Abstract: A mobile telephone of an advertiser broadcasts an advertisement over a wireless short range piconet link to a mobile telephone of a consumer. The advertisement is broadcast with a predetermined set of classification tags. The consumer phone has a filter set to accept only certain advertisements. When an advertisement of interest is received by the consumer phone it requests further details automatically via the piconet link and the advertiser phone provides the further details automatically via the piconet link. The consumer phone replies to the advertisement by sending a reply message to a broker device that changes (i.e., modifies or augments the reply message text) and communicates the changed reply message to the advertiser.

Abstract: A detector for detecting the presence of a memory tag, the detector comprising a radio frequency source operable to generate a radio frequency signal and a detector resonant circuit part connected to the radio frequency source, the detector resonant circuit part comprising an antenna, the detector further comprising a power monitor responsive to the power of a reflected signal returned from the detector resonant circuit part, the power monitor being operable to generate an output in response to the power of the reflected signal, wherein a decrease in the power of the reflected signal indicates the presence of a tag in the vicinity of the antenna.

Abstract: Embodiments relating to a memory tag having a resonant circuit part and a non-volatile memory is presented. The resonant circuit part can be made operable, in response to a reader signal received from a reader, to provide power to the memory, the tag being operable to read the memory and transmit data stored in the memory in response to the signal from the reader. The data is stored in the memory in a plurality of data units, with each data unit having an associated sequence number. The tag is operable to store the sequence number of the data unit to be transmitted in a register in the non-volatile memory. When power is supplied to the memory, the data units are transmitted in sequence, where the first data unit to be transmitted depends on the stored sequence number.

Abstract: A method of annotating an item with electronic data is described which comprises securing a memory tag to the item, the memory tag having a memory and a transponder to enable wireless communication with the memory tag, and having an external dimension D. The memory tag is adapted for wireless communication only with a transceiver located within a distance of 10D of the memory tag. Also described is apparatus for annotating an item with electronic data wherein the apparatus comprises a memory tag which in use is secured to the item, and a transceiver for wireless communication with the memory tag. The memory tag includes a memory and a transponder, and has an external dimension D. The memory tag and transceiver are adapted for wireless communication therebetween only when the transceiver is located within a distance of 10D of the memory tag.

Abstract: In order to find locally relevant information in a physical or electronic document (71), such as a guide book, which a user (70) already possesses, the user contacts a service system (40) over a mobile radio infrastructure (10). The service system (40) is provided both with the identity of the document and the location of the user. The service system (40) accesses a database (44) that correlates location to a document reference, such as a page number, where relevant information can be found in the document (71). The document reference is returned to the user (70).

Abstract: Location data about a mobile entity (20) is provided in encrypted form by a location server (79) to a recipient that is one of the mobile entity (20) or a service system (40) usable by the mobile entity. The location data (P) is encrypted such that it can only to be decrypted using a secret available to a decryption entity (80) that is not under the control of the recipient. This permits location data (P) to be provided in a confidential manner to service systems (40) and also protects billing relationships between participants. A mechanism is also described for limiting the accuracy of decrypted location data (L) made available to a service system (40).

Abstract: Apparatus for data printing and data writing to a memory tag on or in a base medium is described. The apparatus includes a print head for printing onto the base medium, and a memory tag write device for data writing to the memory tags on or in the base medium. The base medium is moved along a first axis through or past the apparatus. At least a part of the memory tag write device required for communication with the memory tags is moveable relative to the base medium back and forth along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The print head may be moveable relative to the base medium such that it moves back and forth along a third axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, depending on the printing technology concerned.

Abstract: Access to a wireless data network to nodes located in a defined operational area is limited by transmitting a network signal within the defined operational area while transmitting a wave that can cause destructive interference with the network signal into a prohibited area adjacent to the defined operational area. The wave that can cause destructive interference is produced by phase and/or amplitude modulating the network signal. The modulation of the network signal includes sweeping the phase and/or amplitude.

Abstract: A security document, comprises a printed document and one or more memory circuits adapted to be read wirelessly attached to or incorporated within the printed document, wherein data in the memory circuit is protected from access by an unauthorised reader, and wherein the memory circuit is physically isolated so as to inhibit physical tampering or to indicate when physical tampering has occurred. Methods of publishing and of reading such security documents are described.

