JPH11259607A - Hand-held id tag reader/writer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To indicate that a communication with all ID tags in a transmittable and receivable area is in process in such a communication mode. SOLUTION: When a key switch 16 for selecting a multi-read mode wherein the communication is performed with all the ID tags in the transmittable and receivable area is operated, a main control part 18 received its operation signal judges as the multi-read mode and outputs a command signal to communicate in the communication mode to a remove control part 19. Then the remote control part 19, just after starting the communication in the multi-read mode, drives a sounding part 23 to generate a deep and when the communication with all the ID tags is completed, the sounding part 23 is stopped from operating. Consequently, a user tries not to move his hand-held reader/writer while the sounding part 23 is in the sounding operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handheld ID tag reader / writer that communicates with a D tag to exchange data.

[0002]

For example, a remote ID using a high-frequency radio wave is used as a moving object identification system.
There is a system. In this method, communication is performed between the controller and the ID tag by radio waves to read data of an ID tag at a remote position or write data to the ID tag.

[0003] Such a remote ID system is considered to be applied to various systems such as a delivery system, an inventory management system, and a sales system. As an example, there is a tallying system for a rotating sushi shop. The outline of this system is as follows. Data such as the type of sushi, the time it was made, the selling price, etc. is recorded on an ID tag embedded in the plate on which sushi is placed, To communicate with the ID tags on those dishes,
The data is obtained from the D tag and the amount to be paid by the customer is calculated.

In the case of application to such a counting system, if the reader / writer communicating with the ID tag is of a fixed type, a plate can be placed in the communication area of the fixed reader / writer to perform counting. good. However, the fixed type reader / writer is inconvenient because the plate must be brought to that position. Therefore, it is demanded that the reader / writer be of a hand-held type so that the total can be easily calculated on the table where the customer is sitting.

By the way, at the time of counting, a dish in the communication area of the reader / writer must not enter or leave. For this reason, in the case of a handheld reader / writer, it is necessary to hold the handheld reader / writer firmly so that the handheld reader / writer does not move while communicating with an object in the communication area. However, since the clerk does not know whether the communication with the dish is continuing or not, the clerk operates the reader / writer even during the communication, which may cause a problem in counting. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a reader / writer for a hand-held ID tag capable of notifying an ID tag during communication with the ID tag. is there.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a hand-held ID tag reader / writer according to the present invention comprises: a transmitting / receiving section for transmitting / receiving a radio signal to / from an ID tag; Determining means for determining whether or not the communication mode is a multi mode for communicating with all ID tags present in the communication area of the transmitting and receiving unit; and when the determining means determines that the communication mode is the multi mode, the transmitting and receiving unit While communicating with the ID tag existing in the transmission / reception area, there is provided a notifying means for notifying that communication is being performed.

According to the above configuration, when the communication mode with the ID tag is the multi mode, the notifying means performs the notifying operation, so that the user does not move the reader / writer while the notifying means performs the notifying operation. To And all IDs
When the communication with the tag ends, the notifying unit ends the notifying operation, so that it is known that the reader / writer is ready to be moved.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is applied to a tallying system for a revolving sushi restaurant. Here, the rotating sushi shop is a shop having the following system.

[0010] A loop-shaped conveyor is provided in the store,
Audience seats are provided along the conveyor. Sushi is placed on a plate and transported to the audience by a conveyor. The customer takes a dish on which a favorite sushi is placed from among the dishes carried by the conveyor, and after eating, the dishes are sequentially stacked on the table. The shop puts sushi on a plate of color or pattern according to the selling price, so customers
The approximate amount to be paid to the store can be known from the stacked plates and the number of plates. After the meal, the clerk counts the number of dishes for each color or pattern, and determines the amount to be paid to the store.

As shown in FIG. 5, the dish 1 on which sushi is placed is made of plastic such as melanin resin, for example, and has an ID tag 2 embedded therein. As shown in FIG. 4, the ID tag 2 includes an antenna coil 3 for transmitting and receiving a radio signal, and a resonance capacitor 4.
, A control IC 5, and a smoothing unit 6. The resonance capacitor 4, the control IC 5, and the smoothing unit 6 are mounted on a printed wiring board 7.

