Authentication of an object using a signature part

• US 7,739,509 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kimyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, DARREN B
• Application Number:
  US11/041,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/9, 726/20, 380/51, 380/55, 705/55, 238/17, 713/185, 713/186
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/20 Manipulating the length of blocks of bits, e.g. padding or block truncation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A method of authenticating an object by sensing coded data provided on or in a surface associated with the object. The coded data is indicative of an identity of the object and, at least part of a signature, the signature being a digital signature of at least part of the identity. The method includes using the sensed coded data to determine a sensed identity and a sensed signature part. The sensed identity is then used to determine at least a determined signature part, which is then compared to the sensed signature part, with the object being authenticated using the results of the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating an object, the method including:

sensing coded data provided on a surface associated with the object by an optical sensing device, the coded data being indicative of;

a position on the surface;

an identity of the object; and

,

a part of a signature, the signature being a digital signature of at least part of the identity;

determining, by a processor and using the sensed coded data, a sensed identity and a sensed signature part;

determining, by the processor and using the position, a sensed signature part identity;

determining, by the processor and using the sensed identity, at least a determined signature;

determining, by the processor and using the determined signature and the sensed signature part identity, a determined signature part;

comparing by the processor the determined signature part to the sensed signature part; and

,

authenticating by the processor the object using the result of the comparison.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes, generating an indication of success or failure of the authentication.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes, retrieving from a data store, using the sensed identity, stored data indicative of the digital signature, the stored data including at least one of:

padding associated with the signature;

a private key;

a public key;

one or more digital signature parts; and

,

the digital signature.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the stored data is indexed by at least one of:

the identity; and

,

a range of identities.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the method includes, determining the determined signature part using the stored data and the sensed identity.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the method includes, retrieving the stored data from a remote database.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the signature is a digital signature of at least part of the identity and at least part of predetermined padding, and wherein the method includes:

determining, using the identity, the predetermined padding; and

,

generating, using the predetermined padding and the determined signature, the generated identity.

8. A method of according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed in a sensing device having:

an image sensor for sensing the coded data; and

,

a processor for authenticating the object.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the digital signature includes at least one of:

a random number associated with the identity;

a keyed hash of at least the identity;

a keyed hash of at least the identity produced using a private key, and verifiable using a corresponding public key;

cipher-text produced by encrypting at least the identity;

cipher-text produced by encrypting at least the identity and a random number;

cipher-text produced using a private key, and verifiable using a corresponding public key; and

,

cipher-text produced using RSA encryption.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identity includes an identity of at least one of:

the object;

the surface; and

,

a region of the surface.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identity includes at least one of:

an Electronic Product Code (EPC);

a National Drug Code (NDC) number;

a serial number of a pharmaceutical item;

a currency note attribute including at least one of;

currency;

issue country;

denomination;

note side;

printing works; and

serial number;

a check attribute including at least one of;

currency;

issuing institution;

account number;

serial number;

expiry date;

check value; and

limit; and

a card attribute including at least one of;

card type;

issuing institution;

account number;

issue date;

expiry date; and

limit.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coded data is arranged in accordance with at least one layout having n-fold rotational symmetry, where n is at least two, the layout including n identical sub-layouts rotated 1/n revolutions apart about a centre of rotation, at least one sub-layout including rotation-indicating data that distinguishes that sub-layout from each other sub-layout.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coded data is arranged in accordance with at least one layout having n-fold rotational symmetry, where n is at least two, the layout encoding orientation-indicating data comprising a sequence of an integer multiple m of n symbols, where m is one or more, each encoded symbol being distributed at n locations about a centre of rotational symmetry of the layout such that decoding the symbols at each of the n orientations of the layout produces n representations of the orientation-indicating data, each representation comprising a different cyclic shift of the orientation-indicating data and being indicative of the degree of rotation of the layout.