Device enrollment in a security system

• US 7,119,658 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The ADT Security Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LifeShield LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stilp, Louis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/366,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/5.24, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/551, 340/552
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range

Abstract

A method for enrolling devices in a security system based upon RFID techniques. The method prevents unauthorized devices from engaging in communications by and between the various devices in the security system. While the security system may have long RF range during normal operation, the RFID readers of the security system reduce their read range during an enrollment operation. A user must be physically proximate to an RFID reader to enroll any device. The controller has an associated master key RFID transponder containing at least one code necessary for enabling enrollment of an RFID reader. This master key RFID transponder can only be read during enrollment. RFID transponders and RFID readers also exchange at least one code during the enrollment of RFID transponders. The codes can enable encrypted communications during normal system operation.

Claims

1. A method of enrolling devices in a security system containing at least a first controller and at least two other devices, a first RFID reader having a read zone and a first RFID transponder, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the first controller into an enrollment made;

reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader to reduce its read zone to an area proximate to the first RFID reader;

placing the first RFID transponder within the reduced read zone of the first RFID reader;

further reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader, thereby narrowing the size and shape of the read zone, until the first RFID reader detects only the first RFID transponder;

still further reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader to a predetermined threshold which assures that the first RFID transponder is physically close to the first RFID reader;

exchanging information between the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder; and

using the exchanged information to enroll a device in the first controller of the security system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enrolled device is the first RFID reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the enrolled device is the first RFID transponder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RFID transponder is a master key RFID transponder associated with the first controller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the master key RFID transponder contains at least a first code usable for enabling encrypted communications between the first controller and the first RFID reader.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first code is never sent over the communications medium used between the first controller and the first RFID reader.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the exchanged information includes at least one code usable in encrypting communications.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RFID reader communicates with the first controller only after the first RFID reader has been enrolled with the first controller.

9. The method or claim 8, wherein the communications between the first RFID reader and the first controller are encrypted using a key known to bath the first RFID reader and the first controller.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first RFID reader obtains the key from a master key RFID transponder.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing enrollment information in a table.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first controller enters enrollment information in the table for at least one of the first RFID reader or the first RFID transponder.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder exchange information using wireless communications.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RFID transponder communicates with the first RFID reader only after the first RFID transponder has been enrolled with the first controller.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communications between the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder are encrypted using a key known to both the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder.

16. A method of enrolling devices in a security system containing at least a first controller and at least two other devices, a first RFID reader having a read zone and a first RFID transponder, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the first controller into an enrollment mode;

reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader to reduce its read zone to an area proximate to the first RFID reader;

placing the first RFID transponder within the reduced read tone or the first RFID reader;

further reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader, thereby narrowing the size and shape of the read zone, until the first RFID reader detects only the first RFID transponder;

still further reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader to a predetermined threshold which assures that the first RFID transponder is physically close to the first RFID reader;

exchanging information between the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder, the exchanged information including at least one code usable in encrypting communications; and

using the exchanged information to enroll both the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder in the first controller of the security system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first RFID transponder is a master key RFID transponder associated with the first controller.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the master key RFID transponder contains at least a first code usable for enabling encrypted communications between the first controller and the first RFID reader.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first code is never sent over the communications medium used between the first controller and the first RFID reader.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first RFID reader communicates with the first controller only after the first RFID reader has been enrolled with the first controller.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing enrollment information in a table.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first controller enters enrollment information in the table for the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder exchange information using wireless communications.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the first RFID transponder communicates with the first RFID reader only after the, first RFID transponder has been enrolled with the first controller.

25. A method of enrolling devices in a security system containing at least a first controller and at least two other devices, a first RFID reader having a read zone and a first RFID transponder, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the first controller into an enrollment mode;

reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader to reduce its read zone to an area proximate to the first RFID reader;

placing the first RFID transponder within the reduced read zone of the first RFID reader;

further reducing the transmit power of the first RFID reader, thereby narrowing the size and shape of the read zone, until the first RFID reader detects only the first RFID transponder;

still further reducing the transmit power of the first RFID render to a predetermined threshold which assures that the first RFID transponder is physically close to the first RFID reader;

exchanging information between the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder, the exchanged information including at least one code usable in encrypting communications;

using the exchanged information to enroll both the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder in the first controller of the security system; and

entering in a table via the first controller enrollment information for the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder; and

storing the enrollment information in the table,

wherein the first RFID reader communicates with the first controller only after the first RFID render has been enrolled with the first controller and the first RFID transponder communicates with the first RFID reader only after the first RFID transponder has been enrolled with the first controller.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first RFID reader and the first RFID transponder exchange information using wireless communications.