Radio frequency identification (RF-ID) based discovery for short range radio communication with reader device having transponder functionality

• US 7,565,108 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dekeyseria Technologies, LLC, Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Huomo, Heikki, Kotola, Sakari, Kuhl, Carmen, Vesikivi, Petri, Hussmann, Holger, Wakim, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun; Eugene
• Application Number:
  US10/804,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/435.1, 455/558, 340/5.81
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• 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 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A RF-ID based wireless terminal includes a reader device with transponder functionality implementing ECMA 340 standard for near field communication and has shortened session set-up and user identification. The reader device is operable in an active communication mode or a passive communication mode. During the active mode, one RF-ID tag reader simulates a RF-ID tag while the other simulates a RF-ID tag reader. The reader includes a transponder, which operates during periods of time when the reader is not energized. A radio frequency interface provides signal for operation of the reader in the reader operation mode or transponder mode of operation. An RF-ID reader upon receiving a response signal from a semi-passive or active RF-ID tag of reader emulating a tag informs the terminal CPU which instructs the short-range communication to enter e.g. a page scanning mode which shortens session set-up time and user identification.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a) generating a RF-ID interrogation signal by a first terminal equipped with a RF-ID tag reader device;

b) detecting the RF-ID interrogation signal by a second terminal when within the range of the RF-ID interrogation signal;

c) in response to detecting the presence of the RF-ID interrogation signal, providing a notification to activate a processor in the second terminal, the processor using the notification for setting a short-range communication module in the second terminal into a page scanning mode for detecting paging signals directed to the second terminal;

d) responding to the RF-ID interrogation signal by transmitting a RF-ID response signal to the first terminal including identification information relating to the short-range communication module of the second terminal;

e) processing the received RF-ID response signal by the first terminal to activate a short-range communication module in the first terminal to initiate a shortened session setup by skipping the inquiry stage;

transmitting a short-range paging signal directed to the second terminal based on information of the received RF-ID response signal and entering a page mode to establish a short-range connection with the second terminal; and

f) detecting the paging signal by the short-range communication module in the second terminal for immediate establishment of a short-range connection between the first and second terminals by skipping the inquiry stage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

g) incorporating in the second mobile terminal a RF-ID tag reader having tag functionality and terminal identification information.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

h) switching the RF-ID tag reader in the second terminal to operate in a show communication mode and simulate a RF-ID tag device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second terminals include RF-ID tag readers operating in an active mode.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the RF-ID tag reader of the second terminal operates in a powered down state and passive mode.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein one RF-ID tag reader automatically switches to a passive state when de-energized.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the short-range communication modules of the first and the second terminals conform to the principles of Bluetooth technology.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the processor of the second terminal responding terminal to the second terminal informs the Bluetooth module of the second terminal to enter into a Bluetooth page scan mode after detecting an interrogation signal and responding to it with identification information of the Bluetooth communication module in order to provide a shortened device discovery and session setup between the terminals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second terminals are mobile terminals.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

j) determining whether a short-range connection is acceptable.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

k) instructing the short-range communication module to enter into a page scanning mode if the Bluetooth mode is acceptable.

12. Method of claim 10 further comprising:

l) instructing the short-range communication module to enter into a non-connectable connection if the Bluetooth mode is not acceptable.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(iv) instructing the second terminal to enter into a page scanning mode if the notification indicates a Bluetooth connection is acceptable.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(iv) instructing the second terminal to enter into a non-connectable mode if the notification indicates a Bluetooth connection is not acceptable.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising

(iv) determining if a Bluetooth connection between the first and second terminals is acceptable using a control circuit responsive to the processor.

