WO2013064431A1

WO2013064431A1 - Secure and anti-counterfeiting marking

Info

Publication number: WO2013064431A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/071281
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanni Ippolito
Original assignee: Terrex S.A. Holding; Taemi S.R.L.
Priority date: 2011-11-04
Filing date: 2012-10-26
Publication date: 2013-05-10
Also published as: ITMI20112001A1

Abstract

A secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1), adapted to be applied to a product (2), said marking comprising a code (3) which contains non- encrypted data (4) and data encrypted with a private key (5) and readable with a public key, said code (3) being a two-dimensional barcode adapted to be read by devices (6) which comprise data processing programs for decrypting the data encrypted with a private key (5), wherein the private key is owned exclusively by the manufacturer.

Description

SECURE AND ANTI-COUNTERFEITING MARKING

The present invention relates to a secure and anti- counterfeiting marking.

Current technologies used to obtain secure data, contrast counterfeiting and defend the competitiveness of original products currently use mechanical, chemical, electronic methods, printing methods and RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technologies.

Such anti-counterfeiting technologies of the known type are not devoid of drawbacks, including the fact that they entail considerable production costs.

Another drawback of these known types of anti-counterfeiting technologies resides in that they require the recognition of markings that need to be verified only by expert personnel or personnel equipped with dedicated devices.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an anti-counterfeiting marking that solves the technical problem described above, obviates the drawbacks and overcomes the limitations of the background art, ensuring the possibility to be recognized by any user, therefore even by non-expert personnel, by way of means usually owned by any user, such as mobile telephones, tablet computers, smartphones or other devices equipped with a camera.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an anti- counterfeiting marking that is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anti-counterfeiting marking that is easy to provide and economically competitive if compared with the background art.

This aim, as well as these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a secure and anti-counterfeiting marking, adapted to be applied to a product, characterized in that it comprises a code which contains non-encrypted data and data encrypted with a private key, said code being a two-dimensional barcode which is adapted to be read by devices which comprise data processing programs for decrypting said data encrypted with a private key, said private key being owned exclusively by the manufacturer of said product.

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an anti- counterfeiting marking, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, which relate to a constructive example relating in particular to an application in the field of vehicle insurance:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a secure and anti- counterfeiting marking according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged- scale view of a detail of the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking shown in Figure 1.

A constructive example for an application in the hospital sector also follows.

The anti-counterfeiting marking, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, is adapted to be applied to a product 2. According to the invention, it comprises a code 3 which contains non-encrypted data 4 and data encrypted with a private key 5.

The code 3 is advantageously of the type of two-dimensional barcodes and can be provided according to known printing methods or etched directly onto the product 2, with known equipment.

The marking 1 can be applied to multiple faces or portions of the product 2, is readable from a distance and also according to different viewing angles.

Moreover, the code 3 is adapted to be read by reading devices 6 which, in addition to being provided with optical reading systems, can manage data processing programs.

The devices 6 are, for example, mobile telephones, tablet computers, smartphones, or other devices provided with a camera, capable of reading the data contained in the code of the marking and of processing the data to decrypt the code containing data encrypted with a private key.

The choice of the two-dimensional barcode, among currently existing ones such as QR, Data Matrix, PDF 417 or optionally also among those that will become available in the future, can be made by the manufacturer.

The code 3 advantageously contains a unique identifying data item of the marked product 2 in at least two forms. The identifying data item is in fact present in non-encrypted form on the product 2 and at the same time is present, encrypted with a private key, wherein the private encryption key is owned exclusively by the manufacturer.

Once the code 3 has been read, by means of the device 6, a program installed on the device 6 and provided with the public decryption key compares, in an automatic or interactive manner, the non-encrypted unique identifying data item of the product 2 and the unique identifying data encrypted with a private key, in order to assess their matching and thus make it possible to verify the authenticity of the product 2.

A counterfeited product, which therefore has a non-original marking, entails that the unique identifying data item encrypted with the private key cannot be recognized, since it is assumed that the counterfeiter does not have the private encryption key, since it is owned exclusively by the manufacturer. The detection of this anomaly therefore attests the presence of a counterfeit.

Advantageously, the two-dimensional code 3 can contain the following non-encrypted data 4:

- product;

- manufacturer;

- serial number (or unique product identifying datum);

- manufacturing date;

- expiration date; - search location of the public key in a file, if the code is not already owned by the device used for reading.

The two-dimensional code 3 can contain the following data encrypted with the private key 5:

- product;

- manufacturer;

- serial number (or unique product identifying datum);

- manufacturing and expiration date, which prevents counterfeiting of the non-encrypted contents in the code.

The creation of a counterfeit two-dimensional barcode 3 is prevented because it requires the use of the private encryption key, which is owned exclusively by the manufacturer. Failure to read the unique identifying data item of the product 2 with public key or failure to recognize it indicates counterfeiting of the product 2.

In a constructive example which relates to the application to vehicle insurance, an insurance receipt of a vehicle 2 is provided with an anti- counterfeiting marking 1, i.e., with a two-dimensional barcode 3. The code 3, in addition to containing non-encrypted information, including the search location of the public key in a file, if the key is not already owned by the device 6 used for reading, contains, in a manner which is encrypted with a private key of the insurance company, other information, such as for example:

- the vehicle registration number;

- the vehicle type;

- the name of the owner;

- the address of the owner;

- the expiration date of the insurance period;

- the insurance company;

- the receipt number. The marking 1 allows anyone who has a reader 6 provided with a camera and with the adapted program for managing the reading data to check with absolute certainty and in an automatic or interactive manner the match of all the insurance data, particularly the vehicle registration number and the expiration date of the insurance period.

