Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
  • G09F3/0376—Forms or constructions of security seals using a special technique to detect tampering, e.g. by ultrasonic or optical means
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B39/00—Locks giving indication of authorised or unauthorised unlocking
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B73/00—Devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal; Miscellaneous locking devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
  • G09F3/0305—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used
  • G09F3/0347—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having padlock-type sealing means
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
  • G09F3/0305—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used
  • G09F3/0347—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having padlock-type sealing means
  • G09F3/0352—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having padlock-type sealing means using cable lock
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
  • G09F3/0394—Forms or constructions of security seals with violation indication by generating a random number
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B73/00—Devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal; Miscellaneous locking devices
  • E05B73/0005—Devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal; Miscellaneous locking devices using chains, cables or the like
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
  • Y10T292/48—Seals
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
  • Y10T292/48—Seals
  • Y10T292/507—Tag type
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
  • Y10T292/48—Seals
  • Y10T292/509—Encasing

Definitions

• the invention aims to provide a reusable seal of high security reusable without any alteration or destruction of its mechanism and to prove its opening.
• This type of seal may be used: either to control and prove the non-intrusion into a link or system or the non-infringement of the integrity of an object or its contents by an unauthorized person, or on the contrary to be open by an agent to control and prove his passage.
• the name system is taken in the broad sense, it may be for example a set of elements associated with each other or a packaging or any packaging such as a bottle with for example the need to preserve the integrity of the content, and it can be an information system dealing with sensitive data.
• the present invention is more particularly aimed at these fields of application as will be seen hereinafter.
• the oldest seal is the wax seal, usually stamped with the seal of the Authority.
• metal or plastic seals incorporating an identifier in the form of a progressive tightening collar. These seals are not reusable because their destruction is irremediable when there is a violation of the place or the system to be protected.
• metal seals in the form of fluted wire called "beaded” and whose two ends are crimped into a piece of soft metal, usually lead with a special clip that marks a relief seal said piece of lead, this is also generally called a sealing.
• the latter type of seal is often used on meters of water, gas, electricity, to prohibit access to the metering device that it is mechanical or electronic.
• seals or identification media have two major drawbacks: the first is that they are very easily reproducible identically with summary means including the authenticating element or seal, it is also possible to obtain them in large quantities on the market; the second is the substitution of an object or system to be protected.
• the connection between the seal or the support and the parts which must be forbidden separation or opening is ineffective and can be easily destroyed by keeping intact the seal or the support. This is for example a bonding that can be dissolved by a suitable chemical or solvent and that will allow to recover the seal, to access the prohibited area and reposition the seal in the same place as before and thus having accessed or modified data without anyone noticing it. It also becomes possible to substitute a seal of an original product for a copy and thus to pass a copy for an original.
• the holograms are not individualized, that is to say that they are all identical to each other for the same series and because of this, it becomes easy for an unauthorized person to obtain these holograms, to open the housing to be protected by destroying the hologram and replacing it with a new one in all respects identical. In the case where it is not possible to obtain the hologram, the counterfeiter can still take off the housing without destroying it and put it back in the same way.
• the security seal must firstly prevent the compromise of physical access of the container to the content and secondly to reveal this compromise when, nevertheless, it has produced.
• a security seal is not intended to make impossible attacks against a system or access to any place or container, however if it is well designed and well integrated on the product or the place to protect, it will dissuade the striker wishing to not leave a trace. It is primarily a defense, which means is able to highlight an attempt to undermine the physical integrity of the system or the object on which it is mounted.
• the so-called security seal can take many forms.
• a seal is in fact a physical means of achieving an authenticated union between himself and one or more elements by an Authority which will mark the seal of its seal (state seal for example).
• Patent FR2848698 of the same applicant and inventor relates to a method of identification and authentication without a specific reader of an object or a living being.
• this document does not refer to a non-intrusion verification system in a system or a place to protect or not to the integrity of an object which is precisely the object of this invention.
• the method described in document FR2848698 does not in any way guarantee the non-opening of a system or a place to protect.
• WO 01/11591 discloses a device for identifying objects. This identifier has the particularity of having a lens matrix that generates a three-dimensional optical effect, which does not mean that it is not reproducible. What is disclosed herein differs completely from the present invention essentially in that:
• this identifier does not guarantee the highlighting of the opening or the intrusion of the object or the place to protect. -
• the identifier described in this document is reproducible to infinity since it is based on a manufacturing process certainly complex but quite controlled. Therefore the uniqueness of this identifier is not assured. the identifier is not associated with a database.
• the document EP 1087334 describes a seals system using a transponder which makes it possible to contain an electronic identification and remotely searchable.
