Capacitive Patents (Class 235/451)
  • Patent number: 11201740
    Abstract: A control system includes a reader device including a transceiver for scanning scan for ephemeral ID signals, for detecting an ephemeral ID signal from a smart-device of a user not permanently associated with the user, for outputting to the smart device, reader data, in response to the ephemeral ID signal, and for receiving from the smart-device a first authorization server token, a processor coupled to the transceiver for determining whether the first token is valid, and for determining user data in a payload portion of the first token, a transmitter for transmitting the user data to a peripheral control unit, wherein a data protocol is selected from a group consisting of: Wiegand and OSDP, and the peripheral control unit for directing a peripheral device to perform a user-perceptible action in response to the user data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Proxy, Inc.
    Inventors: Denis Mars, Andrew Tam
  • Patent number: 11188871
    Abstract: A wireless tag system includes: a tag signal antenna configured to receive a tag signal transmitted from a wireless transmission tag; and a communication area shaping antenna configured to transmit a reception area shaping signal for narrowing an area in which the tag signal antenna can communicate with the wireless transmission tag, wherein the tag signal antenna and the communication area shaping antenna are arranged for each prescribed product unit in a group of products that are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Uchimura, Hiroshi Takahashi, Masato Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11182038
    Abstract: An encoded data pattern touchscreen sensing system includes an encoded data pattern including one or more electrical materials arranged in a pattern representative of data. The encoded data pattern touchscreen sensing system further includes an encoded data pattern touchscreen sensing computing device including: a touchscreen, a plurality of electrodes integrated into the touchscreen, and a plurality of drive-sense circuits coupled to the plurality of electrodes, where, when in close proximity to the encoded data pattern, the plurality of drive-sense circuits detect changes in electrical characteristics of the plurality of electrodes caused by the encoded data pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: SigmaSense, LLC.
    Inventors: Daniel Keith Van Ostrand, Gerald Dale Morrison, Richard Stuart Seger, Jr., Timothy W. Markison, Patricia Markison Healy
  • Patent number: 11157894
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to transaction cards, and more particularly to contactless transaction system and method thereof using contactless transaction card. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a user-friendly system and method that provides a system and method to perform financial transaction at ATM and/or POS centers without inserting or tapping the card. In an embodiment, the objective of the present disclosure is to perform financial transactions at ATM's without inserting or tapping the bank card using Mid-Range Communication (MFC) technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventor: Swarna Kumari Adari
  • Patent number: 11151826
    Abstract: A system for limiting access to confidential information including storage circuitry for storing the confidential information. An access enabling circuit allows access to the storage circuitry in response to a first level of an enabling signal. A processor generates the enabling signal for a predetermined amount of time in response to sensing of a change of a predetermined value that is produced in response to an act by a person responsible for the confidentiality of the confidential information. The enabling signal assumes a second level after the predetermined amount of time to block access to the storage circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Prasanna Parthasarathy, Michael L Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11144741
    Abstract: An arrangement for tracking and recording movement of articles between a security enclosure and remote locations which includes releasably retaining the articles in a panel assembly, an electronics panel having a reader for tracking and recording movement of at least one article when the at least one article is moved relative to the panel assembly, taking an article having a unique article identifier and placing the article in a home location via a field of detection of the reader, storing the identity of the article and data indicative of the history and location of the article, allowing authorised users to initiate communications with the security enclosure to determine and track the location and history of movement of the article via an electronic user initiated input device application and creating a record indicative of the movements of the article between a location in said enclosure and remote locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: LOCKIT SYSTEMS PTY. LTD
    Inventor: Richard Gould
  • Patent number: 11132675
    Abstract: An electronic payment system includes a wallet server storing account details of one or more payment schemes with which a user has an account; a mobile application operable to indicate to the wallet server which of the one or more payment schemes is to be pre-authorized for a transaction; and a payment card conforming to a payment card standard. Operating the payment card to effect a financial transaction effects a financial transaction using the payment scheme indicated to the wallet server by the mobile application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Inventor: Simon Hewitt
  • Patent number: 11093638
