Patent ID: 8384519

Claim:
A reader device comprising: a power supply configured to power the reader device; a reader logic unit connectable to a radio frequency interface and configured to cause the reader device to operate in a reader operation mode by transmitting interrogation signals to detect and communicate with radio frequency identification transponders and by simulating an active radio frequency identification tag to communicate with another radio frequency identification reader; a transponder logic unit which is connectable to the radio frequency interface, wherein the transponder logic unit is configured to cause the reader device to operate in a show communication mode wherein the reader device acts as a passive radio frequency identification transponder; and a switching unit configured to automatically switch the reader device between the reader operation mode and the show communication mode, wherein when the reader device is receiving power from the power supply the switching unit automatically switches the reader device to the reader operation mode, and wherein when the reader device is not receiving power from the power supply the switching unit automatically switches the reader device to the show communication mode.