FR3029321A1 - METHOD OF AUTHENTICATING AN ARTICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for authenticating an article comprising at least one face (12, 13) comprising natural or generated marks (11) conferring a unique imprint on said corresponding face (12, 13). According to the invention, said at least one face (12, 13) comprising a marking element (17, 18) locally modifying said single fingerprint of said corresponding face (12, 13) by generating an authentication element, is realized the following steps: a) determining a set of data relating to said authentication element of the face (12, 13) of the article being authenticated, b) comparing said set of data thus determined with a set of relative data. a security identifier for verifying that said authentication element coincides with said security identifier, said security identifier corresponding to a marking element (17, 18) placed on said corresponding face (12, 13) of the article in question; to locally modify its footprint in a unique manner, the set of data relating to this unique security identifier having been previously determined and recorded, and c) to issue a signal corresponding to the result of this verification or display this result.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of authenticating an article in order to establish the integrity and authenticity of this article and / or of its contents. The present invention also relates to a packing case for implementing this authentication method. BACKGROUND It is known to package various goods such as bottles of wine or spirits in wooden boxes, which contribute, beyond their functionality, to the aesthetic appearance of these goods.

We also know that the market for counterfeit wine or spirits bottles is expanding, and growing stronger than the consumption of these drinks. Today, the proportion of counterfeit wines is estimated at at least 20% of the world's wines.

In recent years, various technical solutions have been developed to try to fight against this counterfeit including protecting directly the container (bottle, flask, vial, ...). Thus, bottle caps with invisible signs such as drawings are known which are only revealed by exposing these caps to ultraviolet light. Not only, the effectiveness of such protections can be relative to specific counterfeiters but they are also costly. The packing box can represent a major tool in the protection of its contents, constituting also a less expensive solution since it can accommodate a large number of goods.

However, to date, it is observed that counterfeiters do not hesitate to open these boxes packing and replace their content using empty bottles and caps belonging to castles or producers of spirits of high reputation to deceive the consumers about the actual content of these bottles. When these cases have been opened and closed properly, it is often difficult to perceive visible external signs of such counterfeiting. The fund may be presented to the final consumer without the latter having any means at his disposal enabling him to ascertain the infringement.

It is known, moreover, that the veins of wood define a single pattern formed by the undulations of the wood grain and the rings. Thus a wooden wall, such as a plate or board, has natural marks defining a unique footprint of this wall. It is also known that leather is a heterogeneous material in its structure and surface appearance. Thus the leather also has a unique pattern determined by its natural grain resulting from the implantation of the animal's hair, the homogeneity of the grain depending on the size and distribution of these hairs. It is still possible to affix on the surface of an object marks such as colored dots whose random or pseudo-random distribution and / or the particularities (size, shape, ...) define a unique pattern on the surface of the object. this object. These natural or generated marks all give a unique impression to said object.

If such fingerprints make it possible to ensure that the object which one seeks to authenticate is indeed the original object, they are not sufficient to guarantee, if this object is an element of a set obtained by assembly, such than a wall of a packing box, that this set has not been partly dismantled and reassembled.

Thus, when this object having a unique fingerprint is an element of a container, it is possible by first identifying this unique fingerprint placed on the outer surface of the container, to access the content by opening the container and then close the latter. respecting its initial configuration.

There is therefore a pressing need for a method to authentically authenticate the integrity of an object such as a packing box, to ensure the origin of its content.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and to respond to the above constraints by proposing a method of authenticating an article, simple in its design and in its operating mode, economic and to quickly check the authenticity of this article with great reliability. Another object of the present invention is a packaging box for implementing this authentication method to ensure the integrity and authenticity of its content.

Yet another object of the present invention is a machine for securing an article with a view to implementing this authentication method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION To this end, the invention relates to a method of authenticating an article comprising at least one face comprising natural or generated marks conferring a unique fingerprint to said corresponding face. According to the invention, said at least one face comprising a marker element locally modifying said single fingerprint of said face by generating an authentication element, the following steps are performed: a) determining a set of data relating to said element of authentication of the face of the article being authenticated, b) comparing said set of data thus determined with a set of data relating to a security identifier to verify that said authentication element coincides with said security identifier, said security identifier corresponding to a marking element placed on said corresponding face of the article for locally modifying its fingerprint in a unique manner, the set of data relating to this unique security identifier having been previously determined and recorded, and c ) send a signal corresponding to the result of that check or display this result.

