Device and method for identification and / or authentication

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for identification and / or authentication with features of claim 1 and a method for identification and / or authentication with features of the independent claim.

Description

The invention relates to a device for identification and / or authentication with features of claim 1 and to a method for identification and / or authentication with features of the subordinate claim.Systems for authentication and / or identification are known from the prior art. This can be, for example, a card reader with an identification card. For identification or authentication, the card can be inserted into the card reading device and read out by the card reading device. If the card is associated with a corresponding access authorisation, a positive identification or authentication result is output. A disadvantage of this is that the safety of such a system is relatively low. For example, the card can be copied and / or manipulated.It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for identification and / or authentication, wherein the above disadvantages are eliminated.The above object is achieved by a device for identification and / or authentication having the features of claim 1.The apparatus comprises at least one mobile authentication device (in particular, one that can be worn by a person) with at least one photonic integrated circuit (PIC). The apparatus may comprise a plurality of mobile authentication devices. The apparatus comprises a reading device having a light source for generating light and a detection unit for detecting light.The apparatus also comprises a control unit for setting at least one adjustable parameter of the authentication device, in particular of the integrated photonic circuit, and / or of the reading device. The control unit may be configured to control the light source. The control unit can be integrated into the reading device. It is likewise conceivable for the control unit to be arranged outside the reading device. The control unit may be formed as an IC (Integrated Circuit) processor. The device comprises at least one first interface for transmitting light and at least one second interface for transmitting electric current, electric voltage and / or heat. The second interface can be designed in the form of an electrical line and / or a heat line. The authentication device can comprise a first temperature control device. The first temperature control device can be designed as a Peltier element and / or as an electrical resistance heater. The first temperature control device can be controlled or set by means of the electric current transmitted via the second interface and / or the electric voltage transmitted via the second interface.Alternatively or additionally, it is likewise conceivable that the reading device can comprise a second temperature control device. The second temperature control device can likewise be designed as a Peltier element and / or as an electrical resistance heater (analogously to the first temperature control device). It is conceivable that the heat generated by means of the second temperature control device (on the reading device) can be transmitted to the authentication device by means of the second interface, which can then be at least partially embodied as a heat conduction.The heat conduction can be formed as a physical line which establishes physical contact between the reading device and the authentication device, via which a heat transfer can be implemented. It is likewise conceivable that the heat conduction can be designed as a virtual line which does not produce any physical contact between the reading device and the authentication device via which the heat can be transmitted contactless.This allows complex transformations of the (input) light to be carried out. Copying and / or manipulating the device, in particular the authentication device and / or the reading device, can be prevented or at least made more difficult in this case and security can thus be increased. The manufacture and implementation of a photonic integrated circuit is a sophisticated (new) technology in which know-how and technology access are limited. This applies in particular to a lithium niobate-based material platform for utilizing non-linear effects (e.g. for light sources squeezed on-chip). Due to its optical Chi_2 nonlinearity, lithium niobate can form a very good material platform for the photonic integrated circuit.Light has a small wavelength and is therefore sensitive to small manufacturing, configuration or parameter variations (e.g.. Temperature). By means of the integrated photonic circuit, a complex conversion of input light (input) into output light (output) can be carried out on the basis of (quantum) interference effects and / or other quantum effects. This applies in particular to nonclassic light as input signal. This conversion depends on the settings of the input light as well as on the settings of, for example, the modulators on the photonic integrated circuit. Therefore, the continuous configuration space of the possible input and output relationships (input / output) to be checked is huge. This is in particular much larger than in the case of electronic integrated circuits which typically have binary inputs and outputs.The light transformation (or "calculation") in the photonic integrated circuit is very fast, since the light moves at speed of light. When using fast optical modulators, e.g. in lithium niobate, which make use of the electro-optical effect, the integrated photonic circuit can be reparametered up to the MHz (megahertz) range.For suitable quantum properties and system sizes, the output pattern of the light transformed by means of the integrated photonic circuit may be too complex to be calculated on a classical computer in a reasonable time. This can make the authentication process (with today's classical computers) virtually unhacknowable. For example, for fock conditions or squeezed light, it can be detected that it is a #P severe problem due to explosion of the initial configuration space.According to a development of the device, the integrated photonic circuit can comprise at least one active or passive photonic structure. The photonic structure can be designed as at least one waveguide, as at least one phase modulator, as at least one beam splitter and / or as at least one resonator.As a result, the photonic structure and thus the integrated photonic circuit can be adjusted or formed as desired with simple means.In particular, the light source and the photonic integrated circuit together perform a complex input-output transformation of the light forming the basis for the authentication process. Due to the use of the light and its short wavelength, it responds sensitively to small parameter variations. For example, it is possible to use a switch. Manufacturing tolerances of the integrated photonic circuit result in each integrated photonic circuit produced (or each PIC chip produced; or