JP2006039789A - Non-contact data carrier with temperature change detecting function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a non-contact data carrier with a temperature change detecting function by which battery consumption is saved, a large scale of nonvolatile memory is not required, information of temperature environmental change is checked without using a special measuring instrument, and information is hardly altered. <P>SOLUTION: A temperature change detecting part comprises, as configuration parts, a switching element; a battery connected in series to the switching element; and parts arranged inside an IC chip, i.e., a clock generating circuit part for generating a clock signal, a nonvolatile memory part for storing temperature information, and a memory control circuit part for controlling a writing/reading operation in the nonvolatile memory part under the control of a clock which is generated by the clock generating circuit part. The clock signal is generated in response to the ON-state of the switching element with the battery as a voltage source in the ON-state of the switching element. The memory control circuit part is operated by an indication based on the clock signal. Then the temperature information indicating the presence of the temperature change is written in the nonvolatile memory part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function.

In recent years, IC cards are becoming increasingly popular in terms of information confidentiality, and in recent years, contactless IC cards that exchange information without contacting a reader / writer have been proposed. A system in which signal exchange with an apparatus or signal exchange and power supply is performed by electromagnetic waves is being put into practical use.
Under these circumstances, various types of non-contact IC tags in the form of sheets or bills, in which ICs with data are connected to antenna coils, have been recently proposed and attached to products and packaging boxes to prevent shoplifting, logistics It has come to be used for systems and product management.
Of course, a simple resonance tag having no IC is also used to detect the presence of an article.

Any of the simple resonance tags and IC tags that do not have the above-described ICs senses the presence of an article and identifies the article, and does not capture changes in external factors.
In the case of a resonance tag having an individually set resonance frequency, the presence of an article is detected and the article is identified, and a change in external factors is not captured.
In order to grasp the change in the temperature of the article, for example, the use of a button-type temperature monitoring device incorporating a temperature sensor and CPU, memory and battery is conceivable. It is expensive at several thousand yen and has a short life because it runs on an internal battery.
In addition, there is a thermo label that changes color due to temperature change, but there is no automatic individual identification function, and visual confirmation is required one by one, and detection is not easy.
Thus, conventionally, the tag is exclusively used for sensing the presence of an article and identifying the article, and in order to grasp changes in the environment such as the temperature of the article, it is expensive like a temperature monitor device, Or, since it takes time to handle like a thermo label, it has not been used to grasp the environmental change of an article.
Conventionally, as a frequency identification method of a resonance tag, a dip meter method, an echo wave detection method, and the like are known as described in JP 2000-49655 A (Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-49655 A

Under such circumstances, recently, an IC tag with a temperature change detection function (hereinafter also referred to as a sensor tag) that does not have a power source has come out, and is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-227702 (Patent Document 2). “A resonant circuit incorporating a ferroelectric capacitor formed using a ferroelectric material having a large temperature dependency as a capacitive element is constructed, and the capacitance changes due to the temperature dependency of the capacitance of the previous ferroelectric capacitor. A configuration in which the temperature is measured by detecting the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit of the resonance circuit is mentioned.
However, since such a sensor tag is used in combination with a measuring instrument such as a dip meter that measures the resonance frequency, for example, in an environment where there is no measuring instrument in the surroundings, such as transshipment of luggage, the external environment ( There was a drawback that it was not possible to guarantee that the temperature was maintained normally.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-251687 (Patent Document 2) is equipped with a temperature sensor, a CPU, a power supply, and the like, monitors the temperature one by one, and transmits information to a mobile phone or the like when a certain temperature is exceeded. However, in this method, the temperature sensor information takes a form of sampling the temperature at all times, and a large-scale nonvolatile memory for storing the data is required. It was.
In addition, when temperature information is sampled, there is a problem that the battery must be replaced immediately because power is supplied only by the battery.
JP 2001-251687 A

As described above, a sensor tag with a temperature change detection function that does not have a conventional power supply is used in combination with a measuring instrument such as a dip meter that measures the resonance frequency. It could not be guaranteed whether or not there was a predetermined temperature environment change, and a response was required.
In addition, a conventional sensor tag equipped with a temperature change detection function equipped with a power supply requires a large-scale non-volatile memory, and has a problem that the battery must be replaced immediately because power is supplied only by the battery.
The present invention corresponds to this, and specifically, a non-contact type with a temperature change detection function, which has a built-in IC chip having a memory and forms a temperature change detection unit using a switching element as a sensor. It is possible to reduce the consumption of the battery that operates the temperature change detection unit with the data carrier, without requiring a large-scale nonvolatile memory, and without using a special measuring device, it is possible to reliably change the predetermined temperature environment change. It is intended to provide a non-contact type data carrier that can confirm presence / absence information and is difficult to falsify information.

