According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance unit that is configured to transport a print medium along a conveyance path. An antenna is configured to emit radio waves towards a predetermined portion of the conveyance path. A controller is configured to control the antenna to emit the radio waves towards the predetermined portion with a polarization direction set according to a type of the print medium being transported by the sheet conveyance unit. The print medium may have, for example, one or more wireless tags thereon or therein.

The present application provides a device supporting card-swiping, which relates to the technical field of communications. The device supporting card-swiping comprises a display screen (1), a protective back plate (2) and a contactless card reader (3). Wherein the antenna (310) of the contactless card reader (3) is arranged between the display screen (1) and the protective back plate (2) for sensing a user's card swiping signal. The device supporting card-swiping can increase the effective card swiping distance and improve user experience.

Various embodiments are directed to a method and system for mapping or visualizing the magnetic fields and their associated field strengths of an object, such as a mobile computing device. An example source of the magnetic fields may be a near-field communication (NFC) reader configured in the object. A computer vision system or device may track a visual marker arranged near or on a magnetic field strength detector in order to associate, match, or map the magnetic field strength measurement readings of the detector at different positions or locations on the object. The computer vision system may generate and display a heat map of the object based on at least the magnetic field strength measurements and their relative positions.

An article input device includes a processor. The processor acquires identification information read from a wireless tag by a reading unit installed in a first carrier carrying an article. The processor registers the acquired identification information in a first list when the acquired identification information is not registered in a second list in which identification information read from a wireless tag by a second reading unit installed in a second carrier carrying an article is registered. The processor causes a display on the first carrier to output a notification when the acquired identification information is registered in the second list.

A communication device for communicating with wireless communication devices is provided that includes a shield device defining a plurality of shield spaces arranged along a transport path transporting a sheet on which a plurality of wireless communication devices are arrayed; and a plurality of reader/writer antennas arranged in each of the plurality of shield spaces. Moreover, the plurality of shield spaces are juxtaposed corresponding to an array pitch between the wireless communication devices on the sheet, a part of the shield device is arranged between the plurality of reader/writer antennas, and the plurality of reader/writer antennas are arranged at a side facing a transport surface of the transport path.

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) printer-encoder is provided. The RFID printer-encoder includes a feed path configured to accommodate a plurality of RFID tags. The RFID printer-encoder further includes a print head positioned along the feed path. Furthermore, the RFID printer-encoder includes a multi-mode active antenna configurable in a plurality of antenna modes. Each of the plurality of antenna modes has a distinct radiation pattern.

A staple instrument system comprising a cartridge body and an antenna is disclosed.

The invention discloses a digital slide scanner sample identification device, and relates to the digital slide scanner for solving the problem that a bar code scanner can normally read a bar code label through the light contact, and the samples cannot be read due to the shielding of the bar code since the samples are stored in the digital slide scanner or scanning samples are stacked. The device comprises a digital slide scanner, and scanning samples; a near-field communication NFC read-write module is arranged in the digital slide scanner, and a NFC label is arranged on each scanning sample. By using the NFC technology, the NFC label data in a large amount of scanning samples can be read within short time, a feedback indication can be provided, and the working efficiency is greatly improved. The invention further discloses a digital slide scanner sample identification method.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a near field communication (NFC) device is provided, comprising: a communication unit configured to be communicatively coupled to an NFC reader; a processing unit configured to use a plurality of emulated cards for executing one or more applications; a profile determination unit configured to determine a polling profile of said NFC reader; and a card selection unit configured to select a specific one of said emulated cards for use by the processing unit in dependence on the polling profile determined by the profile determination unit. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a near field communication (NFC) device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program is provided.

An interrogation device and/or system includes a body and an antenna, the body has an aperture or elongated receiver with an opening and an internal perimeter or inner wall sized and/or shaped to receive a portion of a container therein, either with or without a cap of the container. The container may, for example, be used to store biological specimens a cryogenic temperatures. One or more alignment features of the body align wireless transponders (e.g., RFID transponders) of tagged specimen containers and/or carriers with the antenna to enhance interrogation. Alignment may be along a longitudinal or Z-axis, and/or alignment in an XY plane, perpendicular to the Z-axis. Shielding may reduce or even eliminate cross-talk with neighboring wireless tagged specimen containers and/or carriers.