RFID architecture in an industrial controller environment

A rack-mountable system, comprising:

• a rack that includes a communications connection and slots for receiving modules that interface to the connection;
• a controller that is insertable into the rack, manages signals and data,
• an RFID reader that interfaces to the packet-based communication framework to communicate RFID information;
• and
• an RFID tagging component, which encompasses security information to enable component operation that uploads security data to RFID tags, accesses security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifies the security data as a condition for continued operation.

An RFID system, comprising:

• a first RFID component that at least one of reads data from and writes data to a plurality of RFID tags;
• a PLC module that controls an automation process, which facilitates processing of the plurality of RFID tags;
• and
• an RFID tagging component, which encompasses security information to enable component operation that uploads security data to RFID tags, accesses security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifies the security data as a condition for continued operation.

A method of providing an RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:

• providing a controller that interacts with one or more aspects of an automation process;
• integrating an RFID reader in the industrial controller such that RFID tag data read from an RFID tag associated with the automation process is communicated internally from the RFID reader to the controller;
• and
• uploading security data to RFID tags, accessing security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifing the security data as a condition for continued operation.

A method of providing an RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:

• providing a controller that interacts with one or more aspects of an automation process;
• integrating an RFID reader in the industrial controller such that RFID tag data read from an RFID tag associated with the automation process is communicated internally from the RFID reader to the controller;
• and
• tagging a component of the controller;
• and
• uploading security data to RFID tags, accessing security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifing the security data as a condition for continued operation.

An RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:

• means for controlling one or more aspects of an automation process;
• means for reading with a plurality of reading means tag data from an RFID tag associated with the automation process, at least one of the plurality of reading means is internal to the means for controlling;
• means for enabling select ones of the plurality of reading means to read the tag data and disabling select ones of the plurality of reading means from reading the tag data;
• and
• means for uploading security data to RFID tags, accessing security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifing the security data as a condition for continued operation.