Wireless terminal and RFID system for providing additional information and a method for providing additional information using wireless terminal and RFID system

• US 20060208860A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Koo, Ji-hun, Park, Kyung-ho, Yoon, Hyung-min, Kang, Woo-shik, Yang, Jin-young, Koo, Si-gyoung
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.200
• 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 7/10039 interrogator driven, i.e. synchronous

Abstract

A wireless terminal and a radio frequency identification system for providing additional information and a method of providing additional information using the wireless terminal and the radio frequency identification system. The wireless terminal includes: a tag reader reading tag data from a radio frequency identification tag; a controller generating an additional information request signal with respect to the read tag data; and a communication network interface transmitting the additional information request signal through a communication network and receiving additional information with respect to the additional information request signal. Since the controller of the wireless terminal controls the radio frequency identification reader by optimally setting the information required for determining the time point for the radio frequency identification reader tag to respond, and utilizing the stored address of the additional information providing server, the additional information can be efficiently provided.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal for providing additional information, comprising:

a tag reader which reads tag data from a radio frequency identification tag;

a controller which generates an additional information request signal with respect to the read tag data; and

a communication network interface which transmits the additional information request signal through a communication network and receives the additional information in response to the additional information request signal.

2. The wireless terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory which stores a tag data list comprising the tag data and address information of an additional information providing server corresponding to the tag data.

3. The wireless terminal of claim 2, wherein if the tag data list comprises data coinciding with the read tag data according to a result of comparing the tag data with the tag data list, the controller extracts corresponding address information from the tag data list and generates the address information request signal using the extracted address information.

4. The wireless terminal of claim 2, wherein if the tag data list does not comprise the data coinciding with the read tag data according to the result of comparing the tag data with the tag data list, the controller generates an address information request signal, transmits the address information request signal through the communication network interface to an address information providing server, and generates the additional information request signal using the address information transmitted from the address information providing server.

5. The wireless terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a display controlled by the controller which displays at least one menu.

6. The wireless terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the display to display a menu for inquiring of a user the number of radio frequency identification tags to be identified by the tag reader.

7. The wireless terminal of claim 6, further comprising:

an anti-collision executer which executes an anti-collision algorithm if there are a plurality of radio frequency identification tags to be identified.

8. A method of providing additional information using a wireless terminal, comprising:

reading tag data from a radio frequency identification tag;

generating an additional information request signal with respect to the tag data and transmitting the additional information request signal through a predetermined communication network; and

receiving the additional information in response to the additional information request signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing a tag data list comprising the tag data and address information of an additional information providing server corresponding to the tag data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if the tag data list comprises data coinciding with the read tag data according to a result of comparing the tag data with the tag data list, extracting corresponding address information from the tag data list and generating the additional information request signal using the extracted address information.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein if the tag data list does not comprise the data coinciding with the read tag data according to the result of comparing the kind of the tag data with the tag data list, generating an address information request signal to transmit the additional information request signal to an address information providing server and generating the additional information request signal using the address information transmitted from the address information providing server.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

before reading the tag data, inquiring of a user the number of radio frequency identification tags to be identified.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

executing an anti-collision algorithm if there are a plurality of radio frequency identification tags to be identified.

14. A radio frequency identification system for providing additional information, comprising:

a radio frequency identification tag;

a wireless terminal which reads tag data from the radio frequency identification tag and requests for the additional information with respect to the tag data; and

an additional information providing server which provides the additional information in response to the request of the wireless terminal for the additional information.

15. The radio frequency identification system of claim 14, further comprising:

an address information providing server which provides address information for a connection to the additional information providing server.

16. The radio frequency identification system of claim 15, wherein the wireless terminal reads the tag data, requests the address information providing server for the address information, and requests the additional information providing server for the additional information using the address information provided from the address information providing server.

17. A method of providing additional information using a radio frequency identification system comprising a radio frequency identification tag, a wireless terminal comprising a radio frequency identification reader which identifies the radio frequency identification tag, and an additional information providing server connected to the wireless terminal through a communication network, the method comprising:

reading tag data from the radio frequency identification tag using the wireless terminal;

requesting additional information with respect to the read tag data using the wireless terminal; and

providing the additional information from the additional information providing server to the wireless terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

after reading the tag data, requesting address information for a connection to the address information providing server and receiving the address information from an address information providing server using the wireless terminal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the request for the additional information is performed using the received address information.

20. A method of providing additional information using a wireless terminal, comprising:

computing a number of time slots corresponding to a number of radio frequency identification tags to be identified;

transmitting information as to the computed number of time slots to a radio frequency identification tag to set a total number of time slots; and

receiving tag data from the radio frequency identification tag within the total number of time slots.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

displaying a menu for inquiring of a user the number of radio frequency identification tags to be identified.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating an additional information request signal with respect to the tag data;

transmitting the additional information request signal through a communication network; and

receiving additional information with respect to the additional information request signal.

