Method and apparatus pertaining to RFID tag-based user assertions

• US 9,400,900 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Nicholaus A., Wilkinson, Bruce W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US13/804,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An apparatus includes a display and one or more user-assertable surfaces. When asserted by a user, such a surface selectively couples a corresponding near-field RFID tag to a far-field component such that information stored by the near-field RFID tag is transmitted via the far-field component. The display, in turn, presents at least some information that the apparatus receives via an RFID transceiver. Depending upon the design this RFID transceiver can be the same as the aforementioned near-field RFID tag or can comprise a different RFID tag (such as but not limited to a far-field RFID tag). By one approach the aforementioned user-assertable surfaces comprise discrete push buttons. When the far-field component comprises a far-field antenna, asserting such a push button can serve to place the corresponding near-field RFID tag into operable proximity to the far-field antenna.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver that operably couples to the display such that the display will present at least some information received via the RFID transceiver;

a plurality of user-assertable surfaces that each, when individually asserted by a user, selectively couples a single corresponding unique near-field RFID tag of a plurality of near-field RFID tags to a far-field component that is shared with others of the plurality of near-field RFID tags such that information stored by the corresponding unique near-field RFID tag is transmitted via the far-field component without also transmitting information for any others of the plurality of near-field RFID tags.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display comprises an electronic paper display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the far-field component at least comprises a far-field antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the RFID transceiver operably couples to the far-field antenna.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the information presented on the display includes information regarding present functionality of at least one of the user-assertable surfaces.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the information presented on the display includes information regarding present functionality of each of the plurality of user-assertable surfaces.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least some of the user-assertable surfaces correspond to at least one of:

a display navigation command;

a selection command pertaining to a user-selectable option presented on the display.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user-assertable surfaces each comprises a discrete push button.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the user-assertable surfaces underlies the display.

10. A method comprising:

by an apparatus;

presenting on a display at least some information received via a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver;

automatically coupling a single particular near-field RFID tag of a plurality of near-field RFID tags to a far-field component when a user asserts a particular corresponding user-assertable surface of a plurality of user-assertable surfaces to thereby transmit via the far-field component information stored by the particular near-field RFID tag without also transmitting information for any others of the plurality of near-field RFID tags, wherein the far-field component is shared with others of the plurality of near-field RFID tags.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein presenting on the display at least some of the information received via an RFID transceiver comprises, at least in part, presenting on the display information regarding present functionality of at least one of the user-assertable surfaces.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the user-assertable surfaces underlies the corresponding display of the information regarding the present functionality of the at least one of the user-assertable surfaces that underlies the corresponding display.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein presenting on the display at least some of the information received via an RFID transceiver comprises, at least in part, presenting on the display information that comprises a response to a prior transmission made by a combination of one of the plurality of near-field RFID tags and the far-field component.