Interface configuration by a memory tag

• US 7,362,625 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Slatter, David Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms; Richard T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Byrne; Harry W
• Application Number:
  US11/256,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 365/192, 340 21- 28, 340 101- 106, 340/10.51, 3405721-5729, 235375-385, 235/492, 455/151.1, 455/150.1, 726/20, 700/215, 700/221, 700/225, 700/227
• US Class Current: 365/192
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs

Abstract

A memory tag is powered by and addressable via a radio frequency wireless link to read data from a memory. The memory tag is addressable by a reader. The memory holds data and interface configuration information relating to the operation of an interface device. This interface configuration information including at least one status item and an item type associated with the, or each, status item.

Claims

1. A memory tag having a memory and powered by and addressable via a radio frequency wireless link to read data from the memory, the memory tag being addressable by a reader, wherein the memory holds data and interface configuration information relating to the operation of an interface device, the interface configuration information comprising at least one status item and an item type associated with the or each status item.

2. A memory tag according to claim 1 wherein the item type comprises one of binary type, enumeration or continuous information.

3. A memory tag according to claim 1 wherein a priority is associated with the, or each, status item.

4. A memory tag according to claim 1 wherein the interface configuration information comprises a plurality of status items and an item type associated with each status item.

5. A memory tag according to claim 4 operable to transmit status information in accordance with a status item.

6. A memory tag according to claim 5 operable to receive a list of accepted status items from a reader and only transmit status information relating to a status item on the list of accepted status items.

7. A reader for reading a memory tag powered by and addressable via a radio frequency wireless link to read data from a memory of the memory tag, wherein the memory holds data and interface configuration information comprising at least one status item and an item type associated with the status item, wherein the reader comprises one or more user interface devices,

the reader being operable to read the memory tag and operate the one or more user interface devices in accordance with the interface configuration information by mapping at least one of the one or more user interface devices on to at least one of the at least one status items.

8. A reader according to claim 7 wherein the interface configuration information comprises a plurality of status items and an item type associated with each status item, the reader being operable to map a user interface device to at least a subset of the status items in accordance with the item types.

9. A reader according to claim 8 wherein a priority is associated with each status item and wherein the reader is further operable to map a user interface device to at least a subset of the status items in accordance with the priority of each of the subset of status items.

10. A reader according to claim 8 operable to transmit a list of accepted status items to the memory tag corresponding to the subset of status items.

11. A reader according to claim 7 operable to receive status information in accordance with a status item and operate the user interface device corresponding to the status item in accordance with the status information.

12. A method of writing to a memory tag powered by and addressable via a radio frequency wireless link to read data from a memory of the memory tag, the method comprising the steps of writing data and interface configuration information to the memory, the interface configuration information comprising information relating to the operation of an interface device and comprising at least one status item and an item type associated with the status item.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the item type comprises one of binary type, enumeration or continuous information.

14. A method according to claim 12 wherein a priority is associated with the status item.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the interface configuration information comprises a plurality of status items and an item type associated with each status item.

16. A method of operating a reader to read a memory tag powered by and addressable via a radio frequency wireless link to read data from a memory of the memory tag, wherein the memory holds data and interface configuration information, the method comprising the steps of reading the memory tag and operating at least one user interface device in accordance with the interface configuration information, wherein the interface configuration information comprises at least one status item and an item type associated with the or each status item, the method comprising the step of mapping at least one of the at least one user interface devices to at least one status item.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the interface configuration information comprises a plurality of status items and an item type associated with each status item, the method comprising the step of mapping a user interface device to at least a subset of the status items in accordance with the item types.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein a priority is associated with each status, the method comprising the step of mapping a user interface device to at least a subset of the status items in accordance with the priority of each of the subset of status items.

19. A method according to claim 17 comprising transmitting a list of accepted status items to the memory tag corresponding to the subset of status items.

20. A method according to claim 16 comprising the steps of receiving status information in accordance with a status item and operating the user interface device corresponding to the status item in accordance with the status information.