Identification system and method

• US 7,832,001 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Noble, Gary Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, VIRGINIA T
• Application Number:
  US10/549,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 713/185, 713/155, 705/18, 705/38, 705/42, 705/70, 705/235, 455/558, 455/411, 707/7, 726/9, 726/20, 380/275, 235375-380, 340/5.67
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An identification method and system. A user is scanned by a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader to read N RFID tags respectively embedded in N objects carried by the user. Each tag of the N tags includes a tag identifier. N may be at least 1 or at least 2. The N tags read by the RFID reader are compared with M tags in a registered record of data. The registered record comprises a reference to the user. Each tag of the M tags includes a tag identifier. M is at least N. The user is permitted access to a resource if the comparing has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags include the tag identifiers in the N tags read by the RFID reader. The resource may be a computer resource. Alternatively, the resource may be a resource other than a computer resource.

Claims

1. An identification method, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader scanning a user to read N Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags respectively embedded in N objects being carried by the user, each tag of the N tags comprising a tag identifier of said each tag, said N being at least 2;

comparing the N tags read by the RFID reader with M tags in a registered record of data, said registered record comprising a reference to the user, each tag of the M tags comprising a tag identifier, said M exceeding N; and

permitting access by the user to a resource if said comparing has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags comprise the tag identifiers in the N tags read by the RFID reader, wherein prior to said scanning the method further comprises randomly selecting the N tags from the M tags.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after said scanning the method further comprises sorting the tag identifiers in the N tags read by the RFID reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a tag identifier in a first tag of the N tags includes an indication of a type of the object in which the first tag is embedded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the M tags in the registered record have an expiration time.

5. An identification method, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader scanning a user to read N Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags respectively embedded in N objects being carried by the user, each tag of the N tags comprising a tag identifier of said each tag, said N being at least 2;

comparing the N tags read by the RFID reader with M tags in a registered record of data, said registered record comprising a reference to the user, each tag of the M tags comprising a tag identifier, said M being at least N; and

permitting access by the user to a resource if said comparing has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags comprise the tag identifiers in the N tags read by the RFID reader, wherein the method further comprises providing a checksum mechanism for combining identification information in the N tag identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein M=N.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein M exceeds N.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a tag identifier in a first tag of the N tags includes an indication of a type of the object in which the first tag is embedded.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the M tags in the registered record have an expiration time.

10. An identification method, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader scanning a user to read N Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags respectively embedded in N objects being carried by the user, each tag of the N tags comprising a tag identifier of said each tag, said N being at least 2;

comparing the N tags read by the RFID reader with M tags in a registered record of data, said registered record comprising a reference to the user, each tag of the M tags comprising a tag identifier, said M being at least N; and

permitting access by the user to a resource if said comparing has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags comprise the tag identifiers in the N tags read by the RFID reader, wherein prior to said scanning the method further comprises generating a digital certificate having data therein, and wherein the data in the digital certificate comprises a name of the user and the identifiers in the M tags.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein prior to said scanning the method further comprises authenticating the user during a registration process in which the registered record is generated.

12. An identification system, comprising:

a computer; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader coupled to the computer;

said RFID reader configured to scan a user to read N RFID tags respectively embedded in N objects being carried by the user;

said tag of the N tags comprising a tag identifier of said each tag;

said N being at least 2;

said computer configured to perform a comparison of the N tags read by the RFID reader with M tags in a registered record of data;

said registered record comprising a reference to the user;

each tag of the M tags comprising a tag identifier;

said M exceeding N;

said computer configured to permit access by the user to a resource if said comparison has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags comprise the tag identifiers in the N tags;

said computer configured to randomly select the N tags from the M tags prior to said scan of the user.

13. The system of claim 12, said computer configured to sort the tag identifiers in the N tags after said scan of the user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein a tag identifier in a first tag of the N tags includes an indication of a type of the object in which the first tag is embedded.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the M tags in the registered record have an expiration time.

16. An identification system, comprising:

a computer; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader coupled to the computer;

said RFID reader configured to scan a user to read N RFID tags respectively embedded in N objects being carried by the user;

said tag of the N tags comprising a tag identifier of said each tag;

said N being at least 2;

said computer configured to perform a comparison of the N tags read by the RFID reader with M tags in a registered record of data;

said registered record comprising a reference to the user;

each tag of the M tags comprising a tag identifier;

said M being at least N;

said computer configured to permit access by the user to a resource if said comparison has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags comprise the tag identifiers in the N tags;

said computer configured to provide a checksum mechanism for combining identification information in the N tag identifiers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein M=N.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein M exceeds N.

19. An identification system, comprising:

a computer; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader coupled to the computer;

said RFID reader configured to scan a user to read N RFID tags respectively embedded in N objects being carried by the user;

said tag of the N tags comprising a tag identifier of said each tag;

said N being at least 2;

said computer configured to perform a comparison of the N tags read by the RFID reader with M tags in a registered record of data;

said registered record comprising a reference to the user;

each tag of the M tags comprising a tag identifier;

said M being at least N;

said computer configured to permit access by the user to a resource if said comparison has determined that the tag identifiers in the M tags comprise the tag identifiers in the N tags;

said computer configured to generate a digital certificate having data therein prior to said scan of the user, wherein the data in the digital certificate comprises a name of the user and the identifiers in the M tags.

20. The system of claim 19, said computer configured to authenticate the user during a registration process in which the registered record is generated.