RFID tag, operating method of RFID tag and operating method between RFID tag and RFID reader

• US 8,896,420 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Wei, Chou, Feng-Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAMERT, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US12/420,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20090261951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.85, 340/5.26, 340/10.5, 340/10.51
• US Class Current: 340/5.85
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

An RFID tag including a transmitting/receiving unit, a memory and a control unit. A first identification code, a second identification code, a password, and a set of data are stored in the memory. If the set of data is under protection, the set of data is accessible only when a verification procedure corresponding to the password is successfully performed. If the transmitting/receiving unit receives a request for accessing the second identification code, the control unit shall check whether the request includes the first identification code. As long as the checking result of the control unit is yes, even if the set of data is under protection and the verification procedure fails or the verification procedure is not successfully performed, the control unit shall still transmit the second identification code via the transmitting/receiving unit.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a transmitting/receiving unit;

a memory, configured for storing digital information, comprising;

a first identification code;

a second identification code;

a set of data; and

a password, being one of a predetermined value indicating that the set of data is not under protection or a value not equal to the predetermined value obtained by an encryption of the first identification code and the second identification code with a predetermined algorithm indicating that the set of data is under protection, wherein the predetermined value is assigned by the manufacture or determined by the design of the RFID tag, wherein the predetermined value is not received from an interrogating RFID reader and cannot be changed by a user during an operation; and

a control unit, coupled to the transmitting/receiving unit and the memory, configured for performing a password verification procedure prior to access of the set of data under protection when the password is determined to be the value not equal to the predetermined value, checking whether a request for accessing the second identification code received by the transmitting/receiving unit comprises the first identification code, and transmitting the second identification code via the transmitting/receiving unit if the request for accessing the second identification code does comprise the first identification code, even when the password stored in the memory is determined to be the value not equal to the predetermined value and the password verification procedure fails;

wherein the RFID tag is configured to operate in either an open mode dictating any RFID reader can access data stored therein, or a closed mode dictating said password verification procedure is required to access the set of data under protection.

2. The RFID tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the password is generated according to the first identification code and the second identification code.

3. An operating method of an RFID tag stored a first identification code, a second identification code, a set of data, and a password being one of a predetermined value indicating that the set of data is not under protection or a value not equal to the predetermined value obtained by an encryption of the first identification code and the second identification code with a predetermined algorithm indicating that the set of data is under protection, the set of data being accessible when a password verification procedure corresponding to the password is successfully performed prior to access of the set of data when under protection, the operating method comprising steps of:

(a) receiving a request for accessing the second identification code;

(b) checking whether the request comprises the first identification code; and

(c) transmitting the second identification code when the step (b) is yes, even when the password stored in the memory id determined to be the value not equal to the predetermined value and the verification procedure fails

wherein the RFID tag is configured to operate in either an open mode dictating any RFID reader can access data stored therein, or a closed mode dictating said password verification procedure is required to access the set of data under protection;

wherein the predetermined value is assigned by the manufacture or determined by the design of the RFID tag, wherein the predetermined value is not received from an interrogating RFID reader and cannot be changed by a user during an operation.

4. The operating method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising steps of:

(d1) receiving a password changing request for changing the password;

(d2) checking whether the password changing request comprises the password; and

(d3) allowing the password to be changed when the step (d2) is yes.

5. An operating method between an RFID tag and an RFID reader, wherein the RFID tag stores a first identification code, a second identification code, a set of data, and a password being one of a predetermined value indicating that the set of data is not under protection or a value not equal to the predetermined value obtained by an encryption of the first identification code and the second identification code with a predetermined algorithm indicating that the set of data is under protection, wherein the set of data is accessible when a password verification procedure is successfully performed prior to access of the set of data when under protection while the password is determined to be the value not equal to the predetermined value, the operating method comprising steps of:

(a) transmitting a second-identification-code request for accessing from the RFID reader;

(b) receiving the second-identification-code request by the RFID tag and determining whether the second-identification-code request comprises the first identification code; and

(c) transmitting the second identification code from the RFID tag to the RFID reader if the step (b) is yes, even when the password stored in the memory is determined to be the value not equal to the predetermined value and the password verification procedure fails;

wherein the RFID tag is configured to operate in either an open mode dictating any RFID reader can access data stored therein, or a closed mode dictating said password verification procedure is required to access the set of data under protection;

wherein the predetermined value is assigned by the manufacture or determined by the design of the RFID tag, wherein the predetermined value is not received from an interrogating RFID reader and cannot be changed by a user during an operation.

6. The operating method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising steps prior to the step (a):

transmitting a first-identification-code request for accessing the first identification code from the RFID reader; and

receiving the first-identification-code request by the RFID tag and transmitting the first identification code to the RFID reader.

7. The operating method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a step of:

(d) generating the password by the RFID reader or a back-end computer device coupled to the RFID reader according to the first identification code and the second identification code.

8. The operating method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the set of data is encrypted.

9. The operating method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising steps of:

(d1) transmitting a password changing request from the RFID reader for changing the password;

(d2) receiving the password changing request by the RFID tag and checking whether the password changing request comprises the password; and

(d3) allowing the password to be changed when the step (d2) is yes.