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EP2561469A1 - Procédé de génération et de lecture d'un code hybride, et code hybride associé - Google Patents

Procédé de génération et de lecture d'un code hybride, et code hybride associé

Info

Publication number
EP2561469A1
EP2561469A1 EP11725197A EP11725197A EP2561469A1 EP 2561469 A1 EP2561469 A1 EP 2561469A1 EP 11725197 A EP11725197 A EP 11725197A EP 11725197 A EP11725197 A EP 11725197A EP 2561469 A1 EP2561469 A1 EP 2561469A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
code
magnetic
electronic
elements
hybrid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP11725197A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Paul Wilkinson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NICANTI Srl IN LIQUIDAZIONE
Original Assignee
NICANTI Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NICANTI Srl filed Critical NICANTI Srl
Publication of EP2561469A1 publication Critical patent/EP2561469A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • G06K19/08—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 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
    • G06K19/10—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 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards
    • G06K19/18—Constructional details
    • 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
    • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
    • 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
    • G06K19/08—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 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
    • G06K19/083—Constructional details
    • 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
    • G06K19/08—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 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
    • G06K19/10—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 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of methods for generating and reading a machine-readable code (MRC).
  • MRC machine-readable code
  • the present invention relates to a machine-readable hybrid code, i.e. a code that includes information coded according to two distinct coding techniques.
  • Electronic codes are known in the art which are applied to an object so that it can be identified and/or tracked.
  • the code is read by analysing how a surface containing electronic codes printed in accordance with said method reacts to radio frequency.
  • Electrodes are used to supply an alternating (or anyway non-constant) electric signal to the electronic code and then, again by using said electrodes, the response current or voltage is measured.
  • the method described in the above-mentioned international patent application ensures a more reliable scan, thanks to the quality of the signal provided by analysing the conductive properties of the ink and to the capability of obtaining said signal even when the code is scanned without contact, i.e. on the back side of the substrate whereto the electronic code has been applied, or through a graphic decoration layer or a protection layer protecting the code against external agents.
  • the number of bars required for describing a piece of information is equal to the number of bits of that piece of information plus one bar representing a control code.
  • An electronic code 1 using the teachings of international patent application No. WO 2009/138571 is shown by way of example in Fig. 1.
  • It comprises a sequence of elements 3, in particular vertical bars, having a single electronic property and drawn by using the same ink.
  • the digital information contained in the electronic code is determined by the distance between the bars. For example, it can be defined that, if the space following a vertical bar is short, then that vertical bar will be considered to represent, for example, a zero value bit, whereas if the space following a vertical bar is long, then that vertical bar will be considered to represent, for example, a one value bit. Based on this definition, the code of Fig. 1 corresponds to the binary representation of the bit sequence "000010010000100100001001 10111000".
  • Machine-readable codes are also known which exploit other physical properties of inks, such as magnetic codes.
  • Magnetic codes which can also be reproduced as printed areas coded by means of magnetic fields, can be easily programmed by using said controlled magnetic fields, but have some drawbacks that can be summarised as being relatively easy to clone.
  • the machine-readable code is read by simultaneously or sequentially reading an electronic code and a magnetic code.
  • Such types of machine-readable codes are called hybrid codes.
  • a hybrid code essentially offers the advantages of both code types (electronic and magnetic).
  • the hybrid code generated in accordance with the present invention has the same programmability properties as a magnetic code, while being however impossible to clone.
  • the present invention describes a method for creating a hybrid code, wherein a portion of the hybrid code consists of elements having defined electronic properties and another portion of the hybrid code consists of magnetic elements (or materials) and/or inks (or materials) with electronic and magnetic properties controlled by using ink mixtures.