• This type of transponder is not unique since it is quite possible for a person or an organization having means of production to produce several having the same number. Therefore, it is quite possible to open the described device to access its contents and to reconstruct a set of two identical capsules to the first responses with a transponder giving the same answer as the first.
• the flaw of this type of device is throughout the chain of supply of capsules and transponders, if a person or a malicious organization can divert parts, it will be able to reconstruct the seal identical to the first.
• this type of seal is not reusable in case of opening.
• the non-intrusion method relies on a unique and non-reproducible authenticator registered in a database, therefore, even if a person succeeds in stealing authenticators, these will have no use because they will not be saved in the database.
• WO02 / 33682A discloses a reusable seal whose passage from the closed position to the open position involves the activation of a random electronic code generator. Reading this code on a display shows that the seal has been opened if the code has changed or, conversely, has not been opened if the code has not changed. If the objectives of this patent are identical to those of the present invention, not only the means are different but also the results in terms of security are much higher in the developed invention. Indeed the proof of the non-opening is made in this patent by reading an electronic display, or such a display can be reproduced identically from the knowledge of code generation algorithms.
• this reusable seal may be substituted by another identical in all respects whose display may show a code identical to the original but whose programming has been performed by a counterfeit internal electronic system providing codes to the request. It is therefore quite impossible to interchange this type of seal with another authenticating characteristics in all respects identical.
• US-A-4118057 discloses a reusable seal whose authenticating characteristic part is provided by the random arrangement of the balls of different colors appearing in a window.
• the extremely high number of combinations makes it possible to affirm that it is impossible to reproduce two identical combinations and consequently to make sure of the opening or not of the seal.
• the system is completely mechanical, there is no electronics, the substitution of a seal by another sealed in all respects identical and providing the same arrangement of beads is theoretically possible because the balls themselves are perfectly reproducible in size and in color. As a result, it is sufficient to access the viewing window and to position balls in identical ways. In this sense, if it may seem difficult to modify the device in use, it is always easy to prepare another similar device which will be prepared in advance an identical arrangement of the authenticating part, that is to say ie the identical positioning of colored beads.
• the invention aims to provide a global solution to all three problems that arise in the use of seals, namely:
• the high security seal according to the invention is reusable indefinitely over time, while allowing to detect and prove its opening and closing which corresponds to a new reuse.
• Its essential feature constituting the heart of the invention lies in the fact that it provides a new authenticating characteristic each time it is opened and therefore it is closed again to be put into service. It is characterized in that it incorporates a device allowing the uncontrolled evolution of its authenticating characteristic at each change of state, that is to say during the transition from the closed to open position (Fig IA) canceling the characteristic preceding authenticator and from the open to closed position (FIG. 1B) restoring a new authenticating characteristic thanks to the chaotic self-generation of new authenticating characteristics caused by said change of state.
• Each authenticating characteristic is stored in a secure memory or reference database in order to prove whether there has been opening or attempt to open said seal.
• the joint and stable action of the non-reproducible individual authenticators 1, 2 makes it possible to generate a new common authenticator 15, 16, 17 totally random, depending on the relative position of said individual authenticators 1, 2.
• the separate and unstable action of the authenticators 1, 2 is generated by at least one relative movement of an authenticator with respect to the other (s).
• the new common authenticator 15, 16, 17 generated by the new position of the individual authenticators 1, 2 makes it possible to create a new code or signature whose representation is stored in a local database and / or distant.
• the unique and non-reproducible authenticating characteristics of the individual authenticators 1, 2 come from a chaotic process.
• the authenticating characteristics are self-generated visible bubbles in the material.
• this chaotic process may be the formation of bubbles during the hardening of the material constituting said authenticator.
• a transparent material having heterogeneities dispersed randomly in the volume.
• These heterogeneities that can be distinguished visually are captured for example in the form of a photograph and one or more representations characterizing this form of identifier are stored in a memory or a database either in the form of a two-dimensional image or in numerical form calculated from remarkable elements, positioning, dimension, etc. heterogeneities embedded in the volume, the two forms of image and digital representation can coexist.
• transparent individual volume authenticators are used in glass, ceramic, plastic or polymer containing visible bubbles whose number, shape and layout are the result of a chaotic self-generation which can not be controlled by the man.
• This type of authenticator is particularly interesting because it is always unique and not clonable by the man.
• EPOl 904039.3 of the same applicant and the same inventors suggests this type of bubble authenticator with an appropriate reading system.
• this bubble authenticator it is a matter of using this bubble authenticator in a particular method whose purpose or purpose is to block or prohibit access to systems or places or to verify the integrity or the identity with associated information of an original object.
• a representation in the form of an image and / or digital image is stored in a database so as to verify the integrity of the authenticating characteristic.
• the memory and / or the database in which a representation of the authenticating characteristic is stored is physically located in the system and / or the location to be protected and / or on the support itself but whose content may be read from outside by an authorized person.
