Method for upgrading RFID readers in situ

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9563794-B2
Application number	US-201214004924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2012
Priority date	Mar 17, 2011
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A reader-enhancing device is proposed which enables an in situ upgrade of readers having limited processing capabilities. The reader-enhancing device includes an emulation module that is capable of generating an output which emulates a first type of credential when the reader-enhancing device receives an input that is not in a format used by the first type of credential. The output generated by the emulation module enables the reader to respond to the input even though the input is not in a format natively supported by the reader.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a reader-enhancing device within a read range of a reader, wherein the reader is natively configured to read a first type of credential;
configuring the reader-enhancing device such that an output of the reader enhancing device emulates the first type of credential so as to enable communications between the reader-enhancing device and the reader;
receiving input at the reader-enhancing device, the input received at the reader-enhancing device being different than an input received from the first type of credential; and
in response to receiving the input at the reader-enhancing device, generating, at the reader-enhancing device, an output which emulates the first type of credential thereby enabling the reader to respond to the input received at the reader-enhancing device, wherein the reader is not configured to read the input received at the reader-enhancing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of credential comprises a 125 kHz credential and wherein the input received at the reader-enhancing device comprises one or more of credential input from a 13.56 MHz credential and user-provided input.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reader-enhancing device comprises a power source that at least partially utilizes energy from an RF field generated by the reader.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the power source further comprises one or more of a batter, a capacitor, a super-capacitor, and a solar cell.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reader-enhancing device is configured to memorize characteristics of the reader including one or more of the reader's frequency variation, power levels, polling rate, and timing so that the reader-enhancing device is configured to interface only with the reader having the memorized characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating the reader-enhancing device during a period of time when the reader is not generating an RF field.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a virtual credential output at the reader-enhancing device; and
providing the virtual credential output to the reader, wherein the virtual credential output is provided in a format identical to a format used by the first type of credential.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the virtual credential output is generated in the absence of the reader-enhancing device receiving an external input.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the virtual credential output is generated in response to the reader-enhancing device detecting evidence of tamper with one or both of the reader and reader-enhancing device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual credential output contains configuration data which, when received by the reader, reprograms at least one characteristic of the reader includes one or more of the following: frequency variation, operating frequency, power levels, polling rate, timing characteristics, reader model number, firmware version, reader identifier, and data which describes the reader.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the virtual credential output contains one or more of cryptographic data, encryption keys, and random number seeds.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
changing one or more operating characteristics of the reader-enhancing device by establishing a communication channel with the reader-enhancing device and providing the reader-enhancing device with one or more commands via the communication channel which causes the reader-enhancing device to change one or more of its operating characteristics; and
wherein the reader-enhancing device, prior to changing one or more of its operating characterizes, is absent operating characteristics enabling the reader-enhancing device to perform at least one of providing the output and receiving the input.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reader-enhancing device is configured to reject credentials having a location identifier, company identifier, or site code different from a predetermined location identifier, a predetermined company identifier, or a predetermined site code, respectively.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reader-enhancing device is configured to receive a user-provided input and based on the user-provided input generate an output which emulates the first type of credential.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the output generated based on the user-provided input comprises an alteration of the user-provided input into a format used by the first type of credential.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the output generated based on the user-provided input comprises an emulation template that is known by the reader-enhancing device, before transmission of the output to the reader, to be evaluated as valid by the reader.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of the terminal, perform the method of claim 1 .

18. A method, comprising:
securing a reader-enhancing device on or within read range of a reader, wherein the reader is natively configured to only process data from a first type of credential, wherein the reader-enhancing device is configured to process one or both of data from a second type of credential and user-provided data;
receiving input at the reader-enhancing device;
analyzing the input received at the reader-enhancing device;
determining that the input is not in a format used by the first type of credential; and
generating, at the reader-enhancing device, an output which emulates the first type of credential thereby enabling the reader to respond to the input received at the reader-enhancing device, wherein the reader is not configured to read the input received at the reader-enhancing device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the reader-enhancing device comprises a sticker that is secured to the reader with an adhesive.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the reader-enhancing device comprises a face-plate that is secured to the reader with one or more connectors.

21. A reader-enhancing device operating in cooperation with a reader that is configured to only process data from a first type of credential, the reader-enhancing device comprising:
memory including an emulation module configured to generate an output which emulates the first type of credential when the reader-enhancing device receives an input that is not in a format used by the first type of credential, wherein the output generated by the emulation module enables the reader to respond to the input even though the input is not in a format used by the first type of credential or a format that is readable by the reader; and
a processor configured to execute the emulation module.

22. The reader-enhancing device of claim 21 , wherein the reader-enhancing device comprises a via which enables a user to access a user interface of the reader even though the reader-enhancing device is positioned over a surface of the reader which comprises the user interface.

Assignees

• Davis Michael L
• Hulusi Tam
• Spitler Debra
• Assa Abloy Ab

Inventors

• Davis Michael L
• Hulusi Tam
• Spitler Debra

Classifications

• G07C9/20

  involving the use of a pass · CPC title

• G06K7/0008

  General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer · CPC title

• G06K7/10227 Primary

  loading programming parameters or programs into the interrogator, e.g. for configuring the interrogator · CPC title

• G06K7/10287

  the arrangement including a further device in the proximity of the interrogation device, e.g. signal scrambling devices · CPC title

• G06K7/10009

  sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves · CPC title