U.S. patent application number 13/880683 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-31 for advanced functionality of remote-access devices.
The applicant listed for this patent is Antti Manninen, Mikko Nikkanen, Juhani Virtanen. Invention is credited to Antti Manninen, Mikko Nikkanen, Juhani Virtanen.
Application Number | 20130285795 13/880683 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45974741 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130285795 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Virtanen; Juhani ; et
al. |
October 31, 2013 |
ADVANCED FUNCTIONALITY OF REMOTE-ACCESS DEVICES
Abstract
A remote-access device typically used for tagging items, a
reader device for the same, system and methods of such devices. The
remote-access device has an advanced capability that the device is
able to signal by an advanced capability code. The device or the
system may carry advanced capability data that can be used to
utilize or enhance the advanced capability. The advanced capability
data may be stored at the remote-access device, at the reader or in
the system at a computer. The results of the advanced functionality
may be logged onto a database or they may be stored back to the
remote-access device. The advanced capability code, data and
results may be stored onto the remote-access device in protected
form, and the access key may be derived from identification
information on the remote-access device.
Inventors: |
Virtanen; Juhani; (Tampere,
FI) ; Manninen; Antti; (Tampere, FI) ;
Nikkanen; Mikko; (Tampere, FI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Virtanen; Juhani
Manninen; Antti
Nikkanen; Mikko |
Tampere
Tampere
Tampere |
|
FI
FI
FI |
|
|
Family ID: |
45974741 |
Appl. No.: |
13/880683 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
October 22, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FI2010/050836 |
371 Date: |
May 17, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/10.1 ;
29/601 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01K 1/024 20130101;
Y04S 40/20 20130101; H04W 4/80 20180201; G06F 2221/2153 20130101;
G06K 19/0723 20130101; G06F 2221/2103 20130101; G06F 21/35
20130101; G06K 7/0008 20130101; G06K 7/10366 20130101; Y10T
29/49018 20150115; G06F 2221/2141 20130101; G06K 19/0717 20130101;
G06F 21/83 20130101; G06K 19/0716 20130101; G01K 7/32 20130101;
G06F 21/84 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/10.1 ;
29/601 |
International
Class: |
G06K 7/10 20060101
G06K007/10 |
Claims
1-72. (canceled)
73. A method for utilizing advanced functionality of an RFID
device, said advanced functionality being functionality other than
providing an identification, said RFID device being energetically
passive, the method comprising: receiving an advanced functionality
code from said RFID device, said advanced functionality code
indicating that said RFID device provides said advanced
functionality, and said advanced functionality code enabling a
reader to adjust its operation according to said advanced
functionality, requesting information from said RFID device, said
information relating to said advanced functionality, and based on
said received advanced functionality code, utilizing said advanced
functionality by using said requested information.
74. A method according to claim 73, wherein utilizing said advanced
functionality comprises determining a temperature measurement
value, and said requested information comprises a signal indicative
of said temperature measurement value, and the method further
comprises: determining whether said received advanced functionality
code indicates that said RFID device is capable of being used for
said advanced functionality of temperature measurement, and in
response to said determining indicating that said RFID device is
capable of being used for said advanced functionality of
temperature measurement, calculating said temperature measurement
value using said requested information.
75. A method according to claim 73, further comprising: requesting
an advanced functionality code from said RFID device, and
requesting said information from said RFID device according to said
determined functionality.
76. A method according to claim 73, the method comprising:
receiving advanced functionality data from said RFID device, said
advanced functionality data being stored on said RFID device, and
said advanced functionality data being specific to the RFID device,
requesting information from said RFID device, said information
relating to said advanced functionality, and said information being
different from said advanced functionality data, and using said
received advanced functionality data in using said requested
information for utilizing said advanced functionality in a
distributed manner.
77. A method according to claim 76, wherein said advanced
functionality data is at least one of the group of data table, data
structure, document, functionality parameters, data from another
device and a definition of a mathematical function.
78. A method according to claim 73, the method comprising: deriving
an advanced functionality result by utilizing said advanced
functionality of said RFID device, and sending said advanced
functionality result to said RFID device for storing said advanced
functionality result onto a memory.
79. A reader apparatus for utilizing advanced functionality of an
RFID device, said advanced functionality being functionality other
than providing an identification, said reader comprising a
processor, memory including computer program code, the memory and
the computer program code configured to, with the at least one
processor, cause the reader apparatus to: receive an advanced
functionality code from said RFID device, said advanced
functionality code indicating that said RFID device provides said
advanced functionality, and said advanced functionality code
enabling said reader to adjust its operation according to said
advanced functionality, request information from said RFID device,
said information relating to said advanced functionality, and based
on said received advanced functionality code, utilize said advanced
functionality by using said requested information.
80. An apparatus according to claim 79, further comprising computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to: determine whether said received advanced
functionality code indicates that said RFID device is capable of
being used for advanced functionality of temperature measurement,
and in response to said determining indicating that said RFID
device is capable of being used for said advanced functionality of
temperature measurement, calculate a temperature measurement value
using said requested information.
81. An apparatus according to claim 79, further comprising computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to: request an advanced functionality code from said
RFID device, request said information from said RFID device
according to said determined functionality.
82. A reader apparatus according to claim 79, further comprising
computer program code configured to, with the at least one
processor, cause the apparatus to: receive advanced functionality
data from said RFID device, said advanced functionality data being
stored on said RFID device, and said advanced functionality data
being specific to the RFID device, request information from said
RFID device, said information relating to said advanced
functionality and said information being different from said
advanced functionality data, and use said received advanced
functionality data in using said requested information for
utilizing said advanced functionality in a distributed manner.
83. An apparatus according to claim 82, wherein said advanced
functionality data is at least one of the group of data table, data
structure, document, functionality parameters, data from another
device and a definition of a mathematical function.
84. An apparatus according to claim 79, further comprising computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to: derive an advanced functionality result by
utilizing said advanced functionality of said RFID device, and send
said advanced functionality result to said RFID device for storing
said advanced functionality result onto a memory.
85. An apparatus according to claim 84, further comprising computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to: send at least one of a location information and a
time information to said RFID device for storing said advanced
functionality result onto a memory in association with said
advanced functionality information.
86. A method for providing advanced functionality by an RFID device
to a reader device, said advanced functionality being functionality
other than providing an identification, said RFID device being
energetically passive, the method comprising: sending an advanced
functionality code from said RFID device to said reader device,
said advanced functionality code indicating that said RFID device
provides said advanced functionality, and said advanced
functionality code enabling a reader to adjust its operation
according to said advanced functionality, receiving a request for
information according to said advanced functionality code from said
reader device, said information relating to said advanced
functionality, and sending said requested information according to
said advanced functionality code to said reader device for
utilizing said advanced functionality.
87. A method according to claim 86, the method further comprising:
accessing a local memory to obtain advanced functionality data
associated with said requested information, said advanced
functionality data being specific to the RFID device, said
information relating to said advanced functionality, and said
information being different from said advanced functionality data,
and sending said advanced functionality data from said RFID device
to a reader device for use in processing said requested
information.
88. A method for providing advanced functionality by an RFID device
to a reader device, said advanced functionality being functionality
other than providing an identification, said RFID device being
energetically passive, the method comprising: receiving a request
for information according to said advanced functionality from said
reader device, said information relating to said advanced
functionality, sending said requested information according to said
advanced functionality to said reader device, accessing a local
memory to obtain advanced functionality data associated with said
requested information, and said information being different from
said advanced functionality data, and sending said advanced
functionality data from said RFID device to a reader device for use
in processing said requested information.
89. An RFID device, said RFID device being energetically passive
and arranged to operate by using energy from a received wireless
signal, and said RFID device comprising an antenna, logic circuitry
such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and memory
including computer program code executable on said processor, the
logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause the
RFID device to: send an advanced functionality code from said RFID
device to a reader device, said advanced functionality code
indicating that said RFID device provides said advanced
functionality, and said advanced functionality code enabling a
reader to adjust its operation according to said advanced
functionality, receive a request for information according to said
advanced functionality code from said reader device, said
information relating to said advanced functionality, and send said
requested information according to said advanced functionality code
to said remote-access reader for utilizing said advanced
functionality.
90. An RFID device according to claim 89, further comprising logic
circuitry or computer program code configured to cause the RFID
device to: access a local memory to obtain advanced functionality
data associated with said requested information, said advanced
functionality data being specific to the RFID device, said
information relating to said advanced functionality, and said
information being different from said advanced functionality data,
and send said advanced functionality data from said RFID device to
a reader device for use in processing said requested
information.
