Contact-less tag with signature, and applications thereof

• US 8,103,872 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Brien, William G., Yeap, Tet Hin, Zlobec, Sanro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hady, Nabil El
• Application Number:
  US12/314,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/271, 726 2- 4, 713/168, 713/169
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0846 using time-dependent-passwords, e.g. periodically changing passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 : Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 : using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules

Abstract

A method, comprising: receiving an encrypted signature from a tag associated with an item; determining a dynamic parameter; obtaining a key based at least in part on the dynamic parameter; decrypting the signature with the key to obtain an identifier; and performing an action related to identification of the item, based on the identifier. Also, a system, comprising: a tag reader configured to receive an encrypted signature from a tag associated with an item; and a processing entity configured to (i) determine a dynamic parameter; (ii) obtain a key based at least in part on the dynamic parameter; (iii) decrypt the signature with the key to obtain an identifier; and (iv) perform an action related to identification of the item, based on the identifier.

Claims

1. A method for execution by a controller, comprising:

receiving an encrypted signature from a tag associated with an item;

determining a dynamic parameter, the dynamic parameter being a current time or a current location of the controller;

obtaining a key based at least in part on the dynamic parameter;

decrypting the signature with the key to obtain an identifier;

validating the identifier by determining whether said signature has been previously received; and

performing an action related to identification of the item, based on the identifier and the validation.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the dynamic parameter is generated by a controller-implemented clock module configured to emulate a tag-implemented clock module.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the dynamic parameter is generated by a controller-implemented geo-location module.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein obtaining the key comprises using the dynamic parameter as the key.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein obtaining the key comprises consulting a table that associates data elements to respective keys in order to identify the key associated with the data element corresponding to said dynamic parameter.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein obtaining the key comprises using as the key an output of a pseudo-random number generator seeded by the dynamic parameter.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein performing an action related to identification comprises storing in a storage medium an indication that the identifier has been encountered.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein performing an action related to identification comprises allowing or denying access to property based on a comparison of the identifier to a list of identifiers.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said property comprises at least one of:

computing equipment, a computer network, a building, a portion of a building, an entrance, an exit and a vehicle.

10. The method defined in claim 1, wherein performing an action related to identification comprises allowing or denying a transaction based on a comparison of the identifier to a list of identifiers.

11. The method defined in claim 10, wherein said transaction comprises at least one of:

a financial transaction and a login to controlled online content.

12. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising concluding that said validating is unsuccessful if said determining indicates that said signature has been previously received.

13. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising concluding that said validating is potentially successful if said determining indicates that said signature has not been previously received.

14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein said determining comprises consulting a database of previously received signatures.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:

first computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of an encrypted signature from a tag associated with an item;

second computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to determine a dynamic parameter, the dynamic parameter being a current time or a current location of the computing apparatus;

third computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to obtain a key based at least in part on the dynamic parameter;

fourth computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to decrypt the signature with the key to obtain an identifier;

fifth computer readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to validate the identifier by determining whether said signature has been previously received; and

sixth computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to perform an action related to identification of the item, based on the identifier and the validation.

16. A system, comprising:

a tag reader configured to receive an encrypted signature from a tag associated with an item; and

a processing entity configured to;

determine a dynamic parameter;

obtain a key based at least in part on the dynamic parameter, the dynamic parameter being a current time or a current location of the processing entity;

decrypt the signature with the key to obtain an identifier;

validating the identifier by determining whether said signature has been previously received; and

perform an action related to identification of the item, based on the identifier and the validation.