SECURE RFID BASED ULTRA-WIDEBAND TIME-HOPPED PULSE-POSITION MODULATION

• US 20080012688A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dong Ha, Patrick Schaumont
• Original Assignee: Dong Ha, Patrick Schaumont
• Inventors: Ha, Dong, Schaumont, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/773,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7176 Data mapping, e.g. modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 14/026 using pulse time characteristics modulation, e.g. width, position, interval
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications

Abstract

A radio-frequency-identification (RFID) system includes an RFID tag and an RFID reader, where the RFID reader is configured to communicate with the RFID tag using time-hopped pulse-position modulation and ultra-wideband modulation. The time-hopped pulse-position modulation includes sending from the RFID tag to the RFID reader a series of pulses in time slots selected by the RFID tag through a cryptographically secure pseudo-random generator.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency-identification (RFID) system comprising:

an RFID tag; and

an RFID reader, where the RFID reader is configured to communicate with the RFID tag using time-hopped pulse-position modulation and ultra-wideband modulation.

2. The RFID system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the time-hopped pulse-position modulation comprises sending from the RFID tag to the RFID reader a series of pulses in time slots selected by the RFID tag through a pseudo-random generator.

3. The RFID system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the RFID reader is further configured to communicate with the RFID tag through a narrowband communication.

4. The RFID system, as recited in claim 3, wherein the narrowband communication provides power to the RFID tag.

5. The RFID system, as recited in claim 3, wherein the narrowband communication provides command signals to the RFID tag.

6. The RFID system, as recited in claim 5, wherein the RFID reader synchronizes with the RFID tag.

7. The RFID system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the RFID tag communicates with the RFID reader using pulses of approximately 60 μ

s in width.

8. The RFID system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the RFID tag communicates with the RFID reader using time slots of approximately 950 ps in width.

9. The RFID system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the where the RFID reader is configured to read multiple RFID tags simultaneously.

10. A radio-frequency-identification (RFID) system comprising:

an RFID tag; and

an RFID reader, where the RFID reader is configured to communicates with the RFID tag using narrowband communication initially and subsequently through broadband communication.

11. The RFID system, as recited in claim 10, wherein the broadband communication comprises ultra-wideband modulation.

12. The RFID system, as recited in claim 10, wherein the broadband communication utilizes time-hopped pulse-position modulation.

13. The RFID system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the time-hopped pulse-position modulation comprises sending from the RFID tag to the RFID reader a series of pulses in time slots selected by the RFID tag through a cryptographically secure pseudo-random generator.

14. The RFID system, as recited in claim 10, wherein the narrowband communication provides power to the RFID tag.

15. The RFID system, as recited in claim 10, wherein the narrowband communication provides command signals to the RFID tag.

16. A method of communicating within a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) system, comprising the steps of:

sending a narrowband signal from an RFID reader to an RFID tag;

receiving data signals from the RFID tag to the RFID reader through broadband communication using time-hopped pulse-position modulation and ultra-wideband modulation.

17. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the time-hopped pulse-position modulation comprises sending from the RFID tag to the RFID reader a series of pulses in time slots selected by the RFID tag through a cryptographically secure pseudo-random generator.

18. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the narrowband communication provides power to the RFID tag.

19. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the narrowband communication provides command signals to the RFID tag.

20. The method, as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

sending a second narrowband signal from the RFID reader to at least one additional RFID tag;

receiving data signals from the at least one additional RFID tag to the RFID reader through broadband communication using time-hopped pulse-position modulation and ultra-wideband modulation.

21. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the broadband communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag and the at least one additional RFID tag are synchronized by the RFID reader.

22. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein a brief interruption of the narrowband signal from the RFID reader acts to reset the RFID tag.

23. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the narrowband signal is used by the RFID tag to generate a clock signal and to synchronize the RFID system.