RU2172015C1 - Method for authenticating controlled entity - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: authenticating controlled entities such as excise ones. SUBSTANCE: data on commercial characteristics of entity in digital form bearing electronic signature is converted into bar code applied to entity or to label. In addition, open key for checking conversion of electronic digital signature into bar code is displayed in bar code and also applied to medium and used in authenticating electronic digital signature. EFFECT: facilitated authentication of digital signature; reduced probability of entity adulteration. 4 cl, 3 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to methods for identifying the authenticity of controlled objects and may find application in identifying excisable goods (alcohol, tobacco, video products, etc.).

 A known method of identifying the authenticity of objects by applying markings to them by engraving and marking next to the engraving mark made of invisible or almost invisible to the naked eye material capable of radiation (according to the application of France N 2664073, CL G 06 K 7/10, publ. 1993).

 The disadvantages of the method are the high technological complexity of labeling, the impossibility of reliable control of objects by the consumer without special technical means, the difficulty of detecting falsification of objects at all stages of their promotion to consumers.

 There are also known methods of identifying the authenticity of controlled objects, for example, the method of marking according to the application of Germany "Marking medium and method of applying it" N 4231800, cl. G 09 F 3/00, publ. 1995, according to which the medium is made in the form of a nameplate or a label that is attached to the object, and after removing the label on the object there are traces of sublimation paint or etching agent applied to a part of the back surface of the label, or a method for identifying the authenticity of a controlled object by author. St. USSR N 1832318 dated 03.05.80, cl. G 06 K 9/00, based on the introduction into the volume of the carrier of identification labels of radioactive substances and fixing it to a controlled object.

 The disadvantages of these analogues are the difficulty of marking and the negative impact on the consumer properties of the controlled object. When using these methods, it is also difficult to control the identification of objects at all stages of their promotion to the consumer.

 There is also a method of covert labeling of material objects described in the patent of the Russian Federation N 2107945 from 12.24.96, cl. G 06 K 9/00, G 09 F 3/10. In the known method, the authenticity of the controlled object is identified by applying marks to it containing information about the object using a marking medium in the form of a label fixed on the surface of the object, then reading this information and comparing it with the database of information about genuine objects.

 The disadvantages of the method described above are the inability to identify the authenticity of the object by the consumer and the low reliability of the identification of the authenticity of the controlled object due to insufficient protection against counterfeiting.

 The closest analogue of the claimed invention is a method for identifying the authenticity of a controlled object described in the patent of the Russian Federation N 2132569 from 11/13/98, cl. G 06 K 9/00, G 07 D 7/00, which is selected for the prototype. In the known method, information about the production characteristics of an object is generated in digital form and signed with an electronic digital signature of a marker. As production characteristics, the prototype method uses information about the type of object, manufacturer, production date, unique number of the object, and supporting documents for the object. Then, the obtained information is converted from digital form into a bar code, which is applied to the object or label attached to the object. When identifying an object, a barcode is read, converted to digital form, the digital signature of the marker and information on the production characteristics of the object are isolated from it. The authenticity of the electronic digital signature and information on the production characteristics of the object are checked, the results of which identify the authenticity of the object. In addition, to protect the label from copying in the considered method, the possibility of applying a hologram is provided.

 With this method, due to the application of information confirmed by an electronic digital signature (EDS) on the label, higher security is ensured in comparison with the previously considered analogues.

However, the prototype method has disadvantages:
- identification of the authenticity of the object is based only on the use of special technical means, which is not always possible at the appropriate stages of moving the object to the consumer, and therefore, the required completeness of control coverage is not provided;
- the complexity of verifying EDS authenticity associated with the need to record, store in a memory block of a computer or on another medium a public key and deliver it at each authentication of an object, since the prototype method does not provide for applying a public key to a label, without which it is impossible to verify the authenticity EDS and information on the production characteristics of the object, plotted in a bar code;
- a relatively low probability of detecting falsification of the object during its unauthorized manufacture, reuse of labels and marked containers, substitution of accompanying documents, etc. without the use of special technical means at all stages of promotion of an object from a producer to a consumer. This is because the information on the label in the form of a barcode is not accessible for ordinary visual reading, which limits the ability of the supplier, recipient and consumer to verify it with the real object and / or with the information specified in the accompanying documents.

