Beacon security
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods that include a beacon that includes an antenna; data storage configured to store a code that is calculated according to an algorithm and based on a first variable, the first variable being defined according to a first interval of time; and a processor configured to cause the code to be emitted by the beacon.
1. A beacon, comprising:
an antenna;
data storage configured to store a code that is useable by a receiving device to verify that the beacon has not been misappropriated, the code calculated according to an algorithm and based on a first variable, the first variable being defined according to a first interval of time; and
a processor configured to cause the code to be emitted by the beacon.
2. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is derived from fixed data and at least one dynamic variable.
3. The beacon of claim 2 , wherein one of the at least one dynamic variables is a time variable.
4. The beacon of claim 3 , wherein the fixed data is one of beacon identification data, beacon attribute data, physical identification data, software identification data, and location data.
5. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is calculated at the beacon.
6. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is calculated at a server.
7. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is a beacon identifier.
8. The beacon of claim 1 , further comprising an integrated circuit chip that includes the data storage and the processor.
9. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the algorithm is a format preserving encryption algorithm.
10. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is calculated on a real time basis.
11. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is encapsulated with an energizing mechanism.
12. The beacon of claim 3 , wherein the code is one of a set of codes.
13. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the beacon is one of a radio frequency (RF) beacon, an infrared beacon, or a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag.
14. The beacon of claim 1 , wherein the code is a first code, a first device calculates the first code according to the algorithm input into the first device, wherein the first code is based on a static variable, and the first interval of time is a time when an inputting of the algorithm to the first device occurred; and further comprising inputting the static variable, the first code, and the algorithm into a second device, wherein the second device calculates at least one secondary code based on the static variable and two or more second dynamic variables defined by a second interval of time in which the step of inputting to the second device occurred.
15. The beacon of claim 14 , wherein the second device correlates beacon data to a location based on the first code.
16. The beacon of claim 14 , wherein the second device determines that the second device is within a specific location defined by a beacon network; and after determining that the second device is within the specific location, the second device makes a change to information provided to a user of the second device.
17. The beacon of claim 3 , wherein the code is one of a set of codes.
18. The beacon of claim 17 , wherein the time variable has an evenly spaced duration.
19. The beacon of claim 17 , wherein the time variable has varying lengths of time.
20. A means for emitting a code from a beacon, comprising:
a means for storing the code that is calculated according to an algorithm and based on a first variable, the first variable being defined according to a first interval of time, the code useable by a receiving device to verify that the beacon has not been misappropriated; and
a means for causing the code to be emitted by the beacon.