ITUB20155337A1 - ELECTRONIC RADIOFREQUENCY SEAL TO GUARANTEE THE AUTHENTICITY AND GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF OBJECTS OR DOCUMENTS - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled; RADIO FREQUENCY ELECTRONIC SEAL TO GUARANTEE THE AUTHENTICITY AND GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF OBJECTS OR DOCUMENTS;

The present invention relates to the production of means used to give validity or to guarantee the authenticity and geographical origin of an object or document, as well as means aimed at automatically finding the main characteristics of the object itself through suitable digital devices, such as smartphones or Tablet.

More particularly, the invention relates to a radio frequency electronic seal capable of guaranteeing the authenticity and geographic origin of the seal itself, while at the same time allowing immediate reading of the information contained therein through a common smartphone or the like.

The apparatus for writing and reading said seal as well as the method for its use also form part of the invention.

The concept of applying a passive transponder to a single object or document has already been known for some time, with its own indelible and unchangeable progressive identification number, equipped with a memory, which cannot be rewritten and cannot be erased, sufficient to report the relevant data of the same object and those that certify its origin and authenticity. It should be noted that the term transponder commonly indicates that electronic transceiver device which, when excited by a signal, emits a precoded response on the same (rarely on a different) wavelength. The received signal is called "interrogation" and the "coded pulse train" response.

A reading scanner is therefore sufficient to read from said transponder the main characteristics of the object or document on which the electronic seal is affixed and verify its authenticity.

Compared to the past, current miniaturization technologies have made available on the market very small transponders, in which the maximum thickness is in the order of tenths of a millimeter and the weight is less than one gram. Today a transponder can take on the appearance of an adhesive label or a chip with a size of a few millimeters, resistant to stress and temperature variations (from -40 ° C to 85 ° C).

However, despite the fact that the use of transponders has developed widely over several decades in various industrial sectors, they still have significant limitations as:

• the information they contain is not easy to use, as they require a specific reading device;

• their authenticity is not legally and above all guaranteed

• there are no mechanisms capable of guaranteeing the geographical origin, or the place where the information was actually stored in the transponder,

The present invention allows to solve these three problems and can be used on a large scale. In fact, the device for reading the digital seal is not necessarily a specific device, but can be a high-diffusion digital device, such as a smartphone or tablet, as long as these are equipped with an NFC (Near Frequency Communication) reader. These devices are now increasingly widespread on the market and are therefore within the reach of a huge number of consumers,

The innovative characteristics of the invention are in any case in the ways in which the authenticity and origin of the information contained in the transponder are guaranteed. As for authenticity, this is guaranteed by the fact that the information stored in the transponder is signed, by the producer of the object or document, with a digital signature, that is a particular type of qualified electronic signature, based on asymmetric cryptography and on a digital certificate issued by an accredited certification body. The Italian legal system attributes to this type of signature a particular evidential effectiveness, such that it can be substantially equivalent to the handwritten signature.

Other inventions have adopted the digital signature to guarantee the authenticity of the information contained in a transponder, but the present invention is characterized by an absolutely original element, namely the geographical origin. This is guaranteed since, when the seal is written, the present invention also automatically inserts the GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates of the place where the seal is written. GPS coordinates fall into the category of geographic coordinates as they allow you to determine your position on the globe through latitude and longitude data.

This last feature allows numerous advantages depending on the context of use of the digital seal, especially in the field of the fight against counterfeiting.

For example, in the case of products displayed in a store, the seal can be read by a buyer in such a way as to verify the characteristics of the product itself and thus facilitate a more informed and informed purchase. At the same time, the buyer can verify not only the authenticity of the information, but also its geographical origin. This example, although not exhaustive with respect to all the possible uses of the invention, demonstrates how the digital seal constitutes a particularly effective solution for the protection of "Made in Italy" products in the agri-food, fashion and components field.

The production of the electronic seal includes the following equipment:

a) at least one passive transponder, preferably of the NTAG series, on which to write the data of the digital seal: (NTAG Tags are in fact the NFC Tags with the best compatibility towards all NFC devices, they are equipped with latest generation chips that offer performance better both in terms of data transmission speed and in terms of reading range and are compatible with different mobile operating systems such as Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, etc .;

b) An NFC transponder reading / writing device, already available on the market, connected via USB cable to a Personal Computer;

c) An electronic device, known by the name "Beacon", which interacts with the Personal Computer preferably through the Bluetooth 4.0 network protocol and incorporates a GPS antenna. The long-known Bluetooth-based Beacon technology allows Bluetooth devices to transmit and receive small messages within short distances;

d) a specific software program installed on the said Personal Computer, which manages the acquisition of geographic coordinates by interrogating the Beacon via the BlueTooth interface, together with the information on the identification code of the Beacon itself, after checking its status (if the device has been moved or not from its headquarters) and the actual writing operation of the seal;

e) a smartcard reader for digital signature connected via USB cable to said Personal Computer.

