Mobile RFID Arduino Project -- help needed!

Hi!

I need some help creating a prototype for a business idea.

The concept involves creating a portable Arduino RFID reader with mono-LCD. I don't really need complicated output, I just need to be able to pick up the device and scan an RFID tag and have the scan register on the LCD. Though the 10 digit RFID tag might read 0000000025, the LCD would read 25.

Most parts can be found at Sparkfun.com
Budget negotiable.
If the project goes well, this first round proto will quickly be followed with more work.

Please contact me if you're interested.
Thanks.
Cav

The critical component in your device will be the RFID reader. Which one have you chosen?

Battery powered, I presume. Which means that turning the display off after a time will be necessary. How soon? Turn it back on to display the last scanned tag, or only when scanning a new tag?

What tags are you planning to scan? Are they compatible with the reader you have chosen?

These are good questions.

I didn't want to get into the details too much because I'm open to suggestions.
Whatever will get the prototype done the fastest is really the answer. Reader type doesn't matter as much as it works. Ideally, it would be able to scan the smaller button type rfid tags like this:

I suppose 125kHz is fine. These tags are fine with most of the readers from sparkfun.com.

Since this is for demo purposes only I can just unplug the battery to turn it off. A power button or reset switch for the reader would be nice, and a timeout would be better, but not needed. Ideally, I would be able to turn it on, receive a "ready" message from the screen, initiate a scan, see the readout on the screen, scan another object, see the readout, scan another, etc..

Thanks.

Last questions - where are you located, and what is your need date? If you are anywhere close to me, I'd be interested.