Patent Publication Number: US-2009221232-A1

Title: Portable Telephone With Unitary Transceiver Having Cellular and RFID Functionality

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present embodiments relate to a portable telephone and are more particularly directed to such a device with a unitary transceiver that supports both cellular telephony and radio frequency identification (“RFID”) functionality. 
     The use of RFID technology is becoming much more prevalent. RIFD is implemented by associating a radio frequency responder or transponder device, often referred to as an RFID tag, typically with an object or objects. Thereafter, an RFID detecting device, sometimes referred to as a reader or scanner, can detect and read information from the RFID tag, if the object(s) and its associated RFID tag are within a perceivable range of the reader. More particularly, the reader transmits a radio frequency signal, and in the common instance where the RFID tag is a passive device, the radio frequency signal is received by an antenna (e.g., coil) of the RFID tag and thereby induces a current that provides sufficient power to temporarily power the RFID tag. With this power, the RFID tag is enabled to communicate a response, and the response may be a unique identifier and, in some instances, additional data stored by the RFID tag. The RFID tag response is therefore read by the RFID reader, thereby concluding the RFID communication event. 
     The functionality of RFID technology, along with the reduction in price to implement it and the reduction of the size of each RFID tag, have contributed to uses of RFID technology in numerous manners. For example, RFID technology is often used to track movable items, including by ways of example cattle, automobiles, and product inventory. In these and numerous other examples, a tag is associated with each such item, where the tag typically has an associated unique identifier. Thus, as the movable item travels from one location to another, an RFID reader at each such location may detect the presence of the item at the respective location, and that detection may be stored in a computer and the information then or later used for knowing that a given item, identified by its associated unique RFID identifier, has moved from one location to another. At the same time, various other data may be accumulated with respect to timing or conditions at or between the locations and thusly be used for many different purposes. 
     Given the preceding, and as RFID technology continues to improve, the existence of RFID tags is predicted to become much more pervasive and may impact numerous aspects of society. Indeed, it is quite plausible that such tags may be used to identify items that may raise privacy concerns, and there is ongoing debate whether RFID technology should be used for purposes of tracking people, whether such use be implemented by RFID tags in connection with documents such as passports or as medically-implanted devices. In all events, barring a change in technology, RFID technology may become quite ubiquitous in the foreseeable future. 
     While RFID technology has proven to have merit in various uses, personal or consumer concern does arise from possible misuse or overuse of RFID technology. Thus, as a counterbalance to the proliferation of RFID technological applications, there may arise an increasing need for persons to be able to monitor the existence of, and data within, any RFID tag in their vicinity or on their person. The preferred embodiments are directed to such an endeavor, as demonstrated below. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the preferred embodiment, there is an electronic device. The device comprises circuitry for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals and a modulator/demodulator, coupled to the circuitry for transmitting and receiving. The device also comprises circuitry for controlling the modulator/demodulator so that in a first time period the modulator/demodulator provides an RFID excitation signal to the circuitry for transmitting and receiving and so that in a second time period the modulator/demodulator provides a cellular communications signal to the circuitry for transmitting and receiving. 
     Other aspects are also disclosed and claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a general diagram of a cellular telephone handset as one preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an electrical block diagram of the construction of an architecture for the handset of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a preferred embodiment operational method for the handset of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of two different cells CELL  1  and CELL  2 , representing cellular areas in which the handset of  FIG. 1  may be located at different times along with an RFID tag in CELL  2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is described below in connection with a preferred embodiment, namely, implemented as a cellular telephone, which may include functionality beyond cellular communications. The present inventors believe that the invention as embodied is especially beneficial in such an application. However, the invention also may be embodied and provide significant benefit in the form of other devices that have radio frequency transmitters or other transceivers designed for communication at frequencies outside of the radio frequency identification (“RFID”) bands. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the following description is provided by way of example only and is not intended to exhaustively limit the inventive scope. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a wireless cellular telephone handset  10 . The general nature of various aspects of handset  10  is known in the art, but novel aspects are added thereto and improve handset  10  for reasons appreciated throughout the remainder of this document. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the housing of handset  10  may take the shape of various form factors and provides the conventional human interface voice and sound features, including microphone MIC and speaker SPK. Handset  10  also includes analog baseband circuitry detailed in a later figure. In the preferred embodiment, handset  10  supports digitally modulated communications (e.g., generation  2  or  3 ), and in such an instance its analog baseband circuitry is therefore primarily concerned with voice baseband signals. In this regard, therefore, the analog baseband circuitry processes the signals to be transmitted (as received from microphone MIC) prior to digital modulation, and the received signals (to be output over speaker SPK) after digital demodulation and, hence into the baseband; further, in an alternative embodiment, the analog baseband circuitry also could be appropriately coupled and configured to support purely analog modulated signals (e.g., generation  1 ) as well. Additionally, either or both microphone MIC and speaker SPK, and the analog baseband circuitry, may provide functions in addition to telephony, such as in connection with multimedia applications. Such functions may be used for email, Internet web browsing, notification, entertainment, gaming, data input/output, PDA functionality, and the like. 