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing user privacy information in a distributed fashion are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include receiving an identity with device information that is less sensitive and user information that is more sensitive. The user information may then be encrypted and stored on a repository, and indications of the encrypted device information and the encrypted user information may be stored on a distributed ledger. The method may further include enforcing a first access policy on the encrypted device information and a second access policy on encrypted user information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: ONLINE MEDIA HOLDINGS LTD
    Inventors: Jonathan Barouch, Peter Williams
  • Patent number: 11087102
    Abstract: A UHF RFID system is disclosed in which an RFID transponder or tag can be simultaneously powered and interrogated by multiple RFID transceivers. The architecture of the system is such that each transceiver generates its own carrier wave, with a frequency that might be equal to or different from the other units, and the interrogation data is distributed throughout a network of transceivers and modulated by each transceiver unit onto their own carrier waves. During an interrogation period, one or more of the transceivers will be configured as the master unit, generating and distributing the protocols commands. The other units can be configured as transmitters, receivers or transceivers. After each period the units may be given different roles. The proposed setup yields a system with the capability to power and interrogate RFID tags with multiple readers, without compromising the required modulation depth and protocol handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: N.V. NEDERLANDSCHE APPARATENFABRIEK NEDAP
    Inventors: Paul Jasper Compaijen, Maarten Jacobus Johannes van Megen, Berend Hendrik Essink, Reinbrand Gerhard Jaakob Frans Ottokar Johanan van Lakwijk
  • Patent number: 11088726
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a detection method or device, by a first NFC device generating an electromagnetic field for recharging a battery of a second NFC device, of a disruptive condition, in which thresholds (MHTH, MLTH, PHTH, PLTH) for detection of a variation of the field are adjusted in real time during the recharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventor: Alexandre Tramoni
  • Patent number: 11087195
    Abstract: Memory cards having a nano card form factor configured according to different card standards. The nano card have a pair of opposed surfaces having a length and width of a nano SIM card in which a first group of interface pads on one of the opposed surfaces configured to mate with contact pins of a host device card slot operating per a PCIe memory card standard and a second group of interface pads configured to mate with contact pins of a host device card slot operating per a second memory card standard different than the PCIe memory card standard. The nano cards have patterns of pads allowing for vertical and horizontal insertion to a host device card slot being backward compatible with legacy host device card slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoseph Pinto, Shajith Musaliar Sirajudeen
  • Patent number: 11068419
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed concerning secure access to data in a computing device. In one embodiment, a computing device includes a communication interface, a memory, a memory controller, and a security processor. The communication interface may communicate with a different computing device. The security processor may generate a host key in response to a successful authentication of the different computing device, and then encrypt a memory key using the host key. The security processor may also send the encrypted memory key to the memory controller, and send the host key to the different computing device. The host key may be included by the different computing device in a subsequent memory request to access data in the memory. The memory controller may, in response to the subsequent memory request, use the included host key to decrypt the encrypted memory key and use the decrypted memory key to access the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Josh P. de Cesare, Wade Benson, Fabrice L. Gautier, Kaiehu Kaahaaina
  • Patent number: 11068762
    Abstract: A dual code authentication process combining a visible QR code with an invisible randomly generated code which can be alpha, numeric, symbol or image that can only be read with a reading device. A data generation engine is used to create the generated code which is assigned to the QR code and stored in a cloud based database. The QR code is decodable by a handheld reading device which communicates with the cloud based database releasing a copy of the generated code to the reading device. A reader is then used to decode the invisible printed code wherein the user can compare the printed code on the document and the code stored on the cloud based database to determine a match and authenticity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: VerifyMe, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Goldstein, Patrick White
  • Patent number: 11062193
    Abstract: An encoding module and related systems and components are provided. The encoding module includes a plurality of encoding elements arranged in an array of columns and rows and one or more switching elements configured to selectively connect the encoding elements to a reader. The connection of the encoding elements may be based on the location of a targeted transponder disposed among multiple adjacent transponders to ensure the selective communication with the targeted transponder only. The module is configured for various types and locations transponders to be used within a system, such as a printer-encoder. Each encoding element may include a loaded conductive strip comprising a loop shape portion and a shield that corresponds to the loop shape portion. In another embodiment, an access control system having an encoding module with the plurality of couplers and an access card having a plurality of transponders corresponding to the couplers is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Boris Y. Tsirline, Robert S. Gawelczyk, Steven R. Kovanko, Anthony Brown, Mao Tian, Karl Torchalski, Michael K. Fein, Christopher Aiello
