Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.P.

Alipio Caban

Salil Pradhan

Geoff M Lyon

Vinay K Deolalikar

Lester Ortiz

Jorge E Badillo

Bill Serra

Steven J Simske

Peter A Melendez

A path-based identifier is provided. An entity identifier is generated at an entity of a supply chain and the entity identifier is based on a reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated. In addition, an updated path-based identifier is stored based on a predetermined function, where the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

Providing a path-based identifier

Information from a package is read. An encryption key is generated from the information read from the package. A text unit is encrypted using the encryption key. The encrypted text unit is affixed to the package.

Encrypting a text unit from package information for package authentication

A system is provided that includes a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) writer and a target tag within operational range of the RFID writer. The system also includes a processor coupled to the RFID writer and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to prepare a target tag value for the target tag. The target tag value comprises a position vector that identifies a positioning of data fields of the target tag value.

Methods and systems for positioning data fields of a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag

In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point in a supply chain generates a secret and devises a secret sharing scheme that parcels the secret into a number of secret shares. The source point retains at least one secret share, and distributes the remaining secret shares to trusted, intermediate points in the supply chain. The source point then ships a shipment comprising are least one object, and frequently including at least one level of packaging, to a destination point in the supply chain, labeling the object or objects and/or packaging enclosing the object or objects with the retained secret share. Each intermediate point incorporates the secret share obtained by the intermediate point from the source point into the object, packaging enclosing the object, or a label on the object or packaging. At the destination point, the recipient of the object can use the secret shares incorporated into the object, packaging enclosing the object, or a label on the object or packaging to reconstruct the secret initially generated by the source point, and compares the reconstructed secret to the original secret forwarded from the source point.

Shipment authentication and tracking

A package identifier for a package having at least one sub-package is generated. A package identifier generating function is performed on at least one sub-package identifier of the at least one sub-package to generate the package identifier. In addition, the generated package identifier is stored for use in authentication.

Providing a package identifier

In a method of authenticating a package, an origin noise level of the package is determined based upon one or more identifying characteristics, where the origin noise level is a deviation from a normal condition caused by the one or more identifying characteristics. In addition, the package is authenticated based upon the origin noise level of the package.

Authenticating a package using noise level

In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point, or security management entity, within a supply chain labels a shipment to be shipped through the supply chain with numbers, text strings, or other type of label information. Different label information may be placed at each of multiple levels of packaging as well as on objects within the packaging. The source point devises an encryption-key chain via a one-way function, and encrypts combinations of the label information incorporated within the packaging and objects using encryption keys from the encryption-key chain to produce one or more encrypted label tags. The one or more encrypted label tags are affixed to the shipment by the source point, and the shipment is sent into the supply chain for eventual delivery to a destination point. At pre-selected intervals of time, the source point reveals encryption keys within the encryption-key chain. In one embodiment of the present invention, revealing of encryption keys allows intermediate points or the destination point in the supply chain at which the shipment resides to extract label information and apply the most recently revealed encryption key to compute a label-tag value, and to then compare the computed label-tag value to a label tag affixed to, or incorporated within, the shipment.

Method and system for time-sequential authentication of shipments in supply chains

A seal for a package includes a circuit having electrical characteristics that change under mechanical deformation and an attaching material coupled to the circuit and for attaching the circuit to the package. The seal is attached to the package and processed prior to shipping to establish an untampered state for the seal. This includes identifying a circuit on the sealed package according to a seal type associated with the seal, recording one or more characteristics associated with the circuit from the seal and storing the seal type and one or more characteristics associated with the circuit from the seal for later comparison. To detect tampering to the package, the seal type and corresponding seal and circuit for the seal is identified, the characteristics associated with a circuit from the seal are determined and compared with the previous characteristics recorded when the seal was initially applied to the package. If the comparison indicates that a mechanical deformation of the seal occurred, it is possible the seal and package were tampered with during shipment or delivery.

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Arecibo, PR, United States of America

Alipio Caban