  • the magnetic properties of said elements may also be modified in a controlled manner in order to program and/or reprogram the hybrid code.
  • the electric property of the substances is their electric conductivity, expressed in mathematical form as the real part and the imaginary part of conductance.
  • the electronic code and the magnetic code contained in the hybrid code may contain pieces of information being either correlated or not correlated with each other.
  • the electronic code contains a piece of information which is an encryption key required for reading the piece of information contained in the magnetic code.
  • hybrid code thus generated can be programmed and read without being connected to an electronic apparatus storing the encryption key in its memory, since the key is contained in the substrate, in particular a document, onto which the hybrid code has been applied.
  • the electronic code may be changed randomly, may be made invisible, and may be hidden into or under the graphics of the magnetic code.
  • FIG. 1 shows an electronic code according to the prior art
  • Figs. 3a and 3b show some examples of hybrid codes according to the invention.
  • Fig. 4a shows a portion of an electronic code included in a hybrid code of Fig. 4b.
  • Fig. 2 there is shown a graph representing the electric behaviour, in particular the conductance value Y, of a plurality of electronic inks when they are subjected to an alternating or anyway variable electric field.
  • the Applicant has developed electronic inks and printing techniques which can generate electronic code elements having well-defined electrically conductive behaviours: inks Z having insulating conductive behaviours; inks A of the purely real type (in phase with radio frequency excitation); inks B of the purely imaginary type (out of phase by +90° or -90° with respect to radio frequency excitation); inks C of the mixed type (having a real component and an imaginary component, both non-null), obtainable by mixing together inks of the A and B types.
  • C-type inks are virtually infinite, just like A-type and B-type inks.
  • the coding can be made independent of the quantity of deposited ink, in that the code decrypting process does not use the variable of the absolute amplitude of the electric signal (meaning the amplitude of the real and imaginary components), but the presence/absence of a signal and the ratio between the imaginary part and the real part.
  • the Applicant has modified the firmware of a scanner created for reading the prior-art electronic code 1 known from international patent application no. WO 2009/138571.
  • This firmware modification involves the simultaneous analysis of both the real and imaginary components of conductance, instead of simply analysing the real component only or the two components' module. Thanks to this modification, it is possible to classify the bars as A, B, C and Z depending on the ratio between the real component and the imaginary component of conductance. Subsequently, a logic which is inverse to the one used for encryption allows the code content to be deciphered.
  • FIGs. 3a and 3b there is shown a first embodiment of a method for generating a hybrid machine-readable code, or hybrid code 5, according to the invention.
  • the hybrid code 5 comprises an electronic code 7 and a magnetic code 9 applied onto the electronic code 7 in a manner such as to cover at least one portion of an area delimited by the electronic code 7.
  • the electronic code 7 may be applied, for example, by printing it onto a substrate as described in patent application no. WO 2009/138571.
  • a magnetic code 9 is applied onto the electronic code 7, e.g. by printing or thermal transfer or another known technique, which magnetic code can be programmed by using known techniques for the magnetic orientation of magnetic strips.
  • the magnetic code 9 may be provided as a continuous surface of programmable magnetic material, in particular a magnetic strip, as schematised in Fig. 3a, or as a combination of elements made of magnetic ink.
  • the underlying electronic code 7 cannot be detected optically. At any rate, even if the magnetic strip were transparent, the electronic code 7 could be transparent as well or could be printed by using techniques making it not optically distinguishable.
  • the magnetic code 9 may be programmed by using programming techniques already in use in commercially available programmers, since the underlying electronic code 7 does not interfere magnetically with the magnetic code 9, which can therefore be programmed with the normal programmers available on the market.
  • the electronic code 7 can be physically read through the magnetic code 9 by using a radio frequency scanner such as the one described in patent - application no. WO 2009/138571 , in that the magnetic ink (or strip), if properly formulated, will not interfere with radio frequency scanning so long as the thickness of the strip or of the ink elements is reasonably limited.
  • a radio frequency scanner such as the one described in patent - application no. WO 2009/138571 , in that the magnetic ink (or strip), if properly formulated, will not interfere with radio frequency scanning so long as the thickness of the strip or of the ink elements is reasonably limited.
