Embodiments of a method for clock synchronization in a radio frequency identification (RFID) equipped device, an RFID equipped device, and a hand-held communications device are described. In one embodiment, a method for clock synchronization in an RFID equipped device involves measuring a difference between a field clock frequency generated from an external clock and an internal clock frequency generated from an internal clock and generating outgoing bits in the RFID equipped device in response to the measured difference. Generating the outgoing bits involves adjusting the bit length of at least one of the outgoing bits in response to the measured difference. Other embodiments are also described.

Various embodiments for contextual tapping engines. For example, an application executing on a computing device may authenticate credentials associated with an account and detect a tap of a contactless card to the computing device. The application may receive, from a communications interface of the contactless card, action data used to determine an action associated with the tap of the contactless card to the computing device. The application may determine a context of the application based on a current output of the application. The application may determine, based on the action data, the determined context, and data associated with the account, a first action associated with the tap of the contactless card to the computing device, the first action associated with at least one of the application and an operating system (OS). The application may initiate performance of the first action based on the tap of the contactless card.

An example radio frequency identification card monitor is disclosed herein. An example radio frequency identification card monitor includes an example detector to identify radio frequency identification cards, a card tracker to track the radio frequency identification card with a proximity of the apparatus, and an interface to provide alerts when the radio frequency identification cards are not within the proximity.

A pet feeding system for effectively communicating information between a packaged consumable product for pets and a device. The pet feeding system generally includes a container that stores a volume of a consumable product for a pet, a tag attached to the container that stores product data corresponding to the consumable product within the container, and a monitor device configured to wirelessly communicate with the tag when the tag is near the monitor device. The monitor device is configured to receive the product data from the tag and determine if the consumable product associated with the tag is acceptable for consumption by a pet using the product data. The monitor device is configured to provide an alert to the user if the consumable product associated with the tag is identified by the monitor device as having a consumption problem for the pet.

The technology disclosed here encodes a clothing item ID as an alphanumeric code within the clothing item, such as within a radio-frequency identification tag. A clothing item cleaning appliance, such as a cell phone, or a washing machine reads the clothing item ID from the clothing item, and retrieves the care and content information from a database maintained on a cloud. For example, the care and content information can include operating settings of the washing machine. The washing machine can adjust its settings and wash the clothing item in accordance with the care and content information of the clothing item. The care and content information stored in the database can be organized in optimized data structures enabling efficient responses to received queries, and efficient updates to the information stored in the data structures.

An inspection system for assessing and visualizing structural damage to a structural platform comprises sensors operatively coupled to the structural platform that assess structural damage to or failure of the structural platform. A structural health monitoring processor operatively coupled to the sensors determines structural damage in response to the sensors. At least one RF transponder and associated reader determines the position of the structural platform relative to a user augmented reality viewing device. The user augmented reality viewing device includes a camera that captures images of the structural platform. The user augmented reality viewing device displays real world images of the structural platform and virtual indications of determined structural damage that are dependent on the position and orientation of the user augmented reality viewing device relative to the structural platform.

Devices and methods for providing commentary for multiple points of interests utilize audio communication devices having an optic code reader, a microcontroller, a transmitter/receiver, a storage module and a speaker and/or headphone jack. Two or more audio communication devices may be synced to the same channel. A primary audio communication device sends a signal that triggers a dependent audio communication device to play a prerecorded commentary regarding a selected point of interest in a language selected by a person using the dependent audio communication device. A map having icons representing points of interest includes optic codes embedded within the icons. When an audio communication device scans an icon with an optic reader, a triggering signal causes the audio communication device and any dependent audio communication devices to play a corresponding commentary and a language selected by a user.

Systems and methods of monitoring progress of delivery of a patient-specific medication are disclosed. A patient/medication identification (ID) device is provided on a package containing the medication, the patient/medication ID device comprising medication/patient information indicative of the medication and the patient. At least one location ID device is provided at a location, the at least one location ID device comprising a unique location ID associated with the location. The medication/patient information and the patient/medication ID are read. Delivery progress information indicative of a last-known read location where at least one of the medication/patient ID information and the unique location identifier was read is generated. The delivery progress information is stored in a database. The delivery progress information is accessed from the database in response to the request. A delivery status of the medication is indicated to the user.

An assisted aimer for rapid, accurate, and low-cost imaging of barcodes, includes a hand-held device, such as a smart phone or tablet, having a digital camera with built-in flash, a specialized software application executing on the phone, and an aimer apparatus attached in front of the flash aperture for forming an aimer beam at a predetermined distance. The aimer beam assists a user in accurately pointing the device at a target barcode. The aimer is attachable directly to the smart phone or camera, or is made a part of an enclosure that accepts the smart phone or tablet into a self-aligning receiving space Aiming beam assistance enables the camera, its auto-focus, and the installed software application image processing to deliver rapid, snappy, barcode imaging.

A wireless tag reader includes a casing, an antenna in the casing and through which a radio wave is transmitted to and received from a wireless tag on an article, a control device in the casing and configured to read tag information stored in the wireless tag based on a radio wave received by the antenna, and an elastic member between the casing and the antenna so as to permit the antenna to be movable with respect to the casing.