RFID disruption device and related methods

• US 10,572,790 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2018
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curio Ltd
• Original Assignee: Curio Ltd
• Inventors: Horne, Gregory L., Adams, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US15/991,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20180276517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07336 Active means, e.g. jamming or scrambling of the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10267 the arrangement comprising a circuit inside of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/20 for contactless carriers, e.g. RFID carriers record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/86 related to preventing deceptive jamming or unauthorized interrogation or access, e.g. WLAN access or RFID reading record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257

Abstract

Devices and methods of disrupting data transfer between an RFID interrogation device (50, 50′) and an RFID data storage device (30, 30′) to be protected, are provided. An example of an embodiment of an RFID signal disruptor device includes a container (41, 141) and an RFID signal disruptor circuit (151, 161, 161′, 171, 171′, 271, 271′) configured to substantially disrupt the signal provided by the RFID interrogation device (50, 50′) when the RFID signal disruptor device is positioned to protect the RFID data storage device (30, 30′). The RFID signal disruptor device can also include an interrogation indicator (63, 296) configured to indicate to a user of the RFID data storage device (30, 30′) that an unauthorized RFID interrogation device (50, 50′) is attempting to interrogate the RFID data storage device (30, 30′) when the RFID signal disruptor device is positioned in close proximity to the RFID data storage device (30, 30′) to provide protection thereto and when the RFID interrogation device (50, 50′) is producing the interrogation signal.

Claims

1. An article including a radio frequency identification (RFID) signal disruptor device positioned therein to prevent data transfer between a nearby RFID interrogation device and one or more RFID data storage devices when the RFID signal disruptor device is positioned adjacent the one or more RFID data storage devices interrogated therewith, the RFID signal disruptor device comprising an RFID signal disruptor circuit positioned within the article to disrupt an attempted read of a separate RFID data storage device by the RFID interrogation device when the separate RFID data storage device is positioned adjacent the RFID signal disruptor circuit, the RFID signal disruptor device operatively receiving power needed to operate the RFID signal disruptor circuit from an interrogation signal emanating from the RFID interrogation device during the attempted read of the separate RFID data storage device, the RFID signal disruptor circuit including a current regulator coupled to a high-speed switch and being positioned to generate a disruptive signal during the attempted read by the interrogation signal, thereby to disrupt the one or more RFID data storage devices from communicating with the RFID interrogation device.

2. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the RFID signal disruptor device further includes one or more of the following:

a transducer positioned to receive portions of the RFID interrogation signal and to emanate a disruptive signal,

a high-speed switch operably to provide for approximate signal synchronization with the RFID interrogation signal to thereby generate the disruptive signal, and

a current regulator to permit voltage fluctuations across the high speed switch.

3. The article as defined in claim 2, wherein the RFID signal disruptor device is devoid of a permanent power storage device, relying on energy from the RFID interrogation signal to power the RFID signal disruptor circuit.

4. The article as defined in claim 2,

wherein the RFID signal disruptor device further includes a voltage regulator to stabilize a voltage of the high-speed switch.

5. The article as defined in claim 2, wherein the RFID signal disruptor circuit further includes:

a frequency regulator to control frequency characteristics of the disruptive signal.

6. The article as defined in claim 5, wherein the RFID signal disruptor circuit further includes:

a voltage regulator to stabilize a voltage of the high-speed switch.

7. The article as defined in claim 5, wherein the RFID signal disruptor circuit comprises:

a frequency regulator to control frequency characteristics of the disruptive signal, the frequency regulator comprising a diode positioned to provide harmonic multiplication of the frequency of the interrogation signal; and

wherein the diode is connected between the base and the emitter of a transistor.

8. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the RFID signal disruptor circuit further includes:

a visual operation indicator to provide a visual indication that the RFID interrogation device is attempting to interrogate the separate RFID data storage device when the RFID signal disruptor circuit is positioned in proximity to the separate RFID data storage device.

9. A method of enhancing protection against unauthorized interrogation of one or more RFID data storage devices when positioned in an article, the method comprising:

providing a separate RFID signal disrupter device positioned in an article so that when one or more separate RFID data storage devices are positioned in the article, the RFID disrupter device is positioned adjacent thereto, the RFID disruptor device including an RFID signal disruptor circuit being positioned to generate a disruptive signal during an attempted read by an interrogation signal, thereby to disrupt the one or more RFID data storage devices from communicating with the RFID interrogation device;

controlling frequency characteristics of the disruptive signal via a frequency regulator, the frequency regulator providing harmonic multiplication of the frequency of the incoming signal;

coupling the separate RFID signal disrupter device with the one or more separate RFID data storage devices during an attempted read by an RFID interrogation device;

receiving portions or more of an incoming signal from an RFID interrogation device directed to the one or more separate RFID data storage devices; and

generating a signal to disrupt the attempted read by the RFID interrogation device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

combining the generated signal with portions of the incoming signal to thereby form one or more disrupting signals to disrupt RFID interrogation by the RFID interrogation device during an attempt to interrogate the one or more separate RFID data storage devices, the one or more disrupting signals forming a disrupting zone extending adjacent the one or more separate RFID data storage devices to disrupt the ability of the one or more separate RFID data storage devices to properly communicate in response to an attempted read from an RFID interrogation device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selectively separating the one or more separate RFID data storage devices from being positioned adjacent the separate RFID signal disrupter device to allow authorized interrogation of the one or more separate RFID data storage devices.

12. A method of enhancing protection against unauthorized interrogation of one or more RFID data storage devices when positioned in and contained within an article, the method comprising:

positioning a separate RFID signal disrupter device in an article so that when one or more separate RFID data storage devices are positioned in the article, the RFID disrupter device is positioned adjacent thereto, the RFID disruptor device including an RFID signal disruptor circuit being positioned to generate a disruptive signal during an attempted read by an interrogation signal, thereby to disrupt the one or more RFID data storage devices from communicating with the RFID interrogation device;

controlling frequency characteristics of the disruptive signal via a frequency regulator, the frequency regulator providing harmonic multiplication of the frequency of the incoming signal;

coupling the separate RFID signal disrupter device with the one or more separate RFID data storage devices during an attempted read by an RFID interrogation device; and

generating a signal to disrupt an attempted read by a RFID interrogation device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

combining the generated signal with portions of the incoming signal to thereby form one or more disrupting signals to disrupt RFID interrogation by the RFID interrogation device during an attempt to interrogate the one or more separate RFID data storage devices, the one or more disrupting signals forming a disrupting zone extending adjacent the one or more separate RFID data storage devices to disrupt the ability of the one or more separate RFID data storage devices to properly communicate in response to an attempted read from an RFID interrogation device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selectively separating the one or more separate RFID data storage devices from being positioned adjacent the separate RFID signal disrupter device to allow authorized interrogation of the one or more separate RFID data storage devices.