Abstract: A chiller for cooling an electronic device using circulating fluids to cool electronic components which comprises a thermoelectric cooler having a cool face and a warm face when connected to a power source; a heat spreader plate; and a heat exchanging surface, said thermoelectric cooler, said heat spreader plate and said heat exchanging surface all thermally coupled to dissipate heat energy from a heat input surface to said heat exchanging surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an RFID tag to facilitate the determination of its location while at the same time minimizing the energy drain on the tag's battery. At predetermined intervals, the tag transmits its identifier along with status information. If the status indicates that the tag is in a new location, the tag will then expend additional battery energy by participating in the determination of its location. The distance from an interrogator to the tag is determined by transmitting two signals from the interrogator that propagate at different velocities. By determining the difference in arrival times at the tag of the two signals, the distance from the interrogator to the tag can be determined.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention describe a method of tracking an item, comprising. The items is associated with a tag and capable of responding to a query from a tag reader and tag combination. The tag reader and tag combination capable of identifying the item associated with the tag using a tag reader. In operation, a tag reader makes a request to at least one tag reader and tag combination for the identity of an item associated with a tag. The tag reader and tag combination identifies the item associated with the tag and provides the identity of the item and tag to the tag reader.

Abstract: A method by which one node can search for and retrieve information from another node. A message identifying the sought-for information item and an address is created at a first node. The address identifies a repository for the sought-for information. A second node receives the contents of this message and responds with the information item if the item is available. Otherwise, the second node propagates the message to other nodes. The message is propagated from node to node until it reaches a node having the sought-for information item. If this node can connect to the specified address, it sends the information item to the repository. Otherwise, the node adds the information item to the message, which is propagated to other nodes until the message reaches a node that can connect with the address. The information item can then be retrieved from the repository.

Abstract: An indicating device configured to indicate that a package has been opened includes a voltage generator configured to convert a mechanical stress caused by opening of the package into a voltage and a circuit configured to employ the voltage to create a package opened indicator. The device also includes a data storage device configured to store the package opened indicator as electronic data.

Abstract: A path-based identifier is provided. An entity identifier is generated at an entity of a supply chain and the entity identifier is based on a reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated. In addition, an updated path-based identifier is stored based on a predetermined function, where the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

Abstract: A method and system of tracking devices uses imaging and optionally tags. Tracking is performed when the identification information associated with the devices are initially received and exposed towards a scanning bar in an enclosure. This scanning bar scans at one or more predetermined intervals the one or more devices in the enclosure of hardware. The system for tracking devices includes an enclosure capable of receiving one or more devices positioned to expose identification information related to each device and a scanning bar movably coupled to the enclosure that passes over each of the one or more devices and captures images of the identification information exposed by each of the one or more devices.

Abstract: A seal for a package includes a circuit having electrical characteristics that change under mechanical deformation and an attaching material coupled to the circuit and for attaching the circuit to the package. The seal is attached to the package and processed prior to shipping to establish an untampered state for the seal. This includes identifying a circuit on the sealed package according to a seal type associated with the seal, recording one or more characteristics associated with the circuit from the seal and storing the seal type and one or more characteristics associated with the circuit from the seal for later comparison. To detect tampering to the package, the seal type and corresponding seal and circuit for the seal is identified, the characteristics associated with a circuit from the seal are determined and compared with the previous characteristics recorded when the seal was initially applied to the package.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point in a supply chain generates a secret and devises a secret sharing scheme that parcels the secret into a number of secret shares. The source point retains at least one secret share, and distributes the remaining secret shares to trusted, intermediate points in the supply chain. The source point then ships a shipment comprising are least one object, and frequently including at least one level of packaging, to a destination point in the supply chain, labeling the object or objects and/or packaging enclosing the object or objects with the retained secret share. Each intermediate point incorporates the secret share obtained by the intermediate point from the source point into the object, packaging enclosing the object, or a label on the object or packaging.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point of a supply chain secures shipment of an object by devising an encryption key and encrypting a message using the encryption key to produce an encrypted message. A portion or portions of the encryption key and the encrypted message are included or incorporated within the object to be shipped, packaging surrounding the object, and/or labels affixed to the object or packaging, prior to shipping the object to a destination point within the supply chain. Upon receipt of the object from the supply chain, the destination point can extract the portion or portions of the encryption key and the encrypted message from the object, packaging surrounding the object, and/or labels affixed to the object or packaging, obtain the remaining portion of the encryption key directly from the source point, reassemble the encryption key, and decrypt the encrypted message to produce a computed message.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point, or security management entity, within a supply chain labels a shipment to be shipped through the supply chain with numbers, text strings, or other type of label information. Different label information may be placed at each of multiple levels of packaging as well as on objects within the packaging. The source point devises an encryption-key chain via a one-way function, and encrypts combinations of the label information incorporated within the packaging and objects using encryption keys from the encryption-key chain to produce one or more encrypted label tags. The one or more encrypted label tags are affixed to the shipment by the source point, and the shipment is sent into the supply chain for eventual delivery to a destination point. At pre-selected intervals of time, the source point reveals encryption keys within the encryption-key chain.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention describe a method of introducing items into a distribution network. Before entering items into the distribution network, the item is placed in an identifiable packaging that has an identifier. The identifier associated with the item and packaging is stored in an item identifier database and then the item is distributed into the distribution network. Another aspect of the present invention includes the identification and authentication of the items received from the distribution network. These operations include first receiving the item and corresponding identifier from the distribution network. The identifier associated with the item is read and then cross referenced with the item identifier database. A determination is made whether the identifier associated with the received item matches an entry in item identifier database or not. The item is indicated as authentic when the identifier matches the entry in the item identifier database.

