A near field communication system can include a near field generator configured to generate a near field detectable information signal. The near field generator and supporting circuitry also produces incidental electromagnetic radiation. A masking signal transmitter is used with the near field generator and radiates a masking electromagnetic signal. The masking electromagnetic signal may substantially mask the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

An RFID system comprises an array of antennas each configured to emit a plurality of beams in different directions. The beams of each pair of adjacent antennas are directed towards one another and overlap. A pair of adjacent antennas transmits simultaneously and the overlapping beams interfere to create an interference pattern. An RFID reader controls the relative phase and/or frequency of the beams to move the interference pattern to read an RFID tag within the moving pattern. As the chance of a RFID tag responding to an emitted beam generally increases with signal strength of the reader beam an area of constructive interference means that RFID tags in that region are more likely to respond to the signal. The system can cover a large proportion of the area below ceiling-mounted antennas, where cover generally means that RFID tags in that area will be successfully read.

A system and method for hands-free stock picking using radio frequency identification (“RFID”) includes a fixed RFID reader configured to interrogate RFID tags associated with inventory that is disposed on shelving, and an RFID barrier that is configured to substantially inhibit interrogation of RFID tags associated with active inventory on the shelving. The RFID reader receives responses from the replenishment inventory on the shelving which are tabulated. When an item is picked from the active inventory and moved away from the RFID barrier, the RFID reader receives an increased number of responses for that item compared to the tabulated inventory. The system then associates the picked item with the associated customer order.

A system and method for hands-free stock picking using radio frequency identification (RFID) includes a fixed RFID reader configured to interrogate RFID tags associated with inventory that is disposed on shelving, and an RFID barrier that is configured to substantially inhibit interrogation of RFID tags associated with active inventory on the shelving. The RFID reader receives responses from the replenishment inventory on the shelving which are tabulated. When an item is picked from the active inventory and moved away from the RFID barrier, the RFID reader receives an increased number of responses for that item compared to the tabulated inventory. The system then associates the picked item with the associated customer order.

A reader-enhancing device is proposed which enables an in situ upgrade of readers having limited processing capabilities. The reader-enhancing device includes an emulation module that is capable of generating an output which emulates a first type of credential when the reader-enhancing device receives an input that is not in a format used by the first type of credential. The output generated by the emulation module enables the reader to respond to the input even though the input is not in a format natively supported by the reader.

A system for real-time monitoring and managing access to a computing device including a processor of a target computing device (TCD) configured to host an integrated RFID module and connected to an RFID database and a memory on which are stored machine-readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: detect a user RFID tag by the integrated RFID module; derive a user RFID from a signal between the user RFID tag and the integrated RFID module; compare the RFID to the RFID database containing at least one RFID registered for an access to the TCD; and responsive to a match of the user RFID with the at least one RFID registered for an access of the TCD, activate a command to unlock the TCD for access by the user.