Wireless inter-device data processing configured through inter-device transmitted data

• US 8,244,179 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syndefense
• Original Assignee: Robin Dua
• Inventors: Dua, Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US11/127,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,651 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/3.02, 455/3.06, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/41.3, 455/2.01, 455/419, 455/552.1, 463/25, 463/17, 235/375, 343/873, 340/572.1, 705/14, 250/201.5, 206/308.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.

Claims

1. A wireless media player comprising:

a storage component to store at least one electronic media asset;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag-reader module to obtain data from at least one target device indicative of capabilities thereof; and

a wireless transceiver to establish a communication link with the target device in accordance with the obtained capabilities data thereof and to transmit the electronic media asset from the storage component to the target device over the established communication link.

2. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

an RFID activation button to initiate an RFID communication session with the target device by which the capabilities data are obtained.

3. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the storage component stores device profile information including the capabilities data of the target device.

4. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the electronic media asset is transmitted to a plurality of the target devices simultaneously.

5. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the electronic media asset is transmitted to the at least one target device responsive to the communication link being established and exclusive of any user intervention.

6. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface including user controls by which the target device may be selected from one or more target devices with which the communication link has been previously established.

7. The wireless media player of claim 6, wherein the user interface includes a display screen to display information to a user and a keypad to accept information from the user.

8. The wireless media player of claim 7, wherein the user controls include soft-keys displayed on the display to present dynamic menu items indicative of the capabilities of the target device.

9. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

a commerce component with which to conduct commercial transactions using credential information stored therein and provided to the target device via the RFID tag-reader module.

10. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the electronic media asset comprises at least one of an audio file, a video file, an audio-visual file, an image file, a presentation file, an internet content file, a mark-up language file and an electronic calling card file.

11. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

a network routing module to resolve a network address of the target device such that the communication link is formed through a communication network.

12. The wireless media player of claim 11, wherein the communication network is the Internet.

13. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one user control by which at least one operation of the target device defined by the obtained capabilities data is controlled through manipulation thereof by a user.

14. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

a casing enclosing the storage component, the RFID tag-reader module and the wireless transceiver, the casing including an indication of a location thereon of at least one RFID hot spot at which an RFID communication link with the target device is established, the capabilities data being obtained from the target device through the RFID communication link.

15. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

a cellular transceiver to initiate and support voice calls and data transmissions through a cellular telephone network in accordance with the capabilities data.

16. The wireless media player of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless network transceiver to access the Internet via an Internet wireless access point in accordance with the capabilities data.

17. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag-reader module communicates with the target device over a near-field communication channel to obtain the capabilities data from the target device.

18. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag-reader module communicates with the target device over a near-field communication channel to send data indicative of capabilities of the wireless media player to the target device.

19. The wireless media player of claim 1, wherein the capabilities data include media processing capabilities, hardware capabilities, communications capabilities, audio device capabilities, live content processing capabilities, television content processing capabilities, peripheral device capabilities, media capture capabilities, media storage capabilities, media playback capabilities, device profile storage capabilities, automatic detection and connection capabilities, security capabilities, commercial transaction capabilities, and operating system and software capabilities.

20. A method for establishing a wireless communication connection between a handheld source device and at least one target device, the method comprising:

retrieving communication configuration information through at least one RFID communication session between the handheld source device and the target device;

configuring a wireless communication transceiver in accordance with the retrieved communication configuration information; and

establishing the wireless communication connection through the configured wireless communication transceiver.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting at least one media asset from the handheld source device to the target device through the wireless communication connection.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the retrieving of the configuration information includes:

initiating the RFID communication session only upon actuating an RFID activation button on the handheld source device.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing the communication configuration information from the handheld source device to the target device during the RFID communication session.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

streaming data to the target device upon establishment of the wireless communication connection.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing the communication configuration information on the handheld source device.

26. A wireless communication system comprising:

at least one source device comprising;

an RFID tag-reader module to selectively retrieve and provide device-descriptive data over an RFID communication channel; and

a wireless communication transceiver configurable in accordance with the selectively retrieved device-descriptive data to transmit and receive data over a wireless communication channel; and

at least one target device comprising;

an RFID tag to provide the device-descriptive data over the RFID communication channel; and

another wireless communication transceiver to transmit and receive the data over the wireless communication channel.