     Also in the example of  FIG. 1 , handset  10  may further include other conventional interface features, including a visual display  12  which may serve solely as an output or which also may include an input functionality such as through a touch screen or write pad functionality, and keypad  14 . Keypad  14  includes the usual keys for a wireless telephone handset, including numeric keys 0 through 9, the * and # keys, and other keys as in conventional wireless telephone handsets or that may be included with such handsets, such as soft keys adjacent display  12  as well as directional keys for purposes of navigating a cursor or the like on display  12 . Still further in connection with keypad  14 , handset  10  is shown to include a camera key CAMK in order to actuate a camera function of handset  10 . The lens or other image detecting device of such a camera CAM is illustrated by a dashed circle in  FIG. 1  so as to depict, as is often the case in contemporary devices, that camera CAM is on the reverse side of the handset housing shown in  FIG. 1  and, thus, is not visible in the frontal perspective of the Figure. Camera CAM may be used for still or video image capture, or both. Lastly, in the preferred embodiment and as detailed below, handset  10  is operable to perform cellular communications as may be implemented in one or more of various technologies known or skilled in the art; however, at the same time, handset  10  is also operable to transmit an RFID signal to thereby excite and scan for any RFID tag within the perceptible vicinity of the handset. In this regard, such functionality may be implemented by a key(s) on keypad  14  and, therefore, by way of example in  FIG. 1  one key on keypad  14  is intended to indicate that this key is associated with the RFID functionality of handset  10 , which is detailed throughout the remainder of this document. Alternatively, a different key may be used to enable the RFID functionality, or it may occur automatically over a period of time after handset  10  is enabled (e.g., at a fixed or user-selected period or interval), all of which is further appreciated below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an electrical block diagram of the construction of an architecture for handset  10  according to a preferred embodiment. Of course, the particular architecture of a cellular handset (or other wireless communication device within the inventive scope) may vary from that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , and as such the architecture of  FIG. 2  is presented only by way of example. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the operational functionality of handset  10  is generally controlled in part by a processor  16 , that is coupled to visual display  12 , keypad  14 , camera CAM, analog baseband circuitry  18  as introduced above, and a power management function  20 . Processor  16  includes a programmable logic device, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller, that controls the operation of handset  10  according to a computer program or sequence of executable operations stored in program memory. Preferably, the program memory is on-chip with processor  16 , but alternatively may be implemented in read-only memory (“ROM”) or other storage in a separate integrated circuit (not shown). The computational capability of processor  16  depends on the level of functionality required of handset  10 , including the “generation” of wireless services for which handset  10  is to be capable. As known in the art and mentioned above, modern wireless telephone handsets can have a great deal of functionality (e.g., Internet web browsing, email handling, digital photography, game playing, PDA functionality), and such functionality is in general controlled by processor  16 . Processor  16  in a preferred embodiment may include a core and separate digital signal processor (“DSP”), although for simplicity these devices are not separately shown but may be included on a single integrated circuit as a combined processor such as a Texas Instruments Incorporated OMAP™ processor, although other processors/DSPs also may perform the functionality detailed herein. In any event, processor  16 , and possibly through its separate DSP component if so included, performs the bulk of the digital signal processing for voice and data signals to be transmitted and signals received by handset  10 . These functions include the necessary digital filtering, coding and decoding, digital modulation, and the like. Analog baseband circuitry  18  typically include a voice coder/decoder (“CODEC”), speaker amplifiers, and the like, as known in the art. Power management function  20  includes sufficient circuitry (e.g., amplifier(s)) for distributing regulated power supply voltages to various circuitry within handset  10  and manages functions related to charging and maintenance of the battery of handset  10 , including standby and power-down modes to conserve battery power; as detailed below, in one embodiment power management function  20  also may be coupled to a modulator/demodulator so as to regulate power thereto in a manner of providing an amplitude varying (i.e., amplitude modulated) signal for transmission and to thereby potentially activate an RFID tag. 
