System for authenticating objects

• US 7,900,832 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• 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): Frech; Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US12/697,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 401 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/454, 235/494, 235/487, 713/176, 705/2, 705/75
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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 system for authenticating an object is disclosed. The system has a sensing device for sensing coded tags printed on the object. Each coded tags encodes an identity of the object and a signature fragment. An entire signature is encoded in multiple coded tags. The system further has a processor for determining a signature fragment identifier associated with respective signature fragments. The processor also generates the entire signature from the signature fragments and associated signature fragment identifiers. The entire signature is then decrypted to obtain a generated identity. By comparing the identity encoded by the coded tags with the generated identity, the object is authenticated.

Claims

1. A system for authenticating an object, the system comprising:

a sensing device for sensing coded tags printed on the object, each coded tags encoding an identity of the object and a signature fragment, an entire signature being encoded in a plurality of coded tags;

a processor for determining a signature fragment identifier associated with respective signature fragments, for generating the entire signature from the signature fragments and associated signature fragment identifiers, for decrypting the entire signature to obtain a generated identity;

means for comparing the identity encoded by the coded tags with the generated identity; and

means for authenticating the object using the results of the comparison.

2. A system 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.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined padding is associated with, and unique to, the identity.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the coded tags are printed in invisible ink.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the coded tags are printed substantially coincident with visible human-readable information on the object.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein each coded tag further encodes a position of the respective coded tag on the object, wherein the respective signature fragment identifiers are determined from respective positions of the coded tags.