A method for testing a wireless tag by a testing unit. The method comprises: transmitting, by a first antenna, a prescribed pattern that is recognizable by a tag to put the tag into a testing mode; transmitting a trigger signal to a tag from a second antenna, the trigger signal being adapted to cause a tag to at least respond with a prescribed signal when the tag is good; waiting up to a prescribed amount of time after transmission of the trigger signal for a response to the trigger signal from a tag that is within range of the second antenna; when a valid response is received from the tag within the prescribed amount of time, designating the tag as having passed the test; and when a valid response is not received from the tag within the prescribed amount of time, designating the tag as having failed the test.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an array of antennas to distinguish line-of-sight (LOS) paths from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths. The distance between adjacent antennas in the array of antennas is less than half the wavelength of the radio frequency (RF) signal of the system. Each antenna in the antenna array is also digitally controlled to change relative phase difference among the antennas, thereby allowing digital steering of the array of antennas across angles of arrival (AOAs) between 0 and ?. The digital steering generates a plot of signal amplitudes as a function of AOAs. LOS paths are distinguished from NLOS paths based on the shapes (e.g., depth, gradient, etc.) of local extremes (e.g., maxima or minima) in the plot.

This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods related to tool tracking. In an example embodiment, a method may involve detecting, by a tool monitoring device, a failure of a wireless communication system included in a tool that is stored in an enclosure. The tool monitoring device may determine that the failure is attributable to a temperature in the enclosure being outside an operating temperature range of the wireless communication system. A notification of the failure and/or a description of a cause for the failure may be displayed on a display screen of the tool monitoring device and/or transmitted to a tool tracking device. In an example implementation, the tool tracking device is located outside a vehicle, the enclosure is a toolbox placed in the vehicle, and the tool monitoring device, which is configured to monitor an operational status of the wireless communication system, is located in the vehicle.

Controllable cards can be selected and testing programmatically. For example, a system can include card ports for receiving controllable cards. Switching devices can control communication with the controllable cards. An output port can communicatively couple a selected card to a card reader. A controller device can respond to a command from a test system by causing the switching devices to select a card port to which to communicatively couple to the output port.

Controllable cards can be selected and testing programmatically. For example, a system can include card ports for receiving controllable cards. Switching devices can control communication with the controllable cards. An output port can communicatively couple a selected card to a card reader. A controller device can respond to a command from a test system by causing the switching devices to select a card port to which to communicatively couple to the output port.

An RFID test system is disclosed that establishes a minimum coupling between two ports without an RFID tag present and a higher coupling when the RFID tag is present. Furthermore, this controlled coupling in the presence of an RFID tag is used to read and identify tags. The RFID tag is read when it is in the coupling zone, as it receives maximum power and has the lowest loss path to the receiver. Adjacent tags do not couple efficiently, so they are isolated from the wanted device (i.e., RFID tag). Further, the coupling through the RFID tag can be frequency specific, and the peak frequency can be determined. This peak frequency and also the amount of coupling can give a good indication of a number of aspects of the tag assembly.

An RFID tag inspection method includes the steps of transmitting a measurement signal from a reader/writer simultaneously to a plurality of RFID tags arrayed on a collective base member and configured to process radio signals, receiving response waves from the individual RFID tags in a batch by the reader/writer, and determining, based on strengths and a number of received signals read by the reader/writer, whether or not the individual RFID tags are acceptable. Thus, acceptance/rejection inspection can be performed on the plural RFID tags, which are arrayed on the collective base member, in a batch.

A medium processing device includes a conveying mechanism, an RFID device, and a processor. The processor controls the RFID device to perform a write process on first and second RFID tags of at least one medium conveyed by the conveying mechanism when the first and second RFID tags are moved to a write position along a conveyance path of the at least one medium, and a read process on the first and second RFID tags after the at least one medium is further conveyed along the conveyance path of the at least one medium by the conveying mechanism. The RFID device includes an antenna by which the RFID device communicates with the RFID tags and is configured to set a communication range of the antenna to a first communication range during the write process and to a second communication range wider than the first communication range during the read process.

There are provided systems and methods for a smart harbor device for intelligent updating and selection for use of transaction processing terminal devices. A smart harbor device may be used to provide updating, servicing, and other maintenance of transaction processing terminal devices, such as EMV terminals used in retail transaction processing. The smart harbor device may include a port where the transaction processing terminal devices may be places, and the smart harbor device may connect to each of the transaction processing terminal devices. Once connected, the smart harbor device may run diagnostics to determine the statuses and conditions for each of the transaction processing terminal devices and maintenance the transaction processing terminal devices. The maintenance may be performed at times where the transaction processing terminal devices are not required for use. Additionally, the smart harbor device may intelligently select one based on statuses and device capabilities.

A system for automated localization of information for smart appliances identifies a user of the smart appliance via a user interface. The system receives scanned input associated with an item from a scanning component. The system requests cognitive services from an appliance cognitive localization server, where the cognitive services integrates localization information with the item information. The system provides the localization information to the smart appliance, and operates the smart appliance using the localization information and the item information. The system retrieves the localization information and the item information from an item repository during a subsequent scan of the item using the scanning device.