US 2008/0177665 A1 · System and method for secure asset management

Abstract

A system and method of secure asset management comprising an RFID tag attached to an asset, a portable computing device equipped with an RFID transceiver, an inspector RFID authentication badge, and a central database server. The RFID tag includes historical management records of the asset and a cryptographic hash calculated over relevant information to ensure security and authenticity thereof. The portable computing device can read from and write to the RFID tag and read from the RFID authentication badge. Management tasks to be performed by the inspector are determined by the portable computing device based on the authorization level of the inspector read from the RFID authentication badge and the asset information read from the RFID tag. Upon completion of asset management, historical management records are generated by the portable computing device and securely written to the RFID tag by including a cryptographic hash calculated over the relevant information. Historical management records may also include an identifier of the inspector, a timestamp of when the historical management record was generated, and error correction or detection data. Such historical management records may be synchronized with a central database server at a later time.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A asset management system comprising:

an RFID tag attached to an asset, said RFID tag comprising
a unique identifier and
an RFID tag memory that can be read from and written to, said RFID tag memory comprising
a general record that includes a cryptographic hash field and
a historical record that may include at least one management record, said management record including a cryptographic hash field;
an RFID badge carried by an inspector of said asset, said RFID badge comprising
a unique identifier and
an RFID badge memory that can be read from and written to, said RFID badge memory comprising an authentication record of said inspector, said authentication record including a cryptographic hash field;
an RFID transceiver that may wirelessly communicate with
said RFID tag and
said RFID badge;
a portable computer that cooperates with said RFID transceiver, said portable computer comprising
a user interface comprising
a display element,
an input element, and
a network interface,
a portable computer memory comprising
a local database and
a temporary record of the management of said asset;
and
a database server comprising
a central database and
a network interface.

20 more elements

A asset management system comprising:

an RFID tag attached to an asset, said RFID tag comprising
a unique identifier and
an RFID tag memory that can be read from and written to, said RFID tag memory comprising
a general record that includes
a record indicator,
a record version,
a record length,
a data field,
a cryptographic hash field, and
a cyclic redundancy check field, and
a historical record that may include at least one management record, said management record including
a record indicator,
a record version,
a record length,
a data field,
a cryptographic hash field, and
a cyclic redundancy check field;
an RFID badge carried by an inspector of said asset, said RFID badge comprising
a unique identifier and
an RFID badge memory that can be read from and written to, said RFID badge memory comprising an authentication record of said inspector, said authentication record including
a record indicator,
a record version,
a record length,
a data field,
a cryptographic hash field, and
a cyclic redundancy check field;
an RFID transceiver that may wirelessly communicate with
said RFID tag and
said RFID badge;
a portable computer that cooperates with said RFID transceiver, said portable computer comprising
a user interface comprising
a display element,
an input element, and
a network interface,
a portable computer memory comprising
a local database and
a temporary record of the management of said asset;
and
a database server comprising
a central database and
a network interface.

38 more elements

A asset management system comprising:

an RFID tag attached to an asset, said RFID tag comprising
a unique identifier and
an RFID tag memory that can be read from and written to, said RFID tag memory comprising
a general record that includes
a record indicator,
a record version,
a record length,
a data field,
a cryptographic hash field, and
a cyclic redundancy check field, and
a historical record that may include at least one management record, said management record including
a record indicator,
a record version,
a record length,
a data field,
a cryptographic hash field, and
a cyclic redundancy check field, and
a directory for indexing said general record, said historical record, and said management record;
an RFID badge carried by an inspector of said asset, said RFID badge comprising
a unique identifier and
an RFID badge memory that can be read from and written to, said RFID badge memory comprising
an authentication record of said inspector, said authentication record including
a record indicator,
a record version,
a record length,
a data field,
a cryptographic hash field, and
a cyclic redundancy check field, and
a directory for indexing said authentication record;
an RFID transceiver that may wirelessly communicate with
said RFID tag and
said RFID badge;
a portable computer that cooperates with said RFID transceiver, said portable computer comprising
a user interface comprising
a display element,
an input element, and
a network interface,
a portable computer memory comprising
a local database and
a temporary record of the management of said asset;
and
a database server comprising
a central database and
a network interface.

41 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for secure asset management

Life of this patent

System and method for secure asset management

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21