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the other wireless communication transceiver is configurable in accordance with the selectively provided device-descriptive data from the source device.

28. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the source device further comprises:

an RFID activation button cooperative with the RFID tag-reader module to establish the RFID communication channel in accordance with the selected providing or retrieving of the device-descriptive data.

29. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the source device further comprises:

a storage unit to store a device profile for the target device including the device-descriptive data thereof.

30. The wireless communication system of claim 29, wherein wireless communication transceiver is configured in accordance with the device profile retrieved from the storage unit.

31. The wireless communication system of claim 29, wherein the source device streams at least one media asset to the target device through the wireless communication channel.

32. The wireless communication system of claim 31, wherein the source device further comprises:

a processor to convert the media asset from a first format to a second format prior to streaming.

33. The wireless communication system of claim 31, wherein the source device further comprises:

a user interface to remotely control at least one playback operation of the media asset on the target device.

34. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the target device comprises one or more of a wireless headset, a wireless media player, a camera, a music player, a video player, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone, a game player, a portable storage device, a television, a digital video recorder, a video cassette recorder, a satellite receiver, a digital versatile disk player, a media entertainment center, a radio, an automobile computer system, a printer, a copier, a fax machine, a mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, a graphical data display, a projector, a medical monitoring device, a home appliance, a landline phone, a desktop personal computer, a notebook computer, a router, a telecommunication switch, and a remote control.

35. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the device-descriptive data is contained in an extensible markup language file.

36. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the device-descriptive data is compliant with a zero configuration network protocol.

37. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the device-descriptive data is compliant with the Universal Plug and Play standard.

38. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the source device further comprises:

a receiver to receive at least one over-the-air broadcast signal; and

a processor to packetize the received signal in accordance with the established wireless communication channel prior to transmission thereof to the target device.

39. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the source device and the target device exchange respective device-descriptive data over the RFID communication channel.

40. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the source device further comprises:

a radio transceiver activated upon receipt of the device-descriptive data from the target device.

41. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the capabilities data include media processing capabilities, hardware capabilities, communications capabilities, audio device capabilities, live content processing capabilities, television content processing capabilities, peripheral device capabilities, media capture capabilities, media storage capabilities, media playback capabilities, device profile storage capabilities, automatic detection and connection capabilities, security capabilities, commercial transaction capabilities and operating system and software capabilities.

42. A wireless data processing apparatus comprising:

a primary transceiver to communicate primary data in at least one direction over a wireless communication channel;

a secondary transceiver to communicatively couple with an external data processing device over an impermanent wireless communication channel so as to communicate device-descriptive data in at least one direction therewith; and

a processor electrically coupled to the primary and secondary transceivers to interoperate with the external data processing device in accordance with the device-descriptive data via the primary data communicated over the wireless communication channel.

43. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor configures the primary transceiver to establish the wireless communication channel in accordance with the device-descriptive data communicated over the impermanent wireless communication channel such that the wireless data processing apparatus is communicatively operative with the external data processing device over the wireless communication channel subsequent to the secondary transceiver terminating the impermanent wireless communication channel.

44. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

a storage unit to store the device-descriptive data retrieved by the secondary transceiver as a retrievable device profile of the external data processing device.

45. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processor configures the wireless data processing apparatus to interoperate with the external data processing device in accordance with the device profile retrieved from the database.

46. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 44, wherein processor modifies the device-descriptive data with data received with the primary data via the wireless communication channel.

47. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processor configures the primary transceiver to communicate with more than one of the external processing devices on at least the wireless communication channel in accordance with the device profile of respective external processing devices retrieved from the database.

48. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 42, wherein the secondary transceiver includes a radio-frequency identification transceiver.

49. A wireless data processing apparatus comprising:

a communication transceiver to communicate primary data in at least one direction over at least one wireless communication channel;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver to communicatively couple with an external data processing device over an RFID channel so as to communicate device-descriptive data in at least one direction therewith; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication transceiver and the RFID transceiver to interoperate with the external data processing device in accordance with the device-descriptive data via the primary data communicated over the wireless communication channel.

50. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 49, wherein the RFID transceiver further comprises:

a switch unit to, responsive to a state of a switch signal from the processor, selectively transition the RFID transceiver into a provisioning operational mode in which the device descriptive data of the wireless data processing apparatus are read by the external data processing device through the RFID channel and an acquiring operational mode in which the device-descriptive data of the external data processing device is retrieved through the RFID channel.

51. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 50, further comprising:

an activation control communicatively coupled to the processor and operable by a user to set the state of the switch signal.

52. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 51, wherein, responsive to manipulation of the activation control by the user, the switch unit transitions the RFID transceiver from the provisioning operational mode into the acquiring operational mode.

53. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 52, wherein the switch unit transitions the RFID transceiver from the acquiring operational mode to the provisioning operational mode upon completion of reading the device-descriptive data from the external data processing device and exclusive of the manipulation of the activation control.

54. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 50, further comprising:

a memory unit having stored therein processor instructions that, when executed by the processor, conducts predetermined data processing operations that include controlling the state of the switch signal without user intervention.

55. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 50, wherein the RFID transceiver further comprises:

a reader unit to read the device-descriptive data from the external data processing device over the RFID channel in the acquiring operational mode;

a tag unit to store the device-descriptive data of the wireless data processing apparatus so as to be read by the external data processing device in the provisioning operational mode; and

a radio frequency interface electrically coupled to the switch unit to modulate and demodulate the device-descriptive data for communication over the RFID channel in a wireless transmission medium in accordance with the state of the switch signal.

56. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 55, wherein the device-descriptive data stored in the tag unit include a plurality of device data components indicative of respective attributes of the wireless data processing apparatus.

57. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 56, further comprising:

a memory unit having stored therein processor instructions that, when executed by the processor, comprise a data processing application dependent on at least one of the attributes, the processor modifying the device-descriptive data such that the indication therein of the at least one of the attributes is indicative of a function of the data processing application.

58. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 57, further comprising:

a user interface including at least one interface control characterizing one of the attributes contained in the device-descriptive data read from the external data processing device, the interface control further characterizing the function of the data processing application such that manipulation of the interface control is communicated to the external data processing device via the primary data to perform the function of the data processing application on the external data processing device.

59. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:

a storage unit to store the device-descriptive data retrieved by the RFID transceiver as a retrievable device profile of the external data processing device, the device profile including a plurality of device data components indicative of respective attributes of the external data processing device.

60. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 59, wherein the processor determines from one of the device data components of the device profile of the external data processing device whether the primary data are in a format supported by a data processing capability of the external data processing device, the processor providing the primary data to the communication transceiver for the communication thereof over the wireless communication channel only upon a positive determination that the primary data are in the supported format.

61. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 60, wherein the processor converts the primary data from a format outside the data processing capability of the external data processing device into the format supported by the data processing capability of the external data processing device and provides the converted primary data to the communication transceiver for the communication thereof over the wireless communication channel.

62. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 59, wherein the storage unit stores device profiles retrieved from respective external data processing devices in a database of the device profiles.

63. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 62, wherein the processor configures the communication transceiver in accordance with a selected one of the device profiles retrieved from the database.

64. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 62, wherein the processor configures the communication transceiver to communicate with more than one of the external processing devices on at least the wireless communication channel in accordance with the device profiles of respective external data processing devices retrieved from the database.

65. A wireless data processing apparatus comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) module to provide, responsive to a request therefor by an external data processing device, device-descriptive data including at least an attribute of a wireless communication channel over which primary data is receivable by the wireless data processing apparatus;

a wireless communication unit to at least receive the primary data over the wireless communication channel in accordance with the attribute thereof;

a processor to process the primary data received over the wireless communication channel into an electrical signal; and

a transducer to produce an output perceivable by a human user in accordance with the electrical signal.

66. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 65, wherein the transducer comprises at least one speaker.

67. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 66, wherein the transducer comprises a visual display.

68. A wireless data processing system comprising:

a plurality of data processing devices, each comprising;

a communication transceiver to communicate primary data in at least one direction over at least one wireless communication channel;

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication transceiver to perform at least one data processing function with the primary data;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag to store device-descriptive data indicative of at least the data processing function; and

an RFID reader in an acquiring one of the data processing devices communicatively coupled to the processor thereof to selectively read the device-descriptive data from the RFID tags, the processor of the acquiring data processing device configuring the acquiring data processing device in accordance with the device-descriptive data of at least one of the data processing devices, whereby the acquiring data processing device interoperates with the at least one of the data processing devices via the primary data communicated over the wireless communication channel established therewith.

