EP-4736061-A1 - A METHOD OF AUTHENTICATING AN OPTICALLY READABLE SECURITY ELEMENT

Abstract

There is described a method of authenticating an optically readable security element (20) using an image capturing device (10). The method comprises illuminating S1 the optically readable security element (20) with electromagnetic radiation and reading S2 the optically readable security element (20) based on a response of the optically readable security element (20) to the illuminating S2. At least one of the illuminating S1 and the reading S2 is non-deterministic.

Inventors

• ABREU, Daniel Campos De Lima
• HOWARTH, DAVID IAN
• SPEED, Phillip
• YOUNG, ROBERT JAMES

Assignees

• Quantum Base Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240627

Claims (15)

1. 1. A method of authenticating an optically readable security element using an image capturing device, the method comprising: illuminating the optically readable security element with electromagnetic radiation; and reading the optically readable security element based on a response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating, wherein at least one of the illuminating and the reading is non-deterministic.
2. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the optically readable security element with electromagnetic radiation comprises: illuminating the optically readable security element with a sequence of the electromagnetic radiation.
3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical property of the electromagnetic radiation is non-deterministic.
4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the optical property is at least one of: frequency, wavelength, polarisation and intensity.
5. 5. The method of any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the sequence is non-deterministic.
6. 6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is pulsed.
7. 7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the optically readable security element comprises one or more optical emitters arranged to be read via emission radiation emitted therefrom and arranged to be excited by excitation radiation, and wherein reading the optically readable security element comprises: reading the optically readable security element via the emission radiation emitted therefrom in response to the illuminating, optionally wherein the illuminating is performed by the image capturing device.
8. 8. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising: monitoring whether the at least one of the illuminating and the reading has been used before; and in the event that the at least one of the illuminating and the reading has been used before, changing the at least one the illuminating and the reading.
9. 9. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one of illuminating and reading non-deterministically comprises: changing at least one of: a relative position of the image capturing device with respect to the optically reading security element, a relative orientation of the image capturing device with respect to the optically readable security element, a filter for filtering the illuminating or reading of the image capturing device, a strain applied to the optically readable security element and a duration of the illuminating.
10. 10. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising: fitting a trend to the response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating or reading; and removing systematic error based on the trend.
11. 11. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising: extracting an identity from the optically readable security element based on the response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating.
12. 12. The method of claim 11 , wherein extracting the identity comprises: retrieving an expected response from a data store; and comparing the expected response with the response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating.
13. 13. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising: generating at least one of the illuminating and the reading based on the output of a non-deterministic source.
14. 14. An image capturing device configured to illuminate an optically readable security element with electromagnetic radiation and read the optically readable security element based on a response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating, wherein the image capturing device is arrangeable such that at least one of the illuminating and the reading is non-deterministic.
15. 15. A system comprising: an optically readable security element; and an image capturing device configured to illuminate the optically readable security element with electromagnetic radiation and read the optically readable security element based on a response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating, wherein at least one of the illuminating and the reading is non-deterministic.

Description

A METHOD OF AUTHENTICATING AN OPTICALLY READABLE SECURITY ELEMENT TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a method of authenticating an optically readable security element using an image capturing device, an image capturing device configured to illuminate an optically readable security element and a system comprising an optically readable security element and an image capturing device. BACKGROUND Security elements or tags are used to provided security in relation to an object to which they are attached. These security elements provide security in relation to the object by labelling the object. For example, a security element may be encoded with a unique identity that can be extracted from the security element, thereby enabling authentication of the object. However, reading of the security element is conventionally performed in a predefined and repeatable manner. As a result, the security element or tag is vulnerable to, for example, replay or simulation attacks. Predefined and repeatable reading may also promote systematic errors. Hence, there is a desire to provide a method of authenticating an optically readable security element that mitigates the risk of replay or simulation attacks. SUMMARY It is one aim of the present disclosure, amongst others, to provide a method of authenticating an optically readable security element which at least partially obviates or mitigates at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art, whether identified herein or elsewhere, or to provide an alternative approach. For instance, it is an aim of embodiments of the invention to provide a method of authenticating an optically readable security element that mitigates the risk of replay or simulation attacks. According to the present invention there is provided a method of authenticating an optically readable security element, as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims and the description that follows. According to a first aspect, there is provided a method of authenticating an optically readable security element using an image capturing device. The method comprises illuminating the optically readable security element with electromagnetic radiation and reading the optically readable security element based on a response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating (e.g. in order to authenticate the optically readable security element). At least one of the illuminating and the reading is non- deterministic. Illuminating the optically readable security element with electromagnetic radiation may comprises illuminating the optically readable security element with a sequence of the electromagnetic radiation. An optical property of the electromagnetic radiation may be non-deterministic. The optical property may be at least one of: frequency, wavelength, polarisation and intensity. The sequence may be non-deterministic. The electromagnetic radiation may be pulsed. The optically readable security element may comprise one or more optical emitters arranged to be read via emission radiation emitted therefrom and arranged to be excited by excitation radiation, and reading the optically readable security element may comprise reading the optically readable security element via the emission radiation emitted therefrom in response to the illuminating. The illuminating may be performed by the image capturing device. The method may comprise monitoring whether the at least one of the illuminating and the reading corresponds has been used before and, in the event that the at least one of the illuminating and the reading has been used before, changing the at least one the illuminating and the reading. The at least one of illuminating and reading non-deterministically may comprise changing at least one of: a relative position of the image capturing device with respect to the optically reading security element, a relative orientation of the image capturing device with respect to the optically readable security element, a filter for filtering the illuminating or reading of the image capturing device, a strain applied to the optically readable security element and a duration of the illuminating. The method may further comprise fitting a trend to the response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating or reading and removing systematic error based on the trend. The method may further comprise extracting an identity from the optically readable security element based on the response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating. Extracting the identity may comprise retrieving an expected response from a data store and comparing the expected response with the response of the optically readable security element to the illuminating. The method may further comprise generating at least one of the illuminating and the reading based on the output of a non-deterministic source. According to a second aspect, there is provided a