Reader application markup language schema

• US 7,204,409 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ahmed, Mohamed Fakrudeen Ali, Kumar, Anush, Goteti, Janaki R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai; Thien T
• Application Number:
  US11/025,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/492, 235/380, 235/432, 235/451, 700/214, 707/100, 707/104, 707/8, 707/200, 707/201, 709/220, 710/11, 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The subject invention provides a system and/or method that facilitates executing a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) process by employing a reader application markup language (RAML) schema that provides a portable format to setup and deploy such RFID process. A schema component can receive RFID data relating to an RFID architecture wherein a RAML schema can be created based at least upon such RFID data (e.g., discovered readers including settings and/or configurations). The RAML schema can include a sub-system definition (e.g., containing the definition of server state and entities in such server) and a process definition (e.g., containing process related entities and inter-relationships).

Claims

1. An RFID component that facilitates executing an RFID process, comprising:

a receiver component that receives RFID data related to an RFID architecture; and

a schema component that creates a reader application markup language (RAML) schema based at least upon the received RFID data and installs and/or deploys an RFID process, wherein the RAML schema defines physical components of the sub-system that are used to employ a particular RFID-based process and comprises a process definition that contains a Logical Source having at least one of a tracker and writehandler;

wherein the Logical Source has a second Logical Source, a reader collection, an event handler, and an event handler policy; and

wherein the RFID architecture comprises a collection of RFID readers that form a sub-system which comprises an RFID reader that receives an RFID signal and an RFID tag that transmits to at least one RFID reader.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein a subset of the collection of RFID readers are associated with a particular location within the sub-system.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the RFID data is at least one of:

an RFID reader;

a discovered RFID reader;

a configured RFID reader;

an RFID antennae; and

a collection of RFID readers.

4. The component of claim 1, wherein the receiver component receives the RFID data via at least one of:

an Internet;

a LAN;

a WAN;

a serial line; and

a TCP/IP.

5. The component of claim 1 further comprises a setup component that analyzes the RFID architecture to determine a subset of the received RFID data to utilize in generating the RAML schema.

6. The component of claim 1, wherein the RAML schema comprises a sub-system definition that defines a state of a designated server and at least one entity in the sub-system that will be employed by the RFID process.

7. The component of claim 1, wherein the process definition defines the RFID process containing at least one RFID process related entity and an associated inter-relationship.

8. The component of claim 1, wherein the process definition specifies an RFID process built on top of the sub-system.

9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon the RAML schema of claim 1.

10. A computer readable medium having stored thereon the components of claim 1.

11. A computer-implemented method that facilitates executing an RFID process, comprising:

receiving RFID data from an RFID architecture;

creating a reader application markup language (RAML) schema based at least upon the received RFID data; and

utilizing the RAML schema to setup and/or deploy an RFID process;

wherein the RAML schema defines one or more physical components of the sub-system that are used to employ a particular RFID-based process and comprises a process definition that contains a Logical Source having at least one of a tracker and writehandler;

wherein the Logical Source has a second Logical Source, a reader collection, an event handler, and an event handler policy; and

wherein the RFID architecture comprises a plurality of RFID readers that form a sub-system that comprises an RFID reader that receives an RFID signal and an RFID tag that transmits to at least one RFID reader.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing the RAML schema to a computer-readable medium;

employing the RAML schema via the computer-readable medium.

13. A data packet that communicates between the receiver component and the schema component, the data packet facilitates the method of claim 11.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, the RAML schema comprises a RFID network definition with the state of a server and associated entities.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, the RAML schema contains a process definition with process related entities and inter-relationships.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising analyzing the received RFID to determine a subset of RFID data.

17. A computer implemented system that facilitates executing an RFID process, comprising:

means for receiving RFID data from an RFID architecture;

means for creating a reader application markup language (RAML) schema based at least upon the received RFID data; and

means for utilizing the RAML schema to setup and/or deploy an RFID process;

wherein the RAML schema defines physical components of the sub-system that are used to employ a particular RFID-based process and comprises a process definition that contains a Logical Source having at least one of a tracker and writehandler;

wherein the Logical Source has a second Logical Source, a reader collection, an event handler, and an event handler policy; and

wherein the RFID architecture comprises a collection of RFID readers that form a sub-system which comprises an RFID reader that receives an RFID signal and an RFID tag that transmits to at least one RFID reader.