  • Patent number: 11062099
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags including a first RFID tag. The first RFID tag is configured to perform RFID tag operations that include acquiring one or more samples using a sensor of the first RFID tag. The RFID tag operations also include writing the one or more samples in a memory of the first RFID tag. The RFID tag operations also include transferring custody of the one or more samples to a first RFID reader on request. The system also includes a plurality of RFID readers including the first RFID reader. The first RFID reader is configured to perform RFID reader operations including reading an identifier from each of the plurality of RFID tags in view of the first RFID reader during an inventory management mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Raymond S Wagner, Patrick W Fink, David S. Hafermalz
  • Patent number: 11056981
    Abstract: For AC-DC conversion, signal is extracted, then sampled and held and released. Extraction element receives AC signal to generate extracted signal, then sample and hold and release element receives the extracted signal to generate DC signal. Extraction and/or sample and hold and release signal processing may use microprocessor or controller programmably to generate the extracted signal and/or DC signal. Extraction is configurable such that AC signal is received at extraction time or temporal window, whereby said extraction element generates the extracted signal having an extraction current or voltage value during at least one extraction time, and preferably said sample and hold and release element generates the DC signal having the same extraction current or voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Intelesol, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Telefus
  • Patent number: 11003971
    Abstract: There is disclosed a surface acoustic wave sensor. An interdigital transducer (IDT) and a first reflector are formed on a surface of a piezoelectric substrate. The first reflector is displaced from the IDT in a direction of acoustic wave propagation. The first reflector includes a plurality of elongate reflective elements including a first reflective element and N additional reflective elements, where N is a positive integer. A long axis of each of the reflective elements is perpendicular to the direction of acoustic wave propagation, and a distance between adjacent reflective elements along the direction of acoustic wave propagation is a linear function of distance from the first reflective element along the direction of acoustic wave propagation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Resonant Inc.
    Inventor: Viktor Plesski
  • Patent number: 10990770
    Abstract: A portable object for near field communication with an external reader able to provide a magnetic field. The object has no internal power supply or energy storage. It includes a near field communication module having at least one antenna and a microcontroller for managing the near field communication; and a support member in the form of a bracelet for receiving the antenna. The object is designed such that the antenna extends substantially along the bracelet-shaped support member, so that, when the object is within the incident magnetic field, the antenna, which is wound over the length of the support member, is at least partly exposed to the field irrespective of the orientation of the object in space. Also provided is an an antenna for a portable object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ORANGE
    Inventors: Stephane Petit, Philippe Levionnais
  • Patent number: 10963655
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a near-field sensor comprises an antenna system, transmit circuitry configured to transmit pulses via the antenna system, and receive circuitry configured to receive interrogation signals in response to transmitted pulses. The antenna system can include a first conductive path having one or more loops coupled together, and a second conductive path having one or more loops coupled together, wherein the first and second conductive path are electrically isolated from each other within the antenna system. The transmit circuitry can include a matching network to dissipate energy stored in the transmit circuitry following transmission of a pulse. The receive circuitry can include a suppression network configured to dissipate residual energy within the receive circuitry resulting from transmission of the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Thomas G. Lavedas, Firat Kara
  • Patent number: 10956691
    Abstract: An RFID tag reading method, RFID tag reading system, RFID tag reading device, and an article, are provided for preventing fraud on the RFID tag. An exemplary method for reading an RFID tag with a loop antenna housed within a case of an article, includes inserting a tip of a linear antenna into the case through a hole formed in the case by using a reader device with the linear antenna having the tip as an open end, magnetically coupling the linear antenna inserted into the case and the loop antenna of the RFID tag, and reading tag information stored in the RFID tag by the reader device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Noboru Kato
  • Patent number: 10956800
    Abstract: A method for encoding a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) inlay is described. The method includes causing, by a processor, a media to travel along a media path in an RFID printer. The media includes a plurality of labels. Each label of the plurality of labels comprises an RFID inlay. The method also includes determining a real-time position of a first label while the media travels along the media path based on an input signal received from a media sensor. The first label includes a first corresponding RFID inlay. Further, the method includes causing an RFID control system to initiate encoding of the first corresponding RFID inlay, and to rotate and continue encoding of the first corresponding RFID inlay until the first corresponding RFID inlay is successfully encoded. The RFID coupler is rotated based on the real-time position of the first label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sebastien d'Armancourt, Hong Sheng Leong
