WO2013121282A1 - Method and apparatus for identifying an rfid tag - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for identifying an rfid tag Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2013121282A1
WO2013121282A1 PCT/IB2013/000225 IB2013000225W WO2013121282A1 WO 2013121282 A1 WO2013121282 A1 WO 2013121282A1 IB 2013000225 W IB2013000225 W IB 2013000225W WO 2013121282 A1 WO2013121282 A1 WO 2013121282A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
rfid tag
card reading
identification
reading device
random number
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2013/000225
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Shuigen Yang
Jun Zheng
Fanxiang Bin
Haibo Wen
Chunyan Yao
Original Assignee
Alcatel Lucent
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alcatel Lucent filed Critical Alcatel Lucent
Publication of WO2013121282A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013121282A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/10009—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
    • G06K7/10297—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
    • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
    • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
    • G06K19/0723—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
    • H04L9/32—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
    • H04L9/3271—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials using challenge-response
    • H04L9/3273—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials using challenge-response for mutual authentication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W12/00—Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
    • H04W12/06—Authentication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/02—Services making use of location information
    • H04W4/029—Location-based management or tracking services
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/80—Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L2209/00—Additional information or applications relating to cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
    • H04L2209/80—Wireless
    • H04L2209/805—Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/08—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for authentication of entities
    • H04L63/0869—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for authentication of entities for achieving mutual authentication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/02—Services making use of location information

