SYSTEM, METHOD AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR COMMUNICATING A PRIVACY POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH A RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TAG AND ASSOCIATED OBJECT

• US 20100201489A1
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Griffin, Phillip H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,242,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A system, method and program product for communicating a privacy policy associated with a RFID tag. The method includes defining in an tag a first identifier for uniquely identifying the object and a second identifier for uniquely identifying a privacy policy that indicates a proper and intended use and level of protection to be afforded data/information transmitted by the identification tag coupled to the object, associating the second identifier with the first identifier, each of the first identifier and the second identifier being coupled to the identification tag, and responsive to detection of a communication signal received from a receptor, transmitting the first identifier and the second identifier, which includes an accept-reject provision for controlling dissemination and usage of the data/information transmitted by the identification tag, where based on a response received to the accept-reject provision, the data/information is either transmitted or not transmitted to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for communicating a privacy policy associated with data and information stored on an identification tag, said method comprising the steps of:

defining in an identification tag one or more attributes referencing characteristics of a physical object, said one or more attributes including a first identifier assigned to said physical object for uniquely identifying said physical object and a second identifier created for uniquely identifying a privacy policy that indicates to a recipient a proper and intended use of and a level of protection to be afforded data and information transmitted by said identification tag coupled to said physical object;

associating said second identifier created with said first identifier assigned to said physical object, each of said first unique identifier and said second unique identifier being coupled to said identification tag; and

transmitting to a recipient, responsive to detection of a communication signal received from a receptor, said first identifier and said second identifier, said second identifier including an accept-reject provision for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information transmitted by said identification tag, wherein based on a response received from a recipient to said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy, said data and information is either transmitted or not transmitted to said recipient.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

signing said one or more attributes for cryptographically binding said one or more attributes to said identification tag.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said transmitting step further comprises the step of:

first ascertaining whether said recipient has accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier before transmitting to said recipient said data and information contained in said identification tag.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said transmitting step further comprises the step of:

responsive to a determination that said recipient has not accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier, not transmitting said data and information contained in said identification tag.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said defining step further comprises the steps of:

assigning a first identifier to said physical object to be identified; and

assigning a second identifier for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said identification tag comprises at least one of:

an active tag and a passive tag.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said identification tag comprises a chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a smart card, a chip card or an integrated circuit (ICC).

8. A computer system for communicating a privacy policy associated with data and information stored on an identification tag, said computer system comprising:

first program instructions to define in an identification tag one or more attributes referencing characteristics of a physical object, said one or more attributes including a first identifier assigned to said physical object for uniquely identifying said physical object and a second identifier created for uniquely identifying a privacy policy that indicates to a recipient a level of protection to be afforded data and information transmitted by said identification tag coupled to said physical object;

second program instructions to associate said second identifier created with said first identifier assigned to said physical object, each of said first unique identifier and said second unique identifier being coupled to said identification tag;

third program instructions to transmit to a recipient, responsive to detection of a communication signal from a receptor, said first identifier and said second identifier, said second identifier including an accept-reject provision for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information stored on said identification tag, wherein based on a response received from a recipient to said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy, said data and information is either transmitted or not transmitted to said recipient;

a computer readable storage medium, said computer readable storage medium storing each of said first, second and third program instructions; and

a central processing unit for executing each of said first, second and third program instructions.

9. The computer system according to claim 8, further comprising fourth program instructions to sign said one or more attributes for cryptographically binding said one or more attributes to said identification tag;

wherein said fourth program instructions are recorded on said computer readable storage medium.

10. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein said first program instructions include instructions to first ascertain whether said recipient has accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier before transmitting to said recipient said data and information contained in said identification tag.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein said third program instructions include instructions to not transmit said data and information contained in said identification tag responsive to a determination that said recipient has not accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier.

12. The computer system according to claim 11, wherein said first program instructions further include instructions to assign a first identifier to said physical object to be identified and to assign a second identifier for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information.

13. The computer system according to claim 12, wherein said identification tag comprises at least one of:

an active tag and a passive tag.

14. The computer system according to claim 13, wherein said identification tag comprises a chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a smart card, a chip card or an integrated circuit (ICC).

15. A computer program product for communicating a privacy policy associated with data and information stored on an identification tag, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to define in an identification tag one or more attributes referencing characteristics of a physical object, said one or more attributes including a first identifier assigned to said physical object for uniquely identifying said physical object and a second identifier created for uniquely identifying a privacy policy that indicates to a recipient a level of protection to be afforded data and information transmitted by said identification tag coupled to said physical object;

second program instructions to associate said second identifier created with said first identifier assigned to said physical object, each of said first unique identifier and said second unique identifier being coupled to said identification tag; and

third program instructions to transmit to a recipient, responsive to detection of a communication signal from a receptor, said first identifier and said second identifier, said second identifier including an accept-reject provision for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information stored on said identification tag, wherein based on a response received from a recipient to said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy, said data and information is either transmitted or not transmitted to said recipient, and wherein said first, second and third program instructions are recorded on said computer readable storage medium.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising fourth program instructions to sign said one or more attributes for cryptographically binding said one or more attributes to said identification tag, wherein said fourth program instructions are recorded on said computer readable storage medium.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein said first program instructions further include instructions to assign a first identifier to said physical object to be identified and to assign a second identifier for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information, and wherein said first program instructions include instructions to first ascertain whether said recipient has accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier before transmitting to said recipient said data and information contained in said identification tag.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said third program instructions include instructions to not transmit said data and information contained in said identification tag responsive to a determination that said recipient has not accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein said identification tag comprises at least one of:

an active tag and a passive tag.

20. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein said identification tag comprises a chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a smart card, a chip card or an integrated circuit (ICC).

21. A process for deploying computing infrastructure comprising integrating computer-readable code into a computing system, wherein said code in combination with said computing system is capable of performing a process for communicating a privacy policy associated with data and information, said process comprising:

defining in an identification tag one or more attributes referencing characteristics of a physical object, said one or more attributes including a first identifier assigned to said physical object for uniquely identifying said physical object and a second identifier created for uniquely identifying a privacy policy that indicates to a recipient a level of protection to be afforded data and information transmitted by said identification tag coupled to said physical object;

associating said second identifier created with said first identifier assigned to said physical object, each of said first unique identifier and said second unique identifier being coupled to said identification tag;

responsive to detection of a communication signal from a receptor, transmitting to said recipient said first identifier and said second identifier, said second identifier including an accept-reject provision for said privacy policy for controlling dissemination and usage of said data and information stored on said identification tag, wherein based on a response received from a recipient to said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy, said data and information is either transmitted or not transmitted to said recipient; and

signing said one or more attributes for cryptographically binding said second identifier to said first identifier.

22. The process according to claim 21, wherein said transmitting step further comprises the step of:

first ascertaining whether said recipient has accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier before transmitting to said recipient said data and information contained in said identification tag.

23. The process according to claim 22, wherein said transmitting step further comprises the step of:

responsive to a determination that said recipient has not accepted said accept-reject provision for said privacy policy referenced by said second identifier, not transmitting said data and information contained in said identification tag.

24. The process according to claim 23, wherein said identification tag comprises at least one of:

an active tag and a passive tag.

25. The process according to claim 23, wherein said identification tag comprises a chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a bar code, a smart card, a chip card or an integrated circuit (ICC).