Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Airline RFID security luggage tag with passenger privacy-protection features

The newly patented Privatag tag system combines microchip technology with a visual passenger luggage and carry-on bag identification tag. This novel system helps verify, identify and track passengers and their baggage. The new tag can leverage ALL existing airline investments in passenger ticketing and kiosk systems to provide plug-and-play interfaces and product development partnerships, delivering a rapid solution for future TSA tracking requirements.

The new Intellareturn "BagTag" provides an airline passenger travel ID tag and recovery system that is affordable, bag-attached and electronic. BagTag allows airlines to offer accurate and immediate bag identification by both visual and ISO microchip tagging.

The plastic tag case includes a hollow cavity that is part of a novel property ID tag, which can be attached to any accessory including checked or carry-on bags to assist in helping to identify a bag and/or its owner. The tag is configured to hold an optional RFID transponder within the hollow cavity that includes passenger-controlled privacy protection features.

Intellareturn's BagTag is encased within a thin metallic coating or can incorporate another suitable radio-frequency shielding material designed to protect and disable wireless RFID tags from being read by unauthorized methods. Customers or authorized TSA professionals can activate the transponder capsule function by manually opening a protective ID tag cavity seal (or other protective "Faraday Cage"), which effectively enables the tag within the cavity to be externally read by TSA-approved radio frequency transponder methods with our Internet-linked security layer functions. The Privatag system disables the antenna and related circuits of the RFID transponder, so it cannot transmit data unless manually activated by the baggage item's owner.

* What is the product value?

This is the first airline passenger baggage microchip product to combine traditional baggage ID tag features with advanced microchip technology. The "PrivaTag" BagTag will deliver an affordable airline passenger tagging solution in the form of a permanent identification tag with replaceable RFID capsules affixed to passenger items.

The microchip built into the ReturnMe BagTag can be read 24/7 using a nationwide network of special electronic handheld readers, which can be distributed at TSA locations, police departments, baggage staff locations and/or courier/airline networks -- including airlines, FedEx, DHL and others.

RFID and privacy make TSA the winner!

Intellareturn Take: Part of the problem is that while RFID is simple, it's also misunderstood. Significant air passenger and RFID industry research has been published that documents a deep fear that "someone" can discretely "sniff" a tag while walking just inches from a person with their tag exposed -- or in their pocket. This fear has shown its ugly head most recently with the U.S. Passport program and Intellareturn doesn't think that the TSA wants to go down this same path of controversy with public perceptions and fear. If implemented, media sources and the passenger traveling public will say: "TSA got it." They "... understand the issues and have addressed them in a way that provides new levels of security and protection, balanced with the new demands of consumer privacy."