A mobile device for handling objects includes a radio frequency identifier reader for receiving radiation emitted by object-specific radio frequency identifiers attached to the objects and radiation emitted by fixed radio frequency identifiers. The mobile device includes a processing system that computes a speed estimate for the mobile device based on a distance between two fixed radio frequency identifiers and a time-difference between receptions of radiation from these fixed radio frequency identifiers. The processing system determines, based on radiation received from each object-specific radio frequency identifier, a movement indicator indicative of movement of the mobile device with respect to the corresponding object. When the speed estimate exceeds a threshold, the processing system classifies objects which are moving in accordance with the movement indicator to be objects non-belonging to a load of the mobile device. The mobile device can be for example a forklift.

A battery pack includes a housing, a plurality of rechargeable battery cells, a connection interface, a near-field communication (NFC) reader, a battery management system, and a communication gateway. The connection interface is in communication includes a plurality of data pins, a positive terminal, and a negative terminal. The battery management system is in communication with the NFC reader and is configured to receive information from the NFC reader including an NFC tag identification, then retrieve stored parameters corresponding to the NFC tag identification, and configure at least one of the plurality of data pins based upon the stored parameters corresponding to the NFC tag identification.

An apparatus for determining a passing time of a passive RFID sports timing transponder includes a housing for protecting the apparatus; an RFID reader unit connected to an RFID antenna for remotely determining an identity and a passing time of the transponder; a location unit for determining a location of the apparatus; a mobile communication unit connected to a mobile communication antenna for transmitting the identity and the passing time of the transponder and the location of the apparatus to a processing unit; and a communication unit for communicating with another similar apparatus in an immediate spatial vicinity to synchronize operation of the RFID reader unit and an RFID reader unit of the similar apparatus to avoid interference. The RFID reader unit, the RFID antenna, the location unit, the mobile communication unit and the neighbor communication unit are integrated in a common printed circuit board that is mounted within the housing.

A tag reading apparatus comprises a passage that is configured to receive an RFID-tagged article that is to be registered in a transaction. The passage has an inlet end and an outlet end separated from each other in a first direction and width in a second direction. An antenna is in the passage at a position between the inlet and outlet ends in the first direction. An RFID reader is provided to read an RFID tag according to a response wave from the RFID tag received via the antenna. A controller is configured to identify the RFID-tagged article as being in the transaction according to a change in the response wave (such as a phase difference or intensity) corresponding to a movement of the RFID-tagged article from the inlet end to the outlet end.

A system may include a fastener having a trench formed in a side of a head of the fastener. The system may further include a magneto-elastic component spanning the trench and attached to the head of the fastener on both sides of the trench. The system may also include a coil wrapped around the magneto-elastic component between both sides of the trench. The system may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit, where the coil may be electrically connected to the RFID circuit resulting in a resonance response frequency that is a function of a strain level applied to the magneto-elastic component.

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are provided. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device displays one of the stored display content, communicates configuration information with at least one target device via a proximity wireless link, establishes a communication link with the at least one target device in accordance with the configuration information communicated via the proximity wireless link and transmits a content which corresponds to the display content being displayed on the display unit at a time of establishing the proximity wireless link to the at least one target device over the established communication link.

A networked radio frequency identification system includes a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers, a computer in signal communication with the RFID tag readers over a network, and a software module for storage on and operable by the computer that localizes RFID tags based on information received from the RFID tag readers using a network model having endpoints and oriented links. In an additional example, at least one of the RFID tag readers includes an adjustable configuration setting selected from RF signal strength, antenna gain, antenna polarization, and antenna orientation. In a further aspect, the system localizes RFID tags based on hierarchical threshold limit calculations. In an additional aspect, the system controls a locking device associated with an access point based on localization of an authorized RFID tag at the access point and reception of additional authorizing information from an input device.

Techniques for wireless component monitoring are described herein. The techniques may include entering a low power mode to associate a radio frequency identification (RFID) component with a patient monitoring device within a first range. The techniques also include entering a high power mode wherein the patient monitoring device is to detect the RFID component within a second range of the patient monitoring device, wherein the second range is larger than the first range.

An apparatus may be configured to be mounted on a rack. The apparatus may include a communication component. The communication component may be used for communicating with a network device when the network device is mounted on the rack. The apparatus may include a storage device. The storage device may be used for storing information to be provided to the network device, via the communication component, when the network device is mounted on the rack.

An RF system using PR-ASK with orthogonal offset is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes a PR-ASK signal generator and an orthogonal offset generator. The PR-ASK signal generator can produce a signal representing a sequence of symbols, for example, RFID symbols. The orthogonal offset generator can shift the PR-ASK signal trajectory away from the origin while maintaining the time domain requirements for an RFID signal, such as waveform edge rise and fall times. In some embodiments stored waveforms incorporating the controlled orthogonal offset are used to synthesize a sequence of symbols. The stored waveforms may also include nonlinear and/or linear predistortion to reduce computational complexity. The waveforms can be represented in Cartesian coordinates for use in a direct conversion transmitter or polar coordinates for use in a polar modulation transmitter. An RFID system can also include a receiver to receive incoming RFID signals.