91. An RFID device, said RFID device being energetically passive
and arranged to operate by using energy from a received wireless
signal, and said RFID device comprising an antenna, logic circuitry
such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and memory
including computer program code executable on said processor, the
logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause the
RFID device to: receive a request for information according to an
advanced functionality from a reader device, said information
relating to said advanced functionality, send said requested
information according to said advanced functionality to said reader
device, access a local memory to obtain advanced functionality data
associated with said requested information, and said information
being different from said advanced functionality data, and send
said advanced functionality data from said RFID device to a reader
device for use in processing said requested information.
92. An RFID device according to claim 91, said RFID device further
comprising logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a
processor and memory including computer program code executable on
said processor, the logic circuitry or computer program code
configured to cause the RFID device to: send information according
to said advanced functionality to said reader device for deriving
an advanced functionality result, receive said advanced
functionality result from said reader device, and store said
advanced functionality result onto a memory.
93. A method for storing temperature data in a network system, said
method comprising: sending an advanced functionality code from an
RFID device, said advanced functionality code indicating that said
RFID device provides advanced functionality of temperature
measurement, receiving a request for information according to said
advanced functionality code at said RFID device, said information
being indicative of temperature, and sending said requested
information according to said advanced functionality code to be
accessible by said network system, said information to be used for
forming a temperature value, and storing a temperature value to a
memory in said network system, wherein said temperature value
having been formed from said requested information by
processing.
94. A method according to claim 93, further comprising: accessing a
local memory at an RFID device to obtain advanced functionality
data associated with said requested information, said advanced
functionality data to be used for temperature measurement, and
sending said advanced functionality data from said RFID device for
use in processing said requested information.
95. A method of manufacturing an energetically passive RFID device,
the method comprising: combining at least a chip and an antenna to
form an RFID device, forming an advanced capability code onto the
RFID device, wherein the advanced capability code is indicative of
an advanced capability of the RFID device, said advanced capability
being capability other than providing an identification, and
forming identification data into a memory of the RFID device, said
identification data being different from said advanced capability
code.
96. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory
computer readable medium, said computer program product comprising
computer program code, said computer program code arranged to, when
executed on a processor, to carry out the method according to claim
73.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The aspects of the present disclosure relate to advanced
capabilities of remote-access devices, for example RFID tags. More
specifically, the aspects of the present disclosure relate to
defining and using advanced capabilities of the remote-access
devices, and for detecting the capabilities and enhancing the
functions of such devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Modern logistics was to a great degree enabled by the
development of the product code system and bar codes. Products and
pallets could be quickly identified by reading a bar code with an
optical reader, and the tracking of items in the logistic chain
became feasible. Furthermore, the products could be counted and
sold at the point of sale more quickly and more reliably. Beyond
consumer product logistics, industrial material management systems,
postal and courier services, healthcare and bio-analytics systems
and many other fields of human activity have benefited from the use
of bar codes.
[0003] Over time, the needs of having various kinds of information
available on a product outgrew the capabilities of a simple bar
code. To this end, new technologies were developed, such as
two-dimensional bar codes. Of such technologies, radio frequency
identification (RFID) has rather quickly become the technology of
choice for identifying and tracking items. RFID technology has a
vast number of applications making use of the ability to read an
RFID tag from a distance even without a line-of-sight connection
between the reader and the tag. RFID is quickly replacing or at
least augmenting the bar code technology in many places.
[0004] The basic information that an RFID tag carried has
traditionally been electronic product code (EPC) information and/or
tag identification information. RFID tags with more capabilities
may have the ability to store more information in the tag memory,
and even carry out some simpler processing of data.
[0005] A radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) typically
comprises an RFID chip and an antenna connected to the chip,
attached to or protected inside a plastic layer. The RFID chip
contains analog and/or digital processing circuitry, e.g. a state
machine and/or a processor and memory for storing information, as
well as circuitry for receiving radio frequency (RF) energy and
modulating the RF wave. The chip is connected to the antenna, whose
shape and size depend on the frequency at which the tag operates
and the application for which the tag is used. The chip and the
antenna are often laid inside a thin plastic container for
protection. The tag as a whole is typically flexible to a certain
degree, especially the passive tags that do not contain a power
supply.
[0006] Passive tags use the energy from the radio-frequency
electromagnetic field of the read-out signal to power the
operations that the tag carries out. Passive tags operate
essentially while they are in the reader field, and are essentially
inactive at other times. Therefore, the farther the reader device
and the weaker the read-out signal, the less energy is available
for the tag to use. This in turn means that the tag cannot perform
very complex operations that would require a lot of power, since
such tags could only be read from a very short distance away. In
other words, the read-out distance of a tag is to a large extent
determined by the power consumption requirements of the tag.
Naturally, the attenuation and power distribution of the
electromagnetic signal emitted by the tag is another concern. To
tackle this issue, some passive tags have a battery that may be
used to power the processing circuitry and thereby allow longer
operating range for the tag. Such tags that use an internal power
source to energize the response signal may be called semi-passive
tags.
[0007] Some applications may necessitate more complex processing
and/or more demanding properties of the RFID tag. It may become
necessary to arrange more internal power such that these operations
may be carried out. Some tags may require an internal power source
to communicate with a longer range. Such tags may be called active
tags. It may also be necessary to provide internal power so that
operations can be carried out at times when the power from the
external radio frequency electromagnetic field is not available.
Usually this is arranged by means of a battery attached to the RFID
tag. The battery may power sensors, memory, processors and/or a
transmitter of the tag so that sensing, data logging and processing
may be carried out at any time. Such more complex tags may be more
complicated to manufacture, more expensive and/or more prone to
malfunction than passive or semi-passive tags. Moreover, any tags
with an internal power supply may have a limited lifetime, since
they cannot be operated properly or at all when the battery runs
out. Another practical problem is that when an active tag is taken
into use, the battery operation needs to be activated. Otherwise,
the battery would be in use e.g. already starting from
manufacturing of the tag and prior to actual active use.
[0008] There is, therefore, a need for solutions that facilitate
the use of simpler tags for more complicated operations.
SUMMARY
[0009] Now there has been invented an improved method and technical
equipment implementing the method, by which the above problems are
alleviated and that enable the use of simpler remote-access devices
for more complex operations than before. Various aspects of the
disclosed embodiments include methods, reader apparatuses, a
systems, a remote-access devices and computer readable media
comprising computer programs stored therein for carrying out the
methods and operating the devices, which aspects are characterized
by what is stated in the independent claims. Various embodiments of
the present disclosure are disclosed in the dependent claims.
[0010] The aspects of the present disclosure relate to a
remote-access device typically used for tagging items, such as an
RFID tag, a reader device for the same, system and methods of such
devices. In one embodiment, a remote-access tag may have advanced
capabilities, and the tag is able to communicate the existence of
the advanced capabilities to the reader device by giving out an
advanced capability code as radio frequency communication. The tag
may also comprise data that are useful or necessary in employing
the advanced capabilities, for example characteristics of the tag
regarding the advanced functionalities like data for processing the
information resulting from the use of advanced capabilities. The
capability code and/or the data may reside in the memory of the
tag, and may be protected by means of a password or encryption. The
password or decryption key may be such that it can be derived from
other information on the tag such as a tag ID or the electronic
product code. It may also be possible to store information back to
the tag from the reader after determining the information by
employing the advanced capabilities of the tag. The results of the
advanced functionality may therefore be logged onto a database or
they may be stored back to the remote-access device. The aspects of
the present disclosure distributes the tasks of the advanced
functionality between a passive remote-access device such as an
RFID device and a reader device, and possibly a network system.
This may offer several advantages, e.g. making it unnecessary to
have a power supply on the remote-access device for complex
operations like temperature measurements.
[0011] According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for
utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access apparatus, the
remote access apparatus being energetically essentially passive,
the method comprising receiving an advanced functionality code from
the remote-access apparatus, requesting information from the
remote-access apparatus, and based on the received advanced
functionality code, utilizing the functionality by using the
requested information.
[0012] According to an embodiment, utilizing the advanced
functionality comprises determining a measurement value, and the
requested information comprises a signal indicative of the
measurement value, and the method comprises determining whether the
received advanced functionality code indicates that the
remote-access apparatus is capable of being used for the advanced
functionality, and in response to the determining, calculating the
measurement value using the requested information. According to an
embodiment, the method comprises requesting an advanced
functionality code from the remote-access apparatus, and requesting
the information from the remote-access apparatus according to the
determined functionality. According to an embodiment, the method
comprises receiving advanced functionality data from the
remote-access apparatus, the advanced functionality data being
stored on the remote-access apparatus, requesting information from
the remote-access apparatus, and based on the received advanced
functionality data, utilizing the advanced functionality by using
the requested information.
[0013] According to a second aspect, there is provided a method for
utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access apparatus, the
remote access apparatus being energetically essentially passive,
the method comprising receiving advanced functionality data from
the remote-access apparatus, the advanced functionality data being
stored on the remote-access apparatus, requesting information from
the remote-access apparatus, and based on the received advanced
functionality data, utilizing the advanced functionality by using
the requested information.
