RFID protection system, device, combination, and related methods

• US 7,889,056 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curio Ltd
• Original Assignee: Curio Ltd
• Inventors: Horne, Gregory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherwin, Ryan W
• Application Number:
  US11/581,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20070096924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/568.7, 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 455/1, 4554561-4566, 455/41.1, 455/421, 455/229
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07336 Active means, e.g. jamming or scrambling of the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/20 for contactless carriers, e.g. RFID carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/86 related to preventing deceptive jamming or unauthorized interrogation or access, e.g. WLAN access or RFID reading record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257

Abstract

Embodiments of systems, combinations, devices and methods of enhanced Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) protection are provided. An embodiment of a combination of a separate RFID device and a separate RFID blocking device each adapted to be positioned separately into a container includes a separate RFID device adapted to be positioned in the container a separate RFID blocking device adapted to be positioned adjacent the separate RFID device and in the container so that when an unauthorized RFID interrogation device attempts to read the separate RFID device from within the container the separate RFID blocking device positioned adjacent the separate RFID device blocks the attempted read and so that when an authorized user desires to use the separate RFID device for an authorized read the authorized user selectively removes either the separate RFID device or the separate RFID blocking device and presents the separate RFID device for the authorized read.

Claims

1. A combination of a separate radio frequency identification (RFID) device and a separate RFID blocking device, each being adapted to be positioned separately into a container so that the separate RFID device and the separate RFID blocking device are each adjacent the other, the combination comprising:

a separate RFID device adapted to be positioned in a container; and

a separate RFID blocking device adapted to be positioned in the container adjacent the separate RFID device to detect and block an attempted read of the otherwise separate RFID device from the container when an RFID interrogation device is positioned to read the separate RFID device from the container, the separate RFID blocking device being positioned to operatively receive power from the RFID interrogation device during an attempted read of the separate RFID device and including an RFID interferer positioned to produce interfering signals responsive to a response signal from the separate RFID device that interferes with the transmission of the response signal from the separate RFID device to the RFID interrogation device to thereby interfere with the ability of the separate RFID device to transmit to the RFID interrogation device when the RFID interrogation device is positioned to read the separate RFID device from the container, the separate RFID blocking device further being adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the separate RFID device to thereby allow an attempted read of the separate RFID device by the RFID interrogation device when the separate RFID device is no longer positioned adjacent the separate RFID blocking device.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the RFID interferer includes a frequency shift generator to generate a frequency shift above and below a center frequency of an RFID communication link to the separate RFID device.

3. A radio frequency identification (RFID) blocking device to block RFID interrogation when the device is positioned adjacent a separate RFID device, the RFID blocking device comprising:

an RFID signal interferer positioned to produce interfering signals responsive to a response signal from the separate RFID device that interferes with the transmission of the response signal from the separate RFID device to a RFID interrogation device to thereby interfere with the ability of the separate RFID device to transmit to the RFID interrogation device when the RFID interrogation device is positioned to read the separate RFID device and when the RFID blocking device is positioned adjacent the separate RFID device.

4. An RFID blocking device as defined in claim 3, wherein the RFID interferer interferes an anti-collision protocol associated with the separate RFID device so that the anti-collision protocol fails to activate.

5. An RFID blocking device as defined in claim 3, wherein the RFID interferer interferes with a product of an anti-collision protocol associated with the separate RFID device when being transmitted responsive to interrogation.

6. An RFID blocking device as defined in claim 3, wherein the RFID interferer includes a frequency shift generator to generate a frequency shift above and below a center frequency of an RFID communication link to the separate RFID device.

7. A method of enhancing protection against unauthorized interrogation of an RFID device, the method comprising:

positioning a separate RFID blocking device adjacent a separate RFID device to block RFID interrogation during an attempt to interrogate the separate RFID device so that the separate RFID blocking device interferes with the transmission of a response from the separate RFID device to the RFID interrogation device by producing interfering signals responsive to the response from the separate RFID device to thereby interfere with the ability of the separate RFID device to transmit to the RFID interrogation device when an RFID interrogation device is positioned to read the separate RFID device and the separate RFID blocking device is positioned adjacent the separate RFID device; and

selectively separating the separate RFID device from being adjacent the separate RFID blocking device for authorized interrogation of the separate RFID device.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the blocking of the RFID interrogation interferes with the transmission of an anti-collision protocol associated with the separate RFID device.

9. A method of enhanced protection against unauthorized interrogation of a contactless circuiting device, the method comprising:

positioning a separate contactless circuitry blocking device in association with a container and adjacent a separate contactless circuitry device to thereby block unauthorized interrogation of the separate contactless circuitry device so that the separate contactless circuitry blocking device interferes with a transmission of a response from the separate contactless circuitry device to a contactless circuitry interrogation device by producing interfering signals responsive to the response from the separate contactless circuitry device to thereby interfere with the ability of the separate contactless circuitry device to transmit to the contactless circuitry interrogation device when the contactless circuitry interrogation device is positioned to read the separate contactless circuitry device and the separate contactless circuitry blocking device is positioned adjacent the separate contactless circuitry device; and

selectively separating the separate contactless circuitry device from being adjacent the separate contactless circuitry blocking device for authorized interrogation of the separate contactless circuitry device.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein contactless circuitry of the separate contactless circuitry device is selected from the group of RFID, Infrared, Bluetooth, WI-FI, radio frequency microwave frequency, cellular frequency, global positioning system and optical.