Methods and systems for automatic device provisioning in an rfid network using ip multicast

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being configured to:
• receive a first data packet via Internet Protocol (IP) multicast from a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) device having a specific role performed by one of a plurality of classes of RFID devices;
• read a value in the first data packet, the value indicating the one of the plurality of classes of RFID devices to which the RFID device belongs;
• retrieve configuration parameters for the one of a plurality of classes of RFID devices based on the value in the first data packet;
• and
• transmit the configuration parameters to the RFID device, wherein the configuration parameters enable automatic provisioning of the RFID device to perform for the specific role of the one of the plurality of classes of RFID devices.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for reading an affixed RFID Tag associated with a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) device;
• means for transmitting a first data packet via Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting containing data stored on the affixed RFID Tag, the first data packet indicating one of a plurality of personality classes of RFID devices, the one of the plurality of personality classes of RFID devices being a personality class in which the RFID device is classified;
• and
• means for receiving a second data packet containing configuration parameters that correspond to the one of a plurality of personality classes of RFID devices, wherein the configuration parameters enable automatic provisioning of the RFID device for a specific function performed by the RFID devices in the one of the plurality of personality classes.