Abstract: The present invention discloses battery assisted RFID system RF power leveling methods that optimize the amount of transmitted power and interference from a reader in relation to the sensitivity of the RFID tags, their ranges from the reader, and the unique physics of the backscatter RFID radio link. These methods enhance system reliability when employing battery assisted RFID tags that operate with sensitive transistor based square law tag receivers and highly sensitive RFID readers intended to take advantage of outstanding tag sensitivity. Further enhancement is achieved via design of system command sets and tag state machine behavior that optimally support the power level operations, power level operations that span across tag hibernation and normal modes, and that otherwise control system interference. Embodiments of the present invention are also enhanced with receiver training and synchronizing methods suited to the high tag sensitivity and need for dynamic range state switching.

Abstract: A consumable holder is provided for use with the appliance configured to perform a physical cycle of operation on an article. The consumable holder is configured to communicate with the appliance using a well formed command according to a taxonomy dataset.

Abstract: A power controller includes an infrared emitting circuit, an infrared receiving circuit, and a switching circuit. The infrared emitting circuit emits an infrared signal received by the infrared receiving circuit which outputs a corresponding control signal. The switching circuit is connected to the infrared receiving circuit to receive the control signal, and is connected to a powering control terminal of a motherboard of a computer to output a pulse signal to turn the computer on and off according to the control signal.

Abstract: A reader device for radio frequency identification transponders, which implements enhanced radio frequency identification transponder functionality. The reader device is capable of serving as a radio frequency identification transponder. Such a reader device includes a reader logic unit, a radio/high frequency (RF/HF) interface and an antenna, and is adapted to communicate at least with radio frequency identification transponders in a reader operation mode. The reader device also includes a transponder logic unit that is connected to the reader device and in particular to the radio/high frequency (RF/HF) interface such that the reader device acts as a radio frequency identification transponder in a transponder operation mode. In particular, the transponder logic unit is adapted to communicate with other reader devices for radio frequency identification transponders.

Abstract: When a communication between a camera and a television is performed utilizing a first wireless communication mode which employs high-directional radio transmission, and a second wireless communication mode which employs low-directional radio transmission with lower directivity than that of high-directional radio transmission, the television detects that the communication in the first wireless communication mode has been disconnected and notifies the camera. The camera determines whether or not the movement of the camera is the cause of disconnection in the first wireless communication mode. If the reason for disconnection is the movement of the camera, a control signal is transmitted to the television so as not to execute the process for an avoiding no-signal condition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for surreptitiously installing, monitoring, and operating software on a remote computer controlled wireless communication device are described. One aspect includes a control system for communicating programming instructions and exchanging data with the remote computer controlled wireless communication device.

Abstract: An access-integrated RFID-based asset management (AIRBAM) system is used to acquire and update field data on physical assets located beneath or behind RF-permeable access structures, such as underground valves located beneath plastic valve covers or boxes. Inspection/maintenance personnel using hand-held RFID readers acquire field data from RFID tags located in the access structures prior to physically accessing the assets and write updated field data to the RFID tags after completing the inspection and/or maintenance. Alternately, field data regarding the assets can be stored in a database residing on the mobile RFID readers and can be retrieved and updated based on alpha-numeric identifiers transmitted by the RFID tags.

Abstract: A sensing device includes a situation acquisition unit acquiring information on situation of a site of interest sensed; a sensing range change unit changing sensing range of the situation acquisition unit; a position identification unit identifying position of the situation acquisition unit; and a sensing operation controlling unit which detects inhibited content, a subject of inhibition of transmission, from the information on the situation of the site of interest. If the inhibited content has been detected, the sensing operation controlling unit calculates position of the inhibited content based on the position identification information from the position identification unit. The sensing operation controlling unit controls the sensing range change unit, based on the position identification information including the position of inhibited content calculated, so that the position of inhibited content is not contained in the sensing range.

Abstract: A remote control system (1) is described, in particular for regulating and controlling industrial drives, comprising at least one transmitting remote control (10) and at least one receiver (20) cooperating with the drive, such transmitting remote control (10) containing at least one inclination sensor (5).

Abstract: Networked electric vehicle charging stations for charging electric vehicles are coupled with an electric vehicle charging station network server that performs authorization for charging session requests while the communication connection between the charging stations and the server are operating correctly. When the communication connection is not operating correctly, the networked electric vehicle charging stations enter into a local authorization mode to perform a local authorization process for incoming charging session requests.

Abstract: A power line communication system transmits a dimming level to an electronic ballast to regulate the power consumed by a lamp. The power line controller has a notch generation circuit that generates notches on an AC power signal with a time duration in accordance with the dimming level of the lamp. A dimming interface associated with the electronic ballast detects the notches on the AC power signal. The dimming interface generates a ballast dimming level signal with a signal level related to the time duration of these notches.