     Processor  16  also is coupled to a radio frequency (“RF”) transceiver  22  via an input  16 , and an output  16   O , where more particularly input  16 , receives up to N bits of digital signals from an analog-to-digital converter (“A/D”)  22   AD  and where output 16   O  provides digital signals to a digital-to-analog converter (“D/A”)  22   DA . RF transceiver  22  is coupled to an antenna ANT, and it also may be connected to analog baseband circuitry  18  (although such connection is not shown in  FIG. 2 ). RF transceiver  22  includes functionality for modulating digital data received from processor  16  into an appropriate RF signal for transmission by antenna ANT, and comparably RF transceiver  22  includes functionality for demodulating an RF signal received by antenna ANT to extract the baseband signal therefrom and provide it to processor  16 . Further in this regard, such signal communications are made at the desired specified frequencies to and from a wireless telephone communications network. Thus, RF transceiver  22  is contemplated to include such functions as analog modulation/demodulation circuitry such as a quadrature amplitude (“QAM”) modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  as well as RF input and output drivers. QAM modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  may be constructed as known in the art to include an appropriate filter, interpolator, upconverter, and the like so as to support QAM operations which provide a carrier signal that is modulated by data to vary both its amplitude (I) and phase (Q) so that at least one of four data symbols can be transmitted and often a greater number for higher quadrature constellations (e.g., 16 QAM, 64-QAM, 128-QAM, and 256 QAM). 
     Also in the preferred embodiment and as detailed below, processor  16  is also capable of control and communication to and with RF transceiver  22  so as to accomplish the functionality in part of a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) transceiver, and for this and possibly other functionality, processor  16  is also shown to have a control output  16   CTRL  connected to RF transceiver  22 . As introduced above, RF transceiver  22  includes modulator/demodulator  22   QAM . Thus, processor  16  is operable to communicate sufficient signals along control  16   CTRL  and output  16   OUT  to modulator/demodulator  22   QAM , and more particularly data for transmission may be provided to a digital data to D/A converter  22   DA , so as to cause RF transceiver  22  to drive antenna ANT with an RFID excitation signal. In this regard, note that for typical cellular communications in QAM, then sufficient data is communicated by processor  16  to RF transceiver  22  and correspondingly to QAM modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  so as to use both its amplitude (I) and different-phase (Q) carrier waves; however, in a preferred embodiment and so that the same RF transceiver  22  may be used during certain periods of time to implement RFID communications (as opposed to cellular communications), then processor  16  communicates a sufficient signal or signals to RF transceiver  22  (e.g., to digital data to D/A converter  22   DA ) so as to only use the amplitude portion of QAM modulator/demodulator  22   QAM , that is, to only provide a varying amplitude signal—thus, in this case, processor  16  need only provide a signal at output  16   O  for the pin provided for its I signal and may at that point not provide a signal for the pin provided for its Q signal. In an alternative embodiment, processor  16  may control and/or communicate signals to RF transceiver  22  so as to perform only phase modulation for a period of time in the transmission of a signal to an RFID tag and then thereafter complete the transmission to the tag with amplitude-only modulation. As still another approach, recall that processor  16  is shown as coupled to power management function  20 ; in this regard, in addition to power control as known in the art, processor  16  may communicate appropriate control to power management function  20  so that it provides power to RF transceiver  22  and more particularly to its QAM modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  as shown by a dashed arrow in  FIG. 2 ; in this manner by varying the supplied power (i.e., power modulation) a corresponding amplitude modulated signal is caused to be provided by QAM modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  and communicated to antenna ANT to thereby communicated to a nearby RFID tag. In this regard, note that a preferred embodiment may modulate either the I or Q channel with the data signal. For example, if the Q channel is selected as the channel for modulation, then preferably the I channel is held at a constant value (e.g., 1 or 0). Thus, with any of these approaches, an RFID-excitation signal with the proper energy and frequency may be communicated via antenna ANT. For example, for such an RFID signal in the United States, the frequency thereof will be in a range presently between 902 and 928 MHz. Or, for such an RFID signal in Europe, the frequency thereof will be in a range presently between 856 and 859 MHz. Still further, for such an RFID signal in Japan, the frequency thereof will be in a range presently between 954 and 958 MHz. In any of these case, note that the frequencies for many standard cellular communications (e.g., GSM, CDMA) are around 900 MHz. Thus, per the preferred embodiment, the same transceiver of RF transceiver  22  that is operable to communicate such frequencies for cellular communications is thereby also in effect tunable per the preferred embodiment to synthesize an RFID excitation communication. Also, note in selecting an approach that the advantage of I/Q modulation permits alternate RFID modulation techniques such as Phase Reversal-Amplitude Shift Keying or Phase Modulation or still others ascertainable by one skilled in the art. 
