Contactless type communication tag, portable tag reader for verifying a genuine article, and method for providing information of whether an article is genuine or not

A contactless communication tag that is attached to a product and provides product information, the contactless communication tag comprising:

• a contactless communication unit for wirelessly exchanging data with a tag reader;
• a storing unit for storing product information, encryption key related information, and the number of times the product information is read by the tag reader;
• an encryption unit for encrypting the product information to be transmitted to the tag reader based on the encryption key related information;
• and
• an information providing unit for reading the product information stored in the storing unit in response to a product information request message received from the tag reader, to provide the read product information to the encryption unit, and rejecting provision of the product information to the encryption unit if the number of times the product information is read exceeds a predetermined reference value.

A portable tag reader that reads information received from a contactless communication tag, the portable tag reader comprising:

• a wireless communication unit for wirelessly exchanging data with the contactless communication tag and receiving encrypted product information and encryption key specifying information from the contactless communication tag;
• a storing unit for storing encryption key related information;
• a decryption unit for specifying encryption key related information by encryption key specifying information received from the contactless communication tag and decrypting the encrypted product information received from the contactless communication tag based on the specified encryption key related information;
• and
• an information reading unit for reading product information decrypted by the decryption unit.

A method of providing product information using a tag reader that communicates with a contactless communication tag, the method comprising:

• receiving encrypted product information and encryption key specifying information from the contactless communication tag;
• specifying encryption key related information based on the encryption key specifying information received from the contactless communication tag;
• decrypting the encrypted product information received from the contactless communication tag based on the specified encryption key related information;
• and
• outputting data concerning the decrypted product information.

A product to which a contactless communication tag is attached, wherein the contactless communication tag comprises:

• a contactless communication unit, which wirelessly exchanges data with a tag reader;
• a storing unit in which product information including genuineness information of the product and encryption key related information corresponding to the product information are stored;
• and
• an encryption unit, which encrypts the product information based on the encryption key related information
• wherein the contactless communication unit transmits the encrypted product information and encryption key specifying information to be used in the tag reader to specify the encryption key related information, to the tag reader, and
• wherein visible information corresponding to the genuineness information of the product stored in the contactless communication tag is printed on or attached to the product.