A wearable article, system, and methods may include a structure configured to enclose a human body part. A first antenna, positioned with respect to the structure, is tuned to communicate, while the wearable article is being worn, according to a first wireless communication modality with a first external antenna. A second antenna, positioned with respect to the structure, is tuned to communicate according to a second wireless communication modality with a second external antenna different than the first external antenna, the second communication modality being different than the first communication modality. A transceiver, coupled to at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna, is configured to communicate via one of the first and second antennas based, at least in part, on the one of the first and second antennas coining into wireless communication contact with a corresponding one of the first and second external antennas.

An RFID tag is provided that includes a substrate, an RFIC element and a dipole antenna. The dipole antenna includes a first dipole element and a second dipole element. The first dipole element includes a first fold-back portion, and forms a capacitance between the first fold-back portion and a first facing portion. Furthermore, the first dipole element includes a first interposed portion that is interposed between a first open end and the second dipole element. Similarly, the second dipole element includes a second fold-back portion, and forms a capacitance between the second fold-back portion and a second facing portion. Furthermore, the second dipole element includes a second interposed portion that is interposed between a second open end and the first dipole element.

One example discloses a near-field converter, including: a near-field magnetic antenna responsive to near-field magnetic signals; a near-field electric antenna responsive to near-field electric signals; wherein the converter is configured to, convert received near-field magnetic signals into and transmit as near-field electric signals; or convert received near-field electric signals into and transmit as near-field magnetic signals.

A method can include energizing, by a vehicle, a passive wireless communication device along a route over which the vehicle is traveling; and transmitting information about the route from the energized wireless communication device to the vehicle.

A wireless power transfer device includes a wireless power transfer unit that wirelessly transfers power to a plurality of other devices and a notification unit that provides notification that wireless power transfer to a third wireless power transfer device different from a second wireless power transfer device is not available or provides notification that the wireless power transfer to the third wireless power transfer device is available in the case where wireless power transfer to the second wireless power transfer device is performed.

A communication device includes: a coil disposed around a core area of the communication device; a processor disposed in the core area and configured to establish communication with an external device through the coil; and a discrete element disposed on the coil and connected to the processor through a via.

A communication device having an antenna resonant circuit, an antenna driver which is configured to feed a carrier wave to the antenna resonant circuit, and a controller which is configured to detect that a synchronization period is imminent and is configured to control the antenna driver in such a way that the antenna driver feeds the inverted carrier wave to the antenna resonant circuit.

According to one embodiment, in a magnetic coupler, a plurality of coils includes a first pattern and a second pattern. The first pattern includes a first winding portion and a second winding portion. The second winding portion is arranged in a first direction to the first winding portion. The second pattern is disposed adjacent to the first pattern along the first plane. The second pattern is arranged at a position corresponding to a boundary between the first winding pattern and the second winding pattern. The second pattern includes a third winding portion and a fourth winding portion. The fourth winding portion is arranged in a second direction to the third winding portion. The second direction is a different direction from the first direction. The fourth winding portion is wound in a reversed direction with the third winding portion.

Method and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting and receiving power between devices are provided. A first device may convert power into RF energy and transmit the RF energy to a second device. In some implementations, the first device may steer the RF energy using beamforming techniques to the second device. The second device may receive and convert the RF energy into power for the second device. In some implementations, the second device may be powered solely or in part by power transmitted by the first device. In some implementations, the first device may include two or more RF energy harvesters and a power combiner. The power combiner may combine power from the two or more RF energy harvesters to power the second device and/or charge a battery.

Various embodiments are directed to a method and system for mapping or visualizing the magnetic fields and their associated field strengths of an object, such as a mobile computing device. An example source of the magnetic fields may be a near-field communication (NFC) reader configured in the object. A computer vision system or device may track a visual marker arranged near or on a magnetic field strength detector in order to associate, match, or map the magnetic field strength measurement readings of the detector at different positions or locations on the object. The computer vision system may generate and display a heat map of the object based on at least the magnetic field strength measurements and their relative positions.