WO2022184940A1

WO2022184940A1 - Plastic carrier for information that is physically present

Info

Publication number: WO2022184940A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/055758
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ingolf Bode
Original assignee: Mcpatent Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-03-05
Filing date: 2022-03-07
Publication date: 2022-09-09

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) for information that is physically present, the information being present in the form of a cryptographic key pair generated by way of a key generation algorithm, consisting of a secret key (5) and an associated public key (4), wherein the secret key (5) is arranged in the interior of the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) in a cavity (7) that is present there, wherein the public key (4) is arranged externally on the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18), wherein the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) has a predetermined breaking point (2) by way of which it is able to be broken open and the cavity (7) is thereby able to be opened such that the secret key (5) is legible, and wherein the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18), the public key (4) and the secret key (5) are produced by way of an additive process. The invention is in particular intended to provide a cold wallet that is able to be handled offline in a simple and secure manner, and thus in the same way as cash.

Description

Plastic carrier for physically existing information

DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a plastic carrier for physically present information and a manufacturing method for such a plastic carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The offline storage of so-called crypto tokens has been known for many years. Bitcoin in particular as a prominent example is used in physical storage media (cold wallets), for example as a hardware wallet or so-called in

Stored in the form of so-called paper wallets (paper wallets) in order to be able to trade later online with more or less large energy consumption and sometimes with the payment of trading fees. Offline trading with cold wallets has not been known to date and was not recommended until now, as this in addition to the public key, a private key would also have to be shared. However, since with knowledge of a private key it is both a complete and anonymous key Possibility of disposing of assets, it is in no case advisable to disclose this private key to third parties.

As a result, all people who do not have online access or who do not want to or cannot deal with online traded products are already excluded from trading in Kiypto tokens and their possession.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a form for a cold wallet that does not have any of the disadvantages mentioned above. In particular, the invention is intended to provide a cold wallet that can be traded offline easily and securely and thus in the same way as cash

Information proposed, the information presented as a means of a

Cryptographic key pair generated by a key generation algorithm, consisting of a public key and an associated secret key, the secret key being arranged inside the plastic carrier in a cavity present there, the public key being arranged on the outside of the plastic carrier, the plastic carrier having a predetermined breaking point, by means of which it can be broken apart and thereby the cavity can be opened in such a way that the secret key can be read after breaking apart and wherein the plastic carrier, the public key and the secret key are produced by means of an additive process. Exemplary embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

The plastic carrier can be opened, in particular like a dog, by means of the predetermined breaking point, so that the hollow space is exposed. The plastic carrier can be in the form of a coin or a token. Alternatively, the plastic carrier can also be designed as a rectangular plate. The predetermined breaking point can be formed on the plastic carrier as one or more perforation lines or score lines be. If the perforation or score lines are straight, the plastic carrier can preferably be broken into two halves along this line or these lines, with the two halves acting as lever arms and the perforation or score lines lying parallel to the break or lever axis ,

In a preferred embodiment, the plastic carrier is coin-shaped and a perforation line extends on the upper side, the underside and on both sides of the edge, thereby forming a closed perforation line preferably around the axis of symmetry of the plastic carrier.

In another embodiment, the predetermined breaking point can also be circular in the form of a perforation line, such that the cover formed by the perforation line can be pressed in the direction of the underlying cavity closed by the cover or, alternatively, levered out. The plastic carrier broken into the lid and lid base reveals the secret key. This can be present on the underside of the cover, on the inner walls of the base part or on the inner bottom of the base part, or as a code on a small plate mounted in the cavity. Essential to the invention is the production of plastic carrier and

Key pair using an additive method. A particularly preferred additive manufacturing process for the plastic carrier is the so-called Jet Fusion process with the 3D printer HP® Jet Fusion® 580 Color. The process allows volume cubes (voxels) with an edge length of approx. 80 micrometers to be printed in different colors. Both keys are printed with the plastic carrier in a single printing process.

It is preferred to print the keys in the form of QR codes. In particular, the secret key can have this code format. One advantage of the QR code is the comparatively high information density. Furthermore, the QR code is the most common form of key coding for crypto token wallets. The above printer uses colored agents for this code. When choosing the color of the code, in addition to the desired sufficient visual contrast, it is preferable to ensure that the color palette / color addition for the individual voxels is selected in such a way that their absorption values in relation to an X-ray image, for example within a CT scan procedure, are as dense as possible are next to each other or, at best, identical. This avoids spying out the secret key using a CT scan.

In another embodiment, codes that are easy to read and do not require a camera and computer to read them can also be used. Such

Codes are sequences of digits, for example a 256-bit number in the hexadecimal system with 32 bytes or 64 characters in the range 0-9, A-F, for example with E9873 D79C6 D87DC 0FB6A 5778633389 F4453 213303DA61 F20BD 67FC233A33 2623. Known are also so-called mini private key formats that encode, for example, Bitcoin private keys with 30 characters, for example in the following form: S6c56 bnXQi Bjk9m qSYE7 ykVQ7 NzrRy. Moreover, the public key can also be implemented as extracted writing, as 3D writing, in order to correspond in this respect to the impression of a minted coin.