The non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function of the present invention is a non-contact type data carrier incorporating an IC chip having a memory, and a temperature change detection unit is formed using a switching element as a sensor. A non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function, wherein the temperature change detection unit includes the switching element, a battery connected in series to the switching element, and a clock provided in the IC chip as follows: A clock generation circuit unit for generating a signal, a nonvolatile memory unit for storing temperature information, and a memory for controlling writing and reading operations to the nonvolatile memory unit under control of a clock generated by the clock generation circuit The control circuit unit is a component, and each unit uses the battery as its voltage source when the switching element is ON. In response to the ON state of the switching element, a clock signal is generated by the clock generation circuit, the memory control circuit unit is operated in accordance with an instruction based on the clock signal, and the nonvolatile memory is controlled under the control of the memory control circuit unit. The temperature information with temperature change is written in the part, and the switching element is turned on when the temperature is higher than a certain temperature, and is turned off when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature, or is not turned on when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature. In this case, the switching element is turned on when the switch is turned on, and is turned off and turned off when the temperature is higher than a certain temperature.
The non-contact type data carrier with the temperature change detection function described above, the address information of the non-volatile memory to which the temperature information is written is stored in the predetermined address of the non-volatile memory. The counter is operated with the clock signal from the generation circuit unit, and when the counter reaches a predetermined value, the control signal is generated, the address information at the predetermined address of the nonvolatile memory unit is read, and further read The counter information is written to a predetermined address, and the next write address is written to the predetermined address of the nonvolatile memory section.
And any one of the above-mentioned non-contact type data carriers with a temperature change detecting function, which is a non-contact type IC tag.
Note that the head address is usually used as the predetermined address in which the address information of the nonvolatile memory to which the temperature information is written is stored.

(Function)
The non-contact type data carrier with a temperature sensor function of the present invention has such a configuration, so that an IC chip having a memory is built in, and a temperature change detection unit is formed using a switching element as a sensor. It is a non-contact data carrier with temperature change detection function, can reduce the consumption of the battery that operates the temperature change detection unit, does not require a large-scale non-volatile memory, and without using a special measuring instrument. In addition, it is possible to check the presence / absence information of the predetermined temperature environment change, and to provide non-contact type data carriers such as non-contact type IC tags and non-contact type IC cards that are difficult to tamper with. It is said.
Specifically, the temperature change detection unit includes the switching element, a battery connected in series to the switching element, a clock generation circuit unit that generates the following clock signal provided in the IC chip, and a temperature The nonvolatile memory unit for storing information and the memory control circuit unit that controls the writing and reading operations to the nonvolatile memory unit under the control of the clock signal generated by the clock generation circuit are the components. Each part uses the battery as its voltage source when the switching element is in an ON state, and a clock signal is generated by a clock generation circuit corresponding to the ON state of the switching element, and the memory is controlled by an instruction based on the clock signal. Operate the circuit unit and write temperature information with temperature change to the non-volatile memory unit under the control of the memory control circuit unit. The switching element is turned on when the switch is turned on when the temperature is higher than a certain temperature, is turned off when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature, or is turned off when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature. This is achieved by the switching element that becomes non-conductive when the temperature is higher than the temperature when the switch is turned off.
That is, only when the switching element is turned on, each part of the temperature change detection unit is supplied with a voltage from the battery, and the switch ON state information is written to the nonvolatile memory. The memory capacity can be reduced, the battery consumption can be suppressed, and the battery can be used for a long time.

