Method and device for detecting an invalid RFID tag and method for manufacturing an RFID tag

• US 20070194879A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Karjoth, Guenter, Cachin, Christian, O'Connor, Luke, Duri, Sastry, Backes, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/415,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194879A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• 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

Abstract

For detecting an invalid RFID tag, an identifier and authentication information is read from a given RFID tag. The authentication information is then verified dependent on at least a given part (IDP_TAG) of the identifier (ID_TAG) and it is determined that the given RFID tag is the invalid RFID tag if the verification was negative. Accordingly, an RFID tag is manufactured by determining an identifier (ID), determining an authentication information dependent on at least a given part (IDP) of the identifier (ID) and storing the identifier (ID) and the authentication information on or in the RFID tag.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an invalid Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag comprising the steps of:

reading at least part of an identifier and authentication information from a given RFID tag;

verifying said authentication information dependent on at least a given part of said identifier; and

determining that said given RFID tag is an invalid RFID tag based on said verifying.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said verifying of said authentication information comprises verifying using a first secret key.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said verifying using a first secret key comprises the steps of:

hashing said first secret key and said at least a given part of said identifier; and

comparing at least part of a hash-output of said hashing with said authentication information.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said verifying using a first secret key comprises the steps of:

hashing said first secret key, said at least a given part of said identifier, and additional context information; and

comparing at least part of said hash-output of said hashing with said authentication information.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said additional context information comprises one or more of a country code, an area code, an expiration time, a production serial number, and parts of any of the foregoing.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said RFID tag comprises a first encrypted information unit, said method further comprising the steps of;

reading a first encrypted information unit from said given RFID tag;

encrypting a second encrypted information unit by applying a second secret key to said identifier; and

comparing said first encrypted information unit to said second encrypted information unit.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said reading comprises at least one of reading from a full identifier storage space of said RFID tag, reading from an additional data storage space of said RFID tag, and reading from a magnetically, optically or mechanically readable medium associated with said RFID tag.

8. A device for detecting an invalid RFID tag, comprising:

a reader for reading at least an identifier and authentication information from a given RFID tag; and

a verifier for verifying said authentication information dependent on at least a given part of said identifier and for determining that said given RFID tag is an invalid RFID tag based on said verifying.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said verifier further comprises means for applying a first secret key for said verifying.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said verifier conducts verification by hashing said first secret key and at least a given part of said identifier and comparing at least part of a hash-output of said hashing with said authentication information.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein said verifier conducts verification by hashing said first secret key, at least a given part of said identifier, and additional context information and comparing at least part of said hash-output of said hashing with said authentication information.

12. The device according to claim 8 wherein each RFID tag further comprises first encryption information and wherein said verifier further comprises encryption means for encrypting second encryption information by applying a second key to at least one of said authentication information and said at least part of said identifier for comparison of said second encryption information to said first encryption information for verification of said RFID tag.

13. The device according to claim 8, wherein said reader is adapted to read information from one or more of a full-identifier data storage space of said given RFID tag, an additional data storage space of said given RFID tag, and from a magnetically, optically or mechanically readable medium associated with the RFID tag.

14. A method for providing a verifiable RFID tag, comprising the steps of:

determining an identifier;

determining an authentication information dependent on at least a given part of said identifier; and

storing said identifier and said authentication information on or in said RFID tag.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said determining said authentication information comprises using a first secret key.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said determining said authentication information comprises the steps of;

hashing said first secret key and said at least given part of said identifier; and

allocating at least part of a hash-output of said hashing to said authentication information.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein said determining said authentication information comprises the steps of:

hashing said first secret key, said at least given part of said identifier, and additional context information; and

allocating at least part of a hash-output of said hashing to said authentication information.

18. The method according to claim 14 further comprising determining an encrypted information unit by encrypting at least one of said authentication information and said at least part of said identifier dependent on a second secret key and storing said encrypted information unit on or in said RFID tag.

19. The method according to claim 14 further comprising storing said authentication information in at least one of a full-identifier data storage space of said RFID tag, an additional data storage space of said RFID tag, and a magnetically, optically or mechanically readable medium associated with the RFID-tag.

20. The method according to claim 18 further comprising storing at least one of said authentication information and said encrypted information in at least one of a full-identifier data storage space of said RFID tag, an additional data storage space of said RFID tag, and a magnetically, optically or mechanically readable medium associated with the RFID-tag.