  • the magnetic code 9 can be read by commercial scanners, because the latter are not sensitive, within reasonable limits, to the presence of underlying electronic inks. Both codes, i.e. the electronic one 7 and the magnetic one 9, can be read in sequence by sequentially using two respective scanners suitable for each specific purpose, or simultaneously by using a single scanner capable of reading both an electronic code 7 and a magnetic code 9.
  • the information that must be contained in the hybrid code 5 can be subdivided into two parts: a fixed part, e.g. the serial number, and a variable part, e.g. the series unitary number.
  • the fixed part is contained in the electronic code 7
  • the variable part is contained in the magnetic code 9.
  • the combination of these two parts is the payload.
  • This type of hybrid code is potentially clonable in its variable part only, and cannot be copied.
  • the electronic code 7 printed under the magnetic code 9 is read by a suitable sensor, e.g. the one disclosed by patent application WO 2009/138571, and the digital information contained therein is then extracted, said digital information not being known a priori.
  • the payload content i.e. the information content to be written in the magnetic code 9
  • it can be encrypted by using the digital information contained in the electronic code 7 as an electronic key.
  • the encryption algorithm is generally symmetrical, in that the same information of the electronic code 7 will be used for decrypting the magnetic code 9.
  • the magnetic code 9 is programmed in a manner such that it contains the encrypted payload information.
  • the magnetic code 9 will contain encrypted information which cannot be decrypted without knowing the information of the electronic code 7 associated therewith.
  • a machine is used for reading the electronic code 7, encrypting the payload with the content of the electronic code 7, and then programming the magnetic code 9.
  • the electronic code 7 and the magnetic code 9 are read either simultaneously or sequentially.
  • the electronic code 7 being known, it is thus possible to decrypt the magnetic code 9 by using the algorithm inverse to the encryption one.
  • the hybrid code 5 cannot be cloned because it can only be read if the electronic code 7 associated with the magnetic code 9 is known.
  • the hybrid code 5 In order to prevent the hybrid code 5 from being cloned, it is therefore sufficient to change regularly, even in a totally random manner, the content of the electronic code 9.
  • the latter' s variation frequency must not necessarily be serial (electronic code changed at each print): it is in fact sufficient that it is changed randomly and regularly.
  • a magnetic code e.g. by thermal transfer
  • each plate may contain a certain number of different codes; the plate is then changed regularly, and at each change the electronic codes are changed as well.
  • a counterfeiter attempting to clone a magnetic code may accurately clone the detectable magnetic sequence, but in order to be readable the latter should be contained in a magnetic strip placed over the very same electronic code used for encrypting the "payload" of the magnetic strip, which is very unlikely to happen if the printer is so wise as to regularly change the electronic code itself.
  • Fig. 3b there is shown an example of a hybrid code 5 wherein the magnetic code 9, provided as a continuous surface of programmable magnetic material, in particular a magnetic strip, completely covers the electronic code 7, which is thus invisible to the naked eye.
  • an electronic code 7 is first generated.
  • Fig. 4a shows a portion Id' of an electronic code Id coded by using four inks, respectively designated A, B, C and Z, wherein, for explanation purposes only, the inks A, B, C and Z are represented by different dashed lines.
  • Figs. 4a and 4b allow to obtain a code Id with bars having constant pitch and length.
  • the electronic code Id' is printed by means of suitable printing techniques.
  • a magnetic code 9 consisting of bars 10 created with magnetic inks, indicated by a dashed-dotted line, is printed by using suitable printing techniques.
  • a code which contains a number n of elements, in particular bars, made of electronic inks and a number n-1 of elements, in particular bars, made of magnetic inks.
  • the bars printed with magnetic inks may also be programmed through magnetic fields controlled as a function of appropriate algorithms.
  • the elements 3 of the electronic code 7 are used as a reference point for finding the exact position of the elements 10 of the magnetic code 9.
  • the magnetic code 9 and the electronic code Id making up the hybrid code 5 are read either simultaneously or sequentially.
  • the information contained in the magnetic code 9 may be encrypted with the information contained in the electronic code 7, as previously described.
  • the magnetic code of the hybrid code is provided by means of a magnetic ink having specific magnetic properties.
  • hybrid code thus obtained is read and interpreted by a hybrid scanner containing a magnetic head and a head like the one described in patent application WO 2009/138571.
  • the magnetic code of the hybrid code is provided by means of an electronic ink which also has, in addition to electronic properties, specific magnetic or non-magnetic properties.
