Method, system and device for generating, storing, using, and validating NFC tags and data

• US 10,652,233 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Hoyer, Philip, Lovelock, Julian Eric, Robinton, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US15/819,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 713159, 713168, 370216, 367128, 367125, 367127, 358 115, 455418, 455 411, 3405721, 340 1051, 340 1052, 235437, 709201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/106 Packet or message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A smart tag and methods of interacting with and authenticating interactions with the same are provided. The smart tag is enabled to generate a Tag Authentication Cryptogram (TAC) and include the TAC in response to a read request. Accordingly, each response generated by the smart tag will include a different TAC. It follows that interactions between the smart tag and a reading device can be authenticated as unique interactions if the TAC is validated as a unique and correct TAC.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in response to at least one of;

(i) receiving a read request at a smart tag from a reading device and (ii) determining that a reading device is within a read range of the smart tag, generating, at the smart tag, a data object that includes tag data, a Tag Unique Identifier (TAGID), and a Tag Authentication Cryptogram (TAC), wherein the TAGID represents the smart tag at an authentication service, and wherein the TAC is generated by the smart tag with a cryptographic key and a changeable data part; and

transmitting the data object from the smart tag to the reading device via a proximity-based Radio Frequency (RF) protocol, wherein the data object is transmitted to the reading device with one or more delimiters separating the tag data, the TAGID, and the TAC.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the changeable data part comprises a pseudo randomly-generated number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changeable data part comprises a counter that increments after every use.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic key and changeable data part are stored in a secure element of the smart tag.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

signing the data object prior to transmitting the data object to the reading device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object is transmitted to the reading device as an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag data comprises at least one of a phone number and email address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag data, the TAGID, and the TAC are incorporated into a single Universal Resource Locator (URL).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity-based RF protocol comprises at least one of a Near-Field Communications (NFC) protocol and Bluetooth.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the smart tag is further configured to automatically generate a TAC in response to detecting a reading device within the read range of the smart tag regardless of whether or not the reading device has requested information from the smart tag.

11. A method, comprising:

in response to at least one of;

(i) receiving a read request at a smart tag from a reading device and (ii) determining that a reading device is within a read range of the smart tag, generating, at the smart tag, a data object that includes tag data, a Tag Unique Identifier (TAGID), and a Tag Authentication Cryptogram (TAC), wherein the TAGID represents the smart tag at an authentication service, and wherein the TAC is generated by the smart tag without the TAGID using a cryptographic key and a changeable data part; and

transmitting the data object from the smart tag to the reading device via a proximity-based Radio Frequency (RF) protocol, wherein the data object is transmitted to the reading device with one or more delimiters separating the tag data, the TAGID, and the TAC.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the changeable data part comprises a pseudo randomly-generated number.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the changeable data part comprises a counter that increments after every use.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the cryptographic key and changeable data part are stored in a secure element of the smart tag.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data object is transmitted to the reading device as an NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) message.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the tag data comprises at least one of a phone number and email address.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the tag data, the TAGID, and the TAC are incorporated into a single Universal Resource Locator (URL).

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the proximity-based RF protocol comprises at least one of a Near-Field Communications (NFC) protocol and Bluetooth.

19. A method, comprising:

in response to at least one of;

(i) receiving a read request at a smart tag from a reading device and (ii) determining that a reading device is within a read range of the smart tag, generating, at the smart tag, a data object that includes tag data, a Tag Unique Identifier (TAGID), and a Tag Authentication Cryptogram (TAC), wherein the TAGID represents the smart tag at an authentication service, and wherein the TAC is generated by the smart tag with a cryptographic key and a changeable data part; and

transmitting the data object from the smart tag to the reading device via a proximity-based Radio Frequency (RF) protocol;

wherein the data object is transmitted to the reading device with one or more delimiters separating the tag data, the TAGID, and the TAC; and

wherein the data object does not include the changeable data part.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tag data, the TAGID, and the TAC are incorporated into a single Universal Resource Locator (URL), and wherein the proximity-based RF protocol comprises at least one of a Near-Field Communications (NFC) protocol and Bluetooth.