METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTHENTICATING RFID TAGS

• US 20110025458A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rfmicron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rfmicron, Inc.
• Inventors: de Angel, Edwin, Rokhsaz, Shahriar
• Granted Patent: US 10,079,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31304 Identification of workpiece and data for control, inspection, safety, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3827 Use of message hashing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/388 using mutual authentication without cards, e.g. challenge-response
• 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 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

In an RFID system, a method and apparatus for linking an RFID tag to an associated object. The system includes a relatively simple tag, a reader, a linker, and a store. The reader interrogates the tag for an ID and selectively provides the ID to the linker. The linker, in turn, uses the ID to provide back to the reader an associated Uniform Resource Identifier (“URI”). The reader then forwards the URI to the store. In response, the store returns to the reader the object associated with the ID via the URI. The disclosed method and apparatus provide more efficient and secure tag authentication.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a tag adapted to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code;

in response to an interrogation, transmit said tag ID; and

in response to receiving a tag control code;

compute a tag authentication code as a function of said tag hidden code and the received tag control code; and

transmit said tag authentication code;

a store adapted to;

store, in association with each of said tag IDs;

a master control code;

a master hidden code; and

a data;

in response to receiving said tag ID;

select said master control code, said master hidden code and said data associated with the received tag ID; and

transmit as said tag control code said selected master control code; and

in response to receiving said tag authentication code;

compute a master authentication code as a function of said selected master control code and said selected master hidden code;

validate that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

upon validating the received tag authentication code, transmit said selected data; and

a reader, coupled to said tag and said store, adapted to;

interrogate said tag;

receive said tag ID from said tag and transmit said tag ID to said store;

receive said tag control code from said store and transmit said tag control code to said tag;

receive said tag authentication code from said tag and transmit said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive said data from said store.

2. The RFID system of claim 1 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

3. The RFID system of claim 1 wherein the tag control code comprises a first, fixed portion and a second, substantially random portion.

4. In a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising a tag, a reader, and a store, a method of providing security comprising the steps of;

(1) interrogating, by said reader, said tag;

(2) receiving and transmitting, by said reader, a tag ID;

(3) transmitting, by said store, a select one of a plurality of control codes each associated with said received tag ID, said control code being received and transmitted by said reader;

(4) transmitting, by said tag, a tag authentication code developed as a function of said received control code and a tag hidden code, said tag authentication code being received and transmitted by said reader;

(5) validating said tag authentication code against a master authentication code, said master authentication code being developed as a function of a selected one of a plurality of master hidden codes, each associated with said tag ID, and said control code; and

(6) transmitting, by said store, a data upon affirmatively validating the received tag authentication code.

5. The RFID system of claim 4 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

6. The RFID system of claim 4 wherein the tag control code comprises a first, fixed portion and a second, substantially random portion.

7. A radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a tag adapted to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code; and

in response to an interrogation;

develop a random number related to said tag hidden code;

develop a tag authentication code as a function of said random number and said tag hidden code; and

transmit said tag ID, said random number and said tag authentication code;

a store adapted to;

store in association with each of said tag IDs;

a master hidden code; and

a data; and

in response to receiving said tag ID, said random number and said tag authentication code;

develop a master authentication code as a function of said received random number and a selected one of said master hidden codes each associated with said received tag ID;

validate that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

transmit a selected one of said data associated with said received tag ID upon validating the received tag authentication code; and

a reader, coupled to said tag and said store, adapted to;

interrogate said tag;

receive said tag ID, said random number and said tag authentication code from said tag and transmit said tag ID, said random number and said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive said data from said store.

8. The RFID system of claim 7 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

9. In a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising a tag, a reader, and a store, a method of providing security comprising the steps of;

(1) interrogating, by said reader, said tag;

(2) receiving and transmitting, by said reader, a tag ID;

(3) transmitting, by said tag, a random number and a tag authentication code developed as a function of said random number and a tag hidden code, said tag authentication code being received and transmitted by said reader;

(4) validating said tag authentication code against a master authentication code, said master authentication code being developed as a function of a selected one of a plurality of master hidden codes, each associated with said tag ID, and said random number; and

(5) transmitting, by said store, a data upon affirmatively validating said received tag authentication code.

10. The RFID system of claim 9 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

11. A radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a tag adapted to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code;

in response to an interrogation, transmit said tag ID; and

in response to receiving a random number;

develop a tag authentication code as a function of said tag hidden code and the received random number; and

transmit said tag authentication code;

a store adapted to;

store, in association with each of said tag IDs;

a master hidden code; and

a data;

in response to receiving said tag ID;

develop said random number associated with said received tag ID;

select said master hidden code and said data associated with the received tag ID; and

transmit said random number; and

in response to receiving said tag authentication code;

develop a master authentication code as a function of said random number and said selected master hidden code;

validate that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

upon validating the received tag authentication code, transmit said selected data; and

a reader, coupled to said tag and said store, adapted to;

interrogate said tag;

receive said tag ID from said tag and transmit said tag ID to said store;

receive said random number from said store and transmit said random number to said tag;

receive said tag authentication code from said tag and transmit said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive said data from said store.

12. The RFID system of claim 11 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

13. In a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising a tag, a reader, and a store, a method of providing security comprising the steps of;

(1) interrogating, by said reader, said tag;

(2) receiving and transmitting, by said reader, a tag ID;

(3) transmitting, by said store, a random number associated with said received tag ID, said random number being received and transmitted by said reader;

(4) transmitting, by said tag, a tag authentication code developed as a function of said received random number and a tag hidden code, said tag authentication code being received and transmitted by said reader;

(5) validating said tag authentication code against a master authentication code, said master authentication code being developed as a function of a selected one of a plurality of master hidden codes, each associated with said tag ID, and said random number; and

(6) transmitting, by said store, a data upon affirmatively validating the received tag authentication code.

