US 7,345,585 B2 · Network based device for providing RFID middleware functionality

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide middleware functionality integrated into a module of a network device, such as a router or switch, that is configured to provide application-oriented network (“AON”) services. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide policy-based application services for RFID data, such as conditional routing, security (encryption, identification, authentication and authorization), data translation and/or transformation, data compression, data caching, etc. Some preferred implementations can interpret an application request and route to an appropriate network address of an RFID reader. Preferably, ALE (application-level event) aggregation and filtering can also be performed on behalf of the application. Some methods of the invention allow event data to be sent to applications (including but not limited to business applications) as request-response messages. Other methods of the invention allow event data to be sent to applications in the form of asynchronous notifications.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of controlling a network, the method comprising:

receiving a message relating to an RFID device network or a sensor network;
determining an application layer protocol that was used to transmit the message;
determining a message termination technique that is associated with the application layer protocol;
determining the message contents, based at least in part on the message termination technique;
and
performing at least one action according to the message contents.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Network based device for providing RFID middleware functionality

Life of this patent

Network based device for providing RFID middleware functionality

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20