System and method for responding to a request received at an object with an RFID device

• US 9,013,278 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Goossens, Kees Gerard Willem, Szostek, Lukasz
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US12/856,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.3, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340 101- 106, 455/1, 455/68, 455/26.1, 455/456.4, 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/558
• US Class Current: 340/10.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0727 the arrangement being a circuit facilitating integration of the record carrier with a hand-held device such as a smart phone of PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method and system for responding to a request received at an object with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device is described. In one embodiment, a method for responding to a request received at an object with an RFID device is described. The method for responding to a request received at an object with an RFID device involves receiving a request at an RFID device, providing the request from the RFID device to a component of the object, and processing the request at the component of the object. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method for responding to a request received at a mobile communications device with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for turning off or turning on a functionality of the mobile communications device at an RFID device, wherein receiving the request for turning off or turning on the functionality of the mobile communications device comprises receiving the request for switching off the mobile communications device for a duration;

displaying a notification to a user of the mobile communications device for an authorization that authorizes the request for turning off or turning on the functionality of the mobile communications device;

receiving the authorization from the user of the mobile communications device prior to providing the request from the RFID device to the component of the mobile communications device;

receiving an authorization certificate at the mobile communication device that is generated during a check-in process for allowing the user of the mobile communications device into a facility for the duration, wherein the authorization certificate authorizes the request for switching off the mobile communications device for the duration, wherein the authorization certificate expires after the duration;

providing the request from the RFID device to a component of the mobile communications device over a wired link;

processing the request at the component of the mobile communications device; and

wherein the request further contains request information regarding the battery charge status of the mobile communications device and information regarding whether or not the mobile communications device is connected to a power source;

wherein the authentication certificate is generated based on a response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request at the RFID device comprises receiving the request as an incoming RF signal at the RFID device, wherein processing the request at the component of the mobile communications device comprises generating a response to the request at the component of the mobile communications device, and wherein the method further comprises:

directly providing the response from the component of the mobile communications device to the RFID device over the wired link; and

transmitting the response as an outgoing RF signal from the RFID device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning the presence of the mobile communications device, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the presence of the mobile communications device in the response.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning a characteristic of the mobile communications device, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the characteristic of the mobile communications device in the response.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning an identity of the mobile communications device, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the identity of the mobile communications device in the response.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning a functionality of the mobile communications device, and wherein generating the response comprises including information about the functionality of the mobile communications device in the response.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning a status of a functionality of the mobile communications device, and wherein generating the response further comprises including information about the status of the functionality of the mobile communications device in the response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes an instruction for changing a functionality of the component of the mobile communications device, and wherein processing the request at the component of the mobile communications device comprises changing the functionality of the component of the mobile communications device according to the instruction.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the request includes an instruction for changing a functionality of the component of the mobile communications device, wherein processing the request at the component of the mobile communications device further comprises changing the functionality of the component of the mobile communications device according to the instruction, and wherein generating the response comprises including information that indicates how the functionality of the component of the mobile communications device is changed in the response.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID device is embedded in the mobile communications device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a pop-up window or prompt.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the request contains information regarding whether or not the mobile communications device has a WIFI, a Bluetooth, or an Infrared (IR) interface, whether or not the mobile communications device can take photos, record video, audio, whether or not the mobile communications device has a particular application installed, and what applications are installed in the mobile communications device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the functionality of the mobile communications device comprises a wireless communications functionality, a temperature or humidity sensing capability, a recording capability, a playing back capability, a storage capability, and an ability to produce a sound or light.

11. A communications apparatus comprising:

a mobile communications device, wherein the mobile communications device comprises a component configured to process a request for turning off or turning on a functionality of the mobile communications device, wherein the request for turning off or turning on the functionality of the mobile communications device comprises a request for switching off the mobile communications device for a duration;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, wherein the RFID device is configured to receive the request and to provide the request to the component of the mobile communications device over a wired link, wherein the communications apparatus displays a notification to a user of the mobile communications device for an authorization that authorizes the request for turning off or turning on the functionality of the mobile communications device, wherein the communications apparatus receives an authorization certificate at the mobile communication device that is generated during a check-in process for allowing the user of the mobile communications device into a facility for the duration, wherein the authorization certificate authorizes the request for switching off the mobile communications device for the duration, wherein the authorization certificate expires after the duration, and wherein the RFID device receives the authorization from the user of the mobile communications device prior to providing the request from the RFID device to the component of the mobile communications device; and

wherein the request further contains request information regarding the battery charge status of the mobile communications device and information regarding whether or not the mobile communications device is connected to a power source;

wherein the authentication certificate is generated based on a response to the request.

12. The communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the component is further configured to generate a response to the request, and wherein the RFID device is further configured:

to receive the request as an incoming RF signal,

to directly receive the response from the component over the wired link, and

to transmit the response as an outgoing RF signal.

13. The communication apparatus of claim 11, wherein the RFID device is embedded in the mobile communications device.

14. The communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning the presence of the mobile communications device and a characteristic of the mobile communications device, and wherein the component is further configured to include information about the presence of the mobile communications device and information about the characteristic of the mobile communications device in the response.

15. The communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the request includes an instruction for changing a functionality of the component, and wherein the component is further configured to change the functionality of the component according to the instruction and to include information that indicates how the functionality of the component is changed in the response.

16. A method for responding to a request received at a mobile communications device with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for turning off or turning on a functionality of the mobile communications device as an incoming RF signal at an RFID device, wherein receiving the request for turning off or turning on the functionality of the mobile communications device comprises receiving the request for switching off the mobile communications device for a duration, wherein the RFID device is embedded in a mobile communications device, and wherein the request includes an inquiry concerning the presence of the mobile communications device and a characteristic of the mobile communications device;

displaying a notification to a user of the mobile communications device for an authorization that authorizes the request for turning off or turning on the functionality of the mobile communications device;

receiving the authorization from the user of the mobile communications device prior to providing the request from the RFID device to the component of the mobile communications device;

receiving an authorization certificate at the mobile communication device that is generated during a check-in process for allowing the user of the mobile communications device into a facility for the duration, wherein the authorization certificate authorizes the request for switching off the mobile communications device for the duration, wherein the authorization certificate expires after the duration;

directly providing the request from the RFID device to a component of the mobile communications device over a wired link;

generating a response to the request at the component of the mobile communications device, wherein the response comprises information about the presence of the mobile communications device and information about the characteristic of the mobile communications device;

providing the response from the component of the mobile communications device to the RFID device over the wired link;

transmitting the response as an outgoing RF signal from the RFID device; and

wherein the request further contains request information regarding the battery charge status of the mobile communications device and information regarding whether or not the mobile communications device is connected to a power source;

wherein the authentication certificate is generated based on a response to the request.