A distributed automation control system includes a network for connecting members of the system to a central server for communication between the members and the central server. The members can include a device controlled by a microcontroller in communication with the network, a mobile object digitized to communicate with the central server via the network, and a facility component in communication with the central server. A member can be assigned to one or more groups of members for group learning and for generating a group heartbeat. Each member defines a safety volume which is monitored by the central server. When the safety volume of one member overlaps the safety volume of another member, the central server initiates a responsive action which can include ceasing the operation of at least one of the members.

This disclosure relates to a data storage device. A data port transmits data between a host computer system and the data storage device over a data channel. The device repeatedly broadcasts advertising packets over a wireless communication channel different from the data channel. Each advertising packet comprises a random value and a message authentication code calculated based on the random value and an identity key. The identity key is readable by a device to be connected and in proximity of the data storage device out of band of the data channel and the communication channel. The identity key enables the device to be connected to verify the message authentication code based on the random value and the identity key to thereby authenticate the data storage device.

An apparatus and method to conduct financial and other transactions using a wireless computing device. The wireless device includes an input display part, one or more processors, and at least one memory device. The memory device has stored therein a wallet application for completing transactions based on wireless data communications between the computing device and an external electronic device. The memory device further stores at least one electronic credential. The wireless device permits transmission, via a near-field communication (NFC) module, of at least one electronic credential to an NFC reader of the external electronic device based on comparing a biometric characteristic of a user, detected by a biometric characteristic reader, with stored biometric information.

A store having an automated checkout can automatically associate multiple shoppers with a single purchase. For example, a mother and her children can walk independently through the store and select items. Upon checkout, the items selected by the mother and children can all be charged to the mother's credit card in a single purchase. The system and method discussed herein can capture images of multiple shoppers from one or more video streams of a store area, can associate the multiple shoppers with one another from the captured images when the multiple shoppers appear together in a check-in area of the store, can track the movement of the multiple shoppers within the store from the captured images, can track items selected by the multiple shoppers from the captured images, and can initiate a transaction that charges the selected items to an account associated with one of the multiple shoppers.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a conveyance system and a compartment coupled to the conveyance system. The conveyance system autonomously drives the autonomous robotic vehicle between one or more storage locations and one or more delivery locations. The compartment receives one or more items stored at the one more storage locations. The compartment includes a temperature control module configured to maintain the compartment within a predetermined temperature range to provide temperature control for the one or more items as the conveyance system drives between the one or more storage locations and the one or more delivery locations.

A cardholder sleeve and a computing device paired with the cardholder sleeve configured to operate as near-field communication (NFC) proxy devices for one or more integrated circuit (IC) chip cards held in the cardholder sleeve is disclosed. The cardholder sleeve includes at least one pocket to hold an IC chip card and at least one internal card reader adjacent to each pocket, and is configured to wirelessly pair with the computing device via a wireless communication protocol. When the computing device comes in close proximity to an external card reader, the NFC interrogation occurs with the computing device acting as a proxy for the card held in the cardholder sleeve. In this way, the cardholder sleeve and computing device form a repeater network that enables the card to be interrogated remotely on a per-transaction basis.

Provided is a farm work support device including a reception unit configured to receive designation of plants to be cultivated, a retrieval unit configured to retrieve a vegetation design which is a vegetation combination proper for construction of a mixed and dense growth state of the designated plants, and an output unit configured to output the retrieved vegetation design.

A RFID tag, a reader and a protocol allow a protected read operation in a two-step tag authentication with cipher-block cryptography. A challenge-response mechanism using a shared secret symmetric key for tag authentication includes a challenge and information to read data from a tag's memory. Tag's enhanced reply to the challenge-response mechanism includes a response to the reader's challenge and data from the tag's memory. A method embeds a protected write operation in a four-step reader authentication with cipher-block cryptography. The protocol allows a challenge-response mechanism using the shared secret symmetric key for reader authentication including a challenge and information to write data to the tag's memory. Reader's enhanced reply to the challenge-response mechanism includes a response to the tag's challenge and data for writing to the tag's memory. Authenticated read and write data may be in plaintext, message authentication code (MAC)-protected, encrypted, or both encrypted and MAC protected.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing accurate images of cards. An application executing on a mobile device may receive authentication credentials for an account, determine a card associated with the account, and determine a card manufacturer identifier (CMID) of the card. The application may receive, from a digital asset management system based on the CMID, a plurality of metadata attributes of the card and one or more images of the card. The application may determine, based on the metadata attributes and attributes of the mobile device, a first orientation of the card to enable near-field communication (NFC) data transfer between the card and the mobile device. The application may select a first image of the card. The application may generate a graphical user interface (GUI) including the first image and an indication specifying to tap the card to the mobile device according to the first orientation.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a channel equalizer is provided for use in a near field communication (NFC) device, the channel equalizer comprising: a filter configured to receive an input signal and to generate a filtered output signal; an estimator configured to determine filter coefficients to be used by said filter; a synchronizer configured to determine when to enable the channel equalizer and to provide one or more corresponding control signals to the estimator. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a channel equalizer for use in a near field communication (NFC) device is conceived.