RFID authentication architecture and methods for RFID authentication

1. A method for mutual authentication in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprising an RFID reader and an RFID tag, the method comprising:

requesting an identifier from the RFID tag;

receiving the identifier;

selecting a password based at least in part on the identifier;

selecting a first of a plurality of indexed mathematical kernels, wherein the first mathematical kernel comprises a first parameter set;

using the first mathematical kernel to generate a first password key

encrypting the password using the first password key; and

transmitting the password encrypted using the first password key to the RFID tag.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) from the RFID tag indicating that the RFID tag was able to successfully verify the password encrypted using the first password;

generating a read memory request in response to the ACK received from the RFID tag;

transmitting the read memory request to the RFID tag; and

receiving data from the RFID tag in response to the read memory request.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a negative acknowledgement (NACK) from the RFID tag indicating that the RFID tag was not able to successfully verify the password encrypted using the first password key;

selecting, in response to receiving the NACK from the RFID tag, a second of the plurality of indexed mathematical kernels, wherein the second mathematical kernel comprises a second parameter set;

transmitting an index corresponding to the second indexed mathematical kernel to the RFID tag;

receiving a first acknowledgement (ACK) from the RFID tag indicating receipt of the index;

using the second mathematical kernel to generate a second password key;

encrypting the password using the second password key; and

transmitting the password encrypted using the second password key to the RFID tag.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving a second ACK from the RFID tag indicating that the tag was able to successfully verify the password encrypted using the second password key;

generating a read memory request in response to the second ACK received from the RFID tag;

transmitting the read memory request to the RFID tag; and

receiving data from the RFID tag in response to the read memory request.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising scrambling the password key.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the password key is scrambled based on one of a plurality of indexed scrambling logic.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scrambling of the password key comprises shuffling at least a portion of a plurality of bits comprising the password key.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scrambling of the password key comprises exchanging at least a portion of a plurality of bits comprising the password key.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scrambling of the password key comprises altering at least a portion of a plurality of bits comprising the password key.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the first mathematical kernel to generate the first password key comprises running a pseudorandom sequence generator (PRSG) based at least in part on the first parameter set, wherein a length of the PRSG corresponds to a length of the password.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first parameter set includes one or more values for a tap set for the PRSG, a number of cycles to run the PRSG, and an initialization vector (IV) associated with the tap set.

12. A method for mutual authentication in an RFID system comprising an RFID reader and an RFID tag, the method comprising;

providing an identifier to the RFID reader;

in response to the identifier, receiving, from the RFID reader, a password encrypted using a first password key generated using a first of a plurality of indexed mathematical kernels, wherein the first mathematical kernel comprises a first parameter set;

verifying the password encrypted using the first password key;

in response to successfully verifying the password encrypted using the first password key, transmitting a first acknowledgement (ACK) to the RFID reader;

receiving, from the RFID reader, a read memory request in response to the first ACK; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data stored at the RFID tag to the RFID reader in response to the read memory request.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

in response to not successfully verifying the password encrypted using the first password key, transmitting a negative acknowledgement (NACK) to the RFID reader;

receiving, from the RFID reader, an index corresponding to a second of the plurality of indexed mathematical kernels in response to the NACK, wherein the second mathematical kernel comprises a second parameter set;

transmitting, to the RFID reader, a second ACK in response to receiving the index from the RFID reader;

receiving, from the RFID reader, the password encrypted using a second password key generated using the second mathematical kernel;

verifying the password encrypted using the second password key;

in response to successfully verifying the password encrypted using the second password key, transmitting a third ACK to the RFID reader;

receiving a read memory request from the RFID reader in response to the third ACK; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data stored at the RFID tag to the RFID reader in response to the read memory request.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first password key is scrambled based on one of a plurality of scrambling logic.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the password key is scrambled by shuffling at least a portion of a plurality of bits comprising the password key.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the password key is scrambled by exchanging at least a portion of a plurality of bits comprising the password key.

17. The method of claim 14 , the password key is scrambled by altering at least a portion of a plurality of bits comprising the password key.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein using the first mathematical kernel to generate the first password key comprises running a pseudorandom sequence generator (PRSG) based at least in part on the first parameter set, wherein a length of the PRSG corresponds to a length of the password.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first parameter set includes one or more values for a tap set for the PRSG, a number of cycles to run the PRSG, and an initialization vector (IV) associated with the tap set.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein verifying the password encrypted using the first password key comprises:

decrypting the password encrypted using the first password key based on a password key corresponding to a last known mathematical kernel; and

comparing the decrypted password to a password stored at the RFID tag.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein verifying the password encrypted using the second password key comprises:

identifying the second mathematical kernel based at least in part on the index received from the RFID reader;

decrypting the password encrypted using the second password key based on a password key corresponding to the second mathematical kernel; and

comparing the decrypted password to a password stored at the RFID tag.

22. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining a number unsuccessful attempts to verify encrypted passwords received from the RFID reader; and

in response to determining that the number of unsuccessful attempts exceeds a predetermined threshold, entering a sleep state.