Fully secure item-level tagging

• US 8,917,159 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarke William Mcallister, Daniel Shihady Campbell
• Original Assignee: Clarke William Mcallister
• Inventors: McAllister, Clarke William, Campbell, Daniel Shihady
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/841,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340 58- 582, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/12.51, 340/13.26, 380/258, 380/270
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• 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 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

The present invention provides value to brand owners, retailers, and consumers through the use of radio frequency identification, stenography, nanolithography, fingerprints, novel heuristic threat evaluation, indication, and detection model. Additionally, using cryptography, tag passwords are formulated and identities are reversibly flipped, thus allowing item identities to remain secret to unauthorized observers. This unique combination of heuristics and authentication technologies provides an efficient means of finding and stopping the flow of counterfeit products throughout global supply chains. The present invention includes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, encoders, servers, identity changers, and authenticity verifiers to make this task a viable and adaptive weapon against the elusive counterfeiters. The present end-to-end RFID system offers unprecedented security for retailers and consumers, while remaining efficient and scalable.

Claims

1. An RFID tag identifying a product, the tag comprising:

a memory means for storing data;

a command means responsive to commands from an RFID interrogator;

the command means comprising a lock command for changing memory locking lock bits;

tag states including a secured state for the tag to execute the lock command;

a publicly readable product identification number stored in the memory means;

an access password stored in a reserved bank of the memory means;

a kill password stored in the reserved bank of the memory means;

an index number means stored in a bank of the memory means for use as an index into an indexed table of cryptographic keys that are stored in the RFID interrogator;

a header means stored in a bank of the memory means for specifying to the RFID interrogator a method of using a cryptographic key that is stored in the indexed table of cryptographic keys at an index location matching the index number means and with the publicly readable product identification number to cryptographically formulate within the RFID interrogator a formulated access password and a formulated kill password;

a means for one or more states of the tag states to transition to the secured state when the RFID interrogator sends to the RFID tag the formulated access password and it is non-zero and identical to the stored access password; and

a means for one or more states of the tag states to transition to the killed state when the RFID interrogator sends to the RFID tag the formulated kill password and it is non-zero and identical to the stored kill password.

2. The tag of claim 1 wherein the memory means is further comprised of silicon.

3. The tag of claim 1 further being chipless.

4. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the publicly readable product identification number further comprises a Serialized Global Trade Item Number (SGTIN) SGTIN-96.

5. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the publicly readable product identification number further comprises an SGTIN-198.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the bank of the memory means storing the header means ia User Memory.

7. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the formulated access password and the formulated kill password are further comprised of a cryptographic result of a block cipher.

8. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the formulated access password and the formulated kill password are further comprised of a formulated result of an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptographic cipher.

9. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the formulated access password and the formulated kill password are further comprised of a result from an AES-128 cryptographic cipher.

10. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the stored access password is further comprised of 32 bits.

11. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the stored kill password is further comprised of 32 bits.

12. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the formulated access password sent to the RFID tag by the interrogator further comprises transmission using cover-coding.

13. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the formulated kill password sent to the RFID tag by the interrogator further comprises transmission using cover-coding.

14. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the memory locking lock bits further comprise settings to prevent the stored access password and stored kill password from being read or changed by the RFID interrogator except from the secured state.

15. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the interrogator further comprises a jammer to prevent eavesdropping.

16. The tag of claim 1 further comprising pressure sensitive adhesive for attachment to the product.