A self-service POS terminal device comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and reads, via each of the first antenna and the second antenna, commodity-related information stored in IC tags of commodities. The first antenna is positioned at a position for reading the IC tags of the commodities loaded in a shopping basket at a prescribed position, and forms a first reading area. The second antenna is positioned at a position for reading the IC tags of the commodities taken out from the shopping basket at the prescribed position and put into a shopping bag, and forms a second reading area.

A container includes a surface and an electromagnetic state sensing device including one or more resonance portions printed on the surface of the container. Each resonance portion may include an assembly of 3D carbon-containing structures that convey information of a stored item by resonating at a predetermined frequency in response to an electromagnetic radiation ping received from a user device. The resonance portions may include at least a first resonance portion configured to convey product identification information of the stored item and a second resonance portion configured to convey product state information of the stored item. The first resonance portion conveys product identification information of the stored item in response to a first electromagnetic radiation ping having a first frequency, and the second resonance portion conveys product state information of the stored item in response to a second electromagnetic radiation ping having a second frequency different than the first frequency.

Provided is a user interface for both event generation and participation.

An event management system includes: an API database that stores an event execution management API and a resource management API; an event database that stores an event execution program and log data; an API registration processing unit; an event generation processing unit; an event registration processing unit; and a communication processing unit. The event management system treats a module as a nested scenario; uses a time zone and a field zone, a transition arrow, an icon, and a descriptor; interprets, in a completed chart diagram, a structure of the time zone, field zone information, an inclusion relationship of contents and a descriptor with respect to the time zone, portion arrangement information of contents and the descriptor on another icon, and a connection relationship of a transition arrow; generates an analysis structure to set as a structure unique to a chart and a module; and realizes chart interpretation equivalent to programming in a markup language.

A system for determining an availability of a software update for an automation apparatus comprises a reader configured to read wirelessly data from the automation apparatus that is at least partly powered off, a processing circuitry configured to determine, based on the read data, the availability of the software update for the automation apparatus and a database configured to store at least update for the software. The processing circuitry is further configured, in response to the available software update, to enable the automation apparatus for receiving the update for the software.

A method includes transmitting identification information stored in an information terminal to a first server and acquiring biological information of a user based on the identification information from the first server, generating information indicating a degree of dietary restriction depending on a progress of a disease of the user based on the biological information of the user, generating a personalized menu for the user based on the menu information and the information indicating the degree of dietary restriction so as to meet the information indicating the degree of dietary restriction, displaying the personalized menu on a second operation screen for accepting an order of a dish in the restaurant, the second operation screen being displayed on a display of the information terminal of the user, transmitting ordered-dish information representing the dish selected from the personalized menu and a seat ID to the second server.

A method of providing information includes outputting a request of acquisition of menu information to a second server based on a request for a personalized menu for the user acquired from an information terminal of the user via a network, acquiring identification information stored in the information terminal from the information terminal via a network, acquiring the menu information from a second server generating information indicating a degree of dietary restriction depending on a progress of a disease of the user based on the biological information of the user, generating, based on the menu information and the information indicating the degree of dietary restriction, a personalized menu for the user so as to meet the information indicating the degree of dietary restriction, and transmitting the personalized menu to the information terminal, thereby allowing a dish to be selected from the personalized menu on the information terminal.

A secure sterilization system comprises at least a plurality of sterilization compartments contained within a device, and a control system for granting individual users access to unique ones of the secure compartments. The plurality of sterilization compartments include circuitry and components that include UV-C LEDs and UV-C photodetectors. In some embodiments, a plurality of walls within the sterilization compartment include circuitry and components that include UV-C LEDs and UV-C photodetectors. In some embodiments, a plurality of walls within a sterilization compartment include sensor components for presence/absence detection of assets within a compartment. Administrator-controlled versions of a secure sterilization system include access drawers with multiple sterilization compartments.

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for paying transportation fare. One of the methods includes: communicating to a toll terminal based on near field communication (NFC) technology, for paying a fare of using a transport system associated with the toll terminal; deducting, through a user account, the fare from an account balance associated with the user account; recording a remaining account balance associated with the user account after the fare is deducted; determining that the remaining account balance is less than a predetermined threshold; and providing the remaining account balance to a second mobile device over the NFC in response to determining that the remaining account balance is less than a predetermined threshold to trigger a request from the second mobile device to a transaction server to add balance to the user account.

Tooling and corresponding tool assembly configurations equipped with exemplary designs of tracking assemblies configured to track information, such as use history, and perform a variety of processing and storage functions relative to the same for more efficient use and maintenance of the tooling over their lifetimes. The tracking assemblies can have retrofit-ready constructions.

An apparatus for preparing coffee grounds for a coffee brewing process includes a control system that receives a coffee order. The coffee order includes information indicative of a composition of coffee beans ordered, and a quantity of the coffee beans to be included in the composition. A metering device receives the coffee beans from a hopper assembly, and is controlled by the control system to: measure the quantity of the coffee beans to be included in the composition, and output the quantity of the coffee beans measured from an outlet aperture. An inlet aperture of a grinder receives the measured quantity of the coffee beans output through the outlet aperture of the metering device and grinds the coffee beans to produce ground coffee. A nozzle is arranged to introduce moisture to the ground coffee output by the grinder, producing ground and moistened coffee that is dispensed for brewing coffee in fulfillment of the coffee order.