[0014] According to an embodiment, the advanced functionality data
is at least one of the group of data table, data structure,
document, functionality parameters, data from another device and a
definition of a mathematical function. According to an embodiment,
the method comprises deriving an advanced functionality result by
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus, and sending the advanced functionality result to the
remote-access apparatus for storing the advanced functionality
result onto a memory.
[0015] According to a third aspect, there is provided a method for
utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access apparatus, the
remote access apparatus being energetically essentially passive,
the method comprising deriving an advanced functionality result by
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus, and sending the advanced functionality result to the
remote-access apparatus for storing the advanced functionality
result onto a memory.
[0016] According to an embodiment, the advanced functionality
result is a temperature value or another result of a measurement,
and the method comprises sending at least one of a location
information and a time information to the remote-access apparatus
for storing onto a memory in association with the advanced
functionality result. According to an embodiment, the method
comprises receiving advanced functionality data in protected form
from the remote-access apparatus, the advanced functionality data
being for utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus, receiving key information from the remote-access
apparatus, forming an access key using the key information, using
the access key to unprotect the advanced functionality data, and
based on the unprotected advanced functionality data, utilizing the
advanced functionality.
[0017] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a method for
utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access apparatus, the
remote access apparatus being energetically essentially passive,
the method comprising receiving advanced functionality data in
protected form from the remote-access apparatus, the advanced
functionality data being for utilizing the advanced functionality
of the remote-access apparatus, receiving key information from the
remote-access apparatus, forming an access key using the key
information, using the access key to unprotect the advanced
functionality data, and based on the unprotected advanced
functionality data, utilizing the advanced functionality.
[0018] According to an embodiment, the method comprises receiving
key information from the remote-access apparatus, forming an access
key using the key information, sending the access key to the
remote-access apparatus for unprotecting advanced functionality
data from protected functionality data residing on the
remote-access apparatus, and receiving unprotected advanced
functionality data, and using the advanced functionality data in
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0019] According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a method for
utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access apparatus, the
remote access apparatus being energetically essentially passive,
the method comprising receiving key information from the
remote-access apparatus, forming an access key using the key
information, sending the access key to the remote-access apparatus
for unprotecting advanced functionality data from protected
functionality data residing on the remote-access apparatus, and
receiving unprotected advanced functionality data, and using the
advanced functionality data in utilizing the advanced functionality
of the remote-access apparatus.
[0020] According to an embodiment, the method comprises forming the
access key from the key information, wherein the key information is
at least one of the group of an electronic product code, EAN code,
serial number, a remote-access apparatus identification and other
non-key information, wherein in the forming the access key is
generated by using the key information as a seed or by using the
key information at least partly as at least a part of the access
key, and unprotecting the advanced functionality data by using the
access key in a decryption or decoding algorithm. According to an
embodiment, the requested information is information according to a
read-out protocol, and the method comprises determining a
temperature value by using the requested information and by using
advanced functionality data to determine the temperature value.
[0021] According to a sixth aspect, there is provided an apparatus
comprising at least one processor, memory including computer
program code, the memory and the computer program code configured
to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform
the method according to any of the aspects one to five.
[0022] According to a seventh aspect, there is provided a reader
apparatus for utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access
apparatus comprising a processor, memory including computer program
code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive an
advanced functionality code from the remote-access apparatus,
request information from the remote-access apparatus, and based on
the received advanced functionality code, utilize the functionality
by using the requested information.
[0023] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to determine whether the received advanced
functionality code indicates that the remote-access apparatus is
capable of being used for the advanced functionality, and in
response to the determining, calculate the measurement value using
the requested information. According to an embodiment, the
apparatus comprises computer program code configured to, with the
at least one processor, cause the apparatus to request an advanced
functionality code from the remote-access apparatus request the
information from the remote-access apparatus according to the
determined functionality. According to an embodiment, the apparatus
comprises computer program code configured to, with the at least
one processor, cause the apparatus to receive advanced
functionality data from the remote-access apparatus, the advanced
functionality data being stored on the remote-access apparatus,
request information from the remote-access apparatus, and based on
the received advanced functionality data, utilize the advanced
functionality by using the requested information.
[0024] According to an eighth aspect, there is provided a reader
apparatus for utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access
apparatus comprising a processor, memory including computer program
code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive advanced
functionality data from the remote-access apparatus, the advanced
functionality data being stored on the remote-access apparatus,
request information from the remote-access apparatus, and based on
the received advanced functionality data, utilize the advanced
functionality by using the requested information.
[0025] According to an embodiment, the advanced functionality data
is at least one of the group of data table, data structure,
document, functionality parameters, data from another device and a
definition of a mathematical function. According to an embodiment,
the apparatus comprises computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to derive an
advanced functionality result by utilizing the advanced
functionality of the remote-access apparatus, and send the advanced
functionality result to the remote-access apparatus for storing the
advanced functionality result onto a memory.
[0026] According to a ninth aspect, there is provided a reader
apparatus for utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access
apparatus comprising a processor, memory including computer program
code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to derive an
advanced functionality result by utilizing the advanced
functionality of the remote-access apparatus, and send the advanced
functionality result to the remote-access apparatus for storing the
advanced functionality result onto a memory.
[0027] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to send at least one of a location information and a
time information to the remote-access apparatus for storing the
advanced functionality result onto a memory in association with the
advanced functionality information. According to an embodiment, the
apparatus comprises computer program code configured to, with the
at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive advanced
functionality data in protected form from the remote-access
apparatus, the advanced functionality data being for utilizing the
advanced functionality of the remote-access apparatus, receive key
information from the remote-access apparatus, form an access key
using the key information, use the access key to unprotect the
advanced functionality data, and based on the unprotected advanced
functionality data, utilize the advanced functionality.
[0028] According to a tenth aspect, there is provided a reader
apparatus for utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access
apparatus comprising a processor, memory including computer program
code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive advanced
functionality data in protected form from the remote-access
apparatus, the advanced functionality data being for utilizing the
advanced functionality of the remote-access apparatus, receive key
information from the remote-access apparatus, form an access key
using the key information, use the access key to unprotect the
advanced functionality data, and based on the unprotected advanced
functionality data, utilize the advanced functionality.
[0029] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to receive key information from the remote-access
apparatus, form an access key using the key information, send the
access key to the remote-access apparatus for unprotecting advanced
functionality data from protected functionality data residing on
the remote-access apparatus, and receive unprotected advanced
functionality data, and use the advanced functionality data in
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0030] According to an eleventh aspect, there is provided a reader
apparatus for utilizing advanced functionality of a remote-access
apparatus comprising a processor, memory including computer program
code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive key
information from the remote-access apparatus,
[0031] form an access key using the key information, send the
access key to the remote-access apparatus for unprotecting advanced
functionality data from protected functionality data residing on
the remote-access apparatus, and receive unprotected advanced
functionality data, and use the advanced functionality data in
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0032] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to form the access key from the key information,
wherein the key information is at least one of the group of an
electronic product code, a remote-access apparatus identification
and other non-key information, wherein in the forming the access
key is generated by using the key information as a seed or by using
the key information at least partly as at least a part of the
access key, and unprotect the advanced functionality data by using
the access key in a decryption or decoding algorithm. According to
an embodiment, the requested information is information according
to a read-out protocol, and the apparatus comprising computer
program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause
the apparatus to determine a temperature value by using the
requested information and by using advanced functionality data to
determine the temperature value.
[0033] According to a twelfth aspect, there is provided a computer
program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable
medium, the computer program product comprising computer program
code, the computer program code arranged to, when executed on a
processor, to carry out the method according to any of the aspects
1 to 5.
[0034] According to a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a method
for providing advanced functionality by a remote-access apparatus
to a reader device, the remote access apparatus being energetically
essentially passive, the method comprising sending an advanced
functionality code from the remote-access apparatus to the reader
device, receiving a request for information according to the
advanced functionality code from the reader device, and sending the
requested information according to the advanced functionality code
to the remote-access reader.
[0035] According to an embodiment, the method comprises accessing a
local memory to obtain advanced functionality data associated with
the requested information, and sending the advanced functionality
data from the remote-access apparatus to a reader device for use in
processing the requested information.
[0036] According to a fourteenth aspect, there is provided a method
for providing advanced functionality by a remote-access apparatus
to a reader device, the remote access apparatus being energetically
essentially passive, the method comprising receiving a request for
information according to the advanced functionality from the reader
device, sending the requested information according to the advanced
functionality to the reader device, accessing a local memory to
obtain advanced functionality data associated with the requested
information, and sending the advanced functionality data from the
remote-access apparatus to a reader device for use in processing
the requested information.
