Abstract: A system and method for a call receiving pager apparatus, system and method utilizing a dedicated switch for providing proprietary access, billing functions and other enhanced features is described. The system utilizes a subscriber apparatus having pager or radiotelephone functions whereby a caller may call the apparatus and gain direct two-way communication with the subscriber. The caller is billed for the communication. A call receiving pager apparatus, system and method wherein a subscriber can initiate an outgoing connection to at least one predetermined telephone number in order to send a pre-recorded voice or data message is also provided. The subscriber is unable to initiate any real time two-way communication with the outgoing connection.

Abstract: A system for managing a distributed array of appliances includes a distributed array of the units, at least some of the relay units being appliance controllers having an appliance interface. At least some communications are relayed through at least two other relay units for coverage over a wide range using low power transceivers, based on automatically generated routing tables that are maintained in the relay units.

Abstract: A combined immobilizing and steering column control system for a vehicle includes a device, a steering wheel, and a vehicle immobilizing system. The device has a transponder for transmitting an identification signal. The steering wheel includes controls and a first inductor. The first inductor transmits a control signal for controlling a vehicle function in response to a corresponding steering wheel control being actuated. The immobilizing system has a second inductor and a controller. The second inductor is operable to sense the identification signal transmitted by the transponder and to sense a control signal transmitted by the first inductor. The controller performs a vehicle immobilizing function in response to the second inductor sensing an identification signal transmitted by the transponder. The controller enables the vehicle function corresponding to an actuated steering wheel control in response to the second inductor sensing the corresponding control signal transmitted by the first inductor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system including an apparatus and a plurality of remote controls. Each remote control is equipped with a detector for detecting infrared signals from the other remote controls. The remote controls are capable of controlling the transmission of messages in dependence on a detection of signals from the other remote controls. In this way, collision between signals from different remote controls is prevented.

Abstract: In a passive entry comprising a car-mounted transmitter-receiver and one or more portable transmitter-receivers, the car-mounted transmitter-receiver generates a request signal, when any of the portable transmitter-receivers receives the request signal, an answer signal is transmitted in response to the request signal, and when the car-mounted transmitter-receiver receives the answer signal, the car door is locked or unlocked. The car-mounted transmitter-receiver has a timer for counting time from transmission of the request signal to reception of the answer signal, and when the answer signal is received, recognizes the answer signal as legal only when an elapsed-time value counted by the timer is within a valid elapsed-time value set in advance, and exercises control of a controlled apparatus, such as, e.g., locking and unlocking of the car door.

Abstract: A system for implementing a method for initializing and binding ballasts is disclosed. The system comprises a remote control having a master controller and the ballasts each having a slave controller. The master controller and the slave controllers are operated to implement routines whereby the master controller generates a clock sequence of a plurality of clock cycles, and the slave controllers randomly generate addresses and direct a transmission of signals indicative of the generated random addresses to the master controller during corresponding clock cycles. In response thereto, the master controller assigns network addresses corresponding to the random addresses as indicated by the corresponding clock cycles. The master controller and the slave controllers are further operated to implement routines for verifying the assigned network addresses and routines for binding each network address to a command of the remote control.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (“RFID”) device for increasing tag activation distance comprises a first exciter electrode (2), a second exciter electrode (21), a dielectric substrate (3), and a first exciter voltage source (4). The second exciter electrode is positioned behind the first exciter electrode. The dielectric substrate is disposed between the first and second exciter electrodes. The dielectric substrate isolates the first exciter electrode from the second exciter electrode. The first exciter voltage source is coupled to at least one of the first exciter electrode and the second exciter electrode.

Abstract: A switch for routing input signals from any of N input terminals to one or more of M output terminals includes a high-speed N×M crosspoint switch array providing the necessary signal paths. Each of a set of N input drivers buffers a separate one of the input signals into the crosspoint array and each of a set of M output drivers buffers an array output signal onto a separate one of the output terminals. The crosspoint switch array is horizontally and/or vertically segmented by input and output buffers to limit the amount of the array's capacitance that each input driver must charge and discharge when the input signals change state, thereby reducing signal path delay through the crosspoint array.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock system with at least one vehicle lock, an outside door handle assigned to the vehicle lock, and at least one sensor assigned to the outside door handle, where the system is adapted to detect the approach of the hand of an operator to the outside door handle and/or touching and/or activating of the outside door handle. In one embodiment of motor vehicle door lock system, the activation of the outside handle by the hand of an operator or the approach to the outside door handle is recognized early. A vibration generator is assigned to the outside door handle such that the outside door handle or a part thereof is mechanically vibrated. A sensor is provided for acquiring the vibration, the sound waves caused by the vibration and/or their reflections so that the motor vehicle door lock system can detect when the outside door handle or a part thereof is being approached and/or touched and/or activated by the hand of an operator.

Abstract: Antennas 22 to 25 of a main unit machine 20 are implemented as coil antennas and the coil antennas are disposed in parallel with the floor of a vehicle so that the axis of each coil antenna becomes perpendicular to the floor. Particularly, the in-vehicle antennas 24 and 25 are placed at the front and the rear near the center in the floor direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A state-based remote control system for providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task. The state-based remote control system includes a housing, a keypad in communication with an electronic system contained within the housing, and a communication device in communication with the electronic system for communicating with external electronic devices. The electronic system monitors the buttons selected by a user to determine the state of all external electronic devices that are to be controlled. When the user selects a task (e.g. watch television), the electronic system automatically determines the actions required to achieve the desired task based upon the current state of the external electronic devices. After the task has been fulfilled, the electronic system updates the data to reflect the modified state of the external electronic devices.

