Abstract: In situations where a receiver, rendering a content, switches from a first transport stream carrying that content to a second transport stream carrying that same content, artefacts may occur on the rendered content while transitioning between both transport streams. Considering transport stream data of a transport stream signal may be available at a nominal frequency higher than a frequency corresponding to the transport stream bitrate, there may be some periods of time during which no data is present in the transport stream signal. A salient idea is to switch from the first transport stream signal to the second transport stream signal in such periods during which there is no transport stream valid data in the first transport stream signal, allowing to minimize the risks of perceptible defects in the rendered content throughout the switching.

Abstract: In situations where a receiver, rendering a content, switches from a first transport stream carrying that content to a second transport stream carrying that same content, artefacts may occur on the rendered content while transitioning between both transport streams. Considering transport stream data of a transport stream signal may be available at a nominal frequency higher than a frequency corresponding to the transport stream bitrate, there may be some periods of time during which no data is present in the transport stream signal. A salient idea is to switch from the first transport stream signal to the second transport stream signal in such periods during which there is no transport stream valid data in the first transport stream signal, allowing to minimize the risks of perceptible defects in the rendered content throughout the switching.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wide-band omnidirectional antenna including at least a first conducting member and a second conducting member having a revolution symmetry about a common revolution axis and central openings, said members being arranged opposite each other, at least one member having a progressively flaring area, characterised in that it comprises a gap between the conducting members and a central coaxial excitation line so as to achieve a three-dimensional contactless transition between the coaxial excitation line and the conducting members and members for modifying the radiation pattern in the flaring area of the diode type for selectively radiating the gap depending on the on- or off-state of said diodes.

Abstract: Apparatus (300, 400) and method (600) for passive remote control are provided. The apparatus (300) includes at least two radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag devices (330_1, 330_2, 330_N, 430_1, 430_2) each operable to transmit a signal when activated and a first switch coupled to the at least two RFID tag devices (310_1, 310_2, 310_K, 410_1) and operable to activate the at least two RFID tag devices when the first switch is in a first switch state, said first switch being a first key identified by RFID tag information of the at least two RFID tag devices. Apparatus (110) and method (700) for receiving RFID signals are also provided.

Abstract: A sensor including an integrated circuit and a piezoelectric substrate is described. The piezoelectric substrate is adapted as an antenna of an integrated circuit. The antenna may be an RFID antenna and the integrated circuit may be and RFID integrated circuit.

Abstract: Apparatus (300, 400) and method (600) for passive remote control are provided. The apparatus (300) includes at least two radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag devices (330_1, 330_2, 330_N, 430_1, 430_2) each operable to transmit a signal when activated and a first switch coupled to the at least two RFID tag devices (310_1, 310_2, 310_K, 410_1) and operable to activate the at least two RFID tag devices when the first switch is in a first switch state, said first switch being a first key identified by RFID tag information of the at least two RFID tag devices. Apparatus (110) and method (700) for receiving RFID signals are also provided.

Abstract: A method for monitoring physiological signal characteristics of a living subject is disclosed. A salient idea is to electromagnetically couple the antennas of respectively a networking device and a monitoring device, the networking device transmitting a wireless signal, the monitoring device receiving first and second signals from the electromagnetic coupling. The first and second signals include a reflection of the transmitted signal on a living subject as well as a part of the transmitted signal resulting from the antenna coupling. A self-interference cancellation processing is applied to the received first and second signals for extracting the reflected signal from the first signal prior to amplifying and mixing with the received second signal to monitor physiological signal characteristics of the living subject.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is contained in a mobile station. The RFID reader includes a transmitter for transmitting an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal. It includes a receiver for receiving responding RF signals generated in corresponding pairs of RFID tags. Each responding RF signal contains information identifying a corresponding access point (AP). The RFID tag pairs are attached to corresponding regions of each location of corresponding locations. A processor of the RFID reader selects a responding RF signal based on signal strength and derives the information contained in the selected responding RF signal that identifies a corresponding AP among several access points that is the most appropriate one to associate with in a handoff operation.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit that communicates with a tag located within a target region when the communication unit is active within the target region, and a processor configured to monitor an activity within the target region based on status information from the tag received by the communication unit, wherein the activity comprises at least one of opening and closing of a member arranged within the target region

