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.

A pedestal antenna for anti-theft systems in commercial establishment's entrances, which has the advantage or benefit of allowing the exhibit of physical or physical objects for exhibit or immediate access for the client as a display window which is immediately perceived by the client when they walk into the premises, as they also do when leaving the premises, as this product showcasing spot is in the same pedestal antenna, located at the access door.

A dual hard tag assembly comprises radio frequency identification and electronic article surveillance. The dual hard tag is provides a single component able to both track retail merchandise generally and prevent theft by triggering an alarm. The RFID and EAS systems are not coplanar. The dual hard tag system is small and light weight, and may be reprogrammed and reused for the tracking and anti-theft of multiple items.

A system for monitoring and controlling shopping cart usage comprises a wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart. In some embodiments the wheel assembly includes a wheel, a brake that can be activated to inhibit rotation of the wheel, a controller that controls the brake, a VLF receiver, and an RF transceiver. The RF transceiver may, for example, operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. In some implementations, the RF transceiver may be used to detect entry of the shopping cart into a checkout area of the store, and the VLF receiver may be used to detect that the shopping cart is exiting the store. The controller may activate the brake if the shopping cart attempts to exit the store without first passing through a checkout area.

A system may include a security controller communicatively coupled with pedestals having a first set of antennas and a second set of antennas spaced from the first set of antennas to form an interrogation zone. The security controller may be configured to alternate transmission and reception of interrogation signals between the first set of antennas and the second set of antennas. The security controller may be configured to determine whether a metal object is detected in the interrogation zone in response to the reception of the interrogation signals by the second set of antennas or by the first set of antennas. The security controller may be configured to generate and send an alarm signal in response to the metal object being detected in the interrogation zone.

The present invention discloses a point of sale (POS) structure that is includes an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic sensor attached to a mobile device detects a magnetic field generated from a magnet attached to an object. A magnetic sensor data processing module generates magnetic sensor data based on the magnetic field, where the magnetic sensor data represents a current position of the magnet of the object. An action processing module processes the magnetic sensor data to determine a movement of the object with respect to the mobile device, while the mobile device remains in a relatively steady location and identifies a predetermined action based on the movement of the object. The predetermined action is then performed within the mobile device.

A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object's present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object's heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.

A system for monitoring and controlling shopping cart usage comprises a wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart. The wheel assembly includes a wheel, a brake that can be activated to inhibit rotation of the wheel, a controller that controls the brake, a VLF receiver, and an RF transceiver. The RF transceiver may, for example, operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. In some implementations, the RF transceiver may be used to detect entry of the shopping cart into a checkout area of the store, and the VLF receiver may be used to detect that the shopping cart is exiting the store. The controller may activate the brake if the shopping cart attempts to exit the store without first passing through a checkout area.

Example aspects include techniques for building a ML model in a use case with prohibitive training data and employing the ML model within the use case. These techniques may include determining training information including a plurality of stray training reads and a plurality of valid training reads, determining modified training information based at least in part on modifying the plurality of valid training reads, and generating a model for distinguishing a valid read from a stray read based on the modified training information and an evolutionary algorithm. In addition, the techniques may include detecting, by a monitoring device, a plurality of tag reads in response to a plurality of interactions between a tag and the monitoring device, and determining, by the monitoring device, a plurality of valid tag reads based on the model and plurality of tag reads.