Abstract: Method for assuring that the operator of a vehicle is an authorized driver, the method including utilizing an onboard, multi-mode driver identification system to ascertain whether an operator is an authorized driver. A first driver identification procedure is performed on a present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle. A second driver identification procedure is performed on the present operator of the vehicle and determining whether the present operator is an authorized or unauthorized driver of the vehicle, wherein the first and second driver identification procedures are performed with a time interval therebetween, the time interval being dependent upon the nature of the work being performed by the operator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated antenna module for a push button start vehicle and an emergency start method using the same, which can perform a series of processes of starting a vehicle, such as power supply to a transponder, secret code authentication, start-up authorization, etc., when a driver simply brings the fob close to a specific location in the vehicle, without the use of the existing fob holder for an emergency start.

Abstract: To provide an IC tag, a method of controlling the IC tag, and an IC tag system which can reduce a communication sequence between the reader/writer and the IC tag and can shorten a communication period or a period necessary for executing the command. According to an embodiment of the invention, an IC tag that executes a command processing based on a command received from a redder/writer, includes: a command analyzing unit determining an execution condition of the command received from the redder/writer; and a command execution unit executing a first command processing if the execution condition is met, and executing a second command processing different from the first command processing if the execution condition is not met.

Abstract: A multiple barrier control system includes a plurality of barrier operators configured to move associated access barriers between limit positions. Each of the barrier operators are enabled to communicate with one or more local transmitters. The local transmitters may maintain an all-close button, an all-open button, and an all-stop button, which are associated with corresponding functions maintained by the barrier operators. Upon the actuation of one of the buttons, the associated function is simultaneously carried out by each of the associated barrier operators. Additionally, a portable network control may invoke the simultaneous control of functions at each of the barrier operators via an associated communication network. Moreover, scenes may be created wherein the barrier operators and other accessories, such as lights and appliances, may be moved or actuated to a desired status upon actuation of a scene button on either the local transmitter or the portable network control.

Abstract: A consumable holder for use in an appliance configured to perform an operation cycle related to a consumable in the consumable holder, in response to a cycle structure, has or is enabled to acquire information about the cycle structure. The information about the cycle structure can be communicated to the appliance for use by the appliance to change the cycle structure and thereby change the operation cycle related to the consumable.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for using a single key to authenticate a user with respect to multiple user access points and to allow a single access point to authenticate multiple keys having different physical characteristics. The system may comprise an access control system that includes an insertion receptacle for receiving a physical key, and a translation device for observing the physical characteristics of the key and translating those characteristics into electrical signals. In a learning mode, the electrical signals are transmitted to a processor and stored in memory. In a verification mode, the electrical signals are transmitted to the processor and compared with the previously-stored signals. If the processor concludes that the signals match the signals stored in memory, then the processor instructs a lock actuation mechanism to actuate an access control device to allow the user access to a location.

Abstract: A transmitting antenna to transmit a request signal in a vehicle compartment is disposed off the center line of the vehicle compartment in a vehicle width direction. The output strength of the request signal transmitted by the transmitting antenna is switched in such a manner that a receivable output range of the request signal by a portable device reaches one of both doors which is equipped with one of access switches which has been operated. Accordingly, it can be properly recognized whether the portable device is located inside the vehicle compartment or outside the vehicle compartment even if the transmitter to transmit the request signal in the vehicle compartment is disposed off the center line of the vehicle compartment in the vehicle width direction.

Abstract: System, methods and computer program product are provided for an adaptive control for adjusting the electromagnetic interrogation signal of an RFID transceiver where said signal is used to read and/or write to an RFID transponder, or to adjust the gain of the RFID transceiver, or adjust both the gain and the signal strength. The system includes a RFID transceiver having at least a transmitter portion and a receiver portion and capable of generating electromagnetic signals, a signal-to-noise ratio module, and an adaptive control module that adjusts the power of the electromagnetic signal of the transmitter portion or the gain of the receiver portion according to the signal-to-noise ratio of a first electromagnetic signal. In one embodiment the system may be employed in printer-encoder devices for reading or encoding RFID transponders during a printing process.

Abstract: The performance of a radio frequency identification (RFID) system is improved by a protocol that eliminates collisions between signals generated by a) RFID tags that the RFID reader has already identified as being in its interrogation zone and b) RFID tags that are newly arrived and thus that the reader has not yet identified. This is illustratively accomplished by the use of separate identification and access frames. It is during the identification frame that newly arrived tags become identified by the reader. Although there may be collisions during the identification frame, those collisions are only among newly arrived tags. The already-identified tags communicate with the reader during respective time slots of the access frame, so that they neither collide with each other nor with the newly arrived tags.