Apparatus, system, method and computer program product for implementing an automatic identification system with a personal communication device to improve functionality

• US 6,978,118 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vesikivi, Petri, Ranta, Sami, Wakim, Peter Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/368,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/456.1, 455/500, 455/517, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/39, 455/67.11, 455/414.1, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/454, 455/66.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/539, 340/540, 340/10.31, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 340/10.5, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

An apparatus, system, method and computer program product for implementing an automatic identification system to improve the functionality of a personal communication device. A data carrier that contains one or more data items transmits a data signal wirelessly to a personal communication device equipped with an RFID reader. The personal communication device decodes the data signal and at least a portion of the data is used by the personal communication device to establish a communication connection with another device or network. The data subsequently transmitted by the personal communication device is accomplished using GSM, GPRS, WAP, EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless network protocol. The communication connection is used to provide a request for a service such as a phone call, an Internet connection, a third party service, or to request for the storage of data in a network.

Claims

1. A system for RFID data communication, comprising:

at least one personal communication device having access to at least one communication network and having an RFID reader;

a data carrier having a plurality of RFID transponders, each of said RFID transponders being associated with a different data field containing data related to at least one data item,

wherein at least one data item provides information related to user selectable options for contacting a third party identified by the data carrier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one RFID transponder is a passive or active transponder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said data content of said at least one RFID transponder is communicated to said personal communication device upon the receipt of a signal from the RFID reader proximate to said data carrier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said data content of said at least one RFID transponder is used to trigger a request for at least one service or a request for data storage via the communication network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the services requested relate to a third party service.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the data content received from the RFID transponder of the data carrier includes third party data for completing said third party service request.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the request for data storage stores data in a computer network database accessible by a third party.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising GSM, GPRS, WAP EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless protocol for communicating data from said personal communication device to said communication network in response to a data signal from said data carrier.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one data field includes one or more of the following:

textual data, machine readable data and graphical data.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said data fields is associated with at least one RFID transponder.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or bluetooth device.

12. A method for RFID data communication using a personal communication device provided with an RFID reader and having access to a communication network, comprising:

transmitting at least one data item from a data carrier proximate to said RFID reader to said personal communication device via at least one of a plurality of RFID transponders on the data carrier, said RFID transponder responding to an interrogation signal;

receiving said at least one data item at the RFID reader of said personal communication device;

decoding said received data item using the RFID reader of said personal communication device;

storing at least a portion of said decoded data item in a memory location of said personal communication device;

establishing a communication connection to at least one other device in a network,

wherein at least a portion of the decoded data item provides information related to user selectable options for contacting a third party identified by the data carrier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the decoded data item includes data relating to a phone number of said other device and the communication connection is a mobile phone connection to said other device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the decoded data includes at least a portion of data related to a URL and the communication connection is an Internet or WAP connection to the URL of said other device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the decoded data includes at least a portion of data related to owner of the data carrier.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of the decoded data item to a user of the personal communication device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting data relating to the identity of the user of the personal communication device to the other device.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting at least a portion of said decoded data to another device in the network.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting at least one data item stored in the personal communication device and selected by the user of the personal communication device together with at least one decoded data item to said other device in the network.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

using said data item stored in said personal communication device together with at least one decoded data item for triggering a request for a third party service or request for storage of data in a computer network.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting said decoded data to said other device using GSM, GPRS, WAP, EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless network protocol.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or a bluetooth device.

23. A computer program product for RFID data communication using a personal communication device provided with an RFID reader and having access to a communication network, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

program code in said computer readable medium for transmitting at least one data item from a data carrier proximate to said RFID reader to said personal communication device via at least one of a plurality of RFID transponders on the data carrier, said RFID transponder responding to an interrogation signal;

program code in said computer readable medium for receiving at least one data item at the RFID reader of said personal communication device;

program code in said computer readable medium for decoding said received data item using the RFID reader of said personal communication device;

program code in said computer readable medium for storing at least a portion of said decoded data item in a memory location of said personal communication device;

program code in said computer readable medium for establishing a communication connection to at least one other device in a network,

wherein at least a portion of the decoded data item provides information related to user selectable options for contacting a third party identified by the data carrier.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the decoded data item includes data relating to a phone number of said other device and the communication connection is a mobile phone connection to said other device.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the decoded data includes at least a portion of data related to a URL and the communication connection is an Internet or WAP connection to the URL of said other device.

26. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the decoded data includes at least a portion of data related to owner of the data carrier.

27. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for displaying at least portion of the decoded data item to a user of the personal communication device.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for transmiffing data relating to the identity of the user of the personal communication device to the other device.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for transmitting at least a portion of said decoded data to another device in the network.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for transmitting at least one data item stored in the personal communication device and selected by the user of the personal communication device together with at least one decoded data item to said other device in the network.

31. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for using said data item stored in said personal communication device together with at least one decoded data item for triggering a request for a third party service or request for storage of data in a computer network.

32. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code in said computer readable medium for transmitting said decoded data to said other device using GSM, GPRS, WAP, EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless network protocol.

33. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or a bluetooth device.