# US 2015/0145652 A1 · Apparatuses and methods using command sets specific for controlling the operation of a type of the rfid transponder to which the commands are transmitted > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0145652 A1 - Document ID: US20150145652A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/610,474 - Filed: 2015-01-30 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-21 - Assignees: NXP B.V. - Applicants: NXP B.V. - Inventors: Christian Weidinger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150145652A1 ## CPC - G06K 7/10366: {the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications} - G06K 7/0008: {General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer} - G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract Certain exemplary aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward an apparatus in which a first circuit communicates with a plurality of different types of RFID transponders using radio frequency signals. A second circuit detects and communicates with the plurality of different types of RFID transponders via the first circuit, respectively using a command set for the type of RFID transponder that the first circuit is communicating with. The second circuit, in response to detecting an RFID transponder having configuration data for a new command set, accesses and uses the configuration data for the new command set to update a configuration of the second circuit to enable communication with the new type of RFID transponder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a first circuit configured to communicate radio frequency signals with a plurality of different types of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders; and a second circuit configured and arranged to: communicate with the plurality of different types of RFID transponders via the first circuit, detect the type of each of the plurality of different types of RFID transponders based on communications with each RFID transponder via the first circuit, control the operation of each of the plurality of different types of RFID transponders by transmitting commands to the RFID transponders, using command sets specific for controlling the operation of the type of the RFID transponder to which the commands are transmitted, in response to detecting a type of RFID transponder having configuration data for a new command set, access the configuration data from the transponder, and use the configuration data for the new command set to update a command set to enable control of a new type of RFID transponder, and in response to detecting an RFID transponder of the new type, control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type using the new command set. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration data for a new command set includes data that identifies features supported by the new type of RFID transponder, and the second circuit is configured and arranged to control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type by using the data that identifies the features supported by the new type of RFID responder and controlling the RFID transponder to carry out the identified features. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to store the command sets in a lookup table that lists the features supported by each of the different types of RFID transponders, and for each RFID transponder from which communications are received, control the operation of the transponder by retrieving one of the command sets based on the detected type of the RFID transponder, using the retrieved one of the command sets to control the operation of the RFID transponder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by replacing a portion of an existing stored command set with new commands, and control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type using the new commands. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by maintaining existing commands in an existing stored command set, and control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type using both the existing commands and the new commands. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by replacing the command set with the new command set. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by updating the command set to operate with a communications protocol that is the same as a communication protocol used by the command set, prior to being updated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set and maintain another command set for a different type of RFID transponder unchanged, and after updating the command set in response to detecting an RFID transponder of the different type, control the operation of the RFID transponder of the different type using the maintained other command set. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by updating a portion of the command set including at least one of: a tag type identifier, data coding instructions, data rate instructions, memory size and structure instructions, security feature instructions, sensor operation instructions, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is factory-configured with a single command set for reading a configuration RFID transponder, and configured and arranged to, prior to communicating with RFID transponders that do not include configuration data, access at least one configuration RFID transponder to field-configure the second circuit with a command set for each of the plurality of different types of RFID transponders. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is further configured to in response to detecting the type of RFID transponder having configuration data for a new command set, authenticate at least one of the configuration data and the RFID transponder, and in response to the authentication, access and use the configuration data for the new command set to update the configuration of the second circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second circuit is further configured to authenticate at least one of the configuration data and the detected RFID transponder, responsive to password data provided to the second circuit by the detected RFID transponder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured and arranged to use the configuration data for the new command set to update firmware stored at the second circuit, and to use the updated firmware to control operation of the second circuit. ### Claim 14 An apparatus comprising: a first radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder circuit configured and arranged with a data storage circuit including configuration data for a new command set, and being configured and arranged to: communicate with RFID reader circuits, authenticate the communication with the RFID reader circuits, and access and transmit the configuration data for the new command set to the RFID reader circuits based on the authentication, the new command set including commands that control operation of a new type of RFID transponder circuit; and an RFID reader circuit configured and arranged to: communicate with a plurality of different types of RFID transponders including the first RFID transponder circuit, detect the type of each of the plurality of different types of RFID transponders based on communications with each RFID transponder, control the operation of each of the plurality of different types of RFID transponders by transmitting commands to the RFID transponders using command sets specific for controlling the operation of the type of the RFID transponder to which the commands are transmitted, in response to detecting the first RFID transponder circuit, control the first RFID transponder circuit to access and transmit the new command set to the RFID reader and use the configuration data for the new command set to update a command set to enable control of a new type of RFID transponder, and in response to detecting an RFID transponder of the new type, control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type using the new command set. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the configuration data for a new command set includes data that identifies features supported by the new type of RFID transponder, and the RFID reader circuit is configured and arranged to control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type by using the data that identifies the features supported by the new type of RFID transponder and controlling the RFID transponder to carry out the identified features. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the RFID reader circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by replacing a portion of an existing stored command set with new commands, and control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type using the new commands. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the RFID reader circuit is configured and arranged to update the command set by maintaining existing commands in an existing stored command set, and control the operation of the RFID transponder of the new type using both the existing commands and the new commands. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the RFID reader circuit is configured and arranged to store the command sets in a lookup table that lists the features supported by each of the different types of RFID transponders, and for each RFID transponder from which communications are received, control the operation of the transponder by retrieving one of the command sets based on the detected type of the RFID transponder, using the retrieved one of the command sets to control the operation of the RFID transponder. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further including the new type of RFID transponder. ### Claim 20 A radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder circuit comprising: a first circuit configured to communicate radio frequency signals with a plurality of different types of RFID readers; and a second circuit configured and arranged to: store configuration data for a new command set, the new command set including commands executable by the RFID readers for controlling operation of a new type of RFID transponder and for controlling the new type of RFID transponder, communicate with the plurality of different types of RFID readers via the first circuit, authenticate communications with the plurality of different types of RFID readers, and in response to the authentication of communications with one of the RFID readers, reconfigure the RFID reader by accessing the configuration data for the new command set and transmitting the configuration data for the new command set to the one of the RFID readers, therein reconfiguring the RFID reader for controlling the new type of RFID transponder by executing instructions in the new command set that cause the new type of RFID transponder to carry out operations.