Method and apparatus for article authentication

• US 7,664,257 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hohberger, Clive P., Tsirline, Boris Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Jung
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US11/364,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20060191022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 380/22, 380/26, 380/27, 380/52, 380/55, 380/59, 713/168, 713/170, 713193-194, 358/305, 336/229, 400/39
• US Class Current: 380/22
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 17/36 Alarms, indicators, or feed-disabling devices responsible to material breakage or exhaustion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 35/36 Alarms, indicators, or feed disabling devices responsive to ink ribbon breakage or exhaustion
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions

Abstract

An authentication method for authenticating an article in a device includes the steps of (a) reading an identification number stored on the article, (b) reading an authentication number stored on the article, (c) determining an input number based at least in part on the identification number, (d) applying an authentication function to the input number to calculate an output number, (e) determining that the article is authentic only if the authentication number corresponds to the output number, and (f) permitting use of the article in the device if the article is authentic, and disabling use of the article in the device if the article is not authentic.

Claims

1. A media holder for use with a media processor, said media holder comprising:

a spool comprising;

a winding drum defining an axis and a first diameter,

a flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna located on the flange, wherein said antenna comprises at least one arcuate portion extending around the axis of the winding drum; and

a memory located on the flange and disposed in communication with said antenna, said memory configured to store an identification number and an authentication number, wherein said authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of said identification number.

2. The media holder of claim 1, wherein said antenna is a deposited trace.

3. The media holder of claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a plurality of turns extending around the axis of the winding drum.

4. The media holder of claim 1, wherein said antenna is a component of an RFID transponder.

25. The media holder of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises:

a plurality of memory units wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked.

26. The media holder of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked in connection with a media usage of between 10 to 15 percent.

27. The media holder of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the identification number.

28. The media holder of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the authentication number.

29. The media holder of claim 25, wherein said memory is further configured to store a media type.

30. The media holder of claim 29, wherein said authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of said identification number and said media type.

31. The media holder of claim 1, wherein said flange is proximate an end of said winding drum.

5. A media holder comprising:

a winding drum extending along an axis between a first end and a second end for receiving a media thereon, said winding drum defining a first diameter;

a flange extending from the winding drum, the flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna disposed on the flange; and

a memory disposed on the flange in communication with the antenna, the memory configured to store an identification number, an authentication number, and a media type, wherein the authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of the identification number and the media type.

6. The media holder of claim 5, wherein said antenna comprises at least one arcuate portion extending about the axis of the winding drum.

7. The media holder of claim 5, wherein said antenna is a deposited trace.

8. The media holder of claim 5, wherein said antenna comprises a plurality of turns extending around the axis of the winding drum.

9. The media holder of claim 5, wherein the antenna is a component of a wireless transponder.

32. The media holder of claim 5, wherein said flange is proximate one of said ends of said winding drum.

10. A media processing system, comprising:

a media holder configured to hold media, said media holder comprising;

a winding drum defining an axis and a first diameter;

a flange extending from the winding drum, the flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter; and

a transponder comprising a first antenna and a memory located on the flange, the memory comprising an identification number and an authentication number; and

a processing system for processing the media, said processing system comprising;

a second antenna configured for wireless communication with said first antenna;

a reader coupled to said second antenna for communicating with said transponder of said media holder via said first and second antennas, wherein said communicating with said transponder includes reading said identification number and said authentication number from said memory of said transponder; and

a processor disposed in communication with said reader, wherein the processor is configured to confirm that an authenticating relationship exists between the authentication number and the identification number, and wherein the authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of the identification number.

11. The media processing system of claim 10, wherein said processing system is configured to store media usage data in the memory associated with said transponder.

12. The media processing system of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises a media type.

13. The media processing system of claim 12, wherein the authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of the identification number and the media type.

14. A media holder for use with a media processing system, said media holder comprising:

a winding drum for receiving a media, the winding drum defining a first diameter;

a flange extending from the winding drum, the flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna located on the flange; and

a memory located on the flange and disposed in communication with the antenna, the memory comprising;

a plurality of memory units configured to store media information, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked, wherein the media information includes an identification number and an authentication number, and wherein the identification number is a transponder serial number sized between 32 and 64 bits.

15. The media holder of claim 14, wherein the media information includes a media type.

16. The media holder of claim 14, wherein the authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of the identification number.

17. The media holder of claim 15, wherein the authentication number is at least partially an encrypted transformation of the identification number and the media type.

18. The media holder of claim 14, wherein the antenna is at least partially circular in shape.

20. The media holder of claim 14, wherein the antenna and the memory are components of a transponder configured for wireless communication.

21. The media holder of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked in connection with a media usage of between 10 to 15 percent.

22. The media holder of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the identification number.

23. The media holder of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the media type.

24. The media holder of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to lock the authentication number.

33. The media holder of claim 14, wherein said flange is proximate an end of said winding drum.

19. A media holder for use with a media processing system, said media holder comprising:

a winding drum for receiving a media, the winding drum defining a first diameter;

a flange extending from the winding drum, the flange defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

an antenna located on the flange; and

a memory located on the flange and disposed in communication with the antenna, the memory comprising;

a plurality of memory units configured to store media information, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked, wherein the media is a ribbon comprising panels, and wherein at least one of the plurality of memory units is configured to be locked in connection with usage of between 10 to 15 percent of the ribbon panels.