# US 8,786,405 B2 · Privacy method, device and computer program

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- Number: US 8,786,405 B2
- Document ID: US8786405B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/944,481
- Filed: 2007-11-23
- Published: 2008-05-29
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-23
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: Guenter Karjoth; Christopher Mark Kenyon; Luke James O'Connor
- Inventors: Guenter Karjoth; Christopher Mark Kenyon; Luke James O'Connor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786405B2

## CPC

- G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes}
- G06F 21/79: in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
- G06F 21/85: interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
- H04L 9/3271: {using challenge-response}
- G06F 2221/2115: Third party
- H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources}
- H04L 2209/42: Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
- H04L 2209/805: Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a privacy method for responding to read request. The present invention further relates to a device for generating a response signal and a computer program product. Methods and systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention validate, whether a read request is directed at a target tag to be protected, and, upon a match, respond to the read request by sending a response signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented privacy method, comprising steps of:
an anonymizer device reading at least one data value for a target tag that is to be protected, wherein the at least one data value comprises a target tag identifier of the target tag,
the anonymizer device generating a first set of tag identifiers;
the anonymizer device detecting a read request satisfying a specified condition, whereby a read request comprising a specified prefix is detected;
the anonymizer device comparing the specified prefix to the target tag identifier and to all tag identifiers of the first set of tag identifiers; and
the anonymizer device responding to the read request by sending a response signal if the specified prefix of the read request matches at least one of the target tag identifier and any one of the tag identifiers of the first set of tag identifiers, such that the response signal collides with a further response signal of the target tag.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The privacy method according to claim 1, wherein:
the first set of tag identifiers is generated based on a random distribution of tag identifiers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The privacy method according to claim 1, wherein:
the first set of tag identifiers is generated based on data associated with the target tag identifier.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The privacy method according to claim 1, wherein:
the first set of tag identifiers is based on a user selected profile.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The privacy method according to claim 1, further comprising:
detecting a change of a read situation, and
generating a new first set of tag identifiers for each detected read situation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The privacy method according to claim 5, wherein:
the change of the read situation is detected when no read request is received within a given time period.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The privacy method according to claim 5, wherein
the change of the read situation is indicated by user input.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The privacy method according to claim 1, further comprising
specifying a second set of tag identifiers which are not to be disturbed, wherein tag identifiers in the second set are excluded from the first set and wherein no response signal is sent if the read request is determined to be directed to a tag having a tag identifier in the second set of tag identifiers.

### Claim 9

A privacy device, comprising:
an anonymizer device tag reader adapted to read a target tag identifier of a target tag to be protected,
a memory device, operationally connected to the tag reader and adapted to store at least one read target tag identifier,
an anonymizer device tag identifier generator adapted to generate a first set of tag identifiers and store the first set of tag identifiers in the memory device,
a read request detector, adapted to detect a read request comprising a specified prefix,
a comparator, operationally connected to the memory device and the read request detector and adapted to compare one or more tag identifiers stored in the memory device with the specified prefix of the detected read request, and
a response signal generator, operationally connected to the comparator and adapted to generate a response signal if a comparison performed by the comparator results in a match, as determined when the specified prefix matches at least one of the target tag identifier and any one of the tag identifiers in the first set of tag identifiers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The privacy device according to claim 9, further comprising:
a profile selector adapted to select a profile associated with a first set of tag identifiers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The privacy device according to claim 9, wherein the read request detector is further adapted to detect a change of a read situation, and wherein, in response to detection of a change in the read situation, the tag identifier generator regenerates the first set of tag identifiers for each detected read situation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The privacy device according to claim 11, wherein the read request detector detects a change of the read situation when no read request is received within a given time period.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The privacy device according to claim 11, wherein the device further comprises a user input interface and wherein a change of the read situation is indicated by user input.

### Claim 14

A non-transitory computer program device readable by machine and storing program instructions that, on execution using a processing device of a privacy device perform the steps of the privacy device:
generating a first set of tag identifiers;
reading at least one data value for a target tag that is to be protected, wherein the at least one data value comprises a target tag identifier of the target tag;
detecting a read request satisfying a specified condition, whereby a read request comprising a specified prefix is detected;
comparing the specified prefix to the target tag identifier and to all tag identifiers of the first set of tag identifiers; and
responding to the read request by sending a response signal if the specified prefix of the read request matches at least one of the target tag identifier and any one of the tag identifiers of the first set of tag identifiers, such that the response signal collides with a further response signal of the target tag.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The non-transitory computer program device according to claim 14, further comprising instructions to perform steps of:
detecting a change of a read situation, and
generating a new first set of tag identifiers for each detected read situation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer program device according to claim 15, wherein the change of the read situation is detected by one of no read request being received within a given time period and user input.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The non-transitory computer program device according to claim 14, further comprising instructions to perform steps of:
specifying a second set of tag identifiers which are not to be disturbed, wherein tag identifiers in the second set are excluded from the first set, and wherein no response signal is sent if the read request is determined to be directed to a tag having a tag identifier in the second set of tag identifiers.