System and method of authenticating an article

• US 20040268130A1
• Filed: 08/03/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ipico South Africa - Pty - Limited (Global Payments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Centralised Authentication of Products Limited
• Inventors: Pretorius, Albertus Jacobus
• Granted Patent: US 7,360,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/179
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification

Abstract

A method of authenticating an article includes the steps of, at an issuing station, selecting an inherent feature of the article and converting the feature into digital data to form an identification code for the article. An encryptor is used to encrypt the identification code utilizing a secret private key of an asymmetric encryption key pair and associated with the issuing party. The encrypted code is made available on a label accompanying the article. During a subsequent phase and at an authentication station, digital data relating to the feature is determined directly from the article and the code is decrypted utilizing a public key of the pair obtained from a third party in accordance with rules of a public key infrastructure. The determined data and the data relating to the feature retrieved from the decrypted code are compared to authenticate the article.

Claims

1. A method of certifying a plurality of articles, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a common inherent feature of the articles and which feature is digitizable in the form of in the form of digital feature data;

the feature being selected such that the articles are divided into n classes wherein n is smaller than the number of articles and wherein all the articles in each class are represented by respective unique digital class feature data derived from the feature;

forming an identification code for each articles in each class comprising the respective unique digital class feature data and data relating to an identity of a party performing the method;

encrypting the identification code utilizing a private key of an asymmetric key pair associated with the party performing the method, the key pair also comprising a public key;

the private key being a secret key and the public key being controlled by a trusted third party; and

making the encrypted identification code available.

2. A method as claim in claim 1 wherein the encrypted identification code also comprises further data relating to the article.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the encrypted identification code is made available to the public by at least one of;

applying the code to the article;

applying the code to a separate certificate;

applying the code to a label accompanying the article; and

including the code in a digital carrier.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inherent feature of the article is the result of manipulation of the article.

5. A system for certifying a plurality of articles, the system comprising:

apparatus for analyzing a common inherent feature of the articles and converting a common inherent feature of the articles and converting the feature into digital feature data, the feature being selected such that the articles are divided into n classes wherein n is smaller than the number of articles and wherein all the articles in each class are represented by respective unique digital class feature data derived from the feature;

means for forming an identification code comprising the respective unique digital class feature data and data relating to a party certifying the articles;

an encryptor for encrypting the identification code utilizing a private key of an asymmetric key pair associated with the party certifying the article, the key pair also comprising a public key which is controlled by a rusted third party; and

means for making the encrypted identification code available.