Abstract: A probe including a first sensor having a first magnetometer and a first accelerometer and a second sensor having a second magnetometer and a second accelerometer is configured for determining the distance and direction to a marker. The marker may be magnetic and may be surgically inserted into a patient's body to mark a specific location. The probe may be used to locate the marker, thus identifying the location. The probe may include a microprocessor that receives an output from the first sensor and an output from the second sensor and determines the distance and direction to the marker.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for automatically disarming a security system. For example, a method for automatically disarming a security system is described, comprising determining, by a personal communication device, when a person is in proximity to the person's home or business and, in response to determining that the person is in proximity to the person's home or business, transmitting a disarm command by the personal communication device to a security controller for the security controller to disarm the security system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a tag system. The methods comprising: emitting a wireless signal from an antenna of the tag with a first signal characteristic when the tag is proximate to an active antenna modulation marker; changing an impedance of a sensor from a first impedance value to a second impedance value when the active antenna modulation marker is exposed to a stimulus; and emitting a wireless signal from the antenna of the tag with a second signal characteristic when the tag is proximate to the active antenna modulation marker and the sensor has the second impedance value.

Abstract: An apparatus including two or more spaced apart ferromagnetic sensors arranged to detect and screen ferromagnetic objects, and, when a ferromagnetic object is detected, the screening is configured to be substantially independent of the sensor-object distance.

Abstract: A security device system including portions configured to have a combined state and a separated state. In the combined state, circuitry is configured to have an armed state and a not-armed state, and to trigger an alarm during a breach of the armed state. Depending on the embodiment, at least one of the portions, and in some embodiments more than one of the portions, participate in the armed and not-armed states. In some embodiments, the security device system includes an alarm device portion, a cradle portion, and a stratum portion.

Abstract: A vehicular system (1) detects a magnetic marker (10) laid in a road and wirelessly communicates with a wireless tag (15) attached to the magnetic marker (10). The system includes a measuring unit (2) which detects the magnetic marker (10) by sensing magnetism, a tag reader (34) which executes a communication process with the wireless tag (15), and a control unit (32) which sets a communication start point as a start point of the communication process by the tag reader (34). The control unit (32) sets, as a communication start point, a time after a lapse of specified time with reference to a time point of detection at which the measuring unit (2) detects the magnetic marker (10). Upon reading information from the wireless tag (15), the tag reader (34) terminates communication, thereby shortening a communication time.

Abstract: A position sensor may include a resonator attachable to a first object, and an antenna attachable to a second object and driven at a resonant frequency of the resonator. A change in a position of the first object relative to the second object may be sensed as a change in a power of the antenna when the antenna is driven at the resonant frequency of the resonator. The first object may be a former of a speaker, and a voice coil of the speaker may be positioned on the former together with the position sensor. In operation, the antenna may output a position signal to an external system of electronics, indicating a position of the voice coil. The external system of electronics may perform feedback processing to compensate for nonlinearities in the voice coil's position when the voice coil is used to drive a diaphragm of the speaker.

Abstract: A tape format magnetoelastic resonator device comprises a continuous ribbon of amorphous magnetic material having a plurality of separate, hinged magnetoelastic resonator strips formed from the ribbon, linearly displaced along a longitudinal axis of the ribbon, wherein each magnetoelastic resonator strip is configured to couple to an external magnetic field at a particular frequency and convert the magnetic energy into mechanical energy, in the form of oscillations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for making a marker. The methods comprise: obtaining a marker housing having first and second cavities formed therein; disposing a first resonator in the first cavity and a second resonator in a second cavity; and placing a bias element at a location on or in the marker so that the first and second resonators are (a) equally spaced apart from the same bias element and (b) biased by the same bias element when the marker is in use to oscillate at a frequency of a received transmit burst.

Abstract: A method, including: detecting in a nondestructive manner a marker (10, 12, 50, 70, 76, 78) that is fully submerged in a substrate (14) to obtain spatial information about the marker; detecting in a nondestructive manner the marker after a period of time to obtain a change in the spatial information; and using the change in the spatial information to determine a change in a dimension (30) of the substrate. The method may be used to measure creep in a gas turbine engine component.