The impossibility of third parties to print a certificate that is easily recognized as valid enables to solve the problem of the high percentage of counterfeit insurance coverages, also because an easy check when the car is not moving can be performed at any time.

In a constructive example related to the hospital application, it is possible to manage securely all the information that relates to a patient independently of the interest of counterfeiting. For example, a patient is given a bracelet, advantageously of the single-use type, which is marked with the two-dimensional barcode and on which the following data are recorded and written in non-encrypted form:

- taxpayer identification code, which is unique for every person;

- first name and surname;

- blood group;

- allergies;

- data entry date.

The barcode further contains the following data with private encryption of the hospital:

- information related to previous diseases;

- patient medical record number;

- any confidential information.

Advantageously, the marking with the same two-dimensional code is to be applied also to the patient's medical record and to the patient's bed.

In this manner, the risks entailed by incorrect identification or inconsistency of the basic information are reduced considerably, because the subsequent information is documented on the medical record. Medical staff is then advantageously provided with a mobile telephone or tablet computer or other readout terminal which contains the program for verifying securely all the data related to the patients and for preventing errors in any analysis or hospitalization procedure.

Moreover, it is advantageously possible to print markings with adapted two-dimensional codes also on the medicines assigned to the patient, in order to prevent errors during administration to the patient.

According to a first variation, the secure and anti-counterfeiting marking can be used also to mark products that do not have a unique identifying datum or registration code. In this case, the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking associates with the product to be marked a registration code, such as for example a progressive number. Said registration code is then introduced, together with other information useful for recognizing the product, in the two-dimensional barcode, which is printed on the label of the product or on the certificate that accompanies the product. This registration code and any additional information useful for recognizing the product, including for example a photograph, and useful to identify its status (for example sold/not sold), is then entered in an online database.

When a transaction occurs, the status of the product registered in the online database is updated by the operator who performs the transaction, passing from example from unsold to sold at a certain date and time. By reading the two-dimensional barcode, the end user can connect to the online database and check the status of the product that corresponds to the registration code, thus identifying any frauds.

As an alternative, said secure and anti-counterfeiting marking can also be used for products that already have a unique identifying datum or registration code in order to check in particular their status.

Substantially, according to the first variation of the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking described above, in the code containing clear data and data encrypted with the private key owned exclusively by the manufacturer there is also a registration code that links the individual product to the information contained in an online database.

According to a second variation, the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking can be used to validate products that are not characterized by a registration code or a unique identifying datum but with which an RFID tag is associated by application to the label or entry in the certificate of the product itself. In this manner, the identifying code (ID) of the RFID tag assumes the role of unique identifying datum associated with the product. During the writing of the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking, the ID of the tag is read in order to be encrypted, while during reading of the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking the ID of the tag is read in order to be compared with the unique identifying data encrypted with a private key in order to check the validity of the marking: if the encrypted ID and the ID of the tag match, the marking is valid; if they do not match, if the encrypted code is unreadable, the marking has been duplicated or counterfeited. In particular, therefore, the ID of the RFID tag, encrypted within the two- dimensional barcode, ensures the authenticity of the label or of the certificate of the product.

In practice it has been found that the secure and anti- counterfeiting marking according to the present invention achieves the intended aim and objects, since it makes it possible to verify assuredly the authenticity of a product.

Another advantage of the secure and anti-counterfeiting marking according to the invention resides in that it is inexpensive to provide and to use.

Another advantage of the secure and anti-counterfeiting marking according to the invention resides in that it does not require complex recognition techniques but is recognizable by a non-expert user.

Another advantage of the secure and anti-counterfeiting marking according to the invention resides in that it ensures the match between the original information of a product and the information submitted to the user of such product.

The secure and anti-counterfeiting marking thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MT2011A002001 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1), adapted to be applied to a product (2), characterized in that it comprises a code (3) which contains non-encrypted data (4) and data encrypted with a private key (5), said code (3) being a two-dimensional barcode which is adapted to be read by devices (6) which comprise data processing programs for decrypting said data encrypted with a private key (5), said private key being owned exclusively by the manufacturer of said product (2).

2. The secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said code (3) is selected in the category that comprises codes of the QR, Data Matrix, PDF 417 type.

3. The secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said code (3) contains a non-encrypted unique identifying data item of said product (2) and a unique identifying data item of said product (2) encrypted with a private key, said two identifying data items being identical.

4. The secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comparison between a non-encrypted unique identifying data item of said product (2) and a unique identifying data item of said product (2) encrypted with a private key is adapted to establish the authenticity of said product (2).

5. The secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said private key of said unique identifying data item of said product (2) encrypted with a private key can be provided exclusively by the manufacturer of said product (2).

6. The secure and anti-counterfeiting marking (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it can be read from a distance and with different viewing angles.

7. A secure and anti-counterfeiting marking method, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - having a private encryption key, said encryption key being known exclusively to the manufacturer of a product (2);

- providing on said product (2) a two-dimensional barcode (3) which contains non- encrypted data (4) and data encrypted with said private key (5);

- decrypting said data encrypted with said private key (5) in order to verify the match between said non-encrypted data (4) and said data encrypted with the private key (5), said match ensuring the authenticity of said product (2).