  • Patent number: 10948580
    Abstract: In order to provide an object-sensing device and an object-sending method that are compact and low-cost by realizing an imaging function using fewer antennas than in common systems, an object-sensing device is configured from a transmitter that is provided with a transmission antenna and a receiver that is provided with a reception antenna. The transmitter irradiates an object with electrical waves at various frequencies, and the reception antenna receives an RF signal that is reflected off of the object. The receiver is provided with a phase shifter that individually controls the phase of the RF signal at each frequency, and an adder that adds the RF signals after phase control. The receiver is provided with functionality for detecting the position of the object on the basis of reflected waves from the object by having the phase shifter perform phase adjustment, in order to control the antenna gain of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Shingo Yamanouchi
  • Patent number: 10951443
    Abstract: A communication device according to the disclosure includes: a signal generator that generates, on the basis of the first signal received from a communication partner through a coil, a second signal that synchronizes with the first signal; a first modulator configured to be able to modulate the first signal on the basis of the second signal; a second modulator configured to be able to modulate the first signal; and a communication controller that selects, on the basis of the first signal, whichever modulator is to be operated, from the first modulator and the second modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nakano, Uichiro Omae, Hiroaki Fujita, Masayoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 10942731
    Abstract: A green master is maintained in a code repository. A code management system receives changes to the code and maintains an ordered revision queue. A hierarchical set of builds is defined with each build corresponding to a code change. A model is applied to determine a value for each build, with the value being based on the probability that the build will ultimately be used. A build schedule is determined based on the values for the builds and at least some of the builds are implemented to determine whether committing the corresponding code changes keep the master green or not. Code changes that keep master green are committed to the code repository.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sundaram Ananthanarayanan, Masoud Saeida Ardekani, Denis Haenikel, Balaji Varadarajan, Simon Santiago Soriano-Perez, Dhaval Patel, Ali-Reza Adl-Tabatabai
  • Patent number: 10931519
    Abstract: A method for configuring a first device for a near-field communication with a second device, wherein a peer-to-peer mode is selected if the second device draws the power supply of its circuits from a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: PROTON WORLD INTERNATIONAL N.V., STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Van Nieuwenhuyze, Alexandre Charles
  • Patent number: 10922682
    Abstract: There is described a method for Java Card application memory footprint optimization which relies on the separation in advance of the code related to the personalization from the rest of the code. It allows this code to perform the personalization of an application installed from a main package while being itself included and installed from a separated package dedicated to the personalization, namely the Card Personalization Specifications (CPS) package. This way, the CPS package and all the code inherent to the personalization can be removed once all the personalization steps have been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: THALES DIS FRANCE SA
    Inventors: Sylvain Chafer, Valentin Favreau, Chandra Gondowisito, Guillaume Phan
  • Patent number: 10909433
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of encoding information on an information carrier, the method involving providing the information carrier with an electrically conductive pattern on a substrate, wherein the pattern is configured to have different capacitance values at different parts of the electrically conductive pattern when placed on a capacitive touchscreen, wherein information is encoded based on said different capacitance values. Also provided are information carriers, and methods of reading information from such carriers. In preferred embodiments, the pattern comprises multiple pattern elements, and one or more of the pattern elements is a multilayer structure having a lower layer and an upper layer, wherein the conductivity of the upper layer is greater than that of the lower layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: HAYDALE TECHNOLOGIES (THAILAND) COMPANY LIMITED, HAYDALE GRAPHENE INDUSTRIES PLC
    Inventors: Komkrit Sajjaanantakul, Sorawit Duangsripat, Natthapol Watthanawisuth, Arunwat Promnimit
  • Patent number: 10909532
    Abstract: Systems, and associated methods, involving both a trusted and an untrusted device where sensitive data or keys are shared between those devices are disclosed. A disclosed method includes storing a key in a secure memory on a first device, receiving sensitive data via a user interface on a second device, generating a set of white box encryption instructions based on the key using a white box encryption generator on the first device, generating a complete data representation of the set of white box encryption instructions using a secure processor on the first device, transmitting the complete data representation from the first device to the second device, and encrypting the sensitive data using the complete data representation on the second device. The complete data representation is not Turing complete and is not executable with respect to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Clover Network, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Jeremiah Murray
  • Patent number: 10902501
    Abstract: A method (900) of storing object identifiers is disclosed. The method (900) comprises detecting (902) light emitted by a light source (110), which light comprises an embedded code representative of an identifier of an object (120), retrieving (904) the code from the light, retrieving (906) the identifier from the code, receiving (908) a user input indicative of a selection of the object (120), storing (910) the identifier of the object (120) in a memory upon receiving the user input, and changing (912) the color, saturation and/or the intensity of the light emitted by the light source (110) upon receiving the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Valentinus René Engelen, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis, Dzmitry Viktorovich Aliakseyeu
  • Patent number: 10875416
    Abstract: A mobile object apparatus includes an electric power reception unit that receives electric power transmitted in a non-contact manner from, out of a plurality of power feed apparatuses that are allocated to a plurality of small areas within a predetermined area and are capable of transmitting electric power in a non-contact manner, the power feed apparatus allocated to the small area adjacent to the mobile object apparatus, a drive unit that executes a movement operation on the predetermined area, and an electric power storage unit that stores an electric power amount requisite for the movement operation to the small areas within a predetermined range from the adjacent small area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiji Kadota
  • Patent number: 10846496
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described herein for reading at least one dice. In one aspect, a method may include transmitting an RFID signal proximate to at least one dice, for example, which is contained within a dice gaming system. The method may also include receiving at least two RFID responses, with each of the RFID responses associated with different faces of at least one dice. A first RFID response may be associated with a first signal strength and the second RFID response associated with a second signal strength. The method may further include determining which side of the dice is facing upwards based on the first signal strength and the second signal strength using machine learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: INTERBLOCK D.D.
    Inventors: Urban Bergant, Ivo Zavbi, Peter Kroselj
  • Patent number: 10839170
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tray for use with a cloud application platform is described. A cloud application, operatively coupled to the RFID tray via the cloud application platform, issues a command to the RFID tray. The issued command is received by an embedded agent of the RFID tray. Based on the received command, the RFID tray performs an RFID scan of one or more RFID-tagged items placed on or in the RFID tray, and the embedded agent sends the tag information from the one or more RFID-tagged items to a cloud application of the cloud network that tracks an inventory of the RFID-tagged items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: PROMEGA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Sehmer, John Kuehl
  • Patent number: 10832019
    Abstract: A reader device for attachment to a smart device comprising a display, the reader comprising an antenna, processing and reading circuitry, and a communications module, wherein the antenna, the processing and reading circuitry, the processor and the communications module are coupled to each other, and whereby the antenna encloses said display. When a card is tapped on the display, the antenna receives a signal and transmits the signal to the processing and reading circuitry. The processing and reading circuitry processes the signal to produce data, and the produced data is transmitted to a device external to the reader device by the communications module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: BBPOS LIMITED
    Inventors: Hwai Sian Tsai, Chi Wah Lo
  • Patent number: 10834547
    Abstract: A facility is equipped with floor tiles, each tile having several segments, each segment with an antenna. Each segment on a tile is associated with a particular timeslot. A transmitter at the tile transmits on a specific frequency. During the particular timeslot for that segment, a signal at the specific frequency is transmitted and radiated from the antenna for that segment. A user electromagnetically couples to one or more antennas of the tile, acting as a signal path for the signal. A receiver in a second tile detects the signal, and information about the frequency detected, timeslot for the signal, and relative signal strength is generated. Where the user has stepped from is determined using the information. By concatenating these steps, a path of the user may be determined. Receivers in shelves facilitate disambiguation of one user from another when interacting with items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Ian McCleary, Jeremy Samuel De Bonet, James Stephanick, Somasundaram Niranjayan, Nikolai Orlov, Nathan Pius O'Neill, Camerin Cole Hahn
  • Patent number: 10832022
    Abstract: A card may store data on an integrated circuit housed within the card. The card includes at least two antennas that are configured to transmit the data. The card may be configured to send a first set of data through a first antenna and a second set of data through a second antenna, where together the two sets of data can be used to execute a transaction. The integrated circuit may be configured to create an authentication factor based on a variable received by an antenna and transmit the second set of data along with the authentication factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
