A code reading method and a radar system using a short-range millimeter wave (mmWave) radar are provided. The method includes transmitting a mmWave radar signal to a target object from a radar system and receiving a reflection wave signal reflected on the target object, extracting reflection signal strengths for a plurality of line codes constituting the target object from the reflection wave signal, compensating for the reflection signal strengths considering a difference in antenna gain between the plurality of line codes as per an antenna radiation pattern of the radar system, forming a radar image using the compensated reflection signal strengths, and reading a binary code from the radar image.

A portable item reporting device may be attached to a portable item, embedded within the portable item, or integrated into the portable item. The device is configured for sustained collocation with the portable item, and includes a sensor or sensors to locally monitor portable item environmental factors. The reporting device provides self-monitoring services for its associated portable item. The device can identify usage(s) or behavior(s), environmental context(s), or operational parameter(s) of the portable item. The reporting device is a generalized monitoring device which can be configured for use with and is adaptable to a wide variety of different portable items, for different users with varying intended uses for the portable item. The reporting device can be dynamically configured and adapted to identify and provide alerts for a wide variety of displaced conditions, that is, for problem conditions which are unique for a particular portable item, a particular user, and/or particular context of usage. The device may be configurable for different removable types of sensors.

The present disclosure provides a system and method for managing patient data during ophthalmic surgery. The systems and methods include an ophthalmic surgical device operable to receive data from a RFID chip. Data from the RFID chip is transmitted to a RFID read-write module operably coupled to the ophthalmic surgical system. A processor identifies the RFID chip based on the received data and determines whether the data stored to the RFID chip varies from data received from a surgical microscope by more than a predetermined percentage. The processor can generate a warning when the data stored to the RFID chip varies from data received from a surgical microscope by more than a predetermined percentage.

A portable item reporting device for automatically learning a use of a portable item by an authorized user is configured to be attached to and in substantial collocation with the portable item, or to be integrated into a portable item. The device includes a sensor to monitor item location, item movement, and/or other environmental factors. The device obtains and analyzes environmental data during usage of the portable item by an authorized user or during storage of the portable item. The device is further configured to identify and/or learn, based on the sensed data, one or more repeated or context-determined patterns of usage or storage of the portable item. The device then stores the past pattern(s) of usage data as indicative of expected normal use/storage by the authorized user. The device then monitors current environmental conditions surrounding and pertaining to the portable item. If the current/recent usage is inconsistent with the expected usage, the device assesses that the item is in abnormal use or abnormal storage, or is under the control of an unauthorized user.

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

Embodiments of the invention pertain to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) method and system using an antenna array, an array controller, and control algorithms. Embodiments of the invention can induce strong radio-frequency (RF) excitation, for a given level of radiated RF power, at any point within an arbitrary inhomogeneous medium. For RFID applications, one typical inhomogeneous medium is an ensemble of cases on a pallet. Another typical medium is a warehouse environment having stored goods together with shelving and other material present. An embodiment of the invention is applicable to the process of reading battery-less, or passive RFID tags, which rely on incident RF electromagnetic fields established by RFID readers to power the electronic circuitry within the tags.

A code reading method and a radar system using a short-range millimeter wave (mmWave) radar are provided. The method includes transmitting a mmWave radar signal to a target object from a radar system and receiving a reflection wave signal reflected on the target object, extracting reflection signal strengths for a plurality of line codes constituting the target object from the reflection wave signal, compensating for the reflection signal strengths considering a difference in antenna gain between the plurality of line codes as per an antenna radiation pattern of the radar system, forming a radar image using the compensated reflection signal strengths, and reading a binary code from the radar image.

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.

A storage unit includes a support bar for hanging items and an RFID antenna provided within a predefined distance of the support bar. When the items hanging from the support bar are adorned with RFID tags, and the RFID antenna emits electromagnetic fields in a direction of the support bar. RFID signals identifying the items are transmitted from the RFID tags to the RFID antenna, thereby enabling a placement or a removal of an item to be automatically registered, or an accounting of the available items to be automatically performed. The RFID antenna may be a portion of a transmission line that uses shields and/or dielectric materials to shape the electromagnetic fields toward a predefined direction, and the locations of items bearing RFID tags on the support bar may be determined by varying the phase of the emitted radiofrequency and determining strengths of RFID signals when the electromagnetic fields are emitted at varying phases.

A method begins by a first radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, that is associated with a first object element, receiving a first data request signal from an RFID reader and sending a first radio frequency (RF) signal that includes first data to the RFID reader in response to the first data request signal. The method continues with a second RFID sensor receiving a second data request signal from, and sending second data to, the RFID reader. The method continues with the RFID reader sending a representation of the first and second data to a data processing unit, which processes the representation of the first and second data to determine a first and second data point regarding first and second object elements. The method continues by the data processing unit processing the first and second data points to determine an environmental relationship between the first and second object elements.