Abstract: A self-monitoring smoke detector comprising a housing (11) defining an internal chamber (12). An optical transmitter (13) is mounted within the housing (11) so as to direct light into the optical chamber (12). An optical receiver (14) is mounted in the housing (11) and in optical communication with the optical chamber (12). The optical transmitter (13) and the optical receiver (14) are so positioned that light from the transmitter cannot directly reach the receiver. Monitoring means is provided, comprising first and second light-scattering means (13a and 14a) positioned respectively in alignment with the transmitter (13) and the receiver (14). The arrangement is such that, in the absence of reflector particles in the optical chamber, light from the transmitter (13) can reach the receiver (14) only after scattering at the first light-scattering means (13a) and then after scattering at the second light-scattering means (14a).

Abstract: A system for facility management is disclosed, comprising a plurality of system devices each provided with an identity tag uniquely identifying the system device; a system layout database comprising facility layout data including intentional positions of the system devices; a system device database comprising data and identity for each system device; and an operator tool enabled to communicate with the system layout database and system device database, the operator tool being provided with a tag reader enabled to read an identity from the tags of the system devices when being in the vicinity of the system devices, wherein the operator tool is arranged to access data from the system device database about the system device and include said identity in an item of the system layout database. An operator tool and methods for managing the facility management system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A synthetic vision system (SVS) for an aircraft, including a user input device for receiving runway correction commands from a user. The runway correction commands are in response to discrepancies observed by the user between an observed runway position in the real world and a synthetic vision runway position depicted on an electronic display device. The user input device provides runway corrections. An SVS computer is operatively connected to the electronic display device for providing SVS image data to the electronic display device in response to received runway parameter data. A runway parameter server device (RPSD) is operatively connected to the user input device and to the SVS computer for receiving the runway corrections from the user input device and providing the runway parameter data, including any corrected data provided by the user, to the SVS computer.

Abstract: A method for communicating settable priority data from a powered device being powered over communication cabling to power sourcing equipment, the method comprising: prior to connecting power to operational circuitry of the powered device, transmitting first multi-bit data from the powered device to the power sourcing equipment; subsequent to the transmitted first multi-bit data, connecting power received over the communication cabling to the powered device operational circuitry; receiving information from the powered device operational circuitry; disconnecting the received power from the powered device operational circuitry; and subsequent to the disconnecting, and prior to reconnecting power to the operational circuitry, transmitting second multi-bit data from the powered device to the power sourcing equipment, the second multi-bit data being a function of the received information, at least one of the first multi-bit data and the second multi-bit data being a function of a settable priority.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at allowing a vehicle to idle for a predetermined amount of time before shutdown. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that accepts input from the vehicle operator to initiate a countdown to vehicle shutdown. When the input is received, a countdown is initiated that is regularly updated to reflect the passage of time. During the countdown, a vehicle ignition bus is maintained in an active state and a countdown value that reflects the time remaining before shutdown is presented on a graphical display. Then, in response to expiration of the countdown, the method allows the vehicle ignition bus to transition into an inactive state.

Abstract: A Water Friend or Foe System (WFSS) includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card in a SIM reader on a marine vessel. A transmitter, which is coupled to the SIM reader, transmits information from the SIM card, as well as positioning information, to a WFFS tracking station.

Abstract: A failure information detection device that detects abnormality of a vehicle-mounted device that is mounted in a vehicle has: an attachment detection portion that detects whether a first component part has been attached to the vehicle; an abnormality detection portion that detects abnormality of a second component part that is disposed on the first component part; and an abnormality information discernment portion that discerns that abnormality information regarding the abnormality is not based on a failure of the vehicle-mounted device if the attachment detection portion detects that the first component part has not been attached to the vehicle.

Abstract: In a receiving method for the contactless reception of identification information (I1,12), which is stored in a data carrier (3, 3?) and which can be received from the data carrier (3, 3) in a contactless manner in the form of information units (IU, IU?) with a communication device (2), it is envisaged that firstly an information unit (R.IU) is received and that secondly it is detected that the received information unit (R.IU) represents a collision of two different information units (IU, IU?) occurring essentially simultaneously, of which two different information units (IU, IU?) the one information unit (IU) originates from a first data carrier (3) and the other information unit (IU?) originates from a second data carrier (3?), and that thirdly a received information unit (R.IU) that represents a collision is replaced with a first replacement information unit (R.IU1) established by the communication device (2), which is used instead of the information unit (R.

Abstract: A disclosed system includes electronic tags and a communication apparatus that communicates with the electronic tags and includes management information to manage the electronic tags. In the disclosed system, each of the electronic tags contains an ID a part of which represents one of group IDs identifying groups among the electronic tags and is configured to send a response when a request sent from the communication apparatus contains a corresponding one of the group IDs; and the communication apparatus is configured to send requests one by one each of which requests contains one of the group IDs, thereby to request the electronic tags group by group to send responses to the communication apparatus, and to recreate the management information based on the responses.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is disclosed. The RFID tag can include a blank onto which indicia is printed. The blank may further have an RFID chip and antenna disposed thereon. The blank may further be mounted on a carrier web and may also be laminated. The laminated RFID tag may then be disposed into a container and may be used for storing and transmitting information regarding the container or its contents.