According to a peculiar characteristic of the present invention, two pieces of information are stored on this Beacon device: its own unique identification code and the coordinates of the plant where the seal is produced. The information is uniquely entered on the non-erasable memory of the Beacon device. Said device is fixed with screws or dowels in the environment intended for the production of the geotag in order to prevent accidental or involuntary movements and, in a preferred embodiment, it is equipped internally with a movement sensor (accelerometer) which records any movements of the device itself from the place where it was originally mounted, and in this case, assuming a malicious cause, it generates a blocking state.

The stages of the writing process are as follows:

a) By calling up the specific program on the PC, an operator types the text of the seal;

b) The program reads the identification number from the transponder through the NFC transponder reader / writer;

c) The program reads from the Beacon the information stored in it, relating to its unique code, the geographical coordinates of the establishment and the status of the device itself. If the device has registered any movements, it will return a locked state and the writer assumes that the device has been moved from its original location. In this case the program will stop and will not proceed to the production of the tag.

d) In the absence of a block, the content of the seal, consisting of text, transponder identification number and geographical coordinates, is ready for writing. As a further cognitive element, this information can be completed by also inserting the Beacon identification code. The program asks the operator for the credentials for the digital signature and digitally signs the content.

e) The program writes the signed content to the transponder.

At this point the digital seal can be affixed to the object in the most convenient way, based on the type of object itself.

The introduction of the Beacon as a source of geographic coordinates is of particular interest compared to the adoption of a normal GPS antenna as:

a) It can also be used indoors, where the GPS signal would be difficult or even impossible to detect.

b) It offers greater guarantee as it cannot be altered and above all it cannot be moved. In fact, if the Beacon moves, the internal accelerometer sensor blocks the equipment. This can only be restored by means of a specific intervention by a qualified technician.

The seal is read via a smartphone equipped with an NFC chip, on which a special APP is installed. By bringing the smartphone closer to the object, the APP reads the content of the transponder, decodes the content and displays the following information on the device:

a) text and identification code of the transponder;

b) Information on the legal person who issued the label;

c) Geographic coordinates of the place where the label was produced,

It is evident that the counterfeiting of the label itself is not possible, as the APP verifies that the identification code of the transponder is the same as that stored inside the seal itself. In the event that the two values do not match, the APP notifies the user of the counterfeiting and automatically sends a notification to the manufacturer, who can thus be notified of the counterfeiting and can proceed with any legal actions to protect the brand. As for a possible displacement of the Beacon with respect to the position in which it originally carried out the survey of the geographic coordinates, the accelerometer mounted in it blocks the transmission to the PC, preventing the start of the writing program on the transponder.

The geographical origin of the label is an element of real protection of the producer and constitutes a powerful and economic instrument of protection and promotion especially for small producers, who constitute the backbone of the Italian economy.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description which follows, on the basis of the attached table of drawings which represent, by way of non-limiting example only, a preferred embodiment thereof. In the table:

fig. 1 shows the set of apparatuses necessary for the production of the electronic seal according to the present invention.

According to the known art, traditional transponders are composed of three elements: a) A tag: the electronic component which has the intelligent function of managing all the communication and identification part.

b) An antenna: the device that allows the tag to be powered (if it does not already have a battery on board) and to receive and possibly transmit communications with the outside world; and c) A support: the part of material it supports and protects the first two elements.

As stated in the preamble, the present invention provides for the use of an NTAG tag equipped with a chip which allows large amounts of data to be stored.

A first peculiar characteristic of the invention lies in the fact that it is foreseen to automatically insert, when storing in the transponder chip of a digital seal the information that certifies the authenticity and provenance of an object, including the digital signature, also the GPS coordinates of the place where such information was introduced, identifying in practice the place where the digital seal that accompanies a product originated.

Fig. 1 illustrates the set of devices that contribute to the production of the electronic seal.

2 indicates an NFC transponder reading / writing device connected via USB cable to a Personal Computer 1

3 indicates a smartcard reader for digital signature connected via USB cable to said Personal Computer.

9 indicates a software program to be installed on PC 1 to manage the digital seal writing operation. 4 indicates the Beacon device on which the code that identifies it and the geographic coordinates of the place where the seal is stored / printed, i.e. the site 6 where said Beacon 4 is permanently fixed, are stored. A movement sensor 8, preferably an accelerometer, is mounted on said Beacon device, which allows to detect any movement made by the Beacon with respect to its original seat.

The process of writing the digital seal takes place in the following way:

1.The operator who is entrusted with the task of preparing the seal calls up the appropriate program on the computer and enters the text to be stored in the seal.

2. The program reads its identification number from the transponder through the reader / writer 2.

3. The program reads on the Beacon device 4, firmly bound in its working position 6, the data stored therein, i.e. both its identification code and the geographic coordinates of the place where such storage was carried out, as well as any status locking of the same device, which intervenes if the device has been moved from the place where it was originally fixed; in the absence of movements, the program enables the transmission of the same data to the PC.

4. The program stores on the transponder chip the text relating to the object, the identification code of the transponder, and the geographical coordinates of the place of production; advantageously, as a further cognitive element, such information can be completed by the identification code of the Beacon device.

5. The program asks the operator for his digital signature and digitally signs what is stored on the transponder chip. Once the electronic seal has been applied to the product to be distinguished, it can be read at any time through a smartphone or similar, equipped with an NFC chip, on which a special APP is installed, without the need to resort to a specific reading device.

By bringing the smartphone closer to the object, the APP reads the content of the transponder, decodes the content and displays the following information on the device;

a) text and identification code of the transponder;

b) Information on the legal person who issued the label;

c) Geographic coordinates of the place where the label was produced.

The simple comparison between the data shown directly on the label and visible on sight and those read by the smartphone, allows to identify any cases of counterfeiting, which may possibly be reported automatically by the same APP installed on the NFC chip of the NFC transponder.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS 1) Method for making and reading a radio frequency electronic seal capable of guaranteeing the authenticity and geographical origin of an object or document on which said seal is applied, characterized by the fact that it provides for; providing at least one passive NFC transponder on which to write the identification data of the same transponder through an NFC transponder reading / writing device (2); connect said reading / writing device (2) to a Personal Computer (1) via USB cable; connect a smartcard reader (3) for digital signature to the same Personal Computer (1) via USB cable; store on a Beacon device (4), equipped with a GPS antenna, its identification code and the geographic coordinates of the place where such storage was carried out; connect said Beacon device (4) to the same Personal Computer (1) via Bluetooth interface; and install on said Personal Computer (1) a special software program (9) capable of managing the actual writing operation of the seal after acquiring the data relating to the geographic coordinates of the place where said electronic seal is produced, stored on said Beacon device, so that: an operator called up on the PC called a special program, can type the text of the seal; the program reads its identification code from the transponder; the program reads from the Beacon device the information stored on it, relating to its identification code and the geographical coordinates of the place of production; with the content of the seal, consisting of text, identification number of the transponder and geographical coordinates of the place of production of the seal ready for writing, the program asks the operator for the credentials for the digital signature and digitally signs the content using the smartcard reader ; the program writes the signed content on the transponder; and subsequently the digital seal is affixed to the object in the most convenient way, based on the type of object itself. 2) Method as in claim 1 characterized by the fact that the transponder is of the NTAG series. 3) Method as in claim 1 characterized by the fact that the content of the seal, consisting of text, identification number of the transponder and geographical coordinates of the place of production of the seal itself, is completed by the identification code of the Beacon device. 4) Method as in any one of the preceding claims characterized by the fact that the Beacon device (4) is firmly constrained to the place of production (6) so as to avoid accidental and unwanted movements. 5) Method as per the preceding claim characterized by the fact that each movement of said Beacon device from the production site where it was fixed, is detected by an accelerometer which blocks said device preventing the transmission of the data stored in it to the computer. 6) Method as in any of the preceding claims characterized by the fact that for the reading of the seal the use of a smartphone or a tablet equipped with an NFC chip is provided, on which a special APP is installed to read, approaching the smartphone or the tablet to the object, the content of the transponder, to decode the content and display the following information on the device: a) text and identification number of the transponder; b) Information on the legal person who issued the label; c) Geographic coordinates of the place where the label was produced and, possibly, the identification code of the Beacon device. 7) Apparatus for making and reading a radio frequency electronic seal capable of guaranteeing the authenticity and geographical origin of an object or document on which said seal is applied, characterized by the fact that it includes, for the writing phase of the seal: a) A passive NFC transponder, on which to write the data of the digital seal, compatible with all NFC devices and with different mobile operating systems such as Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry and the like; b) An NFC transponder reading / writing device, connected via USB cable to a Personal Computer; c) A Beacon device equipped with a GPS antenna and connected via Bluetooth to the same Personal Computer and on which its identification code and the geographical coordinates of the place of production of the seal are stored; d) a smartcard reader for digital signature connected via USB cable to said Personal Computer; and d) A specific software program installed on the said Personal Computer, which manages the actual writing operation of the seal with the simultaneous acquisition through said Beacon device of the geographical coordinates of the place of production of the seal and possibly the identification code of the same device, and, through said transponder reading / writing device, the identification code of the transponder itself; and ask the operator for the digital signature credentials and digitally sign the content; And for the phase of reading the seal affixed to the object or document, a smartphone or tablet equipped with an NFC chip, on which a special APP is installed to read, by bringing the smartphone or tablet closer to the object, the content of the transponder, to decode said content and to view said decoded content on the same smartphone or tablet .