APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED RFID READING/INTERNET COMMUNICATION FUNCTION, AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20070200702A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pusan National University Industry-University Cooperation Foundation
• Original Assignee: Pusan National University
• Inventors: Chung, Sang-Hwa
• Application Number:
  US11/678,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200702A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• 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: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

An apparatus with integrated RFID reading/internet communication functions and a method thereof are disclosed. An apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions includes a RFID read part comprising a RF module controller that controls a RFID module for receiving/transmit data from a RFID tag, a first processor core that controls an operation of the RFID read part and that sends data, and a first dynamic memory controller that controls a first dynamic memory in communication with the first processor core; and an internet communication part comprising an Ethernet controller that performs internet communication based on an Ethernet interface, a second processor core that controls an operation of the internet communication part and that sends data together with the RFID read part, and a second dynamic memory controller that controls a second dynamic memory in communication with the second processor core.

Claims

1. An apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions comprising:

a RFID read part comprising a RF module controller that controls a RFID module for receiving/transmit data from a RFID tag, a first processor core that controls an operation of the RFID read part and that sends data, and a first dynamic memory controller that controls a first dynamic memory in communication with the first processor core; and

an internet communication part comprising an Ethernet controller that performs internet communication based on an Ethernet interface, a second processor core that controls an operation of the internet communication part and that sends data together with the RFID read part, and a second dynamic memory controller that controls a second dynamic memory in communication with the second processor core.

2. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 1, further comprising data transmission memory in communication with the RFID read part and the internet communication part, which stores the data transmitted between the RFID read part and the internet communication part.

3. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 2, wherein the data transmission memory comprises,

a first message area that stores data transmitted to the internet communication part by the RFID read part;

a second message area that stores data transmitted to the RFID read part by the internet communication part.

4. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 1, wherein the RF module controller performs RF communication process and data security by using hardware.

5. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 1, wherein the RFID read part and the internet communication part is configured of a SoC (System on Chip) in which a RFID reading function and an internet communication function are integrated in one chip.

6. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 1, wherein the internet communication part further comprises a hardware protocol process module that processes a RCP/IP and security protocol for internet communication under the control of second processor core.

7. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 1, wherein the first processor core and the first dynamic memory controller are connected to a first system bus, and the second processor core and the second dynamic memory controller are connected to a second bus, and the RF module controller and the Ethernet controller are connected to a third system but,

further wherein the first system bus communicates with the third system bus via a first bus bridge and the second system bus communicates with the third system bus via a second bus bridge.

8. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 7, wherein the third system bus is connected to a flash memory controller that controls a flash memory shared by the RFID read part and the internet communication part.

9. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 7, the third system bus is connected to a first interface controller for controlling a first external communication interface and a second interface controller for controlling a second external communication interface.

10. The apparatus with integrated RFIF reading/internet communication functions of claim 9, wherein the first interface controller monitors and outputs an operation of the first processor core, further wherein the second interface controller monitors and outputs an operation of the second processor core.

11. A method of an apparatus with integrated RFID reading function/internet communication functions comprising:

(a) step that a RF module controller processes data received from a RFID tag;

(b) step that the RF module controller transmits the processed data to a first processor core;

(c) step that the first processor core stores the data in data transmission memory and generates interrupt in a second processor core;

(d) step that the second processor core reads the data stored in the data transmission memory; and

(e) step that the second processor core transmits the read data to an internet via an Ethernet controller.

12. The method of an apparatus with integrated RFID reading function/internet communication functions of claim 11, wherein the (a) step comprises,

(a-1) step that the RF module controller checks a preamble of the data received by a RF module to identify whether the data is normal;

(a-2) step that the RF module controller removes the preamble from the data and demodulates the data to digital data if the preamble is normal;

(a-3) step that the RF module controller checks a CRC code of the demodulated data to identify whether the data is received normally; and

(a-4) step that the RF module controller transmits the data to the first processor core if the data is received normally.

13. A method of an apparatus with integrated RFID reading function/internet communication functions comprising:

(a) step that an Ethernet controller transmits a job command transmitted from an internet to a second processor core;

(b) step that the second processor core stores the job command in data transmission memory and generates interrupt in the first processor core;

(c) step that the first processor core reads the job command stored in the data transmission memory; and

(d) step that the first processor core controls a RF module controller based on the job command.

14. The method for integrating a RFID reading function/internet communication function of claim 13, further comprising steps after (d) step if the job command transmitted from the internet is a command for transmitting data to a RFID tag:

(e-1) step that the RF module controller adds a CRC code to the data;

(e-2) step that the RF module controller converts the CRC code added data to a digital signal via a baseband modulation;

(e-3) step that the RF module controller adds a preamble to the digital signal; and

(e-4) step that the RF module controller transmits the preamble added digital signal to a RFID tag via a RF module.