METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATING A FORGERY-PROOF OBJECT

Abstract

A method for producing a forgery-proof object (1), wherein the object is marked with a code (2) and additionally with a marking (3) spaced apart from the code, wherein the method encompasses the following steps: determining a random position (P.sub.Z) of the marking (3) relative to a code position (C.sub.P) determined by one or more position features of the code (2) on the object (1); encoding the object (1) at the determined code position (C.sub.P) marking the object (1) with the marking at the random position (P.sub.Z) storing position data (ZPD) of the random position (P.sub.Z) in a database (6);

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a forgery-proof object, wherein the object is marked with a code and additionally with a marking spaced apart from the code, characterized in that the method encompasses the following steps: determining a random position of the marking relative to a code position predetermined on the object; affixing the code and affixing the marking at the random position; storing position data of the random position in a database; joint detecting of the position of the marking affixed to the object and of the code position by a detection system and providing of image data or determination of the position data by the detection system and providing of the position data so determined; sending of the provided image data or the determined position data to the database by the detection system; determining of the position data from the image data by the database and comparing of the stored position data with the determined position data by a comparator communicating with the database, or comparing of the stored position data with the determined position data by a comparator communicating with the database and sending a confirmation of the authentication back to the detection system if the stored position data matches up with the determined position data or sending a rejection of the authentication back to the detection system if the stored position data does not match up with the determined position data; displaying the result of the authentication by the detection system.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the random position is determined by a function relative to the code position.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the function uses one or more position features of the code position.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the function uses a random number generator for determining the random position.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the affixing of the code is done in a preparatory step.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the affixing of the code and the marking is done with a marking device, preferably in one step of the method.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection system comprises a camera, which provides image data for the relaying, or which determines with the aid of a position detection program the position data from the optical detection of the code position and the random position on the object and provides it for the relaying.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection system comprises a mobile telephone with a camera.

9. A method for producing a forgery-proof object, wherein the object is encoded with a code and additionally is marked with a marking spaced apart from the code, characterized in that the method encompasses the following steps: determining a random position of the marking relative to a code position determined by one or more position features of the code on the object; encoding the object at the determined code position marking the object with the marking at the random position storing position data of the random position in a database.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the random position is determined by a function relative to the code position.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the function uses one or more position features of the code position.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the function uses a random number generator for determining the random position.

13. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the encoding is done in a preparatory step.

14. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that a position generator is used for determining the random position and the position generator and/or random number generator are partly or entirely in the form of a software program with implemented algorithm.

15. A device for marking an object, having a control unit, a marking unit and at least one input and output for receiving and sending of data, characterized in that the control unit comprises a position generator, which is configured to generate position data of a random position on the basis of code position data of a code position of a code which is determined or established on the object and which relays this to the marking unit for affixing the marking and to the output OUT.

16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that it is configured to receive the code position data via the input and to relay this to the position generator.

17. The device according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises a memory connected to the position generator for code position data which can be saved there permanently.

18. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the position generator comprises a random number generator.

19. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the position generator comprises a logic circuit for determining the random position and for generating the position data.

20. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the position generator and/or random number generator are partly or entirely implemented in the form of a software program.

21. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the position generator is implemented in the control unit of the device.

22. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the device is a printer, preferably an ink jet or laser printer.

23. A system for the forgery-proof marking of an object, consisting of a marking device connected to an external control unit, wherein the system comprises an input and output for receiving and sending of data and an interface between the marking device and the control unit for exchanging of data, wherein the marking device comprises a control unit for the marking, characterized in that the control unit comprises a position generator which, on the basis of code position data of a code position of a code determined or established on the object, generates position data of a random position and relays this to the output OUT and, via the interface, to the control unit of the marking device.

24. The system according to claim 23, characterized in that the control unit is a dongle, the marking device comprises an input and output and relays the position data from the control unit also via the interface or via the interface and the control unit to the output OUT.

25. The system according to claim 24, characterized in that the control unit comprises an input and output and is a PC or system control unit.

