Plug & Play and Security Via RFID For Handheld Devices

• US 20090134973A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Bellows, David, Sandler, Robert, MacGregor, Shane
• Application Number:
  US11/944,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20090134973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409

Abstract

A system comprises an accessory and a mobile device. The accessory comprises an RFID tag including accessory information. The mobile device comprises an RFID reader reading the RFID tag. The mobile device is configured to operate with the accessory based on the accessory information. A method comprises receiving, by an RFID reader of a mobile device, an RFID signal from an RFID tag associated with an accessory of the mobile device; determining accessory information from the RFID signal; and configuring the mobile device to operate with the accessory based on the accessory information.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an accessory including an RFID tag having accessory information; and

a mobile device including an RFID reader reading the RFID tag, the mobile device being configured to operate with the accessory based on the accessory information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device further determines an authenticity of the accessory, and if the accessory is determined not to be authentic, the mobile device issues an alert.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, the RFID reader is configured to read the RFID tag if one of the mobile device is powered on and the mobile device detects the accessory is connected to the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, if the mobile device does not receive the accessory information within a predetermined time, the mobile device is powered off.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the accessory is a cradle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device uses a set of default settings for configuring operation with the accessory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the set of default settings is obtained from one of the RFID tag and a memory of the mobile device.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an RFID reader of a mobile device, an RFID signal from an RFID tag associated with an accessory of the mobile device;

determining accessory information from the RFID signal; and

configuring the mobile device to operate with the accessory based on the accessory information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining an authenticity of the accessory as a function of the accessory information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

alerting a user of the mobile device, if the accessory is determined not to be authentic.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is configured using a set of default settings for configuring operation with the accessory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of default settings is obtained from one of the RFID tag and a memory of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is configured using a set of previous settings for configuring operation with the accessory.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting the presence of the accessory prior to receiving the RFID signal.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

reprogramming the RFID tag with a set of new settings for the accessory.

16. A mobile device, comprising:

an accessory interface receiving an accessory including an RFID tag, the RFID tag including information associated with the accessory;

an RFID reader reading the information from the RFID tag; and

a processor receiving the information and configuring the mobile device to operate with the accessory.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor instructs the RFID reader to read the RFID tag each time the mobile device is powered on.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein if the processor does not receive the information within a predetermined time, the processor powers off the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 16, further comprising:

a non-volatile memory storing configuration data corresponding to the information.

20. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the mobile device uses a set of previous settings for configuring operation with the accessory.

21. The mobile device of claim 16, further comprising:

a display displaying a logon screen to a user as a process of the configuration of the mobile device.

22. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein, when an accessory comprising an RFID tag is connected to the accessory interface, the RFID reader reads the RFID tag and determines an authenticity of the accessory.

23. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein, when an accessory without an RFID tag is connected to the accessory interface, the mobile device alerts a user of the device.

24. A mobile device, comprising:

a means for receiving an accessory including an RFID tag, the RFID tag including information associated with the accessory;

a means for reading the information from the RFID tag; and

a means for receiving the information and configuring the mobile device to operate with the accessory.