The control IC 5 includes an MP as a control unit.
U (microprocessor unit) 8, rectifier 9,
The semiconductor elements constituting the modulation / demodulation unit 10 and the memory unit 11 are integrated into one chip. Although not shown, the smoothing unit 6 has a smoothing capacitor, a Zener diode, and the like.

The antenna coil 3 is connected in series with the resonance capacitor 4 to form a resonance circuit. When a predetermined high-frequency power radio signal is transmitted from a reader / writer as an external device, Receiving this, the rectification unit 9
Send to The rectifying unit 9 constitutes an operation power supply circuit together with the smoothing unit 6. The rectifying unit 9 rectifies an electric power radio signal transmitted from the resonance circuit, smoothes the electric power radio wave signal with the smoothing unit 6, and performs a constant voltage DC power (operation electric power). ) And supply it to the MPU 8 and the like.

A signal such as data transmitted from a reader / writer is transmitted while being superimposed on a power radio signal. The signal is demodulated by a modem 10 and supplied to an MPU 8. The MPU 8 has a memory unit 11
Operates according to an operation program stored in a ROM included in the memory unit 11, executes a process corresponding to a signal input from the modem unit 10, and stores received data in an erasable non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM included in the memory unit 11. It writes or reads data from the memory unit 11, modulates it with the modem unit 10, and transmits it as a radio signal from the antenna coil 3.

As a reader / writer which communicates with the ID tag 2 of the plate 1, there is a hand-held reader / writer 12 shown in FIG. The handheld reader / writer 12 includes an operation unit 13 also serving as a grip unit, for example, a display unit 14 made of liquid crystal, and has a built-in battery 15 (see FIG. 1) as an operation power supply. The operation unit 13 is provided with, for example, a plurality of key switches 16. The key switches 16 are used to instruct operation contents and to input basic data necessary for totaling, for example, unit prices of the dishes 1 by type. It has become. The operation unit 13 is provided with a tallying key switch 17 for instructing a tallying process in addition to the key switches 16 described above.

The hand-held reader / writer 12 includes a main controller 18 and a remote controller 19 as shown in FIG. The main controller 18 includes the key switch 16 group and the tallying key switch 1.
7 are connected via a switch circuit 20;
A communication unit 21 for exchanging data with the display unit 14 and a higher-level device (for example, a personal computer) is connected. Further, the remote control unit 19 is connected to an antenna unit 22 for transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from the ID tag 2 and a sounding unit 23 such as a buzzer. The switch circuit 20 transmits a signal corresponding to the operated key switch to the main control unit 18.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the control units 18 and 19 include MPUs 24 and 25, ROMs 26 and 27 storing an operation program, RAMs 28 and 29 for temporarily storing data, a communication unit 30, The main control unit 18 and the remote control unit 19
Data transmission and reception are performed through the respective communication units 30 and 31. Further, the remote control unit 19 has a transmission unit 32 and a reception unit 33, and the transmission unit 32 and the reception unit 33 are connected to a transmission antenna 34 and a reception antenna 35 of the antenna unit 22.

The MPU 24 of the main control unit 18 processes data and controls peripheral devices. The MPU 24 executes processing according to signals sent from the remote control unit 19 or the switch circuit 20, and The processing contents or the processing results during the execution are displayed on the display unit 14.

On the other hand, the MPU 2 of the remote control unit 19
5 controls the communication with the ID tag 2 and generates the sound
When the communication with the ID tag 2 is performed, first, the carrier signal is modulated by the transmission unit 32 and transmitted as a power radio signal from the transmission antenna 34, and then transmitted. The data is modulated by the transmission unit 32 so as to be superimposed on the power radio signal, and transmitted from the transmission antenna 34.

The radio signal transmitted from the ID tag 2 is received by the receiving antenna 35, demodulated by the receiving unit 33 and discriminated as data. Then, the MPU 26 of the remote control unit 18 temporarily stores the data demodulated by the reception unit 33 in the RAM 29, and then transmits the data to the main control unit 18 via the communication unit 31. I have. In the communication with the ID tag 2 performed under the control of the remote control unit 19, when the communication mode is the multi-read mode as the multi-mode, during the execution of the communication, the remote control unit 19. 23 is controlled so as to emit an operation sound “pip”.