26. An object produced by the method according to claim 9.

27. The object according to claim 26, characterized in that the object is a kind of printed matter, comprising a package.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0053] In the following, the invention shall be described as an example with the aid of figures. There are shown:

[0054] FIG. 1 A marking device with forgery-proof packaging;

[0055] FIG. 2 A detection system in interaction

[0056] FIG. 1 shows by the example of a marking device configured as a printer 7 how such a device can be constructed according to the invention in order to produce a forgery-proof package 1, as shown schematically. The printer 7 has an input/output 8 for exchanging data, by which a print command CDM.sub.print is relayed to the control unit 9 of the printer. The print command here contains, besides the usual information for printing in the address field 5 and the franking field 4, also the command for printing a code 2, here a line code, as well as corresponding code position data (CPD). The code position data (CPD) here is at first relayed to a position generator 10, which on the one hand can be built, as shown, in the form of a microprocessor, but on the other hand can also be an integrated component of the control unit 9. Furthermore, the position generator 10 comprises a random number generator 11, which depending on the requirements for the forgery prevention, can be designed as a deterministic one, such as a software algorithm, i.e., an algorithm implemented in a software program, or a nondeterministic one, such as a physical random number generator 11. Thus, the position generator 10 generates the position data (ZPD) of the random position (P.sub.Z) of the marking 3, which in one simple instance, as represented on the package 1 shown underneath, comprises at least the coordinates (x′, y′) or (r′/Ø′) of the respectively chosen coordinate system in a P. The determination of the coordinate system is likewise done here by the position generator 10. In the present case, the zero point of the coordinate system is given by the upper right edge of the 3rd code line and the orientation of the coordinate system is with the x-axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the code, or the package. This information (coordinate basis) is also usually contained in the position data (ZPD). The latter is transferred to the control unit 9, which constructs from this the print function Pf.sub.Z=F(ZPD) for the printing of the marking 3 in addition to the print function Cf.sub.P=F(CPD) for the printing of the code 2 and relays this to the printing unit 13. Alternatively, depending on the print protocol used, the print function of the code may already be present at the input, so that the control unit 9 can send it to the printing unit 13 without further processing. In such a case, the random generator creates the position data (ZPD) and the print function Pf.sub.Z from the print function of the code Cf.sub.P and sends both of these to the control unit 9. In any case, the control unit 9 sends the print function Cf.sub.P=F(CPD) to the printing unit 13 and relays the position data (ZPD) to the output OUT. The latter may be sent at once or with a time delay, e.g., only after retrieval from the database 6, for which a memory M/12 shown here by broken line can be provided in the position generator 10 for the retrievable temporary storage of the position data (ZPD).

[0057] In another embodiment, the data for the coordinate basis can also be sent already with the print command CDM.sub.print to the printer. In this case, however, this data must also be present in the database 6 or in the mobile telephone 15 described in FIG. 2, or in the app loaded onto it, which makes it difficult to change the coordinate basis, for example as an additional security measure.

[0058] The printing unit 13 is shown here schematically as an inkjet printing unit 13, traveling in the printing shaft 14 on a carriage, not shown.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows schematically the sequence of the authentication by the recipient. The code and marking on the address side of the package are photographed with the camera 16 of a mobile telephone 15, on which a position detection program or a position detection app has been installed, and the position data (GPD) of the random position (P.sub.Z) is ascertained. The position data (GPD) is sent to the database 6, or to a computer connected to it and not shown here, whereupon the position data (ZPD) stored there is compared with the aid of a comparator of the database, or the computer, to the position data (GPD) which has been determined and sent, and the result of the authentication is sent back to the mobile telephone 15 for displaying to the user.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0060] 1 Packaging, envelope, document, mailed object [0061] 2 Code [0062] 3 Marking [0063] 4 Franking field [0064] 5 Address field [0065] 6 Database [0066] 7 Marking device, printer [0067] 8 Input/output [0068] 9 Control unit (CPU) of the marking device, printer [0069] 10 Position generator PG [0070] 11 Random number generator [0071] 12 Memory [0072] 13 Marking unit, printing unit [0073] 14 Printing shaft [0074] 15 Detection system, mobile telephone [0075] 16 Camera