Authentication of an object

Abstract

A system for authenticating an object is disclosed. The system includes an optical sensing device and a processor. The optical sensing device senses coded data provided on a surface associated with the object. The coded data is indicative of a position on the surface, an identity associated with the object, and a part of a signature. The signature is a digital signature of the identity. The processor determines, using the sensed coded data, a sensed identity and a sensed signature part, determines, using the position, a sensed signature part identity, determines, using the sensed identity, at least a determined signature, determines, using the determined signature and the sensed signature part identity, a determined signature part, compares the determined signature part to the sensed signature part, and authenticates the object using the result of the comparison.

1 . A system for authenticating an object, the system including:
 an optical sensing device for sensing coded data provided on a surface associated with the object, the coded data being indicative of:
 a position on the surface; 
 an identity associated with the object; and, 
 a part of a signature, the signature being a digital signature of at least part of the identity; 
   a processor in communication with the optical sensing device for:
 determining, using the sensed coded data, a sensed identity and a sensed signature part; 
 determining, using the position, a sensed signature part identity; 
 determining, using the sensed identity, at least a determined signature; 
 determining, using the determined signature and the sensed signature part identity, a determined signature part; 
 comparing the determined signature part to the sensed signature part; and, 
 authenticating the object using the result of the comparison. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor further generates an indication of success or failure of the authentication. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor retrieves from a data store, using the sensed identity, stored data indicative of the digital signature, the stored data including at least one of:
 padding associated with the signature;   a private key;   a public key;   one or more digital signature parts; and,   the digital signature.   
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the stored data is indexed by at least one of:
 the identity; and,   a range of identities.   
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the processor determines the determined signature part using the stored data and the sensed identity. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the signature is a digital signature of at least part of the identity and at least part of predetermined padding, and wherein the processor:
 determines, using the identity, the predetermined padding; and,   generates, using the predetermined padding and the determined signature, the generated identity.   
     
     
         7 . A system of according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is within the optical sensing device. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital signature includes at least one of:
 a random number associated with the identity;   a keyed hash of at least the identity;   a keyed hash of at least the identity produced using a private key, and verifiable using a corresponding public key;   cipher-text produced by encrypting at least the identity;   cipher-text produced by encrypting at least the identity and a random number;   cipher-text produced using a private key, and verifiable using a corresponding public key; and,   cipher-text produced using RSA encryption.   
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the identity associated with the object includes an identity of at least one of:
 the object;   the surface; and,   a region of the surface.   
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is arranged in accordance with at least one layout having n-fold rotational symmetry, where n is at least two, the layout including n identical sub-layouts rotated 1/n revolutions apart about a centre of rotation, at least one sub-layout including rotation-indicating data that distinguishes that sub-layout from each other sub-layout. 
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is arranged in accordance with at least one layout having n-fold rotational symmetry, where n is at least two, the layout encoding orientation-indicating data comprising a sequence of an integer multiple m of n symbols, where m is one or more, each encoded symbol being distributed at n locations about a centre of rotational symmetry of the layout such that decoding the symbols at each of the n orientations of the layout produces n representations of the orientation-indicating data, each representation comprising a different cyclic shift of the orientation-indicating data and being indicative of the degree of rotation of the layout.