Temporary ID Synchronization for RFID Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RFID terminal identification methods face challenges in synchronizing terminal IDs in one-way communication environments, suffer from ID collisions due to short ID lengths, and require resource-intensive authentication processes, particularly in low-cost, mobile wireless terminals with limited processing power and battery life.
Innovation Solution
A terminal identification method that uses shared hash functions to generate and synchronize temporary IDs between terminals and a server, reducing the need for complex calculations and communication steps, and optimizing wireless bandwidth by representing the number of hashing operations with fewer bits, thereby minimizing power consumption and encryption requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional RFID terminal identification methods are used, then terminal identification is achieved, but terminal ID synchronization cannot be performed in one-way communication environments
Solution Approach 1:
The server pre-calculates and stores the correspondence between terminal IDs and temporary IDs in a table before actual communication. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time synchronization during one-way communication, as the terminal simply needs to transmit its permanent terminal ID and receive the corresponding temporary ID from the server.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If temporary IDs are generated using hash chains with multiple hashing operations, then privacy protection is improved, but processing power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication process is divided into two distinct phases: a server-side preparation phase where the server pre-calculates hash chains and stores them in a table, and a client-side execution phase where the terminal performs only a single hash operation using a pre-provided key. This segmentation dramatically reduces the computational burden on mobile terminals while maintaining privacy protection through the server's pre-computed hash chains.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporary ID as an intermediary between the permanent terminal ID and the hash chain. The temporary ID serves as a bridge that allows the terminal to access pre-computed hash chains from the server without needing to perform complex hashing operations itself, thereby reducing processing power consumption while maintaining privacy.
3Reliability
If authentication processes use complex calculations and multiple communication steps, then authentication security is improved, but power consumption and bandwidth usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs all complex authentication calculations in advance and stores the results in a table. During actual authentication, the server only needs to retrieve pre-computed values and transmit them to the terminal, eliminating the need for complex real-time calculations and reducing both power consumption and communication overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copied pre-computed hash chain values stored in the server's table as substitutes for performing complex calculations in real-time. Instead of calculating authentication values during each authentication event, the server uses copies of pre-calculated values, significantly reducing processing requirements and energy consumption.
4Measurement precision
If terminal IDs are represented with more bits to prevent collisions, then identification accuracy is improved, but wireless bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identification process into two parts: the permanent terminal ID (which can be short since it's stored in a database) and the temporary ID (which is derived through hashing). This segmentation allows the system to use shorter IDs in wireless communications while maintaining unique identification through the server's database mapping, reducing bandwidth consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal identification method is provided which enables two-way communications between terminals and a network while identifying terminal IDs and protecting privacy. Also, authentication method and system are provided which require no complicated calculating process, less steps and smaller amount for wireless communications, and less power consumption. A server and terminal share a hash function and an initial value determined for each terminal, calculate the same temporary ID by hashing the initial value the same number of times with the hash function, and identify the terminal using the calculated temporary ID. The server and the terminal also hold a common hash function and authentication information, acquire an authenticating communication parameter from communication parameters temporarily common during communication, and generate an authentication key using the authentication information, the authenticating communication parameter, and the hash function. Then at least one of the server and terminal performs authentication using the generated authentication key.