Secure Product Identification via Cryptographic Configuration Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product identification methods are inefficient in scaling for multiple production facilities and high production rates, and lack security and additional product information necessary for regulatory and merchant verification.
Innovation Solution
A method involving electronically storing and authorizing production configuration data, generating a security token, digitally signing it, and using it to create and print secure product identifiers on products, ensuring authorized production and verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing identifier methods are used, then product identification is simple, but the system does not scale efficiently for multiple production facilities and high production rates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by digitally signing configuration data before production, generating security tokens in advance that bind the identifier to authorized production parameters. This preliminary cryptographic binding ensures that as production rates increase, each identifier can be quickly verified without bottlenecking the production line, thus scaling efficiently while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic intermediaries (digital signatures and security tokens) between the production system and verification systems. These intermediaries carry authorization information that enables rapid verification at high production rates across multiple facilities, solving both the scaling and security requirements simultaneously.
2Reliability
If existing identifier methods are used, then the identification system is simple, but it lacks security and additional product information necessary for regulatory and merchant verification
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple functions into the identifier: product identification, security verification, and regulatory information storage. By combining these functions into a single cryptographically signed identifier, the system achieves high security and information content without proportionally increasing operational complexity, as the same identifier structure serves multiple purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The identifier system is designed with universality to serve multiple functions: it provides product identification, carries authorization security, stores regulatory information, and enables verification across different production facilities. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each function, managing complexity while enhancing security and information content.
3Reliability
If configuration data is digitally signed and verified, then production authorization is secured, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the computationally intensive digital signing operation in advance, before production begins. The security tokens and signed configuration data are prepared beforehand, allowing verification during production to be a simple validation process rather than a time-consuming cryptographic operation, thus minimizing verification time while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The verification process is segmented into efficient steps: the system verifies the digital signature once for the configuration data, then uses the resulting security token for rapid verification of individual identifiers. This segmentation avoids repeating full cryptographic verification for each product, reducing overall verification time while maintaining authorization security.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method and system for authenticating a production of products. The method and system comprise determining if configuration data for the production run is authorized and, if the production run is authorized, generating a security token and associating the token with configuration data. The configuration data is digitally signed by generating a digital signature and associating the digital signature with the configuration data. The digital signature associated with the digitally signed configuration data is verified. Products are then produced in a production run according to the digitally signed configuration data, and the set of secure product identifiers is printed on the products according to the digitally signed configuration data.