RFID Tag Memory Remapping for Privacy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
RFID tags lack effective mechanisms to protect consumer privacy and secure sensitive data, as they can be surreptitiously read, leading to concerns about unauthorized access and data privacy.
Innovation Solution
RFID tags with multiple memory sections and a processing block that can map different data sections in response to commands, allowing the tag to exhibit alternative identities and enhance privacy by remapping data, thereby altering its behavior to protect sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If RFID tags store and transmit data openly for identification purposes, then the tags can be easily read and identified by RFID readers, but consumer privacy and sensitive data are exposed to unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The tag memory is divided into multiple sections (first section and second section) that can be independently mapped. The processing block selectively maps different sections based on received commands, allowing the system to segment data access into public and private portions, thereby protecting sensitive information while maintaining ease of reading for authorized operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing block dynamically changes the mapping configuration in response to different commands. When a first command is received, the first section is mapped; when a second command is received, the second section is mapped. This dynamic remapping capability allows the tag to adapt its data exposure level based on the operation context, balancing readability with privacy protection.
2Reliability
If RFID tags use fixed memory mapping for consistent data access, then data retrieval is simple and reliable, but the tags cannot adapt to different operational contexts or protect sensitive information
Solution Approach 1:
The processing block is configured to change memory section mapping dynamically based on the type of command received. This dynamic adaptation allows the same tag to provide consistent reliable access for authorized operations while simultaneously adapting to protect sensitive data in other contexts, achieving both reliability and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the mapping parameter (which memory section is accessible) based on the command type. This parameter change allows the tag to maintain reliable data access for legitimate operations while adapting its behavior to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, thereby achieving both consistency and adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables RFID tags to exhibit different behaviors, providing enhanced consumer privacy by switching between readable and secure states, ensuring that sensitive data is protected and can only be accessed under authorized conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The tag generates the transmitted back RF wave either originally, or by reflecting back a portion of the interrogating RF wave in a process known as backscatter.
Data Source
AI summary
RFID tags, ICs for RFID tags, and methods are provided. In some embodiments, an RFID tag includes a memory with multiple sections, and a processing block. The processing block may map one of these sections, or another of these sections, for purposes of responding to a first command from an RFID reader. As such, an RFID tag can operate according to the data stored in the section mapped at the time. In some embodiments, a tag can even transition from mapping one of the sections to mapping another of the sections. This can amount to the tag exhibiting alternative behaviors, and permits hiding data on the tag.