METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAPPING RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) TAGS TO NETWORK ADDRESSES

• US 20080122621A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Archer, Steven T., Pate, Kristopher A., Dias, Francisco A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An approach is provided for mapping a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to a network routable address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an identifier of a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder; and

mapping a network routable address to the RFID transponder, wherein the network routable address is used to communicate with the RFID transponder over a data network.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating the network routable address by using the identifier as part of the network routable address.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network routable address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the IP address includes an IPv6 address.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

tracking an asset coupled to the RFID device over the data network using the network routable address.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting data about the asset to the RFID device over the data network using the network routable address.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to determine an identifier of a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder, and to map a network routable address to the RFID transponder,

wherein the network routable address is used to communicate with the RFID transponder over a data network.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the network routable address by using the identifier as part of the network routable address.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the network routable address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the IP address includes an IPv6 address.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an asset is coupled to the RFID device and tracked over the data network using the network routable address.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to transmit data about the asset to the RFID device over the data network using the network routable address.

13. A method comprising:

tracking an asset using a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder;

generating a message including data for storage in the asset; and

routing the message over a data network to the RFID transponder using a network routable address assigned to the RFID transponder.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the network routable address is generated based on an identifier of the RFID transponder as part of the network routable address.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the network routable address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the IP address includes an IPv6 address.

17. A system comprising:

a processor configured to track an asset using a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder, and to generate a message including data for storage in the asset; and

a communication interface configured to forward the message over a data network to the RFID transponder using a network routable address assigned to the RFID transponder.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the network routable address is generated based on an identifier of the RFID transponder as part of the network routable address.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the network routable address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the IP address includes an IPv6 address.