Abstract: A portable electronic device having a first housing member, a second housing member, and a coupling member. Elements of the coupling member provide respective electrical paths from an exterior of the first housing member to an interior of the first housing member.

Abstract: A system and method of using motion or spatial identification technology with a mobile RFID reader to detect whether an RFID tag is part of a forklift load or other ambulatory space includes determining if a tag is within a defined space or if a tag is in motion relative to a mobile RFID reader. The system and method determines whether a particular RFID tag is part of a forklift load/space, has been added to or removed, is an extraneous tag, etc.

Abstract: A system and method of granting and removing a user's security access to applications on a computer using proximity of authorized RFID tags is disclosed. A user having an authorized RFID tag that is located near the computer will be granted access to pre-authorized applications.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the presence of a signal on a channel mixes signals received with an antenna with a local signal having a controllable frequency within a band of frequencies defined by the channel. The local signal is produced with a sequentially adjusted frequency within the channel. The mixing operation (for each local signal frequency) produces an output signal having a frequency indicative of a difference between a frequency of signals received with the antenna and a frequency of the local signal. The output signal is converted to a baseband frequency band, and is then analyzed to determine whether the signals received with the antenna occupy the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reading optical information including a photosensitive system oriented to capture optical information. Also included is an optical system focusing optical information onto the photosensitive system, and a display oriented to display optical information captured by the photosensitive system. The apparatus also includes a portable, hand-held housing.

Abstract: A keypad overlay membrane provides guidance to a user in selecting an intended key to strike and avoiding striking unintended keys. In one arrangement the overlay membrane is formed by a continuous thin-walled sheet having an outwardly-facing surface and an opposed inwardly-facing surface. Formed into the thin-walled sheet are a first array of raised members and a second array of channels. The raised member array is laid out in a configuration for positioning atop individual keys of the electronic device keypad, with the channel array located between the raised member array. Upon placing the overlay membrane onto keypad, the user can apply a sufficient inwardly directed force to one of the raised members to induce movement of the respective key underlying and aligned with the particular raised member. In another arrangement, an array of concave depressions substitutes for the raised member array and channel array.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices wirelessly communicate in a near-field region and a far-field region. A device may include a near-field antenna and a far-field antenna. The device may be configured to selectively operate in a near-field mode, employing the near-field antenna, and/or in a far-field mode, employing the far-field antenna, and/or in a joint mode, employing both the near-field antenna and the far-field antenna separately or concurrently. One type of device may be a wireless communications data-reader device configured for both near-field and far-field communications. Another type of device may be a wireless communications data-provider device configured for both near-field and far-field communications.

Abstract: A system and method for locating a target region in an image is disclosed. In one embodiment a method includes automatically locating a signature field in a target region of an image captured by a barcode reader, where the target region includes rectangular boundaries defined by graphical delimiters in the image. One embodiment of the method includes, generating a binary-colored image, optionally performing de-speckling, generating a search pattern comprising multiple search locations that spatially correspond with pixels in the image, identifying a darker-shaded pixel in the multiple search pixels as a candidate pixel that is a portion of one of multiple graphical delimiters, analyzing colors of neighboring pixels of the candidate pixel to compute a weight value of the candidate pixel, and/or saving the candidate pixel as a located graphical delimiter of multiple graphical delimiters if the weight value of the candidate pixel exceeds or approximates a weight threshold.

Abstract: Obscured radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are indirectly read by an RFID reader. Other tags operate to relay the information associated with the obscured tags from one tag to another, until the associated information is ultimately received by the RFID reader from a tag in direct communication with the RFID reader. The tags may be adapted to store the received information associated with the obscured tags and then to encode this associated information and resident information in return signal(s) transmitted to the RFID reader and/or to other tag(s). The RFID reader is adapted to decode the received return signals to obtain the information encoded therein, and to process the decoded information to identify irrelevant tags and obscured tags.

