Enhanced RFID tag authentication
AssigneeImpinj, Inc.
InventorsMatthew Robshaw, Christopher J. Diorio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An authentication method includes RFID tags authenticating RFID readers. A tag sends a tag identifier and a reader challenge to a reader in response to one or more commands from the reader. The reader then either derives a response to the reader challenge itself or has a verification authority derive the response. The response may be derived from parameter(s) in the reader challenge, and may be derived using a cryptographic key. The reader then sends the response to the tag along with one or more commands. The tag verifies the response before executing action(s) associated with the command(s).
Claims20
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a transceiver configured to exchange wireless signals with RFID readers;
- a cryptographic block;
- and
- a processor block configured to:
- receive, via the transceiver, a first command;
- generate a first parameter;
- encrypt, using the cryptographic block, the first parameter;
- send, via the transceiver, the encrypted first parameter and an identifier for the IC;
- receive, via the transceiver, a second command and a third command, wherein the second command includes a first portion of the first parameter, the third command includes a second portion of the first parameter, and the second and third commands together at least partly define an action;
- verify the first and second portions of the first parameter;
- and
- upon at least the verification, execute the action.
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a transceiver configured to exchange wireless signals with RFID readers;
- and
- a processor block configured to:
- receive, via the transceiver, a first command;
- generate a challenge;
- send, via the transceiver, the challenge and an identifier for the IC;
- receive, via the transceiver, at least a second command including a second parameter and at least partly defining an action, wherein the second parameter is independent of the second command;
- verify that the second parameter is cryptographically derived from the challenge;
- and
- upon at least the verification, execute the action.
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a transceiver configured to exchange wireless signals with RFID readers;
- and
- a processor block configured to:
- generate a challenge;
- send, via the transceiver, the challenge and an identifier for the IC;
- receive, via the transceiver, a first command and a second command, wherein the first command includes a first parameter generated independent of the first command and the second command includes a second parameter generated independent of the second command;
- determine an action based on at least the first and second commands;
- verify that the first and second parameters are derived from but not equal to the challenge;
- and
- upon the verification, execute the action.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.