69. The wireless data processing system of claim 68, further comprising:

a database in the acquiring data processing device to store the device-descriptive data read from the RFID tags of the data processing devices.

70. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 69, wherein the processor of the acquiring data processing device, upon retrieving the device-descriptive data of one of the data processing devices, configures the communication transceiver thereof to establish a wireless communication with the one of the data processing devices in accordance with the device-descriptive data thereof and to communicate with the one of the data processing devices on the established wireless communication channel in accordance with the device-descriptive data thereof.

71. The wireless data processing system of claim 69, wherein the communication transceiver of the acquiring data processing device transmits contents of the database to at least one of the data processing devices, whereby the one of the data processing devices selectively communicates the data processing devices the device-descriptive data of which is stored in the transmitted database.

72. The wireless data processing system of claim 71, further comprising:

a user interface on the data processing devices to select device-descriptive data from the database, whereby the processor retrieves the selected device-descriptive data from the database and configures the communication transceiver to establish the wireless communication channel with the corresponding one of the data processing devices in accordance with the retrieved device-descriptive data thereof.

73. The wireless data processing system of claim 69, wherein the communication transceiver of each of the data processing devices maintains the wireless communication channel over a predetermined maximum range, the processor of the acquiring data processing device retrieving the device-descriptive data of one of the data processing devices upon determining from the primary data that the one of the data processing devices is within the maximum range of the acquiring data processing device.

74. The wireless data processing system of claim 73, wherein the processor of the acquiring data processing device configures the communication transceiver thereof to establish the wireless communication channel with another of the data processing devices that is within the maximum range thereof upon termination of the wireless communication channel previously established with the one of the data processing devices.

75. A wireless data processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory unit having stored therein processor instructions that comprise a data processing application when executed;

a wireless transceiver to communicate application-specific data in at least one direction over a wireless communication channel, the application-specific data associated with the data processing application;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver to communicatively couple with an external data processing device over an RFID communication channel so as to communicate selective RFID data therewith; and

a processor electrically coupled to the wireless transceiver to interoperate with the external data processing device through the application-specific data, to the RFID transceiver to configure a communication session with the external device in accordance with the selected RFID data, and to the memory unit to execute the processor instructions stored therein.

76. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the memory unit has stored therein other processor instructions that comprise an application layer communication initiation protocol process when executed;

the processor executes the application layer communication initiation protocol process to establish the communication session with another data processing application on the external processing device in accordance with the RFID data; and

the wireless transceiver communicates the application-specific data between the data processing application and the other data processing application on the external data processing device during the established communication session over the wireless communication channel.

77. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 76, wherein the application-specific data include graphical user interface information by which user controls are arranged in a graphical user interface to operate at least one of the data processing application and the other data processing application.

78. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 77, further comprising:

a graphical user interface having an arrangement of the user controls thereon to operate the data processing application, the processor assembling the graphical user interface information to be indicative of the arrangement of the user controls, the wireless transceiver communicating the assembled graphical user interface information to the external data processing apparatus, whereby the other data processing application on the external data processing device is remotely operated through the graphical user interface.

79. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 77, further comprising:

a graphical user interface having an arrangement of the user controls thereon to operate the data processing application, the graphical user interface being configured by the processor in accordance with the arrangement of user controls received in the graphical user interface information from the external data processing device through the wireless communication channel, whereby the data processing application or the other data processing application on the external data processing device is operated through the graphical user interface.

80. The wireless data processing device of claim 75, wherein:

the memory unit has stored therein a device profile containing profile information of the external data processing device that includes the RFID data thereof, the profile information defining operational capabilities by which the interoperation between the wireless data processing apparatus and the external data processing device may be performed exclusive of transmission over the RFID channel; and

the processor, upon receiving updated profile information via the wireless communication channel, replaces the corresponding profile information in the memory unit.

81. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the memory unit has stored therein other processor instructions that comprise an application launching process when executed;

the RFID data include device-descriptive data of the external data processing device; and

the processor executes the application launching process and, upon determining that the device-descriptive data include capability-descriptive data corresponding to capabilities of the data processing application, executes the data processing application without user intervention.

82. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 81, wherein:

the data processing application includes a data management process by which the memory unit is accessed to store therein and retrieve therefrom data files, the data management process including a user interface by which information indicative of the data files is presented to a user;

the RFID data include data-descriptive data indicative of respective file formats of the data files on the external data processing device; and

the processor executes the application launching process and, upon receipt of the data-descriptive data, executes the data management process without user intervention.

83. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 82, wherein:

the wireless transceiver receives a list of the data files stored on the external data processing apparatus over the wireless communication channel;

the user interface of the data management process presents information thereon so that the list is perceivable by a human user; and

the processor executes the data processing application to process one of the data files selected through the user interface of the data management process so as to present the information defined in the selected data file in a manner perceivable by the user.

84. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 83, wherein the data management process filters the list to present only the data files therein on the user interface that can be presented to the user by the capabilities of the data processing application.

85. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the memory unit has stored therein data files by which information perceivable by a user is presented through the data processing application;

the RFID data include data-descriptive data indicative of respective file formats of the data files; and

the RFID transceiver provides the data-descriptive data in the RFID data to the external data processing device so that another data processing application thereon processes the data files to present the information in a manner perceivable by the user.

86. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the RFID data include data-descriptive data indicative of respective file formats of data files stored on the external processing device;

the RFID transceiver obtains the data-descriptive data in the RFID data from the external data processing device;

the wireless transceiver receives the data files over the wireless communication channel; and

the processor executes the data processing application to process the data files so as to present information defined therein in a manner perceivable by a user.

87. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 86, wherein:

the memory unit has stored therein other processor instructions that comprise an application launching process when executed; and

the processor executes the application launching process and, upon determining that the data files have been received over the wireless communication channel, executes the data processing application without user intervention.

88. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, wherein the RFID transceiver includes:

an RFID memory unit in which to store the RFID data;

an RFID reader to read the RFID data from an external RFID memory unit;

a radio frequency (RF) interface electrically coupled to an RF antenna to communicate the RFID data over the RFID communication channel;

a switch unit to provide a signal path between the RF interface and a selected one of the RFID memory unit and the RFID reader; and

an RFID tag-reader controller communicatively interposed between the processor and the RFID memory unit, the RFID reader, and the switch unit to mediate operations therebetween, the mediated operations including selecting the signal path through the switch in accordance with a command signal from the processor.

89. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 88, wherein the RFID tag-reader controller includes a programming interface by which the data processing application interoperates with the RFID memory unit and the RFID reader.

90. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 89, wherein the contents of the RFID memory unit is accessible to the data processing application through the programming interface, whereby the contents of the RFID memory unit are modified by operations of the data processing application.

91. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, wherein:

the RFID transceiver is selectively coupled with another external data processing device over the RFID communication channel so as to communicate credential information in the RFID data in at least one direction therewith independently of the application-specific data.

92. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 75, further comprising:

electronic system components to provide the wireless data processing apparatus with device capabilities of one of a wireless media player, a camera, a music player, a video player, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone, a game player, a portable storage device, headphones, a television, a digital video recorder, a video cassette recorder, a satellite receiver, a digital versatile disk player, a media entertainment center, a radio, an automobile computer system, a printer, a copier, a fax machine, a mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, a graphical data display, a projector, a medical monitoring device, a home appliance, a landline phone, a desktop personal computer, a notebook computer, a router, a telecommunication switch, and a remote control.

93. A wireless data processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory unit to store processor instructions that comprise a plurality of user tasks when executed;

a wireless transceiver to communicate task-specific data in at least one direction over a wireless communication channel, the task-specific data associated with one of the user tasks;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver to selectively couple with external data processing devices over an RFID communication channel so as to communicate a selected one of RFID data and other RFID data in at least one direction therewith; and

a processor electrically coupled to the wireless and RFID transceivers to interoperate with the selected external data processing devices, the processor coupled to the memory unit to execute the processor instructions stored therein, the processor selectively executing the one of the user tasks with the task-specific data communicated over the wireless communication channel in accordance with the RFID data, the processor selectively executing the other of the user tasks with the other RFID data communicated over the RFID channel.

94. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 93, wherein the user task includes a presentation process to present the task-specific data in a manner perceivable by a human user and the other task is independent of the presentation process.

95. The wireless data processing apparatus of claim 93, wherein the RFID data include device-descriptive data of the wireless data processing apparatus or the external data processing device and the other RFID data include credential data specific to a user of a corresponding one of the wireless data processing apparatus or the external data processing device.