[0037] According to an embodiment, the advanced functionality data
is at least one of the group of data table, data structure,
document, functionality parameters, data from another device and a
definition of a mathematical function. According to an embodiment,
the method comprises sending information according to the advanced
functionality to the reader device for deriving an advanced
functionality result, receiving the advanced functionality result
from the reader device, and storing the advanced functionality
result onto a memory.
[0038] According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a method
for providing advanced functionality by a remote-access apparatus
to a reader device, the remote access apparatus being energetically
essentially passive, the method comprising sending information
according to the advanced functionality to the reader device for
deriving an advanced functionality result, receiving the advanced
functionality result from the reader device, and storing the
advanced functionality result onto a memory.
[0039] According to an embodiment, the advanced functionality
result is a temperature value or another result of a measurement,
and the method comprises receiving at least one of a location
information and a time information in association with the advanced
functionality result, storing the at least one of a location
information and a time information in association with the advanced
functionality result in a memory. According to an embodiment, the
method comprises sending advanced functionality data in protected
form to the reader device, the advanced functionality data being
for utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus, sending key information to the reader device for forming
an access key, the access key being for unprotecting the advanced
functionality data, and the unprotected advanced functionality data
being for utilizing the advanced functionality.
[0040] According to a sixteenth aspect, there is provided a method
for providing advanced functionality by a remote-access apparatus
to a reader device, the remote access apparatus being energetically
essentially passive, the method comprising sending advanced
functionality data in protected form to the reader device, the
advanced functionality data being for utilizing the advanced
functionality of the remote-access apparatus, sending key
information to the reader device for forming an access key, the
access key being for unprotecting the advanced functionality data,
and the unprotected advanced functionality data being for utilizing
the advanced functionality.
[0041] According to an embodiment, the method comprises sending key
information to the reader device for forming an access key using
the key information, receiving the access key from the reader
device, unprotecting advanced functionality data from protected
advanced functionality data residing on the remote-access apparatus
using the access key, and sending the unprotected advanced
functionality data to the reader device for utilizing the advanced
functionality of the remote-access apparatus.
[0042] According to a seventeenth aspect, there is provided a
method for providing advanced functionality by a remote-access
apparatus to a reader device, the remote access apparatus being
energetically essentially passive, the method comprising sending
key information to the reader device for forming an access key
using the key information, receiving the access key from the reader
device, unprotecting advanced functionality data from protected
advanced functionality data residing on the remote-access apparatus
using the access key, and sending the unprotected advanced
functionality data to the reader device for utilizing the advanced
functionality of the remote-access apparatus.
[0043] According to an embodiment, the method comprises retrieving
key information from a memory for forming an access key using the
key information, generating an access key using the key
information, unprotecting advanced functionality data from
protected advanced functionality data residing on the remote-access
apparatus using the access key, and sending the unprotected
advanced functionality data to the reader device for utilizing the
advanced functionality of the remote-access apparatus.
[0044] According to an eighteenth aspect, there is provided a
method for providing advanced functionality by a remote-access
apparatus to a reader device, the remote access apparatus being
energetically essentially passive, the method comprising retrieving
key information from a memory for forming an access key using the
key information, generating an access key using the key
information, unprotecting advanced functionality data from
protected advanced functionality data residing on the remote-access
apparatus using the access key, and sending the unprotected
advanced functionality data to the reader device for utilizing the
advanced functionality of the remote-access apparatus.
[0045] According to an embodiment, the key information is at least
one of the group of an electronic product code, a remote-access
apparatus identification and other non-key information, and wherein
in the forming the access key is generated by using the key
information as a seed or by using the key information at least
partly as at least a part of the access key, and wherein the
unprotecting the advanced functionality data is done by using the
access key in a decryption or decoding algorithm. According to an
embodiment, the requested information is information according to a
read-out protocol, and the providing advanced functionality is for
determining a temperature value by using the requested information
and by using advanced functionality data to determine the
temperature value. According to an embodiment, the sending is
carried out by the remote-access apparatus by utilizing
back-scattering modulation of a radio-frequency field.
[0046] According to a nineteenth aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to perform the method according to any of the aspects
13 to 18.
[0047] According to a twentieth aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to send an advanced functionality code from the
remote-access apparatus to a reader device, receive a request for
information according to the advanced functionality code from the
reader device, and send the requested information according to the
advanced functionality code to the remote-access reader.
[0048] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises logic
circuitry or computer program code configured to cause the
apparatus to access a local memory to obtain advanced functionality
data associated with the requested information, and send the
advanced functionality data from the remote-access apparatus to a
reader device for use in processing the requested information.
[0049] According to a twenty-first aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to receive a request for information according to an
advanced functionality from a reader device, send the requested
information according to the advanced functionality to the reader
device, access a local memory to obtain advanced functionality data
associated with the requested information, and send the advanced
functionality data from the remote-access apparatus to a reader
device for use in processing the requested information.
[0050] According to an embodiment, the advanced functionality data
is at least one of the group of data table, data structure,
document, functionality parameters, data from another device and a
definition of a mathematical function. According to an embodiment,
the apparatus comprises logic circuitry such as a logic gate
arrangement or a processor and memory including computer program
code executable on the processor, the logic circuitry or computer
program code configured to cause the apparatus to send information
according to the advanced functionality to the reader device for
deriving an advanced functionality result, receive the advanced
functionality result from the reader device, and store the advanced
functionality result onto a memory.
[0051] According to a twenty-second aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to send information according to the advanced
functionality to the reader device for deriving an advanced
functionality result, receive the advanced functionality result
from the reader device, and store the advanced functionality result
onto a memory.
[0052] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises logic
circuitry or computer program code configured to cause the
apparatus to receive at least one of a location information and a
time information in association with the advanced functionality
result, store the at least one of a location information and a time
information in association with the advanced functionality result
in a memory. According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to send advanced functionality data in protected form
to a reader device, the advanced functionality data being for
utilizing advanced functionality of the remote-access apparatus,
send key information to the reader device for forming an access
key, the access key being for unprotecting the advanced
functionality data, and the unprotected advanced functionality data
being for utilizing the advanced functionality.
[0053] According to a twenty-third aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to send advanced functionality data in protected form
to a reader device, the advanced functionality data being for
utilizing advanced functionality of the remote-access apparatus,
send key information to the reader device for forming an access
key, the access key being for unprotecting the advanced
functionality data, and the unprotected advanced functionality data
being for utilizing the advanced functionality.
[0054] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises logic
circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to send key information to a reader device for
forming an access key using the key information, receive the access
key from the reader device, unprotect advanced functionality data
from protected advanced functionality data residing on the
remote-access apparatus using the access key, and send the
unprotected advanced functionality data to the reader device for
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0055] According to a twenty-fourth aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to send key information to a reader device for
forming an access key using the key information, receive the access
key from the reader device, unprotect advanced functionality data
from protected advanced functionality data residing on the
remote-access apparatus using the access key, and send the
unprotected advanced functionality data to the reader device for
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0056] According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises logic
circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to retrieve key information from a memory for forming
an access key using the key information, generate an access key
using the key information, unprotect advanced functionality data
from protected advanced functionality data residing on the
remote-access apparatus using the access key, and send the
unprotected advanced functionality data to a reader device for
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0057] According to a twenty-fifth aspect, there is provided a
remote-access apparatus, the apparatus being energetically
essentially passive and arranged to operate by using energy from a
received wireless signal, and the apparatus comprising an antenna,
logic circuitry such as a logic gate arrangement or a processor and
memory including computer program code executable on the processor,
the logic circuitry or computer program code configured to cause
the apparatus to retrieve key information from a memory for forming
an access key using the key information, generate an access key
using the key information, unprotect advanced functionality data
from protected advanced functionality data residing on the
remote-access apparatus using the access key, and send the
unprotected advanced functionality data to a reader device for
utilizing the advanced functionality of the remote-access
apparatus.
[0058] According to an embodiment, the key information is at least
one of the group of an electronic product code, a remote-access
apparatus identification and other non-key information, and wherein
in the forming the access key is arranged to be generated by using
the key information as a seed or by using the key information at
least partly as at least a part of the access key, and wherein the
unprotecting the advanced functionality data is arranged to be done
by using the access key in a decryption or decoding algorithm.
According to an embodiment, the requested information is
information according to a read-out protocol, and the advanced
functionality is for determining a temperature value by using the
requested information and by using advanced functionality data in
determining the temperature value. According to an embodiment, the
apparatus is at least one of the group of an RFID tag, an RFID
inlay, an embedded tag, a food package, a container, a box, a
barrel, a pallet, a vehicle, a piece of furniture, a chip and the
combination of a chip an antenna. According to an embodiment, the
apparatus is arranged to send data by utilizing back-scattering
modulation of a radio-frequency field or load modulation of a
magnetic field.
