Protection against manipulation of batteryless read/write transponders

• US 5,430,447 A
• Filed: 08/23/1993
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments Deutschland Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meier, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Application Number:
  US08/110,454
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 380/23, 342/51, 342/44, 340/825.34, 340/825.54
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

A hardware and software solution for providing a tamper-proof, batteryless, remote transponder which will only be programmable by an authorized user is disclosed. This goal is achieved through the use of a hardware Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) generator which checks during a WRITE function of the data that is received from the Reading/Writing (R/W) unit and also generates several protection bits (Block Check Character; BCC) which are sent back during the response function (READ). Before the CRC generator checks the data during a WRITE function, however, it must be set to a predetermined start value called a Segment Code, and the Segment Code of the R/W unit must be the same as the Segment Code of the transponder in order for a Write (or a READ) to be performed. Additionally, programming of the Selective Address must be done within a predetermined time window (has a predetermined Time Code). If either the Selective Address or the BCC generated by the CRC generator is incorrect, the transponder will be discharged such that it will not respond. In addition, if the R/W unit detects that the Selective Address is being programmed at a time other than the predetermined Time Code, the reader makes the transponder inoperative in yet another way.

Claims

1. A manipulation-free transponder comprising:

a resonant circuit for receiving an RF signal comprising at least a selective address from a transmit/receive unit, having a CRC generator, and for transmitting a modulated RF signal to said transmit/receive unit;

a memory circuit having at least one EEPROM cell for storing a unique selective address;

a selective address comparator for comparing said received selective address with said selective address stored in said EEPROM memory circuit and for sending an enable signal in response to the received selective address matching the stored selective address;

a control logic circuit for enabling a function in response to an enable signal from said selective address comparator circuit and a predetermined block check character; and

a CRC generator for generating a predetermined block check character in response to the stored selective address and the received selective address matching and the start value of said CRC generator in said transponder and said transmit/receive unit being essentially the same and for sending said block check result to said control logic circuit.

2. The transponder of claim 1, wherein the control logic circuit accesses said start value of said CRC generator.

3. The transponder of claim 1, wherein further said selective address comparator circuit sends a disable signal to said control logic circuit in response to said received selective address not matching said stored selective address.

4. The transponder of claim 1, wherein further said control circuit sends a discharge signal in response to a disable signal from said selective address comparator circuit or in receiving a block check character other than said predetermined block check character.

5. The transponder of claim 4, further comprising:

a rectifier for rectifying said RF signal;

a storage capacitor for storing said rectified RF signal; and

a transistor for discharging said storage capacitor in response to said discharge signal from said control logic circuit.

6. The transponder of claim 5, wherein said transistor discharges said storage capacitor via conduction of said transistor, thereby shorting said capacitor to ground.

7. The transponder of claim 1, wherein said start value of said CRC generator is stored in said EEPROM.

8. The transponder of claim 1, wherein said selective address can only be modified at a predetermined time code.

9. The transponder of claim 8, wherein said time code is stored in said EEPROM.

10. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said EEPROM circuit has a programming and locking function, but not an unlocking function.