14. The RFID system of claim 13 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

15. A radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a tag adapted to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code;

in response to an interrogation, transmit said tag ID; and

in response to receiving a random number;

develop a tag authentication code as a function of said tag hidden code and the received random number; and

transmit said tag authentication code;

a store adapted to;

store, in association with each of said tag IDs;

a master hidden code; and

a data; and

in response to receiving said tag ID, said random number, and said tag authentication code;

select said master hidden code and said data associated with the received tag ID;

develop a master authentication code as a function of said received random number and said selected master hidden code;

validate that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

upon validating the received tag authentication code, transmit said selected data; and

a reader, coupled to said tag and said store, adapted to;

interrogate said tag;

develop said random number associated with said received tag ID;

receive said tag ID from said tag and transmit said tag ID to said store;

transmit said random number to said random number to said tag and to said store;

receive said tag authentication code from said tag and transmit said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive said data from said store.

16. The RFID system of claim 15 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

17. In a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising a tag, a reader, and a store, a method of providing security comprising the steps of;

(1) interrogating, by said reader, said tag;

(2) receiving and transmitting, by said reader, a tag ID;

(3) transmitting, by said reader, a substantially random number;

(4) transmitting, by said tag, a tag authentication code developed as a function of said received random number and a tag hidden code, said tag authentication code being received and transmitted by said reader;

(5) validating said tag authentication code against a master authentication code, said master authentication code being developed as a function of a selected one of a plurality of master hidden codes, each associated with said tag ID, and said random number; and

(6) transmitting, by said store, a data upon affirmatively validating the received tag authentication code.

18. The RFID system of claim 17 wherein the tag ID comprises an EPC code.

19. A reader, for use in a radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a tag adapted to be coupled to a reader, and to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code;

receive from said reader an interrogation, and, in response thereto, transmit to said reader said tag ID; and

receive from said reader a tag control code, and, in response thereto;

develop a tag authentication code as a function of said tag hidden code and said received tag control code; and

transmit to said reader said tag authentication code; and

a store adapted to be coupled to said reader, and to;

store, in association with said tag ID;

a master control code;

a master hidden code; and

a data;

receive from said reader said tag ID, and, in response thereto;

select said master control code, said master hidden code and said data associated with the received tag ID; and

transmit to said reader as said tag control code said selected master control code; and

receive from said reader said tag authentication code, and, in response thereto;

develop a master authentication code as a function of said selected master control code and said selected master hidden code;

validate that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

upon validating the received tag authentication code, transmit to said reader said selected data;

said reader adapted to be coupled to said tag and said store, and to;

transmit to said tag an interrogation;

receive from said tag said tag ID, and, in response thereto, transmit said tag ID to said store;

receive from said store said tag control code, and, in response thereto, transmit to said tag said tag control code;

receive said tag authentication code from said tag, and, in response thereto, transmit said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive said data from said store.

20. A store, for use in a radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a tag adapted to be coupled to a reader, and to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code;

receive from said reader an interrogation, and, in response thereto, transmit to said reader said tag ID; and

receive from said reader a tag control code, and, in response thereto;

develop a tag authentication code as a function of said tag hidden code and said received tag control code; and

transmit to said reader said tag authentication code; and

a reader adapted to be coupled to said tag and a store, and to;

transmit to said tag an interrogation;

receive said tag ID from said tag, and, in response thereto, transmit said tag ID to said store;

receive from said store said tag control code, and, in response thereto, transmit to said tag said tag control code;

receive said tag authentication code from said tag, and, in response thereto, transmit said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive a data from said store;

said store adapted to be coupled to said reader, and to;

store, in association with said tag ID;

a master control code;

a master hidden code; and

said data;

receive from said reader said tag ID, and, in response thereto;

select said master control code, said master hidden code and said data associated with the received tag ID; and

transmit to said reader as said tag control code said selected master control code; and

receive from said reader said tag authentication code, and, in response thereto;

develop a master authentication code as a function of said selected master control code and said selected master hidden code;

validate that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

upon validating the received tag authentication code, transmit to said reader said selected data.

21. A tag, for use in a radio-frequency identification (“

RFID”

) system comprising;

a reader adapted to be coupled to said tag and a store, and to;

transmit to said tag an interrogation;

receive said tag ID from said tag, and, in response thereto, transmit said tag ID to said store;

receive from said store said tag control code, and, in response thereto, transmit to said tag said tag control code;

receive said tag authentication code from said tag, and, in response thereto, transmit said tag authentication code to said store for validation; and

receive a data from said store; and

a store adapted to be coupled to said reader, and to;

store, in association with each of said tag IDs;

a master control code;

a master hidden code; and

said data;

receive from said reader said tag ID, and, in response thereto;

select said master control code, said master hidden code and said data associated with said received tag ID; and

transmit to said reader as a tag control code said selected master control code; and

receive from said reader said tag authentication code, and, in response thereto;

develop a master authentication code as a function of said selected master control code and said selected master hidden code;

by validating that said received tag authentication code corresponds to said master authentication code; and

upon validating said received tag authentication code, transmitting said selected data;

said tag adapted to be coupled to said reader, and to;

store a tag ID and a tag hidden code;

receive from said reader an interrogation, and, in response thereto, transmit to said reader said tag ID; and

receive from said reader a tag control code, and, in response thereto;

develop a tag authentication code as a function of said tag hidden code and said received tag control code; and

transmit to said reader said tag authentication code.