A method of communicating between a first electronic communication device of a plurality of electronic communication devices and a wireless communication initiating device for reading the first electronic communication device. The method comprises receiving, at the first electronic communication device, a communication signal from the wireless communication initiating device and determining a first characteristic value relating to the communication signal. The method further comprises receiving at least a second characteristic value relating to a communication signal received by at least a second electronic communication device that is connected to the first electronic communication device and initiating communication with a reading device based on the first and second value.

An internal voltage generator of a smart card and a smart card including the same. The internal voltage generator may include: a mode detector that generates a mode signal indicating a contact mode or a contactless mode; a low-drop out (LDO) regulator including an error amplifier, where the LDO regulator is responsive to the mode signal to: in the contact mode, drive the error amplifier with a second driving voltage to generate an error voltage, and regulate the second driving voltage based on the error voltage to generate a first output voltage, and in the contactless mode, drive the error amplifier with the first driving voltage to generate the error voltage, and regulate the second driving voltage based on the error voltage to generate the first output voltage.

Methods and systems are described for preparing a node-enabled shipment of an item to be shipped using a wireless node network having at least a node and a server. A user access device, such as a laptop computer, smartphone, or tablet, may capture an identification of the node to be related to the item. The user access device enters shipping information related to the item and linked with an identification of the node. The shipping information is stored on the node, and then the node is combined with the item to be shipped. A system may include a node and a server, where the node is specially-adapted via programming to emit the identification of the node to the user access device, receive shipping information from the device, store the shipping information on the node, and then upload the shipping information to the server.

Methods and systems are described for monitoring a piece of equipment using a node network having multiple nodes and a server. A second node is associated with the equipment, can monitor equipment operations, and communicate directly with a first node but is unable to directly communicate with the server. The first node can directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the second node. The first node associates with the second node when the first node detects a signal broadcast from the second node. The second node detects an actionable event related to the operation of the equipment, and transmits a message reporting the actionable event to the first node. The first node notifies the server about the actionable event. Thereafter, the server initiates a responsive action based upon the notification.

Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for varying operations of a transponder device based, at least in part, on an availability of energy and/or power that may be harvested and/or collected. In one particular implementation, operations to generate one or more signals from sensor circuitry and/or to perform computations may be varied based, at least in part, on an availability of harvestable and/or collectable energy and/or power.

The present description concerns an electronic device having an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal. The electronic device further includes a control unit. The control unit is off, and the antenna receives a radio frequency signal. The antenna is configured to deliver a first voltage representative of the radio frequency signal to power the control unit with the voltage for the duration of the booting of the control unit.

A method of communicating between a first electronic communication device of a plurality of electronic communication devices and a wireless communication initiating device for reading the first electronic communication device. The method comprises receiving, at the first electronic communication device, a communication signal from the wireless communication initiating device and determining a first characteristic value relating to the communication signal. The method further comprises receiving at least a second characteristic value relating to a communication signal received by at least a second electronic communication device that is connected to the first electronic communication device and initiating communication with a reading device based on the first and second value.

An electronic wireless communication device is provided, comprising: a wireless communication means for communicating with a wireless communication initiating device; means for monitoring a communication signal received by the wireless communication means; means for sending at least a first characteristic value relating to the communication signal received by the wireless communication means to at least one other electronic wireless communication device; means for receiving at least a further characteristic value relating to a communication signal received by the at least one other electronic wireless communication device; and processing means for carrying out a comparison based on the first characteristic value and the further characteristic value, wherein the electronic wireless device is configured to selectively activate communication with the wireless communication initiating device based on the result of the comparison. A system and method is also provided for communicating between an electronic wireless communication device of a plurality of electronic wireless communication devices and a wireless communication initiating device that can read one of the electronic wireless communication devices.

A wearable payment device, such as a finger ring worn by a user, communicates payment data to a payment reader that uses the payment data in order to request a payment transaction. Such wearable payment device may be conveniently carried by and accessible to the user such that utilization of the payment device for the payment transaction is less burdensome for the user, thereby encouraging use of the payment device for payments. Indeed, in some cases, such as when the payment device is implemented as a finger ring or other type of jewelry, the user may be encouraged to carry the payment device in an exposed manner such that it is readily available for the payment transaction without the user having to search in a wallet, pocket, or purse.

An electronic wireless communication device is provided, comprising: a wireless communication means for communicating with a wireless communication initiating device; means for monitoring a communication signal received by the wireless communication means; means for sending at least a first characteristic value relating to the communication signal received by the wireless communication means to at least one other electronic wireless communication device; means for receiving at least a further characteristic value relating to a communication signal received by the at least one other electronic wireless communication device; and processing means for carrying out a comparison based on the first characteristic value and the further characteristic value, wherein the electronic wireless device is configured to selectively activate communication with the wireless communication initiating device based on the result of the comparison. A system and method is also provided for communicating between an electronic wireless communication device of a plurality of electronic wireless communication devices and a wireless communication initiating device that can read one of the electronic wireless communication devices.