Secure reader for use in data management

• US 7,494,062 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Pettini, Donald J., Ricci, Christopher P., Roth, Joseph D., Holz, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze; Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US11/601,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20080116271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 235/435, 235/375, 235/487, 235/470
• US Class Current: 235/435
• 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: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit

Abstract

A secure reader for reading a spatial code and a security feature. The secure reader comprises: (i) a security module, and (ii) a read engine for reading both a spatial code and a security feature carried by an item. The security module is operable to transmit a unique reader identification each time an authentication request is sent to a data management system. The spatial code may be a barcode, such as a two-dimensional barcode. The security module may include tamper responsive sensors for destroying any stored data in the event that the security module is tampered with. The security module may also include a unique identification conveyed to the data management system as part of an authentication request to allow the secure reader to be identified by the data management system.

Claims

1. A secure reader for reading a spatial code and a security feature, the secure reader comprising:

(i) a security module, and (ii) a read engine for reading both a spatial code and a security feature carried by an item, the security module being operable to transmit a unique reader identification each time an authentication request is sent to a remote data management system and receive a failure message from the remote data management system if the unique reader identification does not correspond to an allowable reader identification.

2. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the security module includes an encryption unit.

3. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the security module includes tamper responsive sensors for destroying any stored data in the event that the security module is tampered with.

4. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the security module includes a unique identification conveyed to a data management system as part of an authentication request to allow the secure reader to be identified by the data management system.

5. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the security module stores a plurality of algorithms which can be selectively used to read the security feature or process data read from the security feature.

6. A secure reader according to claim 5, wherein the security module stores reading parameters to control how the secure reader reads the security feature.

7. A secure reader according to claim 6, wherein the reading parameters are incorporated into the plurality of algorithms, so that each algorithm includes one or more reading parameters.

8. A secure reader according to claim 6, wherein the reading parameters are separate from the algorithms, and can be periodically updated by the remote data management system.

9. A secure reader according to claim 5, wherein the security module stores processing parameters to control how the secure reader processes data read from the security feature.

10. A secure reader according to claim 9, wherein the processing parameters are incorporated into the plurality of algorithms, so that each algorithm includes one or more processing parameters.

11. A secure reader according to claim 9, wherein the processing parameters are separate from the plurality of algorithms, and can be periodically updated by the remote data management system.

12. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the security module includes a clock generator and a timestamp generator.

13. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the reader includes a global positioning system (GPS) unit to allow the secure reader to provide details of a current position of the secure reader.

14. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the reader is operable to upload data from the security feature for storing in a data management system.

15. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the secure reader stores a timestamp for a previous authenticity confirmation to ensure that a timestamp received from a current authenticity confirmation is later than the stored timestamp.

16. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the secure reader is operable to prepare and communicate a registration request to a data management system so that the data management system can register the secure reader as active.

17. A secure reader according to claim 1, wherein the secure reader is operable to read a plurality of spatial codes in a single operation and also to read a plurality of security features in a single operation, and to link each read spatial code with its corresponding security feature.