Product authentication using end-to-end cryptographic scheme
First Claim
1. A method for authenticating a first item based on a hierarchy of codes, comprising:
- obtaining a first item code from the first item using an input device;
obtaining a second item code from a second item using the input device, where the second item is contained by the first item, wherein the first and second items are part of a hierarchy of items with each item code associated with a different item in the hierarchy of items and with the first item code cryptographically bound to the second item code; and
authenticating the first item using a processing circuit by using the second item code, wherein the first and second item codes are part of the hierarchy of codes and the first item code is recursively derived from the second item code, and wherein the first item is successfully authenticated if a cryptographic relationship between the first item code and the second item code is verified.
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Abstract
A system is provided for inside-to-outside or outside-to-inside cryptographic coding that facilitates product authentication along a distribution channel. An association of authenticated, secured codes is generated between inner items (e.g., pharmaceutical doses such as pills, capsules, tablets) and outer items (e.g., packaging containing inner items). For instance, an inner code associated with a first item is used to generate (at least partially) an outer code associated with a second item that contains one or more first items. This process may be repeated multiple times with codes for outer items being a function of codes for inner items. The sequence of items may be authenticated by the dependent relationship between their codes.
10 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for authenticating a first item based on a hierarchy of codes, comprising:
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obtaining a first item code from the first item using an input device; obtaining a second item code from a second item using the input device, where the second item is contained by the first item, wherein the first and second items are part of a hierarchy of items with each item code associated with a different item in the hierarchy of items and with the first item code cryptographically bound to the second item code; and authenticating the first item using a processing circuit by using the second item code, wherein the first and second item codes are part of the hierarchy of codes and the first item code is recursively derived from the second item code, and wherein the first item is successfully authenticated if a cryptographic relationship between the first item code and the second item code is verified. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus adapted to authenticate a first item based on a hierarchy of codes, comprising:
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an input device having circuitry for obtaining a first item code from the first item, and obtaining a second item code from a second item, where the second item is contained by the first item, wherein the first and second items are part of a hierarchy of items with each item code associated with a different item in the hierarchy of items and with the first item code cryptographically bound to the second item code; and a processing circuit coupled to the input device, the processing circuit for authenticating the first item by using the second item code, wherein the first and second item codes are part of the hierarchy of codes and the first item code is recursively derived from the second item code, and wherein the first item is successfully authenticated if a cryptographic relationship between the first item code and the second item code is verified. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus adapted to authenticate a first item based on a hierarchy of codes, comprising:
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means for obtaining a first item code from the first item; means for obtaining a second item code from a second item, where the second item is contained by the first item, wherein the first and second items are part of a hierarchy of items with each item code associated with a different item in the hierarchy of items and with the first item code cryptographically bound to the second item code; and means for authenticating the first item by using the second item code, wherein the first and second item codes are part of the hierarchy of codes and the first item code is recursively derived from the second item code, and wherein the first item is successfully authenticated if a cryptographic relationship between the first item code and the second item code is verified.
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25. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for authenticating a first item based on a hierarchy of codes, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:
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obtain a first item code from the first item; obtain a second item code from a second item, where the second item is contained by the first item, wherein the first and second items are part of a hierarchy of items with each item code associated with a different item in the hierarchy of items and with the first item code cryptographically bound to the second item code; and authenticate the first item by using the second item code, wherein the first and second item codes are part of the hierarchy of codes and the first item code is recursively derived from the second item code, and wherein the first item is successfully authenticated if a cryptographic relationship between the first item code and the second item code is verified.
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Specification