Method and apparatus for a privacy enabling radio frequency identification (RFID) reader

• US 7,283,044 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Bandy, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US11/091,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20060226969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.41, 340/10.4, 340/928, 235/375, 235/380, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07336 Active means, e.g. jamming or scrambling of the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/20 for contactless carriers, e.g. RFID carriers record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/41 characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming

Abstract

In an aspect of the present invention, an individual carries a mobile communications device, such as a cell phone, that listens for readers attempting to read tags associated with the individual. In a further aspect of the present invention, the mobile communications device operates to mask the transmissions of these readers, to prevent them from reading the tags.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a receiver that detects a response signal transmitted by a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in response to an external interrogation signal transmitted by an external RFID reader device;

an indicator that provides an indication to a user if said receiver detects said response signal; and

a transmitter that transmits a masking signal to mask at least a portion of said response signal transmitted by said RFID tag if said receiver detects a response signal of said RFID tag transmitted in response to said external interrogation signal.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a reader module that reads RFID tags to determine identification numbers corresponding to said RFID tags; and

a memory device that stores said identification numbers.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said receiver further detects said external interrogation signal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said indicator device provides a second indication to the user if said receiver detects said external interrogation signal.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said indicator provides a third indication to the user if said receiver detects said response signal and said responding RFID tag responds with a string of bits that match a corresponding portion of one of said identification numbers stored in said memory.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein said indicator provides a third indication to the user if said receiver detects said response signal and an identification number of said responding RFID tag matches one of said identification numbers stored in said memory.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving and transmitting a cellular telephone call.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is a cell phone.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a handheld computing device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a laptop computer.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first antenna coupled to said receiver.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said first antenna receives signals of a first frequency range, the device further comprising:

a second antenna that transmits and receives signals of a second frequency range.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a housing; and

a plug-in module;

wherein said receiver is positioned in said plug-in module and said first antenna is mounted to said plug-in module, and

wherein said second antenna is mounted to said housing.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a housing, wherein said receiver is positioned in said housing and said first antenna is mounted to said housing.

15. A method for providing a user with indication of unwanted interrogation by an external radio frequency identification (RFID) reader device, comprising:

monitoring for a response signal transmitted by an RFID tag in response to an external interrogation signal transmitted by an external RFID reader device; and

if the response signal is detected, providing an indication to the user and selectively transmitting a masking signal to mask further response by the responding RFID tag.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

reading RFID tags to determine identification numbers corresponding to the RFID tags; and

storing the determined identification numbers.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

monitoring for the external interrogation signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

if the external interrogation signal is detected, providing a second indication to the user.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

if an RFID tag response to the external interrogation signal is detected and the responding RFID tag responds with a string of bits that match a corresponding portion of a stored identification number, providing a second indication to a user that the response was detected and the match occurred.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

if the response signal is detected and the match occurred, transmitting the masking signal to mask further response by the responding RFID tag.