Wireless IC device system and method of determining authenticity of wireless IC device

• US 9,281,873 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Noboru, Ishino, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGDORF, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US12/940,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 340/5.61, 340/5.65, 340/5.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340/10.4, 340/13.2, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 705/44, 713/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• 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 7/10148 the step consisting of dynamically tuning the resonant circuit of the interrogation device that is emitting the interrogation signal, e.g. for impedance matching inside of the interrogation device for tuning related to loop aerials in general H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling

Abstract

An accessory device to be mounted on a main device is provided with a wireless IC device. The main device is provided with a reader/writer that is an interrogator that communicates with the wireless IC device of the accessory device. When the accessory device is mounted on or about to be mounted on the main device, the reader/writer selects two or more frequencies in a frequency band in which an authentic wireless IC device can communicate to perform communication with the wireless IC device. With this configuration, even if the identification code written in an RFID tag is read and the RFID tag is duplicated, the duplicated RFID tag can be accurately and effectively determined as being counterfeit.

Claims

1. A wireless IC device system comprising:

a wireless IC device used for an RFID tag; and

an interrogator that communicates with the wireless IC device;

wherein the wireless IC device includes a wideband impedance matching circuit, and is configured to be capable of, by itself, processing signals having a plurality of frequencies in a widened frequency band that is wider than a frequency band of communication signals used by a standard RFID tag;

wherein the interrogator includes a circuit arranged to randomly select a plurality of frequencies at which communication is to be performed from within the widened frequency range that is established by the wideband impedance matching circuit, and to communicate with the wireless IC device, and a circuit arranged to determine authenticity of the wireless IC device by determining whether or not communication with the same wireless IC device is possible at the plurality of randomly selected frequencies;

wherein the wideband impedance matching circuit comprises a plurality of inductor elements and a plurality of capacitive elements arranged to cause a plurality of peaks as reflection characteristics of the wireless IC device to occur at different resonant frequencies, thereby widening a range of frequencies at which communication is possible; and

wherein the wireless IC device includes only a single IC chip and only a single multi-layered laminate feeder circuit board on which the single wireless IC chip, the plurality of inductive elements and the plurality of capacitive elements are mounted, and where one or more of the plurality of inductive elements are formed as helical structures on multiple layers of the multi-layered laminate feeder board.

2. The wireless IC device system according to claim 1, wherein the interrogator includes a circuit arranged to select two or more frequencies at which communication is to be performed.

3. The wireless IC device system according to claim 1, wherein

a main device includes the interrogator, and an accessory device connected to or attached to the main device includes the wireless IC device;

and

the main device includes a warning circuit arranged to warn when it is determined in the determination of authenticity that the wireless IC device is not authentic.

4. The wireless IC device system according to claim 1, wherein

a main device includes the interrogator, and an accessory device connected to or attached to the main device includes the wireless IC device;

and

a circuit arranged to stop or limit an operation of the main device when it is determined in the determination of authenticity that the wireless IC device is not authentic is provided.

5. The wireless IC device system according to claim 1, wherein a frequency range in which the wireless IC device is capable of performing communication is in a range from 5 times or more to less than 1000 times a frequency range of communication signals used by the standard RFID tag.

6. A method for determining authenticity of a wireless IC device in a wireless IC device system including a wireless IC device used for an RFID tag and an interrogator that communicates with the wireless IC device, the wireless IC device including a wideband impedance matching circuit and being configured to be capable of, by itself, processing signals having a plurality of frequencies in a widened frequency band that is wider than a frequency band of communication signals used by a standard RFID tag, the method comprising the steps of:

randomly selecting, using the interrogator, a plurality of frequencies at which communication is to be performed from within the widened frequency range that is established by the wideband impedance matching circuit,

communicating with the wireless IC device, and

determining authenticity of the wireless IC device by determining whether or not communication with the same wireless IC device is possible at the plurality of randomly selected frequencies;

wherein the wideband impedance matching circuit comprises a plurality of inductor elements and a plurality of capacitive elements arranged to cause a plurality of peaks as reflection characteristics of the wireless IC device to occur at different resonant frequencies, thereby widening a range of frequencies at which communication is possible; and

wherein the wireless IC device includes only a single IC chip and only a single multi-layered laminate feeder circuit board on which the single wireless IC chip, the plurality of inductive elements and the plurality of capacitive elements are mounted, and where one or more of the plurality of inductive elements are formed as helical structures on multiple layers of the multi-layered laminate feeder board.