[0059] According to a twenty-sixth aspect, there is provided a
method for storing temperature data in a network system, the method
comprising sending an advanced functionality code from the
remote-access apparatus, receiving a request for information
according to the advanced functionality code at the remote-access
apparatus, and sending the requested information according to the
advanced functionality code to be accessible by the network system,
the information to be used for forming a temperature value, and
storing a temperature value to a memory in the network system,
wherein the temperature value having been formed from the requested
information by processing.
[0060] According to an embodiment, the method comprises accessing a
local memory at a remote-access apparatus to obtain advanced
functionality data associated with the requested information, the
advanced functionality data to be used for temperature measurement,
and sending the advanced functionality data from the remote-access
apparatus for use in processing the requested information.
According to an embodiment, the method comprises using an
identifier of the remote-access apparatus, accessing a network
memory to obtain advanced functionality data associated with the
requested information, the advanced functionality data to be used
for temperature measurement, and using the advanced functionality
data in processing the requested information. According to an
embodiment, the method comprises obtaining advanced functionality
data in protected form, and using an access key for unprotecting
the advanced functionality data, the unprotected advanced
functionality data being for utilizing the advanced
functionality.
[0061] According to a twenty-seventh aspect, there is provided a
system comprising at least one network computer and at least one
remote-access apparatus, the network computer and the remote access
apparatus comprising a processor, memory including computer program
code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with
the at least one processor, cause the system to perform the method
according to the twenty-sixth aspect.
[0062] According to a twenty-eighth aspect, there is provided a
method of manufacturing an energetically essentially passive
remote-access device, the method comprising combining at least a
chip and an antenna to form a remote-access device, forming an
advanced capability code onto the remote-access device, wherein the
advanced capability code is indicative of an advanced capability of
the remote-access device, and forming identification data into a
memory of the remote-access device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0063] In the following, various embodiments of the present
disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the
appended drawings, in which
[0064] FIGS. 1a and 1b show block diagrams of an RFID tag and a
reader device, respectively;
[0065] FIGS. 2a and 2b show methods for employing advanced
capabilities of a tag by using an advanced capability code at the
tag and at a reader device, respectively;
[0066] FIGS. 3a and 3b show methods for employing advanced
capabilities of a tag by using advanced capability data in the
advanced processing at the tag and at a reader device;
[0067] FIGS. 4a and 4b show methods for carrying the results of the
advanced capability computing on the tag itself and for storing the
advanced capability results onto a tag by a reader;
[0068] FIG. 5a shows one method for employing advanced capabilities
of a tag with advanced capability code and advanced capability
information, and carrying the information on the tag in a protected
form;
[0069] FIG. 5b shows one method for employing advanced capabilities
of a tag with advanced capability code and advanced capability
information, and carrying the information on the tag in a protected
form;
[0070] FIG. 5c shows one method for employing advanced capabilities
of a tag with advanced capability code and advanced capability
information, and carrying the information on the tag in a protected
form;
[0071] FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show tags with an advanced capability
code and advanced capability data, and with memory arranged to
store information in encrypted form;
[0072] FIG. 7 shows a reader device for employing advanced
capabilities of a tag by using an advanced capability code and
advanced capability information;
[0073] FIG. 8 shows a system for employing advanced capabilities of
tags with a number of tags, reader devices and networked
computers;
[0074] FIG. 9 shows a system for manufacturing tags with advanced
capabilities;
[0075] FIG. 10 shows a method for manufacturing tags with advanced
capabilities; and
[0076] FIG. 11 shows temperature measurement arrangement as an
illustration of utilizing an advanced capability of a tag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0077] In the following, several embodiments of the present
disclosure will be described in the context of radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags. It is to be noted, however, that the
aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to RFID tags and
systems only. In fact, the different embodiments have applications
widely in any environment where advanced functionalities of small
devices with limited power supply are needed.
[0078] It has been noticed in the context of the aspects of the
present disclosure that certain advanced applications of RFID tags
would require active RFID tags (such tags that have a power
supply), and that this would in turn make the tags more complicated
and more expensive. Alternatively, straightforward implementation
of advanced functionality on passive RFID tags would increase the
power consumption of the tags and thereby reduce the effective
reading range or operational range of the tag. Various embodiments
of the invention are envisioned to be used with RFID tags that are
energetically essentially passive, that is, with tags that operate
essentially while being in the reader field and being able to draw
energy from the field.
[0079] In accordance with the aspects of the present disclosure,
some of the processing required by the advanced functionality of a
passive RFID tag may be carried out in the reader device or
elsewhere in the system. This makes it possible to reduce the power
consumption of the RFID tag and for the tag to have an improved
operational range. The aspects of the present disclosure may help
to keep the tag electronics simple and thus usable in weaker reader
fields and/or longer reading ranges. On the other hand the aspects
of the present disclosure may also reduce need for powerful readers
to compensate for the tag power consumption. The latter benefit may
be significant in some environments with many readers in the same
area and/or where interfering electromagnetic fields need to be
kept to a minimum.
[0080] Functionalities such as computing a measurement value and
managing information security may be carried out in the reader or a
network computer, and implementing such advanced functionality in a
traditional manner would have increased the power consumption of
the tag significantly. The novel arrangement according to the
various embodiments therefore makes it possible to implement
advanced functionality to a passive tag. For example, a temperature
measurement may be implemented using a passive RFID tag wherein
some of the measurement processing is carried out at the reader or
the rest of the system.
[0081] In certain cases it has been noticed in the aspects of the
present disclosure that it may be problematic if it is not known
what operations the rest of the system is required to carry out.
These operations may e.g. be such that they are not governed by any
standard such as the UHF Gen 2 standard. An advanced functionality
code has been invented to alleviate this problem. An advanced
functionality code is a piece of information associated with the
tag and communicated to the reader (or the rest of the system) so
that the advanced functionality provided by the tag is then known.
For example, an advanced functionality code may indicate that a
passive tag provides an advanced functionality of a temperature
measurement arranged so that part of the required processing is
carried out at the reader device. The tag may send this advanced
functionality code to the reader device, and the reader may then
adjust its operation accordingly. As another example, the advanced
functionality code may indicate an allowed condition for using or
accessing the tag, for example by indicating who is allowed to used
the tag, when the tag is allowed to be used, or a geographic range
where the tag is allowed to be used.
[0082] In certain other cases it has been noticed in the aspects of
the present disclosure that carrying out an advanced functionality
in a distributed manner between the tag and the rest of the system
may require some additional data that is not easily available to
the system. For example, such additional data may be advanced
functionality data that can be used in carrying out the advanced
functionality of the tag. The advanced functionality data may for
example be information specific to the tag to enhance the advanced
functionality, a mathematical formula, or an access key or access
code, or any other data that are specific to the tag, specific to
the advanced functionality, specific to the system or otherwise
associated with the tag. The advanced functionality data may be
carried on the tag in a memory, or it may be accessible to the
system by means of identifying the tag and using the identifier as
key to accessing the advanced functionality data. The advanced
functionality data therefore enables the use of the advanced
functionality of the tag, or improves the use of the advanced
functionality.
[0083] The advanced functionality code and the advanced
functionality data may be stored on the chip or elsewhere on the
tag either in easily accessible form or in protected form for
example behind an access key or in encrypted form.
[0084] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide advanced
functionality for RFID tags and systems employing RFID tags. The
RFID tags and readers may operate according to a standard, and the
advanced functionality code and advanced functionality data may be
used to enhance the operations of passive RFID tags. For example,
the RFID tag may carry in its memory the information necessary to
carry out a function that goes beyond the standard. As an example,
the determination of temperature may be considered.
[0085] For some applications it may suffice to use the advanced
functionality code only, and advanced functionality data may not be
required. For some other applications, the advanced functionality
data may contain information that is necessary for the use of the
advanced functionality, or the advanced functionality data may
enhance the operation of the advanced functionality. The advanced
functionality code AFC and the advanced functionality data AFD may
for example be such that the AFC informs the reader that the tag is
suitable for temperature measurement, and the AFD provides
information to be used in the determination of the temperature.
