Abstract: An energy-conserving charger controller system, including charge sensing circuitry and operational algorithm, reduces parasitic lost energy by automatically “learning” the unique charging signature of a consumer electronic device (CED) battery to determine and sense when a it is being charged or not, and implementing conversion (from mains AC to DC) to occur only when a device needs charge. The inventive system employs a current measurement circuit, a microprocessor controller including a timing circuit and control algorithm code structure, a TRIAC current switch and an on-board battery. The inventive system and method is universal, being independent of the charger design, and may be an independent device upstream of the charger (between it and the mains power supply), integrated with an AC adapter charger unit, integrated into a CED, or part of a power strip for individually and independently controlling each AC adapter plugged into the strip.

Abstract: Active multi-modal RFID tags, illuminator/tag/reader systems, circuit architecture and opera-tional algorithms for battery power conservation that extends tag battery life from a typical 6 months to >5 years. The inventive system is particularly useful in asset and person tracking/inventory systems where power conservation is critical. The tag is configured with a micro-processor operational instruction set algorithm, modifiable on the fly via RF or IR, to synchro-nize a periodic tag awaken/sense envelope that overlaps the illuminator trigger pulse cycle and put the tag into deep, power conservation sleep for N periods of illuminator cycles. When the tag sees an illuminator signal with a different ID, or no illuminator signal at all, it transmits that anomaly via RF to a reader. This means the object or person with which the tag is associated has been moved out of the original illuminator field of view, permitting near real time investigation and tracking.

Abstract: RFID tags, methods and systems for total asset management, in-transit visibility and bio-metric verification and authorization. The system comprises an active, multi-modal, bi-directional RFID tag having a primary communication mode RF transceiver and a secondary mode IR/US transceiver. The tag includes sensors, such as bio-metric, and memory containing user bio-metric data. A reader and illuminator(s), preferably IR and/or US, are communicatively coupled with the tag and adapted to provide command and control signals to the tag and receive data/information from it. The user's bio-metric data is read by the sensor, compared to the data base and verification communicated to an access or point of sale device. The tag looks for illuminators and reports to the reader the IDs of those it sees. The detection history permits tracking and locating tagged objects or persons, such as theme park guests. If no illuminator signal is seen, the tag sends a special signal.