Abstract: A published document comprises a printed document and at least one memory attached to the printed document, wherein said at least one memory comprises an electrical circuit without an integral power source but may be powered wirelessly so that it may transmit information wirelessly, wherein at least a portion of the information stored in the published document for display to the user is provided in said at least one memory. A method of viewing information in such a published document comprises viewing information printed in the printed document, powering the memory circuit with a reader device to transmit information stored in the memory circuit to the reader device wirelessly, and displaying the information stored in the memory circuit by means of the reader device for viewing by the user. An appropriate reader device and method for publishing the document are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data transfer system and a method of data transfer. The invention aims to provide a high bandwidth channel between a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone and a network storing data, such as the Internet. A standard public land mobile network (PLMN) is used to notify the mobile device that there is data on the network awaiting download. The mobile device user then moves to within range of a high bandwidth short range (HBSR) base station to download the data more quickly than is possible over the PLMN.

Abstract: A detector for detecting the presence of a memory tag, the detector comprising a radio frequency source operable to generate a radio frequency signal and a detector resonant circuit part connected to the radio frequency source, the detector resonant circuit comprising an antenna, the detector further comprising a power monitor responsive to the power of a reflected signal returned from the detector resonant circuit part, the power monitor being operable to generate an output in response to the power of the reflected signal, wherein a decrease in the power of the reflected signal indicates the presence of a tag in the vicinity of the antenna.

Abstract: A memory tag responsive to a signal generated by a reader, the tag comprising a resonant circuit part having a resonant frequency, the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit part being variable in accordance with data to be transmitted being variable to transmit data to the reader.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for annotating an item with electronic data secures a memory tag to the item. The memory tag has a memory and a transponder to enable wireless communication with the memory tag, and has an external dimension D. The memory tag is adapted for wireless communication only with a transceiver located within a distance of 10D of the memory tag.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing and memory tag application onto a base medium includes a print head for printing onto the base medium, and a memory tag dispenser movable relative to the base medium for applying memory tags to the base medium. The print head may also be moveable relative to the base medium.

Abstract: Embodiments enable controlling a proximity transaction between first and second communications devices, each of which is provided with a short-range transceiver. In an exemplary embodiment, the first communications device has an RF/ID reader, and the second communications device has an RF/ID tag, the RF/ID tag containing the same identifier information as the second communications device. The second communications device is positioned within the range of the reader of the first communications device. Then, the transceiver of the second communications device transmits a transaction request and the identifies information of that device to the first communications device. The reader of the first communications device then interrogates the tag of the second communications device and the transaction is completed upon the reader of the first communications device receiving identifier information from the tag of the second communications device that is identical to the identifier information already received.

Abstract: A co-operative network includes a first device that advertises resources it has available for sharing and a second device that requests at least part of the available resources of the first device. The devices co-operatively execute a task using the shared resources of the first device and the resources of the second device.

Abstract: Location information about a communicating entity (41), in particular a mobile entity, is derived by identifying intermediate nodes (42) along the communication path being used by the entity, and then looking up, in a database (44), the geographic significance of at least one of these nodes when considered in a direction along the communication path towards the entity of interest. Preferably, account is taken of any identified downstream/upstream nodes to refine the geographic significance of a node. The geographic significance information can be compiled by taking location fixes at a plurality of endpoint locations and associating the location data thus obtained with the intermediate nodes traversed when communication is effected from the corresponding endpoint locations.

Abstract: A memory tag has a non-volatile memory in which in use data is stored, an antenna coil and power supply circuit such that in use the memory tag is powered by inductive coupling. The memory tag also has a sensor for receipt of transmitted light carrying input signals and a processor for processing of the received input signals, and a modulation circuit for overlay of output signals onto the power supply circuit. A read/write device, for communication with the memory tag has a signal generator, an antenna coil and a power supply circuit for powering the memory tag in use by inductive coupling. The read/write device further includes a light emitter for emission of the light carrying the input signals to the memory tag, and a demodulation circuit for retrieval of the output signals from the inductive coupling.

Abstract: The presence of persons is detected, for example, by detecting short-range communication devices carried by the detected persons. The interests of the detected persons are then determined by reference to specific interests transmitted by the user devices and/or by reference to customer profile data. The discovered interests of the current detected persons are then used to select content for display on an electronic display during a next display slot. The display is spaced from the zone in which the persons are detected, being located at a downstream location through which most of the detected persons will pass.