System and method of RFID device management

• US 20070250358A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Psion PLC (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Psion Teklogix (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Le, Trong
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A radio frequency identification management system and method of managing one or more radio frequency identification devices is provided. The radio frequency identification (RFID) management system comprises a device manager for managing one or more RFID devices, and one or more RFID device drivers for communicating with and operating the one or more RFID devices. The method comprises the steps of managing one or more RFID devices through a device manager, and operating the one or more RFID devices through the device manager.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification management system for:

managing one or more radio frequency identification devices, the radio frequency identification (RFID) management system comprising;

a device manager for managing one or more RFID devices; and

one or more RFID device drivers for communicating with and operating the one or more RFID devices.

2. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device manager represents a business logic entity.

3. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device manager further manages auxiliary hardware and the system further comprises one or more device drivers for auxiliary hardware.

4. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device manager communicates with an upper layer software application.

5. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the communication follows a command-response scheme.

6. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device manager represents a business logic entity to the upper layer software application.

7. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the business logic entity is one of a portal, a conveyor belt, a forklift, and a handheld.

8. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a device controller for interfacing the RFID device manager to upper layer software applications.

9. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device controller communicates with the device manager.

10. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication follows a command-response scheme.

11. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device controller gathers statistics and errors for real-time administration of the system.

12. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the communication follows a command-response scheme.

13. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device manager communicates with the upper layer software applications.

14. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a plurality of device managers communicating with the device controller, each device manager managing one or more RFID devices.

15. The radio frequency identification management system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device manager further manages auxiliary hardware and the system further comprises one or more device drivers for auxiliary hardware.

16. A method of managing one or more radio frequency identification devices, the method comprising:

managing one or more RFID devices through a device manager; and

operating the one or more RFID devices through the device manager.

17. The method claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of managing includes:

communicating device management commands to an RFID device.

18. The method claimed in claim 16, wherein managing includes:

communicating operation commands to an RFID device; and

receiving operation command responses from the RFID device.

19. The method claimed in claim 16, further comprising managing auxiliary hardware.

20. The method claimed in claim 16, further comprising interfacing the RFID device manager to upper layer software applications.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising gathering statistics and errors for real-time administration of the system.

22. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of managing one or more radio frequency identification devices, the method comprising:

managing one or more RFID devices through a device manager; and

operating the one or more RFID devices through the device manager.

23. A computer-readable media for storing instructions or statements for use in the execution in a computer of a method of managing one or more radio frequency identification devices, the method comprising:

managing one or more RFID devices through a device manager; and

operating the one or more RFID devices through the device manager.

24. A computer program product for use in the execution in a computer of a radio frequency identification management system for managing one or more radio frequency identification devices, the radio frequency identification management system comprising:

a device manager for managing one or more RFID devices; and

one or more RFID device drivers for communicating with and operating the one or more RFID devices.