Emulated radio frequency identification

• US 9,405,947 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Zatloukal, Peter, Engstrom, G. Eric, Smith, Cindy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US13/750,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20130207777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• 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 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A mobile communication device is equipped with hardware and/or software components to enable the device to output a data in a form of a radio frequency signal, emulating outputting of the data by either an active or a passive RFID transponder. The data may be a security key or an identifier. Emulation of an active RFID transponder includes facilitating selection of the data and instruction to output by a user. Emulation of a passive RFID transponder includes detecting for proximal presence of a RFID reader. Either case, provision of the data to the mobile communication device may include provision of associated signal attribute(s).

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile communication device comprising:

receiving, by the mobile communication device, a radio frequency identification (RFID) probing signal from an RFID reader external to the mobile communication device;

executing, on processing circuitry in the mobile communication device, instructions stored in a memory in the mobile communication device, the instructions configured to cause the mobile communication device to;

output an RFID signal and output a voice call signal, wherein the RFID signal is output in response to the mobile communication device determining the mobile communication device is in an operational space of the RFID reader based upon receipt of the RFID probing signal, and wherein the voice call signal is output over a wireless network and within a radio frequency range that is different than a radio frequency range used to output the RFID signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID signal includes RFID data comprising a selected one of a security key and an identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the security key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifier comprises a selected one of a social security number, a driver'"'"'s license number, an affinity program account number, and a credit card number.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises facilitating a user in selecting the RFID data from a plurality of the RFID data using the mobile communication device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises facilitating provision of the RFID data to the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein facilitating provisioning of the RFID data to the mobile communication device includes facilitating provision of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the RFID data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

9. A method for operating a mobile communication device comprising:

executing, on processing circuitry in the mobile communication device, instructions stored in a memory in the mobile communication device, the instructions configured to cause the mobile communication device to monitor, output an RFID signal, and output a voice call signal;

wherein the monitoring comprises monitoring for a proximal presence of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader external to the mobile communication device and determining the mobile communication device is in an operational space of the RFID reader based on an RFID probing signal received by the mobile communication device from the RFID reader;

wherein the outputting of the RFID signal comprises outputting the RFID signal in response to determining the mobile communication device is within the proximal presence of the RFID reader based u on receipt of the RFID robin signal; and

wherein the outputting of the voice call signal comprises outputting the voice call signal over a wireless network in a radio frequency range different than a radio frequency range in which the RFID signal is output.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID signal includes RFID data comprising a security key.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the security key comprises a door key.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile communication device to facilitate provision of the RFID data to the mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein facilitating provisioning of the RFID data to the mobile communication device includes facilitating provision of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the RFID data.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device is one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

16. A mobile communication device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to output voice call signals in a first radio frequency range over a wireless network and output radio frequency identification (RFID) signals in a second radio frequency range, which is different than the first radio frequency range;

processing circuitry; and

a storage medium including instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the mobile communication device to;

monitor for a proximal presence of an RFID reader external to the mobile communication device via the communication circuitry, the monitoring comprising determining the mobile communication device is in an operational space of the RFID reader based on an RFID probing signal received by the mobile device from the RFID reader;

output a voice call signal for transmission over a wireless network via the communication circuitry in the first radio frequency range; and

output an RFID signal via the communication circuitry in response to detection of the proximal presence of the RFID reader external to the mobile communication device based upon receipt of the RFID probing signal, wherein the RFID signal is output in the second radio frequency range.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the RFID signal includes RFID data comprising a selected one of a security key and an identifier.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the security key comprises a door key.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein the door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the identifier comprises a selected one of a social security number, a driver'"'"'s license number, an affinity program account number, and a credit card number.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile communication device to facilitate a user in selecting the RFID data from a plurality of RFID data.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile communication device to facilitate provision of the RFID data to the mobile communication device.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile communication device to include provisioning of at least a signaling attribute associated with the RFID data in the form of a radio frequency signal.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the RFID data includes information identifying a user.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the mobile communication device is one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.

26. A mobile communication device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to transmit voice call signals in a first radio frequency range over a wireless network;

processing circuitry; and

a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the mobile communication device to;

monitor for a proximal presence of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader external to the mobile communication device via the communication circuitry, the monitoring comprising determining the mobile communication device is in an operational space of the RFID reader based on an RFID probing signal received by the mobile communication device from the RFID reader;

in response to determining the mobile communication device is in the operational space of the RFID reader based upon the receipt of the RFID probing signal, output an RFID signal via the communication circuity in a second radio frequency range that is different than the first radio frequency range; and

transmit a voice call signal to another mobile communication device via the communication circuitry at least in part over a wireless network in the first radio frequency range.

27. The mobile communication device of claim 26, wherein the RFID signal includes RFID data comprising a security key.

28. The mobile communication device of claim 27, wherein the security key comprises a door key.

29. The mobile communication device of claim 28, wherein the door key comprises a selected one of a garage door key, an exterior door key, an interior door key, and a motor vehicle door key.

30. The mobile communication device of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile communication device to facilitate provision of RFID data to the mobile communication device.

31. The mobile communication device of claim 30, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile communication device to include provisioning of at least a signaling attribute associated with the outputting of the RFID data in the form of a radio frequency signal.

32. The mobile communication device of claim 26, wherein the mobile communication device is one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant equipped with communication capability.