Radio-frequency-device personalization

Abstract

Radio-frequency devices that have internal radio-frequency chips are personalized. A radio-frequency device is inserted into a package. An identifier is read electromagnetically from the radio-frequency chip with a radio-frequency transceiver while the radio-frequency device is within the package. Personalization information is written electromagnetically onto the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package. An association between the personalization information and the identifier is recorded on a storage device.

1 . A method of personalizing a radio-frequency device that comprises a radio-frequency chip internal to the radio-frequency device, the method comprising:
 inserting the radio-frequency device into a package;   electromagnetically reading an identifier from the radio-frequency chip with a radio-frequency transceiver while the radio-frequency device is within the package;   electromagnetically writing personalization information onto the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package, wherein the personalization information comprises financial-account information defining a financial account used to support financial transactions; and   electronically recording in a database an association between the personalization information and the identifier on a storage device.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the package is labeled for delivery to a recipient prior to inserting the radio-frequency device into the package. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 2  further comprising, prior to writing the personalization information onto the radio-frequency chip:
 reading an optical code from the labeled package; and   identifying the personalization information to be written onto the radio-frequency chip from the optical code.   
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 3  wherein the optical code comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 3  further comprising, after writing the personalization information onto the radio frequency chip, as part of a quality-assurance process:
 reading the optical code from the labeled package;   identifying the personalization information to have been written onto the radio-frequency chip from the optical code;   electromagnetically reading the identifier from the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package;   retrieving a purported identifier from a record of an association between the personalization information and the purported identifier; and   comparing the identifier with the purported identifier.   
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 5  further comprising:
 electromagnetically reading the personalization information from the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package; and   comparing the retrieved personalization information with the identified personalization information to have been written onto the radio-frequency chip.   
     
     
         7 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the identifier comprises an alphanumeric string. 
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 1  further comprising:
 encrypting the personalization information prior to electromagnetically writing the personalization information onto the radio-frequency chip; and   electromagnetically writing an encryption key onto the radio-frequency chip.   
     
     
         9 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein:
 the radio-frequency device comprises an optical code; and   recording the association between the personalization information and the identifier comprises recording an association among the personalization information, the identifier, and the optical code.   
     
     
         10 . The method recited in  claim 9  further comprising, prior to inserting the radio-frequency device into the package:
 reading the optical code from the radio-frequency device;   electromagnetically reading the identifier from the radio-frequency chip; and   recording an association between the optical code and the identifier on the storage device.   
     
     
         11 . The method recited in  claim 1  wherein the personalization information identifies a financial account. 
     
     
         12 . A method of preparing a radio-frequency device for delivery to a recipient, the radio-frequency device comprising a radio-frequency chip internal to the radio-frequency device, the method comprising:
 labeling a package with an indicia and an identification of the recipient;   inserting the radio-frequency device into the package;   electromagnetically reading an identifier from the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package;   identifying personalization information from the indicia, wherein the personalization information comprises financial-account information defining a financial account used to support financial transactions;   electromagnetically writing the personalization information onto the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package; and   recording an association among the personalization information, the identifier, and the indicia.   
     
     
         13 . The method recited in  claim 12  wherein the radio-frequency devices includes a first optical code, wherein the indicia on the label comprises a second optical code, and further comprising:
 initializing a record for the radio-frequency device, the initializing comprising:
 reading the first optical code from the radio-frequency device; 
 electromagnetically reading the identifier from the radio-frequency chip; and 
 recording an association between the first optical code and the identifier as part of the record; and 
   thereafter verifying the personalization information written onto the radio-frequency chip as part of a quality-assurance process, the verifying comprising:   reading the second optical code from the labeled package;   identifying the personalization information to have been written onto the radio-frequency chip from the second optical code;   electromagnetically reading the identifier from the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package;   retrieving a purported identifier from a record of an association among the personalization information, the purported identifier, the first optical code, and the second optical code; and   comparing the identifier with the purported identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The method recited in  claim 13  wherein the verifying further comprises:
 electromagnetically reading the personalization information from the radio-frequency chip while the radio-frequency device is within the package; and   comparing the retrieved personalization information with the identified personalization information to have been written onto the radio-frequency chip.   
     
     
         15 . A method for personalizing a plurality of radio-frequency devices in an automated process, each such radio-frequency device comprising a radio-frequency chip internal to the radio-frequency device, the method comprising:
 labeling a plurality of packages, each such package comprising an optical code and delivery information for a recipient of one of the plurality of radio-frequency devices;   for each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices,
 inserting the each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices into one of the plurality of packages; 
 reading the optical code from the one of the plurality of packages; 
 identifying personalization information to be written to the radio-frequency chip of the each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices from the read optical code, wherein the personalization information comprises financial-account information defining a financial account used to support financial transactions; 
 electromagnetically reading an identifier from the radio-frequency chip of the each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices while the each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices is within the package; 
 electromagnetically writing the personalization information onto the radio-frequency chip of the each of the plurality of radio-frequency devices while the each of the radio-frequency devices is within the package; and 
 recording an association between the identified personalization information and the identifier on a storage device; and 
   transmitting the plurality of packages to recipients according to the delivery information.   
     
     
         16 . The method recited in  claim 15  wherein labeling the plurality of packages comprises:
 printing a label for each of the plurality of packages, the label including the optical code and the delivery information; and   affixing the label to the each of the plurality of packages.   
     
     
         17 . The method recited in  claim 15  wherein the delivery information for the recipient comprises an address for the recipient. 
     
     
         18 . The method recited in  claim 15  further comprising verifying the personalization information written onto the radio-frequency chip for each of a subset of the plurality of radio-frequency devices, the verifying comprising:
 reading the optical code from one of the plurality of packages, the each of the subset of the plurality of radio-frequency devices being within the one of the plurality of packages;   identifying the personalization information to have been written onto the radio-frequency chip comprised by the each of the subset of the plurality of radio-frequency devices from the read optical code;   electromagnetically reading the identifier from the radio-frequency chip comprised by the each of the subset of the plurality of radio-frequency devices while the each of the subset of the plurality of radio-frequency devices is within the one of the plurality of packages;   retrieving a purported identifier from a record of an association among the personalization information to have been written onto the radio-frequency chip comprised by the each of the subset of the plurality of radio-frequency devices, the purported identifier, and the optical code read from the one of the plurality of packages; and   comparing the identifier with the purported identifier.   
     
     
         19 . The method recited in  claim 15  wherein each such radio-frequency device further comprises a optical code associated with the identifier for the radio-frequency chip comprised by the each such radio-frequency device and optically readable from the each such radio-frequency device. 
     
     
         20 . The method recited in  claim 19  wherein the optical code associated with the identifier for the radio-frequency chip comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         21 . The method recited in  claim 15  wherein the optical code comprised by each such package comprises a bar code.