Abstract: The present invention relates to a storage card having selectable contact elements a terminal capable of receiving said storage card and method of its operation. The storage card with selectable contact elements, comprises an interface having a plurality of contact elements, a storage card controller, being connected to at least a subset of said contact elements, a storage memory device, being connected to said storage card controller, a switching unit, that is connected to said storage card controller and to at least one of said contact elements of said interface, wherein said storage card controller is connected to said switching unit to controllably select said at least one contact element.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to devices and methods and systems for controlling a reactive power contribution to reactive power flowing in an electricity distribution network, so as to optimise this reactive power flow. Conventional methods of controlling reactive power flow focus on minimising a reactive power contribution by power provision and power consumption devices connected to the electricity distribution network, in accordance with, for example, regulations governing a maximum allowed power factor and/or under the control of a central controlling entity. However, such methods are slow to react to changing network conditions, and do not take account of local variations in reactive power. In an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a reactive power control device for use with a power consumption and/or provision device.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method for controlling a mobile terminal device is provided, wherein said device comprises a smartcard module and a near field communication module. In a first operation a smartcard operation on said mobile terminal device is started which results in an activation or switching on of said smartcard module. The smartcard application may be started by a user or based on the location of said mobile terminal device. That is the case for instance if the mobile terminal device is located in the area of a point of sales terminal, the smartcard application will automatically starts. Further, time controlled starting of certain applications is conceivable. Then it may be determined if said started smartcard application is an application for performing data transactions with external entities and in case of an affirmative determination a connection between said smartcard module and said NFC-module will be activated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring and/or managing power consumption by power units connected to an electricity distribution network are disclosed. Power flow to and/or from a power unit connected to an electricity distribution network is controlled in accordance with a control sequence, such that the consumption and/or provision of power by the power unit results in a power flow having a predefined flow pattern, and having a characteristic, such as an amplitude, which can be remotely measured. This measurement may be performed using a method in which a signal indicative of power flowing at a measurement node is measured and correlated with a predefined pattern, and a characteristic of the correlated signal is measured. Thus, power flow characteristics resulting from a group of one or more power flow devices can be remotely detected and measured.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for locating available information and services/applications via mobile terminals radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. At least one transponder is provided, having at least an application identifier and associated content, at a location that is accessible to mobile terminal users. The transponder is activated via a wireless signal transmitted by the mobile terminal. The application identifier and content from the activated transponder are received at the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is physically located within a wireless transmission range of the transponder. In response, an application identified at least in part by the application identifier is invoked on the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A terminal for interacting with a signaling tag includes a controller capable of selecting a signaling tag and thereafter receiving a tag type from the signaling tag at least partially over an air interface. The controller is also capable of determining if the terminal is actively operating an application. In this regard, the controller is capable of performing a predefined action based upon the tag type, such as based upon a tag type of “Read Only,” “Read/Write” or “Transceiver in Show Mode.” And when the controller is actively operating an application, the controller is capable of performing the predefined action further based upon the application and a state of the application.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for supporting multiple reader-tag configurations and reader-tag distances using a single multi-mode tag. A multi-mode radio frequency (RF) transponder is provided, which includes operational tag circuitry configured to provide information in response to being activated by a reader device(s). Multiple antenna circuits are coupled to the operational tag circuitry, where each of the antenna circuits is configured to operate at a different reader-tag distance. At least one disabling circuit is coupled to the operational tag circuitry and to at least one of the antenna circuits, where the disabling circuit is configured to disable operation of at least one of the antenna circuits to which it is coupled.

Abstract: A terminal for interacting with a signaling tag includes a controller capable of selecting a signaling tag and thereafter receiving a tag type from the signaling tag at least partially over an air interface. The controller is also capable of determining if the terminal is actively operating an application. In this regard, the controller is capable of performing a predefined action based upon the tag type, such as based upon a tag type of “Read Only,” “Read/Write” or “Transceiver in Show Mode.” And when the controller is actively operating an application, the controller is capable of performing the predefined action further based upon the application and a state of the application.

Abstract: A terminal for interacting with a signaling tag includes a controller capable of selecting a signaling tag and thereafter receiving a tag type from the signaling tag at least partially over an air interface. The controller is also capable of determining if the terminal is actively operating an application. In this regard, the controller is capable of performing a predefined action based upon the tag type, such as based upon a tag type of “Read Only,” “Read/Write” or “Transceiver in Show Mode.” And when the controller is actively operating an application, the controller is capable of performing the predefined action further based upon the application and a state of the application.

Abstract: A terminal for interacting with a signaling tag includes a controller capable of receiving information regarding a signaling tag at least partially over an air interface. The controller is also capable of determining whether the controller is actively operating an application. In this regard, if the terminal is actively operating an application, the controller is capable of performing a predefined action based upon the application and a state of the application.