[0086] FIGS. 1a and 1b show block diagrams of an RFID tag and a
reader device, respectively. In FIG. 1a, a passive RFID tag 100
according to an embodiment is shown. The tag comprises a chip 110,
a protective surface 130 and an antenna 140. The antenna 140 is
electrically coupled to the chip 110, and the chip and the antenna
are formed inside the protective surface 130. The chip may comprise
analog and digital (logic) circuitry to perform its operations,
and/or it may comprise one, two or more processors 120, memory 122
as one, two or more memory sections and a communication module 124
such as a radio frequency modulation circuit coupled to the antenna
140. The program and/or logic may be in the form of microcode for a
processor, a gate arrangement and/or programmable logic. There may
be an oscillator for determining an operating frequency for the
processor. The memory 122 may comprise executable instructions for
the processor, data and information related to the operation of the
tag such as en electronic product code, tag identification, check
sum, passwords like an access password for accessing the tag, and
user data. Some of the memory may be read-only memory, and some of
the memory may be writable. The memory may contain an advanced
functionality code and advanced functionality data for using
advanced functionality of the tag. The protective surface 130 may
be made of plastic, paper or any other suitable material,
preferably material that is flexible. The material may be
electrically and magnetically non-conducting in order not to
obstruct the operation of the antenna 140, or the material may be
weakly conducting or conducting. The tag contains no battery for
powering the processor. The basic operation of the tag is to
extract energy from a reader signal, and to respond to the reader
signal. This responding may happen by employing back-scatter
modulation of the radio frequency field (e.g. for UHF tags), or by
varying the load imposed by the tag on the magnetic field (e.g. for
HF tags). Typically, the tag may send an electronic product code
(EPC) and/or a tag identifier (TID), or an universal identifier
(UID) code, EAN code, or any serial number as a response.
[0087] An RFID tag or a device may operate according to a standard.
For example, the air interface may be standardized to enable
interoperability of tags and reader devices. The air interface may
operate according to an UHF standard wherein the tag utilizes
back-scattering modulation in communication. The air interface may
operate according to an HF standard wherein the tag utilizes load
variation in the magnetic field. The various pieces of information
stored in the tag and sent by the tag such as the EPC code may be
standardized e.g. according to a Gen2 standard. The tag and/or a
reader device may be standardized as a whole.
[0088] The remote-access device or a tag may have various forms.
For example, the tag may comprise an inlay placed inside plastic
protective layers, or inside paper or cardboard. The remote-access
device may also be a tag embedded in an object, e.g. a tag inside a
food package. The remote-access device may also be any object
capable of operating according to the various embodiments and being
otherwise energetically essentially passive. For example, the
remote-access device may be a food package, container, box, barrel,
pallet, vehicle or a piece of furniture like a shelf. It also needs
to be understood that a remote-access device can be without
definite form or it may not be an end-product. For example, a chip
for an RFID device, or the combination of a chip and an antenna may
form a remote-access device in an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0089] FIG. 1b shows an RFID reader device 150 according to an
embodiment for reading information from tags. The reader device 150
comprises digital and analog circuitry for communicating with RFID
tags. The reader device may comprise one, two or more processors
160, memory 162 as one, two or more memory sections and a
communication module 164 such as a radio frequency modulation
circuit coupled to an antenna 166. The memory 162 may comprise
executable program code for the processor 160, and some of the
program code and other means may be for utilizing an advanced
functionality of an RFID tag based on an advanced functionality
code and utilizing advanced functionality data to obtain an
advanced functionality result. The reader device 150 may be
operatively connected (e.g. by means of a computer network, a fixed
data connection or a wireless connection) to a computer or server
180. The computer or server 180 may comprise one or more processors
182, memory 184 and communication means 186 for communicating with
computers and reader devices. The server 180 may comprise database
functionality for storing information collected from tags through
reader devices, and/or it may comprise means for utilizing the
advanced functionality of a tag, e.g. by processing information
received by the reader device and computing or otherwise obtaining
an advanced functionality result. The server 180 may be networked
with other servers, and the server 180 may alone or together with
other servers provide a network service for utilizing the advanced
functionality of RFID tags.
[0090] FIGS. 2a and 2b show methods according to an embodiment for
employing advanced capabilities of a tag by using an advanced
capability code at the tag and at a reader device, respectively. In
FIG. 2a, the operation of an RFID tag with advanced functionality
is shown. To indicate its capability to perform advanced
functionality, the tag sends an advanced functionality code AFC to
the reader device in phase 220. This sending may be in response to
a request, or it may be spontaneous and in addition to standard
operation. The sending of the AFC may happen anywhere during
employing the advanced functionality, e.g. before the operation,
during the operation or as a last step. The RFID tag sends the
advanced functionality code to the reader device and/or the rest of
the system so that it may be determined that the tag is capable or
suitable for providing advanced functionality. In phase 240, the
RFID tag may receive a request from the reader device to send
information according to the advanced functionality indicated by
the AFC. Alternatively or in addition, the tag may assume a mode of
operation based on sending the AFC so that it will next send
information needed for employing the advanced functionality. In
phase 260, the tag sends advanced functionality information
according to the advanced functionality code AFC. This information
may be such that the reader device may determine an advanced
functionality result using the information e.g. in computations or
by complementing the information with other data. For example, the
tag may send information that is useful in determining the
temperature of the tag, whereas the tag alone may be unable to
determine its temperature (since it may not have a sensor and a
power supply to enable this). The tag may also send information it
receives from another device e.g. via a wired or wireless
connection. This may enable the tag to operate as a relay station
or as a transceiver (receiver-transmitter) and provide another
device with an RFID communication channel. The sending of
information in phase 240 may happen in a plurality of steps, for
example as responses to a plurality of requests from the
reader.
[0091] The advanced functionality code AFC sent by the tag may be a
code stored in the user data area and accessed by the tag when it
needs to be sent. Alternatively, the AFC may be part of another
code, such as the electronic product code (EPC) or the tag
identifier, or an access password, or any other piece of
information stored on the tag. The AFC may be a number, a series of
characters and numbers, or a bit sequence. The AFC may comprise
multiple non-contiguous parts. The AFC enables the reader device
and/or the system beyond the reader device to determine that the
tag provides an advanced functionality. The tag may have specific
physical or programmatic means for providing this functionality, or
the tag may be a regular tag that has been determined to be
suitable for use in employing the advanced functionality. The
advanced functionality code may indicate that the tag is allowed to
be used for the specific functionality, e.g. the tag may be
approved or licensed by the manufacturer for use with this
functionality. The presence and use of the AFC may indicate that
the tag is able to perform the advanced functionality with certain
accuracy. In addition, the AFC may indicate that the tag carries
additional information such as advanced functionality data for
using the advanced functionality. The advanced functionality code
may also indicate the configuration of the tag, e.g. to indicate
whether the tag is able to store advanced functionality results
and/or whether some of the data on the tag is stored in a protected
form. For example, an AFC for temperature measurement may indicate
that the tag contains data for the temperature determination, that
this data is in protected form, and the tag is able to store
temperature values determined by the reader. There may also be more
than one advanced functionalities provided by a tag, associated
with one or more advanced functionality codes.
[0092] FIG. 2b shows the operation of a reader device for utilizing
advanced functionality of an RFID tag. The reader device may
request at phase 210 the RFID tag to send any advanced
functionality code it has. This request may be a separate request
or it may be a request according to a standard, whereby the tag
interprets a standard request to mean that it should send the AFC.
The reader device may then receive at 230 an advanced functionality
code and determine that the tag is capable of providing the
advanced functionality. Based on receiving the AFC, and/or based on
other knowledge, the reader device then requests at 235 information
from the tag, wherein the information is needed for using the
advanced functionality. This information may be regular information
provided by the tag according to a standard, or it may be
additional information. The requesting may happen in a plurality of
steps, or in one step. When the reader has received the information
at 270, it may then use the information to utilize the advanced
functionality according to the AFC at 275. For example, the reader
may determine the temperature of a tag from timing responses of a
tag by carrying out computations based on the response and/or
accessing data tables. The reader may also improve the use of the
information by utilizing other data indicated by the AFC. For
example, the reader may use a key to access information stored on
the tag for the temperature calculation.
[0093] The methods carried out by the RFID tag and the reader
device may be interlinked so that some the method steps of the RFID
tag happen in response to the method steps of the RFID reader
device and vice versa.
[0094] FIGS. 3a and 3b show methods for employing advanced
capabilities of a tag by using advanced capability data in the
advanced processing at the tag and at a reader device. In FIG. 3a,
the operation of an RFID tag is described. As described earlier,
the tag may send information for utilizing an advanced capability
according to an advanced capability code AFC. The sending of the
information may also happen without any advanced capability code.
The tag sends information related to an advanced capability in step
340, possibly as a response to a request from a reader received in
step 320. Related to the use of advanced functionality, the tag may
carry additional data for using the advanced functionality. For
example, the tag may comprise data for a temperature measurement or
another type of measurement, or the tag may contain a section of
data that can be utilized in using the advanced capability. In
phase 360, the tag may fetch the AFD from a memory either internal
to the chip or in some other manner operatively connected to the
tag. The tag then sends this advanced functionality data AFD to the
reader device so that the AFD can be used or stored at the reader
device and/or one or more other devices in the system for utilizing
the advanced functionality.
