Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include radio frequency identification location systems and methods. In one embodiment, RF signals are transmitted from one or more RFID readers, and in accordance therewith, backscattered signals are received from a tag to be located. A plurality of measured position parameters are used to determine a location of the tag. One reader may transmit and three readers may receive signals to determine the position of a tag. In other embodiments, multiple readers may transmit and receive. One reader may transmit from different positions to locate a tag. Embodiments of the invention may be used to track a moving tag. A reader's position may be determined using GPS, reference tags, or the reader may be positioned in a known location. A map may be provided to a user to display the location or movement of a tag or a corresponding item.

Abstract: Provided is a relay device that comprises a plurality of antennas. In the relay device, selecting a first set of antennas of the plurality of antennas to establish a first link between the relay device and a source device, selecting a second set of antennas of the plurality of antennas to establish a second link between the relay device and a destination device, where the selection of the second set of antennas is based on at least one of a width of antenna pattern or a transmit power per antenna of the plurality of antennas. In the active mode, demodulating the received signal to obtain a demodulated signal, and transmitting the demodulated signal on the second link to the destination device, and in the passive mode, forwarding the received signal to the destination device on the second link without the demodulating of the received signal.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input signal from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input signal from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay signal corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The transceivers are configured based on at least one of measured power of the input signal or a distance between the device and the other device.

Abstract: A system comprising a relay device that establishes a first link between the relay device and a source device. Further, the relay device performs phase shifting of a signal by a different value for each element within a first set of antenna arrays in the plurality of antenna arrays corresponding to the first link. A mode of relay operation of the plurality of antenna arrays is selected based on an analysis of communication environment information from end-user application devices, the mode of relay operation being an active mode or a passive mode of operation. The relay device receives a data stream from the source device through the first link based on the selection of the mode of relay operation and is forwarded to the destination device through a second link between the relay device and a destination device based on a selection of the mode of relay operation.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input signal from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input signal from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay signal corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The transceivers are configured based on at least one of measured power of the input signal or a distance between the device and the other device.

Abstract: A communication device includes a master component and a plurality of slave components. The master component comprises an antenna. The plurality of slave components comprises a first antenna, a second antenna, and a frequency converter. The first antenna communicates with an external device by a beamforming operation on a first carrier frequency, and receives first signals from the external device. The second antenna communicates with the antenna of the master component by the beamforming operation on a second carrier frequency, and receives second signals from the master component. The frequency converter converts the first signals received through the second antenna from the second carrier frequency of the external device into the first carrier frequency of the first master component and converts the second signals received through the first antenna from the first carrier frequency of the first master component into the second carrier frequency of the external device.

Abstract: A system comprising a relay device that configures to a first beamforming setting for a first set of antenna arrays to establish a first link between the relay device and a source device, and a second beamforming setting to establish a second link between the relay device and a destination device. A data stream is processed based on a selection of one of a passive mode or an active mode of relay operation. In the passive mode, a received radio frequency waveform of the data stream is down-converted to an intermediate frequency waveform, re-amplified, and then up-converted for transmission without requiring any data demodulation, and in the active mode, the IF waveform is demodulated and then remodulated for the transmission. The data stream is forwarded to the destination device through the second link based on the selection of one of the passive or active mode.

Abstract: A system comprising a relay device that configures to a first beamforming setting for a first set of antenna arrays to establish a first link between the relay device and a source device, and a second beamforming setting to establish a second link between the relay device and a destination device. A data stream is processed based on a selection of one of a passive mode or an active mode of relay operation. In the passive mode, a received radio frequency waveform of the data stream is down-converted to an intermediate frequency waveform, re-amplified, and then up-converted for transmission without requiring any data demodulation, and in the active mode, the IF waveform is demodulated and then remodulated for the transmission. The data stream is forwarded to the destination device through the second link based on the selection of one of the passive or active mode.

