Information access control

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for information access control. Information read from a portable device is received. One portion of the information includes optical information read optically from the portable device and another portion of the information includes electromagnetic information read electromagnetically from the device. A cryptographic key is determined from the received information. The portable device is communicated with electromagnetically to retrieve an electromagnetic transmission packet that includes encrypted data. The retrieved encrypted data are decrypted using the determined cryptographic key.

1 . A method for accessing information from a portable device, the method comprising: 
 receiving information read from the portable device, a first portion of the information comprising optical information read optically from the portable device and a second portion of the information comprising electromagnetic information read electromagnetically from the portable device;    determining a cryptographic key from the received information; and    electromagnetically communicating with the portable device to retrieve an electromagnetic transmission packet from the portable device, the electromagnetic transmission packet comprising encrypted data; and    decrypting the retrieved encrypted data using the determined cryptographic key.    
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein electromagnetically communicating with the portable device comprises electromagnetically communicating with the portable device at a radio frequency.  
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the optical information comprises optical information read from a barcode printed on the portable device.  
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein determining the cryptographic key from the received information comprises determining the cryptographic key from the optical information.  
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 activating an antenna to receive the electromagnetic transmission packet; and    deactivating the antenna after receiving the electromagnetic transmission packet.    
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the electromagnetic transmission packet further comprises a digital signature, the method further comprising verifying an authenticity of the digital signature.  
     
     
         7 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the encrypted data are encrypted using an elliptic-curve cryptographic technique.  
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the electromagnetic transmission packet further comprises nonencrypted data.  
     
     
         9 . A processing device for accessing information from a portable device, the processing device comprising: 
 a radio-frequency antenna;    an optical reader;    secure-access memory; and    a processor in communication with the radio-frequency antenna, the optical reader, and the secure-access memory, the processor coupled with a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the process, the computer-readable program comprising: 
 instructions for receiving information from the portable device, a first portion of the information comprising optical information read optically from the portable device with the optical reader and a second portion of the information comprising electromagnetic information read electromagnetically from the portable device and received with the radio-frequency antenna;  
 instructions for determining a cryptographic key from the received information;  
 instructions for electromagnetically communicating with the portable device using the radio-frequency antenna to retrieve an electromagnetic transmission packet from the portable device, the electromagnetic transmission packet comprising encrypted data; and  
 instructions for decrypting the retrieved encrypted data using the determined cryptographic key.  
   
     
     
         10 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein the instructions for electromagnetically communicating with the portable device comprise instructions for electromagnetically communicating with the portable device at a radio frequency.  
     
     
         11 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein the optical information comprises optical information read from a barcode printed on the portable device.  
     
     
         12 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein the instructions for determining the cryptographic key from the received information comprise instructions for determining the cryptographic key from the optical information.  
     
     
         13 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein the computer-readable program further comprises: 
 instructions for activating the radio-frequency antenna to receive the electromagnetic transmission packet; and    instructions for deactivating the radio-frequency antenna after receiving the electromagnetic transmission packet.    
     
     
         14 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein: 
 the electromagnetic transmission packet further comprises a digital signature; and    the computer-readable program further comprises instructions for verifying an authenticity of the digital signature.    
     
     
         15 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein the encrypted data are encrypted using an elliptic-curve cryptographic technique.  
     
     
         16 . The processing device recited in  claim 9  wherein the electromagnetic transmission packet further comprises nonencrypted data.