     In response to an RFID excitation signal by cellular telephone handset  10 , and if a nearby RFID tag is energized or otherwise responsive to any of these transmitted signals, then the responsive RFID tag reflection signal is received by antenna ANT and coupled thereby to the RF circuit  20 . In this regard, in one preferred embodiment, the responsive reflection signal is in the same band as the transmitted RFID excitation signal, which by way of example consider at 900 MHz. Thus, in this case, both the transmitted excitation signal and the returned reflection signal are 900 MHz. Thus, when such a signal is received by RF transceiver  22 , it is demodulated by modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  and converted by its A/D converter  22   AD  into an analog baseband signal that is connected to processor  16  via its input  16 ,. In an alternative embodiment, however, in an effort to improve signal-to-noise sensitivity, the RFID excitation transmission frequency may be different than that of the RFID tag reflected signal. For example, in response to an RFID excitation transmission frequency signal at 900 MHz, particular RFID tags may be constructed to return a reflection signal at a different frequency, such as 860 MHz by way of example. In this manner, while RF transceiver  22  maintains a continuous wave persistence transmission of (i.e., continues to transmit) the RFID excitation transmission signal (e.g., at 900 MHz), then processor  16  may control RF transceiver  22  to be made less sensitive to that same excitation signal by tuning its receiver portion to be sensitive to a reflection at a different frequency (e.g., at 860 MHz). Note that the tuning of the receiving portion of RF transceiver  22  in this alternative embodiment is preferably intermittent or periodic so that RF transceiver  22  is still operable to receive cellular communications at the expected cellular frequency band (e.g., 900 MHz). In other words and as also detailed below, the operation of RF transceiver  22  is effectively time shared or multiplexed in this latter embodiment so that during certain periods of time the receiver is tuned to receive cellular communications (e.g., around 900 MHz in the United States), while during other periods of time the receiver is tuned to receive RFID reflection communications (e.g., around 860 MHz). Preferably, the switching of the receiver sensitivity to different frequencies in this manner will be at a rate that is sufficient to maintain cellular control communication between cellular telephone handset  10  and the tower of the cell within which the handset is then located, while also permitting the reception of reflected RFID signals. Lastly, note further that the RFID excitation signal may also frequency hop to various different frequencies. As with the first receive approach mentioned above, in the alternative approaches again the reflected signal is received by RF transceiver  22 , demodulated by modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  and converted by its A/D converter  22   AD  into an analog baseband signal that is connected to processor  16  via its input  16   I . Note in this regard that preferably the reflected signal is only an amplitude modulated signal, whereas recall that processor  16  is operable (e.g., has pins for) to transmit and receive separate I and Q signals for the cellular QAM operations. Thus, when sampling to determine if an RFID reflection signal has been received by RF transceiver  22 , and therefore if processor  16  anticipates receipt of an amplitude-modulated signal, then processor  16  processes only the I signal (e.g., on a pin(s) designated for that signal) and may disregard a concurrently received Q signal (e.g., on a separate pin designated for that signal). In this manner, therefore, processor  16  again may be physically connected to RF transceiver  22  so as to support cellular communications wherein processor  16  both transmits and receives I and Q signals, where with that same physical connectivity processor  16  may alternatively transmit and receive RFID communications as well. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a preferred embodiment method  30  of operation for handset  10 . Method  30  may be performed by various combinations of software and hardware of handset  10 , such as by computer readable media (i.e., programming in program memory) to processor  16  and the circuitry therein, along with resulting response(s) as appreciated below. Further, method  30  only illustrates a portion of the operations of handset  10 , as these operations are relevant to the preferred embodiment and may be combined with numerous other functions that are now included or may in the future be included within a device of the type of handset  10 . 
