Managing NFC devices based on downloaded data

• US 10,348,368 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blazer And Flip Flops, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Blazer And Flip Flops, Inc.
• Inventors: Cronin, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandiford, Devan A
• Application Number:
  US15/967,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20180248589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23161 Hand held terminal PDA displays machine control program when user is near that machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

The present invention includes systems and methods for a near field communication (NFC) center that stores NFC information for various NFC devices and products. The NFC information is supplied by the device or product itself or from the manufacturer of the device or product. A user is then able to obtain the NFC information through their user mobile device from the NFC center. With the NFC information, the user can manage one or more NFC devices in real time.

Claims

1. A device for managing NFC data, the device comprising:

a communication interface that;

sends a request over a communication network to an NFC database, the request specifying at least one of a plurality of available NFC devices listed in the NFC database, and

downloads information specific to the at least one specified NFC device from the NFC database, wherein the information downloaded from the NFC database comprises a data code file specific to management of the at least one specified NFC device;

a user interface that receives customization input specifying a location-based operation to be enabled at one or more specified locations, wherein the location-based operation is disabled at another location;

memory that stores the data code file and the customization input in association with the at least one specified NFC device; and

a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor identifies that a current location is at one of the specified locations, and enables the location-based operation of the at least one specified NFC device based on the identified current location being at one of the specified locations, wherein the enabled location-based operation is performed in accordance with the stored data file and the customization input.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the downloaded information further comprises a web link specific to the at least one specified NFC device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the web link is selectable to access update information for the at least one specified NFC device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor executes further instructions to automatically search for any updates for the at least one specified NFC device via the web link.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein an update is found, and wherein the processor executes further instructions to automatically supply the found update to the at least one specified NFC device.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising allowing polling via an application programming interface (API).

7. The device of claim 1, wherein sending the request comprises receiving a selection of the at least one specified NFC device from a list of the plurality of available NFC devices.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising sending the customization input from the communication interface over the communication network to the NFC database for storage.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein enabling the location-based operation comprises transmitting one or more security codes for performing the location-based operation in real-time.

9. A method for managing NFC data, the method comprising:

sending a request over a communication network from a user device to an NFC database, the request specifying at least one of a plurality of available NFC devices listed in the NFC database;

downloading information specific to the at least one specified NFC device from the NFC database to the user device, wherein the information downloaded from the NFC database comprises a data code file specific to management of the at least one specified NFC device;

receiving customization input via a user interface of the user device, wherein the customization input specifies a location-based operation to be enabled at one or more specified locations, wherein the location-based operation is disabled at another location;

storing the data code file and the customization input in association with the at least one specified NFC device in memory of the user device;

identifying that the user device is currently located at one of the specified locations; and

enabling the location-based operation of the at least one specified NFC device based on the identified current location being at one of the specified locations, wherein the enabled location-based operation is performed in accordance with the stored data file and the customization input.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the downloaded information further comprises a web link specific to the at least one specified NFC device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the web link is selectable to access update information for the at least one specified NFC device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically searching for any updates for the at least one specified NFC device via the web link.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein an update is found, and further comprising automatically supplying the found update to the at least one specified NFC device.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising allowing polling of the user device via an application programming interface (API).

15. The method of claim 9, wherein sending the request comprises receiving a selection of the at least one specified NFC device from a list of the plurality of available NFC devices.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending the customization input from the user device over the communication network to the NFC database for storage.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for managing NFC data, the method comprising:

sending a request over a communication network from a user device to an NFC database, the request specifying at least one of a plurality of available NFC devices listed in the NFC database;

downloading information specific to the at least one specified NFC device from the NFC database, wherein the information downloaded from the NFC database comprises a data code file specific to management of the at least one specified NFC device;

receiving customization input via a user interface of the user device, wherein the customization input specifies a location-based operation to be enabled at one or more specified locations, wherein the location-based operation is disabled at another location;

storing the data code file and the customization input in association with the at least one specified NFC device in memory of the user device;

identifying that the user device is currently located at one of the specified locations; and

enabling the location-based operation of the at least one specified NFC device based on the identified current location being at one of the specified locations, wherein the enabled location-based operation is performed in accordance with the stored data file and the customization input.