Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080246615 | RFID antenna cupped reflector - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for radio frequency identification (RFID) reader antennas are described. In as aspect, a reader antenna includes a reflecting element and a radiating element. The reflecting element has a body that defines a cavity. The radiating element is positioned in the cavity. The radiating element transmits a RF signal for the reader antenna. The reflecting element reflects the RF signal to alter a characteristic of the RF signal transmitted by the reader antenna. | 10-09-2008 |
20080290840 | Power dissipation limiting for battery chargers - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for charging a battery in a mobile device are described. In embodiments described herein a power supply voltage and/or a power supply current of a power supply coupled to charger of the mobile is reduced. The reduction in power supply voltage and/or current results in a reduction in heat dissipation and power dissipation by the charger. | 11-27-2008 |
20080291043 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEVICE ACTIVATION - Described is a device and a method of operating the device. The device comprises a function module and a triggering arrangement activating a function of the function module in a response to a triggering condition. The triggering arrangement generates an interrogation signal, the response including at least one of (i) modifying a frequency of the interrogation signal, (ii) modifying a duration of the interrogation signal and (iii) modifying non-monotonic temporal distributions of interrogation events. | 11-27-2008 |
20090027298 | Antenna Radome With Integrated Director Element - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for radio frequency identification (RFID) readers are described. In as aspect, a reader antenna includes an attaching element, a radome with an attached director element and a radiating element. The radiating element is positioned coupled to a surface of the attaching element. The radiating element transmits a RF signal for the reader antenna. The director element attached to the radome element focuses the RF signal to alter a characteristic of the RF signal transmitted by the reader antenna. | 01-29-2009 |
20090033455 | Antenna-Based Trigger - Described is a device including a processor, a wireless arrangement including an antenna, and a memory arrangement storing first data and second data. The first data includes predetermined antenna characteristics and the second data includes predetermined triggering characteristics for triggering a function of the device. When third data fails to match the first data, the processor compares the third data to the second data, the third data being indicative of characteristics changes of the antenna. The processor triggers a corresponding function of the device as a function of the third data and the second data. | 02-05-2009 |
20090115666 | Multi-Functional External Antenna - A mobile device with a multi-functional external antenna comprises a housing and an external antenna. The external antenna is disposed at least partially on the housing and conforms to the housing. The external antenna is configured to one of receive wireless data signals and transmit wireless data signals. The external antenna is further configured to conduct power signals. | 05-07-2009 |
20090154719 | Modular Mobile Computing Headset - A system comprises an accessory, a mobile unit module, and a battery pack module. The accessory is worn one of on and near a portion of a body of a user. The mobile unit module removably couples to the accessory. The battery pack module removably couples to one of the mobile unit and the accessory. | 06-18-2009 |
20090160611 | Enhanced Communication Via RFID Interrogator - An RFID portal is enhanced to provide communication capability to RFID communication enabled devices. Such devices include cameras, PDAs, voice communicator, keyboards, displays, indicators, storage devices, etc. Devices are made RFID communication enabled by providing them with an RFID interface and an RFID tag “front end”. Such an enhanced device communicates with an enhanced portal via an RFID reader/interrogator associated with the portal. The portal may have connection to other communication channels, such as an Ethernet tie to a network, a landline phone connection, a cellular interface, an 802.11 connection, a Bluetooth channel, etc. Such connections allow an RFID communication enabled device to communicate beyond the enhanced portal to the outside world. | 06-25-2009 |
20090160645 | Voice Over RFID - A wearable mobile computer communicates with a headset worn by an operator using a communication channel established between the computer and a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag located in the headset. The headset may be configured for receive only (voice travels only from the computer to the headset) or configured for two-way voice communication. For two-way communication backscatter from the RFID tag is used to carry voice signals. | 06-25-2009 |
20090174361 | Energy Harvesting In RFID Systems - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing power to devices that are part of RFID systems are described. Energy is harvested at portable/mobile devices, stored and conditioned to provide on-going power as needed for various circuits/components. The energy may be generated in a variety of ways, including using a vibratory energy harvesting device, a magnetic energy harvesting device, and an optical energy harvesting devices. | 07-09-2009 |
20090296947 | Method and System for a Headset H-Field/E-Field Canceller - Described are a device and a method for canceling a magnetic field and/or an electric field emitted from a device. The device includes a housing including an inner wall and an outer wall, a sense coil located within the inner wall of the housing in proximity to a user's ear, the sense coil sensing a magnitude, polarization and a polarity of an inbound magnetic field within the housing, and an induction coil located between the outer wall and the inner wall of the housing, the induction coil generating an outbound magnetic field having the same polarization and an opposing polarity to the polarity of the inbound magnetic field. The method includes sensing, by a sensing coil, a magnitude and a polarity of an inbound magnetic field, the sensing coil located within a housing of a device, and applying a current to an induction coil to generate an outbound magnetic field having an opposing polarity to the polarity of the inbound magnetic field, the induction coil located within the housing of the device. | 12-03-2009 |
20100001842 | SINGLE FREQUENCY LOW POWER RFID DEVICE - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for a reader transceiver circuit are described. The reader transceiver circuit incorporates a frequency generator, such as a surface acoustic wave (SAW) oscillator. A reader incorporating the reader transceiver circuit is configured to read a tag at very close range, including while being in contact with the tag. The transceiver can be coupled to various host devices in a variety of ways, including being located in a RFID reader (e.g., mobile or fixed position), a computing device, a barcode reader, etc. The transceiver can be located in an RFID module that is attachable to a host device, can be configured in the host device, or can be configured to communicate with the host device over a distance. The RFID module may include one or more antennas, such as a first antenna configured to receive a magnetic field component of an electromagnetic wave and a second antenna configured to receive an electric field component of an electromagnetic wave. The RFID module may include a detector that is configured to determine if the RFID module is positioned in proximity to an object, such as a RFID tag. The detector may operate as a trigger for the RFID module, to enable or trigger a function of the RFID module. | 01-07-2010 |
