CAUSING RFID TAG TO CHANGE HOW MANY REMAINING COMMANDS IT WILL COMPLY WITH

• US 20090002132A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Inventors: Hagen, Casey M., Diorio, Christopher J., Khwaja, Omar
• Granted Patent: US 8,446,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.420
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07309 Means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or onto record carriers
• 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: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

RFID reader systems, readers, components, software and methods for causing a custom RFID tag to change how many remaining commands they will comply with. In a number of embodiments, this is achieved by causing a custom limiting command to be transmitted to the tag.

Claims

1. A component for a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader for communicating with an RFID tag, the tag adapted to comply with only a limited remaining number of subsequent commands and adjust the remaining number responsive to receiving at least some of the subsequent commands, comprising:

an operational processing block for causing to be transmitted to the tag a custom limiting command, the tag thereby changing the remaining number beyond an adjustment of the remaining number responsive to receiving the custom limiting command.

2. The component of claim 1, in which

a command to identify is further caused to be transmitted to the tag prior to the custom limiting command,

an identifying reply is backscattered in response to the command to identify, and

the custom limiting command is caused to be transmitted responsive to having backscattered the identifying reply.

3. The component of claim 1, in which

the custom limiting command is the Select command of FIG. 12A of this document, and further having a special payload, and

the tag changes the remaining number responsive to the Select command having the special payload.

4. The component of claim 1, in which

the limited remaining number is zero, and

the custom limiting command is a Restore command, the tag thereby complying with at least one more command it receives subsequently.

5. The component of claim 4, in which

the Restore command is the Select command of FIG. 12A of this document, and further having a restore payload, and

the tag changes the remaining number responsive to the Select command having the restore payload.

6. The component of claim 4, in which

an Out_Of_Cycles reply has been received in response to the limited remaining number being zero, and

the Restore command is transmitted responsive to receiving the Out_Of_Cycles reply.

7. The component of claim 6, in which

a restore password is looked up in response to the Out_Of_Cycles reply, and

the restore password is encoded in the Restore command.

8. The component of claim 1, in which

an Inquire command is further caused to be transmitted to the tag, and

a backscattered reply is received that indicates the remaining number.

9. The component of claim 8, in which

the Inquire command is the Select command of FIG. 12A of this document, and further having an inquire payload, and

the tag replies indicating the remaining number responsive to the Select command having the inquire payload.

10. The component of claim 1, in which

the custom limiting command is a Reset command, and

the remaining number is changed to an updated number.

11. The component of claim 10, in which

the updated number is according to a preset initial value stored in tag memory.

12. The component of claim 10, in which

the updated number is determined randomly at least in part.

13. The component of claim 10, in which

the Reset command encodes a parameter, and

the updated number is determined from the parameter.

14. The component of claim 10, in which

the Reset command is the Select command of FIG. 12A of this document, and further having a reset payload, and

the remaining number is changed responsive to the Select command having the reset payload.

15. The component of claim 1, in which

the custom limiting command is a Disable command, and

the tag complies with a command received after the Disable command, without regard to the limited remaining number.

16. The component of claim 15, in which

the Disable command is the Select command of FIG. 12A of this document, and further having a Disable payload, and

the tag complies with the command received after the Disable command without regard to the limited remaining number responsive to the Select command having the Disable payload.

17. An article comprising:

a storage medium, the storage medium having instructions stored thereon, in which when the instructions are executed by at least an RFID reader system component to communicate with an RFID tag, the tag adapted to comply with only a limited remaining number of subsequent commands and adjust the remaining number responsive to receiving at least some of the subsequent commands, the instructions result in actions comprising;

causing to be transmitted to the tag a custom limiting command, the tag thereby changing the remaining number beyond an adjustment of the remaining number responsive to receiving the custom limiting command.

18. A method for a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader system component to communicate with an RFID tag, the tag adapted to comply with only a limited remaining number of subsequent commands and adjust the remaining number responsive to receiving at least some of the subsequent commands, comprising:

causing to be transmitted to the tag a custom limiting command, the tag thereby changing the remaining number beyond an adjustment of the remaining number responsive to receiving the custom limiting command.

19. The method of claim 18, in which

the custom limiting command is the Select command of FIG. 12A of this document, and further having a special payload, and

the tag changes the remaining number responsive to the Select command having the special payload.

20. The method of claim 18, in which

the limited remaining number is zero, and

the custom limiting command is a Restore command, the tag thereby complying with at least one more command it receives subsequently.

21. The method of claim 20, in which

an Out_Of_Cycles reply has been received in response to the limited remaining number being zero, and

the Restore command is transmitted responsive to receiving the Out_Of_Cycles reply.

22. The method of claim 21, in which

a restore password is looked up in response to the Out_Of_Cycles reply, and

the restore password is encoded in the Restore command.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

causing to be transmitted to the tag an Inquire command; and

receiving a backscattered reply indicating the remaining number.

24. The method of claim 18, in which

the custom limiting command is a Reset command, and

the remaining number is changed to an updated number.

25. The method of claim 18, in which

the custom limiting command is a Disable command, and

the tag complies with a command received after the Disable command, without regard to the limited remaining number.