Disclosed are various embodiments for automated tracking of inventory levels in storage bins. In one embodiment, among others, an adjustable bin divider may comprise a supporting base that has a receiving slot at an end, the receiving slot comprising a slide channel that extends along a top portion of the supporting base; a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is attached to the supporting base; and a radio frequency (RF)-blocking slide divider that comprises a first panel with an RF shield and a second panel that has a narrowed end, the first panel being connected to the second panel at the narrowed end, the first panel being inserted in the receiving slot, the narrowed end fitting within the slide channel of the receiving slot, wherein the RF-blocking slide divider conceals the RFID tag from detection from an RFID reader at a position along the slide channel.

A commodity sales data processing apparatus includes a registration unit a first antenna positioned to read information from a wireless tag in a first region in which an article is to be placed for registration in a sales transaction. A first tag reader sends article information read from the wireless tag in the first region to the registration unit. A second antenna is positioned to read information from the wireless tag a second region. A second tag reader is connected to second antenna and configured to send article information read from the wireless tag to the registration unit to register the article in the sale transaction, if not already registered, and transmit a sale finished command to the wireless tag when the article has already been registered in the transaction.

A fuel dispensing installation employs multiple fuel islands with fuel dispensers and multiple fuel/travel lanes. The installation employs a communication/controller system for automatically identifying a vehicle, and upon authorizing the vehicle, allowing fuel to be dispensed to said vehicle, determining the quantity of fuel dispensed to the vehicle and securing the dispenser when the vehicle leaves a detection zone. The detection system employs RFID tags placed at both the driver side and the passenger side of the vehicle. Generally oppositely oriented antennas define a detection zone for each of the lanes. A light indicates whether the vehicle is authorized for receiving fuel.

A machine and process for providing consumer products may include a set of positions configured to contain consumer products or containers in which ingredients are used to form consumer products. The consumer products or containers may include radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags. A set of antennas, where at least one antenna is disposed at each position, may be configured to output and receive RF signals. A transceiver may be in electrical communication with the antennas, and be configured to generate the RF signals. A processor may be in communication with the transceiver, and be programmed to (i) receive RFID signals from the RFID tags at the set of positions, and (ii) identify locations of the RFID tags to determine that corresponding consumer products or containers of ingredients are in correct positions.

A system for sensing a proximity of a near field communication (NFC) device includes an NFC reader that communicates with a remote NFC device through load modulation. The NFC reader transmits a wireless carrier signal from an antenna, and the remote NFC device modulates such carrier signal by changing its internal impedance in order to transmit data to the NFC reader. The NFC reader has at least one antenna for receiving the modulated signal. This antenna is coupled to circuitry that measures a spectrum of the received signal and identifies a resonant frequency of the NFC device based on the measured spectrum. Such circuitry also determines the signal's amplitude at such resonant frequency and precisely estimates the distance of the remote NFC device from the reader based on such amplitude. By estimating the precise distance of the remote NFC device from the reader, the location of the remote NFC device relative to the reader can be precisely determined, and this information may be used to operate the NFC reader more efficiently.

A wireless tag reader includes a casing, an antenna in the casing and through which a radio wave is transmitted to and received from a wireless tag on an article, a control device in the casing and configured to read tag information stored in the wireless tag based on a radio wave received by the antenna, and an elastic member between the casing and the antenna so as to permit the antenna to be movable with respect to the casing.

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.

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.

An electronic system to remotely enable and locally control use of liquid milk in the preparation of beverages based on, or containing, liquid milk in beverage vending machines is disclosed.

A wireless reading system includes a goods path and a reader device. The goods path allows one or more goods held by a customer passing through a customer path to be moved along. The reader device is configured to perform wireless communication, whose medium is radio waves, with one or more electronic tags attached to the one or more goods while the one or more goods are moved along the goods path, thereby reading one or more pieces of goods information on the one or more goods, respectively.