Method and apparatus for initializing an RFID tag via an optical display

• US 9,042,281 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Robert R., Ji, Lusheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Wutchung
• Application Number:
  US12/963,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/329, 370/341, 370/431, 380/45, 340/572.1, 340 1251- 161, 340 5- 1611, 340/10.1, 340/10.52, 726 16- 17, 726/27, 398140-141
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/18 by transferring data from one type of record carrier on to another type of record carrier, e.g. from magnetic tape to punched card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10188 the repeating consisting of intelligently propagating data from record carriers via intermediate stations to the interrogation device, e.g. a distant RFID or RFID falling in a "shadow" region sending its identification data to an interrogation device using at least the help of one further RFID that is positioned in a region "visible" to the interrogation device, the further RFID therefore functioning as a relay station
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for initializing a radio frequency identification tag are disclosed. For example, the method receives an optical signal having a unique identifier and an encryption key from a display by a radio frequency identification repeater associated with the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the radio frequency identification repeater comprises an optical reader. The method then transmits a communication comprising radio frequency identification information associated with the radio frequency identification tag and the unique identifier via the radio frequency identification repeater to a wireless access point, wherein the communication is encrypted using the encryption key.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an optical signal having a unique identifier and an encryption key from a display screen by a radio frequency identification repeater associated with a radio frequency identification tag, wherein the radio frequency identification repeater comprises an optical reader, wherein the optical signal is displayed on the display screen, and wherein the optical signal is received by the radio frequency identification repeater via the optical reader, wherein the optical signal comprises an intensity modulated signal, wherein the intensity modulated signal is encoded by a multi-level intensity modulation, wherein the optical signal is provided by a network-based server to the display screen; and

transmitting a communication comprising radio frequency identification information associated with the radio frequency identification tag and the unique identifier via the radio frequency identification repeater to the network-based server via a wireless access point, wherein the communication is encrypted using the encryption key, wherein the wireless access point is coupled to a local area network that is providing an access to the network-based server, wherein an access to a secure application residing on the network-based server is granted to a user device as a result of the transmitting the radio frequency identification information and the unique identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless access point employs a Wi-Fi protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless access point employs an ultra wideband protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless access point employs a cellular protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless access point employs a Zigbee protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the radio frequency identification information and the unique identifier at the network-based server;

storing an association between the radio frequency identification information and the unique identifier at the network-based server; and

authorizing the access by the user device to the secure application residing on the network-based server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing an association between additional input information that is received from the user device and the radio frequency identification information.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of a radio frequency identification repeater, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving an optical signal having a unique identifier and an encryption key from a display screen by the radio frequency identification repeater associated with a radio frequency identification tag, wherein the radio frequency identification repeater comprises an optical reader, wherein the optical signal is displayed on the display screen, and wherein the optical signal is received by the radio frequency identification reader via the optical reader, wherein the optical signal comprises an intensity modulated signal, wherein the intensity modulated signal is encoded by a multi-level intensity modulation, wherein the optical signal is provided by a network-based server to the display screen; and

transmitting a communication comprising radio frequency identification information associated with the radio frequency identification tag and the unique identifier via the radio frequency identification repeater to the network-based server via a wireless access point, wherein the communication is encrypted using the encryption key, wherein the wireless access point is coupled to a local area network that is providing an access to the network-based server, wherein an access to a secure application residing on the network-based server is granted to a user device as a result of the transmitting the radio frequency identification information and the unique identifier.

9. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a processor of a network-based server, an optical signal having a unique identifier and an encryption key to a display screen, wherein the optical signal is to be displayed on the display screen, wherein the optical signal comprises an intensity modulated signal, wherein the intensity modulated signal is encoded by a multi-level intensity modulation;

receiving, by the processor, a communication comprising radio frequency identification information associated with a radio frequency identification tag and the unique identifier, wherein the communication is encrypted using the encryption key, wherein the communication is received from a radio frequency identification repeater via a wireless access point, wherein the radio frequency identification repeater comprises an optical reader, wherein the optical signal is received by the radio frequency identification repeater from the display screen via the optical reader, wherein the wireless access point is coupled to a local area network that is providing an access to the network-based server; and

authorizing, by the processor, an access by a user device to a secure application residing on the network-based server as a result of the receiving the radio frequency identification information and the unique identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication is received via a Wi-Fi protocol.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication is received via an ultra wideband protocol.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication is received via a cellular protocol.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication is received via a Zigbee protocol.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing an association between the radio frequency identification information and the unique identifier at the network-based server.