Abstract: A near field RF communicator (100) has an inductive coupler (102) and a first signal provider (109, 110, 111) to cause the inductive coupler to provide a first signal that when inductively coupled to the inductive coupler of another near field RF communicator in near field range is insufficient to cause initiation of communication with that other near field RF communicator A sensor (116) senses a change in an impedance of the inductive coupler (102) due to inductive coupling of the first signal between the inductive couplers of the said near field RF communicator and a said other near field RF communicator in near field range.

Abstract: An NFC communicator has a coupler operable to couple with a coupler of a near field RF communicator in near field range to enable communication of data between the communicators by modulation of a magnetic field, a demodulator to extract modulation from a modulated signal coupled to the coupler, and a modulator to modulate an RF signal in accordance with data to be communicated by the NFC communicator. The NFC communicator communicates with a data source and is arranged to at least one of provide timing data to the data source and receive timing data from the data source.

Abstract: A communications device has a near field RF communicator (15) having a coupler (17) to couple with a coupler of a near field RF communicator or NFC communicator in near field range to enable communication of data between the communicators by modulation of a magnetic field, and a modulator (43) to modulate an RF signal in accordance with data to be communicated by the near field RF communicator. The device also has at least one secure element (31) separate from the near field RF communicator (15) to provide secure data storage for transaction data representing or relating to a transaction.

Abstract: A method and system locate a transponder that has an associated identifier and content data, at a location substantially accessible to a user of the mobile terminal. The transponder is activated by the mobile terminal with a wireless signal. In response, the mobile terminal receives at least the identifier and the content data from the activated transponder at the mobile terminal. From the received identifier and/or content data, the method and system select one or more of the stored data items according to one or more criteria.

Abstract: A mobile station for managing context-related information includes at least one sensor capable of measuring at least a portion of at least one condition of the mobile station. The mobile station also includes a context engine capable of storing context-related information based upon the portion of the condition(s), where the context engine is also capable of managing an exchange of the context-related information with at least one context consumer. The mobile station further includes a privacy engine, a script engine and a communication manager. The privacy engine can provide security and/or privacy to the exchange of the context-related information. The script engine can execute at least one context rule relating to at least a portion of the context-related information. And the communication manager can communicate with at least one context consumer external to the mobile station for the exchange of context-related information.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for facilitating the initiation/execution of mobile services using radio frequency transponders. Transponders or “tags” having information associated therewith are provided at a location accessible to a mobile device user. A visual representation is associated with each of the transponders, where each visual representation corresponds to a communication function to be performed. A transponder is activated via a wireless signal transmitted by the mobile device in response to the mobile device being positioned proximate the visual representation associated with the transponder. The information from the activated transponder is received at the mobile device, which in turn invokes a mobile device application identified at least in part by the information received by the mobile device. The function corresponding to the visual representation is performed in response to invoking the mobile device application.

Abstract: A RF-ID based wireless terminal includes a reader device with transponder functionality implementing ECMA 340 standard for near field communication and has shortened session set-up and user identification. The reader device is operable in an active communication mode or a passive communication mode. During the active mode, one RF-ID tag reader simulates a RF-ID tag while the other simulates a RF-ID tag reader. The reader includes a transponder, which operates during periods of time when the reader is not energized. A radio frequency interface provides signal for operation of the reader in the reader operation mode or transponder mode of operation. An RF-ID reader upon receiving a response signal from a semi-passive or active RF-ID tag of reader emulating a tag informs the terminal CPU which instructs the short-range communication to enter e.g. a page scanning mode which shortens session set-up time and user identification.

Abstract: A wireless near-field communications device is disclosed which comprises a first and a second near-field inductive coupling member, each of said first and second coupling member arranged to have a different coupling configuration from each other.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method for controlling a mobile terminal device is provided, wherein said device comprises a smartcard module and a near field communication module. In a first operation a smartcard operation on said mobile terminal device is started which results in an activation or switching on of said smartcard module. The smartcard application may be started by a user or based on the location of said mobile terminal device. That is the case for instance if the mobile terminal device is located in the area of a point of sales terminal, the smartcard application will automatically starts. Further, time controlled starting of certain applications is conceivable. Then it may be determined if said started smartcard application is an application for performing data transactions with external entities and in case of an affirmative determination a connection between said smartcard module and said NFC-module will be activated.

Abstract: A method for reading a code, which code comprises code elements and the first part of the code elements is substantially conductive and the conductivity of the second part is substantially different from that of the first part, in which method the reader couples to the code in a capacitive manner, in which case the signal level of the signal formed by the reader varies according to the conductivity of the code element, and a correction factor is determined of at least one code element for correcting the signal. In addition, the invention relates to a code reader and electric ink.