 The technical result of the claimed invention is to create a method that simplifies the verification of the authenticity of the digital signature and information on the production characteristics of the object, shown in the bar code, reduces the likelihood of falsification of the object at all stages of its promotion from the manufacturer (marker) to the consumer while maintaining a high degree of security of all information, applied to the label, without additional economic costs.

 The formulated technical result is achieved by the fact that in the known method of identifying the authenticity of the controlled object, which consists in generating information about the production characteristics of the object in digital form, signing it with an electronic digital signature of the marker, converting the received information from digital form into a bar code, putting a barcode - the code for the object or label attached to the object, read the bar code, convert it to digital form, extract from it an electronic digital signature of the markers The information and information on the production characteristics of the object, verify the authenticity of the electronic digital signature and information on the production characteristics of the object, by the results of which they identify the authenticity of the object, additionally enter the EDS verification public key in the barcode, generate information on the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object in form of alphanumeric text. Simultaneously with applying a barcode to an object or a label attached to the object, an alphanumeric text is applied about the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object. Moreover, when reading a barcode, an EDS verification public key is allocated, which is used to verify the EDS authenticity, and the object’s identification by the results of authenticating the digital signature of the marker and information on the production characteristics of the object is supplemented by verifying the authenticity of the object by comparing information on the parameters of consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object, applied to the object or a label attached to the object, with the actual parameters of the consumer the properties and parameters of the manufacturer of the object and, if they are consistent, the object is identified as authentic by the totality of the authenticity of the electronic digital signature, information on the production characteristics of the object, as well as the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object.

 The region’s code, the manufacturer’s code, the application number for the manufacture of a serial batch of objects, and the number of the object in the serial batch are used as parameters of the manufacturer of the object.

 As parameters of consumer properties of objects, parameters are used that are controlled visually, by touch, by weight, by color and smell.

 As production characteristics, a region code, a marking organization code, a manufacturer’s code, a supplier’s code, an object type, a production date, an application number for a production batch of objects, and an object number in a serial batch are used.

 Thanks to the new combination of essential features, it is easier to verify the authenticity of the digital signature and information on production characteristics by adding a public key to the barcode, since there is no need to record, store and deliver it.

 As a result of applying alphanumeric text to the label, the object is protected from possible falsification. This is achieved due to the fact that, in addition to instrumental control, the possibility of documentary and user control of the object by any interested person at all stages of the promotion of the object from the manufacturer (marker) to the consumer without the use of technical means is provided.

 By combining the alphanumeric text and the barcode on the label, as well as duplicating the information displayed in the alphanumeric text and the information in the barcode protected by the cryptographic method, a high degree of security of all information printed on the label is preserved.

 The introduction of a public key to verify the digital signature and additional alphanumeric text does not change the cost of manufacturing the label and does not require additional economic costs for monitoring.

 The analysis of the prior art made it possible to establish that analogues that are characterized by a combination of features identical to all the features of the claimed technical solution are absent, which indicates the compliance of the claimed device with the patentability condition of "novelty".

 Search results for known solutions in this and related fields of technology in order to identify features that match the distinctive features of the claimed object from the prototype showed that they do not follow explicitly from the prior art. The prior art also did not reveal the popularity of the impact provided by the essential features of the claimed invention transformations to achieve the specified technical result. Therefore, the claimed invention meets the condition of patentability "inventive step".

The claimed method is illustrated by drawings:
FIG. 1 - appearance of the label for alcoholic beverages;
FIG. 2 - appearance of the label for tobacco products;
FIG. 3 - appearance of the label with a holographic label.