     Looking then to method  30 , it is presumed to occur after start-up or initialization or reset of handset  10 , and note that method  30  may be combined with other functions known or ascertainable in the art. In any event, method  30  begins with a step  32 , wherein handset  10  is shown to perform typical cellular communications. Thus, during periods when no call is occurring, handset  10  may periodically maintain a control channel communication with a cell tower for a cell within which handset  10  is then located. Further, of course, using handset  10 , it user may either place or receive a call, or other types of data may be communicated (e.g., email, internet connectivity, and so forth). In any event, during step  32 , therefore, processor  16  communicates with and controls RF transceiver  22  so that standard cellular communications occur, such as through whatever type of QAM is thereby required. 
     Continuing with method  30 , the preferred embodiment contemplates that at some point the RFID functionality of handset  10  is enabled. For example, in one preferred embodiment, this enablement may be user invoked, such as by having the user press one or more buttons on keypad  14  (e.g., RFID F  in  FIG. 1 ) or through some touch screen entry on display  12 . Alternatively, handset  10  may be programmed or otherwise controlled to periodically enable its RFID functionality. In any event, step  34  in effect represents a wait state during typical cellular communications for the RFID functionality of handset  10  to be enabled. In other words, while the typical cellular communication functionality of step  32  is occurring, and if the RFID functionality of handset  10  is not enabled, then method  30  returns in a loop to step  32  so that its cellular functionality continues. However, at some point the RFID functionality is enabled, such as in one of the manners above described, and the enablement is detected by step  34  and in response method  30  continues to step  36 . 
     In step  36 , handset  10  transmits an RFID wave excitation signal. This excitation signal is preferably a continuous wave with sufficient persistence so as to excite any RFID tag within the RFID specification vicinity of handset  10 . As detailed earlier in connection with  FIG. 2 , the excitation signal may be generated by processor  16  in various manners, including: (1) causing RF transceiver  22  to provide an amplitude modulated signal using only the I data (or input) of QAM modulator/demodulator  22   QAM ; (2) performing phase modulation for a period of time in the transmission of a signal to an RFID tag and then thereafter completing the transmission to the tag with amplitude-only modulation; and (3) varying power to RF transceiver  22  so as to cause a respectively transmitted amplitude modulated signal. In any event, during the transmission of step  36 , method  30  also continues to step  38 . 
     Step  38  has an associated timer from which a determination is made as to whether a timeout period has been reached by that timer, in which case it is desirable to interrupt or stop the transmission of the step  36  RFID excitation signal in favor of maintaining cellular communications. More particularly, since at least portions of the same RF transceiver  22  is used in handset  10  to communicate both an RFID excitation circuit and cellular communications, then the preferred embodiment ensures that sufficient time is reserved for use of that circuit for cellular communications so that the device does not lose communication with the cell tower for a cell within which handset  10  is then located. To illustrate this aspect,  FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of two different cells CELL  1  and CELL  2 , representing cellular areas in which handset  10  may be located at different times, such as if handset  10  were with a user in a mobile environment (e.g., driving in a vehicle). Thus, when handset  10  is in CELL  1 , note that per step  32 , typical cellular communications occur and thus, handset  10  is able to communicate with an antenna ANT, of a base station BST 1  that corresponds to CELL  1 . Moreover, if the user enables the RFID functionality within CELL  1 , then step  36  occurs to transmit an RFID wave excitation signal. However, step  38  then permits the excitation signal to occur only for a period of time, where preferably that period is less than the period required for handset  10  to maintain its control channel communication with base station BST 1 . In other words, therefore, then in  FIG. 4 , even if the user of handset  10  enables the RFID functionality, then in a preferred embodiment the timeout period of step  38  attempts to ensure that communications on the control channel between handset  10  and not disrupted or that such disruptions are minimized, as controlled by the duration set with the step  38  timer. Thus, one skilled in the art may set that timer based on various considerations per these teachings as well as other factors. For instance, preferably the step  38  timer when set for a read of an RFID tag (e.g., for a UHF application) would be on for a period of  100  microseconds during each period of 5 milliseconds (or so), so as to allow reading from the tag. Further, during a period in which handset  10  is to write to an RFID tag, the “RFID” on period would be approximately 2 milliseconds. Further, as memory technology improves, these time periods may be reduced. In all events, therefore, and to accomplish the preceding, step  38  determines if its associated timer has reached a determined duration, and if so method  30  returns to step  32  so that typical cellular communications are restored. Further, because handset  10  uses at least a portion of its same RF transceiver  22  to accomplish both RFID and cellular communications, then if method  30  returns to step  32  from step  38 , then the RFID transmission that are also achieved using RF transceiver  22  from step  36  is necessarily ceased while instead cellular communications by RF transceiver  22  are performed per step  32 . Thus, returning to  FIG. 4 , if handset  10  is transmitting a continuous RFID wave excitation signal and the step  38  timeout occurs, then handset  10  is then controlled to cease its RFID communications and instead restore cellular communications with base station BST 1 . In this manner, the RFID functionality performed using RF transceiver  22  of the preferred embodiment is permitted at certain times but handset  10  is also controlled so as to minimize the potential intrusion of that functionality on typical and often-desired cellular communications. 