23. A method of providing additional information in a radio frequency identification system comprising a radio frequency identification tag, a wireless terminal comprising a radio frequency identification reader which identifies the radio frequency identification tag, and an additional information providing server connected to the wireless terminal through a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving the number of radio frequency identification tags to be identified from the wireless terminal to compute a number of time slots corresponding to a number of radio frequency identification tags to be identified;

transmitting information as to the computed number of time slots and a predetermined command from the wireless terminal to the radio frequency identification tag;

setting a total number of time slots and determining a time slot of the set time slots to which the radio frequency identification tag is to respond, with reference to the information using the radio frequency identification tag; and

transmitting a result of executing the command within the determined time slot from the radio frequency identification tag.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

requesting additional information with respect to the result of the executing the command using the wireless terminal; and

providing the additional information from the additional information providing server to the wireless terminal.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

after the wireless terminal receives the result of executing the command, requesting for address information for a connection to the additional information providing server and receiving the address information from an address information providing server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the request for the additional information is performed using the received address information.

31. The wireless terminal of claim 26, wherein when it is determined that the tag reader failed to read the RFID tag within a predetermined time, the wireless terminal controller increases the information Q as to the number of time slots.

36. The tag reading device of claim 31, wherein the control module increases the information Q as to the number of time slots if it is determined that the tag reader failed to read the RFID tag within a predetermined time.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising increasing the information Q as to the number of time slots when it is determined that the tag reader failed to read the RFID tag within a predetermined time.

27. A wireless terminal comprising:

a wireless terminal controller which controls operations of the wireless terminal and sets information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag; and

a tag reader which transmits the information as to the number of time slots set by the wireless terminal controller to the RFID tag.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller of wireless terminal controller sets the information Q, as to the number of time slots, based on a following equation:

Q=log₂(optimum number of time slots+1)

29. The wireless terminal of claim 28, wherein the optimum number of time slots is one of a number input by a user and a preset number.

30. The wireless terminal of claim 28, wherein the wireless terminal controller sets the information Q as to the number of time slots to one of valid values if reading the RFID tag is required to determine the number of time slots, and sets the information Q as to the number of time slots to a meaningless value if reading the RFID tag is not required to determine the number of time slots.

32. A tag reading device comprising:

a control module which controls operations thereof and sets information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag; and

a transception module which transmits the information as to the number of time slots set by the control module to the RFID tag.

33. The tag reading device of claim 32, wherein the control module sets the information Q as to the number of time slots using a following equation:

Q=log₂(optimum number of time slots+1)

34. The tag reading device of claim 33, wherein the optimum number of time slots is one of a number input by a user and a preset number.

35. The tag reading device of claim 33, wherein the control module sets the information Q as to the number of time slots to one of valid values if reading the RFID tag is required to determine the number of time slots, and sets the information Q as to the number of time slots to a meaningless value if reading the RFID tag is not required to determine the number of time slots.

37. A method for reading an RFID tag, comprising:

setting information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag; and

transmitting the set information Q as to a number of time slots to the RFID tag.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein, in the setting step, the information Q as to the number of time slots is set using a following equation:

Q=log₂(optimum number of time slots+1)

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the optimum number of time slots comprises one of a number input by a user and a preset number.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein, in the setting step, the information Q as to the number of time slots is set to one of valid values if reading the RFID tag is required to determine the number of time slots, and the information Q as to the number of time slots is set to a meaningless value if reading the RFID tag is not required to determine the number of time slots.

42. A wireless terminal which sets information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag.

43. The wireless terminal of claim 42, wherein the set information as to the number of time slots is transmitted to the RFID tag.

44. A tag reading device which sets information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag.

45. The tag reading device of claim 44, wherein the set information as to the number of time slots is transmitted to the RFID tag.

46. A method for reading RFID tag information which sets information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the information as to the number of time slots is transmitted to the RFID tag.

48. A tag reading device which transmits information as to a number of time slots required for determining a number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag.

49. A method for reading RFID tag information which transmits information as to the number of time slots required for determining the number of time slots to be generated by an RFID tag.

50. A wireless terminal for providing additional information regarding an RFID tag, comprising:

a memory which stores a tag data list comprising information as to tag data read from an RFID tag and address information of an additional information providing server corresponding to the tag data information; and

a controller which extracts corresponding address information from the tag data list and generates an additional information request signal using the extracted address information if the tag data list includes data coinciding with the information as to the read tag data information.

51. The wireless terminal of claim 50, further comprising a communication network interface which transmits the generated additional information requesting signal through the communication network and receives the additional information in response to the requesting signal, and

wherein the controller generates an address information requesting signal and transmits the requesting signal to the address information providing server through the communication network interface if the tag data list does not include data coinciding with the information as to the read tag data information, and generates an additional information requesting signal using the address information transmitted from the address information providing server.

52. The wireless terminal of claim 51, wherein the tag data information comprises one of tag data and a service code read from the RFID tag.

53. The wireless terminal of claim 50, wherein the address information of the additional information providing server is acquired from one of the RFID tag and the address information providing server.

54. A method for providing additional information of a wireless terminal, comprising:

storing a tag data list comprising information as to tag data read from an RFID tag and address information of an additional information providing server corresponding to the tag data information; and

extracting corresponding address information from the tag data list if the tag data list includes data coinciding with the information as to the read tag data information; and

generating an additional information request signal using the extracted address information.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

generating an address information requesting signal and transmitting the requesting signal to the address information providing server if the tag data list does not include data coinciding with the information as to the read tag data information; and

generating an additional information requesting signal using the address information transmitted from the address information providing server.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the tag data information comprises one of tag data and a service code read from the RFID tag.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the address information of the additional information providing server is acquired from one of the RFID tag and the address information providing server.