Reusable electronic tag for secure data accumulation

• US 6,980,087 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Zukowski, Deborra J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JARRETT, SCOTT L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Application Number:
  US10/454,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/5.8, 340/10.4, 340/5.5, 340/5.2, 713/200, 713/180, 713/186, 713/185, 705 18- 69, 711/163, 711/164, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• 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: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A reusable electronic tag having a plurality of memory locations to allow a user to write information onto the tag. After a memory location is written, it becomes write-protected, preventing the written content from being altered or deleted by an unauthorized user. By granting a user access right to certain memory locations, it is possible to restrict the user'"'"'s ability to access the memory location depending on the granted access type and the level of restriction set for the memory location. A user with a valid password is allowed to read and write a memory location. Such a user may be allowed to clear the memory locations so that the tag can be reused.

Claims

1. A method of determining access rights of a user of a reusable mobile electronic tag, the electronic tag containing a plurality of memory locations capable of storing information, wherein at least a subset of said plurality of memory locations are able to store user-supplied information, said subset of memory locations operable in a first operational mode or in a second operational mode, and wherein for said subset of memory locations user access can be of two forms, a first access form and a second access form, wherein the reusable mobile electronic tag determines the first or second access form of the user, comprising the steps of:

storing an identification password in said electronic tag;

allowing the user to present a password to the electronic tag;

comparing within the electronic tag the password presented by the user to the identification password stored in the electronic tag;

if

the password presented by the user matches the identification password, then

granting the user with said second access form, otherwise

granting the user with said first access form; and

allowing the user to access the subset of memory locations within the electronic tag to an extent enabled by said first or second access form granted to said user, so that when the memory locations are in the first operational mode the user is granted said first access form and when the memory locations are in the second operational mode the user is granted said second access form, wherein when the user is granted with said first access form, the user is allowed to cause only the memory locations in the first operational mode to store information supplied by the user and to cause said memory locations to change from the first operational mode to the second operational mode after said storing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user is granted with said first access type, the user is only allowed to access the memory locations in the first operational mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user is granted with said first access type, the user is allowed to access the memory locations in the second operational mode, but only to read the information stored therein.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user is granted with said second access type, the user is allowed to read stored information in said subset of memory locations regardless whether said memory locations are in the first operational mode or in the second operational mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user is granted with said second access type, the user is allowed to alter stored information in at least some of said subset of memory locations in the second operational mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational mode is a write unprotected mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second operational mode is a write protected mode.

8. A method of determining access rights of a user of a reusable mobile electronic tag, the electronic tag containing a plurality of memory locations capable of storing information, wherein at least a subset of said plurality of memory locations are able to store user-supplied information, said subset of memory locations operable in a first operational mode or in a second operational mode, and wherein for said subset of memory locations user access can be of two forms, a first access form and a second access form, wherein the reusable mobile electronic tag determines the first or second access form of the user, comprising the steps of:

storing an identification password in said electronic tag;

allowing the user to present a password to the electronic tag;

comparing within the electronic tag the password presented by the user to the identification password stored in the electronic tag;

if

the password presented by the user matches the identification password, then

granting the user with said second access form, otherwise

granting the user with said first access form; and

allowing the user to access the subset of memory locations within the electronic tag to an extent enabled by said first or second access form granted to said user, so that when the memory locations are in the first operational mode, the user is granted said first access form and when the memory locations are in the second operational mode the user is granted said second access form, wherein when the user is granted with said second access form, the user is allowed to delete stored information in at least some of said subset of memory locations in the second operational mode and to cause said memory locations to change from the second operational mode to the first operational mode after said deletion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when the user is granted with said first access type, the user is only allowed to access the memory locations in the first operational mode.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein when the user is granted with said first access type, the user is allowed to access the memory locations in the second operational mode, but only to read the information stored therein.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein when the user is granted with said second access type, the user is allowed to read stored information in said subset of memory locations regardless whether said memory locations are in the first operational mode or in the second operational mode.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein when the user is granted with said second access type, the user is allowed to alter stored information in at least some of said subset of memory locations in the second operational mode.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first operational mode is a write unprotected mode.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the second operational mode is a write protected mode.