Method for connecting a portable RFID reader to a handheld computing device via an audio connection

1. A method comprising:

maintaining, by a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) reader, a table of RFID tags detected by the RFID reader, wherein the table includes for each RFID tag of the RFID tags detected a corresponding unique ID of the RFID tag and a corresponding short tag ID assigned to the RFID tag;

receiving, by the RFID reader, a command from a handheld computer via an audio connection of the handheld computer;

responsive to the command, the RFID reader initiating a tag scanning process to cause all RFID tags within range of the RFID reader to communicate their unique Identifiers (IDs) to the RFID reader;

receiving, by an RFID transceiver of the RFID reader, a unique ID of an RFID tag;

responsive to receipt of the unique ID, the RFID reader:

assigning a short tag ID to the RFID tag and creating an entry in the table having stored therein the short tag ID and the unique ID; and

reporting detection of the RFID tag by the RFID reader by transmitting to the handheld computer the short tag ID and the unique ID; and

when the RFID tag is subsequently detected by the RFID transceiver, compressing, by the RFID reader, information transmitted to the handheld computer by transmitting to the handheld computer the short tag ID without also transmitting the unique ID.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prioritizing, by the RFID reader, reporting of initial finds of the detected RFID tags ahead of reporting of subsequent finds of the detected RFID tags.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the RFID reader, from the handheld computer a list of tag IDs in which the handheld computer is interested; and

reporting, by the RFID reader to the handheld computer, a subsequent find of an RFID tag of the RFID tags detected only if the RFID tag is identified in the list of tag IDs.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to transmitting, by the RFID reader, a first tag find to the handheld computer for the RFID tag, receiving from the handheld computer a value indicating whether subsequent finds of the RFID tag should be reported or not.

5. A system comprising:

a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;

a handheld computer including an audio port through which the RFID reader is coupled in communication with the handheld computer, wherein the audio port is used to send digital data between the RFID reader and the handheld computer allowing the handheld computer to control the RFID reader and allowing the RFID reader to communicate results to the handheld computer; and

wherein the RFID reader compresses information transmitted to the handheld computer by maintaining a table of RFID tags IDs for each of a plurality of RFID tags that have been found by the RFID reader and, when a tag of the plurality of RFID tags is subsequently found, referring to the tag by a short form Identifier (ID) instead of a full 96-bit ID.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the RFID reader compresses information transmitted to the handheld computer when one or more tags of a plurality of RFID tags are found multiple times by the RFID reader by combining reporting of subsequent finds of the one or more tags after successfully reporting an initial find of the one or more tags.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the RFID reader prioritizes reporting of initial finds of a tag of the plurality of RFID tags ahead of reporting of subsequent finds of the tag.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the handheld computer transmits a list of tag IDs it is interested in to the RFID reader and responsive thereto the RFID reader only reports finds of tags in the list of tag IDs, ignoring finds of any other tags.

9. The system of claim 5 , wherein when the RFID reader transmits a first tag find to the handheld computer for an RFID tag, the handheld computer responds with a value indicating whether subsequent finds of the RFID tag should be reported or not.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the handheld computer comprises a smartphone.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a set of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) reader, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

maintaining a table of RFID tags detected by the RFID reader, wherein the table includes for each RFID tag of the RFID tags detected a corresponding unique ID of the RFID tag and a corresponding short tag ID assigned to the RFID tag;

receiving a command from a handheld computer via an audio connection of the handheld computer;

responsive to the command, initiating a tag scanning process to cause all RFID tags within range of the RFID reader to communicate their unique Identifiers (IDs) to the RFID reader;

receiving a unique ID of an RFID tag;

responsive to receipt of the unique ID:

assigning a short tag ID to the RFID tag and creating an entry in the table having stored therein the short tag ID and the unique ID; and

reporting detection of the RFID tag by transmitting to the handheld computer the short tag ID and the unique ID; and

when the RFID tag is subsequently detected by the RFID reader, compressing information transmitted to the handheld computer by transmitting to the handheld computer the short tag ID without also transmitting the unique ID.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises prioritizing reporting of initial finds of the detected RFID tags ahead of reporting of subsequent finds of the detected RFID tags.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the handheld computer a list of tag IDs in which the handheld computer is interested; and

reporting to the handheld computer a subsequent find of an RFID tag of the RFID tags detected only if the RFID tag is identified in the list of tag IDs.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises responsive to transmitting a first tag find to the handheld computer for the RFID tag, receiving from the handheld computer a value indicating whether subsequent finds of the RFID tag should be reported or not.