Digital identities for physical items
AssigneeImpinj, Inc.
InventorsChristopher J. Diorio, Matthew Robshaw, Tan Mau Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
RFID technology may be used to provide digital identities for physical items. An RFID IC attached to or integrated into a physical item contains an identifier for the physical item. Digital identity information associated with the item, such as ownership information, history, properties, and the like, may be located on one or more networks. An entity, after authenticating itself and/or the item, may use the identifier to locate, retrieve, and/or update the item's digital identity information on the network.
Claims20
A server, part of a network configured to determine whether a reader communicatively coupled to the server has access to an item and to control, based on the determined access, item information the network provides, wherein the item includes an RFID IC containing an item identifier and a shared secret known to the IC and the network but not to the reader, the server comprising:
- a memory configured to store instructions;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:
- receive, from the reader, a request for the item information, wherein the request includes the item identifier;
- in response to receiving the item information request, request proof-of-possession of the IC by sending a challenge intended for the IC to the reader;
- receive a response from the reader;
- if the response does not include a reply to the challenge, then conclude that proof-of-possession of the IC was not received but the request is appropriate and therefore provide a first subset of the item information;
- if the response includes a reply to the challenge, then determine, based on the shared secret, whether the reply is correct;
- and
- if the reply is correct, then conclude that the reply was computed by the IC and therefore proves possession of the IC and provide a second subset of the item information;
- else conclude that possession of the IC was not proved and the request is inappropriate.
A server, part of a network configured to determine whether a reader communicatively coupled to the server has access to an item and to control, based on the determined access, item information the network provides, wherein the item includes an RFID IC containing an item identifier and a shared secret known to the IC and the network but not to the reader, the server comprising:
- a memory configured to store instructions;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:
- receive, from the reader, a request for the item information, wherein the request includes the item identifier;
- in response to receiving the item information request, request proof-of-possession of the IC by sending a challenge intended for the IC to the reader;
- receive a response from the reader;
- if the response does not include a reply to the challenge, then conclude that proof-of-possession of the IC was not received but the request is appropriate and therefore provide a first subset of the item information;
- if the response includes a reply to the challenge, then determine, based on the shared secret, whether the reply is correct;
- if the reply is correct, then conclude that the reply was computed by the IC and therefore proves possession of the IC and provide a second subset of the item information;
- else conclude that possession of the IC was not proved and the request is inappropriate;
- and
- alert an owner of the item to the request.
A server, part of a network configured to determine whether a reader communicatively coupled to the server has access to an item, the item having an owner, and to control, based on the determined access, item information the network provides, wherein the item includes an RFID IC containing an item identifier and a shared secret known to the IC and the network but not to the reader, the server comprising:
- a memory configured to store instructions;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:
- receive, from the reader, a request for the item information, wherein the request includes the item identifier;
- receive authorization from the owner to provide the item information;
- in response to receiving the authorization from the owner, request proof-of-possession of the IC by sending a challenge intended for the IC to the reader;
- receive a response from the reader;
- if the response does not include a reply to the challenge, then conclude that proof-of-possession of the IC was not received but the request is appropriate and therefore provide a first subset of the item information;
- if the response includes a reply to the challenge, then determine, based on the shared secret, whether the reply is correct;
- and
- if the reply is correct, then conclude that the reply was computed by the IC and therefore proves possession of the IC and provide a second subset of the item information;
- else conclude that possession of the IC was not proved and the request is inappropriate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.