The multi-read mode refers to a mode in which the antenna unit 22 communicates with all ID tags 2 present in a communication area. The communication mode includes a single read mode and a single write mode in addition to the multi-read mode. The single read mode is a mode for specifying the ID number of the ID tag 2 and reading data from the ID tag of the ID number. The single write mode is a mode for specifying the ID number of the ID tag 2 and specifying the ID number.
This is a mode for writing data to the numbered ID tag.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The total key switch 17 is operated with the handheld reader / writer 12 facing the dish 1 stacked on the customer's table in order to total the payment amount of the customer who has finished the meal. Then, a signal corresponding to the tallying key switch 17 is input from the switch circuit 20 to the main control unit 18, and the MPU 24 decodes the signal input from the switch circuit 20. In this case, the input signal from the switch circuit 20 is a total command signal, which instructs communication with the ID tags 2 of all dishes 1 that the customer has finished eating. "YES" is determined in the step S1 of determining whether the communication mode corresponding to the signal is the multi-read mode.

When determining that the command signal is a multi-read command, the MPU 24 of the main controller 18 transmits a communication command in the multi-read mode to the remote controller 19. Then, the MPU 25 of the remote control unit 19 starts communication in the multi-read mode, transmits a power radio signal and drives the sound generator (buzzer) 23 (step S2), and then superimposes the power radio signal on the power radio signal. Then, a multi-read command signal is transmitted (step S3).

Then, at the same time as the transmission of the electric wave signal for power, the sound generator 23 emits an operation sound of "beep, beep".
The clerk knows that the counting operation has started, and fixes the handheld reader / writer 12 so as not to move. On the other hand, by starting communication in the multi-read mode, on the ID tag 2 side of the plate 1, the power radio signal is received by the antenna coil 3, and the radio signal is rectified and smoothed by the rectifying unit 9 and the smoothing unit 6 to be constant. The voltage is converted to DC power and supplied as operating power for the MPU 8 and the like.

When the power for operation is supplied, the MPU 8 of the ID tag 2 of each plate 1 starts operating and determines the type of the transmitted command. In this case, since the transmitted command is a multi-read command, in the ID tag 2 of each plate 1 stacked on the table, the MPU 8 reads data such as the ID number and the type of the plate 1 from the memory unit 11, The modulation and demodulation unit 10 modulates the signal and transmits it from the antenna coil 3.

The radio signal transmitted from each ID tag 2 is
The signal is received by the receiving antenna 35 of the handheld reader / writer 12, and the received signal is demodulated by the receiving unit 33, and the demodulated data is temporarily stored in the RAM 29. The reception of such a radio signal transmitted from the ID tag 2 is performed based on the IDs of all the dishes 1 existing in the communication area of the antenna unit 22.
The process is performed until a radio signal from the tag 2 is received (“NO” is repeated in steps S4 and S5), and
When the radio signals have been received from the ID tags 2 of all the dishes 1 ("YES" in step S5), the MPU 25 of the remote control unit 19 terminates the multi-read communication and
The driving of the sound generator 23 is stopped (step S6). For this reason, the sounding section 22 stops the sounding operation of “beep, beep”, so that the clerk knows that the counting operation has been completed.

Here, the determination as to whether or not the radio signals have been received from the ID tags 2 of all the dishes 1 existing in the communication area of the antenna unit 22 is performed, for example, as follows.
That is, as shown in FIG.
The PU 25 repeatedly transmits the multi-read command after a certain time, and divides the transmission section of the multi-read command into, for example, ten time slots.

On the other hand, when the MPU 8 of the ID tag 2 receives the multi-read command, the MPU 8 firstly determines the position of the time slot for transmitting a signal in response to the multi-read command by setting its own ID number of 1 to its own.
Is determined. For example, three ID tags 2a, 2b, and 2c exist in the communication area of the antenna unit 22,
Assuming that their ID numbers are 121, 132, and 142, respectively, these three ID tags 2a, 2b, 2
c determines the number of time slots to be 1, 2, and 2, respectively.

