A system for locating an asset can include a first visible light communication (VLC) device having a first controller, a first transceiver, and a first light source, where the first transceiver has a first range, where the first controller broadcasts, using the first transceiver, a first communication signal, where the first communication signal comprises an identification of the asset. The system can also include an asset communication device associated with the asset, where the asset communication device includes a second transceiver and a second controller, where the second transceiver has a second range, where the asset communication device is within the first range, where the second controller broadcasts, using the second transceiver, a second communication signal in response to the first communication signal, where the second communication signal comprises the identification of the asset.

A method of incorporating a second conductor into a RFID strap device and the resulting device in multiple embodiments is disclosed. The second conductor adds functionality via coupling between the strap conductor and the second conductor. The functionality added can be a secondary antenna operating at a different frequency than the first antenna that is driven by the strap pads, a sensing capability, a drive for an emissive device such as an LED, or an interface to one or more semiconductor devices mounted onto the second conductor.

A product display surface supports at least one product being offered for sale thereon. This product display surface has a weight-sensitive RFID tag associated therewith. This tag has at least one transmission element that moves with respect to a remaining portion of the tag as a function of weight being supported by the product display surface. So configured, the weight-sensitive RFID tag transmits at a first level when there are no products (or only a few products) on the product display surface and at a second level when there are at least a predetermined number of products on the product display surface, the first transmission level being less than the second transmission level. An RFID-tag reader reads the weight-sensitive RFID tag and a control circuit determines when the first product display surface lacks sufficient displayed inventory as a function, at least in part, of the weight-sensitive RFID tag's transmission strength.

Remote measuring and sensing. Some example embodiment related to optical energy harvesting by identification device, such as infrared identification device GRID devices). Other embodiments relate to RFID device localization using low frequency source signals. Yet still other embodiments related to energy harvesting by RFID in electric fields in both conductive and non-conductive environments.

A hybrid document includes a document having visible markings, one or more light-controlling elements embedded in or on the document, and a controller including a circuit having a non-volatile memory. The controller is embedded in or on the document and electrically connected to the one or more light-controlling elements for controlling the one or more light-controlling elements. A power input connection is electrically connected to any one or all of the controller, the circuit, the memory, or the one or more light-emitting elements. The memory stores a state and the circuit causes the one or more light-controlling elements to indicate the state. A hybrid document validation machine is adapted to accept one or more of the hybrid documents, change the state of the hybrid documents, and optionally display the state on a display.

The present invention relates to an information carrier comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate with an electrically conductive layer arranged as a pattern which encodes information, wherein said pattern is formed from at least one input region, at least one connecting line and at least one contact area. The information carrier is inter alia characterized in that the sub areas of the at least one input region have an area coverage in a range of 20 to 80% and/or the at least one contact area has an area coverage in a range of 5 to 80%. In further aspects, the invention relates to a use of said information carrier and a method of manufacture.

An electrical activity sensor attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for detecting an impulse generated in the power cable in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device, the electrical activity sensor comprising an antenna assembly comprising an antenna element operable to magnetically couple with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable to induce an electrical signal in response to a change in electrical power state of the electrical device; and at least one dipole type antenna configured operate as a half wave dipole in the operating frequency range of the antenna element and to magnetically couple to the antenna element wherein the dipole type conductor is operable to wirelessly transmit data representative of the power state change of the electrical device to a remote reader.

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications (“RSSI”) of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

A method and apparatus for detecting RF field strength. A field strength reference generator develops a field strength reference current as a function of a field strength of a received RF signal; and a field strength quantizer develops a digital field-strength value indicative of the field strength reference current. In one embodiment, detected field strength is used to dynamically vary the impedance of a tank circuit whereby, over time, induced current is maximized. In another embodiment, the quantized field strength is used to sense changes to the environment to which the RFID tag is exposed. In yet another embodiment, dynamic variations of the quantized impedance of the tank circuit are used to sense changes in the environment. Several alternate antennas are specially adapted to facilitate sensing of environmental conditions using the RFID tag.

An RFID system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and at least one passive RFID sensor tag. A backscattered radio frequency signal from the passive RFID tag is modulated with an oscillation frequency which is dependent on a value of a quantity sensed by a sensing element. The RFID reader converts converting the oscillation frequency of the backscattered signal into an actual value of the sensed quantity based on predetermined sensor configuration information of the passive RFID sensor tag. The sensor configuration information includes information on a sensor element or sensor elements available in the passive RFID sensor tag, and particularly information how to convert the oscillation frequency of the backscattered signal into actual values of the quantity sensed by the respective sensing element.