System and method for automatically controlling or configuring a device, such as an RFID reader

• US 6,677,852 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Landt, Jeremy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/401,066
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.4, 340/10.41, 340/10.42, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/286.01, 340/825.22, 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 235/375, 235/380, 235/462.01, 235/462.44, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1017 Programmable
• 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

Abstract

The system and method for automatically controlling or configuring, a device, such as an RFID Reader, reads a master control tag to upload sets of instructions from the tag to memory resident in the reader. Thereafter, the reader may read a control tag to select one or more sets of instructions stored in memory. The reader may thus be readily programmed without the need for physically connecting the reader to a computer, and without employing expensive key pads and display screens.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader apparatus for reading RFID tags, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver unit;

a memory storing basic instructions for operating the reader and having an instructions memory section having a plurality of instructions sets stored therein; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the RF transceiver unit, wherein the processor is programmed to wirelessly read data from a control RFID tag, via the RF transceiver unit, and select at least one of the plurality of instructions sets in the instructions memory section based on the read data, and wherein the processor thereafter performs the instructions in the selected instructions set.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hand held housing that encloses the RF transceiver unit, the memory and the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to read a type field in a memory of each RFID tag, and wherein the processor is further programmed to read the type field of a master control RFID tag and read a new plurality of instructions sets from the memory of the master control tag and write the new plurality of instructions sets into the instructions memory section, and wherein the processor performs error detection or correction after reading at least a portion of the new plurality of instructions sets.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising no more than three user actuatable switches and no more than three light-emitting elements, wherein at least one of the three switches is a trigger switch, and wherein at least one of the light-emitting elements provides user feedback indicating that the selected instructions set was selected from the plurality of instructions sets.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a machine-readable symbol reader, speaker and microphone coupled to the processor, and wherein the memory includes commands for causing the processor to provide audible user feedback signals to the speaker, and to receive audible user command signals from the microphone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a port coupled to the processor that permits the processor to be selectively coupled to a computer network for exchanging information therewith, and wherein the processor receives, and stores in the instructions memory section, new instructions sets from the computer network.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a keyboard coupled to the processor;

a touch-sensitive screen coupled to the processor; and

a card slot having a port to couple a semiconductor chip athe card to the processor.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a data carrier receiver unit that at least receives data stored by data carriers;

a memory storing basic instructions for operating the apparatus and having an instructions memory section having a plurality of instructions sets stored therein; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the data carrier receiver unit, wherein the processor is programmed to read data from a control data carrier and select at least one of the plurality of instructions sets in the instructions memory section based on the read data, and wherein the processor thereafter performs the instructions in the selected instructions set.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a hand held housing that encloses the data collection receiver unit, the memory and the processor, wherein the data carrier receiver unit is a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver, wherein the data carrier is an RFID tag, wherein the processor is programmed to read a type field in a memory of the RFID tag, and wherein the processor is further programmed to read the type field of a master control RFID tag and read a new plurality of instructions sets from the memory of the master control tag and write the new plurality of instructions sets into the instructions memory section, and wherein the processor performs error detection or correction after reading at least a portion of the new plurality of instructions sets.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising no more than five user actuatable switches and at least one light-emitting element, wherein at least one of the five switches is a trigger switch, and wherein the light-emitting element provides user feedback indicating that the selected instructions set was selected from the plurality of instructions sets.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a machine-readable symbol reader, and speaker, wherein the memory includes spoken language commands for causing the processor to provide audible spoken language user feedback signals to the speaker.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a wired or wireless connection, coupled to the processor, that permits the processor to be selectively coupled to a computer network for exchanging information therewith.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the data carrier receiver unit includes a machine-readable symbol reader, and wherein the control data carrier is a machine-readable symbol.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising no more than five user actuatable switches and at least one light-emitting element, wherein at least one of the five switches is a trigger switch, and wherein the light-emitting element provides user feedback indicating that the selected instructions set was selected from the plurality of instructions sets.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a speaker coupled to the processor, wherein the processor receives, from a master control data carrier, spoken language commands for causing the processor to provide audible spoken language user feedback signals to the speaker, and wherein the processor stores the language commands in the memory.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor receives, from a computer network, new instructions sets and stores the new instruction sets in the instructions memory section.

16. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a hand held housing that encloses the data collection receiver unit, the memory and the processor, wherein the data carrier receiver unit is a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver, wherein the data carrier is an RFID tag, and wherein the processor is programmed to write new plurality of instructions sets to a master control RFID tag.

17. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the memory has stored therein a communications kernel, wherein the processor communicate with a computer network based on the communications kernel, and wherein the processor receives, from the computer network, instructions sets and stores the instruction sets in the instructions memory section.

18. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a keyboard coupled to the processor; and

a display screen coupled to the processor.

19. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a machine-readable symbol reader coupled to the processor, wherein the machine-readable symbol reader reads a machine-readable symbol for the control data carrier, wherein the machine-readable symbol provides data to the processor to identify and select the control data carrier using the data carrier receiver unit.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) transmit unit and antenna that transmits data to RFID tags for writing said data to the RFID tags;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the RFID unit, wherein the processor is programmed to wirelessly write a command to a specified field of at least one RFID tag, wherein the command causes an RFID reader, which wirelessly reads the at least one RFID tag, to select at least one of a plurality of instructions sets stored in the RFID reader, and wherein the RFID reader thereafter executes the selected instructions set after reading the command.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the RFID transmit unit is an RFID transceiver, wherein the memory has an instructions memory section storing a plurality of instructions sets therein, and wherein the processor is programmed to write at least some of the plurality of instruction sets in master control RFID tags.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a connection element, coupled to the processor, that permits the processor to be coupled to a computer network for exchanging information therewith.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the processor receives, from a computer network, new instructions sets and stores the new instruction sets in the memory.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the memory has stored therein at least one key, and wherein the processor accesses the key to obtain prior authorization before writing data to the at least one RFID tag.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a communication terminal configured to establish an communications channel with a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the communication terminal, wherein the processor is programmed to write at least one instructions set to an RFID reader, wherein the RFID reader thereafter reads a command data carrier to select and execute the at least one instruction set.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the communication terminal includes a socket that couples to a complimentary socket on the RFID reader wherein the memory has stored therein a plurality of instructions sets each identified by a corresponding code, and wherein the processor is programmed to write the plurality of instruction sets to the RFID reader when the communications channel is established.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a wireless connection element, coupled to the processor, that permits the processor to be coupled to a computer network for exchanging information therewith.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the processor receives, from a computer network, new instructions sets and stores the new instruction sets in the memory.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the memory has stored therein at least one key, and wherein the processor accesses the key to obtain authorization before writing data to the RFID reader.

30. A data carrier tag, comprising:

an antenna;

a radio frequency (RF) circuit coupled to the antenna and having transmit and receive sections configured to enable the tag to respectively transmit and receive data;

a logic circuit coupled to the RF circuit; and

a memory coupled to the logic circuit and having stored therein a command in a specified field, wherein the command causes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, which reads the specified field, to select at least one of a plurality of instructions sets stored in the RFID reader, and wherein the RFID reader thereafter executes the selected instructions set after reading the command.

31. The tag of claim 30 wherein the memory includes a type field indicating that the tag is a master control RFID tag, and wherein the memory includes at least one new instructions set, wherein the logic circuit is configured to transmit the new instructions set to the RFID reader, and wherein the memory includes error detection or correction data associated with the new instructions set.

32. The tag of claim 30, further comprising a machine-readable symbol secured to the tag.

33. The tag of claim 30 wherein the memory stores spoken language user feedback sound files, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to transmit the sound files to the RFID reader.

34. The tag of claim 30 wherein the logic circuit is configured to receive at least one new command from an RFID read/write apparatus and to write the new command to the memory, and wherein the RFID reader thereafter reads the new command.

35. An automatically-readable medium to be automatically read by a microprocessor controlled device, the medium storing a data structure, comprising:

a type field;

at least one instructions set indicator field; and

for each instructions set indicator field, an instructions set, wherein each instructions set provides a plurality of instructions for controlling operations of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader device.

36. The medium of claim 35, further comprising an identification field, and wherein one of the instructions sets includes instructions to control the RFID reader to write a current time and date to RFID tags.

37. The medium of claim 35 wherein one of the instructions sets includes instructions to control the RFID reader to read machine-readable symbols.

38. The medium of claim 35 wherein one of the instructions sets includes instructions to control the RFID reader to enable and employ a module added to the RFID reader to increase functionality of the RFID reader.

39. The medium of claim 35 wherein one of the instructions sets includes instructions to alter at least one function of at least one input switch of the RFID reader.

40. A method of controlling a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, comprising:

reading a type field of a control RFID tag;

reading an instruction set identifier in the control tag; and

selecting one of a plurality of instructions sets stored in the RFID reader based on the instructions set identifier.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

determining that the control RFID tag is a master control RFID tag based on the reading of the type field; and

receiving at least one new instructions set for storage in the RFID reader from the master control RFID tag.

42. An automatically-readable medium to be automatically read by a microprocessor controlled device, the medium storing instructions to be performed by the device, comprising:

reading a type field of a control radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;

reading an instructions set identifier in the control tag; and

selecting one of a plurality of instructions sets stored in the RFID reader based on the instructions set identifier.

43. The medium of claim 42, further comprising:

determining that the control RFID tag is a master control RFID tag based on the reading of the type field; and

receiving at least one new instructions set for storage in the RFID reader from the master control RFID tag.

44. A method of reading radio frequency identification (RFID) tags using an RFID reader, comprising:

reading an instructions set identifier in a control tag;

selecting one of a plurality of instructions sets stored in the RFID reader based on the instructions set identifier; and

reading a plurality of RFID tags and executing the selected one instruction set until another instruction set identifier in another control tag is read.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

reading a machine-readable symbol that provides an identifier for the control tag, before reading the instructions set identifier in the control tag;

determining that the control tag is a master control RFID tag; and

receiving at least one new instructions set for storage in the RFID reader from the master control RFID tag.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

reading a machine-readable symbol that provides an identifier for the control tag, and wherein receiving an instruction set includes reading the control tag based on the identifier, wherein the control tag is positioned near a plurality of other tags.