Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, including near field communication (NFC) enabled RFID devices, are utilized for a variety of purposes. Often such devices are formed as tags or labels and can be utilized to associate an object with an identification code or other data, such as website data. Such RFID devices may be passive and, upon receiving a signal, such as an excitation signal from an RFID or NFC-enabled reader, may be energized. The devices can then respond with a desired communication or provide information associated with a product, item or service associated with the RFID device.
Specifically, NFC is a data exchange protocol designed to allow devices, including suitably equipped mobile phones and the like, to interact with infrastructures, such as point of sale terminals and ticket gates on transportation systems, or RFID devices in the forms of “smart posters” or “touchpoints”, for example. In such situations, bringing an NFC enabled device into proximity of such infrastructure or RFID devices can cause the transmission of data to the NFC enabled device, resulting in, for example, the opening of a web page, the acceptance of a media stream via Bluetooth or any of a number of other functions.
Often the manner of associating a product, item or service with an RFID device is to physically couple or adhere, attach, affix, etc., the RFID device to the product or item, or associate it with advertising, packaging or marketing materials relating to the product, item or service, such as the “smart poster” creating a “touchpoint” described herein. For example, RFID labels may be coupled adhesively or mechanically (permanent pressure sensitive adhesive to thwart removal, switchable or removable adhesives so the RFID tag can be removed, or mechanical or other physical attachment, e.g. hook and loop type fasteners) to objects or may otherwise have surfaces that attach directly to objects. RFID tags may be secured to object in other manners, such as through the use of a plastic fastener, string or other fastening mechanism. Such RFID devices may then provide data to NFC enabled devices located or placed proximate the RFID devices.
Additionally, RFID devices are often associated with the product or item, packaging or advertising item, in such a manner as to conceal or secure the RFID device. Such methods can provide security against the removal or misuse of an RFID device. However, in such circumstances, and particularly with NFC enabled devices designed to convey information to consumers with NFC enabled mobile phones and devices, there is a designated area (touchpoint) on an advertisement, packaging or product that indicates information can be obtained if the NFC enabled device is placed in close proximity to an area associated with the RFID device. However, as it is then known that information can be obtained from such areas, vandal or “pirate” RFID devices are often placed in close proximity to the indicated NFC area. The vandal or pirate devices often contain deceptive, misleading, undesired, counterfeit or malicious information. These devices can be coupled with or adhered to products and items, or advertisements associated with those items, leading to inappropriate or malicious information being unknowingly communicated to a user's NFC-enabled device including the perpetration of a fraud in an effort to market or sell counterfeit goods and/or services.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds