Patent ID: 7940073

Claim:
A method of permanently disabling a wireless transponder or a RFID device, comprising: a) instructing the wireless transponder or RFID device to erase or reprogram a programmable non-volatile memory, the wireless transponder or RFID device having (i) a non-changeable non-volatile memory storing an activation code, (ii) a changeable non-volatile memory adapted to store a duplicate copy of the activation code, and (iii) logic to disable the entire wireless transponder or RFID device when the code in the changeable non-volatile memory has been changed or erased after an integrated circuit corresponding to the wireless transponder or RFID device is separated from a substrate; and b) permanently disabling the wireless transponder or RFID device by erasing or reprogramming the changeable non-volatile memory such that the activation code in the changeable non-volatile memory does not directly or logically match the activation code in the non-changeable non-volatile memory.