NFC-enabled apparatus and method of operation thereof

1. An NFC-enabled apparatus comprising:

a digital information display;

a camera;

at least one memory storing a plurality of selectable pieces of information and a plurality of tag data; and

a near field communication (NFC) module comprising an NFC antenna and an NFC controller,

wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured:

to capture an image using the camera,

to process the camera-captured image to obtain data relating to the camera-captured image,

to send, to at least one server, the data relating to the camera-captured image,

to receive, from the at least one server, a first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image, and

to store the first tag datum in the at least one memory as part of the plurality of tag data,

wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to display two or more selectable pieces of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information on the digital information display,

wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus has a default setting for selecting a predetermined one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information,

wherein, in response to a tagging between the NFC-enabled apparatus and a first external NFC-enabled terminal and without a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to cause a transfer of a tag datum among the plurality of tag data corresponding to the predetermined selectable piece of information from the NFC module to the first external NFC-enabled terminal via an NFC communication channel established between the NFC-enabled apparatus and the first external NFC-enabled terminal,

wherein the tag datum corresponding to the predetermined selectable piece of information comprises the first tag datum that corresponds to the data relating to the camera-captured image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of selectable pieces of information corresponds to one of the plurality of tag data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first tag datum is configured to cause the first external NFC-enabled terminal to communicate with the at least one server using the first tag datum for receiving additional data related to the first tag datum.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein, the NFC-enabled apparatus receives a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information that is other than the predetermined selectable piece of information, the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured:

to display on the digital information display an image corresponding to the user-selected one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, and

to make a tag datum corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information available at the NFC module for NFC communication such that the tag datum is transferred to an external NFC-enabled terminal when an NFC tagging is made between the NFC-enabled apparatus and the external NFC-enabled terminal, wherein the tag datum corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information comprises one of the plurality of tag data and does not comprise the first tag datum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of selectable pieces of information corresponds to an image for displaying on the digital information display, wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to display the image on the digital information display in response to selection of said each selectable piece of information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to display a first image corresponding to the predetermined selectable piece of information on the digital information display while the first tag datum is available at the NFC module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera-captured image contains a management number and an expiration date.

8. An NFC-enabled apparatus comprising:

a digital information display;

a camera;

at least one memory storing a plurality of selectable pieces of information and a plurality of tag data; and

a near field communication (NFC) module comprising an NFC antenna and an NFC controller,

wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured:

to capture an image using the camera,

to process the camera-captured image to obtain data relating to the camera-captured image,

to send, to at least one server, the data relating to the camera- captured image,

to receive, from the at least one server, a first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image, and

to store the first tag datum in the at least one memory

wherein the plurality of tag data stored in the at least one memory comprises the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image,

wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is further configured:

to display two or more selectable pieces of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information on the digital information display,

to receive a user selection of a first selectable piece of information among the two or more selectable pieces of information displayed on the digital information display, and

to make a tag datum corresponding to the first selectable piece of information available at the NFC module for NFC communication such that the tag datum is transferred to an external NFC-enabled terminal in response to an NFC tagging made between the NFC-enabled apparatus and the external NFC-enabled terminal,

wherein the tag datum corresponding to the first selectable piece of information comprises the first tag datum that corresponds to the data relating to the camera-captured image.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting configured for selecting a predetermined selectable piece of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first tag datum corresponding to the first selectable piece of information is configured to cause the first external NFC-enabled terminal to communicate with at least one server using the first tag datum for receiving additional data related to the first tag datum.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting configured for selecting a predetermined selectable piece of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information,

wherein, when operating in a default mode according to the default setting, in response to a tagging between the NFC-enabled apparatus and a first external NFC-enabled terminal and without a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to cause a tag datum corresponding to the predetermined selectable piece of information to be transferred from the NFC module of the NFC-enabled apparatus to the first external NFC-enabled terminal.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to display a first image corresponding to the first selectable piece of information on the digital information display in response to receiving the user selection of first selectable piece of information.

13. A method of operating the NFC-enabled apparatus of claim 8 , the method comprising:

detecting an NFC tagging made between the NFC-enabled apparatus and a first external NFC-enabled terminal without involving a selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information displayed on the digital information display; and

subsequent to detecting the NFC tagging, causing the first tag datum to be transferred from the NFC module to the first external NFC-enabled terminal via an NFC communication channel established in response to the NFC tagging between the NFC-enabled apparatus and the first external NFC-enabled terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

displaying two or more selectable pieces of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information including a first selectable piece of information and a second selectable piece of information on the digital information display;

receiving a user selection of the second selectable piece of information among the two or more selectable pieces of information displayed on the digital information display;

in response to the user selection of the second selectable piece of information, displaying an image corresponding to the second selectable piece of information on the digital information display to confirm the selection of the second selectable piece of information; and

subsequent to the user selection of the second selectable piece of information, making a second tag datum corresponding to the second selectable piece of information available at the NFC module for NFC transmission.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting configured for selecting a predetermined selectable piece of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image is configured to cause the first external NFC-enabled terminal to communicate with at least one server using the first tag datum for receiving additional data related to the first tag datum.