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the technical field of the Internet of Things (IOT), and in particular to the technology of identifying a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.
  • IOT Internet of Things
  • RFID Radio Frequency Identification
  • an RFID tag as the main or key component of the IOT, has a wide market in various application fields from industry to daily life. Due to the fact that the transmission between the RFID tag and a Reader or card reading device fails to pass a wired channel, unauthorized listeners-in could obtain private information from the RFID tag remotely unless the proper privacy measures are taken.
  • the solutions for identifying an RFID tag might be classified into two main families: 1) tree-based solutions; 2) hash-based solutions.
  • the former needs to take several rounds of inquiries to finish the authentication processes; in the meanwhile, the size of message between the reader and the RFID tag may be too large, and hence the identification cost in the side of the RFID tag may be too large.
  • the computational cost in the side of RFID tag is considerably low with the hash-based solutions adopted by the latter, the readers must perform a number of operations that linearly grows with the number of RFID tags. Since the existing readers must hand over the task of processing the identity information of the RFID tag to centralized mainframes, such approach will have the following three shortcomings: bottleneck, i.e.
  • any failure of the centralized mainframes results in a complete system crash; cost explosion, i.e. the number of message and computational cost for the tag identification grows with the number of RFID tags; and delay, i.e. since the centralized mainframes store a large number of tag identification messages, a system conflict may result from delays caused by RFID tag roaming, and a problem of information lost will thereby appear.
  • An object of the invention is providing a method and apparatus for identifying an RFID tag.
  • a method for identifying an RFID tag in a first card reading device comprising the steps of:
  • a method for facilitating identification of an RFID tag in a second card reading device comprising the steps of:
  • the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by the RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number and the identity information of the RFID tag;
  • a method for facilitating identification of an RFID tag in a first control device comprising the steps of:
  • a first card reading device for identifying an RFID tag comprising:
  • a first identification request means for sending an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to an identification serving means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
  • a first identification receiving means for receiving a response message sent by the identification serving means in response to said identification request.
  • a second card reading device for facilitating identification of an RFID tag comprising:
  • a second receiving means for receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from a first card reading device, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number and the identity information of said RFID tag;
  • a second identification means for querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
  • a second response means for sending a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device in response to the identification request.
  • a first control device for facilitating identification of an RFID tag comprising:
  • a first receiving means for receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from an identification request means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by a first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
  • a first identification means for querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to the predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
  • a first response means for sending a response message comprising the identification information to the identification request means in response to the identification request.
  • a system for identifying an RFID tag comprising a first card reading device, a second card reading device and a first control device that are mentioned above.
  • the present invention accomplishes identification of an RFID tag by using the communication between the card reading devices, the communication between the card reading devices and control devices and/or the communication between the control devices, thereby a large scale of RFID tag deployment becomes possible. Furthermore, the way of grading the communication targets of the card reading devices makes most of the RFID tags accomplish the privacy identification procedure between the card reading devices within the same group, thereby avoiding the identification requests of all RFID tags to be sent to the centralized mainframes, and hence reducing the requirement for the centralized mainframes and the risk of failure occurrence. Moreover, using one-way encryption algorithm to encrypt adapts the problem that the function of the RFID tags is simple, handles the complicated process of traditional encryption and further makes large scale of RFID tag deployment become possible. In addition, the present invention may also realize the management and inquiry of the RFID tag position information through updating the positions of these tags.
  • Fig. 1 is a topological graph illustrating a system for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and second card reading device for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and the first control device for identifying an RFID tag according to a preferable embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the second card reading device according to another aspect of the invention.
  • Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the first control device according to a preferable embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 1 is a topological graph illustrating a system for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention, wherein one or more domains are included, each domain comprising one or more control devices responsible for intra-domain and inter-domain communication, for example, a first control device 3, each domain comprising one or more groups, each group comprising one or more card reading devices, such as a first card reading device 1 or a second card reading device 2, which are capable of communicating with control devices in the domain; the first card reading device 1 realizes identification of an RFID tag within its communication range through collaborating with other card reading devices or control devices, for example, interacting with the second card reading device 2 within the same group or the first control device 3 within the same domain.
  • the present invention is suitable not only for the application wherein the RFID tags are in a moving state, such as logistics application, but also for the application wherein the RFID tags are in a relatively static state, such as warehouse management application.
  • the RFID tags are in a moving state, when the RFID tags are moved from one position to another position, for example, moving from one card reading device to the reading range of another card reading device within the same group, from one group to another group within the same domain or from one domain to another domain, the card reading device corresponding to the current position of the RFID tag acquires the identification information of this tag through communicating with other card reading devices or control devices.
  • control device has some computational and storage capabilities, such as storing a number of identities in its cache, computing hash functions and generating pseudo-random numbers.
  • a control device includes but is not limited to network mainframes, a single network server, and a plurality of network server sets or a cloud consisting of a plurality of servers.
  • the cloud is constructed by a large number of computers or network servers based on cloud computing, wherein cloud computing is one kind of distributed computation, a virtual super computer consisting of a group of loosely coupled computer sets.
  • a card reading device has some computational and/or storage capabilities, such as generating random numbers or storing a number of identities in its cache and performing hash functions.
  • Each card reading device may be an active device that is capable of detecting RFID tags by emitting a signal with a certain frequency and identifying the RFID tags using the improved randomized hash-lock protocol.
  • the card reading device can communicate and exchange information with each other using a secure channel (e.g., WLAN+SSL).
  • a secure channel e.g., WLAN+SSL.
  • An RFID tag only has simple capabilities, such as storing its own identity, computing hash function and generating pseudo-random numbers.
  • the cover area of a domain or group, or the number of devices as included can be determined by the factors such as the application type and deployment scenario of an RFID tag, the physical distance between and communication capabilities of card reading devices.
  • the number of card reading devices in one group is an important system parameter needed to be taken into account carefully based on the capabilities of the card reading devices during the deployment process.
  • two to three card reading devices may construct a group in order to reduce the communication cost.
  • a K-NN (k-nearest neighbor algorithm) function is used to determine the number of card reading devices in a group due to the fact that an RFID tag is usually coming from the class of most common nearest neighbors in some applications.
  • the mutually independent communication between the card reading device and control device includes but is not limited to a Wired Network or Wireless Communication Network, a Wide Area Network, a Metropolitan Area Network, a Local Area Network, a VPN, a Wireless Ad Hoc Network, and etc.
  • first card reading device 1 second card reading device 2, first control device 3 and the networks or communication manners connected therebetween are only examples, other existing card reading devices, control devices, networks or communication manners, or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
  • a first control device 3 can interact with a plurality of first card reading devices 1 simultaneously, acquire the identification information of the corresponding RFID tags in response to the identification requests obtained from different first card reading devices 1, and provide said identification information to its corresponding first card reading device 1.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and second card reading device for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention, wherein the first card reading device 1 comprises a first identification request means 11 and a first identification receiving means 12, the second card reading device 2 comprises a second receiving means 21, a second identification means 22 and a second response means 23.
  • the first card reading device 1 and second card reading device 2 collaborate with each other to accomplish identification of an RFID tag.
  • the first identification request means 11 in the first card reading device 1 sends an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2, wherein said identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the second receiving means 21 in the second card reading device 2 receives this identification request;
  • the second identification means 22 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
  • the second response means 23 sends a response message comprising
  • the first identification request means 11 sends an identification request concerning an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first random number, second random number and encrypted identity information included in the identification request can be acquired in real time by the first card reading device 1 during the procedure of identifying the RFID tag, and can also be an RFID tag to be identified that is selected by the first card reading device 1 from one or more prestored RFID tags to be identified according to a certain order or randomly and its related information.
  • the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers it to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1.
  • the second receiving means 21 receives an identification request concerning an RFID tag sent by the first card reading device 1 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the second identification means 22 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number included in the identification request that is received by the second receiving means 21, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information.
  • the second identification means 22 reads identity information from an identity data base comprising one or more identities according to a certain order or randomly, and generates the corresponding encrypted information with an encrypted algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the identity information and the first and second random numbers contained in the identification request; and compares the encrypted information with the encrypted identity information contained in the identification request, for example, if the encrypted information and the encrypted identity information are the same or have the same specific word field, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition, then this identity information is determined as the identification information of the RFID tag.
  • the predefined condition comprises but is not limited to that the encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information, for example, based on a correspondence relation between the encrypted algorithms adopted by the RFID tag and the second card reading device, when the encrypted information is identical with, falls in the interval near or has the same specific word field as the encrypted identity information, the encrypted information is then determined to match the encrypted identity information, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition.
  • the identity data base comprising one or more identities can be located at the second card reading device, or at a third party device end connected to the second card reading device via network; said identity data base can be one or more databases, or other forms suitable for storing identity information like a chart; said identity data base can be established or updated by the second card reading device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the identification information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired.
  • the second card reading device 2 deletes the identity information record corresponding to the RFID tag from its corresponding identity data base after the second identification means 22 succeeds in identifying the RFID tag in the identification request.
