Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems including linear material and tracking tags. The tracking tag may be at least initially arranged on the liner material. The tracking tag may also include a top layer, beacon transmission circuitry, a bottom layer of adhesive, and an activation mechanism. The activation mechanism may be configured to activate the tracking tag and cause the beacon transmission circuitry to transmit beacon signals in order to enable tracking of the object.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide tracking tags. As an example, a tracking tag may include beacon transmission circuitry including one or more batteries, a frame configured to hold the one or more batteries in place, an adhesive arranged to secure the tracking tag to an object, and an activation mechanism configured to activate the tracking tag and cause the beacon transmission circuitry to transmit beacon signals in order to enable tracking of the object.

Abstract: The technology relates to a wireless system that can be used indoors or outdoors, and is configured to reduce interference of beacon signals on channels used by the system. Aspects of the technology provide for evaluation of channel activity to determine an optimal transmission channel. This is beneficial where there is a high density of tags that may be configured for data transmission. Tags may include an antenna to receive signals; a first conditioning element to attenuate received signals corresponding with the system channels; a converter and a second conditioning element to prepare attenuated signals for analysis; a comparator to compare an attenuated signal to a threshold value; and a processor to transmit a beacon signal to a reader apparatus based on the comparison.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide systems including linear material and tracking tags. A first tracking tag may be at least initially arranged on the liner material. The first tracking tag may also include beacon transmission circuitry including one or more batteries, a top layer, a bottom layer including an adhesive, and an activation mechanism. The activation mechanism may be configured to activate the first tracking tag and cause the beacon transmission circuitry to transmit beacon signals in order to enable tracking of the object.

Abstract: An energy harvesting tape comprising a plurality of flexible layers. The plurality of flexible layers includes a solar cell layer configured to capture solar energy, a thermoelectric layer configured to capture thermal energy, one or more piezoelectric layers configured to capture mechanical energy; and an electrode layer configured to capture radiofrequency energy and to transmit a radiofrequency signal. The energy harvesting tape also includes one or more processing units on at least one of the plurality of flexible layers. The one or more processing units are configured to use the captured energy from the plurality of flexible layers to transmit the radiofrequency signal. The energy harvesting tape has a length, a width, and a thickness, where the length is greater than the width, and the width is greater than the thickness.

Abstract: The technology relates to a wireless system that can be used indoors or outdoors, and is configured to reduce interference of beacon signals on channels used by the system. Aspects of the technology provide for evaluation of channel activity to determine an optimal transmission channel. This is beneficial where there is a high density of tags that may be configured for data transmission. Tags may include an antenna to receive signals; a set of first conditioning elements to attenuate received signals corresponding with system channels; a set of converters and a set of second conditioning elements to prepare attenuated signals for analysis; a comparator to determine which attenuated signal corresponds to a channel having the lowest power level; and a processor to transmit a beacon signal to a reader apparatus on the channel with the lowest power level.

Abstract: An energy harvesting tape comprising a plurality of flexible layers. The plurality of flexible layers includes a solar cell layer configured to capture solar energy, a thermoelectric layer configured to capture thermal energy, one or more piezoelectric layers configured to capture mechanical energy; and an electrode layer configured to capture radiofrequency energy and to transmit a radiofrequency signal. The energy harvesting tape also includes one or more processing units on at least one of the plurality of flexible layers. The one or more processing units are configured to use the captured energy from the plurality of flexible layers to transmit the radiofrequency signal. The energy harvesting tape has a length, a width, and a thickness, where the length is greater than the width, and the width is greater than the thickness.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention includes a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader configured to detect radio frequency (RF) interference in and/or outside a band of RFID operation. The RFID reader includes a receive channel for receiving incoming RF signals; and hardware for detecting interference in and/or outside a band of RFID operation. A method for mitigating radio frequency (RF) interference in and/or outside a band of RFID operation, according to one embodiment, includes detecting interference in and/or outside a band of RFID operation; and controlling an aspect of operation of the RFID reader for mitigating the detected interference.

Abstract: A method for associating an image of a document with information relating to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, according to one embodiment, includes receiving information relating to an RFID tag, the information including at least one of a trip identifier, an identifier of the RFID tag, an identifier of a transport item, and a document identifier; receiving an image of a document; storing the image of the document; associating the image of the document with the information relating to the RFID tag; and storing the association of the image with the information relating to the RFID tag.

