Biometric platform radio identification anti-theft system

• US 8,060,753 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: King, Jeffrey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson; Jenise E
• Application Number:
  US11/074,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,444 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide for administering a protected item. An anti-theft key encoded with a radio frequency identification of the user and biometric data of the user is provided. The anti-theft key is associated with the protected item such that the protected item is accessible with the anti-theft key.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an RFID device having a radio frequency identification;

a device for receiving an anti-theft key from an authentication authority, the anti-theft key being encoded with a radio frequency identification associated with an authorized user and also biometric data of the authorized user;

a protected item that, once programmed with the anti-theft key, obtains an RFID and biometric data from a person who attempts to use the protected item, and grants use of the protected item to the person if the obtained RFID and biometric data match the biometric data and RFID in the anti-theft key; and

a kiosk for issuing the RFID device to the authorized user, associating the RFID of the issued RFID device with the authorized user, obtaining biometric data from the authorized user, and sending the associated RFID and the biometric data to the authenticating authority, which generates the anti-theft key;

wherein the device for receiving the anti-theft key includes a processor at the storage location, the processor used to load the anti-theft key into the protected item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the anti-theft key is data, and wherein the device for storing the anti-theft key includes a processor at the storage location for storing the anti-theft key in memory of the protected item.

3. A method of allowing a person to use a vehicle stored at a storage location, the method comprising:

issuing an RFID device to the person, the RFID device having an RFID;

associating the RFID with the person;

receiving an anti-theft key associated with the person, the anti-theft key received at the storage location, the anti-theft key including the associated RFID and biometric data of the person, the anti-theft key being separate and distinct from the RFID device;

protecting the vehicle at the storage location, including loading the anti-theft key into the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle, once loaded with the anti-theft key, grants access to a person who presents an RFID device having an RFID that matches the RFID in the anti-theft key and whose biometric data matches the biometric data in the anti-theft key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the anti-theft key controls at least one of when the protected vehicle is obtained, turned-on, operated and returned.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the protected vehicle is also protected while in an operating state, after it has left the storage location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the anti-theft key is used to control storage or operation of the protected vehicle.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the protected vehicle also grants access to at least one additional person whose biometric data matches the data in the anti-theft key.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising obtaining biometric data of the person and authenticating the person prior to releasing the protected vehicle at the depot.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein authenticating the person includes generating encryption and decryption keys for the protected vehicle and wherein the encryption key is used to encrypt information in the anti-theft key and the decryption key is used by the protected vehicle.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein a kiosk is used to obtain biometric data from the person and initiate generation of the anti-theft key.

11. A depot comprising:

a plurality of vehicles to be protected;

a site for issuing RFID devices to authorized users and initiating generation of an anti-theft key when an RFID device is issued to a user, each RFID device having an RFID, each anti-theft key having an RFID of an issued device and biometric data of a user to whom the device is issued; and

apparatus for receiving anti-theft keys from an authentication authority and programming the anti-theft keys into those vehicles that are authorized to be used;

each vehicle being programmable with an anti-theft key and capable of obtaining an RFID and biometric user from a user who attempts to use said vehicle;

wherein a vehicle that is programmed with an anti-theft key will grant use of the vehicle only to a user whose obtained biometric data and RFID matches the biometric data and RFID in that anti-theft key.

12. The depot of claim 11, wherein a kiosk issues the RFID devices and also obtains biometric data from authorized users, the kiosk initiating generation of the anti-theft keys by an authenticating authority.

13. The depot of claim 11, wherein a vehicle that is programmed with an anti-theft key is also protected while in an operating state, after it has left the depot.

14. The depot of claim 11, wherein the anti-theft key controls at least one of when the protected vehicle is obtained, turned-on, operated and returned.