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.

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 .