Method and apparatus for selective blocking of radio frequency identification devices
First Claim
1. A method for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving in a blocker device a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices; and
generating in the blocker device an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the blocker device is configurable to provide selective blocking of a designated subset of the identifiers for a given set of the RFID devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices. A blocker device is operative to receive a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices, and to generate, possibly based on information in the received communication, an output transmittable to the reader. The output simulates one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices. The blocker device may itself comprise one of the RFID devices. In an illustrative embodiment, the output generated by the blocker device interferes with the normal operation of a singulation algorithm implemented by the reader.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a blocker device a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices; and
generating in the blocker device an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the blocker device is configurable to provide selective blocking of a designated subset of the identifiers for a given set of the RFID devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a blocker device a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices; and
generating in the blocker device an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the blocker device comprises a selective blocker tag and the generated output simulates responses of only a subset of all possible identifiers for a given set of RFID devices.
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25. A method for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a blocker device a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices; and
generating in the blocker device an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the blocker device communicates to the reader information specifying a particular subset of a given set of RFID devices for which the reader will be unable to singulate identifiers.
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26. A method for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a blocker device a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices; and
generating in the blocker device an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the reader is operative to detect the presence of the blocker device, and to determine if the blocker device is operating as a selective blocker device or a full blocker device. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method for providing enhanced privacy in an REID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of;
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receiving in a blocker device a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the REID devices; and
generating in the blocker device an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the reader is operative to detect the presence of the blocker device by interacting with one or more other readers to determine information specifying the physical locations of at least a subset of the RFID devices, and processing the determined location information to ascertain if the blocker device is present.
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29. An apparatus for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system, the system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the apparatus comprising:
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a blocker device operative to receive a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices, and to generate an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices;
wherein the blocker device is configurable to provide selective blocking of a designated subset of the identifiers for a given set of the RFID devices.
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30. An RFID system comprising:
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a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier; and
at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices;
wherein a blocker device is operative to receive a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices, and to generate an output transmittable to the reader, the output simulating one or more responses from at least one of the RFID devices in a manner which prevents the reader from determining at least a portion of the identifier of at least one of the RFID devices; and
wherein the blocker device configurable to provide selective blocking of a designated subset of the identifiers for a given set of the RFID devices.
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31. An apparatus for providing enhanced privacy in an RFID system, the system comprising a plurality of RFID devices, each having an associated identifier, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices;
wherein a blocker device of the system is operative to receive a communication directed from the reader to one or more of the RFID devices, and to generate an output transmittable to the reader;
wherein the reader is configured to receive from the blocker device information specifying a particular selective blocking policy being implemented by the blocker device.
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Specification