Emulated radio frequency identification

• US 20060118622A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Zatloukal, Peter, Engstrom, G. Eric, Smith, Cindy M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A mobile communication device is equipped with hardware and/or software components to enable the device to output a data in a form of a radio frequency signal, emulating outputting of the data by either an active or a passive RFID transponder. The data may be a security key or an identifier. Emulation of an active RFID transponder includes facilitating selection of the data and instruction to output by a user. Emulation of a passive RFID transponder includes detecting for proximal presence of a RFID reader. Either case, provision of the data to the mobile communication device may include provision of associated signal attribute(s).

Claims

1. A method for providing a radio frequency identification (RFID) comprising:

facilitating a user in providing an instruction to a mobile communication device to output a first data in a form of a first radio frequency signal to emulate output of the first data by an active RFID transponder, the mobile communication device being also equipped to facilitate a user in communicating with a user of another communication device, with the communication being facilitated at least in part over a wireless network; and

in response, outputting the first data in the form of a radio frequency signal, emulating output of the first data by an active RFID transponder as instructed by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first data comprises a selected one of a security key and an identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first data comprises a security key, and said security key comprises a door key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said first data comprises an identifier, and said identifier comprises a selected one of a social security number, a driver'"'"'s license number, an affinity program account number, and a credit card number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises facilitating the user in selecting the first data from a plurality of data using the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises facilitating provision of the first data to the mobile communication device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said facilitating of the provisioning of the data to the mobile communication device, including facilitating provision of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the data in the form of a radio frequency signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting for proximal presence of a RFID reader by the mobile communication device; and

on detection, outputting a second data in a form of a second radio frequency signal, using the mobile communication device, emulating output of the second data by a passive RFID transponder.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said detecting comprises sensing for a probing radio frequency signal of the RFID reader by the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said first and second data are the same data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is a selected one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

13. A method for providing a radio frequency identifier (RFID), comprising:

detecting for proximal presence of a RFID reader by a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device being also equipped to facilitate a user in communicating with a user of another communication device, with the communication being facilitated at least in part over a wireless network; and

on detection, outputting a data in a form of a radio frequency signal, using the mobile communication device, emulating output of the data by a passive RFID transponder.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said detecting comprises sensing for a probing radio frequency signal of the RFID reader by the mobile communication device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said data comprises a security key.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said security key comprises a door key.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises facilitating provision of the data to the mobile communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said facilitating of the provisioning of the data to the mobile communication device, including facilitating provision of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the data in the form of a radio frequency signal.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the mobile communication device is a selected of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

21. A mobile communication device comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a radio frequency signal;

a storage medium to store a first data and instructions to operate the transmitter to selectively (a) output the first data in a form of a radio frequency signal, in response to a user instruction, emulating output of the first data by an active radio frequency identifier (RFID) transponder, and (b) facilitate a user to communicate with another user of another communication device, with the communication being facilitated at least in part over a wireless network; and

a processor coupled to the transmitter and the storage to execute the instructions.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said first data comprises a selected one of a security key and an identifier.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said first data comprises a security key, and said security key comprises a door key.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein said first data comprises an identifier, and said identifier comprises a selected one of a social security number, a driver'"'"'s license number, an affinity program account number, and a credit card number.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further designed to facilitate the user in selecting the first data from a plurality of data, and instructing said output.

27. The device of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further designed to facilitate provision of the first data to the mobile communication device.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the instructions are further designed to include with said facilitating, provisioning of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the first data in the form of a radio frequency signal.

29. The device of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further designed to

detect for proximal presence of a RFID reader;

and

on detection, outputting a second data in a form of a second radio frequency signal, emulating output of the second data by a passive RFID transponder.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the instructions are further designed to sense for a probing radio frequency signal of the RFID reader.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein said first and second data are the same data.

32. The device of claim 21, wherein the mobile communication device is a selected of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

33. A mobile communication device comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a radio frequency signal;

a storage medium to store a first data and instructions to operate the transmitter to selectively (a) detect for proximal presence of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) reader, and on detection, output a data in a form of a radio frequency signal, emulating output of the data by a passive RFID transponder, and (b) facilitate a user to communicate with another user of another communication device, with the communication being facilitated at least in part over a wireless network; and

a processor coupled to the transmitter and the storage to execute the instructions.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein said instructions are further designed to sense for a probing radio frequency signal of the RFID reader.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein said data comprises a security key.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein said security key comprises a door key.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein said door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

38. The device of claim 33, wherein the instructions are further designed to facilitate provision of the data to the mobile communication device.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the instructions are further designed to include with said facilitating, provisioning of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the data in the form of a radio frequency signal.

40. The device of claim 33, wherein the mobile communication device is a selected of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

41-60. -60. (canceled)