Systems and methods for detecting potential shrink events via RFID technology are provided. The systems include a point of sale (POS) system that includes an optical scanner, an RFID transceiver arrangement, a user interface and a controller. The controller is configured to perform example methods disclosed herein. For example, the controller may detect that the optical scanner has decoded a barcode, trigger the RFID transceiver arrangement to write a data string to an RFID tag located within the object scanning area, conduct a detection operation to detect the RFID tag with the data string in the bagging area. Responsive to detecting the RFID tag with the data string, the method involves the user interface performing a first operation. Responsive to not detecting the RFID tag with the data string, the method involves the user interface performing a second operation.

In some examples, a system and method for pairing a payment object reader with a point-of-sale (POS) terminal is described herein. The payment object reader includes one or more light indicators configured to display information in an optical pattern of one or more colors, brightness, lightness, and intensities, wherein the light indicators display a first optical pattern representative of an operational status of the payment object reader in a first mode, and a second optical pattern representative of a pairing code in a second mode. A display control component, executed by a processor, is configured to control the light indicators in accordance with the pairing code to generate the second optical pattern, the second optical pattern when shared with the POS terminal enables pairing between the payment object reader and the POS terminal. When paired, the payment object reader allows the POS terminal to accept payments from a customer.

A wireless tag that is not guaranteed to be located within a predetermined area is prevented from being read as a valid wireless tag. A communication device includes: an antenna; a reference tag; a reception unit; and a determination unit. The reception unit uses the antenna to sequentially receive signals wirelessly transmitted from a reference tag whose relative position to the antenna is known and a reading target tag different from the reference tag. The determination unit determines that the signal transmitted from the reading target tag and received by the reception unit is invalid based on a phase of the signal transmitted from the reference tag and received by the reception unit.

A transaction terminal dynamically and regularly changes a unique transaction terminal identifier (ID). The transaction terminal ID is reported to a remote manager. During a transaction, a mobile device automatically reads a current transaction terminal ID from the transaction terminal, appends a mobile device ID for the mobile device, and sends the transaction terminal ID with the mobile device ID to the remote manager. The remote manager links the mobile ID to details associated with a user of the mobile device and sends the details to the transaction terminal. The transaction terminal uses the details to customize a transaction being conducted by the user at the transaction terminal.

According to one embodiment, a reading apparatus includes a shielding body, an antenna, and a reader and writer. The shielding body is formed in a box shape with an upper opening, to place an accommodating body and to shield radio waves. The antenna is provided in the shielding body to receive information from an RFID tag attached to a product that is passing through the opening. The reader and writer is connected to the antenna to read information of the product from the information received by the antenna.

A system determines an electronic product code (EPC) and a checksum read from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. The system calculates a new checksum based on the EPC and a retailer-specific number associated with a retailer that owns one or more RFID tags. The system compares the new checksum with the checksum read from the RFID tag, and determines whether the RFID tag is owned by the retailer based on whether the new checksum matches the checksum read from the RFID tag.

Various switchable devices including inductive antennas are disclosed. These switchable devices may include one or more RFID tags and one or more switches. Some of these one or more switches are optionally wireless and/or manual. In various embodiments, the switchable devices include are included within cellular phones, security devices, identity devices, financial devices, remote controls, and the like. The switchable devices are optionally configured to perform financial transactions.

Point of sale (POS) systems and methods are described. A POS device includes a housing with a payment instrument reader. The payment instrument reader reads payment instrument information from a payment instrument in response to receipt of the payment instrument at a read area of the housing. The POS device includes a first fastening mechanism that secures the housing to a mount that is coupled to a surface of the environment. The POS device includes a cradle of the housing that receives a mobile computing device. The POS device includes a second fastening mechanism that secures the mobile computing device within the cradle. The POS device includes a connector coupled to the payment instrument reader and extending into the cradle. The connector is configured to couple to the mobile computing device in the cradle, to convey the payment instrument information from the payment instrument reader to the mobile computing device.

A method includes controlling a shared location. Item identifiers are read from a set of items (pertaining to one or more operators sharing the shared location) reaching a gate of the shared location. A verification request message for the item identifiers is broadcast for receiving corresponding verification response messages from central computing systems of the operators. A passage of the items through the gate is controlled according to the verification response messages. A computer program and a computer program product for performing the method are also proposed. Moreover, a system for implementing the method is proposed.

An electronic medication storage cabinet includes a plurality of drawers configured with a plurality of sensors arranged to identify a positioning of storage pockets within the drawers. Upon receiving an indication of a new medicine container to be loaded in the cabinet, a sequence of steps to load the medicine container into the cabinet is generated based on a mapping algorithm. A first step is displayed on a display the cabinet, and a determination is made as to whether the first step is associated with one of the plurality of drawers. In response to determining that the first step is associated with one of the plurality of drawers, the drawer is automatically unlocked. In response to determining that the first step is successfully completed, a determination of whether execution of any additional steps is pending and indicated on the display.