7. The method for determining authenticity of a wireless IC device according to claim 6, wherein the interrogator selects two or more frequencies at which communication is to be performed.

8. A wireless IC device system comprising:

a wireless IC device used for an RFID tag; and

an interrogator that communicates with the wireless IC device;

wherein the wireless IC device includes a wideband impedance matching circuit, and is configured to be capable of, by itself, processing signals having a plurality of frequencies in a widened frequency band that is wider than a frequency band of communication signals used by a standard RFID tag, a security control circuit configured to encrypt/decrypt encoded transmission and reception data, and a communication control circuit configured to control communication with the interrogator based on the encrypted/decrypted data received from/transmitted to the interrogator;

wherein the interrogator includes a circuit arranged to randomly select a plurality of frequencies at which communication is to be performed from within the widened frequency range that is established by the wideband impedance matching circuit, and to communicate with the wireless IC device, and a circuit arranged to determine authenticity of the wireless IC device by determining whether or not communication with the same wireless IC device is possible at the plurality of randomly selected frequencies;

wherein a main device includes the interrogator, an accessory device connected to or attached to the main device includes the wireless IC device; and

wherein a circuit is arranged to stop or limit an operation of the main device when it is determined in the determination of authenticity that the wireless IC device is not authentic.

9. The wireless IC device system according to claim 8, wherein the wideband impedance matching circuit causes a plurality of peaks as reflection characteristics of the wireless IC device to occur at resonant frequencies, thereby widening a range of frequencies at which communication is possible.

10. The wireless IC device system according to claim 8, wherein the wireless IC device includes only a single wireless IC chip and only a single feeder circuit board on which the single wireless IC chip is mounted.

11. The wireless IC device system according to claim 8, wherein the interrogator includes a circuit arranged to select two or more frequencies at which communication is to be performed.

12. The wireless IC device system according to claim 8, wherein the main device includes a warning circuit arranged to warn when it is determined in the determination of authenticity that the wireless IC device is not authentic.

13. The wireless IC device system according to claim 8, wherein a frequency range in which the wireless IC device is capable of performing communication is in a range from 5 times or more to less than 1000 times a frequency range of communication signals used by the standard RFID tag.

14. A method for determining authenticity of a wireless IC device in a wireless IC device system including a wireless IC device used for an RFID tag and an interrogator that communicates with the wireless IC device, the interrogator included in a main device, the wireless IC device included in an accessory device connected to or attached to the main device, and the wireless IC device including a wideband impedance matching circuit and being configured to be capable of, by itself, processing signals having a plurality of frequencies in a widened frequency band that is wider than a frequency band of communication signals used by a standard RFID tag, the method comprising the steps of:

randomly selecting, using the interrogator, a plurality of frequencies at which communication is to be performed from within the widened frequency range that is established by the wideband impedance matching circuit,

communicating with the wireless IC device,

encrypting/decrypting encoded transmission and reception data with a security control circuit in the wireless IC device,

controlling communication with the interrogator based on the encrypting/decrypting of data received from/transmitted to the interrogator by a communication control circuit in the wireless IC device,

determining authenticity of the wireless IC device by determining whether or not communication with the same wireless IC device is possible at the plurality of frequencies, and

stopping or limiting an operation of the main device when it is determined in the determining authenticity that the wireless IC device is not authentic.

15. The method for determining authenticity of a wireless IC device according to claim 14, wherein the wireless IC device includes only a single wireless IC chip and only a single feeder circuit board on which the single wireless IC chip is mounted.

16. The method for determining authenticity of a wireless IC device according to claim 14, wherein the interrogator selects two or more frequencies at which communication is to be performed.