Terminal for an active labelling system

• US 6,554,188 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Data Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Electronic Data Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Greenman, Murray, Irving, Gordon Douglas, St George, Owen Richard, Johnson, Colin Francis, Sommerville, Christopher Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US09/958,810
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

This invention is for a reader/writer device (terminal) for accessing item-related data in rewritable tags of the “RF-ID” type wherein each tag includes non-volatile memory. In a farm animal application each animal is implanted with an identified tag. From time to time, the terminal can be given a selected security level by reading password-like and individual identity data from a special tag held by an individual. As a result the individual can gain “read” and/or “write” to selected fields in the data record held within the tag. Further information may be added from time to time by empowered individuals. Schemes are enabled for the enhanced management of animals having such tags include accurate descriptors, proving ownership, showing compliance with disease control programmes and withholding periods after possible treatments, traceability of meat products from the shop to the farm, breeding schemes and performance recording. The use of security levels and the traceability of entries adds to the reliability of the stored information.

Claims

1. For an active labeling system employing wireless-powered identification tags, a terminal including:

data processing means, program control means, data storage means and optionally a display and user control means;

the terminal having wireless communication means capable of reading from of writing to a wireless-powered identification tag; and

the identification tag including tag data storage means capable of storing more than one field of data within a record, characterised in that the terminal is capable of

a) acquiring data comprising a code sequence from an unprotected key area of data storage within a wireless-powered identification tag, and

b) if at least a part of the code sequence is recognised by the terminal as belonging to a set of predetermined security key sequences, then adopting a security rank selected in accordance with the key sequence from a range of predetermined security ranks;

the adopted security rank empowering the terminal to become capable of effective access to a predetermined set of one or more protected tag fields of data within the wireless-powered identification tag, so that the same terminal may serve different users at different times under different security ranks.

2. A terminal as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that at least one security rank permits only read access to a predetermined set of one or more protected fields of data within the identification tag.

3. A terminal as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that at least one security rank permits only write access to a predetermined set of one or more protected fields of data within the identification tag.

4. A terminal as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the encryption means includes a process for placing the data within the tag data storage means in a non-predictable manner.

5. A key for providing a security rank to a terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the key area comprises tag data storage means capable of holding a fixed set of data including a predetermined security key sequence in a field always readable by the portable terminal, so that the security rank of the terminal may be altered at any time.

6. A key as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the key area further holds a computed code sequence capable of uniquely identifying the identification tag.

7. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the terminal is programmed to retain a security rank, once adopted, for a limited maximum period.

8. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the terminal is provided with means capable from time to time of encrypting the data to be deposited within the tag data storage means, and with means capable of decrypting previously encrypted data retrieved from the tag data storage means, so that at least some fields of data stored within the identification tag are relatively inaccessible to terminals lacking an effective decryption means.

9. A protocol for operation of a terminal as claimed in claim 1 in relation to a wireless-powered identification tag, characterised in that the or each security rank after being loaded from the key is capable of specifying, in functional combination with instructions within the terminal, which of the one or more fields stored within the data terminal may be accessed in either a read mode or a write mode over a subsequent specified period, so that any one security rank permits access to a predetermined set of one or more fields.

10. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the terminal is further provided with interface means capable of facilitating the movement of data to or from at least one information-handling device according to an Applications Programming Interface so that the terminal can send and/or receive data between the terminal and the device and thereby effectively interact with the device.

11. A protocol for use of a terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the protocol enables an item having an attached identification tag to serve as its own data carrier;

the protocol including allocation of one or more fields of data, each field having (a) a predetermined data type, (b) a predetermined ability to be read or concealed as determined by a currently active security rank previously read into the terminal from the key area, and (c) a predetermined capacity to be alterable, as determined by the given security rank.

12. A protocol for operation of a terminal as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that the protocol is developed for use with an animal.

13. A protocol for operation of a terminal as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the protocol provides for the storage of a record of information including one or more of the following fields:

a) identification of the wireless-powered identification tag itself,

b) identification of the animal,

c) the date of birth of the animal,

d) identification of the sire and/or the dam of the animal,

e) the birthplace of the animal,

f) the original owner of the animal,

g) the current owner of the animal,

h) the health status of the animal,

i) any disease control measures imposed upon the animal,

j) any treatments delivered to the animal,

k) any withholding periods as a result of any treatments that are liable to result in unacceptable residues being present within the body of the animal during the withholding periods

l) performance factors such as fertility, weight gains during known periods, wool growth, or stamina.

14. An active labeling system, comprising:

wireless-powered identification tags;

a terminal including data processing means, program control means, data storage means, and a display and user control means,

the terminal having wireless communication means capable of reading from and of writing to the wireless-powered identification tags,

the identification tags including tag data storage means capable of storing more than one field of data within a record,

the terminal being capable of acquiring data comprising a code sequence from an unprotected key area of data storage within the identification tag, and

upon recognizing the code sequence as belonging to a set of predetermined security key sequences, adopting a security rank selected in accordance with the key sequence from a range of predetermined security ranks,

the adopted security rank empowering the terminal to become capable of effective access to a predetermined set of one or more protected tag fields of data within the wireless-powered identification tag, so that the same terminal may serve different users at different times under different security ranks.