Multi-capability apparatus supporting background RFID tag-reading and corresponding methods

1. A multi-capability apparatus comprising:

a housing;

at least one component supported by the housing and configured to support a non-Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) capability;

an RFID-tag reader supported by the housing;

a control circuit supported by the housing and operably coupled to the at least one component and the RFID-tag reader and configured to use the RFID-tag reader in a ping mode of operation as a background task while the multi-capability apparatus simultaneously uses the non-RFID capability, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate the RFID-tag reader in the ping mode of operation as a function, at least in part, of the multi-capability apparatus presently using the non-RFID capability.

2. The multi-capability apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multi-capability apparatus comprises a hand-held apparatus.

3. The multi-capability apparatus of claim 1 wherein the non-RFID capability comprises an active capability.

4. The multi-capability apparatus of claim 3 wherein the active capability comprises at least one of:

printing;

optical scanning;

hand keying.

5. The multi-capability apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to respond during the ping mode of operation to an RFID tag response by switching to a continuous mode of operation for the RFID-tag reader as a background task while the multi-capability apparatus simultaneously uses the non-RFID capability.

6. The multi-capability apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is devoid of any external visually-perceptible indicia regarding any RFID-based capability of the apparatus.

7. A method for use with a portable multi-capability apparatus wherein at least one capability of the portable multi-capability apparatus is a non-Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) capability and at least one capability of the portable multi-capability apparatus is an RFID-tag reading capability, the method comprising:

by a control circuit:

determining when the portable multi-capability apparatus employs the non-RFID capability and using information regarding the non-RFID capability to determine a location of the portable multi-capability apparatus;

in response to determining that the portable multi-capability apparatus is employing the non-RFID capability, causing the portable multi-capability apparatus to use the RFID-tag reading capability in a ping mode of operation as a background task while the portable multi-capability apparatus simultaneously uses the non-RFID capability;

when an RFID tag responds to an RFID-tag reading ping, correlating the RFID-tag response to the location of the portable multi-capability apparatus.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the portable multi-capability apparatus comprises a hand-held apparatus.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the non-RFID capability comprises at least one of:

printing;

optical scanning;

hand keying.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

responding during the ping mode of operation to an RFID tag response by switching to a continuous mode of operation for the RFID-tag reading capability as a background task while the portable multi-capability apparatus simultaneously uses the non-RFID capability.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

halting the continuous mode of operation for the RFID-tag reading capability in response to the portable multi-capability apparatus terminating use of the non-RFID capability.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether to halt the continuous mode of operation for the RFID-tag reading capability in response to the portable multi-capability apparatus terminating use of the non-RFID capability.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether to halt the continuous mode of operation for the RFID-tag reading capability includes determining whether any RFID-tag responses are still being received.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

when an RFID tag responds to an RFID-tag reading ping, accessing information regarding a location of the RFID tag that provided the RFID-tag response and using that information to further determine the location of the portable multi-capability apparatus.

15. A method for use with a portable multi-capability apparatus wherein at least one capability of the portable multi-capability apparatus is a non-Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) capability and at least one capability of the portable multi-capability apparatus is an RFID-tag reading capability, the method comprising:

automatically determining when the portable multi-capability apparatus employs the non-RFID capability;

in response to automatically determining that the portable multi-capability apparatus is employing the non-RFID capability, automatically causing the portable multi-capability apparatus to use the RFID-tag reading capability in a ping mode of operation as a background task.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

using information that correlates the non-RFID capability to a location within a retail shopping facility to determine a location of the portable multi-capability apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

when an RFID tag responds to an RFID-tag reading ping, correlating the RFID-tag response to the location of the portable multi-capability apparatus.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

responding during the ping mode of operation to an RFID tag response by switching to a continuous mode of operation for the RFID-tag reading capability as a background task while the portable multi-capability apparatus simultaneously uses the non-RFID capability.