Therefore, when the first multi-read command is transmitted from the remote controller 19, a response signal to the first multi-read command is transmitted by the ID tag 2a in the first time slot, and the ID tags 2b and 2c are transmitted by the second time. Make a call in the time slot. Since only one ID tag is transmitted in the first time slot, the radio signal transmitted from the ID tag 2a is received by the remote control unit 19, and the ID tag 2a
Receives a signal to the effect that it has been received from the remote control unit 19. However, since the ID tags 2b and 2c both transmit in the second time slot, their response signals collide,
It is not received by the remote control unit 19.

When the second multi-read command is transmitted from the remote control unit 19, the ID tags 2b and 2c
This time, the time slot position to be transmitted is set to ID number 10
, That is, the ID tag 2b of the ID number 132 determines the number of time slots to be 3 and the ID number 1
The 42 ID tags 2c determine the number of time slots to be four. For this reason, the response signals of the ID tags 2b and 2c
It is transmitted in the third and fourth time slots after the second multi-read command is transmitted. in this case,
Since only one ID tag is transmitted in each of the third and fourth time slots, the ID tags 2b and 2c are transmitted.
Is received by the remote control unit 19, and the ID tags 2 and 2 b receive a signal indicating that the signal has been received from the remote control unit 19.

Next, a third multi-read command is transmitted from the remote control unit 19. Then, three IDs
Since the tags 2a, 2b, and 2c have already received the signal indicating that the response signal has been received, they do not respond to the third multi-read command. Therefore, the remote control unit 19
Is that no response signal has been received until the time of 10 time slots has elapsed since the transmission of the third multi-read command, so that all I
It is determined that communication has been made with the D tag.

When the main controller 18 causes the remote controller 19 to execute communication by an operation other than the operation of the tallying key switch 17, the mode is the single read mode or the single write mode.
Is determined to be "NO", the remote control unit 19 transmits a single read command or a single write command (step S7), and the ID tag of the designated ID number transmits data to the remote control unit 19 or performs remote control. The data is received from the unit 19 (step S8).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the multi-read mode for communicating with all the ID tags existing in the transmittable / receivable area of the antenna unit 22, during communication in that mode, and when the sounding unit 23 is communicating. Emits a notification sound indicating that
When the communication with all the ID tags is completed, the notification sound of the sound generator 23 stops. Therefore, it is possible to know the period during which the handheld reader / writer 12 needs to be fixed so as not to move, and to move the handheld reader / writer 12 before communicating with all the ID tags, as a result, Effectively, it is impossible to communicate with all the plates 1 placed on the table, or to communicate with the ID tag 2 of the plate 1 of another table, thereby erroneously counting the payment amount. Can be prevented.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, but can be extended or modified as follows. The target article on which the ID tag 2 is provided is not limited to the sushi plate 1, but can be widely applied to clothing, jewelry, delivered luggage, and the like. The present invention is not limited to the calculation of the payment amount, and can be widely applied to inventory, delivery destination management, and the like. The means for notifying that the multi-read communication mode is being performed is not limited to the sound generator 23, and may be displayed by a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode, or may be displayed by the display 14.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric configuration of a hand-held reader / writer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a main control unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a remote control unit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the ID tag.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plate provided with an ID tag.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a read / write state by a handheld reader / writer.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a communication mode in a multi-read mode.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing control contents.

[Explanation of symbols]

In the figure, 2 is an ID tag, 12 is a handheld reader / writer, 17
Is a key switch for counting, 18 is a main control unit (judgment means),
19 is a remote control unit, and 23 is a sounding unit (notifying means).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving a radio signal to / from an ID tag, and a communication mode with the ID tag is a multi-mode for communicating with all ID tags existing in a communication area of the transmission / reception unit. Determining means for determining whether or not there is, and when the determining means determines that the multi-mode is set, it is determined that communication is being performed while the transmitting / receiving unit is communicating with the ID tag existing in the transmitting / receiving area. A reader / writer for a hand-held ID tag, comprising: a notifying unit for notifying.