Abstract: A reader device for locating and tracking multiple tags includes a plurality of closely packed antenna circuits and at least one controller configured to control the plurality of closely packed antenna circuits. The at least one controller is configured to activate one or more of the antenna circuits to generate at least one resonance signal field configured to interrogate at least one tag associated with the one or more active antenna circuits while substantially preventing or reducing cross-coupling of signals between the one or more active antenna circuits and at least one antenna circuit within the at least one resonance signal field to a sufficiently low level, wherein the sufficiently low level substantially prevents misreads from unwanted tags, to thereby track the multiple tags in a substantially controlled manner.

Abstract: A system and method for identification of RFID-tagged items includes one or more interrogator units communicating over a network, the interrogator unit comprising a hanger support upon which RFID-tagged items are stored, the hanger support further comprising one or more solenoid coils aligned with the hanger support's longitudinal axis. The system further includes a computer capable of communicating over the network and an inventory database indexable by item identification, including the ordering of the items on the hanger, and capable of communicating over the network. The method for identifying the stored items includes receiving RFID tag signals from the stored items, generating a null RFID interrogation field, and moving the null RFID interrogation field to identify an item by its RFID tag signal dropout in response to the null RFID interrogator field encompassing the item's RFID tag.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for identification of RFID-tagged items includes one or more interrogator units communicating over a network, the interrogator unit comprising a hanger support upon which RFID-tagged items are stored. The apparatus for identification of RFID tagged items includes a solenoid RFID interrogator antenna aligned with the longitudinal axis of an item hanger and a concentric RFID tag antenna wound around an opening in an item package that is hung from the item hanger.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to ennumerate an aggregate of a stored product. An RFID tag attached to a product is interrogated to determine the product's identity which implies the product's unit weight. A gross weight of the stored product is determined by load sensors associated with the platform or container holding the product to be enumerated. A unit quanity of the stored product is determined from the product's unit weight and the gross weight of the stored product.

Abstract: A variable focal length imaging device. The device has an image-sensing component and a variable focal length lens in visual cooperation with the image-sensing component. The variable focal length lens has a focal length that varies across its surface such that a different portion of the lens focuses, onto different regions of the sensing component, objects at different distances from the lens. In this fashion, the device is able to read symbols at varying distances from the device.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing images and barcodes. The apparatus has an image-sensing device and a lens having a variable-focal-length region and a substantially fixed-focal-length region. The variable-focal-length region focuses light onto a first region of the image-sensing device and the substantially fixed-focal-length region focuses light onto a second region of the image-sensing device. The variable-focal-length region varies such that different portions of that region of the lens focus objects at different distances from the lens in different areas of the first region of the image-sensing device. Thus, the device is able to focus, in the first region of the image-sensing device, objects at varying distances from the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing images and barcodes. The apparatus has an image-sensing device and a lens having a variable-focal-length region and a substantially fixed-focal-length region. The variable-focal-length region focuses light onto a first region of the image-sensing device and the substantially fixed-focal-length region focuses light onto a second region of the image-sensing device. The variable-focal-length region varies such that different portions of that region of the lens focus objects at different distances from the lens in different areas of the first region of the image-sensing device. Thus, the device is able to focus, in the first region of the image-sensing device, objects at varying distances from the apparatus.

Abstract: A variable focal length imaging device. The device has an image-sensing component and a variable focal length lens in visual cooperation with the image-sensing component. The variable focal length lens has a focal length that varies across its surface such that a different portion of the lens focuses, onto different regions of the sensing component, objects at different distances from the lens. In this fashion, the device is able to read symbols at varying distances from the device.