Networking applications for automated data collection

Claim 1

A computer network comprising: a server having a plurality of application programs operating thereon; a plurality of client computers connected to said server; and an RFID reader connected to said server and being adapted to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags each having a memory containing plural data fields for storage of data, said RFID reader comprising: a radio module and a processor connected to said radio module, said radio module being responsive to commands provided by said processor to perform transmit and receive operations with said plurality of RFID tags; and a memory coupled to said processor and having program instructions stored therein, said processor being operable with said memory to execute said program instructions, said program instructions including: detecting data loaded in said plural data fields of said memory of at least one of said plurality of RFID tags, wherein said plural fields include at least a first data field defining an address corresponding to either said server or one of said plurality of client computers, and a second data field identifying one of said plurality of application programs; generating a data packet based on at least one of said first and second data fields; and transmitting said data packet to said address; wherein at least one of said plurality of application programs comprises an e-mail application program and said first data field defines an address corresponding to one of said plurality of client computers, said e-mail application program sending an e-mail message to said one of said plurality of client computers; and wherein said e-mail message identifies at least one of time and date of communication by said RFID reader with said at least one of said plurality of RFID tags.