The secret key is arranged in the hollow space. This can be realized in different ways. In one aspect, the information is arranged on an inner wall of the plastic carrier. In one variant, the secret key can also be present on a disk.

In a special embodiment, the plastic carrier has several cavities, each with a secret key arranged dark, for example for further crypto

Tokens or (not quite correct) crypto "currencies". Each of these cavities can be opened with its own predetermined breaking point.

In a further embodiment, several plastic carriers are combined in a composite. The network can be used in a special aspect for this disassemble the intended separation points back into the individual plastic carriers. It goes without saying that the plastic carrier advertising does not have to have the same shape. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the keys is in the form of a code from the following group; One-dimensional code, in particular in the form of a bar code, two-dimensional code, in particular in the form of a QR code, a maxi code, a data matrix code, an Aztec code, digit code. In a further embodiment, the plastic carrier is in the form of a coin or a rectangular plate

In a further embodiment, the pair of keys is suitable for trading with a cryptocurrency, in particular Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin or IOTA. In another embodiment, the cavity is filled with a powder.

The powder usually consists of the material used for the additive finishing, preferably polyamide, in particular so-called PA12. The powder in the cavity serves to transmit the force of the two levers and makes it easier to break apart the plastic carrier along the predetermined breaking point.

To increase security against forgery, the plastic carrier can also have a hologram and/or an RFID tag.

In one embodiment, it is preferred if the public key is in the form of a small plate that is located in the cavity. This embodiment can be further developed in that the small plate with the public key is attached to the plastic carrier by means of spring elements. In this way it can be ensured that the small plate does not fall out of the cavity and is lost when the cavity is opened by means of the predetermined breaking point. The manufacturing method for a plastic carrier according to one of the preceding aspects and embodiments is essential for the invention, the plastic carrier and the pair of keys being produced in an additive manufacturing process during a single printing process. In particular are

Plastic sleeve and pair of keys are made of one piece of material

In particular for a high level of security, it is preferable if only during the

Printing process of the key generation algorithm is started and the cryptographic key pair is generated with the data obtained from it and if the data of the secret key are also deleted from the print file during the printing process of the plastic carrier. While the data of the public key is used for the urgently needed assignment and the deposit of an amount of cryptocurrency and should also be saved as a file, the premise of absolute secrecy preferably applies to the secret key. As a result, you can use a plastic carrier made as described above assume that there is no duplicate next to the secret key in the cavity of the plastic carrier. As long as the plastic carrier remains unbroken/closed, no one can access the protected key information, which represents a completely new and absolute level of security. Alternatively, a suitable algorithm can be used to ensure that all files containing the private key are completely deleted. The secret key only becomes readable when it breaks apart, i.e. when the plastic carrier is irreversibly destroyed. By keeping the destruction visible, trading in physical tokens emptied of crypto balances is easy to avoid entirely.

Finally, a computer program product is preferred that is a

Has a software program for manufacturing a plastic carrier, the computer program product comprising a set of instructions that cause a method according to any one of the method claims to be carried out. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and advantages of the invention become clear from the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. It shows

1 shows a schematic plan view of a plastic carrier according to the invention in the form of a crypto token with a round predetermined breaking point in the form of a circumferential groove;

FIG. 2 shows the crypto token according to FIG. 1 in a side view; FIG.

3 shows the crypto token according to FIG. 1 in a sectional view along the line AA′ shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of a further circumferential perforation according to the invention; FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the crypto token according to FIG. 4 in a side view;

FIG. 6 shows the crypto token according to FIG. 4 in a sectional view along the line AA′ shown in FIG. 4;

7 shows a schematic top view of another plastic carrier according to the invention in the form of a crypto token with a straight predetermined breaking point in the form of a circumferential perforation and

8 shows the crypto token according to FIG. 7 in a sectional view along line A—A′ shown in FIG.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a plastic carrier 1 according to the invention in the form of a crypto token with a round predetermined breaking point 2 in the form of a circumferential groove 3. The plastic carrier is made entirely of a nylon material (polyamide), here referred to as PA 12, in an additive process. The plastic carrier 1 has physically present information, namely a public key 4 and an associated secret key 5. The public key 4 is applied to the outside 6 of the plastic carrier 1 in an elevated font shown only schematically and abbreviated and consists of an alphabet Base 58, Instead of or in addition to the raised writing, the public key can also be applied to the plastic carrier as a color print or as a 2D code, for example as a QR code.