in multiple authenticators, each authenticator) having individual input-output relationships and requiring individual calibration of the (active) photonic structure. Each authentication device (in the case of multiple authentication devices) can have a unique design of the integrating photonic circuit (in particular on account of the production tolerances). This allows a unique physically non-clonalable function PUF (physical unclonable function) to be implemented. Since the effects of these variations are not discrete (as in conventional computer chip designs) but continuous, this opens up a vast amount of variations.According to a development of the device, the adjustable parameter can be a temperature, a light power, a light frequency, a configuration of the photonic structure and / or an interferometer of the integrated photonic circuit. The interferometer of the integrated photonic circuit may be part of the device. The interferometer of the photonic circuit can be arranged on the reading device or on the authentication device, in particular on the integrated photonic circuit.The adjustable parameter can be adjusted in particular by means of the electric current and / or electric voltage (control signal) transmitted via the second interface. The adjustable parameter can thus be varied or set (controlled) by means of the control unit, in particular via the second interface.As a result, the complex (light) transformation, which is carried out by means of the integrated photonic circuit, can be varied or set as desired. Thus, safety can be further enhanced.In addition, there is the possibility of controlled variability between the individual integrated photonic circuits (in the case of a plurality of authentication devices). For example, the designed layout can be changed in production and the adjustable parameters can be changed during the authentication process (for example via the respective active photonic structures or an active temperature change).According to a development of the apparatus, the light source can be configured to generate coherent light. The light source can be, in particular, a laser. The light source can be designed to be adjustable. Thus, the light generated by means of the light source can be adjusted directly at the light source.This allows the light source to be implemented using simple means.According to a development of the apparatus, the light source can be configured to generate deterministic photons in a fock state. The light source can be designed to be adjustable. Thus, the light generated by the light source can be adjusted directly at the light sourceDue to the quantum effects of individual photons, calculating the light transformation is very difficult classically, as a result of which the safety can be further increased. The generation of such photons is technically demanding. Thus, for example, cryogenic temperatures at the light source and detection unit and / or PNR (photon number resolving) detectors with a high resolution are required. The use of such technologies can make copying or manipulation more difficult and thus further increase the security.According to a development of the device, the light source can be configured to generate photons in a squeezed state. The squeezed state may be a squeezed vacuum state or squeezed coherent state.The detection of such photons can be performed by simple means (for example. These are also known and can be implemented using photodiodes and homodyne detection, no cryogenic temperature being required). The generation of such photons, in particular on the integrated photonic circuit, is technically demanding. The use of the (prompting) technologies required for this can make copying or manipulation more difficult and thus further increase the security.According to a further development of the device, the adjustable parameter can be a parameter of the squeezed state. The adjustable parameter can be in particular a degree of squeezing or a displacement of the squeezed state. This can further increase the safety.According to a further development of the device, the detection unit can comprise at least one photodiode with a transimpendance amplifier, at least one PNR (photon number resolving) detector, at least one click detector and / or at least one avalanche photodiode.Alternatively or additionally, the detection unit can be configured for homodyne detection. As a result, the detection unit can be implemented using simple means.The above object is achieved by a method for identification and / or authentication having the features of the subordinate claim. The method comprises the steps of:providing an apparatus according to the above explanations.generating light and coupling the light into the photonic integrated circuit.setting at least one parameter, in particular by means of the control unit.coupling out light from the photonic integrated circuit.detecting the light coupled out of the integrated photonic circuit, in particular by means of the detection unit.generating an electrical signal from the detected light.comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined, in particular stored, reference signal. The comparison can be implemented by means of the control unit. The reference signal can be stored, for example, on the apparatus, in particular on the reading device.With regard to the advantages which can be achieved by the method, reference is made to the relevant explanations relating to the apparatus. For a further embodiment of the method, the measures described in connection with the device and / or the measures explained below can be used.During authentication, a physical connection can be established between the authentication device and the reading device in order to exchange light and optionally also electronic signals (in the form of the electrical current and / or electrical voltage) for setting the adjustable parameter. Subsequently, the light generated by the light source (light input) and / or the adjustable parameter (in particular by means of the control unit) can be adjusted. The light can then be directed (or sent) to the integrated photonic circuit of the authentication device.The light (or photons) is transformed as it traverses the photonic integrated circuit. The transformation of the light or photons is dependent in particular on the design (or layout) of the integrated photonic circuit and / or on the adjustable parameter. The transformed light is subsequently coupled back to the reading device, in particular the detection unit. The transformed light can be converted into an electrical signal in particular by means of the detection unit.According to a development of the method, the method can comprise the steps:If, in the step of comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal, a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement is exceeded, a positive result is output. The positive result may be a positive authentication result.If, in the step of comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal, a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement is undershot, a negative result is output. The negative result may be a negative authentication result.The predetermined threshold value can be stored, for example, on the apparatus, in particular on the reading device.According to a further development of the method, the step of comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined, in particular stored, reference signal and outputting a positive result if a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value is exceeded at a match can be carried out multiple times.In this case, at least one adjustable parameter can be varied for each repetition of the step. In particular, a plurality of, preferably different, adjustable parameters can be varied during each repetition of the step. A positive authentication result can only be output when a predetermined, in particular stored, number of positive results is achieved. The predetermined number can be stored, for example, on the apparatus, in particular on the reading device.Thus, the authentication can be carried out, for example, multiple times, using different parameters. The security of the authentication process or method can thereby be further increased. Authentication can thus be a multistage process in which a plurality of adjustable parameters (or configurations) are tested.Further features, details and advantages of the invention are evident from the wording of the claims and from the following description of exemplary embodiments on the basis of the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a device for identification and / or authentication, and FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for identification and / or authentication.In the following description and in the figures, corresponding components and elements bear the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a device 10 for identification and / or authentication.The apparatus 10 comprises a mobile (or portable) authentication device 12 having at least one integrated photonic circuit 14. the integrated photonic circuit 14 can comprise at least one active or passive photonic structure. The photonic structure can be designed as at least one waveguide, as at least one phase modulator, as at least one beam splitter and / or as at least one resonator.The apparatus 10 comprises a reading device 16 having a light source 18 for generating light and a detection unit 20 for detecting light. The light source 18 may be configured to generate coherent light. The light source 18 may be configured to generate deterministic photons in a fock state. The light source 18 may be configured to generate photons in a squeezed state. In this case, the squeezed state can be in particular a squeezed vacuum state or a squeezed coherent state.The light source 18 may be configured to generate coherent light. The authentication device 12 may comprise at least one source for generating photons in a squeezed state (not shown). The source may be pumped by the light generated by the light source 18. In this case, the squeezed state can be in particular a squeezed vacuum state or a squeezed coherent state. Thus, the squeezed states can be generated, for example, directly on the authentication device, in particular on the integrated photonic circuit 14. This may further increase security due to further parameterization and manufacturing complexity.The apparatus 10 comprises a control unit 22 for setting at least one adjustable parameter of the authentication device 12 and / or of the reading device 16. In the present case, the control unit 22 is arranged on the reading device 16.The device 10 also comprises at least one first interface 24 for transmitting light and at least one second interface 26 for transmitting electric current, electric voltage and / or heat.The second interface 26 can be designed in the form of an electrical line and / or a heat line. The authentication device 12 can comprise a first temperature control device (not shown). The first temperature control device can be designed as a Peltier element and / or as an electrical resistance heater. The first temperature control device can be controlled or set by means of the electric current transmitted via the second interface 26 and / or the electric voltage transmitted via the second interface 26.Alternatively or additionally, it is likewise conceivable that the reading device 16 can comprise a second temperature control device (not shown). The second temperature control device can likewise be designed as a Peltier element and / or as an electrical resistance heater (analogously to the first temperature control device). It is conceivable that the heat generated by means of the second temperature control device (on the reading device 16) can be transferred to the authentication device 12 by means of the second interface 26. The second interface 26 can be configured as a heat pipe which establishes physical contact between the reading device 16 and the authentication device 12. It is likewise conceivable that the second interface 26 can be designed virtually and does not produce any physical contact between the reading device 16 and the authentication device 12. The heat can then be transmitted contactless (for example via the air).In the present case, the first interface 24 is configured to transmit light from the reading device 16, in particular from the light source 18, to the authentication device 12, in particular to the integrated photonic circuit 14 (light input). In the present case, the device 10 comprises a third interface 25 for transmitting light. The third interface 25 is configured in the present case to transmit light from the authentication device 12, in particular from the integrated photonic circuit 14, to the reading device 16, in particular to the detection unit 20 (light output). It is likewise conceivable for light to be transmitted between the reading device 16 and the authentication device 12 via the same, first interface 24 in both directions (light input and output).Thus, the light generated by the light source 18 can be transmitted by means of the first interface 24 to the integrated photonic circuit 14 of the authentication device 12 and coupled into the integrated photonic circuit 14. The light undergoes a complex, in particular quantum-mechanical, transformation in the integrated photonic circuit 14 and can subsequently be coupled out of the integrated photonic circuit 14. The coupled-out light can be transmitted via the third interface 25 to the detection unit 20 of the reading device 16. It is likewise conceivable for the decoupled light to be transmitted via the first interface 24 back to the reading device 16 and to the detection unit 20 (for example. The transmission is further carried out by means of a beam splitter).The detection unit 20 can comprise at least one photodiode with a transimpendance amplifier, at least one PNR detector, at least one click detector and / or at least one avalanche photodiode. Alternatively or additionally, the