A method and apparatus for determining the position of a RFID tag. The method includes the following: (1) measuring the position of an active device to an accuracy of better than 1.0 meter using a radio locating system to determine the position of a reference point; (2) detecting a first RF signal from a reference RFID tag near the reference point with an RF receiver in an RFID reading system; (3) detecting a second RF signal from a RFID tag of interest with the RF receiver in the RFID reading system; and (4) processing both the first RF signal and the second RF signal and relying upon at least partially the position of the reference point to determine the position of the RFID tag of interest.

Techniques for determining an item location based on multiple RFID parameters from multiple read events are described. In an example, a computer system may access a first read event. A first RFID reader located within a first zone may have generated the first read event at a first time. The first read event may identify an RFID tag and may include first RFID parameters. The computer system may access a second read event. A second RFID reader located within a second zone may have generated the second read event at a second time within a predefined amount of time from the first time. The second read event may identify the RFID tag and include second RFID parameters. The computer system may determine whether the item location falls within the first zone or the second zone based on two or more first RFID parameters and two or more second RFID parameters.

Transponder transmissions may be monitored through a direct, shielded connection of an RF coupler to a transponder antenna cable. The RF coupler may be added on an antenna cable of an older-style transponder to pick up altitude and reply codes, decode the information and transmit it digitally for use by a separate external monitor. As such, the pilot may be afforded the ability to monitor the older-style transponder's altitude and reply code transmissions to air traffic control so as to determine if a failure of the transponder has occurred. By having the direct connection between RF coupler and the transponder antenna cable, no transmissions of other transponders would be received.

A method for use in verifying a location of an item aboard a vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving, by a transceiver device located in the vehicle, at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) signal. Each RFID signal is associated with an RFID tag of an item aboard the vehicle. The method additionally includes processing the at least one RFID signal and transmitting, by the transceiver device, the at least one RFID signal to a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Metamaterials are employed with satellites, e.g., small satellites, to increase the observability of such satellites. Any type of suitable metamaterial can be used. In exemplary embodiments fractal-based patterns or structures may be used. A super scatterer having a metasurface is employed for the satellite and enhances the radar reflection for a given area of the satellite. Such detection can be used for monitoring and/or controlling the orbits of satellite space craft.

An OFDM radar sensor system having a plurality of transmitting and receiving units. One of the transmitting and receiving units is an OFDM radar sensor, and another of the transmitting and receiving units is a repeater which is configured to modulate a signal generated and transmitted by the OFDM radar sensor and received by the repeater into a signal orthogonal to the signal received by the repeater and to emit the modulated signal. The OFDM radar sensor is configured to separate a portion of a signal received by the OFDM radar sensor, which portion corresponds to the modulated signal, from a monostatic portion of the signal received by the OFDM radar sensor.

An electronic patient monitoring system and method of operation that includes one or more generally non-metal, tamper-resistant patient identification and monitoring devices, an observer transmitter/receiver device configured to receive and detect one or more beacon signals that exceed a predetermined threshold from at least one of the not easily removable patient identification and monitoring devices, set a time to hold open a window for a response on the transmitter/receiver device, and send a request for information to the observer with the transmitter/receiver device, and a central computer system. Each of the transmitter/receiver device and the central computer system, including, at least, a computer processor, communications components and system software to communicate with the observer transmitter/receiver device at specified/predetermined time intervals to receive observer- and patient-specific information.

A system and method for on-wing test of an aircraft transponder involves configuring a self-test feature to the transponder's corresponding onboard ACAS to verify the on-board transponder system conforms to each of a plurality of required tests of an aviation oversight authority standard for operation. Once this test is initiated, the ACAS initiates this transponder test interrogating the transponder via a low power signal causing the transponder to reply accordingly. The ACAS performs each required test to ensure proper transponder function and alerts a user with a failure indication and stores each result should the transponder fail any of the plurality of tests.

A body component of a first vehicle comprises at least one of an integrated retroreflector system configured to reflect radar waves from a second vehicle according to a predefined retroreflective pattern and an integrated light accent system configured to generate and emit light waves according to a defined light pattern. Receipt of at least one of the reflected radar waves and the light waves by the second vehicle causes a controller of the second vehicle to recognize, by accessing a memory database, at least one of the defined retroreflective and light patterns and, in response to recognizing at least one of the defined retroreflective and light patterns, more accurately control an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system of the second vehicle to thereby improve the performance of the AEB system.

A body component of a first vehicle comprises at least one of an integrated retroreflector system configured to reflect radar waves from a second vehicle according to a predefined retroreflective pattern and an integrated light accent system configured to generate and emit light waves according to a defined light pattern. Receipt of at least one of the reflected radar waves and the light waves by the second vehicle causes a controller of the second vehicle to recognize, by accessing a memory database, at least one of the defined retroreflective and light patterns and, in response to recognizing at least one of the defined retroreflective and light patterns, more accurately control an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system of the second vehicle to thereby improve the performance of the AEB system.