G06K7/10297

Wireless dual-mode identification tag
11170620 · 2021-11-09 · ·

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a wireless identification tag for association with a product to enable product self-identification and system and methods for use thereof. In one implementation, the tag may include at least one antenna tuned to receive energy transmitted at one or more frequencies within certain frequency bands. The tag may also include at least one transmitter that may be configured to send at least one identification signal. The tag may also include at least one circuit. The at least one circuit may be configured to detect whether energy is received in a certain frequency band, and to cause the at least one transmitter to operate in a mode corresponding to the certain frequency band.

Real-time location of an object using multiple electrical devices

A system for locating an object in a volume of space can include a communication device of the object disposed in the volume of space, where the communication device broadcasts a first communication signal into the volume of space, where the first communication signal includes a first identification of the object. The system can also include multiple integrated sensor devices disposed in the volume of space, where each integrated sensor device includes at least one sensor, at least one receiver, and at least one transmitter, where the at least one receiver of a subset of the integrated sensor devices receives the first communication signal, where each of the subset determines a signal strength of the first communication signal. The system can further include at least one access controller that receives at least one second communication signal sent by the subset.

Return fraud prevention

A point of sale (POS) system that prevents return fraud is described. The POS system detects radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with an item at a time of purchase and when the item is returned. If there is no discrepancy between the detected RFID tags, then the item can be quickly returned without further inspections. If there is a discrepancy, a quick identification of missing parts and the return condition is determined based on missing RFID tags.

Methods and apparatus for locating RFID tags

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an array of antennas to distinguish line-of-sight (LOS) paths from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths. The distance between adjacent antennas in the array of antennas is less than half the wavelength of the radio frequency (RF) signal of the system. Each antenna in the antenna array is also digitally controlled to change relative phase difference among the antennas, thereby allowing digital steering of the array of antennas across angles of arrival (AOAs) between 0 and π. The digital steering generates a plot of signal amplitudes as a function of AOAs. LOS paths are distinguished from NLOS paths based on the shapes (e.g., depth, gradient, etc.) of local extremes (e.g., maxima or minima) in the plot.

Appliances with integrated communication tags
11217077 · 2022-01-04 · ·

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an appliance for holding electronically tagged products and for recording an association between the tagged products and the appliance, and system and methods for use thereof. In one implementation, the appliance may include a housing defining a cavity for retaining the electronically tagged products. The appliance may also include an exciter integrated with the housing and configured to trigger tags of the products to cause the tag of each product to transmit a unique tag ID. The appliance may also include a receiver for receiving transmission of each unique tag ID. The appliance may also include a communicator for outputting indications of identities of electronically tagged products retained in the cavity.

High bit density millimeter wave RFID systems, devices, and methods of use thereof
11216625 · 2022-01-04 · ·

A method includes transmitting, by a radiofrequency identification (RFID) reader device, a first electromagnetic radiation at a first polarization to a scan area and second electromagnetic radiation at a second polarization to the scan area. Re-radiated first electromagnetic radiation is received from an RFID tag located in the scan area at the first polarization. Re-radiated second electromagnetic radiation is received from the RFID tag at the second polarization. A radar image is generated based on the first and second re-radiated electromagnetic radiation. One or more items of information encoded in one or more microstructure elements located on the RFID tag are decoded based on the generated radar image. An RFID reader device and an RFID system are also disclosed.

System providing self-service access to locked merchandise
11216827 · 2022-01-04 · ·

A system providing self-service access to locked merchandise comprising: (a) providing a fixture that restricts access to the locked merchandise, wherein the fixture can automatically lock or unlock, allowing or restricting access to the locked merchandise; (b) providing a means of uniquely identifying an individual attempting to access the merchandise; (c) measuring a set of behaviors of the individual during any time the fixture is an open mode; (d) assessing whether the set of behaviors of the individual are suspicious or not relative to a set of suspicious event thresholds; (e) storing the individual and their set of behaviors as accessible records in at least one database; and (f) providing an algorithm which determines future access privileges of the individual to the enclosure based on a set of variables.

PASSIVE NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC) DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM

The present disclosure relates to a NFC communication system, to a method of establishing communication between a wireless communication device and a passive NFC device and to a passive NFC device. The passive NFC device includes an NFC controller, an NFC transceiver coupled with the NFC controller, and at least one persistent flag coupled with the NFC controller, the persistent flag being switchable between an activated state and a deactivated state. The NFC controller is configured to perform a logical operation being divisible into a sequence of at least a first subtask and a second subtask and the NFC controller is configured to ascertain the status of the persistent flag. The NFC controller is further configured to selectively perform at least one of the first subtask and the second subtask on the basis of the status of the persistent flag.

Systems and Methods for Maintaining a Supply of a Health-Related Item
20210338496 · 2021-11-04 · ·

System and methods for maintaining a supply of health-related items are provided herein. The system includes, but is not limited to, a carrier configured to contain the health-related item. The system further includes, but is not limited to, a container having a compartment configured to store the carrier. The system includes, but is not limited to, an item presence sensor coupled to the container. The system includes, but is not limited to, a sensor tag coupled to carrier and configured to be communicatively coupled with the item presence sensor. The system includes, but is not limited to, one or more data processors configured to be communicatively coupled with the item presence sensor and configured to determine whether the health-related item is present within the container based upon proximity of the sensor tag to the item presence sensor.

Method and device for detecting unauthorized transfer between persons
11783159 · 2023-10-10 ·

A method of confirming the identity of a person who issued a token to signify eligibility for a privilege. Possession token is confirmed to be by the same person by using sensors in the token which track the movements of the person. A machine learning system is trained to evaluate the sensor data detecting transfer of possession of the token. The state of continuous possession since the token was issued or set to an enabled state is confirmed and the privilege is granted. The method of identity confirmation is used in various contexts such as for to control entry to a location, use of a facility or service. It is also useful to determine continuous possession of a weapon to prevent misuse after the weapon is stolen, dropped or lost. Servers, beacons and outside sources of data or inputs to be measured by the sensor can also be used.