Advantageously, such a method thus allows a user or a consumer to check in a simple and reliable way the authenticity of the article, and consequently, to obtain a guarantee on the origin of this article and / or of its contents. The verification of the authentication element is quick and easy because all the data required for this authentication are accessible when the operator is placed in a communication coverage area (radio, internet, mobile or other) to consult a database. remote data, or are already contained in the verification device, for example by prior download.

This marking element is preferably configured to be destroyed as soon as an operator affects the integrity of the article. By way of example, the article being a packing case, this marking element is destroyed by tearing when it is a label. This label can thus include one or more lines of weakness. It follows from the method of the invention that it is the marking element which locally modifies the unique footprint of the article, confers on this article a unique security identifier that is difficult to reproduce with a view to deceive the user or end user. This marking element being suitably positioned at an assembly area of an article, for example, it can then be guaranteed that this article has not been disassembled at this area. Preferably, this marking element is placed, or made, on the corresponding face during or after the manufacture of this article, and the determination of the set of data relating to this unique security identifier and the These data are recorded by following so that this dataset identifies the original article. The person skilled in the art knows that the data of the set is a function of the nature of the article and the marking element used but, for example for a support made of wood or leather, this data set can include data characterizing, locally or locally, the unique footprint of this medium (nature of the element, unique pattern, etc.), data characterizing the marking element (type, dimensions, sign, position on the support , orientation, ...) and data characterizing the way in which this marking element locally affects the support (marking depth, color, etc.). When this article is a packing box, this set of data may also include information relating to the contents of this box, for example to each item received in this box. This article being made of wood, or leather, said natural marks include the veins of the wood, respectively the grains of the leather. In various particular embodiments of this method, each having its particular advantages and capable of numerous possible technical combinations: in step a), a digital image of the authentication element of said face is acquired; step b), a calculation algorithm is used to evaluate the probability that the difference (s) noted between the authentication element of said face and said security identifier result from one or more alterations of said article. Preferably, in step c), data relating to each dissimilarity observed between the authentication element of said face and said security identifier is also sent. said or at least one of the marking elements comprises a security tag. Such security tag incorporates security features to uniquely identify said tag.

By way of example, this label comprises a support sheet one side of which is coated with an adhesive layer in order to fix said label on one side of the packaging box and the opposite side of which carries at least one component. holographic. Preferably, this holographic component is at least partially metallized and destructible in case of attempted tearing of the marking label. This support sheet may be a silicone sheet. Alternatively, this security tag may include a film with security elements. This film can for example be printed. This security label may have a surface relief such as at least one recess and / or at least one protrusion. said or at least one of the marking elements comprises a sign obtained by reacting the material constituting said face with a chemical substance or by applying a heat source. In other words, this sign can be obtained by hot etching of said face.

The application of pressure can be performed during this hot etching, this pressure may be more or less important depending on the nature of the material constituting the face to be marked and / or the characteristics of the sign to be made. This sign may have a surface relief such as at least one hollow.

Preferably, this sign comprises a vertical line, an oblique line, one or more circles, one or more digits, one or more letters, a barcode, a heat transfer film, and combinations of these elements. For purely illustrative purposes, this sign is configured to allow identification of the top and bottom of the article. the steps of comparing and transmitting a communication signal corresponding to the result of this verification are carried out by a processing unit.

This processing unit is for example a remote processing unit with which a mobile electronic unit such as a laptop, a mobile phone or a smartphone, or an electronic tablet equipped with a communication means such as a communication means wirelessly, communicates to transmit an acquired image of the authentication element and to display the result of the verification. The present invention also relates to a packaging box for implementing the authentication method as described above, this box comprising an outer structure of parallelepiped shape.

According to the invention, at least one corner of one of the faces of said box being defined by the assembly of at least two distinct walls such as walls placed at or substantially at 900, said or at least one of said corners (14) has at least one marking element covering at least a portion of said walls.

A corner of a face being defined by a first wall and the edge of at least a second wall joined to this first wall to define a face of said outer structure of the body, this marking element is thus placed astride this first wall and on the edge of said at least one second wall. This arrangement of the marking element then makes it possible not only to authenticate this face of the box but also its integrity. Preferably, a set of data relating to said security identifier has previously been obtained by means of an optical device, said data set also comprising data relating to said packaging box and in particular to its contents, for example to each element. taken individually. It is thus possible to associate a unique security identifier of a packing case with the elements of its contents (photos of the labels numbered with OCR, OR-code of an existing system, etc.). The database obtained combining the content with the packing box, it is advantageous to both production management, traceability and anti-fraud / counterfeiting. Furthermore and advantageously, one of the marking elements may take the form of a breakable crust obtained by hot etching. This hard crust generated by burning operations at the assembled walls, fractures as soon as the opening of the packing box, to reveal this opening.

