An inventory tracking system to determine the location of an article labeled with an RFID tag in a pocket of a container having a plurality of pockets. The system includes an antenna device that transmits a radiation beam into a pocket to read data from tagged articles. The antenna device includes a first antenna that transmits a beam at the pocket and a second antenna co-located with the first antenna. The second antenna transmits a beam with a predetermined null area oriented to overlap the first antenna's beam at the pocket. In another embodiment, the antenna device includes an antenna that transmits a beam through an antenna gateway device having openings switchable to operable or inoperable states aligned with each pocket. An RFID reader receives the read data from responding tagged articles, and a processor uses the read data to determine whether an article is in a particular pocket.

RFID (radio frequency identification) systems are provided in which tag and interrogator devices implement a hybrid framework for signaling including an optical transmitter/receiver system and an RF transmitter/receiver system. For instance, an RFID tag device includes: optical receiver circuitry configured to receive an optical signal having an embedded clock signal from an interrogator device, and convert the optical signal into an electrical signal comprising the embedded clock signal; clock extraction circuitry configured to extract the embedded clock signal from the electrical signal, and output the extracted clock signal as a clock signal for controlling clocking functions of the tag device; voltage regulator circuitry configured to generate a regulated supply voltage from the electrical signal, wherein the regulated supply voltage is utilized as a bias voltage for components of the tag device; and data transmitter circuitry configured to wirelessly transmit tag data to the interrogator device.

An object of the present disclosure is to suppress reduction of a communication distance of a touch screen with a built-in antenna and obtain a high visual quality at a time of constituting a display apparatus by the touch screen. A touch screen with a built-in antenna of the present disclosure is provided on a side of an emission of display light of a display element. The touch screen with the built-in antenna includes a touch panel and an antenna pattern. The antenna pattern includes an antenna wire disposed to overlap with a detectable area in a plan view and made by a repetitive unit pattern. A second pitch which is a pitch of the unit pattern of the antenna wire is different from a first pitch which is a pitch of the unit pattern of each of the first detection wires and each of the second detection wires.

A vehicular system (1) detects a magnetic marker (10) laid in a road and wirelessly communicates with a wireless tag (15) attached to the magnetic marker (10). The system includes a measuring unit (2) which detects the magnetic marker (10) by sensing magnetism, a tag reader (34) which executes a communication process with the wireless tag (15), and a control unit (32) which sets a communication start point as a start point of the communication process by the tag reader (34). The control unit (32) sets, as a communication start point, a time after a lapse of specified time with reference to a time point of detection at which the measuring unit (2) detects the magnetic marker (10). Upon reading information from the wireless tag (15), the tag reader (34) terminates communication, thereby shortening a communication time.

Synthesized-beam RFID readers may be used to locate RFID tags. In one embodiment, a tag's response rates on different beams can be used, along with the target locations of those beams, to estimate the tag's location. The estimated tag location is within a region where beams with nonzero tag response rates overlap, and the distances of the estimated tag location from any two different beam target locations may correspond to a ratio of tag response rates on the two different beams. In another embodiment, a tag's response rates on different beam pairs configured to cooperatively power RFID tags can be used, along with the target locations of those beam pairs, to estimate the tag's location.

To achieve an information output device in which information of a medium disposed on a stage surface can be surely and efficiently read out, and a stage effect and a security are high. In the information output device, media are disposed on a stage surface in a state where the media are opposite to the stage surface, the media where dot patterns are printed on medium surfaces on the basis of a predetermined rule, the dot patterns are read by imaging units disposed in a space below the stage and converted into code values or coordinate values indicating the dot patterns from photographed images obtained by the imaging units, and information corresponding to the code values or the coordinate values is outputted. Further, light transmitting reading holes are respectively provided at a plurality of medium disposing locations on the stage surface, and the imaging units are disposed in the space below the stage corresponding the respective reading holes such that the imaging units photograph the medium surfaces of the media disposed on the reading holes.

An inventory management system includes an RFID reader, a multiplexing device operably connected to the RFID reader, and a plurality of shelving units. Each shelving unit has an outer boundary defined at least in part by RF blocking material. The inventory management system additionally includes a plurality of shelf antennas multiplexed to the RFID reader via the multiplexing device. At least one shelf antenna is routed within each shelving unit and tuned such that only RFID tags within the outer boundary of the shelving unit respond to an interrogation signal.

Aspects of the present disclosure include receiving one or more RFID interrogating signals from the RFID scanner, generating one or more internal signals, mixing the one or more RFID interrogating signals with the one or more internal signals to generate one or more resultant signals, and backscattering the one or more resultant signals.

Reading apparatus for objects each bearing at least one RFID tag, said objects being placed in a cassette that can also be furnished with an RFID tag, said system comprising at least one element in the form of a tunnel in which said cassette can be placed, said element comprising at least one antenna and one RFID reader, said antenna comprising at least two coils composed of several turns, said coils being distributed along and around said tunnel.

A wireless communication module includes an antenna on a first conductive wall among the conductive walls enclosing a closed space; a tag reader connected with the antenna to read an RFID tag in the closed space; and a reflective part having a thin film or plate shape between the first and second conductive walls facing each other. The reflective part partitions the closed space into first and second spaces. The antenna radiates a radio wave that is reflected by the reflective part to become a first reflected wave in the first space. The radio wave also transmits through the reflective part, reflected by the second conductive wall, and transmits through the reflective part to become a second reflected wave in the first space. The position of the reflective part is determined so that the first and second reflected waves are canceled by each other.