RFID system and method for protecting information

• US 7,592,917 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Choi, Gil-Young, Chae, Jong-Suk, Lee, Dong-Han, Pyo, Cheol-Sig, Bae, Ji-Hoon, Mo, Hee-Sook, Quan, Chenghao
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/592,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/10.3, 340/10.52, 340/5.8, 340/10.4, 340/10.32, 340/10.1, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Provided is a Radio Frequency identification (RFID) system and method for protecting information. The system includes: an identification information storing unit which includes identification information and generates an interrupt/interference signal to block access without permission; an RFID calling unit which reads information of the identification information storing unit by loading a basic protocol and a security protocol for recognizing the identification information storing unit; and a storing unit which registers and stores information required for authentication between the RFID calling unit and the identification information storing unit, and information required for access control.

Claims

1. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system for protecting information, comprising:

an identification information storing means which includes identification information and generates an interrupt/interference signal to block access to identification information without permission;

an RFID calling means which loads a basic protocol and a security protocol for recognizing the identification information storing means for reading information of the identification information storing means; and

a storing means for registering and storing information required for authentication between the RFID calling means and the identification information storing means, and information required for access control.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the identification information storing means includes the identification information, and security information necessary for authenticating the RFID calling means and blocking the access without permission.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the RFID calling means loads a basic protocol realized based on an RFID standard, and a security protocol based on information protection.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the string means functions as storage of information for registering, storing and providing information required for authentication between the RFID calling means and the identification information storing means and information required for access control upon request of the RFID calling means, and

wherein the storing means includes meta identification (ID) and a secret key of the identification information storing means, a service type and ID range information of the RFID calling means and the identification information storing means, and classification information based on an ID classification system of the general identification information storing means.

5. A method for protecting information in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system having a computer-readable medium used in association with a computing device which includes a process and a memory, the computer-readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computing device to protect information in the RFID system, the system comprising:

registering information on authentication and access control of an RFID reader loading a security protocol in a data server and a security tag;

performing mutual authentication between the RFID reader and the security tag to access to RFID tag information;

when the mutual authentication is successful, at the RFJD reader and the security tag receiving information on the access control from the data server, and performing service matching for usage inspection of the RFID reader and the security tag and ID range matching for ID range inspection; and

permitting communications of identification of the RFID tag information when information of the security tag is the same as information of the RFID reader.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprise meta identification (ID) and a secret key of the security tag, a service type of the RFID reader and the security tag, ID range information and classification information based on an ID classification system of a general tag are pre-registered.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the performing mutual authentication between the RFID reader and the security tag to access to the RFID tag information comprises:

generating a query signal for authentication of the security tag;

at the security tag, determining whether the query signal generated subjects a general tag or the security tag for security authentication;

When the query signal subjects the general tag, considering the RFID reader as a non-permitted reader and generating an interrupt/interference signal for interrupting communications between the RFID reader and the general tag, and when the query signal subjects the security tag responding by transmitting ID stored in the security tag to the RFID reader

at the RFID reader, transmitting the ID received from the security tag to the data server, requesting to transmit the secret key for the security tag, at the data server, retrieving a secret key corresponding to the secret key on the own data, responding by transmitting secret key information corresponding to the RFID reader and requesting authentication for access by transmitting the secret key that the RFID reader receives from the data server to the security tag; and

checking whether or not the secret key transmitted in the the RFID reader is identical with the secret key stored in the security tag or not, transmitting the RFID tag ID of the security tag when the secret keys are identical, and generating an interrupt/interference signal when the secret keys are not identical.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein in the generating a query signal for authentication of the security tag further comprises:

the RFID reader loading only a basic protocol tries to communicate with the RFID tag according to a procedure defined in the basic protocol, and when the security tag does not exist in a region of the RFID reader, the RFID reader communicates with the RFID tag based on the procedure defined in the basic protocol

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the security tag includes a function for mutual authentication with the RFID reader and is less limited than the general tag in a size, power, computing power and a memory.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the interrupt/interference signal generate a collision with other general tag by continuously responding to all slots for a time allowed by the general tag such that the RFID reader cannot check response of the general tag.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the mutual authentication is successful further comprises:

confirming that the mutual authentication is performed, at the RFID reader, transmitting the RFID tag ID received from the security tag to the data server and requesting information required for future access control to the data server,

at the data server transmitting to the RFID reader, the previously registered and stored service type information for usage inspection and the ID range information for ID range inspection with respect to each of the RFID reader and the security tag upon request;

storing information on the RFID reader among information transmitted in the RFID reader, and transmitting service type information and ID range information on the security tag to the security tag; and

transmitting a query subjecting an RFID tag corresponding to the service type of the RFID reader and the ID range information, and at the security tag determining whether or not the service type and the ID range information are identical to those of the security tag.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the permitting communications of identification of the RFID tag information further comprises that when information of the security tag is the same as information of the RFID reader when the service type and the ID range information are identical to those of the security tag, communications between the RFID reader and the general tag are allowed by not generating the interrupt/interference signal, and when the service type and the ID range information are not identical, the RFID reader is prevented to access to the general tag by generating the interrupt/interference signal.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the service type is a kind of access control for inspecting usage of the RFID reader and the security tag, can be classified into Any, Public, Trade and Private based on the usage of the RFID tag and the RFID reader and the security tag, and can be used only for a predetermined usage based on the classification.

14. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the ID range is a kind of access control for inspecting usage of the RFID reader and the security tag, can be classified into All, Nothing and Range based on the usage of the RFID reader and the security tag, and can be used only in a predetermined ID range.