The present invention also relates to a machine for securing an item for the implementation of the authentication method as described above. According to the invention, this machine comprises at least one hot stamping device and an optical device. Of course, this machine comprises a signal processing means emitted by the sensor or sensors of the optical device for processing these signals and deduce a set of data relating to said or each security identifier. Advantageously, the signals emitted by the sensor or sensors of the optical device are wireless communication signals, this processing means comprising receiving means for receiving these wireless communication signals. These wireless communication signals can be based on the following protocols: IEEE 802.11 b / g / n (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.15.1 (Bluetooth) or GSM 15 or GPRS. Alternatively, these signals are transmitted via a wired network (electrical, telephone, Ethernet) to avoid potential disturbances in production workshops. This processing means advantageously comprises a calculation unit, a keyboard, a display screen and a storage unit for storing data sets corresponding to different items. On this computing unit, one or more data processing software programs are executed to process the signals received from the sensor (s) of the optical device and to store them. Preferably, this optical device is a digital camera. It can thus comprise a matrix of CCD sensors. Advantageously, this article being a wooden packing case, the machine comprises at least one stapling device to assemble the walls of this box. Preferably, this machine comprises several stapling devices 30 for assembling in a single operation two walls constituting this body. Optionally, at least one of these stapling devices is movable to adjust the distance between these stapling devices. By way of illustration only, each stapling device operates in a pneumatic manner and makes it possible to place nails provided with at least one rod comprising one or more anti-recess elements such as harpoon-shaped barbs, which ones which prevent removing the corresponding nail without tearing wood.

The present invention also relates to the use of the method of authenticating an article as described above for the protection of wine, alcohol or spirits, pasty or viscous food product, for medical or cosmetic use contained in a container packed in a container. packing box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages, aims and particular features of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, made for an explanatory and non-limiting purpose, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows schematically and in perspective a packing case according to a first embodiment of the present invention, said case having at two opposite corners (14) not belonging to the same face a marking element; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one side of the packing crate of FIG. 1 showing a unique security identifier; Figure 3 is a front view of a machine for securing the crate of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the invention; 4 is an enlarged view of the machine of FIG. 3 showing the hot stamping heads used to make the different marking elements on the outer surface of the packing box of FIG. 1; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Firstly, it is noted that the figures are not to scale. Figures 1 and 2 schematically show a packing crate 10 for holding a plurality of containers such as bottles containing a liquid, for example a wine or a spirit, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention. This box 10 has an outer structure in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, also called right pad, each side of this box being made in a wooden board such as pine. Naturally, each face of this packing case 10 has a unique pattern determined by the wood veins 11 and the rings. This packing box 10 is here made so that two of its opposite side faces are defined by a first wall 12 and the edge 13 of four other walls assembled to this first wall 12. Thus a wedge 14 of one of these two faces is defined by a portion of a first side wall 12 and the slices 13 of two other walls of the box 10 packaging.

A first corner 14 of this outer structure of the packing box 10 and a second opposite corner 15 belonging to the same large diagonal of the rectangular parallelepiped receive a marking element 16. Each marking element 16 is thus placed astride this first wall 12 and on the edge 13 of two other walls. This arrangement of marking elements 16 then makes it possible not only to authenticate each face of the box but also to guarantee its integrity. Each marking element 16 distinct here is obtained by pyrography of the corresponding face of the packing box 10 by means of a marking head comprising a mark heated to a temperature of between 150 ° C. and 500 ° C. depending on the nature of the constituent wood of the face considered and applied under pressure against this face by means for example of a pneumatic cylinder. Each marking element 16 locally affects the support as a function of the angle between, on the one hand, the veins of the wood or natural features of the support and, on the other hand, the specific geometrical shape of the marking element. Each natural impression pair of the face in question / marking element 16 is thus unique in its interaction as a function of the gaps in the production of the support, the temperature, the marking time and the sign chosen for the marking. Figure 2 shows one of these marking elements which by altering the natural unique imprint of the face of the packing box 10, generates an authentication element. This marking element 16 has a shape of a rectangle triangle whose hypotenuse 17 has a non-rectilinear shape in order to complicate the authentication element by varying the angles between each natural vein 11 of the wood and this line 17. two adjacent sides 18 of this triangle are placed mid-width of the slices 13 of the adjacent walls. According to a particular mode of manufacture of this packing box 10, 30 this assembled box without its cover is introduced into the machine 19 to secure the packing case. Cylinders 20 are introduced into this box, each bottle being previously identified individually by a digital image acquired by means of a first optical device 21, this image comprising an individual identification element of the corresponding bottle 20 such that a barcode, prooftag, serial number, bottle number). The image and this identification element, determined by appropriate processing software, of each bottle are recorded on a storage unit.