In this embodiment of the invention, the secret key 5 (indicated as a dashed line) is in the form of a round 2D code and is arranged inside the plastic carrier 1 in a cavity 7 present there (see FIG. 2). The cavity 7 is completely filled with powder 13 made of the material PA 12 already mentioned above.

By means of the predetermined breaking point 2 in the form of the circumferential groove 3 and a tab 8, the cavity 7 can be broken and opened in such a way that the secret

Key 5 is readable after breaking open. The tab 8 is connected to a cover part 9 which can be completely removed from a base part 10 of the plastic carrier 1 . For this purpose, the tab 8 must first be lifted in the direction of the arrow 11, for example by hand or by inserting a pointed tool into the slot 12. The cover part 9 is moved upwards away from the base part 10 away from the base part 10 along the groove 3 by the tab 8 by means of the lever thus produced and by breaking open. After the powder has been removed, the private key 5 can then be read, for example by a well-known smartphone application such as a QR scanner on a smartphone.

It should be emphasized again that the plastic carrier, the public key and the secret key are combined in one by means of an additive process Printing process are made. The production is preferably carried out using the 3D printer HP Jet Fusion 580 Color. The printer used for the prototype construction can produce around 1000 plastic carriers in its installation space, for example if the external dimensions of the plastic carrier do not exceed 32mm in diameter and 3.5mm in thickness. An RFID tag 13 is also shown, which was glued to the outside of the base part and can facilitate contactless identification of the plastic carrier. Optionally, a hologram (not shown) can also be applied to the plastic carrier 1 as an additional security feature.

A second embodiment according to the invention is shown in FIGS. The plastic carrier 16 essentially corresponds to the previously shown embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, but instead of a circumferential groove, the predetermined breaking point 2 is designed as a perforation 14 and the private key printed using a color added to the powder is in the form of a 2D code available here as QR code 15. The public key attached to the outside is not shown for the sake of a better overview.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic top view of another plastic carrier 18 according to the invention in the form of a crypto token with a straight predetermined breaking point in the form of a circumferential perforation 17. The private key 5 is a QR code on a small plate 19 stored in the powder 13 of the cavity 7 printed. The public key, which is also present on the outside of the plastic carrier 18, is not shown. FIG. 8 shows the plastic carrier 18 in the form of the crypto token according to FIG. 7 in a sectional view along the line AA' shown in FIG. Shown is still the direction of a force in the form of arrows 20 with the

Kunststoffträger can be broken apart into two parts in the direction of arrows 21. The small plate 10 may still deform to a certain extent without impairing the legibility of the private key. It should be noted that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or method steps, just as the term "a" and "an" does not exclude several elements and steps. The reference numbers used are only used to increase understanding and should not be considered in any way limiting , the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE MARKS

1 plastic carrier

2 predetermined breaking point 3 groove

4 Public Key

5 Secret Key

6 outside

7 cavity 8 tab

9 cover part

10 base part

11 arrow

12 slot 13 RFID tag

14 powder

15 QR code

16 plastic carriers

17 QR code 18 Plastic carrier

19 tiles

20 arrows

21 arrows

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) for physically present information, the information present as a cryptographic key pair generated by means of a key generation algorithm, consisting of a secret key (5) and an associated public key (4), the secret key (5 ) is arranged inside the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) in a cavity (7) present there, the public key (4) being arranged on the outside of the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18), the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) a predetermined breaking point

(2) has, by means of which it is broken and thereby the cavity (7) can be opened in such a way that the secret key (5) can be read and the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18), the public key (4) and the secret keys (5) are produced by means of an additive method.

2. Plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the keys (4, 5) is designed as a code from the following group: one-dimensional code, in particular in the form of a bar code, two-dimensional code, in particular in the form of a QR codes (15, 17), a maxi code, a data matrix code, an Aztec code, numeric code.

3. Kunststoffiräger (1, 16, 18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) is in the form of a coin or a rectangular plate.

4. Plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pair of keys is suitable for trading with a so-called cryptocurrency, in particular Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin or IOTA.

5. Plastic carrier according to (1, 16, 18) one of the preceding claims, wherein the cavity (7) is filled with a powder (14).

6. Plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the Kunststoffiräger (1, 16, 18) further comprises a hologram for improving the security against counterfeiting.

7. Plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic carrier also has an RFID tag (13),

8. Plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) according to claim 1, wherein the public key (5) is formed on a plate (19) that is located in the cavity (7).

9. Manufacturing method for a plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic carrier (1, 16, 18) and the

key pair are produced in an additive manufacturing process during a single printing process,

10. Manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein the key generation algorithm is started during the printing process and the cryptographic key pair is generated with the data obtained therefrom.

11. Manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein the data of the secret key (5) are deleted from the print file during the printing process.

12. Computer program product that has a software program for the production of a plastic carrier, the computer program product having a set

Instructions which cause a method according to any one of claims 9 to 11 to be carried out.