  As described above, the present invention can reduce battery consumption, does not require a large-scale nonvolatile memory, and reliably confirms whether there is a change in the predetermined temperature environment without using a special measuring instrument. Therefore, it is possible to provide a non-contact type data carrier such as a non-contact type IC tag or a non-contact type IC card that is difficult to falsify the information.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of an embodiment of a non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a temperature change detection unit. is there.
In FIG. 2, S11 to S18 indicate processing steps.
In FIG. 1, 100 is an IC tag, 101 is a substrate, 110 is an IC chip, 111 is an analog RF unit, 112 is an IC tag control circuit unit, 113 is a memory control circuit unit, 114 is a non-volatile memory unit, and 115 is a clock. A generation circuit unit, 120 is a coil, 130 is a switching element, 140 is a temperature change detection unit, and 150 is a battery.

An example of an embodiment of a non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function of this example is a non-contact type data carrier incorporating an IC chip 110 having a memory, and detects a predetermined temperature rise change using the switching element 130 as a sensor. This is a non-contact type IC tag 100 with a temperature change detection function, which forms a temperature change detection unit 140 that performs the same.
Then, it is used attached to an article in the same manner as a normal non-contact IC tag, and is connected to the coil 120 to exchange signals and supply energy by an external device (reader / writer) and electromagnetic waves, and exchange data without contact. In addition to this, the presence or absence of a predetermined temperature rise change can be confirmed.
As shown in FIG. 1, the non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function in this example has an IC chip 110, a coil 120, a switching element 130, and a battery 150 arranged on a substrate 101. In the same manner as in a normal non-contact IC tag, the energy supplied from a transmission circuit, a reception circuit, or an external circuit for transmitting / receiving a signal to / from an external device (reader / writer) is connected to the coil 120. An analog RF unit 111 originally provided with a power supply unit for supplying an operating voltage to each unit, a nonvolatile memory unit 114 for storing data, and an IC tag control circuit unit 112 for controlling the operation of the IC tag In addition to this, a memory control circuit unit 113 and a clock generation circuit unit 115 as a component of the temperature change detection unit 140 are provided. 114, but also utilized as a part of a temperature change detection unit 140.
The temperature information written in the memory can be communicated to an external device (reader / writer) by a normal non-contact type operation.

The temperature change detection unit 140 in the non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function of this example is provided in the switching element 130, the battery 150 connected in series to the switching element 130, and the IC chip 110. A clock generation circuit unit 115 that generates a clock, a non-volatile memory unit 114 for storing temperature information, and a memory control circuit unit 113 that controls writing and reading operations to the non-volatile memory unit 114 are used as its constituent units. Yes.
The clock generation circuit unit 115, the memory control circuit unit 113, and the nonvolatile memory unit 114 of the temperature change detection unit 140 all use the battery 150 as a voltage source when the switching element 130 is in the ON state. In response to the ON state of 130, a clock is generated by the clock generation circuit 115, the memory control circuit unit 113 is operated according to an instruction based on the clock, and the nonvolatile memory unit 114 is controlled under the control of the memory control circuit unit 113. The temperature information with temperature change is written in.
Here, the switching element 130 is a bimetallic switching element that is turned on when the switch is turned on when the temperature is higher than a certain temperature T1, and is turned off when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature T2.