20100127828 | RFID READER WITH AUTOMATIC NEAR/FAR FIELD INTERROGATION MODE SWITCHING, AND RELATED OPERATING METHODS - A dual-mode RFID reader is capable of automatically switching from a far-field interrogation mode to a near-field interrogation mode upon the detection of certain operating or handling conditions. The RFID reader includes an RFID radio module configured to support a far-field interrogation mode and a near-field interrogation mode, an antenna arrangement coupled to the RFID radio module, and a mode-switch sensor architecture coupled to the RFID radio module. The mode-switch sensor architecture is configured to detect conditions indicative of near-field interrogation, and the RFID radio module automatically configures itself for operation in the near-field interrogation mode upon detection of such conditions. | 05-27-2010 |
20100259365 | FREQUENCY SELECTIVE SURFACE AIDS TO THE OPERATION OF RFID PRODUCTS - The present invention is directed to systems that use frequency selective surfaces (FSS) to aid in the operation of radio frequency identification (RFID) devices and products. In one embodiment, a system for interrogating radio frequency identification (RFID) tags includes a conveyor belt and an RFID reader. The conveyor belt has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is configured to receive an item to which an RFID tag is affixed and the second surface is configured to slide on a metal slide plate. The RFID reader is configured to transmit instructions embodied in a radio frequency (RF) signal to the RFID tag, wherein the metal slide plate is positioned between the RFID reader and the RFID tag and comprises a frequency selective surface that is substantially transparent to the RF signal. | 10-14-2010 |
20100304684 | Method and System for Chopped Antenna Impedance Measurements with an RFID Radio - Described herein are methods, devices and systems for characterizing an attached antenna to an electronic device, such as a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader. One exemplary embodiment is related to a method comprising outputting a low amplitude modulation (“AM”) index radio frequency (“RF”) waveform, the waveform simulating tag data timing and bandwidth, removing a direct current (“DC”) component from the waveform to create a chopped portion of the waveform, applying at least one vector analyzer technique on the chopped portion of the waveform, characterizing at least one antenna impedance vector of the waveform. | 12-02-2010 |
20100309068 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A LOW REFLECTIVITY COMPENSATED ANTENNA - An antenna includes a dipole radiator region forming a series resonant tank having a first quality factor value Q | 12-09-2010 |
20100315195 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A DUAL POLARIZATION ANTENNA SYSTEM - A dual polarization antenna system includes a dipole antenna oriented along a first plane (e.g., a horizontal plane), and a monopole antenna oriented along a second plane (e.g., a vertical plane) orthogonal to the first plane, wherein the monopole antenna is referenced to a V-null point of the dipole antenna. | 12-16-2010 |
20110037567 | FREQUENCY SELECTIVE SURFACE AIDS TO THE OPERATION OF RFID PRODUCTS - The present invention is directed to systems that use frequency selective surfaces (FSS) to aid in the operation of radio frequency identification (RFID) devices and products. In one embodiment, a system for interrogating radio frequency identification (RFID) tags includes a conveyor belt and an RFID reader. The conveyor belt has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is configured to receive an item to which an RFID tag is affixed and the second surface is configured to slide on a metal slide plate. The RFID reader is configured to transmit instructions embodied in a radio frequency (RF) signal to the RFID tag, wherein the metal slide plate is positioned between the RFID reader and the RFID tag and comprises a frequency selective surface that is substantially transparent to the RF signal. | 02-17-2011 |
20110050421 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING DIRECTION OF MOTION OF A RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) TAG - The present disclosure describes a system, methods and apparatus for determining a direction of motion of an RFID tag. An RFID reader is provided that includes an antenna that is tilted at a tilt angle with respect to a detection path. Response signals from the RFID tag are received at the antenna at different times, and an RSSI sample of each response signal is measured. Based on the RSSI samples, an RSSI/time data point is generated for each of the RSSI samples. Each RSSI/time data point defines a measured RSSI value for a particular RSSI sample versus a time that particular RSSI sample was measured. Based on the plurality of RSSI/time data points, the direction of motion of the RFID tag can be determined. | 03-03-2011 |
20110133901 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR READING RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) TAGS - A method and device enables reading radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in a localized area. The method according to one embodiment includes commencing transmission of an interference signal from a reader device (step | 06-09-2011 |
20140313015 | DEFINING A RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION READ AREA - Defining a radio frequency identification read area includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operable to read RFID tags within a specified read area. An RFID transmitter is coupled with the RFID reader and is operable to radiating a modulated carrier in an area adjacent to the specified read area. The RFID reader controls the RFID transmitter to transmit the modulated carrier during a preamble transmission of the RFID reader to prevent any RFID tags in the adjacent area from recognizing an interrogation signal from the RFID reader. | 10-23-2014 |
20140353368 | MULTI-BAND RECONFIGURABLE ELECTRONIC SHELF LABEL SYSTEM - Updating a multi-band reconfigurable electronic shelf label includes waking-up a transceiver and processor of the electronic shelf label, such that the transceiver can be reconfigured to operate on a selected frequency band in order to receive updated information on a data link associated with that selected frequency band. The selected frequency band is chosen based on a power efficiency of the associated data link. The updated information can be received on the associated data link of the selected frequency band, and can be displayed on a display of the electronic shelf label. A supplemental data link using a Radio Frequency Identification circuit can be provided among the other data link selections in the label. | 12-04-2014 |