Near field coupling devices and associated systems and methods

A method of adjusting a pattern of a communications field to accommodate different transponder configurations, the method comprising:

• receiving, in a media processing device, media having a first transponder configuration, the media processing device including a coupler capable of switching between different radiating sets to transmit communication fields having different patterns to an encoding area;
• activating, using a processor of the media processing device, different ones of the radiating sets at respective times to encode at least one transponder of the media located in the encoding area;
• evaluating, based on encoding results of the at least one transponder, respective ones of the radiating sets;
• and
• selecting, based on the evaluating, a first one of the radiating sets for the first transponder configuration.

A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

• activate different ones of radiating sets at respective times to encode at least one transponder of media located in an encoding area of the machine, the media having a first unit configuration, the different radiating sets being subsets of a plurality of radiating elements of a coupler;
• evaluate, based on encoding results of the at least one transponder, respective ones of the radiating sets;
• and
• identify, based on the evaluation of the respective ones of the radiating sets, a preferred radiating set for the first unit configuration.