 Promotion of an object to a consumer takes place in several stages: issuing a production permit, the actual production, processing of accompanying documents, delivery of the object to wholesale stores and retail outlets, and finally, the sale of the object to the consumer. To identify the authenticity of the object, it is marked with a secure label. However, at all of these stages, there is the possibility of falsification and substitution of the object.

 According to the method known from the prototype, manufacturers request the required number of protected labels from an authorized organization. A barcode with information about the production characteristics of the facility, protected by an electronic digital signature, is applied to the labels. It is assumed that at the factory these labels are fixed exactly to the indicated types of objects. However, to obtain certain benefits or due to errors at the factory, security labels can be affixed to other types of objects. For example, labels ordered for low-cost objects are fixed to expensive objects or vice versa. At the factory, it is not possible to verify the conformity of fixed labels to objects without the use of special equipment due to the fact that information about the object is applied to the label only in a bar code, inaccessible to ordinary visual reading.

 A similar situation arises when objects are delivered to wholesale bases and to the retail network. At this stage, during the execution of accompanying documents, incorrect information about the manufacturer, supplier and type of product is possible, including its deliberate distortion. According to the information on the label, forgeries and errors in accompanying documents cannot be opened without special technical means. The use of ordinary factory product labels for these purposes is ineffective due to their low protection against falsification or ordinary substitution. For the same reason, the consumer is not able to identify the authenticity of the object by the parameters of consumer properties that interest him. The presence or absence on the object of a label with information in the bar code for the consumer does not matter, since he does not have the ability to read it.

You can identify falsification attempts in various ways, for example, by taking the following measures:
- equip all officials with access to the facility with special technical means of control described in the prototype method;
- increase vigilance and discipline of personnel at all stages of the promotion of the facility to the consumer, introduce enhanced security measures, etc .;
- provide access for the mass consumer to instrumental control and achieve 100% coverage of objects with instrumental control, etc.

 However, the implementation of these measures is difficult, since it requires significant economic costs, which may exceed the costs of production and sale of the objects of protection themselves.

 The inventive method is as follows.

Manufacturers send an application to the authorized organization for the production of the required number of protected labels. The following information shall be indicated in the application:
- marking organization, manufacturer, supplier (for example, their names, codes, legal and actual addresses, TIN, etc.);
- type of object (for example, its name and state registration code);
- date of manufacture;
- packaging capacity;
- consumer properties (for example, alcohol content, taste, color, aromatic additives, etc.);
- application number and date;
- lot number and the number of objects in the lot;
- information on supporting documents (for example, the number of the certificate of conformity, the number of the certificate of quality, the number of customs documents) and other necessary information.

In an authorized organization, for each controlled object, they form: 1) information about the object, including data from the application, which is placed in the database of genuine objects;
2) information on the production characteristics of the object in digital form;
3) information about the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object - in the form of an alphanumeric text;
4) the digital signature verification public key.

 As in the prototype, information on production characteristics is signed by an electronic digital signature formed on the basis of a private key according to a cryptographic algorithm implemented in accordance with the requirements of the standard GOST R 34.10-94. To do this, you can use, for example, the cryptographic information protection software CryptonArcMail, developed and commercially supplied by ANKAD, Moscow, publ. in Yu.V. Romanets, P.A. Timofeev, V. F. Shangin "Information Security in Computer Networks", M.: Radio and Communications, 1999, p. 282. Then, information on production characteristics, an electronic digital signature, and a public key for verifying EDS are converted into a bar code, for example, into a two-dimensional bar code of the MicroPDF-417 type, which is simultaneously printed on a label along with alphanumeric text.

 Thus, information is displayed on the label in the form of alphanumeric text and in the form of a bar code (Fig. 1).

The alphanumeric text includes:
- information on the parameters of consumer properties, determined visually, by touch, by weight, by color and smell. For example, for alcoholic products - this is its name ("Vodka Absolute", "Cognac Anniversary", etc.) and bottle capacities ("0.75 L", "0.5 L", "0.25 L", etc.), for tobacco products (Fig. 2) - name ("Filter cigarettes" Troika "," Amateur cigarettes ", etc.), special properties (" flavored "," menthol ", etc.), the number of cigarettes in a pack;
- information on the parameters of the manufacturer of the object in a digital code format, including: the region code (for example, in the form of a two-digit number "60", "12", etc.), the manufacturer's code (for example, in the form of a four-digit number), application number for the manufacture of a serial batch of objects (for example, a six-digit number) and the number of an object in a serial batch (for example, a six-digit number). The codes of the regions in the Russian Federation are defined at the federal level and coincide with the codes used, for example, in the registration system of vehicle registration plates. Codes of manufacturers (plants) in the Russian Federation are established by the Foreign Economic Association of Automatic Identification UNISCAN, as indicated, for example, in the journal Standards and Quality, 1994, N 3, p. 54. The number of the application for the manufacture of a serial batch of objects and the number of an object in a serial batch is determined by the organization printing the protected labels and keeping their number accounting.

The following information on production characteristics is displayed in a barcode:
- type of facility (for example, name and state registration code, packaging capacity (mass) and other consumer parameters);
- codes of the region, manufacturer, labeling organization, supplier;
- date of manufacture of the facility;
- serial batch number (corresponds to the application number);
- object number in a serial batch.

 Information on production characteristics contains information on the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object, which is also displayed in the alphanumeric text.

 In addition, an electronic digital signature and a public key for verification are included in the barcode.

 The conversion of information into a barcode is implemented, for example, using the Anex Tools for PDF 417 ("Anx 417") software module, version 1.61, developed by Anex Technologies Inc., Canada. The specified module allows you to convert into a barcode information containing up to 2000 bytes, which is quite enough to implement the proposed method. In the proposed technical solution, barcode is subject to information of no more than 650-660 bytes, including EDS (98 bytes), public key for checking EDS (256 bytes) and information on production characteristics (not more than 300 bytes).

 Alphanumeric text and a barcode can be printed onto a label, for example, using a standard Titan 6200 printer manufactured by DataMax Inc. USA, as described in the description of the prototype. The process of printing alphanumeric text is carried out simultaneously with the printing of a bar code and, therefore, it does not require additional time and financial costs.

 Due to the duplication of information in alphanumeric text and information in a barcode protected by electronic digital signature, high security of information in alphanumeric text is ensured. Any distortion of the information in the alphanumeric text will be detected when reading the barcode and then checking the digital signature. To protect against copying, a holographic mark with latent images and microtexts can be applied to the label (Fig. 3).

 Printed labels are sent to the manufacturer (marker), which secures them to objects, for example by gluing, in accordance with the submitted application and with the information contained in the alphanumeric text. The correctness of this operation can also be controlled by comparing the information on the label with the information given on the regular factory product label.

 Subsequently, at all stages of the promotion of an object, the accompanying documents indicate information about the object, manufacturer, region, serial number of the objects and the number of the object in the serial batch and indicate their conditional codes similar to those indicated on the label in the alphanumeric text. The accompanying documentation, for example, may include: bill of lading, invoice, copy of the certificate of conformity, etc.

 Suppliers, representatives of trading organizations and consumers identify the authenticity of the object by reading the alphanumeric text and comparing it with the actual parameters of the object and with the information from the supporting documents. The mismatch of the declared parameters and found in the object allows you to identify its non-authenticity. The possibility of such verification by any person without special technical means at all stages of the promotion of the object reduces the likelihood of falsification of the object and accompanying documents.

 Instrumental authentication of the object is carried out by reading the barcode and converting it into digital form using a scanner, for example, a USB PDF type manufactured by USB Corp. EDS, the public key for verifying EDS and information on the production characteristics of an object are distinguished. EDS authentication using a public key is carried out in a computer using a cryptographic verification algorithm (GOST R 34.10-94). According to information on production characteristics, in particular, according to the application number, information about the object is read from the database of information about genuine objects and compared with the parameters of the controlled object. The authenticity of the hologram can be verified, for example, using a latent image verification device manufactured by Atlas State Unitary Enterprise, Moscow, and reading microtexts using, for example, a 30-time contact microscope from Mikko.

 Thus, in the claimed method, depending on the stage of promotion of the object and the presence (absence) of technical means, the authentication of the object is carried out by three types of control: instrumental, documentary, user, or a combination thereof.

 Instrumental control assumes that the controlling person has the technical means of control (scanner and computer - laptop). Object verification is carried out instrumentally by the authenticity of EDS, by comparing information on production characteristics with a database of information on genuine objects, as well as by visual comparison of all received information, including that printed on a label in alphanumeric text, with the controlled object. The authenticity of the hologram can also be verified using an appropriate device by visualizing latent images and microtexts.

 In documentary control, interested parties (manufacturers, suppliers, recipients, etc.) who do not have special technical equipment control the objects according to the manufacturer’s parameters and consumer properties, comparing the information contained in the alphanumeric text on the label with the information from accompanying documents.

 During user control, consumers compare visually, by touch, by weight, color and smell, the actual consumer properties of the controlled object with the parameters declared on the label in alphanumeric text. For example, alcoholic beverages are controlled by color, bottle capacity, strength, etc., tobacco products - by the type of cigarettes (with a filter, without a filter), the number of cigarettes in a pack (the number of packs in a package), the smell of flavorings, etc. .P.

 Confirmation of the authenticity of the object is carried out with positive results of checks. If inconsistency of the controlled information is revealed, then the object is identified as non-authentic.

 The technical solution claimed as an invention eliminates the need for recording, storage and delivery of public keys for verifying EDS and provides the possibility of instrumental control of an object using special technical means, as well as documentary and user control at all stages of its promotion from the manufacturer (marker) to the consumer. Provides a high degree of security for all information printed on the label. The probability of detecting falsification of an object without attracting additional economic costs increases.

Claims (4)

 1. A method of identifying the authenticity of a controlled object, which consists in generating information on the production characteristics of the object in digital form, signing it with the digital signature of the marker, converting the received information from digital form into a bar code, applying a bar code to the object or label, fixed on the object, read the bar code, convert it to digital form, extract from it the digital signature of the marker and information about the production characteristics of the object, check the authenticity of the electronic digital signature and information on the production characteristics of the object, according to the results, the authenticity of the object is identified, characterized in that in addition to the bar code the public key for verifying the electronic digital signature is displayed, information about the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object is generated in the form of alphanumeric text, simultaneously with the application of a barcode on the object or label attached to the object, apply an alphanumeric text about the parameters of the consumer the property properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object, and when reading the bar code, the public key for verifying the digital signature is used, which is used to verify the authenticity of the electronic digital signature, and the identification of the object by the results of the authentication of the digital signature of the marker and information on the production characteristics of the object is supplemented by verification the authenticity of the object by comparing information about the parameters of consumer properties of the object and the parameters of the manufacturer of an object printed on the object or a label fixed on the object, with the actual parameters of consumer properties and the parameters of the manufacturer of the object, and if they are consistent, the object is identified as authentic by the totality of the authenticity of the electronic digital signature, information on the production characteristics of the object, as well as the parameters of the consumer properties of the object and parameters of the manufacturer of the object.  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the region code, manufacturer code, application number for the manufacture of a serial batch of objects and the number of the object in the serial batch are used as parameters of the manufacturer of the object.  3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that as parameters of the consumer properties of the objects use parameters that are controlled visually, by touch, by weight, by color and smell.  4. The method according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the production characteristics use the region code, marking organization code, manufacturer code, supplier code, object type, production date, application number for the production of a serial batch of objects, the number of an object in a serial batch .

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