16. A method, comprising:

a) receiving a notification signal indicating presence of an RF-ID interrogation signal from an associated RF-ID communications module in response to detecting an interrogation signal by said RF-ID communications module; and

b) in response to the notification signal, instructing an associated wireless short-range communication module to skip an inquiry stage and enter into a predefined shortened session set-up operation mode for detecting paging signals addressed to said wireless short-range communication module.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

c) including in a RF-ID response signal at least a unique Bluetooth identification number of the wireless short-range communication module.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

c) including in a RF-ID response signal a Bluetooth serial number and Bluetooth Clock Offset information of the wireless short-range communication module.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

c) entering into a Bluetooth page scan mode after detecting the interrogation signal.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

c) receiving a paging signal as an initial signal to activate the wireless short-range communication module.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

c) skipping an inquiry stage and initiating a shortened session set up upon receiving a paging signal.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the associated wireless short-range communication module is instructed to enter into a page scanning mode if the notification indicates a Bluetooth connection is acceptable.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the associated wireless communication module is instructed to enter into a non-connectable mode if the notification indicates a Bluetooth connection is not acceptable.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a) a processor;

b) a wireless short-range communication module; and

c) a near field communication module configured to detect a RF-ID interrogation signal and send a response signal including identification information relating to the wireless short-range communication module;

wherein the processor is configured to instruct the wireless short range-communication module to skip an inquiry stage and enter into a predefined operation mode for detecting paging signals addressed to the wireless short-range communication module in response to receiving a notification signal indicating presence of the RF-ID interrogation signal from the near field communication module.

25. The wireless communication terminal of claim 24 further comprises:

d) a unique Bluetooth identification number of the wireless short-range communication module included in a RF-ID response signal.

26. The wireless communication terminal of claim 24 further comprises:

d) a Bluetooth serial number and Bluetooth Clock Offset information of the wireless short-range communication module including in a RF-ID response signal.

27. The wireless communication terminal of claim 24 further comprises:

d) entering into a Bluetooth page scan mode into after detecting the interrogation signal.

28. The wireless communication terminal of claim 24 further comprises:

d) a paging signal to activate the wireless communication module after receiving the interrogation signal.

29. The wireless communication terminal of claim 24 further comprises:

d) skipping an inquiry stage and establishing a shortened session set upon receiving a paging signal.

30. A computer readable storage medium including program code, executable in a computer system, comprising:

i) program code for receiving a notification signal indicating presence of a RF-ID interrogation signal from an associated RF-ID communications module in response to detecting an interrogation signal by said RF-ID communications module and in response to the notification signal;

ii) program code for instructing an associated wireless short-range communication module to skip an inquiry stage and enter into a predefined shortened session set-up operation mode for detecting paging signals addressed to said wireless short-range communication module.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising:

iii) program code for entering into a Bluetooth page scan mode after detecting the interrogation signal.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising:

iv) program code for receiving a paging signal to activate the wireless short-range communication module.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising:

v) program code for skipping an inquiry stage and initiating a shortened session set up upon receiving a paging signal.

34. A system, comprising:

a) a first terminal equipped with a RF-ID tag reader device configured to generate a RF-ID interrogation signal;

b) a second terminal configured to detect the RF-ID interrogation signal when within the range of the RF-ID interrogation signal;

c) a processor in the second terminal activated upon notification by the second terminal responsive to the interrogation signal, the processor using the notification for setting a short-range communication module in the second terminal into a page scanning mode for detecting paging signals directed to the second terminal;

d) a transceiver in the second terminal responding to the RF-ID interrogation signal by transmitting a RF-ID response signal to the first terminal including identification information relating to the short-range communication module of the second terminal;

e) a transceiver in the first terminal processing the received RF-ID response signal by the first terminal to activate a short-range communication module in the first terminal to initiate a shortened session setup by skipping the inquiry stage;

transmitting a short-range paging signal directed to the second terminal based on information of the received RF-ID response signal and entering a page mode to establish a short-range connection with the second terminal; and

f) a detector detecting the paging signal by the short-range communication module in the second terminal for initiating immediate establishment of a short-range connection between the first and second terminals by skipping the inquiry stage.