Method and Apparatus for Tunneling Information in RFID Communications

Abstract

A method and apparatus involve a radio frequency identification tag that receives a wireless signal containing a message type conforming to an extension of a standard communication protocol and having an extended services segment, the tag then transmitting the extended services segment through an extended services interface. According to a different aspect, a method and apparatus involve a radio frequency identification tag that stores data which includes respective information regarding each of multiple extended services, and that responds to receipt of a wireless signal which is an extension to a standard protocol by transmitting a further wireless signal which is an extension to the protocol and contains at least part of the data. According to yet another aspect, a method and apparatus involve a radio frequency identification tag that responds to receipt of one wireless signal by transmitting a further wireless signal containing information regarding multiple sensors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising a radio frequency identification tag having a main section that provides basic radio frequency identification functionality, that has an extended services interface, and that receives wireless signals containing a message type which includes an extended services segment and which is an extension to an industry-standard communication protocol, said main section responding to receipt of a wireless signal containing a message conforming to said message type by transmitting said extended services segment thereof through said extended services interface. 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said communication protocol is the ISO 18000-7 communication protocol. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said extended services segment is an extension to an industry-standard further communication protocol that is different from said communication protocol for said wireless signals. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said tag includes a further section that includes a sensor and that that receives said extended services segment from said main section through said extended services interface, said further communication protocol being one of the IEEE 1451.7 communication protocol and the ISO 21451.7 communication protocol. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , including a further section that provides extended services functionality different from said basic functionality, and that receives said extended services segment from said main section through said extended services interface. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said further section is part of said tag. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said further section is physically separate from said tag. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said extended services functionality includes provision of security for said tag. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said further section includes one of a sensor, a receiver circuit that receives wireless satellite signals containing positioning information, and a real time locating circuit. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said further section includes a plurality of sensors, and a single instantiation of an application that interfaces each of said sensors to said extended services interface, and that is compatible with and also implements an extension to one of IEEE 1451.7 and ISO 21451.7. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said main section responds to receipt through said extended services interface of a further segment by transmitting a further wireless signal that conforms to said communications protocol and that contains said further segment. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising a radio frequency identification tag having a main section that provides basic radio frequency identification functionality, that has an extended services interface, and that receives wireless signals, said main section storing data that includes respective information regarding each extended service accessible through said extended services interface, and said main section responding to receipt of a wireless signal containing a selected command that is an extension to a command set of an industry-standard communication protocol by transmitting a further wireless signal containing a message that is an extension to said communication protocol and that contains at least part of said data. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said communication protocol is the ISO 18000-7 communication protocol. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said data includes a list identifying each extended service that is accessible through said extended services interface, said further wireless message including at least part of said list. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said data includes a list identifying each extended service that is accessible through said extended services interface and that currently has an active alarm condition, said further wireless message including at least part of said list. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said data includes, for each extended service that is accessible through said extended services interface, a respective segment containing information received through said extended services interface and relating to the corresponding extended service, said further wireless message including at least part of a respective said segment. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , including a further section that provides extended services functionality different from said basic functionality, and that is coupled to said extended services interface. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said further section is part of said tag. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said further section includes a portion that is physically separate from said tag. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said extended services functionality includes provision of security for said tag. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said further section includes one of a sensor, a receiver circuit that receives wireless satellite signals containing positioning information, and a real time locating circuit. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said further section includes a plurality of sensors, and a single instantiation of an application that interfaces each of said sensors to said extended services interface, that is compatible with one of IEEE 1451.7 and ISO 21451.7, and that implements an extension to said one of IEEE 1451.7 and ISO 21451.7. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus comprising a radio frequency identification tag having a section that sends and receives wireless signals and that has a multi-sensor interface, said section responding to receipt of a wireless signal containing a request by transmitting a further wireless signal containing information regarding multiple sensors. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said request and said information conform to an extension of an industry-standard sensor communication protocol. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said sensor communication protocol is one of IEEE 1451.7 and ISO 21451.7. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said section includes a single instantiation of a multi-sensor application that is coupled to said multi-sensor interface, that is compatible with one of IEEE 1451.7 and ISO 21451.7, and that implements an extension to said one of IEEE 1451.7 and ISO 21451.7. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said information in said further wireless signal includes an identification of each sensor. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said information in said further wireless signal includes status information regarding each sensor. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said tag includes a plurality of sensors, said section interacting with each said sensor through said interface. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said wireless signals conform to a communication protocol.