Abstract: In a tag communication system, a method includes determining range information representative of a distance between two tags, and estimating parameter information representative of backscatter signals of a marker tag and an asset tag. A tag is localized according to the range information and the parameter information to provide a localized tag. The range information is determined according to a beacon signal. The system includes a plurality of beacon signals and the method further includes determining the range information according to at least two of the beacon signals. A logical operation is performed on the range information of the two beacon signals. A further beacon signal has a plurality of signal ranges and the range information is determined according to the signal ranges. A logical operation is performed on the range information of the signal ranges.

Abstract: A system for radio frequency identification of a tag in an interrogation zone, includes a calibration node disposed in the interrogation zone to measure a signal strength of radio frequency identification signals from a beamforming system and provide signal data in accordance with the signal strength. A reader node is configured to receive the signal data and adjust the radio frequency identification signals generated by the beamforming system based upon the signal data. At least one of the calibration node, the reader node and the beamforming system is a configurable monitoring system. The calibration node, the reader node, and the beamforming system are coupled in a feedback control loop. The beamforming system includes a plurality of beamforming nodes. A signal of at least one beamforming node is optimized in accordance with the feedback control loop.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of detecting out-of-stock conditions for retail products, and for dynamically updating associated replenishment plans, sales forecasts, and event scripts for product stocking events such as turn stock products, promotional products, new product introductions and modular resets. The invention accesses RFID data associated with product stocking events for identifying product movements in a retail supply chain and within a retail store. The invention optionally accesses point-of-sale and perpetual inventory data for detecting out-of-stock conditions. The invention also includes a method for dynamically improving product layout and optimized planograms based on out-of-stock velocity detection.

Abstract: A system for radio frequency identification of a tag in an interrogation zone, includes a calibration node disposed in the interrogation zone to measure a signal strength of radio frequency identification signals from a beamforming system and provide signal data in accordance with the signal strength. A reader node is configured to receive the signal data and adjust the radio frequency identification signals generated by the beamforming system based upon the signal data. At least one of the calibration node, the reader node and the beamforming system is a configurable monitoring system. The calibration node, the reader node, and the beamforming system are coupled in a feedback control loop. The beamforming system includes a plurality of beamforming nodes. A signal of at least one beamforming node is optimized in accordance with the feedback control loop.

Abstract: In a tag communication system, a method includes determining range information representative of a distance between two tags, and estimating parameter information representative of backscatter signals of a marker tag and an asset tag. A tag is localized according to the range information and the parameter information to provide a localized tag. The range information is determined according to a beacon signal. The system includes a plurality of beacon signals and the method further includes determining the range information according to at least two of the beacon signals. A logical operation is performed on the range information of the two beacon signals. A further beacon signal has a plurality of signal ranges and the range information is determined according to the signal ranges. A logical operation is performed on the range information of the signal ranges.

Abstract: A method for creating a parameterization of an input surface in a 3-D computer graphics system comprises specifying a plurality of boundary curves on the surface that define a patch of the surface. The boundary curves are typically specified using a user-interactive curve editing procedure, but may also be specified automatically. Similarly, a feature curve is specified on the surface. The method then automatically generates a parameterization of the patch such that a discretized higher order energy functional defined on the surface is minimized subject to the constraint that iso-curves of the parameterization are attracted to follow the feature curve. The method is useful for converting dense irregular polygon meshes into surface models suitable for interactive modification and animation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for drawing and manipulating curves on polygon mesh surfaces possesses a built in surface constraint that provides a better intuition for the shape and position of a curve than conventional unconstrained three dimensional space curves. The method includes storing the following graphical data structures in a memory: a 2-D polygon mesh embedded in a 3-D ambient space, a 1-D face point curve v embedded in the 2-D polygon mesh, a first-order curve weighting function &agr;, and a second-order curve weighting function &bgr;. The method also comprises computing a displacement dv of the face point curve v to produce a displaced face point curve v′=v+dv, wherein v′ is embedded in the 2-D polygon mesh, and wherein the displacement dv is computed in dependence upon &agr; and &bgr;. A rendered representation of the polygon mesh and the displaced face point curve are then displayed.

Abstract: A method for creating a smooth parameterization and fitting it to an input surface in a 3-D computer graphics system comprises specifying a plurality of boundary curves on the surface that define a patch of the surface. The boundary curves are typically specified using a user-interactive curve editing procedure, but may also be specified automatically. The method then automatically generates a parameterization of the patch such that a discretized higher order energy functional defined on the surface is minimized. The method further comprises the step of fitting a smooth surface to the input surface, where the smooth surface has a parameterization as generated in the previous step. The fitting and parameterization steps are independently controlled to give the user a high degree of flexibility and control over both steps. The method is useful for converting dense irregular polygon meshes into surface models suitable for interactive modification and animation.