Detector logic and radio identification device and method for enhancing terminal operations

• US 9,084,116 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuhl, Carmen, Ginman, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US10/592,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An electronic device operable with a radio frequency identification device operable with a detector logic and a method for operating the electronic device with a radio frequency identification device and a detector logic is provided. Firstly, a detection event is registered by the detector logic. The detected event relates to an operation of the radio frequency identification device, which is applicable to transmit data to a counterpart radio frequency identification device. A detection signal is generated and issued by the detector logic in response to the registering and detection event, respectively, which detection signal is received by the electronic device. Then, the electronic device initiates one or more operations in response to the receiving of the detection signal.

Claims

1. Radio frequency identification device comprising:

a controller logic;

a memory coupled with the controller logic and configured to store data retrievable by an external radio frequency identification device;

a physical interface configured to connect the radio frequency identification device to a hosting electronic device; and

a radio frequency interface configured to receive a radio frequency interrogating signal from the external radio frequency identification device, in response to which said controller logic is configured to supply data from said memory to said radio frequency interface to cause transmission of a radio frequency response signal carrying said data without requiring any input from the hosting electronic device,

wherein said radio frequency identification device further comprises a detector logic configured to provide a detection signal to the hosting electronic device through the physical interface responsive to a detected event relating to an operation of said radio frequency identification device, wherein said operation of said radio frequency identification device is performed without requiring any input from the hosting electronic device, and wherein said detection signal informs the hosting electronic device of said operation of said radio frequency identification device, and wherein said detected event comprises any of the following events;

receiving of said interrogating signal by said radio frequency interface;

energizing said radio frequency identification device in response to said receiving of said interrogating signal;

supplying of said data to said radio frequency interface in response to said receiving of said interrogating signal;

transmitting said radio frequency response signal; and

deactivating said radio frequency identification device subsequent to said transmitting of said radio frequency response signal.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency identification device is operable with radio frequency identification reader functionality and radio frequency identification transponder functionality.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said radio frequency identification device is operable with radio frequency identification transponder functionality to emulate a radio frequency identification transponder.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein said detector logic is provided integrally to one of said radio frequency interface and said controller logic of said radio frequency identification device.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency identification device comprises a configurable data storage.

6. A system comprising:

a hosting electronic device; and

a radio frequency identification device, comprising;

a controller logic;

a memory coupled with the controller logic and configured to store data retrievable by an external radio frequency identification device;

a physical interface configured to connect the radio frequency identification device to the hosting electronic device; and

a radio frequency interface configured to receive a radio frequency interrogating signal from the external radio frequency identification device, in response to which said controller logic is configured to supply data from said memory to said radio frequency interface to cause transmission of a radio frequency response signal carrying said data without requiring any input from the hosting electronic device,

wherein said radio frequency identification device further comprises a detector logic configured to provide a detection signal to the hosting electronic device through the physical interface responsive to a detected event relating to an operation of said radio frequency identification device;

said hosting electronic device comprising;

a detection signal input configured to receive said detection signal issued by said detector logic in response to said detected event relating to said operation of said radio frequency identification device employed for transmitting data, wherein said operation of said radio frequency identification device is performed without requiring any input from the hosting electronic device, and wherein said detection signal informs said hosting electronic device of said operation of said radio frequency identification device, and wherein said detected event comprises any of the following events;

receiving of an interrogating signal by a radio frequency interface;

energizing said radio frequency identification device in response to said receiving of said interrogating signal;

supplying of data to said radio frequency interface in response to said receiving of said interrogating signal;

transmitting a radio frequency response signal carrying said data; and

deactivating said radio frequency identification device subsequent to said transmitting of said radio frequency response signal.

7. A system according to claim 6, comprising one or more associations between several contexts and a plurality of operations of the hosting electronic device, wherein said associations enable said hosting electronic device to select one or more operations from said plurality of operations.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said one or more operations of the hosting electronic device are predefined and said one or more predefined operations relate to services or applications.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein a current operational context of the hosting electronic device is obtainable from type information about said data, which is transmitted by said radio frequency identification device, wherein said type information relates to contents of said data.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein an operational context is obtainable from context information defining said operational context.

11. A system according to claim 6, wherein context information of the hosting electronic device is provided by external source entities and/or said context information is obtainable on the basis of information provided by said external source entities.

12. A system according to claim 6, wherein said electronic device is a portable consumer electronic device.

13. A system according to claim 6, wherein said electronic device is a mobile phone.

14. Method comprising:

detecting an event by a detector logic of a radio frequency identification device coupled to an electronic device hosting the radio frequency identification device, wherein said detected event relates to an operation of said radio frequency identification device in response to receiving an interrogation signal from an external radio frequency identification device via a radio frequency interface of the radio frequency identification device, wherein said operation of said radio frequency identification device is performed without requiring any input from the hosting electronic device; and

issuing a detection signal by said detector logic in response to said detected event to the hosting electronic device, the detection signal informing the hosting electronic device of said operation of said radio frequency identification device,

wherein said detected event comprises any of the following events;

receiving of an interrogating signal by a radio frequency interface;

energizing said radio frequency identification device in response to said receiving of said interrogating signal;

supplying of said data to said radio frequency interface in response to said receiving of said interrogating signal;

transmitting said radio frequency response signal by said radio frequency identification device; and

deactivating said radio frequency identification device subsequent to said transmitting of said radio frequency response signal.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein one or more associations are provided, which associate several contexts with a plurality of operations of said hosting electronic device.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein one or more operations of the hosting electronic device are predefined and said one or more predefined operations relate to services or applications operable with said hosting electronic device.

17. Method according to claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining a current operational context of said hosting electronic device from type information about said data, which is transmitted by said radio frequency identification device, wherein said type information relates to contents of said data.

18. Method according to claim 17, comprising obtaining context information of said hosting electronic device, on the basis of which said current operational context is definable.

19. Method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of said operations:

obtaining information from an external source entity, wherein said obtained information serves as said context information; and

obtaining said information from said external source entity and analyzing said obtained information to obtain said context information.

20. Computer program product comprising program code sections stored on a non-transitory machine-readable medium for performing the method of claim 14, when said computer program product is run on a controller, processor-based device, a computer, a microprocessor based device, a terminal, a network device, a mobile terminal, or a mobile communication enabled terminal.