SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RESPONDING TO A REQUEST RECEIVED AT AN OBJECT WITH AN RFID DEVICE

• US 20120038465A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Goossens, Kees Gerard Willem, Szostek, Lukasz
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0727 the arrangement being a circuit facilitating integration of the record carrier with a hand-held device such as a smart phone of PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method and system for responding to a request received at an object with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device is described. In one embodiment, a method for responding to a request received at an object with an RFID device is described. The method for responding to a request received at an object with an RFID device involves receiving a request at an RFID device, providing the request from the RFID device to a component of the object, and processing the request at the component of the object. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method for responding to a request received at an object with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:

receiving a request at an RFID device;

providing the request from the RFID device to a component of the object; and

processing the request at the component of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request at the RFID device comprises receiving the request as an incoming RF signal at the RFID device, wherein processing the request at the component of the object comprises generating a response to the request at the component of the object, and wherein the method further comprises:

providing the response from the component of the object to the RFID device; and

transmitting the response as an outgoing RF signal from the RFID device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an authorization that authorizes the request at the RFID device from the user of the object prior to providing the request from the RFID device to the component of the object.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a notification of the request from the RFID device to a user of the object; and

receiving identification information related to the request at the RFID device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning the presence of the object, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the presence of the object in the response.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning a characteristic of the object, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the characteristic of the object in the response.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning an identity of the object, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the identity of the object in the response.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning a functionality of the object, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the functionality of the object in the response.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning a status of a functionality of the object, and wherein generating the response further comprises including information about the status of the functionality of the object in the response.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes an instruction for changing a functionality of the component of the object, and wherein processing the request at the component of the object comprises changing the functionality of the component of the object according to the instruction.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an instruction for changing a functionality of the component of the object, wherein processing the request at the component of the object further comprises changing the functionality of the component of the object according to the instruction, and wherein generating the response comprises including information that indicates how the functionality of the component of the object is changed in the response.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID device is embedded in the object.

13. A communications apparatus comprising:

an object, wherein the object comprises a component configured to process a request; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, wherein the RFID device is configured to receive the request and to provide the request to the component of the object.

14. The communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the component is further configured to generate a response to the request, and wherein the RFID device is further configured:

to receive the request as an incoming RF signal,

to receive the response from the component, and

to transmit the response as an outgoing RF signal.

15. The communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the RFID device is further configured to receive an authorization that authorizes the request from the user of the object prior to providing the request to the component of the object or to send a notification of the request to a user of the object.

16. The communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the RFID device is embedded in the object.

17. The communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning the presence of the object and a characteristic of the object, and wherein the component is further configured to include information about the presence of the object and information about the characteristic of the object in the response.

18. The communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the request includes an instruction for changing a functionality of the component, and wherein the component is further configured to change the functionality of the component according to the instruction and to include information that indicates how the functionality of the component is changed in the response.

19. A method for responding to a request received at an object with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:

receiving a request as an incoming RF signal at an RFID device, wherein the RFID device is embedded in an object, and wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning the presence of the object and a characteristic of the object;

providing the request from the RFID device to a component of the object;

generating a response to the request at the component of the object, wherein the response comprises information about the presence of the object and information about the characteristic of the object;

providing the response from the component of the object to the RFID device; and

transmitting the response as an outgoing RF signal from the RFID device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

sending a notification of the request from the RFID device to a user of the object; and

receiving an authorization that authorizes the request at the RFID device from the user of the object prior to providing the request from the RFID device to the component of the object.