Nucleic Acid Encoding for Secure Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for encoding digital information into nucleic acid sequences rely on costly base-by-base synthesis, making them inefficient and expensive for commercial implementation, especially for encoding and retrieving data stored in nucleic acid molecules.
Innovation Solution
Encoding digital information by specifying bit locations with unique nucleic acid sequences and using their presence or absence to represent bit values, allowing for the creation of a library of nucleic acid molecules that can be used for secure authentication and tracking without the need for base-by-base synthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If base-by-base nucleic acid synthesis is used to encode digital information, then data can be stored in nucleic acid molecules, but the encoding process becomes expensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the encoding process into two independent stages: (1) synthesizing a library of unique nucleic acid sequences representing bit locations, and (2) assembling these sequences to encode digital information. This segmentation allows pre-synthesis of sequence libraries to be reused across multiple encoding operations, reducing the complexity and cost of each individual encoding task while maintaining reliable data storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary synthesis of comprehensive libraries of unique nucleic acid sequences before actual data encoding. These pre-synthesized sequence libraries serve as reusable components that can be assembled to encode different digital information without requiring de novo base-by-base synthesis for each encoding task, thereby reducing encoding complexity and cost.
2Loss of information
If base-by-base nucleic acid synthesis is used to encode digital information, then data can be retrieved from nucleic acid molecules, but the retrieval process becomes costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates physical copies of digital information using assembled nucleic acid sequences from pre-synthesized libraries. The encoded information can be retrieved by sequencing these assembled sequences and mapping them back to the original bit locations using the library reference, providing an accurate and cost-effective retrieval process that avoids repeated de novo synthesis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a nucleic acid sequence library as an intermediary between digital information and physical storage. This library serves as a reference map that enables retrieval of stored information through sequencing and sequence matching, eliminating the need for costly base-by-base synthesis during the retrieval process while maintaining high information retrieval accuracy.
3Productivity
If unique nucleic acid sequences are used to represent bit locations, then encoding efficiency improves, but the initial library synthesis becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal library of unique nucleic acid sequences that can serve multiple encoding tasks. Each sequence in the library represents a specific bit location and can be reused across different encoding operations, making the library a multi-functional resource that improves encoding efficiency for various digital information storage tasks while amortizing the initial synthesis complexity over many uses.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for security, authentication, tagging, and tracking using nucleic acid (e.g., deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules encoding information. Unique nucleic acid molecules are efficiently produced from pre-fabricated fragments to quickly produce libraries of nucleic acid molecules encoding encrypted or randomized information. Physical objects or artifacts can be tagged with libraries to authenticate the objects, grant access to secured assets or locations, or track the objects or entities. Chemical methods can be applied to verify authenticity, decrypt, or decode information stored in the libraries.