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader identifies in which room among several rooms the RFID reader is more likely to be located. The RFID reader includes a transmitter for transmitting an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal. It includes a receiver for receiving RF signals generated in corresponding pairs of RFID tags. The RFID tag pairs are attached to corresponding regions of each of the rooms. Each of said RFID tag pair including a first RFID tag and a second RFID tag that are spaced from each other by a distance that is larger or equal to ?/4 and smaller than or equal to ?/2 with respect to a frequency of a responding RF signal originated in the pair of RFID tags. A processor selects a larger RSSI of the RSSI's of the signal pair. The processor determines a corresponding sum of the RSSI's selected from each signal pair associated with each room. The processor evaluates in accordance with determined sums, the location in which said RFID reader is more likely to be located.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit that communicates with a tag located within a target region when the communication unit is active within the target region, and a processor configured to monitor an activity within the target region based on status information from the tag received by the communication unit, wherein the activity comprises at least one of opening and closing of a member arranged within the target region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising at least a first RFID module and a second RFID module, each comprising a chip coupled to a wire loop antenna. The first and second RFID modules operate at a first operating frequency into a first frequency band and at a second operating frequency into a second frequency band respectively, the second operating frequency being substantially equal to a multiple k of the first operating frequency, with k?2. The device further comprises a resonant half-wave dipole having a length (L) that is substantially equal to ?/2 where ? is a wavelength associated to the first frequency band. The first module is present in the vicinity of the center of the half-wave dipole and the second module is present at a distance substantially equal to (2*n+1)?/4*k from an end of the half-wave dipole, with n?[0 . . . k?1].

Abstract: A method for harvesting an energy from a power cord is disclosed. The method includes mounting two electrodes around the power cord. The electrodes have a first conductive part being partially cylindrical around an axis, and a plurality of spikes, originating from the first conductive part, directed towards the axis, and inserted in an insulating envelope of the power cord, so as to increase the capacitive coupling to the wires inside the power cord and to increase the amount of harvested energy by the two electrodes. A device such as for example a wireless RFID tag is advantageously powered by the energy harvested by the two electrodes.

Abstract: An electrical activity monitoring device based on an RFID sensor device attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for monitoring the electrical status of the electrical device. The device comprises an antenna element which performs the dual functions of magnetically coupling with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable in response to a change of electrical power state of the electrical device and to wirelessly transmit data to an RFID reader. An electrical activity monitoring apparatus is also provided for monitoring the electrical status of at least one electrical device connected to a power supply network by a respective power cable provided with an RFID sensor device. The electrical activity monitoring apparatus comprises an RFID reader for communicating with the RFID sensor device.

Abstract: A method for harvesting an energy from a power cord is disclosed. A salient idea of the present principles is to adapt the antenna of a wireless tag device, so as to harvest an energy from a power cord and to power the wireless tag with the harvested energy. The disclosed principles propose to combine in a single antenna a classical antenna function of radio frequency signals reception to a new function of energy harvesting from a power cord. The harvested energy is used to power the wireless tag device or to boost the range performances of the wireless tag, through the powering of its communication circuitry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antenna able to cover two opposite angular sectors comprising: first and second excited elements (10,11) each able to radiate a signal beam at a predetermined frequency, at least two reflector elements (20,21,22,23), called first and second reflector elements, able to reflect said beams in opposite directions. According to the invention, said first and second excited elements (10,11) and said at least two reflector elements (20,21,22,23) are aligned, said reflector elements being disposed between said first and second excited elements. At least two reflector elements from among said at least two reflector elements (20,21,22,23) are connected together electrically by a first transmission line (30) of predetermined length so that the reflector elements connected together participate jointly in reflecting the beams in the two opposite directions.

Abstract: The invention relates to electrical activity sensor attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for detecting an impulse generated in the power cable in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device. The electrical activity sensor includes an antenna assembly having an antenna element operable to magnetically couple with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable to induce an electrical signal in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device. The antenna element is shaped in a plurality of loops.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting motion activity of an object are suggested. The apparatus includes an RSSI detecting unit for obtaining the RSSI values of wireless signals, a first calculating unit for calculating a first indication relating to the status of movement/stillness of an object as a function of the Standard Deviation (STDEV) value of the RSSI values of the wireless signals over a first threshold, a second calculating unit for calculating a second indication relating to the speed of movement of the object as a function of the number of times that the RSSI values cross a second threshold from down to up during a time period and a combining unit for outputting a third indication of the motion activity of the object by combining the first and the second indications.

Abstract: An electrical activity sensor attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for detecting an impulse generated in the power cable in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device, the electrical activity sensor comprising an antenna assembly comprising an antenna element operable to magnetically couple with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable to induce an electrical signal in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device; and at least one dipole type antenna configured operate as a half wave dipole in the operating frequency range of the antenna element and to magnetically couple to the antenna element wherein the dipole type conductor is operable to wirelessly transmit data representative of the power state change of the electrical device to a remote reader.

Abstract: An electrical activity sensor attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for detecting an impulse generated in the power cable in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device is described. The electrical activity sensor has an antenna assembly including an antenna element operable to magnetically couple with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable, to induce an electrical signal, in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device and to wirelessly transmit data representative of the electrical power state change of the electrical device to a remote reader device. The antenna element is a helical shape dipole having at least one turn arranged, in use, around the power cable.