Printed physical unclonable function patterns

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12014534-B2
Application number	US-202117227685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2021
Priority date	Apr 12, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A method is disclosed. For example, the method includes applying a clear coat layer on a substrate, drying the clear coat layer to form random microstructures in the clear coat layer, dispensing a printing fluid to print a graphical pattern on the clear coat layer, and generating a physical unclonable function (PUF) pattern by drying the printing fluid that fills the random microstructures formed in the clear coat layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
applying a clear coat layer on a substrate;
drying the clear coat layer to form random microstructures in the clear coat layer;
dispensing a printing fluid to print a graphical pattern on the clear coat layer, wherein the graphical pattern comprises a bar code, a quick response code, or a pattern of shapes; and
generating a physical unclonable function (PUF) pattern by drying the printing fluid that fills the random microstructures formed in the clear coat layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the clear coat layer comprises a colloidal mixture of water and solid particulates.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the solid particulates comprise silica in a range of 30 weight percent to 50 weight percent.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises:
dispensing the clear coat layer using a printhead of a printing apparatus that also dispenses the printing fluid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying is performed via a spin coating procedure at between 100 rotations per minute (RPM) to 5000 RPM.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the clear coat layer is applied to a desired thickness to form the random microstructures at a desired resolution.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the desired thickness comprises 5 nanometers (nm) to 100 nm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printing fluid comprises an aqueous graphical ink.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, comprising:
applying a clear coat layer on a substrate;
drying the clear coat layer to form random microstructures in the clear coat layer;
dispensing a printing fluid to print a graphical pattern on the clear coat layer, wherein the graphical pattern comprises a bar code, a quick response code, or a pattern of shapes; and
generating a physical unclonable function (PUF) pattern by drying the printing fluid that fills the random microstructures formed in the clear coat layer.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the clear coat layer comprises a colloidal mixture of water and solid particulates.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the solid particulates comprise silica in a range of 30 weight percent to 50 weight percent.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the applying comprises:
dispensing the clear coat layer using a printhead of a printing apparatus that also dispenses the printing fluid.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the applying is performed via a spin coating procedure at between 100 rotations per minute (RPM) to 5000 RPM.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the clear coat layer is applied to a desired thickness to form the random microstructures at a desired resolution.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the desired thickness comprises 5 nanometers (nm) to 100 nm.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the printing fluid comprises an aqueous graphical ink.

17. A method, comprising:
capturing an image of a printed physical unclonable function (PUF) on a substrate with a camera on a mobile device, wherein the PUF is formed on the substrate with printing fluid dispensed on a clear coat that is dried to form random microstructures that are filled in by the printing fluid, wherein the clear coat comprises a colloidal mixture of water and silica in a range of 30 weight percent to 50 weight percent;
comparing the image of the printed PUF to an image stored on a server; and
authenticating the substrate when the image of the printed PUF matches the image stored on the server.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp
• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Zhu Yujie
• Jackson Warren
• Shen Ethan
• Abraham Biby Esther

Classifications

• G09C5/00

  Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages · CPC title

• G09C1/00

  Apparatus or methods whereby a given sequence of signs, e.g. an intelligible text, is transformed into an unintelligible sequence of signs by transposing the signs or groups of signs or by replacing them by others according to a predetermined system (cryptographic typewriters G09C3/00) · CPC title

• H04L9/3278

  using physically unclonable functions [PUF] · CPC title

• G06V10/751

  Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching · CPC title

• G06F18/00

  Pattern recognition · CPC title