Electromagnetic identification label for anti-counterfeiting, authentication, and tamper-protection

• US 6,891,474 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tagsense Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tagsense Incorporated
• Inventors: Fletcher, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/064,633
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/825.54, 340/825.34, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.6, 340/571, 340/551, 340/7.32, 340/7.33, 340/7.37, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.33, 340/10.34, 343/727, 343/700.R, 343/728, 343/726, 343/795
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip

Abstract

A radio frequency identification label is comprised of a tag circuit 310 electrically coupled to a defined marker region 330 such that the information generated by the tag circuit is dependent on the electronic properties of the marker region 330. The ID information conveyed to an external tag reader is thus a combination of fixed data intrinic to the tag circuit 310 plus a portion of data that is dependent on the electronic properties of the marker region. The marker region 330 can be comprised of various materials with complex structure, such as woven cloth or printed electrically conductive inks, such that the ID code transmitted by the label is thus more difficult to reproduce or to counterfeit. In addition, the marker region 330 can also be arranged to have electrical coupling to the object onto which the label is affixed, thus creating an electronic ID code that is also dependent on the electronic properties of the tagged object itself.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification label comprising:

a substrate material layer; and

a tag circuit capable of producing an electromagnetic signal containing information; and

at least one antenna element for coupling the tag circuit to an external tag reader device; and

at least one defined marker region of electrically conductive material that is distinct from the antenna elements and electrically coupled to the tag circuit; and

the tag circuit arranged such that all or part of its information is dependent on the electrical properties of the marker region.

2. The radio frequency label of claim 1, wherein the tag circuit is a digital electronic integrated circuit.

3. The radio frequency label of claim 1, wherein the tag circuit is a circuit is comprised of polymer-based transistors and passive components.

4. The radio frequency label of claim 1, wherein the tag circuit is a chipless circuit comprised of one or more electrically resonant circuits consisting of a planar metal coil and distributed capacitance.

5. The radio frequency label of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is comprised of woven cloth or threads.

6. The radio frequency label of claim 1, wherein the marker region is comprised of woven cloth or threads.

7. The radio frequency label of claim 2, wherein the label is inductively-coupled to the tag reader device.

8. The radio frequency label of claim 2, wherein the label is capacitively-coupled to the tag reader device.

9. The radio frequency label of claim 3, wherein the label is inductively-coupled to the tag reader device.

10. The radio frequency label of claim 3, wherein the label is capacitively-coupled to the tag reader device.

11. The radio frequency label of claim 7, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed.

12. The radio frequency label of claim 8, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed.

13. The radio frequency label of claim 9, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed.

14. The radio frequency label of claim 10, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed.

15. The radio frequency label of claim 4, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed.

16. The radio frequency label of claim 7, wherein the marker region is comprised of a printed pattern of electrically conductive ink.

17. The radio frequency label of claim 8, wherein the marker region is comprised of a printed pattern of electrically conductive ink.

18. The radio frequency label of claim 9, wherein the marker region is comprised of a printed pattern of electrically conductive ink.

19. The radio frequency label of claim 10, wherein the marker region is comprised of a printed pattern of electrically conductive ink.

20. The radio frequency label of claim 2, wherein the information generated by the tag circuit is encrypted by a mathematical function that is dependent on the electrical properties of the marker region.

21. The radio frequency label of claim 2, wherein the information generated by the tag circuit is encrypted by a mathematical function that is dependent on a parameter derived from the electrical properties of the marker region.

22. The radio frequency label of claim 7, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed, wherein the information transmitted by the radio frequency identification label is also dependent on the electrical properties of the object.

23. The radio frequency label of claim 8, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed, wherein the information transmitted by the radio frequency identification label is also dependent on the electrical properties of the object.

24. The radio frequency label of claim 9, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed, wherein the information transmitted by the radio frequency identification label is also dependent on the electrical properties of the object.

25. The radio frequency label of claim 10, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed, wherein the information transmitted by the radio frequency identification label is also dependent on the electrical properties of the object.

26. The radio frequency label of claim 4, wherein at least one marker region is also electrically coupled to the object onto which the label is affixed, wherein the information transmitted by the radio frequency identification label is also dependent on the electrical properties of the object.