Arduino RFID checksum calculation and key visualization

Question

I\'m using this RFID module for Arduino Ethernet R3 and I need to retrieve from the Software Serial the card (TAG) ID that is written outside the tag. The module\'s datasheet sa

Answer 1

Here's a walkthrough of how to calculate the checksum.

Take your card number (this is just directly quoted from your text)

I received: 2
I received: 51
I received: 67
I received: 48
I received: 48
I received: 67
I received: 69
I received: 55
I received: 53
I received: 52
I received: 67
I received: 67
I received: 66
I received: 3

This would give you a number that is equivalent to the following:

2 51 67 48 48 67 69 55 53 52 67 67 66 3

The first numer (2) indicates that this is the beginning of a request.

The last number (3) indicates that this is the end of a request.

2 51 67 48 48 67 69 55 53 52 67 67 66 3

For the purposes of calculating the checksum, we are going to remove these two numbers. So your new number is now:

51 67 48 48 67 69 55 53 52 67 67 66

The last two numbers that you have are your checksum. The remaining numbers are your card number. So:

Your card number is:

51 67 48 48 67 69 55 53 52 67

And your checksum is:

67 66

Next you need to convert your Card Number and your Checksum to ASCII values:

Your card number is:

3 C 0 0 C E 7 5 4 C

And your checksum is:

C B

Next, grab each number into pairs:

Your card number is:

3C 00 CE 75 4C

And your checksum is:

CB

Then you need to treat each pair as a HEXIDECIMAL value and do an XOR against them. So basically you need to prove the following:

3C ^ 00 ^ CE ^ 75 ^ 4C == CB

(3C ^ 00) = 3C

3C ^ CE ^ 75 ^ 4C == CB

(3C ^ CE) = F2

F2 ^ 75 ^ 4C == CB

(3C ^ CE) = 87

87 ^ 4C == CB

(87 ^ 4C) = CB

CB == CB

Because CB == CB, this is a valid transaction.

No doubt someone else can come up with a better approach than this, but there should be enough pseudo code here for you to write it yourself.

Answer 2

I found this blog which has an implementation in Arduino, I've adapted it to work in Java and results are good. Since there are a lot of bitwise operations - I used http://www.miniwebtool.com/bitwise-calculator/ to try to understand what's going on. I understand all of it except (val | (tempbyte << 4)), I mean I understand what the statement does, I just struggle to see how that produces the result I want.

void loop () {
  byte i = 0;
  byte val = 0;
  byte code[6];
  byte checksum = 0;
  byte bytesread = 0;
  byte tempbyte = 0;

  if(Serial.available() > 0) {
    if((val = Serial.read()) == 2) {
      // check for header 
      bytesread = 0; 
      while (bytesread < 12) {
        // read 10 digit code + 2 digit checksum
        if( Serial.available() > 0) {
          val = Serial.read();
          if((val == 0x0D)||(val == 0x0A)||(val == 0x03)||(val == 0x02)) {
            // if header or stop bytes before the 10 digit reading
            break;
            // stop reading
          }
          // Do Ascii/Hex conversion:
          if ((val >= '0') && (val <= '9')) {
            val = val - '0';
          } else if ((val >= 'A') && (val <= 'F')) {
            val = 10 + val - 'A';
          }
          // Every two hex-digits, add byte to code:
          if (bytesread & 1 == 1) {
            // make some space for this hex-digit by
            // shifting the previous hex-digit with 4 bits to the left:
            code[bytesread >> 1] = (val | (tempbyte << 4));
            if (bytesread >> 1 != 5) {
              // If we're at the checksum byte,
              checksum ^= code[bytesread >> 1];
              // Calculate the checksum... (XOR)
            };
          } else {
            tempbyte = val;
            // Store the first hex digit first...
          };
          bytesread++;
          // ready to read next digit
        }
      }
      // Output to Serial:
      if (bytesread == 12) {
        // removed code for clarity
        LCD.print("Check:");
        LCD.print(code[5], HEX);
        LCD.print(code[5] == checksum ? "-passed" : "-error");
      }
      bytesread = 0;
    }
  }
}

My Java/Android port is listening over a BluetoothSocket. I'm using the code from BlueTerm as the base, this code goes in the ConnectedThread. Apologies for all silly comments, but I'm still learning Java).

//assume you have checksum as int and code as int array. it will overflow if bytes are used like above example
public void run() {
  Log.d(TAG, "BEGIN mConnectedThread");
  byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
  int bytes;
  // Keep listening to the InputStream while connected
  while (true) {
    Log.d(TAG, "Running");
    try {
      // Read from the InputStream
      bytes = mmInStream.read(buffer);
      for (int i = 0; i < bytes; i++) {
        Log.d(TAG, "Reading: " + i + " of " + bytes + " from input stream");
        byte b = buffer[i];
        try {
          if(bytesread >= 0) {
            //just printing ASCII
            char printableB = (char) b;
            if (b < 32 || b > 126) printableB = ' ';
            Log.d(TAG, "'" + Character.toString(printableB) + "' (" + Integer.toString(b) + ")");
            if((b == 0x0D)||(b == 0x0A)||(b == 0x03)||(b == 0x02)) {
              // if header or stop bytes before the 10 digit reading
              Log.e(TAG, i + " Unexpected header while processing character " + Integer.toString(b));
            } else {
              // Do ASCII/Hex conversion
              if ((b >= '0') && (b <= '9')) {
                b = (byte) (b - '0');
              } else if ((b >= 'A') && (b <= 'F')) {
                b = (byte) (10 + b - 'A');
              }
              if ((bytesread & 1) == 1) {
                //if isOdd(bytesread)
              // make some space for this hex-digit by shifting the previous hex-digit with 4 bits to the left:
              code[bytesread >> 1] = (b | (tempbyte << 4));
              if (bytesread >> 1 != 5) {
                // If we're not at the checksum byte,
                checksum ^= code[bytesread >> 1];
                // Calculate the checksum... (XOR)
              }
            } else {
              // Store the first hex digit first
              tempbyte = b; 
            }
          }
          bytesread++;
        } else if(b == 2) {
          bytesread = 0;
          Log.d(TAG, "Header found!");
        }
        if(bytesread == 12) {
          String check = (code[5] == checksum ? "-passed" : "-error");
          String r = "";
          for(int j = 0; j < 5; j++){
            r += Integer.toString(code[i]);
          }
          Log.d(TAG, "Check:" + Integer.toString(code[5]) + check);
          init();
        } else if(bytesread > 12){
          Log.e(TAG, "Too many bytes!");
        }
      } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.e(TAG, i + " Exception while processing character " + Integer.toString(b), e);
      }
    }
    String a = buffer.toString();
    a = "";
  } catch (IOException e) {
    Log.e(TAG, "disconnected", e);
    connectionLost();
    break;
  }
}
Log.i(TAG, "END mConnectedThread");
}