The lid is then positioned on the box thus filled and this cover is assembled by means of staplers 22 arranged in L to assemble in a single phase two adjacent sides of this lid to the box. During this assembly operation, by means of a first hot stamping head 23, a marking element is made in a corner 14 of the lower part of a lateral face 12 of this packing box 10 to generate an identifier. of security. The packing box 10 is then rotated 180 ° to position the opposite side face to this first face opposite a second hot stamping head 24 and to assemble in a single operation the other two sides from this cover to the box by means of the staplers 22. This second 24 marking head makes it possible to produce a marking element (not shown) distinct from the first one, this being called an "opening developer" because being made in the form a rigid divisible crust which is destroyed from the first opening of the body. The six sides are then advantageously marked with only two marking elements. Simultaneously with these operations, a digital image of the security identifier is produced by means of a second optical device 25. This security identifier is analyzed, later or otherwise, to determine the set of data characterizing this identifier and this together is saved. Advantageously, this data set will also include the data relating to each bottle 20 contained in the packing case. The packing box is then stored.

Claims (15)

REVENDICATIONS1. A method of authenticating an article comprising at least one face (12, 13) having natural or generated marks (11) imparting a unique imprint to said corresponding face (12, 13), characterized in that said at least one face (12, 13) comprising a marking element (17, 18) locally modifying said single fingerprint of said corresponding face (12, 13) by generating an authentication element, the following steps are performed: a) determining a set of data relating to said authentication element of the face (12, 13) of the article being authenticated, b) comparing said set of data thus determined with a set of data relating to a security identifier to verify that said element of authentication coincides with said security identifier, said security identifier corresponding to a marking element (17, 18) placed on said corresponding face (12, 13) of the article to locally modify its footprint in a unique manner, the set of data relating to this unique security identifier having been previously determined and recorded, and c) send a signal corresponding to the result of this verification or display this result. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in step a), acquires a digital image of the authentication element of said face (12, 13). 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in step b), a calculation algorithm is used to evaluate the probability that the difference (s) found between the authentication element of said face (12, 13) and said security identifier result from one or more alterations of said article. 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that in step c), data relating to each dissimilarity observed between the authentication element of said face (12, 13) and said identifier security. 5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said or at least one of the marking elements comprises a security tag. 35 6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said or at least one of the marking elements comprises a sign obtained by reaction of the material constituting said face (12, 13) with a chemical substance or the application of a heat source. 7. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said security label and / or said marking element (17, 18) has a surface relief (12, 13). 8. Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said sign comprises a vertical line, an oblique line, one or more circles, one or more digits, one or more letters, a bar code, a hot transfer film. and combinations of these elements. 9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the steps of comparing and transmitting a communication signal corresponding to the result of this verification are performed by a processing unit. 10. Packaging box for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, said box comprising an outer structure of parallelepiped shape, characterized in that at least one corner of one of the faces ( 12, 13) of said box being defined by the assembly of at least two separate walls, said or at least one of said corners (14) comprises at least one marking element (17, 18) covering at least a part of said walls . 11. Box according to claim 10, characterized in that two opposite corners (14) of said box comprise a marking element (17, 18), said corners (14) belonging to different faces (12, 13) being each formed by the assembly of three separate walls. 12. Machine for securing an article for the implementation of the authentication method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one device (23, 24) for hot stamping and an optical device (21, 25). 13. Machine according to claim 12, characterized in that said optical device (21, 25) is a digital camera. 14. Machine according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said article being a wooden packing case, it comprises at least one stapling device (22) to assemble the walls of this box. 15. Use of said method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 for the protection of wine, alcohol or spirits, pasty or viscous food for medical or cosmetic use contained in a container packed in a packing case.