Method and apparatus for associating randomized identifiers with tagged assets

• US 20060181397A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Praveen Limbachiya
• Original Assignee: Praveen Limbachiya
• Inventors: Limbachiya, Praveen
• Application Number:
  US11/355,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.510
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

Item identification numbers used in RFID tags for items may include a randomized component, i.e., a randomized identifier. The identification number may be in an EPC or any other suitable format. Identification numbers including a randomized identifier may make it difficult to anticipate or otherwise guess the identification numbers for all items in a group based on only the knowledge of identification numbers for a few items in the group.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a plurality of items, comprising:

generating a set of randomized identifiers, each of the randomized identifiers being unique from other randomized identifiers in the set of randomized identifiers; and

providing the set of randomized identifiers to include each of the randomized identifiers in a corresponding one of a plurality of RFID tags, each of the RFID tags to be physically associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the set of randomized identifiers comprises electronically sending the set of randomized identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of randomized identifiers is provided to each be incorporated into a corresponding EPC format item identification number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of randomized identifiers at least partially comprises using an encryption process.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the encryption process comprises using RSA cryptography.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with one of the RFID tags using a tag reader to obtain a randomized identifier stored in the RFID tag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID tags are adapted to sense at least one environmental parameter.

8. A method of identifying a plurality of items, comprising:

generating a set of randomized identifiers, each of the randomized identifiers being unique from other randomized identifiers in the set of randomized identifiers; and

providing a plurality of RFID tags, the RFID tags each containing a unique item identification number, each unique item identification number at least partially including a corresponding randomized identifier from the set of randomized identifiers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising recording each of the set of randomized identifiers in a memory of a corresponding one of the plurality of RFID tags.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the randomized identifiers in the set of randomized identifiers has a corresponding non-randomized identifier, the method further comprising:

communicating with at least one of the plurality of RFID tags to obtain the corresponding unique item identification number, and

determining the non-randomized identifier that corresponds to the randomized identifier included in the unique item identification number.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

physically associating each of the plurality of RFID tags with a corresponding one of a plurality of items.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein each unique item identification number is in an EPC format.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the set of randomized identifiers at least partially comprises using an encryption process.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the encryption process comprises using RSA cryptography.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are passive or active tags.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are adapted to sense at least one environmental parameter.

17. A method of identifying a plurality of items, comprising:

providing a plurality of items with associated RFID tags, the RFID tags each containing a unique item identification number from a set of item identification numbers, each unique item identification number at least partially including a randomized identifier from a set of randomized identifiers; and

reading the unique item identification numbers from the associated RFID tags, each of the RFID tags being physically associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of items.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising programming individual RFID tags to replace the randomized identifier with a non-randomized identifier.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising using an ONS to obtain information corresponding to the plurality of items.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising verifying an authenticity of the item identification numbers associated with the plurality of items.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the unique item identification numbers are in an EPC format.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein each in the set of randomized identifiers is formed at least partially using an encryption process.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the encryption process comprises using RSA cryptography.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are passive or active tags.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of RFID tags are adapted to sense at least one environmental parameter.