detection unit 20 can be configured for homodyne detection.The adjustable parameter may be a light power, a light frequency, and / or a configuration of an interferometer of the photonic integrated circuit 14. The adjustable parameter can also be a parameter of the Fock light states or of the squeezed state (when generating squeezed photons) of photons, in particular a degree of squeezing or a displacement.FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for identification and / or authentication. The method comprises the steps of:28: providing a device 10 according to the above explanations, in particular the device 10 shown in FIG. 1.30: generating light and coupling the light into the photonic integrated circuit 14.32: setting at least one parameter, in particular by means of the control unit 22.34: Decoupling Light from Photonic Integrated Circuit 14.36: detecting the light coupled out of the integrated photonic circuit 14, in particular by means of the detection unit 20.38: generating an electrical signal from the detected light.40: comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined, in particular stored, reference signal, in particular by means of the control unit.The method may comprise the steps of:42: If, in step 40: comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal, a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement is exceeded, a positive result is output. Thus, if a certain degree of agreement is reached during the comparison, a positive result is output. The positive result can be a positive authentication result.44: If, in step 40, the electrical signal is compared with a predetermined reference signal to fall below a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement, a negative result is output. Thus, if a certain degree of matching is not achieved during the comparison, a negative result is output. The negative result may be a negative authentication result.Step 42: Comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal and outputting a positive result if a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement is exceeded, can be carried out multiple times. In this case, in particular, at least one adjustable parameter can be varied each time step 42 is repeated. In each case, in particular a plurality of, preferably different, adjustable parameters can be varied. In this case, a positive authentication result can be output only when a predetermined, in particular stored, number of positive results is achieved.

Claims

Device (10) for identification and / or authentication comprising: - at least one mobile authentication device (12) having at least one integrated photonic circuit (14), - a reading device (16) having a light source (18) for generating light and a detection unit (20) for detecting light, - a control unit (22) for setting at least one adjustable parameter of the authentication device (12) and / or of the reading device (16), - at least one first interface (24) for transmitting light, - at least one second interface (26) for transmitting electric current, electric voltage and / or heat.Device (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the integrated photonic circuit (14) comprises at least one active or passive photonic structure, in particular wherein the photonic structure is designed as at least one waveguide, as at least one phase modulator, as at least one beam splitter and / or as at least one resonator.The device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjustable parameter is a temperature, a light power, a light frequency, a configuration of the photonic structure and / or a configuration of an interferometer of the photonic integrated circuit (14).Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (18) is configured to generate coherent light, in particular wherein the light source (18) is designed to be adjustable.Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (18) is configured to generate deterministic photons in a Fock state, in particular wherein the light source (18) is designed to be adjustable.Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (18) is configured to generate photons in a squeezed state, in particular wherein the squeezed state is a squeezed vacuum state or a squeezed coherent state.The device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (18) is configured to generate coherent light and the authentication device (12) comprises at least one source for generating photons in a squeezed state, wherein the source is pumped by means of the light generated by the light source (18), in particular wherein the squeezed state is a squeezed vacuum state or a squeezed coherent state.Device (10) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the adjustable parameter is a parameter of the squeezed state, in particular a degree of squeezing or a displacement.Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection unit (20) comprises at least one photodiode with a transimpendance amplifier, at least one PNR detector, at least one click detector and / or at least one avalanche photodiode and / or in that the detection unit (20) is configured for homodyne detection.Method for identification and / or authentication comprising the steps: - (28) provision of a device (10) according to one of the preceding claims; - (30) generation of light and coupling of the light into the integrated photonic circuit (14); - (32) setting of at least one parameter, in particular by means of the control unit (22); - (34) decoupling of light from the integrated photonic circuit (14); - (36) detection of the light decoupled from the integrated photonic circuit (14), in particular by means of the detection unit (20); - (38) generation of an electrical signal from the detected light; - (40) comparison of the electrical signal with a predetermined, in particular stored, reference signal, in particular by means of the control unit (22).Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the method comprises steps: - (42) If, in the step (40), comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal, a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement is exceeded, outputting a positive result; - (44) If, in the step (40), comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal, a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value of agreement is undershot, outputting a negative result.Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the step (42) of comparing the electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal and outputting a positive result if a predetermined, in particular stored, threshold value is exceeded at a match is carried out a plurality of times, in particular wherein at least one adjustable parameter, in particular a plurality of, preferably different, adjustable parameters, are varied each time the step is repeated, wherein a positive authentication result is output only when a predetermined, in particular stored, number of positive results is achieved.

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