Abstract: A system comprising a relay device that configures to a first beamforming setting for a first set of antenna arrays to establish a first link between the relay device and a source device, and a second beamforming setting to establish a second link between the relay device and a destination device. A data stream is processed based on a selection of one of a passive mode or an active mode of relay operation. In the passive mode, a received radio frequency waveform of the data stream is down-converted to an intermediate frequency waveform, re-amplified, and then up-converted for transmission without requiring any data demodulation, and in the active mode, the IF waveform is demodulated and then remodulated for the transmission. The data stream is forwarded to the destination device through the second link based on the selection of one of the passive or active mode.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for communicating location of a mobile device for hands-free payment may include a peer-to-peer ad-hoc network that comprises a plurality of mobile devices, a plurality of access points, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) devices. A first mobile device may determine its location coordinates and communicate them to a selected POS device via the peer to peer ad-hoc network. At least one of the plurality of mobile devices and/or the plurality of access points may be within a defined proximity of the selected POS device. In some instances, the first POS device may receive via one or more intermediate mobile devices in the peer-to-peer ad-hoc network, location coordinates and payment transaction information of a selected mobile device. At least one of the intermediate mobile devices maybe within a defined proximity of the first POS device.

Abstract: A decentralized communication device is provided that facilitates optimal positioning and orientation of one or more antennas for wireless communication with external devices. The decentralized communication device includes one or more master components and one or more slave components. The master and the slave components are physically separate and communicate wirelessly. In some embodiments the slave acts as a carrier frequency translator between the master and an external wireless device, where it communicates with the external device using a first frequency and communicates with the master using a second frequency which is different from the first frequency. In another embodiment the slave has most or all the physical layer to do the digital coding, digital modulation, data framing, data formatting and data packetization for communicating with an external device, in which case digital coding and digital modulation is distributed between the master and the slave.

Abstract: Systems and methods for locating radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags are described. In one embodiment, radiofrequency (RF) signals are transmitted from one or more RFID readers, and in accordance therewith, backscattered signals are received from a tag to be located. A plurality of measured position parameters are used to determine a location of the tag. In one embodiment, one reader may transmit and three readers may receive signals to determine the position of a tag. In other embodiments, multiple readers may transmit and receive. In another embodiment, one reader may transmit from different positions to locate a tag. Embodiments of the invention may be used to track a moving tag. A reader's position may be determined using GPS, reference tags, or the reader may be positioned in a known location. A map may be provided to a user to display the location or movement of a tag or a corresponding item.

Abstract: A method implemented in a relay device that comprises a plurality of antenna arrays, includes configuring first beamforming setting for first set of antenna arrays of the plurality of antenna arrays of the relay device to establish a first link between the relay device and a source device. A first data stream is received with a first beam pattern from the source device through the first link and a second data stream with a second beam pattern is forwarded to a destination device through second link without de-modulating the first data stream. The method further includes monitoring a first set of communication parameters associated with the first set of antenna arrays, where the first beamforming setting is configured based on the monitoring of the first set of communication parameters.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input data stream from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input data stream from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay data stream corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A method in a relay device that comprises a plurality of antenna arrays, includes configuring first beamforming setting for first set of antenna arrays of the plurality of antenna arrays of the relay device to establish a first link between the relay device and a source device. A first data stream is received with a first beam pattern from the source device through the first link and a second data stream with a second beam pattern is forwarded to a destination device through second link without de-modulating the first data stream. The method includes phase shifting, by antenna array of the plurality of antenna arrays, an incoming signal stream and an outgoing signal stream by a different value for each element within the first set of antenna arrays to minimize an interference between the incoming signal stream and the outgoing signal stream, respectively, through the phase shifting.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for communicating location of a mobile device for hands-free payment may include a peer-to-peer ad-hoc network that comprises a plurality of mobile devices, a plurality of access points, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) devices. A first mobile device may determine its location coordinates and communicate them to a selected POS device via the peer to peer ad-hoc network. At least one of the plurality of mobile devices and/or the plurality of access points may be within a defined proximity of the selected POS device. In some instances, the first POS device may receive via one or more intermediate mobile devices in the peer-to-peer ad-hoc network, location coordinates and payment transaction information of a selected mobile device. At least one of the intermediate mobile devices maybe within a defined proximity of the first POS device.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input data stream from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input data stream from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay data stream corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input data stream from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input data stream from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay data stream corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input data stream from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input data stream from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay data stream corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A decentralized communication device is provided that facilitates optimal positioning and orientation of one or more antennas for wireless communication with external devices. The decentralized communication device includes one or more master components and one or more slave components. The master and the slave components are physically separate and communicate wirelessly. In some embodiments the slave acts as a carrier frequency translator between the master and an external wireless device, where it communicates with the external device using a first frequency and communicates with the master using a second frequency which is different from the first frequency. In another embodiment the slave has most or all the physical layer to do the digital coding, digital modulation, data framing, data formatting and data packetization for communicating with an external device, in which case digital coding and digital modulation is distributed between the master and the slave.