Contact-less tag with signature, and applications thereof

Abstract

A method, comprising: obtaining a signature from a contactlessly readable tag; decrypting the signature with a key to obtain (i) a candidate identifier and (ii) a scrambling code associated with the signature; and validating the candidate identifier based on at least one of the scrambling code and the signature. Also, a system, comprising: at least one tag reader configured to receive a plurality of signatures released by a respective plurality of tags, including a particular signature released by a particular one of the tags, and to cause decryption of the particular signature with a key to obtain (i) a candidate identifier, and (ii) a scrambling code associated with the signature; and a processing entity configured to effect validation of the candidate identifier based on at least one of the scrambling code and the signature.

1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a signature from a contactlessly readable tag;   decrypting the signature with a key to obtain:
 a candidate identifier, and 
 a scrambling code associated with the signature; and 
   validating the candidate identifier based on at least one of the scrambling code and the signature.   
     
     
         2 . The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein validating comprises determining whether said signature has been previously received. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein validating comprises determining whether said scrambling code was encoded in a previously received signature also encoding the candidate identifier. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein validating comprises determining whether said scrambling code or signature corresponds to an expected scrambling code or signature for said tag. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an index accompanying the signature; and   consulting a storage entity that stores potential keys associated with respective indexes to identify said key as the potential key associated with the index accompanying the signature.   
     
     
         16 . The method defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 consulting a storage entity comprising a plurality of potential keys;   wherein said decrypting is performed using a first one of said potential keys.   
     
     
         17 . The method defined in  claim 16 , said validating comprising:
 comparing the candidate identifier to a set of expected identifiers and, if there is no match, repeating said decrypting using another one of said potential keys until occurrence of:
 (i) a match between the candidate identifier and one of the expected identifiers; and 
 (ii) exhaustion of all potential keys without finding a match between the candidate identifier and any of the expected identifiers. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method defined in  claim 17 , further comprising concluding that said validation was potentially successful in the case of a match between the candidate identifier and one of the expected identifiers. 
     
     
         19 . The method defined in  claim 18 , further comprising concluding that said validation was unsuccessful in the case of exhaustion of all potential keys without finding a match between the candidate identifier and any of the expected identifiers. 
     
     
         20 . The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein if said validating is unsuccessful, the method further comprises denying access to property. 
     
     
         21 . The method defined in  claim 20 , wherein said property comprises at least one of: computing equipment, a computer network, a building, a portion of a building, an entrance, an exit and a vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein if said validating is unsuccessful, the method further comprises denying a transaction. 
     
     
         23 . The method defined in  claim 22 , wherein said transaction comprises at least one of: a financial transaction and a login to controlled online content. 
     
     
         24 . The method defined in  claim 1 , further comprising issuing a read request to the tag over a contact-less medium, wherein said obtaining occurs over the contact-less medium in response to issuing the read request. 
     
     
         25 . The method defined in  claim 1 , further comprising performing an action related to identification of an item associated with the tag, based on the identifier. 
     
     
         26 .- 50 . (canceled)