    Inventor: Raziq Yaqub
  • Patent number: 10832021
    Abstract: A card may store data on an integrated circuit housed within the card. The card includes at least two antennas that are configured to transmit the data. The card may include a switch to electrically couple only one of the first antenna or the second antenna to the integrated circuit at a time. The card may be configured to send a first set of data through a first antenna and a second set of data through a second antenna, where together the two sets of data can be used to execute a transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
    Inventor: Raziq Yaqub
  • Patent number: 10821772
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining an ornamental pattern to be transferred to a substrate. The ornamental pattern is specific to a particular user, and one or more parameters of the ornamental pattern are based at least in part on social-graph information of the user. The method also includes generating one or more instructions for controlling a laser-treatment system to transfer the ornamental pattern to the substrate; sending the instructions to the laser-treatment system to transfer the ornamental pattern to the substrate; and transferring the ornamental pattern to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Prasannavenkatesan, Richard Heley
  • Patent number: 10802853
    Abstract: A data storage drive that includes a data storage medium and drive control circuit communicatively coupled to the data storage medium. The data storage drive also includes embedded applet management circuitry that executes an application, installed in the data storage drive as one or more key-value objects, within a controlled environment of the data storage drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Jon D. Trantham, Robert John Warmka, Chiaming Yang, David B. Anderson, Bryan David Wyatt
  • Patent number: 10803370
    Abstract: An electronic transaction card communicates with an add-on slot of an intelligent electronic device. The add-on slot may be a memory card slot. The intelligent electronic device may be a mobile phone or other device with or without network connectivity. The electronic transaction card may have magnetic field producing circuitry compatible with magnetic card readers, smartcard circuitry, other point-of-sale interfaces, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Tyfone, Inc.
    Inventors: Siva G. Narendra, Thomas N. Spitzer, Prabhakar Tadepalli
  • Patent number: 10785616
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring RFID tags in a retail facility. In some embodiments, a system comprises an RFID tag, a first RFID reader monitoring a first zone and configured to determine, based on a signal received from the RFID tag, that the RFID tag is moving toward the second zone, transmit, to a second RFID reader monitoring the second zone, a notification indicating that the RFID tag is moving toward the second zone, and in response to receipt of a confirmation message from the second RFID reader, instruct the RFID tag to remain in its current state, and cease communication with the RFID tag, the second RFID reader configured to receive, from the first RFID reader, the notification, transmit, to the first RFID reader, the confirmation message, and transmit, to the RFID tag, a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Lewis, Jeremy R. Tingler, Alvin S. Taulbee
  • Patent number: 10740669
    Abstract: A film assembly or a multilayer stack can include an antenna having a spiral form disposed on a stretchable layer. The film assembly includes a stretchable substrate having opposite major top and bottom surfaces, and a first material disposed on the major top surface of the stretchable substrate in the form of a plurality of intersecting rows and columns making the film assembly less stretchable than the stretchable substrate. The rows and columns define a plurality of closed cells. An antenna for use in a radio frequency identification tag is disposed on the stretchable substrate in each closed cell and is isolated from the first material. The antenna includes an elongated electrically conductive electrode having a spiral form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John D. Geissinger, Donald G. Peterson, Robin E. Gorrell, Howard M. Kaplan
  • Patent number: 10720966
    Abstract: Implementations of this specification provide a near field communication device and an information processing method performed by the near field communication device. An example device includes: an antenna; a radio frequency module connected to the antenna; a CPU circuit connected to the radio frequency module; and a power control module connected to the radio frequency module and the CPU circuit. The radio frequency module outputs, based on a radio frequency signal from the antenna, information conforming to a near field communication protocol of the radio frequency signal. The power control module controls the CPU circuit based on an indication included in the information, such that the CPU circuit is suppressed when a communication distance of the near field communication protocol of the radio frequency signal is greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventor: Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 10692070
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for configuring a contactless application on a chip within a portable device comprising input/output means arranged to communicate with other devices via a contact connection and via a contactless connection. One such method comprises a first process and a second process. The first process comprises receiving, at the chip and from a first other device, a set of computer instructions, to be executed by the chip, to create a contactless application in a data store of the chip and initialise at least one file associated with the contactless application. The first process further comprises configuring the contactless application in accordance with the set of computer instructions. The second process comprises executing, by the chip of the portable device, the contactless application, whereby to transmit data to a second other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Visa Europe Limited