Abstract: A method for subcarrier downconversion and data detection according to one embodiment includes determining whether to use an upper sideband frequency section of a complex downconverter output, a lower sideband frequency section of the complex downconverter output, or both sideband frequency sections of the complex downconverter output; and processing the output corresponding to the selected sideband frequency section or sections based on the determination, wherein the processing includes correlation and data detection. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A method for estimating a strength of a radio frequency signal according to one embodiment includes receiving a correlator magnitude signal from a correlator module; performing a gain scaling on the correlator magnitude signal; and averaging the scaled correlator magnitude signal or value associated therewith to generate an output indicative of a strength of the signal. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A method for processing baseband signals according to one embodiment includes receiving I and Q baseband signals; and selectively reducing an amount of samples of the baseband signals to be processed in a correlator, wherein the reduction rate is based on a data rate of the baseband signals. A preintegrator module according to one embodiment includes an automatic gain control section for performing automatic gain control on I and Q baseband signals; a first preintegrator coupled to an output of the automatic gain control section, the first preintegrator being for selectively reducing an amount of samples in the I baseband signal based on a data rate of the I baseband signal; and a second preintegrator coupled to an output of the automatic gain control section, the second preintegrator being for selectively reducing an amount of samples in the Q baseband signal based on a data rate of the Q baseband signal. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A media capture device coupled to an RFID reader and/or antenna. A system in one embodiment includes a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader; an antenna coupled to the RFID reader; and a media capture device coupled to at least one of the reader and the antenna. A method in another embodiment includes capturing media using a media capture device coupled to at least one of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader and an antenna coupled to the RFID reader upon occurrence of a trigger event.

Abstract: A method for demodulating a data signal according to one embodiment includes processing baseband signals using multiple complex correlators each having a half-Tbit length; summing outputs of the complex correlators for a first data state; and differencing outputs of the complex correlators for a second data state. A system for demodulating a data signal according to one embodiment includes a correlator module having logic for: processing baseband signals using multiple complex correlators each having a half-Tbit length; summing outputs of the complex correlators for a first data state; and differencing outputs of the complex correlators for a second data state. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes conummicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled to a reusable transport item (RTI); and determining whether the RTI has passed a predetermined useful lifetime thereof based on information received from the RFID tag. A method according to one embodiment includes conummicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled to a reusable transport item (RTI); and determining both a horizontal and vertical position of the RTI. A method according to yet another embodiment includes communicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled to a reusable transport item (RTI); and performing an action based at least in part on at least one of a location and a determined inactivity of the RTI.

Abstract: A method for associating an image of a document with information relating to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, according to one embodiment, includes receiving information relating to an RFID tag, the information including at least one of a trip identifier, an identifier of the RFID tag, an identifier of a transport item, and a document identifier; receiving an image of a document; storing the image of the document; associating the image of the document with the information relating to the RFID tag; and storing the association of the image with the information relating to the RFID tag.

Abstract: A method for demodulating a radio frequency signal according to one embodiment includes receiving digital signals derived from a radio frequency signal; converting the digital signals to baseband signals; generating a frequency error signal using the baseband signals during an acquisition period; and shifting a frequency of the digital signals towards zero frequency error during the acquisition period using the frequency error signal, with the proviso that the digital signals are not phase locked during the shifting. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A method for setting a signal detection threshold according to one embodiment includes determining a measure of a noise floor in a signal derived from a radio frequency signal received by an antenna using a same circuit used to detect a subcarrier signal during transmitting and prior to sending a command to a transponder to respond; and setting a signal detection threshold above the noise floor. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A method for processing a signal derived from a radio frequency signal at some rate in a range of allowable data rates according to one embodiment includes downconverting an incoming signal derived from a radio frequency signal to complex near-baseband signals; processing the complex near-baseband signals in two data correlators corresponding to data 0 and data 1; and changing effective lengths of the correlators based on a symbol data rate of the incoming signal. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A method for jam setting an initial frequency of a data clock recovery loop according to one embodiment includes generating a frequency error signal in a frequency error detector from sideband signals within a backscattered radio frequency signal, wherein the frequency error accumulates in a frequency error filter coupled to an output of the frequency error detector; at about an end of an acquisition period, freezing the accumulated frequency error in the frequency error filter; and using the frozen accumulated frequency error to jam set an initial frequency of a data clock recovery loop. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented.