A vehicle security system includes a vehicle ignition switch, a door lock actuator, a primary vehicle entry and ignition control circuit, a backup vehicle access control circuit and a key including a principal vehicle control subsystem and a backup vehicle entry circuit. Advantageously, the system is devoid of any ignition lock cylinder, any door lock cylinder and any key blade thereby reducing vehicle manufacturing costs. A related method is also provided.

A programmable controller for operating a system is provided as well as a method and devices of configuring such controller. The controller includes firmware storing instructions for controlling operations of the system, the firmware including a passive memory component and a processing unit programmed for operating the system at least in part based on the instructions of the firmware. The firmware is responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received from an external device for drawing energy from the signal to activate the passive memory component and causing a firmware update process to be performed. Advantageously, the proposed controller can be configured in the absence of electrical power being supplied by an external source and in, some embodiments, using the signal carrying the firmware update information as the sole source of electrical energy in order to perform at least part of the firmware update process.

A programmable controller for operating a system is provided as well as a method and devices of configuring such controller. The controller includes firmware storing instructions for controlling operations of the system, the firmware including a passive memory component and a processing unit programmed for operating the system at least in part based on the instructions of the firmware. The firmware is responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received from an external device for drawing energy from the signal to activate the passive memory component and causing a firmware update process to be performed. Advantageously, the proposed controller can be configured in the absence of electrical power being supplied by an external source and in, some embodiments, using the signal carrying the firmware update information as the sole source of electrical energy in order to perform at least part of the firmware update process.

Disclosed are a magnetic bar code chip and a reading method thereof. The magnetic bar code chip comprises binary information bits formed by N rows and M columns of permanent magnet bars and/or null bits, and information identification bits that are peripheral to the binary information bits. The information identification bits are composed of permanent magnet bar identifiers and used for representing a position and a state of the magnetic bar code chip. The permanent magnet bars and the null bits represent 1 and 0 or 0 and 1 respectively. During reading, a strong magnetic field in a row direction of the binary information bits of the magnetic bar code chip is firstly used to set a magnetization direction of the permanent magnet bars, and then a magnetic bar code reader such as a multi-channel magnetic field gradient sensor, a magneto-optical microscope, a magnetic field monitor, a scanning magnetoresistivemicroscope and the like is used to convert magnetic field distribution information generated by the permanent magnet bars on the magnetic bar code chip into the binary information bits and information identification bits respectively, thus implementing reading on a reading result of the magnetic bar code chip. The present invention has characteristics of a small size and strong security.

An article management system according to the present invention includes: a reader antenna (102) including an open-type transmission line terminated in an impedance matched state; an RF tag (104) that is placed at a location that is electromagnetically coupled to the reader antenna (102) and is visible from the reader antenna (102) in a state where a management target article (105) is placed in the vicinity of the RF tag; a management target article arrangement region in which the management target article (105) is placed, the management target article arrangement region being set in a location where the management target article (105) is electromagnetically coupled to a tag antenna of the RF tag (104); and an RFID reader (103) that sends a transmitted signal to the reader antenna (102) and receives a response signal output from the tag antenna via the reader antenna (102).

A method for manufacture of an electronic interface card including defining a pair of apertures in a substrate layer, associating an antenna with the substrate layer such that opposite ends of the antenna terminate at the apertures, placing a metal element in each of the apertures, connecting the ends of the antenna to the metal elements, laminating the substrate layer together with a top layer and a bottom layer, forming a recess in the top layer and the substrate layer, attaching ends of connection wires to the metal elements, attaching opposite ends of the connection wires to a chip module and sealing the chip module in the recess.

An identification mark may have a calibration color, a predetermined authentication color, and a predetermined difference between the calibration color and the predetermined authentication color that is associated with a product; and a visual code with a mechanism that identifies the predetermined difference.

Cross-contamination prevention systems and cross-contamination prevention methods are provided for defining and automatically enforcing access restrictions between environments where cross-contamination may occur. The system and methods can evaluate a person's exposure to contaminants in one or more locations against contamination risk posed for another location. The system can prevent or allow access to the other location based on that evaluation. Some embodiments can be implemented in a laboratory setting and configured to prevent cross-contamination between different laboratories and/or experiments being conducted.

Methods, systems, and devices for controlling access within a multi-facility room are provided. More specifically, a guest of the multi-room facility is allowed to remotely confirm reservations to the facility as well as bypass the front desk of the multi-room for check-in purposes. At a location within the facility, the guest is allowed to confirm their arrival, check-in, and have their access credential written with personalized access data that may be useable for the duration of the guest's stay.

A system and apparatus for selectively limiting user control of a mobile electronic device are provided. In an embodiment, the apparatus may be a case sized to receive a mobile electronic device, the case having a locking means to at least partially secure an opening thereof. When engaged, the locking means may be physically impenetrable by the user of the mobile electronic device and may further be configured to engage and disengage in the presence of one or more pre-determined conditions. For example, the lock may engage when the case is detected within a certain geographical region or even during a specified time. It is contemplated that providing disclosed systems and apparatuses may reduce undesirable behavior at communal events by eliminating distractions posed by mobile electronic devices and preventing unauthorized recordings, which together may enhance overall engagement at and enjoyment of such events.