  • the second response means 23 sends a response message to the first card reading device 1 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1 , or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said response message includes the identification information.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first identification receiving means 12 receives a response message that is sent from the second card reading device 2 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first card reading device may, after acquiring the relevant information of the RFID tag to be identified, directly send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning the RFID tag so as to acquire the identification information of this tag; the first card reading device may also firstly attempt to identify the RFID tag, and then send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning this RFID tag when the attempt fails, i.e. when the first card reading device fails to identify this RFID tag, so as to acquire the identification information of this tag.
  • the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers this number to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1 ; the first card reading device 1 queries in its accessible identity data base based on the received second random number and encrypted identity information so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag; if the first card reading device 1 succeeds in acquiring the identification information of the RFID tag, then the operation of identifying an identity is terminated, otherwise, the first card reading device 1 will send to the second card reading device 2 the corresponding identification request so as to acquire the identification information of this tag.
  • the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one
  • the operation of querying in the identity data base so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag as performed by the first card reading device 1 is basically identical with the aforesaid operation of the second identification means 22, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
  • the first card reading device 1 further comprises a second identification request means (not shown) and a second identification receiving means (not shown), wherein: when the response message received by the first card reading device 1 from the second card reading device 2 does not include the identification information of said RFID tag, the second identification request means sends said identification request to the first control device 3 within the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to; the second identification receiving means receives a response message sent by the first control device 3 in response to said identification request.
  • the second identification request means and second identification receiving means are same as or basically same as the first identification request means 11 and first identification receiving means 12 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation; the operations of the first control device 3 such as receiving an identification request of the first card reading device 1 and providing the corresponding response message will be described in the subsequent embodiments.
  • first identification request means and the second identification request means may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
  • first identification receiving means and the second identification receiving means may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
  • the first card reading device sends an identification request to an identification serving means and receives the corresponding identification information that is fed back from the identification serving means;
  • said identification serving means includes but is not limited to the second card reading device in the same group as the first card reading device and the first control device within the domain of the first card reading device.
  • the first card reading device may send an identification request to the second card reading device or the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback; it may also send an identification request to the second card reading device and the first control device simultaneously, and receive the response message that is fed back most early; even the first card reading device may firstly send an identification request to one of the second card reading device and the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback, when the response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, send this identification request to the other device again and receives a response message as a feedback.
  • the first card reading device 1 firstly sends an identification request to a second card reading device 2 in the same group, and receives a response message provided by the second card reading device 2; if this response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, the first card reading device 1 sends this identification request to a first control device in its domain again and receives a response message provided by the first control device.
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and the first control device for identifying an RFID tag according to a preferable embodiment of the invention, wherein the first card reading device 1 comprises a first identification request means 11 ' and a first identification receiving means 12', the first control device 3 comprises a first receiving means 31 ', a first identification means 32' and a first response means 33'.
  • the first card reading device 1 collaborates with the first control device 3 to accomplish identification of an RFID tag.
  • the first identification request means 11 ' in the first card reading device 1 sends to the first control device 3 an identification request for identifying an RFID tag, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the first receiving means 31 ' in the first control device 3 receives this identification request; the first identification means 32' queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; said first response means 33' sends a response
  • the first identification request means 11 ' and first identification receiving means 12' are same as or basically same as the first identification request means 11 and first identification receiving means 12 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively
  • the first receiving means 3 , the first identification means 32' and the first response means 33' are same as or basically same as the second receiving means 21, second identification means 22 and second response means 23 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
  • the first control device receives an identification request sent by the identification request means and provides it with the corresponding identification information; here said identification request means includes but is not limited to the first card reading device and other control devices within the domain to which the first control device corresponds, and other control devices that are connected to the first control device via network within other domains.
  • the first identification means 32' comprises a third identification request means (not shown) and a third identification receiving means (not shown), wherein the third identification request means sends to a second control device said identification request; the third identification receiving means receives a response message sent by the second control device in response to said identification request, wherein said response message includes said identification information.
  • the third identification request means and third identification receiving means are same as or basically same as the first identification request means 11 and first identification receiving means 12 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively
  • the second control device is same as or basically same as the first control device 3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
  • the first control device can not only acquire the identification information of an RFID tag to be identified through querying in an identity data base, but also acquire the identification information of the RFID tag through sending the corresponding identification requests to other control devices in the same domain or different domains like the second control device.
  • the first card reading device 1 further comprises an updating request means 13'
  • the first control device 3 further comprises an updating receiving means 34', updating means 35', inquiry receiving means 36', inquiring means 37' and inquiry providing means 38'.
  • the updating request means 13' sends an updating request for updating the current position of said RFID tag to the first control device 3 in the domain where said first card reading device 1 belongs to, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, updating receiving means 34' receives this updating request;
  • updating means 35' establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to said updating request;
  • inquiry receiving means 36' receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user, wherein said position inquiry request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; inquiring means 37' makes a query in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said
  • the updating request means 13' sends to the first control device 3 a request for updating the current position of the RFID tag via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3 in the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • updating receiving means 34' receives an updating request for updating the current position of the RFID tags sent from the first card reading device via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • updating means 35' establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to the updating request received by the updating receiving means 34', for example, when the RFID tag has no recording item in this position data base, a position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then established, another example, when the RFID tag already has a recording item in the position data base, the position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then updated with the current position of the RFID tag.
  • the position information of the RFID tag includes but is not limited to the corresponding first card reading device or the physical position thereof, the group of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and the domain of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and so on.
  • the position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags can be located at the first control device, or at a third party device end connected to the first control device via network; said position data base can be one or more data bases, or other forms suitable for storing position information like a chart; said position information data base can be established or updated by the first control device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the position information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired.
  • the position data base and the identity data base may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
  • inquiry receiving means 36' receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP, wherein said position query request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; inquiring means 37' makes inquiry in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said target RFID tag; inquiry providing means 38' provides the user with said current position information via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the user submits a position inquiry request for the current position or state of the goods via the logistics commodity follow-up inquiry page provided by the logistics service provider, including the corresponding identification information of the goods, such as the corresponding order number of the goods;
  • inquiry receiving means 36' receives this position inquiry request using the dynamic web page technique, wherein said position inquiry request comprises identity information of the corresponding target RFID tag as acquired based on the identification information of the goods; inquiring means 37' makes an inquiry in the position data base according to the identity information of said target RFID tag so as to obtain a position record of said target RFID tag, thereby acquiring the current position information of said target RFID tag, such as "Pudong airport”; inquiry providing means 38' notifies the user of the current position information of the goods, e.g. "Pudong airport", using the dynamic web page technique, for example, generating a corresponding position inquiry result page for the user.
  • the first control device will determine, after receiving the updating request sent from the first card reading device, the card reading device or control device that the RFID tag corresponding to the updating request belonged to previously according to the recording item of the RFID tag in the position data base, and send to the card reading device or control device a notice of updating its corresponding identity data base.
  • the card reading device or control device will delete from its corresponding identity data bases the identity information record to which the RFID tag corresponds after receiving said notice.
  • Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the second card reading device according to another aspect of the invention.
  • the first card reading device 1 and second card reading device 2 collaborate with each other to accomplish identification of an RFID tag.
  • the first card reading device 1 sends an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2, wherein said identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the second card reading device 2 receives this identification request;
  • the second card reading device 2 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
  • the second card reading device 2 sends a
  • the first card reading device 1 sends an identification request concerning an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first random number, second random number and encrypted identity information included in the identification request can be acquired in real time by the first card reading device 1 during the procedure of identifying the RFID tag, and can also be an RFID tag to be identified that is selected by the first card reading device 1 from one or more prestored RFID tags to be identified according to a certain order or randomly and its related information.
  • the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers it to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1.
  • the second card reading device 2 receives an identification request concerning an RFID tag sent by the first card reading device 1 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the second card reading device 2 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number included in the identification request that is received in the step SI, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information.
