Abstract: A method for tracking and handling people and articles at an airport using Radio-Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tags. The RFID tag contains an electronic microchip with a memory portion, permanently attached to a substrate having a planar antenna. Each RFID tag is tuned to operate at a specific frequency and includes a unique identifier number stored in the memory portion. Passenger-specific information, such as passenger name, address and flight itinerary may be sent to the microchip for storage in the memory portion by means of an RF field provided by an external “scanner” device. The scanner also provides a means for reading data stored in the memory portion of the microchip. The RFID tag is small, rugged, and unobtrusive, allowing it to be applied to passenger articles and documents, allowing for more efficient check-in, automated tracking of articles, theft prevention, and increased security.

Abstract: A multiport computer network switch automatically maximizes the data throughput efficiency of the network by periodically reconfiguring the connections between the network segments connected to the ports and the buses that are interconnected by the switch. The reconfiguration is based upon a continual traffic count for each port and distributes the traffic as equally as possible between the buses. Reconfiguration may also be triggered when the data throughput efficiency of any bus drops below a predetermined level.