• This representation of the authenticator constitutes a key to access the physical system and / or logical information.
• the authenticated features reader stores the reading made during the last pass and automatically compares it with the new one. In case of discrepancy, an audible or light signal warns the controller which means that there has been opening.
• each seal may be associated with an identifier in the form of a barcode or electronic (RFID) thus constituting an address in the database so as to make comparisons easier.
• the representation of the authenticator in the form of an image and / or digital representation is searchable by an Internet-type telecommunication network.
• the content stored in digital form and / or image can be accessed by a controller or authorized agent in several ways.
• a first way is to visually compare the image representation stored in the local and / or remote database with the authenticator physics by analyzing the similarity of positioning of bubbles or heterogeneities.
• the database is not local but remote
• a call code constituting the identifier of the Pauthentifier in the remote database is used, the call code can be numeric, alphanumeric, barcode magnetic stripe, electronic chip, etc. It is obvious that the local or remote database is secured or protected against any attempt to modify or replace by other information.
• the non-intrusion verification method in a system or a place to protect or not to compromise the integrity of an object according to the invention is carried out by automatic comparison of the authenticator, with the aid of an appropriate reader, with its digital representation stored in a local or remote database.
• the authenticating representation stored in a database will evolve with each new use of the seal, it is also this correspondence between what is stored in the database and what is actually noted on the seal which makes it possible to attest that the seal has not been opened.
• FIG 1 there is shown a device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this being only a non-limiting example.
• Fig IA shows the device open and free.
• Figure 1B shows the closed and blocked device.
• Figure IC is a top view of the device showing the authenticating part.
• a lid (4) has a transparent bubble generator (2) (8) generated chaotically.
• This authenticator (2) is fixed on the cover (4) comprising a viewing window (7).
• the body (3) comprises an authenticator (1) transparent but whose background is reflective, for example silver.
• the bubbles (8) were generated chaotically.
• In the body (3) is provided a countersink (10) in which balls (11) can freely move. On the balls (11) is placed the authenticator (1) which can move freely on the balls within the limits of its housing.
• the fastener (5) is the link that binds the security seal as a whole to the object or the container to protect.
• This link (5) is separable from the seal via the device (12) placed blindly in its housing (13). To remove the link (5) in order to open the container or to reach the protected system, it is necessary to match the passage (14) of the cover (4) with the corresponding part of the body (3).
• the cover (4) is sufficiently unscrewed from the body (3) so that on the one hand it is possible to remove the link (5) from the body (4) in which it is a prisoner in order to match the opening (14) with the housing (13) and secondly, to separate the authenticators (1) and (2).
• the authenticator (1) completely free on the balls (11) will move and occupy an unstable random position that will change permanently at the slightest action exerted on the system.
• Authenticators (1) and (2) are inaccessible from the outside.
• the lid (4) is in the closed and locked position. In this position, the link (5) is completely prisoner of the body (3) closed by the cover (4).
• This position also makes it possible to block the authenticators (1) and (2) by pressure and thus stabilize the authenticator (1) which was mobile during the open position.
• This locked position necessarily corresponds a new relative and stable position of the authenticators (1) and (2) which is different from the previous stable position, which makes it possible to prove that to access a new stable relative position of the authenticators it is necessary to to have unlocked the lid (4).
• Each stable position being recorded in a database by reading the associated position of the bubbles of the two transparent authenticators, it becomes easy and easy to compare any new relative positions of bubbles and thus to prove the opening leading to this change.
• FIG. 2 shows a photograph taken in application of the present invention showing the starting position of each of the authenticators (1) and (2) then successively associated in (15), (16) and (17) after three unlocking and reblocking , thus showing the different combinations providing different signatures.
• this type of seal may be used to carry out passage control by agents in monitored areas, for example by returning a new signature from the opening of the seal to the database with the aid of a reader.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Collating Specific Patterns (AREA)
• Storage Device Security (AREA)
• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
• Financial Or Insurance-Related Operations Such As Payment And Settlement (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (13)

Cited By (2)

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Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2005
  • 2005-11-23 FR FR0511835A patent/FR2893595B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2006
  • 2006-11-20 CN CN2006800433923A patent/CN101313118B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-11-20 WO PCT/FR2006/002564 patent/WO2007060323A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2006-11-20 EP EP06831153.9A patent/EP1951974B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-11-20 RU RU2008124967A patent/RU2384895C1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-11-20 KR KR1020087015283A patent/KR20080077226A/ko not_active Ceased
  • 2006-11-20 TR TR200803287T patent/TR200803287T2/xx unknown
  • 2006-11-20 JP JP2008541788A patent/JP5006333B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-11-20 BR BRPI0618427-8A patent/BRPI0618427A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-11-20 US US12/088,916 patent/US7726708B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-11-20 ZA ZA200803267A patent/ZA200803267B/xx unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-04-01 TN TNP2008000149A patent/TNSN08149A1/fr unknown
  • 2008-04-22 MA MA30860A patent/MA29877B1/fr unknown

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