Abstract: The universal electronic identification tag is for use with a variety of readers of different designs including a control reader which can be used to control the operations of the universal tag. A reader interrogates a tag by transmitting a carrier. The universal tag comprises a transducer, a modulator connected across the transducer, and a control means. The control means causes the modulator to drive the transducer with a plurality of different message waveforms after interrogation by a reader, the tag identity being embedded in each of the message waveforms. The message waveforms can be transmitted either simultaneously, sequentially, or both ways. A message waveform is comprised of a sequence of contiguous waveform segments, each waveform segment representing the value of an N-bit group, N being an integer. A waveform segment is a periodic signal characterized by the parameters frequency, phase, and amplitude.

Abstract: A Write Broadcast system and method uses a base station to write sent data to all or some selected number (sub group) of tags in a base station field simultaneously. By unselecting the tags that have been successfully written to, and requesting a response from the remaining tags in the field (or sub group), the system determines, by receiving a response to the request, that there are tags in the field (sub group) that were unsuccessfully written to. Another Write Broadcast signal is sent to these tags. The system is useful for quickly (simultaneously) “stamping” information on the tag memory of a large number of tags in the field of the base station.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification system having a radio frequency transceiver for generating a continuous wave RF interrogation signal that impinges upon an RF identification tag. An oscillation circuit in the RF identification tag modulates the interrogation signal with a subcarrier of a predetermined frequency and modulates the frequency-modulated signal back to the transmitting interrogator. The interrogator recovers and analyzes the subcarrier signal and determines its frequency. The interrogator generates an output indicative of the frequency of the subcarrier frequency, thereby identifying the responding RFID tag as one of a “class” of RFID tags configured to respond with a subcarrier signal of a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: An electronic shelf label (ESL) transmits a negative response to a radio relay station by means of weak radio waves if it failed to normally receive price information. On the other hand, the ESL transmits no response if it failed to normally receive both ID information and price information. The radio relay station transmits to a radio communication base station ID information of the ESL which transmitted no response and ID information of the ESL which transmitted the negative response. The radio communication base station transfers the received ID information to an electronic shelf label (ESL) server. The ESL server re-transmits via the radio communication base station information to the ESL which transmitted no response and the ESL which transmitted the negative response.

Abstract: A wireless remote-controlled lighting system is composed of a remote controller module and a remote control receiver installed in each of at least one addressable light bulb. Each addressable light bulb has assigned thereto a unique address, which is stored in a memory at each bulb. The remote controller module is used to emit a remote control signal to be received by the remote control receiver, the address for which has been entered into the remote controller module by a user. Once it has been determined that a transmitted address code matches the unique address stored in one of the addressable light bulbs, the bulb will be triggered into the applicable on/off state responsive to a control code transmitted with the address code.

Abstract: A communication system is provided for an automotive vehicle (10) that uses existing vehicle components with only slight modifications that can be implemented in readily changeable software. The system includes a vehicle bus (14) and a vehicle information source coupled to the vehicle bus. The vehicle information source (28) couples vehicle information to the vehicle bus (14). The transmitter (16) transmits a first communication having a first transmitter identification code and first vehicle information. A receiver (22) is coupled to the vehicle bus. The receiver (22) couples a second communication word having second vehicle information to the vehicle bus. The automotive vehicle (10) also has a safety system and a safety system controller (34) coupled to the bus. The safety system controller (34) actuates the safety system (36) in response to the second vehicle information.

Abstract: An invention relates to an apparatus for activating and/or deactivating a security device, particularly an entry device for a motor vehicle, having a portable transmitter unit for wirelessly transmitting a coded information item which is received by a receiver apparatus and is compared with a prescribed coded information item, the receiver apparatus being capable of outputting an actuation signal to the security device if the two information items match, and the receiver apparatus being connected to a mechanical device for operating the security device. In an apparatus in which unauthorized deactivation of the security device is reliably prevented, the receiver apparatus is disabled for the reception and/or evaluation of the coded information items and/or for the output of the actuation signal to the security device after the security device has been mechanically activated, the block being lifted after the security device has been mechanically deactivated.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for an adaptive remote controller are provided. The remote controller comprises a user control input, a detector, and a user interface. The user control input is configured to receive user input and issue at least one control signal to a target device. The detector is configured to detect if the remote controller is within a target device feedback range. If the remote controller is out of the target device feedback range, the user interface provides feedback that the control signal was successfully sent to and executed by the target device.

Abstract: A system for providing character-based information for a moving object include a GPS receiver receiving position information of the moving object, a character radio pager for receiving control information and character information, a living information database for storing the character-based information received from the character radio pager, a moving picture database for storing the control signals and operator information, a position information database for storing the position information from the movement of the moving object and providing announcement for the present moving position of the moving object, a CPU for extracting useful information from the GPS receiver and the character radio pager or extracting an announcement stored in the position information database under the control of a scheduler, a sound card and a video card for outputting the information of the database, and an advertisement control server for transmitting control signals to the character radio pager.