Inventory management systems and methods are provided for various applications. Such systems include a first RFID reader system having an RFID reader and a host. The RFID reader attempts to communicate with a plurality of RFID-readable tags, while the host is programmed to receive data from the RFID reader, which relates to the RFID-readable tags with which the RFID reader has successfully communicated. The host generates instructions based at least in part on the data and transmits the instructions to the host of a second RFID reader system. The host of the second RFID reader system modifies the operation of an associated RFID reader as it attempts to communicate with the plurality of RFID-readable tags, with the modification being based at least in part on the instructions received from the host of the first system and improving the performance of the RFID reader of the second system.

A communication device includes a communicator that communicates with an RF tag in a non-contact manner, a communication unit that exchanges data with a host device, and a controller that controls the communicator and the communication unit. Every time the communicator sequentially reads data from the RF tag that passes a communication-feasible region near the communicator at regular time intervals or irregular time intervals, the controller updates first data to be exchanged with the host device by the communication unit so as to include the read data. Also, the controller updates second data to be exchanged with the host device by the communication unit to a value different from a previous value in association with timing with which the first data is updated.

A wireless sensor system includes a sensor tag configured to include a radio frequency tag and a communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more sensor tags. Each of the sensor tags is configured to receive a measurement signal from one or more sensor circuits and stores identification information capable of being distinguished from other sensor tags. The communication device includes a transmission means configured to transmit a command signal to the one or more sensor tags and the command signal includes designation information for designating a sensor target serving as an object. Each of the sensor tags generates measurement data on the basis of the measurement signal if the designation information included in the command signal received from the communication device matches its own stored identification information and starts transmission of a response signal including the generated measurement data when a predetermined response start condition is satisfied.

A detection apparatus (10) is provided having a plurality of optoelectronic sensors (20) that are arranged in different positions and orientations to record respective image information of different sides of an object (14) and having an evaluation unit (22) to process the image information. In this respect, the evaluation unit (22) is configured to recognize views of a respective side of the object (14) in the image information and to arrange the views in a plane such that the original arrangement on the object (14) can be restored.

An optoelectronic sensor is provided for a repeated detection of objects at different object distances, having a light receiver for generating a received signal from received light, having an evaluation unit for generating object information from the received signal, and having a distance sensor for determining the object distance from a respective object. The evaluation unit is here configured to acquire a measurement variable from the received signal with respect to an object, to associate the measurement variable with the object distance measured for the object, and to form a first distribution of the measurement variable via the object distance after detecting a plurality of objects.

A communication apparatus includes an antenna, a detecting section, and a determining section. The antenna receives a radio wave transmitted from a wireless tag. The detecting section detects a phase of the radio wave. The determining section determines that the wireless tag is present outside a predetermined range if a phase difference between a phase measured if a relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a first position within a first range and a phase measured if the relative position is a second position within the first range is smaller than a threshold or if a phase difference between a phase measured if the relative position is a third position within a second range different from the first range and a phase measured if the relative position is a fourth position within the second range is smaller than the threshold.

A device (30) is used to cushion at least one object (12a) in a container (10a). According to the invention, the device comprises: an automatic reading device (32) for reading an item of information which is present on the container (10a) and relates to a predetermined amount of cushioning material (28a-c) for a predefined combination of container (10a) and object (12a); a cushioning material provisioning device (38) for providing cushioning material (28a-c); and a control device (36) which receives a signal, based on the item of read information, from the automatic reading device (32) and initiates supply of the corresponding cushioning material (28a-c).

A system for detecting the direction of movement of an RFID tag along a path comprising two RFID portals, each of said portals being arranged to detect an RFID tag in a respective zone along the path, the zones being arranged to be effectively exclusive of one another, a RFID tag reader having an associated processor and multiple separate ports, each port being connected to one or the other of the portals, the processor being arranged to determine which portal first receives a RFID tag signal or signals and which portal subsequently receives a second signal from the same tag or tags detected by the first signal receiving portal, the processor providing a signal corresponding to a direction of movement, along the path from the first signal receiving portal to the second signal receiving portal.

Recommended installation position and posture of a stationary code reader can be proposed to a user to facilitate installation work of the code reader by the user. An installation support device for the stationary code reader acquires camera information including a camera parameter of the code reader, code information to be read, and environment information including a conveying speed of a line, determines required field of view and depth of the code reader required to read a code under an environment specified by the environment information, and determines an installation pattern which is recommended installation position and posture of the code reader that can satisfy the required field of view and depth based on the camera information and the code information.

An automated package processing system includes a conveyor, a package scale within a movement surface of the conveyor and outputting weight information for a package, a display, a shipping database containing shipping information comprising package recipients and package shippers, a printer within arms-reach of the scale and printing out labels containing a package recipient and a package shipper, at least one scanning device projecting a scanning field onto the scale weighing surface and outputting package measurement information indicating package volume characteristics, and a central processor communicatively connected to the scale, display, shipping database, printer, and scanning device. Each of the packages have package information and a respective package identifier. The central processor is programmed to determine automatically the package shipper and a total shipping cost based upon at least one of the package information and the shipping information independent of the weight of the package.