[0095] The advanced functionality data AFD may be a data table or a
data structure, functionality parameters, a definition of a
mathematical function or any other data structure or object that
may be used in utilizing the advanced functionality. For example,
the AFD may comprise a single number, a series of numbers, a data
table, a plurality of data tables, a data structure, an object
definition and data, a database, and/or any combination of these
alone or together with other information. The AFD may comprise a
single packet of data, or the AFD may be distributed across a
plurality of packets. The AFD may be complete and usable as such,
or it may be such that it is augmented by other data and/or code
that resides elsewhere in the system to save memory on the tag. The
AFD may be intended to be used in the advanced functionality, or it
may be intended for presenting the result of an advanced
functionality (such as HTML code or XML representation, or a Adobe
PDF file, Word document or Excel worksheet).
[0096] FIG. 3b. shows the operation of a reader device in using
advanced functionality data AFD. As described earlier, the reader
device may at phase 310 request information relating to the
advanced functionality, and receive the information at phase 350.
This information may be received at any time during the employing
of the advanced functionality, e.g. before, during or after any
receiving of advanced functionality data. The reader may then, with
respect to an AFC and/or based on other knowledge, at phase 355
request advanced functionality data from the RFID tag. The tag may
also send the data on its own so that a request is not needed. The
reader device then receives the AFD at phase 385 and utilizes the
AFD with the received information to e.g. obtain an advanced
functionality result in phase 390. The use of the AFD may happen at
the reader device and/or elsewhere in the system. The AFD may be in
protected form, whereby the reader device may form and/or use a key
to access or decrypt the AFD before using it.
[0097] FIGS. 4a and 4b show methods for carrying the results of the
advanced capability computing on the tag itself and for storing the
advanced capability results onto a tag by a reader. In FIG. 4a, the
tag may at phase 420 send information relating to an advanced
functionality so that a reader device can use this information to
utilize the advanced functionality of the tag. An advanced
functionality result may be derived by the reader and/or the rest
of the system. The tag may at phase 440 receive the advanced
functionality result alone or together with other data from the
reader or from another device. The tag may then in phase 460 store
this advanced functionality result into a memory together with
earlier received advanced functionality results, with other data
and/or alone. The tag may store the result as such or the tag may
process the result or combine it with other data before storing the
result. The tag may even form advanced functionality data AFD by
using the received result. The tag may store the received data
and/or result in a protected or unprotected form, e.g. by using an
access password and/or encryption methods. There may be other
information received and stored by the tag, too, such as time and
location information. The tag may also send advanced functionality
data to the reader. For example, the tag may receive the
temperature determination result from the reader and store it onto
its memory in protected form behind a password or in encrypted
form.
[0098] In FIG. 4b, the operation of a reader device is shown in
storing the advanced functionality result onto the tag. In phase
430, the reader receives information from the tag related to
advanced functionality, as explained above, possibly with advanced
functionality data AFD. The reader device and/or the rest of the
system may then determine an advanced functionality result in phase
435, as explained earlier. The reader device and/or another device
in the system may then choose to send the result back to the tag so
that it can be stored on the tag in addition to or instead of
storing it in the reader or in a database in the rest of the
system. For example, the reader may send the result of a
temperature computation to the tag so that the tag can store the
temperature information at the tag. The reader may send other
information than the result to the tag, too, for example location
information and/or time information. This may allow the tag to e.g.
store a temperature history with time and place of the item whose
temperature is being monitored. This may be especially useful e.g.
in cold chain management of perishable items.
[0099] In FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c, using the advanced capabilities of a
tag are described in a context where e.g. advanced functionality
data is in protected form. The advanced functionality data may be
in a protected form in either the tag memory, in the reader memory
or in an external database. The protection may have been carried
out so that the AFD resides in a memory area protected with an
access key, or so that the AFD has been encrypted or scrambled
using an algorithm dependent on an access key.
[0100] The access key may be stored on the tag memory or a seed for
generating the access key may be stored on the tag memory. An
algorithm may be used to generate the access key from the access
key seed, wherein the algorithm is such that it is unlikely that
two different algorithms would produce the same exact access key.
Moreover, it may be desirable that the algorithm is such that two
different seeds are unlikely to produce the same access key.
[0101] The seed or the access key may be a value stored on the tag,
for example the electronic product code or part of it, the tag
identification or part of it, or another unique identifier or a
combination of these or any parts of these. As an example, the
access key may be an EPC (electronic product code) Class I Gen2
compliant access key for accessing locked memory areas of the tag.
The EPC access key may be calculated from the EPC on the tag e.g.
with a hash function, an XOR function with a mask, as a digital
digest or another cryptographic key. The EPC may also be used as an
index to a table of access keys e.g. cryptographic keys. The length
of the key may be less than the length of the seed, it may be the
same length or it may be longer. For example, the EPC may be 96 to
240 bits long, and the access key may be 32 bits long. Bit
puncturing may be used in shortening the key and bit padding may be
used to lengthen the key. A memory area containing data for the
advanced functionality, e.g. the AFD, may be locked using the
access key and can only be opened using the access key formed from
the EPC or another seed. The locking and opening or encryption and
decryption may be done in a symmetric manner wherein the encryption
and decryption keys are the same, or it may be done in asymmetric
manner, where the keys are different. A public key infrastructure
(PKI) may be used for the latter. Every tag in the system may have
a different access key (if the EPC or other seed on the tag is
different), and the reader or the system can calculate the access
key using the seed from the tag. Using this access key, the reader
or the system can access or decrypt the AFD located on the tag or
in an external database.
[0102] As an example, temperature calculation may happen so that
the reader requests information from the tag that it can use for
temperature measurement, and in order to achieve a result, it uses
data stored on the tag in the measurement. The reader may have
determined by using an AFC that the tag is suitable for temperature
measurement. The advanced functionality code AFC may be part of the
electronic product code indicating, for example, that the item is a
perishable product and therefore its temperature needs to be
monitored. The AFD may be data for calculating or determining the
temperature of the tag from local oscillator frequency shift polled
from the tag. The reader may request the data from the tag, and the
data may reside on the tag in protected form, e.g. on a protected
memory area or in encrypted form. The reader therefore uses an
algorithm to obtain an access key based on the EPC or tag
identification, and then unprotects the data using this access key.
The unprotecting may happen e.g. by opening a protected memory area
on the tag or by decrypting the data. The unprotected data may then
be used for calculating the tag temperature. The access key may
also be used to write data onto the tag in protected form, e.g. in
a protected memory area or in encrypted form.
[0103] The algorithm may be a secret algorithm known only to the
reader device or the system, or it may be a widely public
algorithm. The algorithm may depend on the advanced functionality
code. The data protected on the tag may be advanced functionality
data or it may be any other data.
[0104] FIG. 5a shows one method for employing advanced capabilities
of a tag with advanced capability code and advanced capability
information, and carrying the information on the tag in a protected
form. In phase 510, the tag sends advanced functionality data AFD
to the reader in protected form. The AFD may, in other words, be in
encrypted or in scrambled form. The reader may then receive and
store the AFD in phase 512. The tag may in phase 514 send key
information to the reader device and/or the rest of the system. It
is possible that this tag key information is the EPC or the tag
identifier and the seed or actual key information resides in a
database in the system. The reader and/or another element in the
system may received this key information in phase 516. Using this
key information, the reader or another element in the system may
form an access key in phase 518. This access key may then be used
in phase 520 to unprotect or decrypt the data received in phase
512, or to unprotect or decrypt other data related to the tag. The
above phases may happen in the tag and at the reader or rest of the
system in an independent manner or dependent from each other. The
different phases may happen in another order than shown in FIG.
5a.
[0105] FIG. 5b shows one method for employing advanced capabilities
of a tag with advanced capability code and advanced capability
information, and carrying the information on the tag in a protected
form. The tag may in phase 530 send key information to the reader
device and/or the rest of the system. It is possible that this tag
key information is the EPC or the tag identifier and the seed or
actual key information resides in a database in the system. The
reader and/or another element in the system may received this key
information in phase 532. Using this key information, the reader or
another element in the system may form an access key in phase 534
and send it to the tag. In phase 536, the tag may receive the
access key and use it to unprotect or decrypt advanced
functionality data AFD residing on the tag in phase 538. The tag
may then send the unprotected AFD to the reader in phase 540. The
reader may then receive the AFD in phase 542 and use it to utilize
the advanced functionality in phase 544. The tag may unprotect and
send other data than AFD using the access key. The above phases may
happen in the tag and at the reader or rest of the system in an
independent manner or dependent from each other. The different
phases may happen in another order than shown in FIG. 5b.
