A SINR-based intrusion detection system comprises a first antenna, a second antenna, and an arithmetic unit connected to the second antenna. The first antenna simultaneously transmits one or plural beams having mutually different frequencies in an enclosed space so as to cover the enclosed space. The second antenna receives signals of the one or plural beams so as to capture signal parameters of the beam. The arithmetic unit is connected to the second antenna and detects the signal parameters in an always-on manner so as to obtain a SINR value from the signal parameters, comparing the SINR value to a predetermined threshold range, and determining that there is object intrusion when the SINR value falls within the predetermined threshold range.

A motorized cart retriever, which may be a cart pusher or a cart puller, can apply a force to a nest of human-propelled, wheeled carts to facilitate retrieval of the carts. The cart retriever can include a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive cart status information from cart transmitters of the wheeled carts and wirelessly report event data to a control unit. The cart status information may include an identification of the cart transmitter, a location of the cart, a lock or unlock status of a cart wheel, a misuse condition, etc. The event data can include the cart status information, a number of wheeled carts being retrieved, etc. The cart wheel may include a brake. The transceiver may communicate a message to the cart wheel to keep the brake unactuated during retrieval. The control unit may analyze the event data to detect traffic patterns of the carts.

A pedestal for an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system, comprising: a frame; at least one antenna disposed in or coupled to the frame; and a mechanism directly coupled to the frame so as to mechanically support the pedestal in a vertical position when in use. The mechanism configured to allow the frame to transition from the vertical positon to an angled position when a force is applied to the frame by an external object, and automatically return to the vertical position when the force is no longer being applied to the frame by the external object.

A power generation system for wheeled objects comprises a generator mechanically coupled to one or more of the object's wheels to convert wheel rotational energy into electrical energy. The power generation system may comprise an electrical storage device configured to store the electrical power produced by the generator. Power from the generator and/or the electrical storage device can be used to provide power to other electrical systems in or on the object. In certain embodiments, the electrical storage device comprises a bank of high-capacity capacitors connected in series. Some embodiments use a control circuit, for example, to regulate the charging and discharging of the capacitor bank and to provide suitable voltages for other systems. The power generation system may be disposed within an object's wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for autonomous sensor placement discovery for RFID systems are disclosed. Sensors are deployed in a brick and mortar store that can scan for and receive signals from a plurality of locating tags as well as RFID tags. The locating tags may transmit ultra-wideband signals in response to a scan to provide precise determination of the location of each locating tag relative to a detecting sensor. Each sensor may also include a locating tag to enable determining the location of each sensor. The location information from the locating tags is provided to a gateway, which can provide a display of the locations of sensors and locating tags in the brick and mortar store and areas of no coverage, as well as autonomously control various parameters of the sensors to minimize or eliminate some or all areas of no coverage.

A system for monitoring shopping carts or other human-propelled carts includes wireless access points that communicate on a wireless network with wheel assemblies of the carts. The system is capable of monitoring a path followed by a cart in a store or building, and using the path (optionally together with other criteria) to determine whether to authorize the cart to exit. For example, if a shopping cart fails to pass through a checkout lane of a store, the system may perform an action that blocks or inhibits the shipping cart from exiting the store. The wheel assemblies may include LEDs or other visual indicators that alert store personnel when a wheel assembly is in a particular state.

A pedestal for an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system. The pedestal comprising: a frame; at least one antenna disposed in or coupled to the frame; and a rotatable member directly coupled to the frame so as to mechanically support the pedestal in a vertical position when in use and configured to allow the frame to transition from the vertical position to an angled position when a force is applied to the frame by an external object.

Deploying at each transition between separate areas of a facility a plurality of RFID reader antennas. Each antenna is deployed at a given transition covering a span of the given transition from a different perspective such that each point in the span is covered by at least two antennas. The antennas of a first transition between a first area and a second area of the separate areas detect, and in combination with an RFID system in communication with the antennas of the first transition, a tag known to have been in the first area. The RFID system identifies an item associated with the detected tag as moving to the second area. The antennas of a particular transition of the second area subsequently detect, in combination with the RFID system in communication therewith, the tag, and identifying the detected item as leaving the second area for an area across the particular transition.

The invention relates to a male device comprising an elongate portion and an antenna. The elongate portion extends in one direction between a first end and a second end, and is intended for receiving at least one female device by threading from the first end. The near-field communication antenna is placed inside the elongate portion and comprises at least one conductive turn comprising two connection terminals at the second end, the two connection terminals being intended for being connected to a reading circuit, the conductive turn being positioned so as to produce at least one magnetic field generating a flux passing through the elongate portion perpendicularly to the direction when the antenna is traversed by a current produced by the reading circuit.

A radio frequency detection device to detect RFID tags. A single double-loop RFID antenna, an RFID reader, connection cables, longitudinal conductive section bars and transverse conductive section bars which form a closed circuit. A transverse branch connecting the longitudinal section bars so as to form a double-loop circuit which is crossed by current and which provides an electromagnetic field able to detect, in three dimensions, RFID tags even on both sides of a single panel of antennas. The possibility of superimposing an RFID antenna, with other antennas with electromagnetic technology allows to obtain a hybrid gate with a simultaneous reading of RFID tags and electromagnetic tags or bars.