The invention relates to a mobile proximity coupling device (100) for inductive coupling with an integrated circuit of a proximity object, the integrated circuit comprising a coupling interface for inductive coupling, the mobile proximity coupling device (100) comprising a contactless interface (107) for inductive coupling with the coupling interface of the integrated circuit; a processor (109) for determining a quality indicator indicating a quality of the inductive coupling; and a display (111) for displaying a desired change of position of the mobile proximity coupling device relatively to the proximity object if the quality indicator indicates an insufficient quality of the inductive coupling.

Systems, methods and computer program products for determining costs of vehicle repairs and times to major repairs. In one embodiment, a system includes a computer processor, a data storage device, and an output device. The processor receives information from a user identifying a vehicle of interest. The processor retrieves repair data items that have characteristics common to the vehicle of interest from a database stored in the data storage device. The processor determines repairs that are expected to be necessary for the vehicle of interest based on the retrieved repair data items, and determines the costs associated with the identified expected repairs. The processor provides output to the user indicating the repair costs and/or the times at which the repairs are likely to be necessary. The output may be in graphical and/or numerical form.

An apparatus is described. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a housing; a tray; an ejector; a push member having two positions, the push member is configured to receive an external force for moving the push member and to operate the ejector to eject the tray to an ejected open position when the push member is moved to a second position and to maintain in the second position; and a switch comprising two electric position; the switch is configured to switch to a first electric position when receiving the external force, and the push member is configured to maintain the switch in the first electric position when the push member is moved to the second position causing the tray to eject; when the tray is returned to a retracted closed position, the push member is moved to a first position causing the switch to switch to a second electric position.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system first interrogates, in a first mode, one or more particular target zones of the plurality of target zones including a given target zone. Each particular target zone is interrogated with one of the antennas at a time at a first power for the particular target zone. The RFID system monitors, upon first interrogating, for a trigger condition to occur. In response to the trigger condition not occurring, the RFID system continues the first interrogation in the first mode. In response to the trigger condition occurring, the RFID system second interrogates the given target zone in a second mode at a second power with a plurality of the antennas. The second power for the given target zone is greater in an aggregate across the second interrogating antennas than the first power for the given target zone

The technology enables locating asset tracking tags based on a ramped sequence of signals from one or more beacon tracking tags. The sequence includes at least one minimum power signal and at least one maximum power signal. Each signal in the sequence has a tag identifier and an initial signal strength value. Each beacon signal in the ramped sequence is associated with the time at which that beacon signal was received by a reader. Each beacon signal is also associated with a received signal strength at reception. A location of the beacon tracking tag is estimated according to the signals in the sequence based on the difference between the initial and received signal strengths. A position of the reader device is identified based on the beacon tag's location. An asset tracking tag location is identified based on the reader's location and packets received by the reader from the asset tag.

Aspects of the technology provide a card reader for facilitating a financial transaction between a buyer and a merchant. In some implementations, the card reader includes an audio plug configured to provide a communicative coupling between the card reader and a smartphone device, and a read head communicatively coupled to the audio plug, the read head being configured to read financial information from a payment card for processing a transfer of funds from the buyer to the merchant. In certain implementations, the card reader further includes a switch coupled to the audio plug, wherein the switch is configured to close in response to the presence of the payment card to enable communication between the card reader and the smartphone via the audio plug.

The invention provides a temporary installation of a system of RFID-based terminals and user-worn RFID devices within an event interrogation zone. At an event, terminals are located within, and associated with, vendor booths erected in the interrogation zone. User RFID devices are issued to users wishing to enter the interrogation zone. Each user RFID device includes an element worn by the user, and an attached or embedded RFID tag with a stored unique UserID. Products for sampling have unique ProductIDs. The terminals are programmed for: (1) retrieving the UserID when the user enters the vendor booth; (2) retrieving a ProductID of a product sampled by the user; and (3) retrieving the UserID when the user leaves the vendor booth. The UserID and timestamps of entry, departure, and ProductIDs of products sampled are communicated to a server. The system allows tracking of products sampled and user behavior during an event.

A card insertion unit is provided, which prevents the mixture of lights in different colors even with light sources to emit lights in different colors at the periphery of a card insertion slot. A card insertion unit, having a card insertion slot through which a card is inserted, includes: a plurality of light sources provided to surround the card insertion slot, when viewed in an insertion direction of the card, with a light emitting unit facing in a direction opposite to the insertion direction so as to each emit lights in multiple colors; a translucent cover member that is provided with the card insertion slot and is overlapped with the light sources in the direction opposite to the insertion direction; and a reflective member provided between the light sources and the card insertion slot to reflect light that is to travel from the light sources toward the card insertion slot.

A transponder (1) comprises at least one memory (MEM1, MEM2) for storing encrypted information (E_k(EPC, PI)) that has been encrypted by use of a key (k) and for storing the key (k) associated with the encrypted information (E_k(EPC, PI)). The transponder (1) is adapted to send the key (k) slower response than the encrypted information (E_k(EPC, PI)) in response to queries of a reading device (2), which is preferably done by delaying the transmission of the key (k) or by limiting the response rate at which the key (k) is transmitted. In particular the invention is related to RFID systems.

Lane feature data is processed to compute a feed-forward lane curvature of a left lane boundary and a right lane boundary. A look-ahead lane width and a near lane width are computed based on left and right lane boundaries. A lane width increase is computed to detect a lane split or lane merge based on differences between increasing lane widths. A side of the vehicle on which the lane split or merge occurred is identified or determined. The lane boundary on the side on which the lane split or merged occurred is ignored, and a single-sided lane centering calculation is performed based on the non-ignored lane boundary.