17. A method of operating an NFC-enabled apparatus, the method comprising:

providing an NFC-enabled apparatus comprising:

a digital information display,

a camera,

a near field communication (NFC) module comprising an NFC antenna and an NFC controller, and

at least one memory that stores a plurality of selectable pieces of information, wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to display at least part of the plurality of selectable pieces of information on the digital information display for a user selection,

capturing an image using the camera of the NFC-enabled apparatus;

processing the camera-captured image to obtain data relating to the camera-captured image;

sending the data relating to the camera-captured image to at least one server;

receiving, from the at least one server, a first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image;

storing the first tag datum in the at least one memory;

subsequently, detecting an NFC tagging made between the NFC-enabled apparatus and a first external NFC-enabled terminal without a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information; and

subsequent to detecting the NFC tagging, causing the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image to be transferred from the NFC antenna to the first external NFC-enabled terminal via an NFC communication channel established in response to the NFC tagging between the NFC-enabled apparatus and the first external NFC-enabled terminal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting for selecting a predetermined one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, wherein detecting the NFC tagging without a user selection causes the predetermined selectable piece of information to be selected in accordance with the default setting.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a plurality of tag data, wherein each of the plurality of selectable pieces of information corresponds to one of the plurality of tag data.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of selectable pieces of information corresponds to an image for displaying on the digital information display in response to selection of said each selectable piece of information.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image is configured to cause the first external NFC-enabled terminal to communicate with at least one server using the first tag datum for receiving additional data related to the first tag datum.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting for selecting a predetermined one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information,

wherein the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image further corresponds to the predetermined one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises receiving acknowledgement of the first external NFC-enabled terminal's receipt of the first tag datum,

wherein the first external NFC-enabled terminal communicates with the at least one server using the first tag datum for receiving additional data related to the first tag datum from the at least one server.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein, subsequent to the NFC tagging between NFC-enabled apparatus and the first external NFC-enabled terminal without a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, the digital information display displays an image corresponding to the predetermined selectable piece of information.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the camera-captured image contains a management number and an expiration date.

26. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

displaying at least two selectable pieces of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information including a first selectable piece of information and a second selectable piece of information on the digital information display;

receiving a user selection of the second selectable piece of information among the at least two selectable pieces of information displayed on the digital information display;

in response to the user selection of the second selectable piece of information, displaying an image corresponding to the second selectable piece of information on the digital information display to confirm the selection of the second selectable piece of information; and

subsequent to the user selection of the second selectable piece of information, making a second tag datum corresponding to the second selectable piece of information available at the NFC module for NFC transmission.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting configured for selecting a predetermined selectable piece of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information.

28. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one memory further stores a default setting for selecting a predetermined one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information in the absence of a user selection of one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, wherein the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image further corresponds to the predetermined one of the plurality of selectable pieces of information, wherein the first tag datum is configured to cause the first external NFC-enabled terminal to communicate with at least one server using the first tag datum for receiving additional data related to the first tag datum.

29. A The method of operating an NFC-enabled apparatus, the method comprising:

providing an NFC-enabled apparatus comprising:

a digital information display,

a camera,

a near field communication (NFC) module comprising an NFC antenna and an NFC controller, and

at least one memory that stores a plurality of selectable pieces of information, wherein the NFC-enabled apparatus is configured to display at least part of the plurality of selectable pieces of information on the digital information display for a user selection,

capturing an image using the camera;

processing the camera-captured image to obtain data relating to the camera- captured image;

sending, to at least one server, the data relating to the camera-captured image;

receiving, from the at least one server, a first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image;

subsequent to receiving the first tag datum, in response to an NFC tagging between the NFC-enabled apparatus and an external NFC-enabled terminal, causing the first tag datum corresponding to the data relating to the camera-captured image to be transmitted from the NFC module of the NFC-enabled apparatus to the external NFC-enabled terminal;

further subsequent to receiving the first tag datum, displaying, on the digital information display, at least two selectable pieces of information among the plurality of selectable pieces of information including a first selectable piece of information and a second selectable piece of information;

receiving a user selection of the second selectable piece of information among the at least two selectable pieces of information displayed on the digital information display;

in response to the user selection of the second selectable piece of information, displaying an image corresponding to the second selectable piece of information on the digital information display to confirm the selection of the second selectable piece of information; and

subsequent to the user selection of the second selectable piece of information, making a second tag datum corresponding to the second selectable piece of information available at the NFC module for NFC transmission.

30. A system for NFC communication, the system comprising:

the NFC-enabled apparatus of claim 1 ; and

the external NFC-enabled terminal configured for NFC communication with the NFC-enabled apparatus.