Techniques are provided to estimate the location of an RFID tag using tag read information, such as a tag read count or a tag read rate, and an opportunity metric, such as an inventory cycle duration, inventory cycle rate, or inventory cycle count. A tag tracking system determines read information for a tag in a zone and an opportunity metric associated with the tag and the zone. The tag tracking system then computes a success rate based on the tag read information and opportunity metric, and uses the success rate to estimate the location of the tag.

A method and apparatus for identifying a location of a radio-frequency identification tag. A hand-held locator device is configured to transmit a first signal and a second signal. A frequency of the first signal changes through a first range of frequencies and is transmitted in a range of directions corresponding to the first range of frequencies. A frequency of the second signal changes through a second range of frequencies and is transmitted in the range of directions corresponding to the second range of frequencies. A difference frequency signal, having a frequency that is a difference between the frequency of the first signal and the frequency of the second signal, is received from the radio-frequency identification tag. The difference frequency signal is processed to determine and display a direction of the radio-frequency identification tag from the locator device.

An indicia reader can include an indicia-capturing system, an indicia-decoding module, and an audio indicator system having a sound source. An indicia-reader housing can support these components, and the housing includes two adjacent mounting surfaces and a sound port opening formed within a portion of the common edge of the two adjacent surfaces. The indicia reader can be operatively mounted in at least two different positions by attaching one of the two adjacent surfaces to a support structure. The reader's sound port opening is in acoustic communication with the sound source of the audio indicator for transmitting audible indications emitted via the audio indicator system when the indicia reader is mounted in either of the at least two different mounting positions.

Radio frequency identification discontinuity correction is provided by calculating a phase-time slope for a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) signal received from an RFID tag; estimating, based on the phase-time slope, a predicted phase reading for the RFID signal at a given time; and in response to detecting a phase discontinuity based on a difference between the predicted phase reading and an actual phase reading for the given time, adjusting a calculated distance to the RFID tag. The calculated distance may indicate that the RFID tag is inside of or outside of a designated zone, and that a motion of the RFID tag indicates travel towards or away from the designated zone, which may be used to add or remove an item associated with the RFID tag to an ongoing item list.

A system comprises a near-field communication controller, a near-field communication antenna electrically coupled to the near-field communication controller, and a near-field communication front end circuit coupled between the near-field communication antenna and the near-field communication controller, wherein the near-field communication front end circuit comprises a sensing capacitor configured to function as a serial capacitance in a matching circuit of the near-field communication front end circuit, the sensing capacitor is further configured to additionally function as a capacitive proximity sensor, and the near filed communication controller is configured to function as a near-field communication controller and to additionally perform capacitive sensing functionalities.

A reader device for attachment to a smart device comprising a display, the reader comprising an antenna, processing and reading circuitry, and a communications module, wherein the antenna, the processing and reading circuitry, the processor and the communications module are coupled to each other, and whereby the antenna encloses said display. When a card is tapped on the display, the antenna receives a signal and transmits the signal to the processing and reading circuitry. The processing and reading circuitry processes the signal to produce data, and the produced data is transmitted to a device external to the reader device by the communications module.

Near field communication (NFC) methods, systems, and devices are disclosed herein. In an example embodiment, the method includes providing a first NFC device including a NFC antenna, and transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal including a RF carrier signal by way of the NFC antenna. Also, the method includes receiving a first resonant signal after the transmitting has ceased, and processing the first resonant signal to generate a first portion of transformed signal information. Further, the method includes identifying one or both of a first state and a first event based at least in part upon or associated with the first portion of the transformed signal information.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for tracking and managing location information for automobile assets. By affixing passive transmitter tags with unique identification information to automobile assets, location information may be associated with designated areas and/or location information by scanning the passive transmitter tags at various scan points. The location and automobile asset information may be stored, read, and updated in a centralized cloud database platform, accessible at varying levels to suppliers, manufacturers, shippers, and others.

An intelligent tracking system generally includes one or more tracking devices, some of which may be passive tracking devices. Each passive tracking device includes one or more transceivers and is energized by an energizing signal. Some of these passive tracking devices may operate in a first communication mode or a second communication mode based on the energizing signal. Some tracking devices may include encryption modules or authentication modules. Some of these devices may incorporate a bulk acoustic wave oscillator.

An adaptive inventory management system for use in a materials handling facility storing a plurality of items that are each associated with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The management system including a global inventory database subsystem and a RFID interrogator subsystem comprising a plurality of RFID interrogators that are each configured to read the unique identifier of the RFID tag associated with each of the plurality of items that are within a defined boundary of at least one scan zone generated by the respective RFID interrogator and to communicate the unique identifier of the each scanned RFID tag identified within each scan zone of the respective RFID interrogator to the global inventory database subsystem. The management system being selectively configured to effect user desired levels of fidelity and/or resolution with respect to the generated unique identifier of the each scanned RFID tag within a defined space of the materials handling facility.