Unique identifier, method for providing the unique identifier and use of the unique identifier

• US 20120290841A1
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolf Jentzsch
• Original Assignee: Rolf Jentzsch
• Inventors: Jentzsch, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/12 Details relating to cryptographic hardware or logic circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/34 Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0656 Pseudorandom key sequence combined element-for-element with data sequence, e.g. one-time-pad [OTP] or Vernam's cipher

Abstract

A unique identifier which substantially prevents product counterfeiting, wherein the unique identifier can be produced in a very cost-effective manner. The unique identifier is suitable not only for use as a product identifier but also for authorization, for example for securing physical or electronic accesses, such as doors, computer programs or the like.

Claims

1. A method for providing a unique identifier for an object like a product, an authorization for an access or similar, comprising the steps:

a) providing a master key;

b) generating a first random session key; and

c) mixing the master key with the first random session key.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step b) includes the steps:

assigning a first user key to a user;

mixing the first random session key and the first user key;

providing the mixed first random session key to the user; and

determining the first random session key at the user through de-mixing the mixed first random session key through the first user key.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the steps:

d) providing an object key; and

e) mixing the object key with the result of step c).

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the steps:

f) providing a second user key which is identical with the first user key and which is characteristic for using the unique identifier;

g) generating an identifier through mixing the first random session key and the second user key; and

h) combining the results of step c) or step e) and the identifier to form the unique identifier, wherein the identifier is placed in front or after the result.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps:

i) dividing the result of step c) or e) into two partial lengths, wherein one partial length is mixed with the other partial length; and

j) mixing the result of step c) or step e) with the result of step i).

6. The method according to claim 5,

wherein one of the two partial lengths only includes character or bit sequences which are included in a provided second random session key and the other of the two partial lengths only includes character or bit sequences which are not included in the second random session key, and

wherein in particular the first random session key and the second random session key are provided as identical random session keys.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixing is performed as logical XOR encoding.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first random session key, the second random session key, the first user key, the second user key or the object key are provided greater than 1 bit, or the master key is provided greater than 100 bytes.

9. A method for using a unique identifier according to claim 4 for characterizing a product or similar,

wherein the master key and optionally the first or the second user key are stored at a checking device and it is being determined for checking the unique identifier for authenticity, whether the unique identifier is generatable using the stored master key and possibly the stored first or second user key.

10. The method according to claim 9, including the step of:

checking whether the object key used in the unique identifier matches quotation, distribution or sales characteristics for the product or similar.

11. The method according to claim 9,

wherein the product or similar is arranged in a package,

wherein at least a first unique identifier is provided on the product or similar, and

wherein at least a second unique identifier which differs from the first unique identifier is provided on the packaging.

12. The method of using the unique identifier according to claim 4 for authenticating the access authorization for the access, in particular to an area, a vehicle and similar, further comprising the steps:

storing the master key and possibly the first or the second user key at a checking device associated with the access;

providing the unique identifier through the person or the device seeking access, and

determining through the checking device for checking the access authorization for the access, whether the unique identifier is generatable using the stored master key and optionally the stored first or second user key.

13. The method according to claim 12,

wherein at least the steps a) and c) are performed in a first electronic device which is associated with the access seeking person or access seeking device,

wherein a second electronic device associated with the access performs step b) and transmits the session key or the result of mixing the first random session key and the second user key for performing step c) to the first electronic device.

14. The unique identifier generated according to the method according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a bar code or a surface structure or is arranged in an electronic.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium, comprising computer readable program devices causing the computer to perform a method according to claim 1, wherein the program devices are executed on the computer.

16. The method according to claim 3, wherein the result of step c) or step d) is reduced to a length corresponding to the object key through a predetermined reduction algorithm.

17. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps:

f) providing a second user key which is identical with the first user key and which is characteristic for the user of the first user key;

g) generating an identifier through mixing the first random session key and the second user key; and

h) combining the results of step c) or step e) and the identifier to form the unique identifier, wherein the identifier is placed in front or after the result.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixing is performed as logically extended XOR encoding.

19. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first random session key, the second random session key, the first user key, the second user key and the object key are provided ≧

24 bytes, and the master key is provided greater than 1 megabyte.

20. The method according to claim 9, including the step of:

checking whether the object key used in the unique identifier matches a distribution path determined for the product.