  • the second card reading device 2 reads identity information from an identity data base comprising one or more identities according to a certain order or randomly, and generates the corresponding encrypted information with an encrypted algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the identity information and the first and second random numbers contained in the identification request; and compares the encrypted information with the encrypted identity information contained in the identification request, for example, if the encrypted information and the encrypted identity information are the same or have the same specific word field, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition, then this identity information is determined as the identification information of the RFID tag.
  • the predefined condition comprises but is not limited to that the encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information, for example, based on a correspondence relation between the encrypted algorithms adopted by the RFID tag and the second card reading device, when the encrypted information is identical with, falls in the interval near or has the same specific word field as the encrypted identity information, the encrypted information is then determined to match the encrypted identity information, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition.
  • the identity data base comprising one or more identities can be located at the second card reading device, or at a third party device end connected to the second card reading device via network; said identity data base can be one or more databases, or other forms suitable for storing identity information like a chart; said identity data base can be established or updated by the second card reading device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the identification information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired.
  • the second card reading device 2 deletes the identity information record corresponding to the RFID tag from its corresponding identity data base after succeeding in identifying the RFID tag in the identification request in the step S2.
  • the second card reading device 2 sends a response message to the first card reading device 1 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said response message includes the identification information.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first card reading device 1 receives a response message that is sent from the second card reading device 2 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first card reading device may, after acquiring the relevant information of the RFID tag to be identified, directly send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning the RFID tag so as to acquire the identification information of this tag; the first card reading device may also firstly attempt to identify the RFID tag, and then send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning this RFID tag when the attempt fails, i.e. when the first card reading device fails to identify this RFID tag, so as to acquire the identification information of this tag.
  • the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers this number to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1 ; the first card reading device 1 queries in its accessible identity data base based on the received second random number and encrypted identity information so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag; if the first card reading device 1 succeeds in acquiring the identification information of the RFID tag, then the operation of identifying an identity is terminated, otherwise, the first card reading device 1 will send to the second card reading device 2 the corresponding identification request so as to acquire the identification information of this tag.
  • the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one
  • the operation of querying in the identity data base so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag as performed by the first card reading device 1 is basically identical with the aforesaid step S2 of the second card reading device 2, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
  • the embodiment further comprises the step S9 (not shown) and the step S10 (not shown), wherein: in the step S9, when the response message received by the first card reading device 1 from the second card reading device 2 does not include the identification information of said RFID tag, the first card reading device 1 sends said identification request to the first control device 3 within the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to; in the step S10, the first card reading device 1 receives a response message sent by the first control device 3 in response to said identification request.
  • step S9 and the step S10 are same as or basically same as the step SI and the step S3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation; the operations of the first control device 3 such as receiving an identification request of the first card reading device 1 and providing the corresponding response message will be described in the subsequent embodiments.
  • the first card reading device sends an identification request to an identification serving means and receives the corresponding identification information that is fed back from the identification serving means;
  • said identification serving means includes but is not limited to the second card reading device in the same group as the first card reading device and the first control device within the domain of the first card reading device.
  • the first card reading device may send an identification request to the second card reading device or the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback; it may also send an identification request to the second card reading device and the first control device simultaneously, and receive the response message that is fed back most early; even the first card reading device may firstly send an identification request to one of the second card reading device and the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback, when the response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, send this identification request to the other device again and receives a response message as a feedback.
  • the first card reading device 1 firstly sends an identification request to a second card reading device 2 in the same group, and receives a response message provided by the second card reading device 2; if this response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, the first card reading device 1 sends this identification request to a first control device in its domain again and receives a response message provided by the first control device.
  • Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the first control device according to a preferable embodiment of the invention.
  • the first card reading device 1 collaborates with the first control device 3 to accomplish identification of an RFID tag.
  • the first card reading device 1 sends to the first control device 3 an identification request for identifying an RFID tag, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1 , and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the first control device 3 receives this identification request;
  • the first control device 3 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
  • the first control device 3 sends to the first control device 3 an identification request for identifying an RFID tag, wherein the identification
  • step SI', step S2' and step S3' are same as or basically same as the step SI, step S2 and step S3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
  • the first control device receives an identification request sent by the identification request means and provides it with the corresponding identification information; here said identification request means includes but is not limited to the first card reading device and other control devices within the domain to which the first control device corresponds, and other control devices that are connected to the first control device via network within other domains.
  • the step S2' comprises a step S21 ' (not shown) and a step S22' (not shown), wherein in the step S21 ', the first control device 3 sends to a second control device said identification request; in the step S22' , the first control device 3 receives a response message sent by the second control device in response to said identification request, wherein said response message includes said identification information.
  • the step S21 ' and step S22' are same as or basically same as the step SI and step S3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively
  • the second control device is same as or basically same as the first control device 3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
  • the first control device can not only acquire the identification information of an RFID tag to be identified through querying in an identity data base, but also acquire the identification information of the RFID tag through sending the corresponding identification requests to other control devices in the same domain or different domains like the second control device.
  • the embodiment further comprises step S4', step S5', step S6', step S7' and step S8'.
  • the first card reading device 1 sends an updating request for updating the current position of said RFID tag to the first control device 3 in the domain where said first card reading device 1 belongs to, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the first control device 3 receives this updating request;
  • the step S5' the first control device 3 establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to said updating request;
  • the first control device 3 receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user, wherein said position inquiry request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag;
  • the first control device 3 makes a query in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position
  • the first card reading device 1 sends to the first control device 3 a request for updating the current position of the RFID tag via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3 in the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first control device 3 receives an updating request for updating the current position of the RFID tags sent from the first card reading device via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first control device 3 establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to the updating request received in the step S4', for example, when the RFID tag has no recording item in this position data base, a position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then established, another example, when the RFID tag already has a recording item in the position data base, the position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then updated with the current position of the RFID tag.
  • the position information of the RFID tag includes but is not limited to the corresponding first card reading device or the physical position thereof, the group of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and the domain of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and so on.
  • the position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags can be located at the first control device, or at a third party device end connected to the first control device via network; said position data base can be one or more data bases, or other forms suitable for storing position information like a chart; said position information data base can be established or updated by the first control device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the position information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired.
  • the position data base and the identity data base may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
  • the first control device 3 receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP, wherein said position query request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; in the step S7', the first control device 3 makes inquiry in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said target RFID tag; in the step S8', the first control device 3 provides the user with said current position information via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP
  • API Application Program Interface
  • the first control device 3 receives this position inquiry request using the dynamic web page technique, wherein said position inquiry request comprises identity information of the corresponding target RFID tag as acquired based on the identification information of the goods; in the step S7', the first control device 3 makes an inquiry in the position data base according to the identity information of said target RFID tag so as to obtain a position record of said target RFID tag, thereby acquiring the current position information of said target RFID tag, such as "Pudong airport”; in the step S8', the first control device 3 notifies the user of the current position information of the goods, e.g. "Pudong airport", using the dynamic web page technique, for example,
  • the first control device will determine, after receiving the updating request sent from the first card reading device, the card reading device or control device that the RFID tag corresponding to the updating request belonged to previously according to the recording item of the RFID tag in the position data base, and send to the card reading device or control device a notice of updating its corresponding identity data base.
  • the card reading device or control device will delete from its corresponding identity data bases the identity information record to which the RFID tag corresponds after receiving said notice.
  • the present invention can be implemented in software and/or a combination of software and hardware, for example, the invention can be implemented by using an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a general purpose computer or any other similar hardware equipment.
  • ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit
  • the software program of this invention can be executed by a processor to accomplish the aforesaid steps or functions.
  • the software program (including the relevant data structure) of the invention can be stored in a computer readable recording medium, for example, RAM memory, magneto-optical drive or floppy disk and similar devices.
  • some steps or functions of the invention can be realized by using hardware, for example, a circuit that cooperates with the processor to perform various steps or functions.
  • part of the invention can be applied as a computer program product, such as a computer program instruction, when the instruction is executed by the computer, the method and/or technical solution according to this invention may be called or provided through an operation of the computer.
  • the program instruction for calling the method of the invention may possibly be stored in a fixed or movable recording medium, and/or be transmitted via broadcasting or other signal carrier mediums, and/or be stored in the operation memory of a computer device that is running according to said program instruction.
  • said device comprises a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing program instructions, this device is triggered to operate the methods and/or technical solutions based on the aforesaid embodiments of the invention when the computer program instructions are executed by said processor.