The operation for detecting a predetermined temperature rise change of the temperature change detection unit 140 in the non-contact type data carrier with the temperature change detection function of this example will be briefly described below with reference to FIG.
First, in the initial state of the temperature T0 (normal temperature), the switch of the switching element 130 is OFF and non-conductive. (S11)
Thereafter, when the environmental temperature rises and the switching element 130 exceeds the temperature T1 along with this, the switch is turned on when the temperature of the switching element 130 reaches T1. (S12)
When the switch of the switching element 130 is turned on, the voltage of the battery 150 connected in series to the switch 150 is changed to a clock generation circuit unit 115, a memory control circuit unit 113, and a nonvolatile memory that constitute the temperature change detection unit 140 in the IC chip 110. Supplied to the memory unit 114, these units are ready for operation.
First, the clock generation circuit unit 115 generates a clock signal (S13), and the memory control circuit unit 113 operates based on the generation of this clock signal.
Then, the memory control circuit unit 113 operates the counter with the clock signal. (S14)
When the counter reaches a predetermined value, the memory control circuit unit 113 generates a control signal to the nonvolatile memory unit 114 to read and write information. First, the head address (also called the head address) is generated. ) Memory information is read out. (S15)
The head address stores the address of the non-volatile memory to which the count value of the counter indicating temperature information such as time is written.
Thereafter, the counter information indicating the temperature information such as time is written in the read address (S16).
Next, an address indicating a memory write location when the next switching element 130 is turned on is written in the nonvolatile memory unit 114 at the top address. (S17)
Thereafter, assuming that the environmental temperature falls below the temperature T2, as the environmental temperature falls, the switching element 130 falls from the temperature T2, and when the temperature of the switching element 130 reaches T2, the switch is turned off. (S12)
Thereafter, when the temperature of the switching element 130 rises and reaches the temperature T1, the processing steps of S12 to S17 are repeated as described above, and when the temperature does not reach the temperature T1, the processing is performed. The battery does not drain.
As described above, in this example, the processing steps shown in FIG. 2 are performed corresponding to the temperature of the switching element 130.
In this way, in particular, when the switching element 130 repeats the switch ON and switch OFF operations, etc., the voltage application by the battery 150 is turned on to the circuit units 113 to 115 only when the switching element 130 is in the ON state. Since the temperature information at that time is written in the memory, consumption of the battery 150 is reduced.
Further, the nonvolatile memory unit 114 does not require a large capacity.

The above embodiment is only an example, and the non-contact type data carrier with temperature change detection function of the present invention is not limited to this.
The embodiment is a case of a temperature rise change, but may also be a case of a temperature fall change.
For example, in place of the switching element 130 in FIG. 1 of the above embodiment, a predetermined temperature change using a switching element that is turned on when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature, and is turned off when the temperature is higher than a certain temperature. It is good also as a non-contact type IC tag with a temperature change detection function provided with the temperature change detection part which can detect.
Moreover, although the thing of the form which used two or more bimetal switching elements from which a temperature characteristic differs in series or parallel is mentioned, in this case, the range of a temperature change can be recorded more correctly.
Further, in this example, the nonvolatile memory unit 114 is used both as a memory unit for storing signals by electromagnetic waves of the IC tag and a memory unit for storing the temperature change detection unit 140, but it goes without saying that they may be provided separately. .

It is a schematic block diagram of an example of an embodiment of a non-contact type data carrier with temperature change detection function of the present invention. It is the flowchart which showed an example of the processing flow of a temperature change detection part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 IC tag 101 Base material 110 IC chip 111 Analog RF part 112 IC tag control circuit part 113 Memory control circuit part 114 Nonvolatile memory part 115 Clock generation circuit part 120 Coil 130 Switching element 140 Temperature change detection part 150 Battery

Claims (3)

  A non-contact type data carrier with a built-in IC chip having a memory, and a non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function, in which a temperature change detection unit is formed using a switching element as a sensor, The temperature change detection unit includes the switching element, a battery connected in series to the switching element, a clock generation circuit unit that is provided in the IC chip, generates a clock signal, and stores temperature information. And a memory control circuit unit that controls writing and reading operations to the nonvolatile memory unit under the control of the clock generated by the clock generation circuit. In the ON state, the battery is used as the voltage source, and the clock is generated in response to the ON state of the switching element. A clock signal is generated by the path, the memory control circuit unit is operated according to an instruction based on the clock signal, and under the control of the memory control circuit unit, temperature information with a temperature change is written in the nonvolatile memory unit, The switching element becomes conductive when the switch is turned on when the temperature is higher than a certain temperature, becomes non-conductive when the switch is turned off when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature, or becomes conductive when the switch is turned off when the temperature is lower than a certain temperature. A non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function, wherein the switching element is non-conductive when the switch is turned off.   The non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function according to claim 1, wherein address information of the nonvolatile memory to which temperature information is written is stored in a predetermined address of the nonvolatile memory. The counter is operated with the clock signal from the clock generation circuit unit, and when the counter reaches a predetermined value, a control signal is generated, and the address information at the predetermined address of the nonvolatile memory unit is read, and A non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function, wherein the counter information is written to the read address and the next write address is written to the predetermined address of the nonvolatile memory section. The non-contact type data carrier with a temperature change detection function according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact type data carrier is a non-contact type IC tag. Data carrier.

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