Method for obtaining authenticity identification devices for using services in general, and device obtained thereby

• US 5,878,137 A
• Filed: 07/03/1997
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfi Srl (Unione Professionale Fiduciaria SPA)
• Original Assignee: Alfi Srl (Unione Professionale Fiduciaria SPA)
• Inventors: Fortina, Marco Giovanni Emilio, Ippolito, Giovanni, Colombo, Gianluca
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laufer, Pinchus M.
• Application Number:
  US08/888,197
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 380/23-25, 340/825.34, 235/380
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code

Abstract

Method for obtaining authenticity identification devices for using services in general wherein authenticity is guaranteed without resorting to the manufacturer of the device to ensure its validity; the method has the particularity that it consists in preparing an identification device with a read-only area and at least one writable area; the manufacturer of the device applies a first permanent and always different code to the read-only area. The service provider applies to the writable area a second code obtained by means of one-way functions that have a secret encryption key by computing the first permanent code. The identification device validated with the second code can be verified by means of a decryption key which may optionally be public.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining authenticity indentification devices usable for services in general wherein authenticity is guaranteed without resorting to a manufacturer of the device to ensure its validity, said method comprising the steps of:

using an identification device provided with only one read-only area which is writable only at the manufacturing time, and at least one writable area, said one read only area and said at least one writable area being freely externally readable by an external device, a first permanent and unique code being applied to said read-only area by the manufacturer of the identification device at the manufacturing time, said first permanent and unique code being freely externally readable;

having a service provider apply to said at least one writable area a second code, said second code being obtained by computing, by means of an encryption function having a secret encryption key, the joining in predetermined positions of said first permanent unique code and of a message, said second code being freely externally readable;

said identification device being externally validated through decryption of said second code by means of a decryption key, a portion of said decrypted second code arranged in a predetermined position being compared with said first permanent and unique code to verify the authenticity of the identification device and of the message applied to said at least one writable area.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said decryption key is a public key.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein user security codes are applied to additional writable areas by the service provider at the same time as said second code is applied, said additional writable areas being freely externally readable.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said user security codes are obtained with the same encryption function used for said second code.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said additional areas are writable only one time.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein said security codes are written in unencrypted form on said additional areas.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second code is linked in a non-identifiable way to said first permanent and unique code by means of said encryption function.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one writable area is an area writable only one time.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said encryption function is a RSA function.

10. An authenticity identification device, comprising a card having a read-only area predefined at the manufacturing time and at least one writable area, a first permanent and unique code being placed in said read-only area by the manufacturer of the card, and a second code being placed in said at least one writable area, said second code being obtained by computing said first permanent and unique code and a message by means of an encryption function that uses a secret encryption key, said second code being linked to said first code in an unidentifiable way by means of said secret encryption key, said second code being formed by said first code arranged in a predetermined position and by said message appended thereto.