METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ARTICLE AUTHENTICATION

• US 20100284531A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsirline, Boris Y., Hohberger, Clive P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,301,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/22
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 17/36 Alarms, indicators, or feed-disabling devices responsible to material breakage or exhaustion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 35/36 Alarms, indicators, or feed disabling devices responsive to ink ribbon breakage or exhaustion
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions

Abstract

An authentication method for authenticating an article in a device includes the steps of (a) reading an identification number stored on the article, (b) reading an authentication number stored on the article, (c) determining an input number based at least in part on the identification number, (d) applying an authentication function to the input number to calculate an output number, (e) determining that the article is authentic only if the authentication number corresponds to the output number, and (f) permitting use of the article in the device if the article is authentic, and disabling use of the article in the device if the article is not authentic.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A media holder for use with a media processor, the media holder comprising:

a spool comprising;

a winding drum defining an axis and a first diameter,

a flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna located on the flange and extending at least partially around the axis of the winding drum; and

a memory disposed in communication with the antenna, the memory configured to store an identification number and an authentication number.

17. The media holder of claim 16, wherein the antenna is a component of an RFID transponder.

18. The media holder of claim 16, wherein the authentication number is at least partially a transformation of the identification number.

19. The media holder of claim 18, wherein the transformation of the identification number comprises cryptographic methods.

20. The media holder of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises a media type.

21. The media holder of claim 20, wherein the authentication number is at least partially a transformation of the identification number and the media type.

22. The media holder of claim 21, wherein the transformation of the identification number and the media type comprises cryptographic methods.

23. The media holder of claim 16, wherein the identification number is a transponder serial number sized between 32 and 64 bits.

27. A media holder comprising:

a winding drum extending along an axis between a first end and a second end for receiving a media thereon, the winding drum defining a first diameter;

a flange extending from the winding drum, the flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna disposed on the flange; and

a memory disposed in communication with the antenna, the memory configured to store an identification number, an authentication number, and a media type.

28. The media holder of claim 27, wherein the antenna comprises at least one arcuate portion extending about the axis of the winding drum.

29. The media holder of claim 27, wherein the authentication number is at least partially a transformation of the identification number.

30. The media holder of claim 29, wherein the transformation of the identification number comprises cryptographic methods.

31. The media holder of claim 27, wherein the antenna is a component of a wireless transponder.

32. The media holder of claim 27, wherein the authentication number is at least partially a transformation of the identification number and the media type.

33. The media holder of claim 32, wherein the transformation of the identification number and the media type comprises cryptographic methods.

34. The media holder of claim 27, wherein the media is a ribbon comprising panels, and wherein the memory comprises a plurality of memory units that are configured to be locked.

35. The media holder of claim 34, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked in connection with usage of between 10 to 15 percent of the ribbon panels.

36. The media holder of claim 34, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the identification number.

37. The media holder of claim 34, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the media type.

38. A media holder comprising:

a winding drum extending along an axis between a first end and a second end for receiving a media thereon, the winding drum defining a first diameter;

a flange extending from the winding drum, the flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna disposed on the flange; and

a memory disposed in communication with the antenna, the memory configured to store an identification number, an authentication number, a media type, information to track media usage, and a remaining media count.

39. The media holder of claim 38, wherein the authentication number is at least partially a transformation of the identification number.

40. The media holder of claim 39, wherein the transformation of the identification number comprises cryptographic methods.

41. The media holder of claim 38, wherein the authentication number is at least partially a transformation of the identification number and the media type.

42. The media holder of claim 41, wherein the transformation of the identification number and the media type comprises cryptographic methods.

43. The media holder of claim 38, wherein the media is a ribbon comprising panels, and wherein the memory comprises a plurality of memory units that are configured to be locked.

44. The media holder of claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked in connection with usage of between 10 to 15 percent of the ribbon panels.

45. The media holder of claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the identification number.

46. The media holder of claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the media type.