A system for sensing a physical property of a medium inside a conduit includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader arranged to transmit electromagnetic signals in at least one radio frequency. An RFID tag receives the least one radio frequency and exchanges the received radio frequency to electrical energy powering the RFID tag. An included sensor electrically connected to the RFID tag receives the electrical energy from the RFID tag and powers the sensor to obtain measurement data of at least one physical property of the medium and transmit the measurement data to the RFID tag. The RFID tag transmits the measurement data to the RFID reader using the at least one radio frequency.

Methods and systems for managing a petri-dish. Embodiments herein disclose a RFID tag affixed on the petri-dish, wherein the RFID tag has a thin formfactor, so as not to interfere in the use and operation of the petri-dish and a sufficiently large readability range. Embodiments herein disclose methods and systems for RFID based asset tracking of petri-dishes in a laboratory/pharmaceutical/manufacturing environment, wherein the movement of the petri-dishes are tracked automatically with minimal manual intervention.

A badge holding system, a holder for a user identification badge and an associated method are provided in order to provide an alert in response to the identification of one or more objects proximate the holder of the badge holding system. In relation to a holder, the holder includes a housing to receive and hold the user identification badge and a controller carried by the housing. The holder also includes a proximity identification system carried by the housing to identify one or more objects proximate the holder. The proximity identification system also provides information to the controller regarding the one or more objects that have been identified. The holder further includes an alerting output device carried by the housing and responsive to the controller. The alerting output device provides an alert in response to identification of one or more objects proximate the holder.

An antenna control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication interface configured to receive identification information indicating whether each of a plurality of antennas received transmission information from a wireless tag. A storage unit stores a count for each of the plurality of antennas. A controller determines, for each of the plurality of antennas, whether the antenna received transmission information from a wireless tag based on a first received identification information. When at least one, but not all, of the plurality of antennas is determined to have not received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information, the storage unit increments the count for each such antenna. When the count for one of the plurality of antennas is determined to exceed the predetermined value, the controller outputs a notification signal indicating that the one of the plurality of antennas has a malfunction.

A method for estimating channel parameters includes: sending a paging signal for identifying the tag device; sending training sequence information, receiving first training sequence feedback information during a non-working period of the tag device, receiving, during a working period of the tag device, second training sequence feedback information modulated by the tag device, and estimating the channel parameters of the tag device according to the training sequence feedback information and the second training sequence feedback information. The tag device having at least one antenna of the present disclosure can modulate carrier signals to transmit information, has advantages such as a fast transmission rate, a large amount of transmission data and a strong anti-interference capability, and can adapt to different application scenarios.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for dispensing consumable products. An example method may include generating, at a controller associated with a beverage dispenser, a beverage composition record for a beverage that is formulated via an ingredient matrix and dispensed at the beverage dispenser, where the ingredient matrix comprises multiple ingredient packages each comprising a beverage ingredient. The method may include writing depletion data to the ingredient package or to a data processing device associated with the ingredient package for each ingredient package from which a beverage ingredient was included in the dispensed beverage, wherein the depletion data is based at least in part on the beverage composition record.

Methods and apparatus for detecting the retention of a car key by a customer after return of a rental car are disclosed. A plurality of RFID tags having a common identifier are attached to the rental car keys. The shuttle bus or other facility exit is equipped with a detection portal configured to detect a RFID tag having the common identifier and provide a signal upon detection of the RFID tag to a monitor that provides an alert upon receipt of the signal.

According to one or more embodiments, a wireless tag reader includes a first shield member, a second shield member, an antenna, and a reader. The first and second shield members face each other across a reading area through which a wireless tag can pass. Each of the first and second shield members has a reflective surface that reflects a radio wave incident thereon toward the reading area. The antenna is between the reading area and the reflective surface of one of the first and second shield members. The antenna radiates and receives radio waves to communicate with the wireless tag. The reader reads data stored in the wireless tag based on radio waves received from the wireless tag by the antenna.

An inventory system configured for detecting and counting potentially retained surgical items within a body of a patient includes a tag configured to transmit a return signal including an electrical characteristic when energized, a signal generator configured to generate an energizing signal for the tag, an antenna operably coupled to the signal generator and configured to receive at least the return signal transmitted by the tag, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the inventory system to energize the tag by the energizing signal, receive the return signal from the tag by the antenna, and determine a presence of the beacon tag based on the electrical characteristic.

A communication device includes an antenna, a driving unit, a first acquisition unit, an input unit, and a second acquisition unit. The driving unit moves a position of the antenna. The first acquisition unit acquires tag data of each radio tag based on a radio wave of each radio tag received by the antenna at a plurality of positions of the antenna. The input unit inputs the tag data of each radio tag at the plurality of positions of the antenna into a learned model. The second acquisition unit acquires, from the learned model, data indicating whether each radio tag is included in a first range or a second range based on the input of the tag data of each radio tag into the learned model by the input unit.