     Returning to step  38 , if the timeout is not reached, then while the persistent RFID wave excitation signal continues to transmit (from step  36 ), method  30  continues to step  40 . In step  40 , RF transceiver  22  determines whether it is receiving an RFID reflection signal, at an expected frequency. As discussed above, the expected receive frequency may be the same as the RFID transmission frequency (e.g., 900 MHz) or it may be at a receive frequency that differs (e.g., 860 MHz) from the RFID transmission frequency. In either event, if no reflected RFID signal is received, then method  30  returns from step  40  to step  36  so as to maintain the persistent RFID excitation signal transmissions. 
     From the preceding, note that once the step  36  RFID wave excitation signal transmission commences, then either the timeout of step  38  will return handset  10  to typical cellular functionality of step  32  or eventually step  40  will indeed detect a reflected RFID communication from an RFID tag. To illustrate this latter possibility,  FIG. 4  illustrates handset  10  also in CELL  2 , wherein handset  10  is represented to be within a detectable RFID range RFID R  of an RFID tag T 1  (also referred to in the art as an RFID transponder). Thus, assuming the RFID functionality of handset  10  is enabled when within range RFID R  of tag T 1 , then in step  40  the RFID signal reflection from tag T 1  is detected by handset  10  and, in response, method  30  continues from step  40  to step  42 . In step  42 , modulator/demodulator  22   QAM  demodulates the received signal. Recall, however, that the RFID signal will under present standards include only an amplitude modulated aspect. As a result, as RF transceiver  22  provides the result of its demodulation to processor  16 , processor  16  only decodes the demodulated amplitude data and preferably disregards any data or signal that represents the demodulated phase information. In any event, once processor  16  receives the RFID data, it may process it in various manners. In one preferred approach, various information communicated by the RFID tag (e.g., T 1 ) is provided to the user of handset  10 , such as by its display  12 . Further, this information may be communicated from handset  10  in a data form to other devices, such as through cellular communications from handset  10  or via any electrical interface that also may be included with the device. Lastly, upon completion of step  42 , method  30  returns to step  32  to repeat the various steps and flow possibilities discussed above. 
     From the preceding, it may be appreciated that the preferred embodiments provide a portable handset that is operable as both a cellular telephone and an RFID reader, where the same RF transceiver in the handset is operable to thereby and alternately communicate both cellular telephone and RFID communications. Moreover, with such circuitry and the functionality of method  30 , the preferred embodiments may serve to detect the nearby presence of an RFID tag(s) and provide various information provided by such a tag to the user of the portable handset. Thus, as the use of RFID tags continues to increase, the preferred embodiments may provide various uses to persons with interest or need to detect the existence, and access the information, of such tags, where such uses are evident or ascertainable by one skilled in the art. Further, while  FIG. 2  illustrates one approach of a shared RF transceiver implementation, still others may be developed. Still further, note that while a preferred embodiment includes a common RF transceiver to alternately communicate both cellular telephone and RFID communications, in another preferred embodiment an additional and separate RFID transceiver may be included so that a bi-modal functionality is provided. More specifically in this alternative approach, the RF transceiver may be used in one mode and for a first type of RFID communications (as well as alternatively used for cellular communications), while the separate RFID transceiver may be used in a second mode and for a different type of RFID communications. For example, the first type of RFID communications may be applications that require a relatively higher power as compared to the second type of RFID communications; thus, the first type of RFID communications may be to RFID tags that are embedded inside the skin or body of a person (or animal) and which could require, per contemporary standards, a power of approximately 4 Watts, whereas the second type of RFID communications may be merely to RFID tags that are read within a close proximity of handset  10  and with the wireless RFID signal only needing to pass through the air as between handset  10  and the tag, where a power of approximately 200 mWatts is satisfactory. Thus, while the present embodiments have been described in detail, various substitutions, modifications or alterations could be made to the descriptions set forth above without departing from the inventive scope, as is defined by the following claims.