A tracking system uses a mobile reader or scanner that scans, for example through a barcode reader, a passive tag reader, a probe, input, camera, or an active RF tag communication reader, and records item (asset or inventory) data. After being recorded, this item data and other relevant data is sent by radio transmission to a receiver network in the tracking system. The receiver network has at least two receivers (or at least two receiver antennae). The scanner location data, calculated by comparing the signal information at each receiver antenna receiving the radio transmission, is then used to register and record the location data of the scanned item.

A position detection system 1 identifies position information on the basis of a position signal received from a storage medium 30P disposed in a placement area where a target item is placed, identifies item information on the basis of an item signal received from a storage medium 30Q attached to the target item, and associates the position information with the item information and stores the associated information when the item signal is received during a period of time that starts from a time at which the position information is identified and that does not exceed a predetermined length of time.

A system to accurately and consistently read Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) information from RFID tags placed upon objects. The system features a moving antenna or antenna array pointed toward a target detection zone. In some embodiments, a portal is constructed having electromagnetic shielding properties and containers carrying RFID tagged objects are loaded through the portal. In other embodiments, multiple antenna arrays are installed within the portal. Movement of antenna arrays may be provided using a non-electronic motor or actuator to suppress potential electromagnetic interference. A method of accurately and consistently reading RFID information from RFID sources by providing the antenna(s) and portal passing objects having RFID tags proximate the antenna(s) and through the portal, and optimizing the angle by which the antennas and/or antenna arrays may best read the RFID signals upon a target detection zone via movement of the antenna(s).

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for generating a spatio-temporal object inventory based on object observations from mobile robots and determining, based on the spatio-temporal object inventory, monitoring parameters for the mobile robots for one or more future time periods. Some implementations relate to using the spatio-temporal object inventory to determine a quantity of movements of objects that occur in one or more areas of the environment when one or more particular criteria are satisfied—and using that determination to determine monitoring parameters that can be utilized to provide commands to one or more of the mobile robots that influence one or more aspects of movements of the mobile robots at future time periods when the one or more particular criteria are also satisfied.

A clipboard is realised as a base for a sheet of paper and with a fastening therefor, with the base provided with at least one RFID transponder. It comprises a marking on the base, which indicates, where exactly the paper is to be placed, as well as at least one sheet of paper with a RFID transponder, wherein a RFID transponder each of the base and of the paper are arranged so as to be close to each other for communication, when the sheet of paper is fixed to the fastening. The base includes a plurality of switches, which are preferably arranged in a matrix, whereas the sheet is provided with various information, instructions and/or choice variants as well as with a number of marking fields, which are respectively arranged at the locations of the switches of the clipboard, when the sheet is fastened on the marking of the base.

A system and method is provided for delivering electric energy to an electric vehicle via electric charging stations or kiosks where an energy delivery point is configured to provide energy to the electric vehicle via a connector or a wireless energy source. The method involves charging an electric vehicle by detecting, using a RFID tag reader associated with an electric vehicle, signals emanating from a marker positioned on the ground, where the marker includes one or more RFID tags, and where the RFID tag reader is able to recognize the signals despite weather conditions where the ground is covered by snow.

A system and method is provided for delivering electric energy to an electric vehicle via electric charging stations or kiosks where an energy delivery point is configured to provide energy to the electric vehicle via a connector or a wireless energy source. The method involves charging an electric vehicle by detecting, using a RFID tag reader associated with an electric vehicle, signals emanating from a marker positioned on the ground, where the marker includes one or more RFID tags, and where the RFID tag reader is able to recognize the signals despite weather conditions where the ground is covered by snow.

The invention relates to a chip board system comprising a board with one or more chips and one or more chips readers. The chip can be a memory chip and can be coupled with an interface. The board can be provided with a layer and can be a board game and/or an educational and/or instructional aid. The chip and the reader can be able to emit and/or receive electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic fields. The chip and the reader can use radio frequency identification. The readers can be coupled with an interface and a (thematical) holder. The system can comprise an electronic device with a processor and a memory. The chips can be disposed in a pattern. The reader can be coupled with a vehicle (an aircraft), a water vessel or a product. The system can be modular. Chip board communication and navigation methods are proposed.

Systems and methods to maintain inventory location data in an enterprise inventory management system, wherein the system includes a global inventory database subsystem for cataloging a plurality of inventory items, each of the inventory items identified in the database by at least a unique identification code and a physical location. The system, and related method, detects, using a motion detection subsystem, movement within a region between a first physical zone and a second physical zone; enables, in response to detecting movement, an RFID interrogator subsystem; identifies, utilizing the RF interrogator subsystem, any inventory items moving from the first physical zone to the second physical zone; and, reports, to the global inventory database subsystem, the identity of each identified inventory item, whereby the global inventory database system can update the physical location of each item from the first physical zone to the second physical zone.

A system and method for configuring Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) read and write power levels includes an RFID module that generates RF signals, a digital step attenuator that attenuates RF signals, an antenna that transmits attenuated RF signals, and an RF shield that isolates the antenna from an RFID label supply roll. A floor read power is determined by iteratively interrogating an RFID label while decreasing the RF signal power until the label fails to respond to the interrogation. A ceiling read power is determined by iteratively interrogating the RFID label while increasing the RF signal power until multiple labels respond to the interrogation. The read power level is set between the floor read power and the ceiling read power. The write power level is determined by iteratively attempting to program the RFID module while increasing the write power from the read power level until successfully written.