[0106] FIG. 5c shows one method for employing advanced capabilities
of a tag with advanced capability code and advanced capability
information, and carrying the information on the tag in a protected
form. In phase 560, the reader may request advanced functionality
data AFD or other data from the tag. In phase 562, the tag may
fetch key information (e.g. EPC) from memory, and form an access
key in phase 564 using the key information. The tag may then in
phase 566 unprotect advanced functionality data AFD residing in the
tag memory by accessing a password-protected memory area or by
decrypting the AFD. The tag may then send the unprotected AFD to
the reader device in phase 568. The reader may receive the AFD in
phase 570 and use it to utilize the advanced functionality provided
by the tag in phase 572. The above phases may happen in the tag and
at the reader or rest of the system in an independent manner or
dependent from each other. The different phases may happen in
another order than shown in FIG. 5c.
[0107] In the methods according to FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c, there may
be other steps than the ones shown in the figures. For example, the
advanced functionality code and its use and the storing of the
advanced functionality result have been omitted.
[0108] FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show tags with an advanced capability
code and advanced capability data, and with memory arranged to
store information in encrypted form. In FIG. 6a, a tag 600 with
advanced capability code is shown. The tag may comprise elements as
described in the context of FIG. 1a, and has a memory for holding
various pieces of information. There may be a data area 612 for any
tag data, a memory 614 for the electronic product code and a memory
616 for the advanced capability code AFC. The various memory areas
may be implemented in the same memory, or they may be implemented
in different memories. Some of the memory may be read-only
memory.
[0109] In FIG. 6b, a tag 640 with advanced capability data is
shown. The tag comprises elements as described in the context of
FIG. 1a, and has a memory for holding various pieces of
information. There may be a data area 612 for any tag data, a
memory 614 for the electronic product code and a memory 618 for the
advanced capability data AFD. The various memory areas may be
implemented in the same memory, or they may be implemented in
different memories. Some of the memory may be read-only memory.
[0110] In FIG. 6c, a tag 670 with advanced capability data in
protected form is shown. The tag comprises elements as described in
the context of FIG. 1a, and has a memory for holding various pieces
of information. There may be a data area 612 for any tag data, a
memory 614 for the electronic product code and a memory 618 for the
advanced capability data AFD. The various memory areas may be
implemented in the same memory, or they may be implemented in
different memories. Some of the memory may be read-only memory. The
tag may also comprise a tag ID or other identification information.
The data area 618 has been arranged to be such that the AFD is
stored in protected form, for example in a password-protected or
encrypted memory 630.
[0111] A tag may combine any or all functionalities as explained in
the context of FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c.
[0112] FIG. 7 shows a reader device 700 for employing advanced
capabilities of a tag by using an advanced functionality code and
advanced functionality data. The reader may comprise elements as
described in the context of FIG. 1b, and has a memory for holding
various pieces of information. The reader device may contain a
block 710 for determining through the use of an advanced
functionality code whether a tag is capable of an advanced
functionality. The reader device may also contain a program 720 for
utilizing advanced functionality. The reader device may implement
all or some of the advanced functionality operations as circuitry
730, e.g. to increase speed. The reader device may also contain
memory for holding advanced functionality data AFD received from an
RFID tag. Furthermore, the reader device may comprise functionality
for determining time and location information so that it can be
associated with the advanced functionality results.
[0113] FIG. 8 shows a system for employing advanced capabilities of
tags with a number of tags, reader devices and networked computers.
The system may comprise a number of reader devices 800, 801 and
802. The reader devices may be geographically at the same location
or at different locations. As explained in the context of FIG. 7,
the reader devices may comprise blocks for determining the advanced
functionality 803, advanced functionality program 804, circuitry
for advanced functionality 806 and memory 808 for advanced
functionality data. The system may comprise a number of tags 810,
812 and 814. The tags may be capable of similar or different
advanced functionality, and may contain similar or different
advanced functionality codes AFC and advanced functionality data
AFD. Especially the advanced functionality data may be tag
dependent, e.g. tag specific information. The system may also
comprise a number of computers and/or servers 820 and 822 for
providing a service related to the advanced functionality. The
system may also comprise one or more databases for holding data and
results related to the advanced functionality. The various elements
of the system may be in a communication connection with each other,
e.g. through a data network, or peer-to-peer connections from one
element to another. The communication connections may be wired or
wireless, e.g. an IP-based connection over a fixed network, a
wireless local area network or a mobile communication network.
[0114] FIG. 9 shows a system for manufacturing tags with advanced
capabilities. The chips 915 for the tags may be manufactured and/or
programmed by one entity 910. The antennas and the protective
layers 925 may be manufactured by one or more other entities 920.
The different elements making up a tag may be then combined to form
a tag 930. At the time of combining or at a different time, the
properties tag may be measured at 940, for example to form advanced
functionality data AFD to be stored into the tag memory. The tag
may then be printed 950 at a facility where the tag is taken into
use. The advanced functionality code AFC indicating the tag type
and allowed operations, as well as the advanced functionality data
AFD may be stored to the memory of the tag at this point, or the
storing may happen at an earlier phase. The result of this process
is a tag 960 with advanced functionality capability indicated by an
AFC and supported by advanced functionality data AFD in the memory.
The system in FIG. 9 may be implemented in a single facility by a
single operator, or the different elements may be carried out at
different locations.
[0115] FIG. 10 shows a method for manufacturing tags with advanced
capabilities. Some of all of the method steps may be carried out by
a single entity, or the steps may be carried out by different
entities. At phase 1010, the chip for the tag is manufactured so
that it can provide an advanced functionality. At phase 1020, the
chip is programmed, e.g. to contain program code and data for
providing advanced functionality. At phase 1030, the antenna and
the protective layer are manufactured. At phase 1040, the antenna
and the protective layer are combined with the chip to form a tag.
It is to be noted that for so-called passive tags, there will not
be an energy source on the tag, that is, they will be energetically
essentially passive. The tags will draw their energy essentially
from the read-out signal, as explained earlier. At phase 1050, the
properties of the tag may be measured for storing onto the tag or
to be kept in a database for later access based on the tag
identification. At phase 1060, the tag may be printed, that is, the
tag may receive information such as an electronic product code. At
phases 1040, 1050 and 1060, the tag may also receive advanced
functionality data and an advanced functionality code.
[0116] FIG. 11 shows temperature measurement arrangement as an
illustration of utilizing an advanced capability of a tag. At phase
1110, the reader may request the tag to send an advanced
functionality code AFC to indicate that the tag is capable of being
used in a temperature measurement. In response to this request at
phase 1115, or in response to a standard request, the tag may send
an advanced functionality code AFC to indicate the type of the tag
and the capabilities of the tag. For example, the AFC may indicate
how accurate the temperature measurement with this tag may be. As
explained earlier, the reader may at phase 1130 then request
oscillator information to determine the temperature and the tag may
respond at phase 1135 by sending this information. The steps 1130
and 1135 may be repeated as necessary. Using the received
information, the reader may alone or with the help of the system
determine the tag temperature based on knowledge of the local
oscillator properties and the functionality of the tag. The local
oscillator frequency changes with temperature, and this affects the
oscillator information.
[0117] At phase 1140, the reader may then request key information
such as the electronic product code, and the tag may send the
requested information at phase 1145. The EPC may then be used to
determine an access key that the reader may then send to the tag in
phase 1150 to access advanced functionality data AFD for
temperature. Using the access key, the RFID tag grants access to
the data and sends the information to the reader or the rest of the
system at phase 1155. It needs to be understood that this
information may also reside in the system e.g. in a database, and
the access key is then used to access this information from the
database. When the reader or the system has the advanced
functionality data for temperature, it may use them in determining
the temperature at phase 1160, or it may at this phase compute the
temperature using the AFD.
[0118] What has been described above in the various embodiments
regarding RFID tags is often implemented by a chip on the RFID tag.
Therefore, one target of the invention is an RFID chip providing
advanced functionality by RFID tags.
[0119] The various embodiments of the present disclosure can be
implemented with the help of computer program code that resides in
a memory and causes the relevant apparatuses to carry out the
aspects of the disclosed embodiments. For example, a tag, a chip or
a reader device may comprise circuitry and electronics for
handling, receiving and transmitting data, computer program code in
a memory, and a processor that, when running the computer program
code, causes the reader device to carry out the features of an
embodiment. Alternatively or in addition, a tag or a chip for a tag
or a reader device may comprise logic circuitry for implementing
the same functionality as may be carried out by means of program
code run on a processor. Yet further, a network device may comprise
circuitry and electronics for handling, receiving and transmitting
data, computer program code in a memory, and a processor that, when
running the computer program code, causes the network device to
carry out the features of an embodiment. A system may comprise any
number of tags of the same kind or different kinds, and reader
devices and network computers in any combination.
[0120] It is clear that the aspects of the present disclosure are
not limited solely to the above-presented embodiments, but it can
be modified within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *