A device and method for detection of wear of a sliding contact which may be displaced along a brushgear, includes a sensor and a measurement indicator designed for detection by the sensor. The sensor and the measurement indicator approach or move away from each other by a shortening of the sliding contact caused by wear, and a brushgear system. The problem of enabling simple, reliable detection of the practically complete wear of the sliding contact is addressed by the sensor being designed for contactless and/or contacting detection of the measurement indicator, and by means of a brushgear system having a device of this kind, and also a method of this kind in which the sensor detects the measurement indicator becoming closer to the sensor contactlessly and/or contactingly and, when a threshold value for a predetermined wear of the sliding contact is exceeded, issues a warning signal.

A method of redeploying waste containers in a waste collection system with an active or passive signal means requires a user to aim an optical character recognition reader at a waste container comprising a unique optical waste container identifier. The optical character recognition reader reads unique waste container optical identifier. The unique waste container optical identifier is converted to a unique electronically formatted waste container identifier. A unique radio frequency signal identifier is stored on a radio frequency emitting tag and associated with the unique electronically formatted waste container identifier. The radio frequency emitting tag is attached to the waste container.

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.

A system includes a device including one or more sensors that generate one or more signals used to detect whether an unauthorized activity has occurred at the device. The device is configured to transmit the one or more signals generated by the one or more sensors. The central monitoring device is configured to receive the one or more signals and compare the one or more signals with a baseline signal for the device. The baseline signal includes an expected signal for each of the one or more sensors when the unauthorized activity has not occurred. The monitoring device determines whether the unauthorized activity has occurred based on a result of the comparison.

A sheet conveyance device includes a roller by which a sheet having a wireless tag is conveyed along a path, a communication device configured to transmit a radio signal to the wireless tag and receive a response signal therefrom, and a processor configured to repeatedly perform a process of controlling the roller to convey a sheet along the path while controlling the communication device to transmit the radio signal to a wireless tag of the sheet using a transmission power that is different in each repeat, and acquire a strength of the response signal from the wireless tag, and specify a minimum strength of the response signal that has been acquired in the repeated process, the minimum strength being equal to or greater than a threshold, and set a transmission power that has been used when the minimum strength has been acquired as a reference strength of the radio signal.

A sheet conveyance device includes a roller by which a sheet having a wireless tag is conveyed along a path, a communication device configured to transmit a radio signal to the wireless tag and receive a response signal therefrom, and a processor configured to repeatedly perform a process of controlling the roller to convey a sheet along the path while controlling the communication device to transmit the radio signal to a wireless tag of the sheet using a transmission power that is different in each repeat, and acquire a strength of the response signal from the wireless tag, and specify a minimum strength of the response signal that has been acquired in the repeated process, the minimum strength being equal to or greater than a threshold, and set a transmission power that has been used when the minimum strength has been acquired as a reference strength of the radio signal.

The invention relates to a system for monitoring the reproductive activity of animals where a male mounts a female in order to mate, this system can determine the following information each time a male mounts a female, namely: whether or not the male has ejaculated, the date and time of ejaculation, and the identification of the female mounted. The system comprises an electronic sensor device placed on male animals, a radio-frequency identification tag placed on female animals, a system for preventing multiple or erroneous readings, and an electronic hand-held device for collecting information and configuring devices. The invention also includes a communication system and a central system that manages and concentrates all of the information, allowing the user to access said information in an organised, centralized and systematic manner.

An RFID receiver (1) comprises an antenna (11) configured to receive a radio signal (20) from an RFID transmitter (2) and to generate an electrical signal (110) from the radio signal (20) received from the RFID transmitter (2). A decoder circuit (10) is connected to the antenna (11) and configured to extract from the electrical signal (110) generated by the antenna (11) data bits encoded in the electrical signal (110). The decoder circuit (10) comprises an analog-to-digital converter (12) connected directly to the antenna (11) and configured to generate a digital input signal (13) from the electrical signal (110) generated by the antenna (11). A bit extractor (14) is connected to the analog-to-digital converter (12) and configured to extract the data bits from the digital input (13) signal generated by the analog-to-digital converter (12).

A method and system for transacting with a removable marking element is disclosed. A removable marking element including credentials can be associated with an account. A user can activate and manage the account via a mobile device. The mobile device can access the account by providing a product identifier. A product identifier may be provided in removable marking element packaging. For example, the product identifier may be encoded in a machine readable code on the packaging.

According to one embodiment, an antenna apparatus includes a ground plate having an opening, a ground layer on a first side of the ground plate, an antenna on the first side of the ground plate and connected to the ground layer, the antenna being disposed around the opening, and a conductive member on the first side of the ground plate to contact an outer perimeter of the opening. The conductive member is electrically connected to the ground layer.