    Inventors: Nicolas David Mackie, Stuart Fiske
  • Patent number: 10691993
    Abstract: A submersible tag device configured to operate within a liquid medium, including a liquid-tight housing defining a chamber that remains isolated from the liquid medium when the housing is immersed in the liquid medium, and an attachment mechanism configured to attach to a target selected by a user. A communication module is disposed in the chamber, the module including a receiver, a controller configured to receive input from the receiver, a power source operatively connected to at least the controller, and data storage. When the tag device is immersed in the liquid medium, the receiver is configured to receive a command signal through the liquid medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
    Inventors: Amy L. Kukulya, Thomas Austin, Frederic Jaffre, Robin Hunter Littlefield
  • Patent number: 10693320
    Abstract: Examples of wireless charging of a computing system are described herein. In an example, a charging notification from a power transmit unit (PTU) in a power transfer field of the computing system may be received. In response to receiving the charging notification, it may be ascertained whether a near field communication (NFC) component of the computing system is in an active state for data communication. When the NFC component is in the active state, an input may be provided to switch the active state of the NFC component to an inactive state for disabling data communication through the NFC component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Han-Kuang Chang, YK Hsieh, Chung-Chun Chen, Mark Feng, David Hsieh, Ming-Shien Tsai
  • Patent number: 10679478
    Abstract: A combined EAS and RFID circuit includes an HF coil antenna, a UHF tuning loop, and an RFID chip coupled to a strap that includes a first coupling area and a second coupling area. The coil ends of the HF coil antenna are configured to capacitively and/or conductively couple to one or both of the first coupling area or second coupling area of the strap. The HF coil antenna can include a gap between turns for non-interfering placement of the UHF tuning loop. The EAS circuit can be deactivating upon application of a field at the resonant frequency of sufficient intensity to cause the breakdown voltage to be exceeded between a coil end and coupling area. The threshold breakdown voltage between a coil end and a coupling area can be reduced by laser ablation treatment of a conductive surface of one or both of the coil end or coupling area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES, LLC
    Inventor: Ian J. Forster
  • Patent number: 10658748
    Abstract: What is provided is a shield housing for shielding interconnect structures and/or components disposed on a circuit board, wherein at least two antenna radiators can be disposed on the shield housing, and wherein the shield housing is configured in such a manner that it can cover the interconnect structures and/or components disposed on the circuit board, at least in part, can be connected with a ground surface of the circuit board, and has a region between the antenna radiators, which region is configured in such a manner that it provides electrical decoupling of the feed of the antenna radiators from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: KATHREIN SE
    Inventors: Jörg Langenberg, Torsten Richter, Josef Mayer
  • Patent number: 10621396
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a reading apparatus for reading a wireless tag includes a housing having a chamber and an opening providing an entrance to the chamber, a door attached to the housing and covering the opening when closed and permitting access to the chamber when opened, and an antenna within the housing and configured to emit a radio wave to read information from a wireless tag inside the chamber, a radiation surface of the antenna being parallel to a first inner wall surface and a second inner wall surface of the housing facing each other. The distance between the first and second inner wall surfaces is at least one half of a wavelength of a radio wave emitted from the antenna, and is a length based on an odd number multiple of a quarter of the wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Wataru Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10614271
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to read data stored on an RFID tag associated with a user and to generate a first signal indicative of the data and indicative of a location of the RFID tag, a sensor system configured to detect a user interaction with an interactive element and to generate a second signal indicative of the user interaction, and a processor configured to match the user to the user interaction based on the first signal and the second signal and to update a user database to reflect that the user is matched to the user interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Travis Jon Cossairt, Wei Cheng Yeh
  • Patent number: 10586412
    Abstract: A system for limiting access to confidential information including storage circuitry for storing the confidential information. An access enabling circuit allows access to the storage circuitry in response to a first level of an enabling signal. A processor generates the enabling signal for a predetermined amount of time in response to sensing of a change of a predetermined value that is produced in response to an act by a person responsible for the confidentiality of the confidential information. The enabling signal assumes a second level after the predetermined amount of time to block access to the storage circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Prasanna Parthasarathy, Michael L Mitchell