Abstract

An object of the present invention is providing a method and apparatus for identifying an RFID tag. A first card reading device sends to an identification serving means an identification request for identifying an RFID tag, and receives a response message sent by said identification serving means in response to said identification request. Compared to the prior art, the present invention accomplishes identification of an RFID tag by using the communication between the card reading devices, the communication between the card reading devices and control devices and/or the communication between the control devices, thereby a large scale of RFID tag deployment becomes possible. Furthermore, the way of grading the communication targets of the card reading devices makes most of the RFID tags accomplish the privacy identification procedure between the card reading means within the same group, thereby avoiding the identification requests of all RFID tags to be sent to the centralized mainframes, and hence reducing the requirement for the centralized mainframes and the risk of failure occurrence.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AN RFID TAG
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of the Internet of Things (IOT), and in particular to the technology of identifying a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0002] With the rapid development of the IOT, an RFID tag, as the main or key component of the IOT, has a wide market in various application fields from industry to daily life. Due to the fact that the transmission between the RFID tag and a Reader or card reading device fails to pass a wired channel, unauthorized listeners-in could obtain private information from the RFID tag remotely unless the proper privacy measures are taken.
[0003] At present, the solutions for identifying an RFID tag might be classified into two main families: 1) tree-based solutions; 2) hash-based solutions. The former needs to take several rounds of inquiries to finish the authentication processes; in the meanwhile, the size of message between the reader and the RFID tag may be too large, and hence the identification cost in the side of the RFID tag may be too large. Although the computational cost in the side of RFID tag is considerably low with the hash-based solutions adopted by the latter, the readers must perform a number of operations that linearly grows with the number of RFID tags. Since the existing readers must hand over the task of processing the identity information of the RFID tag to centralized mainframes, such approach will have the following three shortcomings: bottleneck, i.e. any failure of the centralized mainframes results in a complete system crash; cost explosion, i.e. the number of message and computational cost for the tag identification grows with the number of RFID tags; and delay, i.e. since the centralized mainframes store a large number of tag identification messages, a system conflict may result from delays caused by RFID tag roaming, and a problem of information lost will thereby appear.
[0004] In view that an RFID tag is unable to perform too much message exchange with an identification server due to its weak function, it is impossible to adopt a traditional encryption and identification manner; in the meanwhile, the use of traditional centralized mainframes is hard to satisfy an increasing request for processing the RFID tags due to the huge number of RFID tags. Therefore, how to identify RFID tags and make a large scale of tag deployment possible has become a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the invention is providing a method and apparatus for identifying an RFID tag. [0006] According to one aspect of the invention, a method for identifying an RFID tag in a first card reading device is provided, comprising the steps of:
[0007] a. sending an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to an identification serving means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag; and
[0008] b. receiving a response message sent by the identification serving means in response to said identification request.
[0009] According to another aspect of the invention, a method for facilitating identification of an RFID tag in a second card reading device is further provided, comprising the steps of:
[0010] - receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from a first card reading device, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by the RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number and the identity information of the RFID tag;
[0011] - querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; and
[0012] - sending a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device in response to the identification request.
[0013] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for facilitating identification of an RFID tag in a first control device is additionally provided, comprising the steps of:
[0014] A. receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from an identification request means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by a first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
[0015] B. querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to the predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; and
[0016] C. sending a response message comprising the identification information to the identification request means in response to the identification request.
[0017] According to a further aspect of the invention, a first card reading device for identifying an RFID tag is additionally provided, comprising:
[0018] a first identification request means for sending an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to an identification serving means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag; and
[0019] a first identification receiving means for receiving a response message sent by the identification serving means in response to said identification request.
[0020] According to a further aspect of the invention, a second card reading device for facilitating identification of an RFID tag is additionally provided, comprising:
[0021] a second receiving means for receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from a first card reading device, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number and the identity information of said RFID tag; and
[0022] a second identification means for querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; and
[0023] a second response means for sending a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device in response to the identification request.
[0024] According to a further aspect of the invention, a first control device for facilitating identification of an RFID tag is additionally provided, comprising:
[0025] a first receiving means for receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from an identification request means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by a first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
[0026] a first identification means for querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to the predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; and
[0027] a first response means for sending a response message comprising the identification information to the identification request means in response to the identification request.
[0028] According to a further aspect of the invention, a system for identifying an RFID tag is additionally provided, comprising a first card reading device, a second card reading device and a first control device that are mentioned above.
[0029] Compared to the prior art, the present invention accomplishes identification of an RFID tag by using the communication between the card reading devices, the communication between the card reading devices and control devices and/or the communication between the control devices, thereby a large scale of RFID tag deployment becomes possible. Furthermore, the way of grading the communication targets of the card reading devices makes most of the RFID tags accomplish the privacy identification procedure between the card reading devices within the same group, thereby avoiding the identification requests of all RFID tags to be sent to the centralized mainframes, and hence reducing the requirement for the centralized mainframes and the risk of failure occurrence. Moreover, using one-way encryption algorithm to encrypt adapts the problem that the function of the RFID tags is simple, handles the complicated process of traditional encryption and further makes large scale of RFID tag deployment become possible. In addition, the present invention may also realize the management and inquiry of the RFID tag position information through updating the positions of these tags.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] Other features, purposes and advantages of the invention will become more explicit by means of reading the detailed statement of the non-restrictive embodiments made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031] Fig. 1 is a topological graph illustrating a system for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention;
[0032] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and second card reading device for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention;
[0033] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and the first control device for identifying an RFID tag according to a preferable embodiment of the invention;
[0034] Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the second card reading device according to another aspect of the invention; and
[0035] Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the first control device according to a preferable embodiment of the invention.
[0036] The same or similar reference signs in the drawings represent the same or similar component parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] Below, details of the invention will be further provided in combination with the accompanying drawings.
[0038] Fig. 1 is a topological graph illustrating a system for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention, wherein one or more domains are included, each domain comprising one or more control devices responsible for intra-domain and inter-domain communication, for example, a first control device 3, each domain comprising one or more groups, each group comprising one or more card reading devices, such as a first card reading device 1 or a second card reading device 2, which are capable of communicating with control devices in the domain; the first card reading device 1 realizes identification of an RFID tag within its communication range through collaborating with other card reading devices or control devices, for example, interacting with the second card reading device 2 within the same group or the first control device 3 within the same domain.
[0039] Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is suitable not only for the application wherein the RFID tags are in a moving state, such as logistics application, but also for the application wherein the RFID tags are in a relatively static state, such as warehouse management application. In the application that the RFID tags are in a moving state, when the RFID tags are moved from one position to another position, for example, moving from one card reading device to the reading range of another card reading device within the same group, from one group to another group within the same domain or from one domain to another domain, the card reading device corresponding to the current position of the RFID tag acquires the identification information of this tag through communicating with other card reading devices or control devices.
[0040] Here, the control device has some computational and storage capabilities, such as storing a number of identities in its cache, computing hash functions and generating pseudo-random numbers. A control device includes but is not limited to network mainframes, a single network server, and a plurality of network server sets or a cloud consisting of a plurality of servers. Here the cloud is constructed by a large number of computers or network servers based on cloud computing, wherein cloud computing is one kind of distributed computation, a virtual super computer consisting of a group of loosely coupled computer sets.
[0041] A card reading device has some computational and/or storage capabilities, such as generating random numbers or storing a number of identities in its cache and performing hash functions. Each card reading device may be an active device that is capable of detecting RFID tags by emitting a signal with a certain frequency and identifying the RFID tags using the improved randomized hash-lock protocol. The card reading device can communicate and exchange information with each other using a secure channel (e.g., WLAN+SSL). Those skilled in the art should understand that the card reading device in the same or different groups may have different computational and/or storage capabilities, for example, some card reading devices may only have the capability of communicating with the RFID tags, other card reading devices or control devices, whereas other ones may further have the capability of identifying an RFID tag.
[0042] An RFID tag only has simple capabilities, such as storing its own identity, computing hash function and generating pseudo-random numbers.
[0043] Here, the cover area of a domain or group, or the number of devices as included, can be determined by the factors such as the application type and deployment scenario of an RFID tag, the physical distance between and communication capabilities of card reading devices. For example, the number of card reading devices in one group is an important system parameter needed to be taken into account carefully based on the capabilities of the card reading devices during the deployment process. For example, two to three card reading devices may construct a group in order to reduce the communication cost. Another example, a K-NN (k-nearest neighbor algorithm) function is used to determine the number of card reading devices in a group due to the fact that an RFID tag is usually coming from the class of most common nearest neighbors in some applications.
[0044] The mutually independent communication between the card reading device and control device includes but is not limited to a Wired Network or Wireless Communication Network, a Wide Area Network, a Metropolitan Area Network, a Local Area Network, a VPN, a Wireless Ad Hoc Network, and etc.
[0045] Those skilled in the art should understand the aforesaid first card reading device 1, second card reading device 2, first control device 3 and the networks or communication manners connected therebetween are only examples, other existing card reading devices, control devices, networks or communication manners, or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0046] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the number of all kinds of network elements shown only for the purpose of simplicity in Fig. 1 may be smaller than the number in an actual network, but it is no doubt that such omission is made under the premise of not affecting the clear and sufficient disclosure of the invention.
[0047] In order for simplicity, the inventor gives the following statement by taking a first card reading device 1 as an example. Those skilled in the art should understand that a first control device 3 can interact with a plurality of first card reading devices 1 simultaneously, acquire the identification information of the corresponding RFID tags in response to the identification requests obtained from different first card reading devices 1, and provide said identification information to its corresponding first card reading device 1.
[0048] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and second card reading device for identifying an RFID tag according to one aspect of the invention, wherein the first card reading device 1 comprises a first identification request means 11 and a first identification receiving means 12, the second card reading device 2 comprises a second receiving means 21, a second identification means 22 and a second response means 23.
[0049] The first card reading device 1 and second card reading device 2 collaborate with each other to accomplish identification of an RFID tag. Specifically, the first identification request means 11 in the first card reading device 1 sends an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2, wherein said identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the second receiving means 21 in the second card reading device 2 receives this identification request; the second identification means 22 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; the second response means 23 sends a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device 1 in response to the identification request, correspondingly, the first identification receiving means 12 in the first card reading device 1 receives this response message.
[0050] Specifically, the first identification request means 11 sends an identification request concerning an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag. Here, the first random number, second random number and encrypted identity information included in the identification request can be acquired in real time by the first card reading device 1 during the procedure of identifying the RFID tag, and can also be an RFID tag to be identified that is selected by the first card reading device 1 from one or more prestored RFID tags to be identified according to a certain order or randomly and its related information. For example, assuming that the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers it to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1.
[0051] Those skilled in the art should further understand that the aforesaid manner of sending an identification request is only an example, other existing manners of sending an identification request or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0052] Correspondingly, the second receiving means 21 receives an identification request concerning an RFID tag sent by the first card reading device 1 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag.
[0053] Next, the second identification means 22 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number included in the identification request that is received by the second receiving means 21, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information. For example, the second identification means 22 reads identity information from an identity data base comprising one or more identities according to a certain order or randomly, and generates the corresponding encrypted information with an encrypted algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the identity information and the first and second random numbers contained in the identification request; and compares the encrypted information with the encrypted identity information contained in the identification request, for example, if the encrypted information and the encrypted identity information are the same or have the same specific word field, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition, then this identity information is determined as the identification information of the RFID tag. Here, the predefined condition comprises but is not limited to that the encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information, for example, based on a correspondence relation between the encrypted algorithms adopted by the RFID tag and the second card reading device, when the encrypted information is identical with, falls in the interval near or has the same specific word field as the encrypted identity information, the encrypted information is then determined to match the encrypted identity information, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition.