Abstract: An electromagnetic radiation decoupler for decoupling radiation in the wavelength range ?min to ?max. The decoupler has a first conductor layer in contact with a dielectric layer which comprises at least one area of absence and the thickness of the decoupler is less than ?min/4n, where n is the refractive index of the dielectric. The dielectric layer may be sandwiched between two conductor layers, one of which has the structure described above. The invention is also directed to methods of using and various articles comprising such a decoupler.

Abstract: The subject disclosure provides a system and method for remote monitoring of a subject wearing a sports helmet. In one aspect, the system includes a safety helmet and a sensor integrated with the helmet for continuously gathering head acceleration force data, the head acceleration force data associated with the head movements of a subject. The system also includes a wireless transceiver coupled to the sensor for transmitting the head acceleration force data and a mobile device for receiving the head acceleration force data from the wireless transceiver. The system further includes a database engine for displaying the head acceleration force data to a user.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement including an object made at least partially of metal and/or precious metal and an RFID system, wherein the object and the RFID system are connected to one another in such a way that the transponder and the aerial of the RFID system are applied on a site of the object, on its surface, which is facing or can be caused to face an assigned reading device or are embedded into its surface in the form of an inlay, and means are provided which shield or attenuate the electrically conductive surface of the object against eddy currents induced in the conductor loop. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for tracking and position-fixing objects of all kinds, which are made at least partially of metal and/or precious metal or are plated therewith, and into which a position-fixing device operating according to RFID technology is integrated.

Abstract: An article, system and method related to a magnetomechanical marker used to mark stationary assets. Magnetomechanical markers can be arranged in clusters and associated with stationary assets, including assets buried underground. Markers can be associated with an asset by being attached to the asset, arranged in a particular spatial relationship with the asset, or in any other appropriate way. A portable locating device can be used to generate an alternating magnetic field to activate the magnetomechanical marker and thus locate the asset.

Abstract: Provided are a terminal having a radio frequency identification (RFID) function and a method of processing information of the terminal for allowing intuitive interaction between a screen manipulation and an RFID manipulation with respect to using an RFID related service. The method of processing the information of the terminal including a screen and an RFID recognition unit, includes detecting a screen area corresponding to a position of the RFID recognition unit disposed at a predetermined position of the screen; displaying an RFID icon at a position of the detected screen area; recording information in an RFID tag based on the RFID tag contacting the RFID icon, and recognizing the information from the RFID tag the RFID tag contacting the RFID icon.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for detecting and re-personalizing are provided herein. In an embodiment, the invention operates by obtaining an ID (i.e., an identification, such as a Dynamic Unique Identifier) from a RFID tag, generating a new ID, and writing the new ID to the RFID tag. The ID read from the tag is used to lookup a subject's record in a database. If the write of the new ID to the tag is verified, then database changes are committed to link the new ID to the subject. In an alternative embodiment, the invention operates by obtaining data from a memory of a RFID tag, wherein the memory has a first partition and a second partition, generating a new ID, and writing the new ID to either of the first partition or the second partition of the RFID tag. If such write is verified, then the new ID is written to the other partition of the RFID tag. The data from the tag is used to lookup a subject's record in a database.

Abstract: A method for scanning and securing a container including a plurality of at least partially composite panels defining an interior volume is disclosed. The method includes: storing unique identification information in an identification element within container; sealing the container; monitoring the container for intrusion; without breaching the seal of the container, remotely identifying the container based on the unique identity information without breaching the seal of the container; without breaching the seal of the container; scanning the identified container to determine the presence or absence of a nuclear weapon in the interior volume; and if the scan determines no nuclear weapon is present remotely storing certificate information associated with the identity of the container in a remote monitor unit.

Abstract: This invention is about a commercial anti-theft device, more specifically involving in a narrow acousto-magnetic (AM) anti-theft marker having multiple resonators. A type of narrow AM anti-theft marker with multiple resonators includes in elongated house, resonators, house cover and magnetic bias pieces. The resonators are placed inside the cavity of the house, Aforementioned house bottom is connected to house cover so that the resonators are enclosed inside the house. The number of aforementioned resonators is two to five; the width of resonators is 1.6-5.3 mm. This anti-theft marker has high performance/cost ratio. Because resonators with smaller than conventional width are used, it meets the customer demands for protecting smaller or more exquisite merchandise. Meanwhile it saves expensive amorphous alloys of resonators and alloys of bias and double tapes, led to lower raw material costs.

