System and method for altering or disabling RFID tags
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorPaul A. Moskowitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An arrangement for providing protection to wireless portable transponders (including resonant tags such as RFID tags) from unauthorized interrogation by employing a mechanical arrangement for disabling reception by or from the antenna of the transponder. The tags can be protected from receiving or providing unauthorized or unwanted information. Contemplated are mechanical arrangements that permit the owner to decide when reception/interrogation of personal or other information is not desired by employing the provided mechanical disable control arrangement. Also broadly contemplated herein is the altering interrogation characteristics of RFID tags to such an extent that they may still be read at a close range instead of the original range, and this result of this altering is visible to the user.
Claims23
A method of altering interrogation characteristics of a resonant tag, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a resonant tag, the resonant tag comprising an antenna;
- and
- reducing a read range of the resonant tag via physically compromising at least a portion of the antenna of the resonant tag,
- wherein said step of physically compromising comprises truncating the antenna of the resonant tag,
- wherein the resonant tag is initially operable within an original range, and
- wherein said truncating step comprises leaving a remainder of the antenna sufficient for responding to a wireless signal solely at a range shorter than the original range.
A method of altering interrogation characteristics of a resonant tag, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a resonant tag, the resonant tag comprising an antenna;
- and
- reducing a read range of the resonant tag via physically compromising at least a portion of the antenna of the resonant tag.
- wherein said step of physically compromising comprises covering at least a portion of the antenna of the resonant tag in a manner to reduce the read range of the antenna.
- wherein the resonant tag is initially operable within an original range, and
- wherein said covering step comprises leaving uncovered a remainder of the antenna sufficient for responding to a wireless signal solely at a range shorter than the original range.
A resonant tag kit comprising:
- a resonant tag;
- said resonant tag comprising an antenna;
- and
- an arrangement for reducing a read range of said resonant tag via physically compromisng at least a portion of said antenna,
- wherein said arrangement for reducing a read range comprises an arrangement for facilitating truncating said antenna,
- wherein said resonant tag is initially operable within an original range, and
- wherein said arrangement for facilitating truncating is adapted to leave a remainder of said antenna sufficient for responding to a wireless signal solely at a range shorter than the original range.
A resonant tag kit comprising:
- a resonant tag;
- said resonant tag comprising an antenna;
- and
- an arrangement for reducing a read range of said resonant tag via physically compromising at least a portion of said antenna,
- wherein said arrangement for reducing a read range comprises an arrangement for covering at least a portion of said antenna in a manner to reduce the read range of said antenna,
- wherein said resonant tag is initially operable within an original range, and
- wherein said covering arrangement is adapted to leave uncovered a remainder of the antenna sufficient for responding to a wireless signal solely at a range shorter than the original range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.