[0054] Here, the identity data base comprising one or more identities can be located at the second card reading device, or at a third party device end connected to the second card reading device via network; said identity data base can be one or more databases, or other forms suitable for storing identity information like a chart; said identity data base can be established or updated by the second card reading device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the identification information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired. Preferably, the second card reading device 2 deletes the identity information record corresponding to the RFID tag from its corresponding identity data base after the second identification means 22 succeeds in identifying the RFID tag in the identification request.
[0055] Those skilled in the art should further understand that the aforesaid one way hash function that generates the encrypted information is only an example, other existing encryption algorithms or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0056] Finally, the second response means 23 sends a response message to the first card reading device 1 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1 , or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said response message includes the identification information.
[0057] Correspondingly, the first identification receiving means 12 receives a response message that is sent from the second card reading device 2 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https.
[0058] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first card reading device may, after acquiring the relevant information of the RFID tag to be identified, directly send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning the RFID tag so as to acquire the identification information of this tag; the first card reading device may also firstly attempt to identify the RFID tag, and then send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning this RFID tag when the attempt fails, i.e. when the first card reading device fails to identify this RFID tag, so as to acquire the identification information of this tag. For example, assuming that the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers this number to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1 ; the first card reading device 1 queries in its accessible identity data base based on the received second random number and encrypted identity information so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag; if the first card reading device 1 succeeds in acquiring the identification information of the RFID tag, then the operation of identifying an identity is terminated, otherwise, the first card reading device 1 will send to the second card reading device 2 the corresponding identification request so as to acquire the identification information of this tag. The operation of querying in the identity data base so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag as performed by the first card reading device 1 is basically identical with the aforesaid operation of the second identification means 22, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
[0059] Preferably, the first card reading device 1 further comprises a second identification request means (not shown) and a second identification receiving means (not shown), wherein: when the response message received by the first card reading device 1 from the second card reading device 2 does not include the identification information of said RFID tag, the second identification request means sends said identification request to the first control device 3 within the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to; the second identification receiving means receives a response message sent by the first control device 3 in response to said identification request. Here, the second identification request means and second identification receiving means are same as or basically same as the first identification request means 11 and first identification receiving means 12 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation; the operations of the first control device 3 such as receiving an identification request of the first card reading device 1 and providing the corresponding response message will be described in the subsequent embodiments.
[0060] Those skilled in the art should understand that in the concrete implementation of this example, the first identification request means and the second identification request means may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
[0061] Those skilled in the art should understand that in the concrete implementation of this example, the first identification receiving means and the second identification receiving means may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
[0062] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first card reading device sends an identification request to an identification serving means and receives the corresponding identification information that is fed back from the identification serving means; here, said identification serving means includes but is not limited to the second card reading device in the same group as the first card reading device and the first control device within the domain of the first card reading device. Preferably, the first card reading device may send an identification request to the second card reading device or the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback; it may also send an identification request to the second card reading device and the first control device simultaneously, and receive the response message that is fed back most early; even the first card reading device may firstly send an identification request to one of the second card reading device and the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback, when the response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, send this identification request to the other device again and receives a response message as a feedback. More preferably, the first card reading device 1 firstly sends an identification request to a second card reading device 2 in the same group, and receives a response message provided by the second card reading device 2; if this response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, the first card reading device 1 sends this identification request to a first control device in its domain again and receives a response message provided by the first control device.
[0063] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the first card reading device and the first control device for identifying an RFID tag according to a preferable embodiment of the invention, wherein the first card reading device 1 comprises a first identification request means 11 ' and a first identification receiving means 12', the first control device 3 comprises a first receiving means 31 ', a first identification means 32' and a first response means 33'.
[0064] The first card reading device 1 collaborates with the first control device 3 to accomplish identification of an RFID tag. Specifically, the first identification request means 11 ' in the first card reading device 1 sends to the first control device 3 an identification request for identifying an RFID tag, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the first receiving means 31 ' in the first control device 3 receives this identification request; the first identification means 32' queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; said first response means 33' sends a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device 1 in response to the identification request, correspondingly, the first identification receiving means 12' in the first card reading device 1 receives this response message. Here, the first identification request means 11 ' and first identification receiving means 12' are same as or basically same as the first identification request means 11 and first identification receiving means 12 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, the first receiving means 3 , the first identification means 32' and the first response means 33' are same as or basically same as the second receiving means 21, second identification means 22 and second response means 23 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
[0065] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first control device receives an identification request sent by the identification request means and provides it with the corresponding identification information; here said identification request means includes but is not limited to the first card reading device and other control devices within the domain to which the first control device corresponds, and other control devices that are connected to the first control device via network within other domains.
[0066] Preferably, the first identification means 32' comprises a third identification request means (not shown) and a third identification receiving means (not shown), wherein the third identification request means sends to a second control device said identification request; the third identification receiving means receives a response message sent by the second control device in response to said identification request, wherein said response message includes said identification information. Here, the third identification request means and third identification receiving means are same as or basically same as the first identification request means 11 and first identification receiving means 12 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, the second control device is same as or basically same as the first control device 3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
[0067] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first control device can not only acquire the identification information of an RFID tag to be identified through querying in an identity data base, but also acquire the identification information of the RFID tag through sending the corresponding identification requests to other control devices in the same domain or different domains like the second control device.
[0068] Preferably, the first card reading device 1 further comprises an updating request means 13' , the first control device 3 further comprises an updating receiving means 34', updating means 35', inquiry receiving means 36', inquiring means 37' and inquiry providing means 38'. Specifically, when said response message includes the identification information of said RFID tag, the updating request means 13' sends an updating request for updating the current position of said RFID tag to the first control device 3 in the domain where said first card reading device 1 belongs to, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, updating receiving means 34' receives this updating request; updating means 35' establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to said updating request; next, inquiry receiving means 36' receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user, wherein said position inquiry request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; inquiring means 37' makes a query in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said target RFID tag; and inquiry providing means 38' provides the user with the current position information.
[0069] More specifically, when the response message received by the first card reading device 1 includes the identification information of said RFID tag, the updating request means 13' sends to the first control device 3 a request for updating the current position of the RFID tag via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3 in the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
[0070] Those skilled in the art should further understand that the above manner of sending an updating request is only an example, other existing manners of sending an updating request or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0071] Correspondingly, updating receiving means 34' receives an updating request for updating the current position of the RFID tags sent from the first card reading device via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
[0072] Next, updating means 35' establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to the updating request received by the updating receiving means 34', for example, when the RFID tag has no recording item in this position data base, a position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then established, another example, when the RFID tag already has a recording item in the position data base, the position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then updated with the current position of the RFID tag. Here, the position information of the RFID tag includes but is not limited to the corresponding first card reading device or the physical position thereof, the group of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and the domain of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and so on. Here, the position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags can be located at the first control device, or at a third party device end connected to the first control device via network; said position data base can be one or more data bases, or other forms suitable for storing position information like a chart; said position information data base can be established or updated by the first control device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the position information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired. Those skilled in the art should understand that in the concrete implementation of this example, the position data base and the identity data base may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
[0073] After that, inquiry receiving means 36' receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP, wherein said position query request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; inquiring means 37' makes inquiry in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said target RFID tag; inquiry providing means 38' provides the user with said current position information via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP.
[0074] For example, assuming that a user consigns a logistics service provider for shipping his/her goods, during this period, the user submits a position inquiry request for the current position or state of the goods via the logistics commodity follow-up inquiry page provided by the logistics service provider, including the corresponding identification information of the goods, such as the corresponding order number of the goods; inquiry receiving means 36' receives this position inquiry request using the dynamic web page technique, wherein said position inquiry request comprises identity information of the corresponding target RFID tag as acquired based on the identification information of the goods; inquiring means 37' makes an inquiry in the position data base according to the identity information of said target RFID tag so as to obtain a position record of said target RFID tag, thereby acquiring the current position information of said target RFID tag, such as "Pudong airport"; inquiry providing means 38' notifies the user of the current position information of the goods, e.g. "Pudong airport", using the dynamic web page technique, for example, generating a corresponding position inquiry result page for the user.
[0075] More preferably, the first control device will determine, after receiving the updating request sent from the first card reading device, the card reading device or control device that the RFID tag corresponding to the updating request belonged to previously according to the recording item of the RFID tag in the position data base, and send to the card reading device or control device a notice of updating its corresponding identity data base. Correspondingly, the card reading device or control device will delete from its corresponding identity data bases the identity information record to which the RFID tag corresponds after receiving said notice.
[0076] Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the second card reading device according to another aspect of the invention.
[0077] The first card reading device 1 and second card reading device 2 collaborate with each other to accomplish identification of an RFID tag. Specifically, in the step SI, the first card reading device 1 sends an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2, wherein said identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the second card reading device 2 receives this identification request; in the step S2, the second card reading device 2 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; in the step S3, the second card reading device 2 sends a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device 1 in response to the identification request, correspondingly, the first card reading device 1 receives this response message.
[0078] Specifically, in the step SI, the first card reading device 1 sends an identification request concerning an RFID tag to the second card reading device 2 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag. Here, the first random number, second random number and encrypted identity information included in the identification request can be acquired in real time by the first card reading device 1 during the procedure of identifying the RFID tag, and can also be an RFID tag to be identified that is selected by the first card reading device 1 from one or more prestored RFID tags to be identified according to a certain order or randomly and its related information. For example, assuming that the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers it to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1.
[0079] Those skilled in the art should further understand that the aforesaid manner of sending an identification request is only an example, other existing manners of sending an identification request or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0080] Correspondingly, the second card reading device 2 receives an identification request concerning an RFID tag sent by the first card reading device 1 via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the second card reading device 2, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag.
[0081] Next, in the step S2, the second card reading device 2 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number included in the identification request that is received in the step SI, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information. For example, in the step S2, the second card reading device 2 reads identity information from an identity data base comprising one or more identities according to a certain order or randomly, and generates the corresponding encrypted information with an encrypted algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the identity information and the first and second random numbers contained in the identification request; and compares the encrypted information with the encrypted identity information contained in the identification request, for example, if the encrypted information and the encrypted identity information are the same or have the same specific word field, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition, then this identity information is determined as the identification information of the RFID tag. Here, the predefined condition comprises but is not limited to that the encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information, for example, based on a correspondence relation between the encrypted algorithms adopted by the RFID tag and the second card reading device, when the encrypted information is identical with, falls in the interval near or has the same specific word field as the encrypted identity information, the encrypted information is then determined to match the encrypted identity information, i.e. the identity information corresponding to the encrypted information conforms to the predefined condition.
