The invention concerns a method for detecting the handling of products on a display stand by a person, the products being provided with electronic tags, each person being associated with a communicating object, the display stand comprising a near-field communication device and at least two receivers. The method comprises the repetition of: a product inventory step during which the display stand sends and receives messages communicated by near-field communication in order to identify and locate the products; a step of comparing inventories in order to determine, between two successive inventories, a product removed from or added to the display stand and the position thereof; a step of locating a person by triangulation using the radio-frequency receivers receiving a signal from the communicating object; an association step during which a person is associated with a product when they are close.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamic portal modulation. A method of dynamic radio frequency identification (RFID) modulation comprises identifying in a structure a plurality of different assets to be loaded or unloaded; wherein each asset of the plurality of different assets is of a known identification and includes a passive RFID tag, and all passive RFID tags of the plurality of different assets are not the same. The method also comprises identifying a selected structural opening of a plurality of structural openings to be utilized with unloading or loading of the plurality of different assets, wherein each structural opening of the plurality of structural openings is equipped with an RFID portal including a reader, and each RFID portal includes at least power, sensitivity, mode and off settings; and individually, dynamically tuning the power, sensitivity and mode settings of the RFID portal of the selected structural opening based on the known identification of the plurality of assets and RFID tags utilized in the selected structural opening such that the reader of the RFID portal of the selected structural opening reads every RFID tag of the plurality of different assets to avoid missed reads.

An adaptive inventory management system for use in a materials handling facility storing a plurality of items that are each associated with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The management system including a global inventory database subsystem and a RFID interrogator subsystem comprising a plurality of RFID interrogators that are each configured to read the unique identifier of the RFID tag associated with each of the plurality of items that are within a defined boundary of at least one scan zone generated by the respective RFID interrogator and to communicate the unique identifier of the each scanned RFID tag identified within each scan zone of the respective RFID interrogator to the global inventory database subsystem. The management system being selectively configured to effect user desired levels of fidelity and/or resolution with respect to the generated unique identifier of the each scanned RFID tag within a defined space of the materials handling facility.

A magnetic field induction coupled RFID system for scanning and reading at least one object having an RFID tag or inlay label device attached or embedded therein to impart a unique identity to each of the objects. The RFID tag has two distinct modes of air interface protocol operation, such that the tag is capable of being read at close proximity range by a device utilizing a command-and-control protocol, such as an NFC-protocol compatible smartphone or similarly functioning device, and alternatively by an RFID reader utilizing a different protocol capable of supporting efficient high-speed anti-collision features for enabling fast inventorying at item level of retail store items, warehousing, customs and logistics operations over considerably greater interrogation distances, where both protocols utilize substantially the same carrier frequency.

Provided are a tag and a method, performed by the tag, of transmitting a response signal regarding a tag search signal. The method includes: receiving, from at least one of a plurality of slave nodes, the tag search signal including identifying data for identifying the tag; charging an energy storage element inside the tag by using the received tag search signal; obtaining the identifying data for identifying the tag from the received tag search signal; determining whether the obtained identifying data matches identification information pre-stored in the tag; and when the energy storage element is charged to a certain numerical value or above and the obtained identifying data matches the identification information pre-stored in the tag, outputting the response signal regarding the tag search signal.

A vehicle locating assembly for locating a suspect licensed vehicle includes a computer, a plurality of RFID tags, and a plurality of interrogators. A database is positioned on the computer and comprises a list of licensed vehicles, each of which is assigned a unique identifier. Each RFID tag is engaged to a respective license plate of a plurality of license plates, with the respective license plate being affixed to an associated licensed vehicle. The unique identifier of the associated licensed vehicle is written on the RFID tag. The interrogators are communicatively engaged to the computer and are mounted to create an array across a network of roads. The interrogator selectively powers the RFID tags so that they transmit their respective unique identifiers. The interrogator receives the respective unique identifiers and communicates them to the computer. The computer the isolates a unique identifier of a suspect licensed vehicle.

A method and system provides for determining position information for tracking tags relative to a plurality of tracking stations. The method and system includes initiating a wake cycle at a first time including pausing for a first time period and thereafter emitting a blast of light in a light sweep. The method and system includes the tracking tags waking at the first time and activating a photoreceptor embedded therein. The tracking tags detecting the blast of light and initiating a tracking timer therein. From there, the method and system includes the tracking stations emitting a vertical laser in a circular rotation at a rotational speed. Whereby, the tracking tags detect the vertical laser at a timestamp and detect an angle between the tracking tag tracking stations based thereon.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled readers and systems and methods for filtering cross reads of RFID tags and use thereof. The systems and methods may be configured to operate with mobile and/or fixed RFID readers. The systems and methods may provide for claim based filtering of cross reads based upon adjusting operating powers of RFID readers and/or antenna. The systems and methods may also be configured to apply weights to claims thereby providing efficient and/or accurate filtering of cross reads. The systems and methods may also provide for a database that may also be presented to a user to illustrate locations of inventory at any point in time or over a period of time, or to facilitate the ability of a user to physically locate inventory to be acted upon.

A dynamic monitoring system with radio-frequency identification includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, at least two radio-frequency identification (RFID) detectors and a processing device. The RFID tag is installed on a moving user. When the user enters a preset detection range, at least two RFID detectors detect the RFID tag and generate an identification signal, respectively. The processing device is coupled to at least two RFID detectors. The processing device generates a distance signal between the RFID tag and the at least two RFID detectors according to the identification signals and positions of the at least two RFID detectors. The processing device generates a positioning signal relevant to a position of the RFID tag within the preset detection range according to the distance signal.

This disclosure relates to systems with multiple NFC front ends and at least one shared controller. One disclosed system includes a first discrete device having a first near field communication (NFC) controller, a second discrete device having a second NFC controller, a communicative connection between the first discrete device and the second discrete device, and a system controller located on the first discrete device. The system controller is communicatively connected to the first NFC controller. The system controller is connected to the second NFC controller via the communicative connection. In specific approaches, the second discrete device can include a display which is also controlled by the system controller, and the system controller is NCI compliant and application aware. In specific approaches, the system controller can control the second NFC controller based on the content concurrently being provided to the display.