Abstract: A distance measurement system includes: an irradiating means for irradiating two coherent electromagnetic waves having frequencies different from each other to an object under measurement in a partially displacing manner while having a same area; an electromagnetic wave detecting means for detecting electromagnetic waves from at least two or more areas on the object under measurement with a boundary line being interposed therebetween to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the displacement direction; a signal generating means for generating a difference signal or a summation signal of respective outputs of the electromagnetic waves detected in the electromagnetic wave detecting means at symmetrical positions with respect to the boundary line; and a measuring means for obtaining a phase difference or intensity difference of the difference signal or summation signal to obtain measurement values.

Abstract: A radio communication apparatus stores, in a pattern storing unit, channel pattern data indicating radio channel switching order for searching for a free channel and stores switching condition data for the radio channel in a condition storing unit. A control unit of the radio communication apparatus switches, when the switching condition data stored in the condition storing unit is satisfied, the radio channel according to the switching order indicated by the channel pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus disposed on a shopping cart, comprises a display section; an input section; a position acquiring section of the shopping; a detecting section configured to detect the moving or the stopping of the shopping cart; a counting section configured to count a duration time of the stop state of the shopping cart while the detecting section detects the stopping of the shopping cart; an operation-lock control section configured to read a standby time and limit the display operation of the display section and the accepting operation of the input section.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a shopping cart includes a cart, a display, a registration and a display control unit. The cart configured to convey commodities. The display mounted on the cart. The registration unit configured to register a customer who operates the cart. The display control unit configured to display on the display premium infatuation indicating premium which is offered to the customer registered by the registration unit within the premiums offered to customers when purchasing commodity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an article search system includes an information processing terminal, and a storage unit. The storage unit stores a salesfloor map of a store and article information and a display position of an article sold. The information processing terminal includes a display unit, an operation unit, a first control section, and a second control section. The first control section causes the display unit to display the salesfloor map stored in the storage unit. The second control section, when a selling space included in the salesfloor map displayed on the display unit is designated by operating the operation unit, causes the display unit to display the article information of an article whose display position is the selling space stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: An article sales data processing apparatus comprises a first reading unit configured to read an article identification code from a first medium attached to an article, a second reading unit configured to read the article identification code from a second medium attached to the article, a determination unit configured to determine whether the article identification code is the code read by the first reading unit or the code read by the second reading unit, and a control unit configured to separately display, on a display unit, article sales data obtained from the article identification code determined to have been read by the first reading unit and article sales data obtained from the article identification code determined to have been read by the second reading unit.

Abstract: An article sales data processing apparatus comprises a wireless tag reading unit configured to read data in a wireless tag attached to an article, a processing unit configured to process sales data for the article sold as one transaction, on the basis of the data in the wireless tag read in the wireless tag reading unit, a judgment unit configured to judge whether to invalidate each of the wireless tags whose data has been read in the wireless tag reading unit, and an invalidation unit configured to invalidate the wireless tag judged to be invalidated by the judgment unit.

Abstract: Upon receiving a command for writing data to a transponder, a reading unit performs radio communication with the transponder to which data should be written, thereby reading, in non-contact fashion, a data item stored in the transponder. A collating unit collates the data read by the reading unit with a data item to be written to the transponder. A control unit performs radio communication with the transponder, thereby writing the data item to the transponder, when the data items are not identical, and skips the writing of the data item when the data items are identical.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication control unit controlling communication of a radio communication device with a data carrier transmitting a signal including communication distance information regarding a communication distance; an output variable control unit varying transmission output of the radio communication device; and a data carrier determination unit determining that the data carrier having a short communication distance is valid as the transmission output is large, and determining that the data carrier having a long communication distance is valid as the transmission output is small.

Abstract: Upon receiving a command for writing data to a transponder, a reading unit performs radio communication with the transponder to which data should be written, thereby reading, in non-contact fashion, a data item stored in the transponder. A collating unit collates the data read by the reading unit with a data item to be written to the transponder. A control unit performs radio communication with the transponder, thereby writing the data item to the transponder, when the data items are not identical, and skips the writing of the data item when the data items are identical.

Abstract: Query signals to one or more wireless tags are transmitted via radio communication, and a distance to a wireless tag to be retrieved is informed according to strength of a response signal from the wireless tag to be retrieved, which is included in the response signals transmitted from the one or more wireless tags via radio communication.

Abstract: A radio-communication apparatus carries out movement of a dielectric element toward an antenna of RFID reader/writer when the RFID reader/writer cannot perform within a predetermined time radio-communication with a data carrier mounted on the RFID label that is arranged on a rolled base sheet passing between the dielectric element and the antenna. The movement is performed step by step to stop the dielectric element at positions at each of which the radio-communication is executed until the reader/writer can perform radio-communication with the data carrier within the predetermined time at any one of the positions.

Abstract: A radio communication apparatus stores, in a pattern storing unit, channel pattern data indicating radio channel switching order for searching for a free channel and stores switching condition data for the radio channel in a condition storing unit. A control unit of the radio communication apparatus switches, when the switching condition data stored in the condition storing unit is satisfied, the radio channel according to the switching order indicated by the channel pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit.

Abstract: Query signals to one or more wireless tags are transmitted via radio communication, and a distance to a wireless tag to be retrieved is informed according to strength of a response signal from the wireless tag to be retrieved, which is included in the response signals transmitted from the one or more wireless tags via radio communication.

Abstract: A radio communication device detects a reception sensitivity in receiving tag identification information to be responded from radio tags. The device determines whether or not the detected reception sensitivity is not lower than a preset threshold. The device makes the radio tags, of which the reception sensitivity in receiving tag identification information is not lower than the threshold, effective to perform prescribed processing.