Abstract: A point of sale device including a housing, a protected enclosure located within the housing, information storage functionality located within the protected enclosure and storing information to be protected information, a capacitance sensor based security system including at least one capacitance sensor operative to sense the capacitance of at least one of at least part of the housing and at least part of the protected enclosure at a reference time and thereafter and to provide an alarm indication of at least a predetermined change in the capacitance sensed by the at least one capacitance sensor.

Abstract: A radio frequency transmitter is configured to send radio frequency messages to activate a remote system. Each message includes an encrypted counter value and a transmitter identifier. The transmitter is configured to send at least two of the messages having sequential encrypted counter values in response to a single user input.

Abstract: A baggage management gate includes a first reading device and a second reading device, a detecting device, a determining unit, a first opening and closing device and a second opening and closing device. The baggage management gate manages baggage that is restricted to be carried in or out from a predetermined region. And in order away from the region in which the baggage is managed, the first reading device, the second opening and closing device, the detecting device for both the first person and the second person, the first opening and closing device, and the second reading device are arranged in an entrance direction from the passage to the management region in which the baggage is managed.

Abstract: A mobile radio frequency identification (mRFID) reader having a receiving circuit is provided. The receiving circuit includes a local oscillator which generates a carrier signal at a predetermined frequency band; a mixer which mixes a tag signal received from a tag with the carrier signal, to lower a frequency of the tag signal; a phase adjusting block which adjusts a phase of the carrier signal by determining a phase of the tag signal; and a control block which processes the tag signal through a series of operations, and controls an operation of the phase adjusting block to compensate for a phase delay of the tag signal according to an output of the processed tag signal. Because the mRFID reader can be provided as small as a half size of a related art reader, a mobile communication terminal accommodating the mRFID reader can be compact-sized. Additionally, because the number of components for the receiving circuit decreases, not only the power consumption but also the unit price can be reduced.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, devices and methods for providing an orthogonal frequency coding technique for surface acoustic wave sensors incorporating the use of multiple parallel acoustic tracks to provide increased coding by phase shifting and delaying a code sequence. The surface acoustic wave sensor includes parallel tracks with multiple reflectors with differing delay offsets to form a complex code sequence. The reflectors may be uniform, but alternatively could include fingers withdrawn, have reflector position modulation, differing frequencies or be spatially weighted.

Abstract: An automated and/or remote method for identifying and/or changing the source of power for these generator sets, which may apply to any environment where there are alternative sources of power available which must be managed remotely (such as for other powered containers not used for refrigeration transport).

Abstract: There is provided a radio communication system including a first transceiver equipped with an antenna circuit and a transmitting-receiving unit and for transmitting a data signal by an electromagnetic wave, and a second transceiver equipped with an antenna circuit, a transmitting-receiving unit, a memory unit for storing the data signal, a display unit having display memory property, and a power source unit for obtaining an operation voltage for each unit from the electromagnetic wave. The first transceiver relatively varies the transmission output of the data signal to a high level or a low level, and the second transceiver receives the data signal and stores the data signal in the memory unit when the level of the transmission output of the data signal is low, and sends the data signal from the memory unit to the display unit when the level of the transmission output of the data signal is high.

Abstract: The progressive brake light apparatus sequentially lights three separate brake lights via hydraulic pressure sensing of the brake system between the master cylinder and the rear brakes. The apparatus provides a brake light assembly with the three distinctly different light sources disposed within, each of different size and different color, the brightest and largest being disposed at the top of the brake light assembly and the smallest and dimmest at the bottom of the brake light assembly. The apparatus thereby provides signal to trailing vehicles of the intensity of braking force applied, and therefore with a distinct signal of only initial brake pressure, versus average stopping, versus intense braking.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus and methodology for providing a retrofittable lock assembly for an enclosure. A manually or electronically accessible lock assembly has been provided that may be attached to an enclosure to control access to items stored in the enclosure. In a particular form, the retrofittable lock may be applied to a refrigerator used to store controlled medications. The retrofittable lock contains electronic circuitry that maintains a record of user identification, date, and time of access of users seeking access to items stored in the enclosure.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a radio frequency (RF) reader grid and method for facilitating transactions. The RF reader grid includes a transponder, a RFID reader, and a host RFID reader in communication with a merchant system. The secondary and host RFID readers communicate with one another via wireless, RF frequencies. The present invention also discloses a wireless grid that comprises non-radio frequency readers, such as magnetic stripe readers. In addition, a method for using a secondary RFID reader to perform a transaction is disclosed. The method includes the steps of initializing the secondary RFID reader, communication transaction information using the secondary RFID reader and processing the transaction information using a host RFID reader.