[0082] Here, the identity data base comprising one or more identities can be located at the second card reading device, or at a third party device end connected to the second card reading device via network; said identity data base can be one or more databases, or other forms suitable for storing identity information like a chart; said identity data base can be established or updated by the second card reading device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the identification information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired. Preferably, the second card reading device 2 deletes the identity information record corresponding to the RFID tag from its corresponding identity data base after succeeding in identifying the RFID tag in the identification request in the step S2.
[0083] Those skilled in the art should further understand that the aforesaid one way hash function that generates the encrypted information is only an example, other existing encryption algorithms or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0084] Finally, in the step S3, the second card reading device 2 sends a response message to the first card reading device 1 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said response message includes the identification information.
[0085] Correspondingly, the first card reading device 1 receives a response message that is sent from the second card reading device 2 in response to said identification request via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first card reading device 1, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https.
[0086] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first card reading device may, after acquiring the relevant information of the RFID tag to be identified, directly send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning the RFID tag so as to acquire the identification information of this tag; the first card reading device may also firstly attempt to identify the RFID tag, and then send to the second card reading device the identification request concerning this RFID tag when the attempt fails, i.e. when the first card reading device fails to identify this RFID tag, so as to acquire the identification information of this tag. For example, assuming that the first card reading device 1 finds an RFID tag to be identified within its communication range, the first card reading device 1 generates a first random number and transfers this number to the RFID tag; the RFID tag generates a second random number after receiving the first random number, and then generates the corresponding encrypted identity information with an encryption algorithm like one-way Hash function based on the first random number, second random number and its own identity information, and finally sends the second random number and encrypted identity information to the first card reading device 1 ; the first card reading device 1 queries in its accessible identity data base based on the received second random number and encrypted identity information so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag; if the first card reading device 1 succeeds in acquiring the identification information of the RFID tag, then the operation of identifying an identity is terminated, otherwise, the first card reading device 1 will send to the second card reading device 2 the corresponding identification request so as to acquire the identification information of this tag. The operation of querying in the identity data base so as to acquire the identification information of the RFID tag as performed by the first card reading device 1 is basically identical with the aforesaid step S2 of the second card reading device 2, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
[0087] Preferably, the embodiment further comprises the step S9 (not shown) and the step S10 (not shown), wherein: in the step S9, when the response message received by the first card reading device 1 from the second card reading device 2 does not include the identification information of said RFID tag, the first card reading device 1 sends said identification request to the first control device 3 within the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to; in the step S10, the first card reading device 1 receives a response message sent by the first control device 3 in response to said identification request. Here, the step S9 and the step S10 are same as or basically same as the step SI and the step S3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation; the operations of the first control device 3 such as receiving an identification request of the first card reading device 1 and providing the corresponding response message will be described in the subsequent embodiments.
[0088] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first card reading device sends an identification request to an identification serving means and receives the corresponding identification information that is fed back from the identification serving means; here, said identification serving means includes but is not limited to the second card reading device in the same group as the first card reading device and the first control device within the domain of the first card reading device. Preferably, the first card reading device may send an identification request to the second card reading device or the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback; it may also send an identification request to the second card reading device and the first control device simultaneously, and receive the response message that is fed back most early; even the first card reading device may firstly send an identification request to one of the second card reading device and the first control device, and receive a response message as a feedback, when the response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, send this identification request to the other device again and receives a response message as a feedback. More preferably, the first card reading device 1 firstly sends an identification request to a second card reading device 2 in the same group, and receives a response message provided by the second card reading device 2; if this response message contains no identification information of the RFID tag to be identified, the first card reading device 1 sends this identification request to a first control device in its domain again and receives a response message provided by the first control device.
[0089] Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for identifying an RFID tag accomplished by the first card reading device in collaboration with the first control device according to a preferable embodiment of the invention.
[0090] The first card reading device 1 collaborates with the first control device 3 to accomplish identification of an RFID tag. Specifically, in the step SI ', the first card reading device 1 sends to the first control device 3 an identification request for identifying an RFID tag, wherein the identification request includes a first random number generated by the first card reading device 1 , and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device 1, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the first control device 3 receives this identification request; in the step S2', the first control device 3 queries in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information; in the step S3', the first control device 3 sends a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device 1 in response to the identification request, correspondingly, the first card reading device 1 receives this response message. Here, the step SI', step S2' and step S3' are same as or basically same as the step SI, step S2 and step S3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
[0091] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first control device receives an identification request sent by the identification request means and provides it with the corresponding identification information; here said identification request means includes but is not limited to the first card reading device and other control devices within the domain to which the first control device corresponds, and other control devices that are connected to the first control device via network within other domains.
[0092] Preferably, the step S2' comprises a step S21 ' (not shown) and a step S22' (not shown), wherein in the step S21 ', the first control device 3 sends to a second control device said identification request; in the step S22' , the first control device 3 receives a response message sent by the second control device in response to said identification request, wherein said response message includes said identification information. Here, the step S21 ' and step S22' are same as or basically same as the step SI and step S3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments respectively, the second control device is same as or basically same as the first control device 3 mentioned in the foregoing embodiments, in order for simplicity, details are no longer described and only included here in a way of quotation.
[0093] Those skilled in the art should understand that the first control device can not only acquire the identification information of an RFID tag to be identified through querying in an identity data base, but also acquire the identification information of the RFID tag through sending the corresponding identification requests to other control devices in the same domain or different domains like the second control device.
[0094] Preferably, the embodiment further comprises step S4', step S5', step S6', step S7' and step S8'. Specifically, when said response message includes the identification information of said RFID tag, in the step S4', the first card reading device 1 sends an updating request for updating the current position of said RFID tag to the first control device 3 in the domain where said first card reading device 1 belongs to, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag, correspondingly, the first control device 3 receives this updating request; in the step S5', the first control device 3 establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to said updating request; next, in the step S6', the first control device 3 receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user, wherein said position inquiry request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; in the step S7', the first control device 3 makes a query in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said target RFID tag; and in the step S8', the first control device 3 provides the user with the current position information.
[0095] More specifically, when the response message received by the first card reading device 1 includes the identification information of said RFID tag, in the step S4', the first card reading device 1 sends to the first control device 3 a request for updating the current position of the RFID tag via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3 in the domain said first card reading device 1 belongs to, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
[0096] Those skilled in the art should further understand that the above manner of sending an updating request is only an example, other existing manners of sending an updating request or those that may possibly come out later should also be covered in the protection scope of the invention and included here in a way of quotation, if they are adaptable to this invention.
[0097] Correspondingly, the first control device 3 receives an updating request for updating the current position of the RFID tags sent from the first card reading device via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, wherein said updating request contains the identification information of said RFID tag.
[0098] Next, in the step S5', the first control device 3 establishes or updates a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags according to the updating request received in the step S4', for example, when the RFID tag has no recording item in this position data base, a position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then established, another example, when the RFID tag already has a recording item in the position data base, the position information recording item corresponding to this RFID tag is then updated with the current position of the RFID tag. Here, the position information of the RFID tag includes but is not limited to the corresponding first card reading device or the physical position thereof, the group of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and the domain of said first card reading device or the physical position thereof, and so on. Here, the position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags can be located at the first control device, or at a third party device end connected to the first control device via network; said position data base can be one or more data bases, or other forms suitable for storing position information like a chart; said position information data base can be established or updated by the first control device or third party device via downloading from a central data base periodically or upon event triggering, or according to the position information of the RFID tag that is actually acquired. Those skilled in the art should understand that in the concrete implementation of this example, the position data base and the identity data base may be mutually independent, may also be integrated together.
[0099] After that, in the step S6', the first control device 3 receives a position inquiry request concerning a target RFID tag submitted by the user via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP, wherein said position query request includes the identity information of said target RFID tag; in the step S7', the first control device 3 makes inquiry in the position data base based on the identity information of said target RFID tag, so as to acquire the current position information of said target RFID tag; in the step S8', the first control device 3 provides the user with said current position information via, for example, an Application Program Interface (API) provided by the first control device 3, or an appointed communication manner, such as http or https, or dynamic webpage technology like JSP
[00100] For example, assuming that a user consigns a logistics service provider for shipping his/her goods, during this period, the user submits a position inquiry request for the current position or state of the goods via the logistics commodity follow-up inquiry page provided by the logistics service provider, including the corresponding identification information of the goods, such as the corresponding order number of the goods; in the step S6', the first control device 3 receives this position inquiry request using the dynamic web page technique, wherein said position inquiry request comprises identity information of the corresponding target RFID tag as acquired based on the identification information of the goods; in the step S7', the first control device 3 makes an inquiry in the position data base according to the identity information of said target RFID tag so as to obtain a position record of said target RFID tag, thereby acquiring the current position information of said target RFID tag, such as "Pudong airport"; in the step S8', the first control device 3 notifies the user of the current position information of the goods, e.g. "Pudong airport", using the dynamic web page technique, for example, generating a corresponding position inquiry result page for the user.
[00101] More preferably, the first control device will determine, after receiving the updating request sent from the first card reading device, the card reading device or control device that the RFID tag corresponding to the updating request belonged to previously according to the recording item of the RFID tag in the position data base, and send to the card reading device or control device a notice of updating its corresponding identity data base. Correspondingly, the card reading device or control device will delete from its corresponding identity data bases the identity information record to which the RFID tag corresponds after receiving said notice.
[00102] It needs to note that the present invention can be implemented in software and/or a combination of software and hardware, for example, the invention can be implemented by using an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a general purpose computer or any other similar hardware equipment. In one embodiment, the software program of this invention can be executed by a processor to accomplish the aforesaid steps or functions. Likewise, the software program (including the relevant data structure) of the invention can be stored in a computer readable recording medium, for example, RAM memory, magneto-optical drive or floppy disk and similar devices. In addition, some steps or functions of the invention can be realized by using hardware, for example, a circuit that cooperates with the processor to perform various steps or functions.
[00103] In addition, part of the invention can be applied as a computer program product, such as a computer program instruction, when the instruction is executed by the computer, the method and/or technical solution according to this invention may be called or provided through an operation of the computer. However, the program instruction for calling the method of the invention may possibly be stored in a fixed or movable recording medium, and/or be transmitted via broadcasting or other signal carrier mediums, and/or be stored in the operation memory of a computer device that is running according to said program instruction. Here, there is one device included according to an embodiment of the invention, said device comprises a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing program instructions, this device is triggered to operate the methods and/or technical solutions based on the aforesaid embodiments of the invention when the computer program instructions are executed by said processor.
[00104] To those skilled in the art, apparently the present invention is not limited to the details of the aforementioned exemplary embodiments, moreover, under the premise of not deviating from the spirit or fundamental characteristics of the invention, this invention can be accomplished in other specific forms. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-restrictive no matter from which point, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims instead of the above description, and aims at covering the meanings of the equivalent components falling into the claims and all changes within the scope in this invention. Any reference sign in the claims shall not be deemed as limiting the concerned claims. Besides, apparently the word "comprise/include" does not exclude other components or steps, singular numbers does not exclude complex numbers, the plurality of components or means mentioned in device claims may also be accomplished by one component or means through software or hardware, the wording like first and second are only used to represent names rather than any specific order.

Claims

We claim:
1. A method for identifying an RFID tag in a first card reading device, comprising steps of:
a. sending an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to an identification serving means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
b. receiving a response message sent by the identification serving means in response to said identification request.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identification serving means comprises a second card reading device belonging to same group as the first card reading device, the method further comprises:
k. sending said identification request to a first control device belonging to same domain as the first card reading device if the response message does not contain the identification information of said RFID tag;
- receiving a response massage sent by said first control device in response to said identification request.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the method further comprises:
- sending an update request for the current location of said RFID tag to a first control device in the domain the first card reading device belongs to if the response message contains the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the update request comprises the identification information of said RFID tag.
4. A method for facilitating identification of an RFID tag in a second card reading device, comprising steps of:
- receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from a first card reading device, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by the RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number and the identity information of the RFID tag;
- querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
- sending a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device in response to the identification request.
5. A method for facilitating identification of an RFID tag in a first control device, comprising steps of:
A. receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from an identification request means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by a first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
B. querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to the predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
C. sending a response message comprising the identification information to the identification request means in response to the identification request.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step B comprises:
- sending the identification request to a second control device;
- receiving a response message sent by the second control device in response to the identification request, wherein the response message contains the identification information.
7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the method further comprises:
- receiving an update request for the current location of said RFID tag sent from the first card reading device, wherein the update request comprises the identification information of said RFID tag;
- storing or updating a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags based on the update request;
wherein the method further comprises:
- receiving a request for querying the location of a target RFID tag submitted by a user, wherein the request comprises the identity of the target RFID tag;
- querying in the position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFIDs based on the identity of the target RFID tag, to obtain current location information of the target RFID tag;
- providing the current location information to the user.
8. A first card reading device for identifying an RFID tag, comprising:
means for sending an identification request for identifying an RFID tag to an identification serving means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
means for receiving a response message sent by the identification serving means in response to said identification request.
9. The first card reading device of claim 8, wherein said identification serving means comprises a second card reading device belonging to same group as the first card reading device, the first card reading device further comprises:
means for sending said identification request to a first control device belonging to same domain as the first card reading device if the response message does not contain the identification information of said RFID tag;
means for receiving a response massage sent by said first control device in response to said identification request.
10. The first card reading device of claim 8 or 9, wherein the first card reading device further comprises:
means for sending an update request for the current location of said RFID tag to a first control device in the domain the first card reading device belongs to if the response message contains the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the update request comprises the identification information of said RFID tag.
11. A second card reading device for facilitating identification of an RFID tag, comprising:
means for receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from a first card reading device, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by the first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number and the identity information of said RFID tag;
means for querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to a predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
means for sending a response message comprising the identification information to the first card reading device in response to the identification request.
12. A first control device for facilitating identification of an RFID tag, comprising: means for receiving an identification request for identifying an RFID tag sent from an identification request means, wherein the identification request comprises a first random number generated by a first card reading device, and a second random number and encrypted identity information that are generated by said RFID tag and obtained by the first card reading device, wherein the encrypted identity information corresponds to the first random number, the second random number, and the identity information of said RFID tag;
means for querying in an identity data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number, so as to identify the identity conforming to the predefined condition as the identification information of said RFID tag, wherein the predefined condition comprises that encrypted information generated with the first random number, the second random number, and the identified identity matches the encrypted identity information;
means for sending a response message comprising the identification information to the identification request means in response to the identification request.
13. The first control device of claim 12, wherein the means for querying in a data base comprising one or more identities based on the first random number and the second random number comprises:
means for sending the identification request to a second control device;
means for receiving a response message sent by the second control device in response to the identification request, wherein the response message contains the identification information.
14. The first control device of claim 12 or 13, wherein the first control device further comprises:
means for receiving an update request for the current location of said RFID tag sent from the first card reading device, wherein the update request comprises the identification information of said RFID tag;
means for storing or updating a position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFID tags based on the update request;
wherein the first control device further comprises:
means for receiving a request for querying the location of a target RFID tag submitted by a user, wherein the request comprises the identity of the target RFID tag; means for querying in the position data base comprising the location information of one or more RFIDs based on the identity of the target RFID tag, to obtain current location information of the target RFID tag;
means for providing the current location information to the user.
15. A system of identifying of an RFID tag, comprising a first card reading device of any one of claims 8 to 10, a second card reading device of claim 11, and a first control device according to any one of claims 12 to 14.
PCT/IB2013/000225 2012-02-17 2013-02-01 Method and apparatus for identifying an rfid tag WO2013121282A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201210037526.8 2012-02-17
CN201210037526.8A CN103258174B (en) 2012-02-17 2012-02-17 A kind of radio frequency identification label carries out the method and apparatus of identification

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2013121282A1 true WO2013121282A1 (en) 2013-08-22

Family

ID=48128526

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2013/000225 WO2013121282A1 (en) 2012-02-17 2013-02-01 Method and apparatus for identifying an rfid tag

Country Status (2)

Country Link
CN (1) CN103258174B (en)
WO (1) WO2013121282A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11213773B2 (en) 2017-03-06 2022-01-04 Cummins Filtration Ip, Inc. Genuine filter recognition with filter monitoring system

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107396298A (en) * 2017-08-28 2017-11-24 成都市保丽康科技有限公司 The closely personal identification method and system of a kind of multi-to-multi
CN110807339B (en) * 2019-11-04 2023-04-14 中国石油大学(华东) Lost label detection method of RFID system

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6185307B1 (en) * 1997-07-16 2001-02-06 Gilbarco Inc. Cryptography security for remote dispenser transactions
WO2009083708A1 (en) * 2007-12-28 2009-07-09 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Radio frequency identification devices and reader systems

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8041339B2 (en) * 2006-01-31 2011-10-18 Alcatel Lucent Method for secure authentication of mobile devices
CN101051903A (en) * 2007-03-30 2007-10-10 中山大学 RFID random key two-way certifying method accord with EPC C1G2 standard
US20090189743A1 (en) * 2008-01-24 2009-07-30 Alcatel-Lucent Radio-Frequency Identification Enabled Inventory Management and Network Operations System and Method
CN202003367U (en) * 2011-03-05 2011-10-05 徐州工程学院 Automatic number plate identification and positioning device based on mobile communication and radio frequency identification

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6185307B1 (en) * 1997-07-16 2001-02-06 Gilbarco Inc. Cryptography security for remote dispenser transactions
WO2009083708A1 (en) * 2007-12-28 2009-07-09 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Radio frequency identification devices and reader systems

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11213773B2 (en) 2017-03-06 2022-01-04 Cummins Filtration Ip, Inc. Genuine filter recognition with filter monitoring system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN103258174B (en) 2016-04-20
CN103258174A (en) 2013-08-21

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Anandhi et al. IoT enabled RFID authentication and secure object tracking system for smart logistics
US20080106386A1 (en) Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing mutual authentication for radio frequency identification (rfid) security
WO2012119434A1 (en) Method for dynamic authentication between reader and tag, and device therefor
Lin et al. A cloud-based authentication protocol for RFID supply chain systems
Solanas et al. A distributed architecture for scalable private RFID tag identification
CN101645138B (en) Radio frequency identification (RFID) privacy authenticating method
Dehkordi et al. Improvement of the hash-based RFID mutual authentication protocol
CN112308561A (en) Block chain-based evidence storing method and system, computer equipment and storage medium
Lv et al. Vulnerability analysis of elliptic curve cryptography‐based RFID authentication protocols
Safkhani et al. Implementation of secret disclosure attack against two IoT lightweight authentication protocols
WO2013121282A1 (en) Method and apparatus for identifying an rfid tag
Wang et al. Session-based security enhancement of RFID systems for emerging open-loop applications
Erguler et al. Security flaws in a recent RFID delegation protocol
Trujillo-Rasua et al. Predictive protocol for the scalable identification of RFID tags through collaborative readers
Lee et al. A new location verification protocol and blockchain-based drone rental mechanism in smart farming
Morshed et al. Secure ubiquitous authentication protocols for RFID systems
Tu et al. Security of lightweight mutual authentication protocols
Tu et al. On Group Ownership Delegate Protocol for RFID Systems
Safkhani et al. Strengthening the security of EPC C-1 G-2 RFID standard
Safkhani et al. On the security of an RFID‐based parking lot management system
Yin et al. Keep all mobile users′ whereabouts secure: A radio frequency identification protocol anti‐tracking in 5G
Agarwal et al. Identity-based security scheme in internet of vehicles
Anandhi et al. An RFID cloud authentication protocol for object tracking system in supply chain management
Lee et al. A new privacy-preserving path authentication scheme using RFID for supply chain management
Patela et al. A novel approach to address data security concerns in the IoT environment for healthcare domain using blockchain technology

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 13716825

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 13716825

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1