This invention presents an improved RFID method, system or apparatus which includes integrating one or more RFID elements or devices in an object, placing one or more RFID elements or devices on an object, and providing a smart placer which determines and places the RFID in the most efficient location in respect to interference, attenuation or frequency shifts that may exist, to improve the performance or efficiency of the RFID transponder and reader system ability.

A transponder, such as an electronic toll transponder, is configured to recognize when it is being subjected to consistent and repeated trigger signals over an extended period of time and, in response, the transponder enters a reduced-responsiveness state. In the reduced-responsiveness state, the transponder may only intermittently respond to detected trigger signals. The transponder may recognize when the repeated trigger signal situation has been resolved and then return to normal responsiveness.

A device, mobile system, and method for scanning a source of information are described. During scan operations, the scanning device is energized by an on-board supercapacitor power source and is worn upon an extremity of a user. The scanning device is operable for scanning the information source, accessing the information from the source based on the scanning, and generating a signal comprising data related to the accessed information. The generated scan data signal is transmitted for processing to a base station, which is worn remotely from the scanning device, for example on the user's belt.

A device, mobile system, and method for scanning a source of information are described. During scan operations, the scanning device is energized by an on-board supercapacitor power source and is worn upon an extremity of a user. The scanning device is operable for scanning the information source, accessing the information from the source based on the scanning, and generating a signal comprising data related to the accessed information. The generated scan data signal is transmitted for processing to a base station, which is worn remotely from the scanning device, for example on the user's belt.

The present subject matter disclosed herein relates to an integrated reader system. The integrated reader system comprises a reader that continuously/non-continuously monitors an area within a transport unit of a vehicle including doors of the transport unit. The reader is operatively connected to an energy storage device configured to independently power the RFID reader. The reader system also comprises a processor configured to cause the RFID reader to move from a first state to a second state based on detection of different events by one or more sensors of the integrated reader system.

System and method for scheduling and coordinating transmission signals in a wireless data communications network, comprising a master node and at least one tag node. In some embodiments, the network may also include a slave node. The master node divides time into repeating time division blocks comprising a configuration window and at least one transaction window. During the configuration window, the master node provides operating parameters to the tag or slave nodes, including a time slot within the transaction window that is reserved for the tag or slave nodes to broadcast data to the master node. The transaction window is subdivided into multiple reserved time slots, and each slot is assigned to a specific tag or slave node. When a reserved time slot arrives, the tag or slave node will broadcast data signals to the master node. The master periodically adjusts the transmission schedule for each tag or slave node, as needed, to ensure that every tag or slave node continues to broadcast only during its reserved time slot, thereby reducing communication data collisions and optimizing the overall performance and throughput of the data communications network.

A calibration circuit includes a single-wire memory and a transmission line. The single-wire memory includes a power/interrogation terminal and a ground terminal. The single-wire memory is configured to store calibration data for a sensor. The transmission line is configured to be coupled between the sensor and a sensor reader. The transmission line includes first and second conductors. The first conductor is coupled to the power/interrogation terminal and is configured to provide the calibration data and a sensor output signal to the sensor reader. The second conductor is coupled to the ground terminal and is configured to provide a ground reference for the first conductor, the single-wire memory, and the sensor.

A reader (112) for reading data, the data being associated with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (16) and carried by a data signal originating from the RFID tag, the reader (112) comprising processing means (118) and storage means, the storage means having instructions stored thereon, whereby the processing means (118) is operable, under control of the instructions, to periodically switch the reader (112) from a first state to a second state; wherein, when the reader (112) is in the second state, the reader (112) is operable to determine an occurrence of a tag present event corresponding to the presence of an RFID tag within a field generated to activate an RFID tag to transmit a respective data signal carrying data associated with the RFID tag, and one or more other events; following determination of the one or more other events, return the reader to the first state; and following determination of the tag present event, receive and store in the storage means a representation of the data signal originating from the RFID tag, process the RFID tag signal representation to determine the data signal, and read the data of the determined data signal.

An apparatus, method and computer program are disclosed in which a radio unit (110) of a mobile station (100) is caused to periodically communicate with a radio tag (200) with a first period between subsequent communications and to perform pairing with the radio tag (200). Storing of pairing information relating to the paired radio tag (200) is caused. A first profile associated with the mobile station (100) is maintained. A second profile associated with the paired radio tag (200) is maintained. Adapting of the first period is performed based on at least one of: the first profile and the second profile.

In embodiments of RFID-based location determination for antenna power adjustment, a mobile device includes a RFID reader to interrogate and communicate with RFID tags. A control module can utilize a learning algorithm to determine a current location of the mobile device based on physical locations associated with the RFID tags, and an antenna power of a wireless transceiver can be adjusted for a signal strength of a wireless network based on the current location of the mobile device. The learning algorithm can maintain a database that includes information about particular locations or rooms within a residence, the signal strength of wireless networks at the locations, and identifiers of the RFID tags. The learning algorithm can learn context of a user's location with the mobile device to improve utilization of the antenna power of the wireless transceiver, and conserve battery power of the mobile device.