AUTHORIZING RFID READER AND INHIBITING SKIMMING

• US 20130106577A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Hinman, Mark P., Katerberg, James Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10267 the arrangement comprising a circuit inside of the interrogation device

Abstract

An RFID reader system has an RFID tag and an RFID reader. The tag authorizes the RFID reader by receiving a plurality of successively-transmitted initial RFID read signals and determining respective initial-read signal power levels of the received initial RFID read signals. Using the determined initial-read signal power levels, a controller automatically selects an authorization sequence. A plurality of successively-transmitted authorization RFID signals are received sequentially, and respective authorization-signal power levels of the received authorization RFID read signals are determined. The determined authorization-signal power levels are automatically compared to the authorization sequence using the controller, so that the RFID reader is authorized if the determined authorization-signal power levels correspond to the authorization sequence.

Claims

1. In an RFID reader system including an RFID tag and an RFID reader, a method of authorizing the RFID reader, the method comprising the RFID tags performing the following steps:

an initial-read signal receiving step of receiving a plurality of successively-transmitted RFID initial-read signals and determining respective initial-read signal characteristics of the received initial-read signals, wherein each characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a received power level of the respective read signal, the time interval between the respective read signal and a preceding or following read signal, and identification data included in the respective read signal, whereby each characteristic has a respective type of “

power level,”

“

time interval,”

or “

identification data,”

respectively;

using the determined initial-read signal characteristics, automatically selecting an authorization sequence using a controller;

an authorization-signal receiving step of receiving a plurality of successively-transmitted RFID authorization signals sequentially, and determining respective authorization-signal characteristics of the received authorization signals, wherein each characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a received power level of the respective authorization signal, the time interval between the respective authorization signal and a preceding or following authorization signal, and identification data included in the respective authorization signal, whereby each characteristic has a respective type of “

power level,”

“

time interval,”

or “

identification data,”

respectively; and

automatically comparing the determined authorization-signal characteristics to the authorization sequence using the controller, so that the RFID reader is authorized if the determined authorization-signal characteristics correspond to the authorization sequence.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the initial-read signal receiving step and before the authorization-signal receiving step, listening for RFID read signals from a skimmer, and, if any read signals from a skimmer are detected, determining that the RFID reader is not authorized.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the comparing step, if the RFID reader is authorized, transmitting a response to the RFID reader.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the type of a first selected one of the initial-read signal characteristics is different than the type of a second selected one of the initial-read signal characteristics.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the type of a first selected one of the authorization-signal characteristics is different than the type of a second selected one of the authorization-signal characteristics.

6. In an RFID reader system including an RFID tag and an RFID reader, a method of authorizing the RFID reader, the method comprising the RFID tags performing the following steps:

automatically selecting an authorization sequence using a controller;

an authorization-signal receiving step of receiving a plurality of successively-transmitted RFID authorization signals sequentially, and determining respective authorization-signal characteristics of the received authorization RFID read signals, wherein each characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a received power level of the respective authorization signal, the time interval between the respective authorization signal and a preceding or following authorization signal, and identification data included in the respective authorization signal, whereby each characteristic has a respective type of “

power level,”

“

time interval,”

or “

identification data,”

respectively; and

automatically comparing the determined authorization-signal characteristics to the authorization sequence using the controller, so that the RFID reader is authorized if the determined authorization-signal characteristics correspond to the authorization sequence.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, after the comparing step, if the RFID reader is authorized, transmitting a response to the RFID reader.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the type of a first selected one of the authorization-signal characteristics is different than the type of a second selected one of the authorization-signal characteristics.