Methods and apparatus for RFID device authentication

• US 20060022799A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Juels, Ari
• Granted Patent: US 7,750,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• 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: G06K 7/10019 resolving collision on the communication channels between simultaneously or concurrently interrogated record carriers. collision between the communication channels used by wireless communication devices, where the solution is not particularly adapted for RFIDs or the like, H04W74/08

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices. In one aspect of the invention, an identifier transmitted by a given one of the RFID devices is received by a reader or by an associated verifier via the reader. At least first and second codes are determined, by the reader or verifier, with the first code being a valid code for the identifier, and the second code being an invalid code for the identifier. The reader, or verifier via the reader, communicates with the given device to determine if the device is able to confirm that the first code is a valid code and the second code is an invalid code.

Claims

1. A method for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an identifier transmitted by a given one of the RFID devices;

determining at least first and second codes, wherein the first code is a valid code for the identifier, and the second code is an invalid code for the identifier;

communicating with the given device to determine if the device is able to confirm that the first code is a valid code and the second code is an invalid code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier comprises an electronic product code (EPC).

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the given RFID device comprises an EPC tag.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first code comprises a valid kill code of the given RFID device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step further comprises generating a set of q codes comprising q−

1 invalid codes and a single valid code with the valid code being inserted in a particular position in the set.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein q=2.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the communicating step further comprises transmitting a particular one of the codes to the given RFID device, and processing a response to determine whether or not the given RFID device considers the particular code to be valid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transmitting and processing steps are repeated for each of the codes in the set of q codes.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the set of q codes comprises a set {P_i⁽ⁿ⁾}_n=1^q selected uniformly at random without duplication from {0, 1}^k with the valid code comprising a code K_i which replaces a random element P_i^(j) for j∈

_U{1, 2, . . . , q}.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the set of q codes is generated pseudorandomly, utilizing a one-way hash function and a master key.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, determining and communicating steps are each implemented at least in part in the reader.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, determining and communicating steps are each implemented at least in part in a verifier which is separate from the reader and which communicates with the RFID device via the reader.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein, of the reader and the verifier, only the verifier is aware of which of the codes is the valid code for the identifier.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the q codes are supplied to the reader by a verifier which is separate from the reader, and the reader is unaware as to which of the q codes is the valid code.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the codes are supplied to the reader by a verifier only upon fulfillment by the reader of at least one specified condition.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the codes are supplied by the verifier to the reader only if the reader can demonstrate to the verifier that the reader is in communication with the given RFID device.

17. A method for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an identifier transmitted by a given one of the RFID devices;

determining a code corresponding to the identifier, the code being utilizable to initiate a control function of the given RFID device;

transmitting the code to the given RFID device; and

designating the given RFID device as an unauthenticated device if it fails to provide an expected response to transmission of the code.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the code comprises a valid kill code of the given RFID device.

19. A method for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an identifier transmitted by a given one of the RFID devices;

transmitting a first code to the given RFID device;

receiving a second code from the given RFID device responsive to transmission of the first code to the given RFID device; and

determining if the second code is a valid code for the given RFID device;

wherein at least one of the first and second codes comprises a code which is stored in the given RFID device and utilized to initiate a corresponding control function of the given RFID device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the given RFID device comprises an EPC tag.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the first code comprises a valid access code of the given RFID device.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the second code comprises a valid kill code of the given RFID device.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the second code comprises a particular one of a plurality of portions of a valid kill code of the given RFID device.

24. An apparatus for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the apparatus comprising:

a processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the processing device being configured to receive an identifier transmitted by a given one of the RFID devices, to determine at least first and second codes, wherein the first code is a valid code for the identifier, and the second code is an invalid code for the identifier, and to communicate with the given device to determine if the device is able to confirm that the first code is a valid code and the second code is an invalid code.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the processing device is implemented in the reader.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the processing device is implemented in a verifier which is separate from the reader but which communicates with the RFID devices via the reader.

27. An apparatus for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the apparatus comprising:

a processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the processing device being configured to receive an identifier transmitted by a given one of the RFID devices, to transmit a first code to the given RFID device, to receive a second code from the given RFID device responsive to transmission of the first code to the given RFID device, and to determine if the second code is a valid code for the given RFID device.

28. An RFID device for use in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices, the RFID device being configured to transmit an identifier to the reader, to receive from the reader at least first and second codes, wherein the first code is a valid code for the identifier, and the second code is an invalid code for the identifier, and to transmit information to the reader indicating confirmation that the first code is a valid code and the second code is an invalid code.