interaction. 70. A method, comprising:

facilitating, by the processor, display of the retrieved one or more images and the supplemental information at a display screen associated with the electronic device. 71. The method of claim 70, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database via a network. 72. The method of any one of claims 70 to 71, wherein the data carrier is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device.

73. The method of any one of claims 70 to 71, wherein the data carrier is a near field communications (NFC) device. 74. The method of any one of claims 70 to 73, wherein the unique identifier is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text, multimedia and augmented reality (AR) content. 75. The method of claim 74, wherein the AR content comprises at least one call- to-action control accessible by the user viewing the AR content. 76. The method of claim 75, wherein the at least call-to-action control allows the user to perform additional control actions comprising at least one of initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms, and consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer- loyalty programs, and customer interaction. 77. A sealed container, comprising:

a unique identifier associated with a content of the sealed container by capturing an image of the unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is encoded in a data carrier, and the data carrier is associated with a label wherein the unique identifier is configured to be used by an electronic device to retrieve the one or more images and supplemental information of the content stored in a database, the supplemental information comprising at least one of a name and description of the content, a date of manufacture of the content, and ancillary information, the description of the content comprising place of origin of the content, a place of manufacture, and name of manufacturer.

78. The sealed container of claim 77, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database via a network. 79. The sealed container of any one of claims 77 to 78, wherein the data carrier is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. 80. The sealed container of any one of claims 77 to 78, wherein the data carrier is a near field communications (NFC) device. 81. The sealed container of any one of claims 77 to 80, wherein the unique identifier is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text, multimedia and augmented reality (AR) content. 82. The sealed container of any one of claims 77 to 81, wherein the emitted odor comprises the odor of the content corresponding to concentrations of terpene components in the content. 83. The sealed container of claim 82, wherein the terpene components comprises at least one of pinene, myrcene, and limonene. 84. The sealed container of claim 81, wherein the AR content comprises at least one call-to-action control accessible by the user viewing the AR content. 85. The sealed container of claim 84, wherein the at least call-to-action control allows the user to perform additional control actions comprising at least one of initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms, and consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer-loyalty programs, and customer interaction. 86. The content verification system for verifying the content within a sealed container, the system comprising: a data carrier comprising a unique identifier, and the data carrier being associated with a label placed on an exterior of the sealed container;

an electronic device for interrogating the data carrier to acquire the unique identifier and querying the database to retrieve the at least one image and the supplemental information of the content stored in a database. 87. The content verification system of claim 86, wherein the data carrier is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. 88. The content verification system of claim 86, wherein the data carrier is a near field communications (NFC) device. 89. The content verification system of any one of claims 86 to 88, wherein the unique identifier is associated with at least one a video, animated gif, audio, text, multimedia and augmented reality (AR) content. 90. The content verification system of any one of claims 86 to 89, wherein the unique identifier is associated with a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with the at least one image and supplemental information. 91. The content verification system of claim 90, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the database. 92. The content verification system of any one claims 89 to 91, wherein the AR content comprises at least one call-to-action control accessible by the user viewing the AR content. 93. The content verification system of claim 92, wherein the at least call-to-action control allows the user to perform additional control actions comprising at least one of initiating a chat session, initiating an audio and/video conversation, exchange electronic messages, request information, purchase the container and/or other merchandise, participate in polls, surveys, engage with other users or brands via social media platforms, and consumer engagement methods such as coupons, cross-selling initiatives, customer-loyalty programs, and customer interaction. 94. The content verification system of any one of claims 86 to 83 wherein the content within another sealed container having another data carrier comprising another unique identifier, is verified simultaneously for side by side comparisons of the contents of two or more sealed containers.