Abstract: A detection unit positioned on a package includes a magnet, a first magnetic switch, a second magnetic switch, a processor, and a clock. The first magnetic switch outputs a first control signal or a second control signal according to magnetic flux density of the magnet. The second magnetic switch outputs a third control signal or a fourth control signal according to the magnetic flux density of the magnet. The first control signal is the same as the third control signal; the second control signal is the same as the fourth control signal. When the processor receives the first control signal and the third control signal at the same time, the processor reads a first real-time clock (RTC) signal from the clock. When the processor receives the second control signal and the fourth control signal at the same time, the processor reads a second RTC signal from the clock.

Abstract: A wireless tag device can communicate with an inquiry device includes: a local terminal storage unit storing local terminal identification information which can be discriminated from another wireless tag device; a reception detection unit detecting a signal transmitted from the inquiry device or another wireless tag device; an inquiry signal receiving unit receiving the detected inquiry signal if the inquiry signal is transmitted using a first frequency from the inquiry device; a reply signal transmitting unit transmitting a reply signal in response to the inquiry signal using a second frequency different from the first frequency; and a report signal transmitting unit transmitting a report signal including the local terminal identification information stored in the local terminal storage unit using a third frequency different from the second frequency if the inquiry signal transmitted from the inquiry device cannot be detected continuously in a specified time period in the reception detection unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an entrance and exit detection module, an organization information obtaining module, a user number calculation module, a seat determination module and a presentation module. The entrance and exit detection module detects a user's entrance and exit to and from a room. The organization information obtaining module obtains user information representative of a user belonging to an organization using the room by using organization user information storing organization information representative of the organization and the user information representative of the user belonging to the organization. The user number calculation module calculates the number of users of the organization using the room. The seat determination module associates with each other the organization information representative of the organization and seat information representative of seats in the room, and determines a seat for the user whose entrance is detected.

Abstract: A method for detecting metal using an electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) system. The EAS system includes a transmitter and a receiver. An EAS interrogation signal is transmitted to establish the interrogation zone. The EAS interrogation signal is used to detect EAS markers and metal objects within the interrogation zone. The EAS signal is received and a metal object present in the interrogation zone is detected during a metal detection cycle. The metal object is detected based upon perturbations in the received EAS interrogation signal. The metal detection cycle is periodically interspersed with at least one EAS detection cycle.

Abstract: An EAS tag (10) is provided, which includes a body (12) with an internal cavity (16), attachment means (14,26) for removably attaching the tag (10) to an article, an amorphous metal strip (48) inside the cavity (16) and a permanent magnet (34) inside the housing (12). The permanent magnet (34) is preferably an elongate rare earth magnet and is positioned generally equally far from the ends of the amorphous metal strip (48), preferably in a position spaced laterally from the amorphous strip (48) and generally parallel to the amorphous strip.

Abstract: An EAS security tag for providing both EAS and battery recharging features within one tag. The tag includes a rechargeable battery and an antenna having a magnetic core and at least one coil winding disposed around at least a portion of the core. The antenna supplies a voltage corresponding to a first frequency or a second frequency when placed within a magnetic field. The tag also includes an EAS circuit having a resonant frequency corresponding to the first frequency, and an energy harvesting circuit having a resonant frequency corresponding to the second frequency, where the battery recharging circuit recharges the rechargeable battery. Depending upon the magnetic field that the tag is exposed to, either the EAS circuit is enabled thus allowing for EAS detection or the energy harvesting circuit is enabled allowing for the battery to be recharged.

Abstract: An apparatus provides environmental monitoring of an item and includes an RFID tag, and a passive switch for sensing an environmental parameter to which the item is subjected, and coupled to the RFID tag so that a measurement of the sensed environmental parameter can be stored, the RFID tag for providing remote readout of the sensed environmental parameter. A method provides environmental monitoring of an item and includes the steps of sensing an environmental parameter to which the item is subjected with activation of a passive switch, storing a measurement of the sensed environmental parameter upon the event of activation of the passive switch, and providing remote readout of the measurement of the sensed environmental parameter with an RFID tag.

Abstract: An antenna module and methods for manufacturing an antenna module, the antenna module including a magnetic material sheet for focusing a magnetic flux, an antenna conductor deposited on the magnetic material sheet and formed in a predetermined pattern, and a protection layer deposited on the antenna conductor for protecting the antenna conductor.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first information processing device, a plurality of processing portions, a storage portion, and a second information processing device. The first information processing device includes a processing command transmission portion that transmits to the second information processing device, by non-contact communication, a processing command that includes one of a plurality of identification information items. Each of the processing portions is uniquely associated with one of the identification information items. The storage portion stores a correspondence information item that indicates a correspondence between one of the identification information items and one of the processing portions.

Abstract: Logic is included in a piece of active storage furniture such that the active storage furniture integrates articles stored thereby into a representation of information about those articles. The logic includes (i) sensors to identify individual articles stored by the furniture and respective locations of the articles and (ii) display elements capable of incorporating selected individual ones of the articles as separate and individual components of a collective representation of information about the selected articles. In response to queries about the articles, the articles themselves are integrated into a representation of information about the articles. For example, a wine rack includes RFID and LEDs in each of a number of storage cells or cubbies and illuminates each cubby according to information about the wine stored in the cubby in response to a query for such information (e.g., show me all wine color-coded by region).

Abstract: Systems for identifying and categorizing distributed devices, e.g., lighting fixtures and thermostats, is disclosed. In an embodiment, a user (200) sends a low power discovery message to devices (201) using a portable programming tool (100). The devices (201) within range respond with identification information. The portable programming tool (100) organizes the responses by proximity and sends a “flash” message to the device with the closest perceived proximity. That device responds with a visual or audible signal (202), allowing the user (200) to determine whether that device is the one intended for selection. If so, the user initiates a store routine in which identification information, including category information, is stored in one or more locations, such as, the selected device (201), the portable programming tool (100), and/or a central or local controller (1100). The identification and categorization can, for example, be used to automate load shedding and to reduce energy consumption.

Abstract: A process for monitoring containers including use of a severable security lock with an radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna adapted sever upon dislocation of the lock. The process utilizes an electronic identification number to ensure security lock integrity. The process includes detecting the security lock in transit by the use of mobile and fixed transmission units at regional boundaries. Updates are provided to an event log associated with the security lock.

Abstract: The present invention relates to RFID devices, including handheld RFID devices, and applications for such devices. The devices and applications may be used in connection with items that are associated with an RFID tag, and optionally a magnetic security element. The devices and applications are described with particular reference to library materials such as books, periodicals, and magnetic and optical media.

Abstract: An electronic device and a method of operating the device. The device receives a first signal having a first frequency and a predetermined signal strength and retransmits a signal after a latency period and during a time period. The device comprises an oscillation circuit operating in a sub-threshold area in a meta-stable, first mode of operation. When the first signal is received, the oscillation circuit is trigged and passes to an active mode in a second mode of operation, wherein the circuit oscillates. Finally, the device is reset to the first mode of operation. The device may have an identity, which is used for the purpose of the system, which may be an RFID system.

Abstract: In contactless communication in which a carrier wave transmitted from a first antenna of a host is received via a second antenna of a terminal and the carrier wave is amplitude-modulated on the terminal to transmit data to the host, a carrier wave detected from the first antenna is amplitude-demodulated to obtain a first demodulated output, and phase information included in the carrier wave detected from the first antenna is extracted and the extracted phase information is decoded to obtain a second demodulated output. Then, either of the first and second demodulated outputs is selected and output. Even when a null is caused by an antenna distance between a PCD and a PICC, demodulated data is reliably obtained by utilizing demodulation processing that uses phase information.

Abstract: An acoustic-magneto (AM) anti-theft marker is formed with the bias piece made from a soft magnetic material, instead of a “semi-hard” magnetic material that has been used in conventional anti-theft AM security markers. The method of manufacturing such soft magnetic bias pieces includes cold deforming a soft magnetic material with at least an eighty percent reduction rate, while keeping its DC coercivity below 12.5 Oe. The strip or wire of soft magnetic material is then cut to size as required for the bias piece. The anti-theft AM security marker has the soft magnetic bias piece placed inside or outside of the resonating cavity of the housing for the security tag with the resonator pieces inside the resonating cavity with a cover film placed over the housing. The soft magnetic bias piece or pieces effectively operate close to resonator piece or pieces with or without a non-magnetic separating film.

Abstract: An RFID tag is provided. The RFID tag includes an emitting module, a temperature detecting circuit and a tag chip. The temperature detecting circuit produces a time signal according to a surrounding temperature, wherein the time signal changes with the surrounding temperature. The tag chip is electrically connected to the temperature detecting circuit and the emitting module, wherein the time signal is transmitted via the emitting module.

Abstract: RFID tags, ICs for RFID tags, and methods are provided. In some embodiments, an RFID tag includes a memory with multiple sections, and a processing block. The processing block may map one of these sections, or another of these sections, for purposes of responding to a first command from an RFID reader. As such, an RFID tag can operate according to the data stored in the section mapped at the time. In some embodiments, a tag can even transition from mapping one of the sections to mapping another of the sections. This can amount to the tag exhibiting alternative behaviors, and permits hiding data on the tag.

Abstract: A commodity display position alert system includes commodity display shelves set in a selling floor space of a store, an RFID reader provided in each of the commodity display shelves, and a server as a system control unit. The RFID reader reads a commodity code from an RFID tag attached to a commodity. A server compares the commodity code of the commodity and display permission information stored in a database functioning as a shelf-rule storing unit and determines whether the read commodity code is a commodity code of a commodity that should be displayed on the commodity display shelf. When the server determines that a commodity other than the commodity that should be displayed on the commodity display shelf is displayed on the commodity display shelf, the server performs control for outputting a reporting signal for causing the PDA terminal to perform reporting operation.

Abstract: RFID tags are configured to adjust their clock frequency in order to meet predefined limits for reply frequencies to conserve tag power. A deviation of computed tag reply frequency from a reader commanded reply frequency is used to determine an adjustment to the tag clock frequency. The tag clock frequency may be adjusted during backscatter and restored once backscattering is completed.

Abstract: A pest detection device includes a housing with a sensor and one or more bait members. The sensor includes one or more of a chisel-shaped electrically conductive trace carried on a substrate, a low resistance electrically conductive ink defining an electrical pathway on a substrate with a pointed profile, and/or a substrate including a directional grain structure oriented in a predefined manner relative to an electrically conductive pathway.

Abstract: A method of reducing power consumption of a radio badge in a boundary detection localization system is disclosed, in which the radio badge is carried by a tracked target and performs location sampling communication with an infrastructure component of the localization system at the start and end of sampling time intervals such that positions of the radio badge can be estimated. The method includes: determining a velocity of the radio badge; estimating a critical time for the radio badge to reach a critical region through division in which a critical distance from an estimated position obtained at the end of a most recent sampling time interval to the critical region is the dividend, and the velocity of the radio badge is the divisor; and controlling the radio badge to perform location sampling communication with the infrastructure component of the localization system at the end of the critical time.

Abstract: An acousto-magnetic (AM) anti-theft alarming unit is designed for specific use in a hard tag anti-theft clamp which uses a magnetic detacher. The alarming unit includes a resonator housing defining a cavity in which is placed at least one resonator and a bias piece covered by a housing cover affixed to the resonator housing. The resonators are placed into the housing cavity in a vertically layered configuration. The bias piece is placed along the side of the resonators, as opposed to being beneath the resonators, as is conventional in the art. The bias piece is preferably made of a sintered rare-earth permanent magnet and has a high coercivity. Accordingly, this alarming unit has a strong resistance to demagnetization and a resistance to being shielded by metal. The bias piece has a strong anti-destruction ability, a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

Abstract: A container comprising a body having embedded therein a plurality of chipless radio frequency identification elements. The chipless radio frequency identification elements comprise a plurality of categories of resonant elements. The resonant elements can be utilized in a system having a binary code feature. The combination of different resonant elements can be read and translated to identify the features of a particular product. The container can be prepared by compounding moldable compositions with the resonant elements and molding the moldable compositions containing the resonant elements into the final product. The invention also provides a system and a method for reading the binary code provided by the chipless radio frequency identification elements.

Abstract: A power-saving wireless input device and an associated system are included. The wireless input device comprises an antenna, an RFID transponder, an energy-storing unit, and a sensing unit. The RFID transponder receives an AC signal via the antenna, and converts the AC signal into a DC signal. The energy-storing unit receives the DC signal for charging. The sensing unit, which is powered by the energy-storing unit, generates an input signal to the RFID transponder. The RFID transponder demodulates the AC signal to generate a request signal, and performs load modulation according to the input signal to generate a reply signal in response to the request signal. The reply signal is then transmitted via the antenna.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a power rectifier for a Radio Frequency Identification tag circuit. The rectifier is constructed from a pair of complementary MOS transistors. Gates of the transistors have predetermined voltages applied to them. The applied voltages bias the transistors to near their active operating region. During the same time additional control signals are applied to the gates of the transistors, the control signals are synchronous, but out of phase, with each other.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling distant equipment. A passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag within a Programmable Secure Remote Controller (PSRC) receives a radio frequency (RF) signal from a transmitter integrated in the distant equipment. The distant equipment is external to and remote from the PSRC. The PRSC does not include an internal source of energy and requires energy from an external source to operate. The PSRC is configured to distribute sufficient energy from the RF signal to components of the PSRC to enable the components to operate. The RFID tag is activated to generate information and the information is decoded to identify the distant equipment. A request to perform an operation that controls the distant equipment is received. After the request is received, a first predefined scenario is activated for performing the operation that controls the distant equipment.

Abstract: An RFID reader control system and method is provided. A protocol for controlling an RFID reader and an RFID reader control unit of a mobile phone is defined. Messages, information, commands, responses, and notification are constructed and transmitted between the RFID reader and the RFID reader control unit.

Abstract: A flat security member having a relatively small format, such as a thin board, including at least one through-hole and a method for producing a flat security member. A sheet material having a flat security member and a security document or an item to be authenticated having the sheet material.

Abstract: There is disclosed a test head device for testing the functionality of a large number of RFID chips arranged in smart labels (17) within a smart label production apparatus by means of a data reading and/or data writing process, wherein the smart labels (17), each comprising a first antenna (10a-10e), are placed next to and behind one another on a common continuously moving strip, wherein the test head device comprises a plurality of test systems which function independently of one another, each of said test systems consisting of a write and/or read unit (12a-e), a second antenna (3, 11a-e; 18) connected thereto which is in each case assigned to one of the first antennas (10a-10e) for simultaneously transmitting read and/or write data between the first and second antennas (10a-10e; 3; 11a-e; 18) by means of ultrahigh frequency waves, and a common table unit which can be displaced at least in the height direction, wherein the second antennas (3; 11a-e; 18) are arranged on a common antenna carrier plate (2) orie

Abstract: A radio-frequency identification (RFID) and an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag includes an RFID device and an EAS device. The RFID device may operate in a plurality of states including an activated state in which communication with a reader is enabled and a deactivated state in which communication with a reader is disabled. The EAS device may operate in a plurality of states including an activated state in which activation of an alarm is enabled and a deactivated state in which activation of an alarm is disable. The RFID device may be deactivated when the EAS device is deactivated. For example, the same piece of equipment that deactivates the EAS device also deactivates the RFID device at the same time. The RFID device may include an antenna, an RFID chip connected to the antenna for communicating with a reader, and an active element operatively disposed with respect to the antenna.

Abstract: An RFID or NFC reader is associated via a data link with a tag module such that when the reader transmits an interrogation signal the tag module responds with a random, or constrained random, information signal. The information signal masks a signal transmitted by an RFID or NFC tag which the reader is interrogating, making fraudulently obtaining details contained in the tag transmission more difficult.