Abstract: A communication system is provided in which a client device can communicate with a server via any one of plural communication networks, such as a WWAN, a WLAN, a wired LAN, a personal area network (e.g., Bluetooth), and any other networking architecture. More specifically, the communication client comprises a connection manager that is adapted to determine availability of each the plural communication networks to communicate data between the client and the server, select one of the communication networks from the available ones of the plural communication networks in accordance with predetermined preferences, and establish a connection with the selected one of the communication networks. The client may further comprise a client application. The connection manager provides a notification message to the client application upon establishment of the communication link. The client application then communicates data to and from the server via the selected one of the communication networks.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for using a frequency division circuit to produce a desired frequency in a radio frequency identification transponder (RFID tag). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an RFID tag includes a frequency division circuit connected to a logic circuit and a oscillator. The logic circuit is adapted to identify at least one frequency associated with a received RF signal (e.g., the frequency of the signal, a frequency identified by the signal, etc.). This frequency is then used by the frequency division circuit to calibrate the frequency provided by the oscillator. In one embodiment of the present invention, the frequency division circuit includes at least one variable counter adapted to divide the frequency provided by the oscillator (i.e., the oscillation frequency) by a programmable factor to produce a desired frequency. The desired frequency is then provided to the logic circuit and used to modulate a received RF signal.

Abstract: Noise in a receive path of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is reduced by using a phase shifter. By reducing the noise, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the receive path of the RFID reader is improved, thereby increasing the number of RFID tags that can be read in a noisy environment over time and/or improving the capability to distinguish a return signal of the RFID tag(s) from noise. The phase shifter adds a phase shift to a reflected signal and a leakage signal, or to a local oscillation signal.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for automatic data collection. An automatic data collection system includes an image capture subsystem and a processor subsystem. The automatic data collection system is operable to decode machine-readable symbols in a machine-readable symbol reading mode, and to automatically switch from a machine-readable symbol reading mode to an optical character recognition mode in response to information encoded in a machine-readable symbol. In some embodiments, the automatic data collection system is further operable to perform optical character recognition on human-readable symbols in a human-readable symbol reading mode.

Abstract: A system and method for limiting the reading out of data from an RFID tag by requiring a reader of the tag to be authenticated by providing the correct key to the tag, static or rotating, before the tag will transmit data. The limitation of transmission is done irrespective of whether the data is encrypted or not. The system and method may have a segmented or tiered access scheme where segments or portions of the data stored in the RFID tag are accessible by differing keys. Additionally, different encryption keys or schemes may be employed to provide differing encryption methods for the data in the differing segments or portions of the data stored in the RFID tag.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for image surveillance of areas of interest for items having radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. These areas of interest are often times unmonitored due to privacy concerns. The present invention discloses an image surveillance system and method, that upon indication of an RFID tag coming within proximity of a portal system having an RFID reader, records one or more images of the area of interest, so as to capture a subject associated with the RFID tagged item moving into or through the area of interest. Such applications for embodiments of the present invention are directed to monitor items of interest in retail stores, restaurants, shipping and receiving locations, and other public areas.

Abstract: One or more media is provided for performing a method of utilizing location-based data to manipulate power states of one or more embedded devices on a mobile device. Initially, location-based data from a positioning system (GPS satellite) is received. Generally, the location-based data relates to a global position of the mobile device. The location-based data may then be applied to a set of positional rules, which includes comparing the position-based data against the one or more predefined positional coordinates. Accordingly, the appropriate power level of one or more embedded devices may be determined. Further, if the determination indicates that a present power level of the embedded devices conflicts with the determined appropriate power state, the power state of the conflicting embedded devices is manipulated consistent with the positional rule. As such, this configuration provides for a useful power-management scheme that preserves battery life.

Abstract: An externally reconfigurable input system for an electronic device is provided. The input system has the flexibility of receiving input via an input interface with the guidance of key-based substrate overlay positioned proximate a sensor array that is coupled to a printed wiring assembly. An input correlation component receives signals generated by the sensor array in response to displacement of one or more keys associated with the key-based substrate. The key-based substrate overlay is removable so as to be reconfigured.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup and a lens. A shape memory actuator is coupled to the lens and configured to move the lens relative to the image pickup.

Abstract: A system and method of scanning machine-readable symbols with a signal source modulated by a local oscillator to create by heterodyne mixing upconverted signals at the sum and difference frequencies of the local oscillator frequency and the frequency of the time-varying reflectance off the scanned symbols is disclosed. The reflected heterodyned signal is detected by a receiver. Ambient noise is filtered out from the reflected signal, and the received signal at the sum and difference frequencies is processed.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices wirelessly energize passive wireless data communication devices. In one embodiment, remotely powered wireless transmission power sources are actuated by a user. Upon actuation, a selected wireless transmission power source transmits electromagnetic energization energy into a volume of space, thereby energizing passive wireless data communication devices therein. The user may use a hand-held portable automatic data collection device to interrogate the wireless data communication devices and may use the automatic data collection device to remotely actuate the selected wireless transmission power source.