Patent Application
20070116291
The present invention relates generally to proximity networks and more particularly to creating a network using passive printed circuit tags that provide user authentication.
Today, many electronic devices can communicate with other devices through the use of radio frequency (RF) wireless connections such as Bluetooth or wireless fidelity (WiFi). As wireless communications become the dominant form of interconnection between electronic devices in both the home and the office, security to prevent unauthorized access to these wireless communications systems becomes of greater importance. Although most conventional communication systems include some form of security such as authentication and/or encryption, even the best security systems may be subject to being hacked or breached by unauthorized users.
One technology that has been used to provide both location tracking and security is the radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. A disadvantage in using RFID technology is that it can be complex and expensive, requiring the use of bulky cards that are affixed to the tracking object. Another type of technology called “poly apply” by the PolyApply Consortium (www.polyapply.org) is used to produce an electronic circuit on a flat surface such a paper or a polymer tape. Examples utilizing this technology include U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,299 to Eberhardt, which is herein incorporated by reference, which describes a radio frequency identification tag having a circuit chip which is coupled to an antenna and comprises a conductive pattern that is printed onto a substrate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,138 to Eberhardt et al., which is incorporated by reference, describes an integrated circuit assembly that includes an integrated circuit coupled to printed circuit conductors such as tag electrodes on a flexible substrate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,110 to Pennaz et al., which is herein incorporated by reference, describes an RFID tag that uses an integrated circuit that is easily connected to an antenna. U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,332 to Eberhardt et al., which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses a radio frequency identification tag whose integrated circuit is easily bonded to a substrate. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,727 to Diprizio et al., which is also herein incorporated by reference, discloses a capacitively powered radio frequency identification device that uses a substrate with first and second surfaces to form the capacitor for charging the device.
Thus, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technology to produce a substantially flat RF circuit that can be energized when in proximity to an electric field is currently available for use. Since an antenna can be co-located with the circuit, these devices can be easily concealed for specialized use. A disadvantage associated with the “poly apply” technology is that it is utilized for large-scale location applications and not for providing authenticating information on smaller networks. Moreover the technology has been used as a single use application and not in tandem or multiple applications for enabling authenticated communications within groups or subgroups within a network.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to a proximity network system. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention described herein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the proximity network described herein. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, a radio receiver, a radio transmitter, signal drivers, clock circuits, power source circuits, and user input devices. As such, these functions may be interpreted as steps of a method to perform proximity network detection. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.
Turning now to
Similarly, the household appliance 107 such as a kitchen oven can be used with a digital reader 117 that includes a tag 113. In this embodiment, the tag 113 not only allows access to the home network 101 but can also verify that data such as a recipe received by the reader 117 can instruct the household appliance 107 regarding cooking temperatures and the cooking time duration for operation. It should be evident to those skilled in the art, although a recipe is used here by way of example, that any digital data can be input to the household appliance 107 through the use of a tag 113. The invention also allows an entertainment device 109 such as a DVD player to utilize a tag 113 to not only gain access to the home network 101 but also control the media used with the device. For example, a DVD media 119 can be used with a tag 113 to authenticate each DVD that can be used with the DVD player. If the tag 113 is not affixed to the DVD 119, then the DVD media cannot be used with the DVD player 109.
As seen in
Similarly,
Next, device 403 transmits an encrypted acknowledgment 409 for message using the algorithm associated with tag #1. Device 403 also transmits an encrypted message to device 401 using an encryption algorithm associated with tag #1. Moreover, device 403 also sends an acknowledgment message 413 for the communication it received using tag #2. Similarly, device 405 transmits an encrypted acknowledgment message to device 401 acknowledging the recognition of the message using tag #1. Device 405 also sends a separate encrypted acknowledgment message 417 to device 401 for the message using tag #3. Hence, the method 400 allows devices 401, 403 and 405 to communicate amongst themselves using encryption algorithms based on the type of tag (#1, #2, and/or #3) that are affixed to the device. Attaching tags to these devices allows each device to send and receive encrypted communications to other devices, allowing only those devices which are affixed with the appropriate tag to communicate and receive the appropriate network communications.
Thus, the invention is directed to a proximity system and method that uses a substantially flat tag or label that embodies an electronic circuit for use in authenticating a device and/or communications with other devices in a wireless network. The invention also includes an embodiment to allow media such CD (compact disc), DVD or otherwise to include identification tags so that they can be used with their associated devices. In yet another embodiment, the tag can be used to hold authentication information and encryption information or other data used in the operation of home appliances or entertainment devices to convey specific operational instructions.
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