  • the presence (or absence) of magnetism in the bar printed with these inks allows to double the quantity of information contained in one bar, thereby increasing the information density (by a factor of approximately two) while making the code more difficult to clone or copy.
  • the magnetic code of the hybrid code is provided by means of magnetically programmable inks also having controlled electronic properties. In this manner it is possible to generate a programmable hybrid code.
  • a first advantage offered by a hybrid code generated in accordance with the invention is that it is extremely difficult to copy or clone.
  • a second advantage of the present invention is that the hybrid code according to the invention has a higher information density than any prior-art electronic codes.
  • the code in the case of the first embodiment of the invention, the code becomes three-dimensional in that it contains a new "state" with information.
  • density increases because the single bars can contain more than one bit of information.
  • a further advantage of a hybrid code generated in accordance with the invention is that, in a particular embodiment of the invention, it is programmable and may possibly be reprogrammed.
  • the hybrid code can be programmed and read without being connected to an electronic apparatus storing the encryption key in its memory.
  • the key is contained in the substrate, e.g. a document, onto which the hybrid code has been applied, and therefore it is not necessary to update the memory of the scanning device nor to be connected to a data network.
  • This advantage is especially appreciated when the hybrid code according to the invention is used in mobile ticket output (programming) systems, e.g. installed on means of transport, or anyway whenever it is difficult to provide a connection to a central computer.
  • An additional advantage of the present invention is that, in a particular embodiment thereof, the electronic code part of each hybrid code is unknown even to the printer because it is covered by a magnetic strip, so that the intrinsic security of the code is further enhanced.
  • the electronic code described herein comprises a series of elements in the form of vertical bars.
  • such elements may also be represented as dots or curved lines.
  • the code elements may be printed by using inks; however, a code may be obtained by using non-printed elements as well.
  • the code elements may be provided by fibre weaving, material ablation or plastic material moulding.
  • the elements of the electronic code and/or of the magnetic code that make up the hybrid code may have predefined electronic and/or magnetic properties.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Traffic Control Systems (AREA)
  • Peptides Or Proteins (AREA)
  • Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un code (5) lisible par machine qui comporte un code (7) lisible électroniquement constitué d'une pluralité d'éléments (3), chacun desdits éléments (3) étant représentatif d'un premier fragment d'information et lesdits éléments (3) étant disposés de manière à former une séquence, ledit code lisible électroniquement étant lisible par l'intermédiaire d'un signal en radiofréquence, ledit code (5) lisible par machine comportant en outre un code magnétique (9), ledit code magnétique (9) étant représentatif d'un deuxième fragment d'information et étant contenu dans au moins une partie d'une zone délimitée par ledit code (7) lisible électroniquement.
EP11725197A 2010-04-21 2011-04-20 Procédé de génération et de lecture d'un code hybride, et code hybride associé Withdrawn EP2561469A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO2010A000337A IT1399980B1 (it) 2010-04-21 2010-04-21 Metodo per generare e leggere un codice ibrido e relativo codice ibrido
PCT/IB2011/051725 WO2011132160A1 (fr) 2010-04-21 2011-04-20 Procédé de génération et de lecture d'un code hybride, et code hybride associé

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2561469A1 true EP2561469A1 (fr) 2013-02-27

Family

ID=43032879

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11725197A Withdrawn EP2561469A1 (fr) 2010-04-21 2011-04-20 Procédé de génération et de lecture d'un code hybride, et code hybride associé

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2561469A1 (fr)
IT (1) IT1399980B1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2011132160A1 (fr)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH01199289A (ja) * 1988-02-03 1989-08-10 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The バーコード及びその読取り方法
EP1618563A1 (fr) * 2003-04-23 2006-01-25 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Support de donnees protege contre la copie
WO2005027032A1 (fr) * 2003-08-29 2005-03-24 Translucent Technologies, Llc Systeme de verification de supports
FI20085456A7 (fi) * 2008-05-15 2009-11-16 Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus Menetelmä ja laitteisto sähköisen koodin tunnistamiseksi

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2011132160A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1399980B1 (it) 2013-05-09
WO2011132160A1 (fr) 2011-10-27
ITTO20100337A1 (it) 2011-10-22

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