An in-store interaction and location system is provided. At least one RF backscatter transmitter, hosted on a device, is configured to emit a RF signal on a frequency. A set of passive RF backscatter tags, each associated with a respective one of a plurality of products in a given store area, is configured to reflect and frequency shift the RF signal to a different frequency. At least one RF backscatter receiver, hosted on another device, is configured to read the plurality of products on the different frequency by detecting a distributed ambient backscatter signal generated by a reflection and frequency shifting of the RF signal by the passive RF backscatter tag. At least one of the device and the other device is configured to maintain an inventory and a location of the plurality of products in the given store area and provide the inventory and location to a user device.

A smart radio frequency identification (RFID) system for controlling operation of electrical units is disclosed. The system includes a RFID tag, a control unit coupled to the RFID tag, a relay unit connected to the control unit and to the electrical unit, and an external RFID reader for generating radio frequency (RF) signals for sending data to the RFID tag when the RFID reader is placed next to the RFID tag. The RFID tag checks and stores the data and passes the data along to the control unit. The control unit sends a control signal to the relay unit in accordance with instructions contained in the data, causing the relay unit to operate the electrical unit between a first state and a second state. The system may also include sensors to monitor certain conditions of the electrical unit and cause the control unit to turn off the electrical unit when the conditions are abnormal.

This invention relates to an electronic tag (10) comprising sensing means (12) for sensing at least one condition, a control module (14), electrically connected to and in data communication with the sensing means (12), for receiving data relating to the at least one sensed condition, a transmitter module (16), electrically connected to and in data communication with the control module (14), for transmitting, for reception by a remote monitoring station (18), a notification signal including the data relating to the at least one sensed condition, and input circuitry (20), electrically connected to and in data communication with the control module (14), for regulating the operation of the control module (14), by providing a limit for the at least one sensed condition depending on the physical configuration thereof.

A cloud-based radio frequency identification system and method for maintaining and providing users with part information for a plurality of parts are provided. The system includes a cloud platform server including a part database storing the part information. The cloud platform server communicates with at least one mobile device and send e-mail and text alerts associated with the part information and also provides the part information through an online website. The system includes a manufacturing network coupled to the cloud platform server. A plurality of manufacturing workstations are disposed at locations at which a plurality of operation steps are carried out and allow for at least one of automatic entry and manual entry of the part information. At least one radio frequency handheld scanner communicates with the cloud platform server through the manufacturing network and scans a radio frequency identification tag of each of the parts.

Systems and methods to selectively attach and control antennas via diodes. In one embodiment, a system includes: a reader having a plurality of reader antennas of different polarizations to transmit radio frequency signals; and at least one radio frequency device. The radio frequency device includes: a plurality of tag antennas of different polarizations; a plurality of diodes coupled to the plurality of tag antennas respectively; a receiver coupled to the plurality of diodes to receive the radio frequency signals from the tag antennas when the diodes are forward biased; and a set of one or more current controllers coupled to the plurality of diodes. In a receiving mode the controllers selectively forward bias the diodes to receive the signals from the reader. In a transmitting mode the controllers selectively change the state of the tag antennas to transmit data via backscattering the radio frequency signals.

A dual-mode RFID tag and related system for storing, monitoring, and recovering data regarding an object, the system including a dual mode tag including a case, a UHF tag inside the case and structured to store at least a first portion data about the object, and an HF tag inside the case and to store at least a second portion of data about the object; the system further including a UHF reader to communicate with the UHF tag, an HF reader on a personal device to communicate with the HF tag, and a remote management system having a memory and a communication system that is communicatively coupleable to one or both of the HF reader and the UHF reader to receive a communication signal from one or both of the HF reader and the UHF tag and to store and modify data about the object in the remote management system, and to transmit data about the object to one or both of the UHF tag and the HF tag after determining the authorization of the HF reader user.

A system that performs self-calibration for tracking packages includes a frame providing storage locations for storing items, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags disposed in the storage locations, and an RFID antenna(s). The system determines a distance between each RFID tag and the RFID antenna(s) and monitors signal characteristics from each RFID tag. For each RFID tag, the system generates (i) at least one first parameter indicative of an environmental condition(s) at a location of the RFID tag and (ii) at least one second parameter indicative of a response rate behavior of the RFID tag, based on the signal characteristics and the distance between the RFID tag and the RFID antenna(s). The system tracks an RFID tagged item located in one of the storage locations based at least in part on the first and second parameter(s) for each of the RFID tags.

A system that performs self-calibration for tracking packages includes a frame providing storage locations for storing items, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags disposed in the storage locations, and an RFID antenna(s). The system determines a distance between each RFID tag and the RFID antenna(s) and monitors signal characteristics from each RFID tag. For each RFID tag, the system generates (i) at least one first parameter indicative of an environmental condition(s) at a location of the RFID tag and (ii) at least one second parameter indicative of a response rate behavior of the RFID tag, based on the signal characteristics and the distance between the RFID tag and the RFID antenna(s). The system tracks an RFID tagged item located in one of the storage locations based at least in part on the first and second parameter(s) for each of the RFID tags.

A system for automatically replacing selected content within an electronic document is disclosed. The system includes the superimposition of a geometric shape (e.g. a rectangle) over textual or other human-readable content within an ordinary word processing document that is to be replaced with a barcode or other machine-readable content. Thereafter, a print driver automatically detects the human-readable content underlying the detected geometric shape and converts that into the desired barcode type. Then, the document may be output physically or electronically, now including the barcode in place of the human-readable content.

A system for automatically replacing selected content within an electronic document is disclosed. The system includes the superimposition of a geometric shape (e.g. a rectangle) over textual or other human-readable content within an ordinary word processing document that is to be replaced with a barcode or other machine-readable content. Thereafter, a print driver automatically detects the human-readable content underlying the detected geometric shape and converts that into the desired barcode type. Then, the document may be output physically or electronically, now including the barcode in place of the human-readable content.