DE29610191U1 - Arrangement for writing and / or reading coded information - Google Patents

Description

Lippert, Stachow, Schmidt
& Partner

Patent attorneys
Frankenforster Strasse 135-137

D-51427 Bergisch Gladbach 13 _June 1996

SCEMTEC Hardware and Software for Measurement and Control Technology GmbH 51709 Marienheide-Rodt

Arrangement for writing and/or reading coded information

The invention relates to an arrangement for writing and/or reading coded information from transponders or for reading barcode information with control and decoding electronics and an interface for data exchange with a computer, for example a personal computer, a laptop, or a handheld terminal.

With the help of so-called RF transponders, also known as TAGS, it is possible to store data in the smallest of data storage devices for any length of time. The data is transferred to the transponder via an RF field, which also provides the operating energy for writing to the RF transponder or for reading the data from the RF transponder. This means that these transponders do not require a battery to operate. Write/read devices are used to write and read the data on the transponders. These are built into handheld terminals or can be connected directly to a computer or handheld terminal as stand-alone modules.

In addition, barcode technology has been used for some time to apply certain information to any part as a barcode about the type of part and/or its price. This information can be read using special reading devices that are either permanently installed in a larger unit, for example in the

Connection to a conveyor belt of a cash register, or designed as portable reading pens.

Now, different read/write devices are required for reading and writing data on transponders than for reading barcodes. This makes handling particularly difficult when it is necessary to alternately record data from transponders or barcodes.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating an arrangement for writing and/or reading coded information from transponders or for reading barcode information, which can be produced inexpensively and which is suitable for reading barcodes and for writing and reading data on transponders.

According to the invention, the object is achieved in an arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset in that the control and decoding electronics, including the interface for data exchange, are accommodated in a mobile unit and that the mobile unit is provided with a read/write head.

This arrangement for writing and/or reading coded information from transponders or for reading barcode information can be implemented inexpensively and is particularly easy to handle, since different writing/reading devices are no longer required.

The mobile unit is preferably designed as a read/write handle and can therefore be operated particularly easily, with the read/write head being designed as a transponder read/write head that is supplemented with a barcode reader.

This makes it possible to read or write transponders and also read barcode information using simple means.

In a further development of the invention, the read/write handle is provided with a battery compartment so that it can be operated without a handheld terminal or PC. The battery is recharged and the data is transferred in a charging station.

A further development of the invention provides for the data transmission between the read/write handle and the handheld terminal or PC to be carried out wirelessly.

In order to be able to start the writing or reading process independently of the connected computer, there is a button on the writing/reading handle to start the reading or writing process.
writing process.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the read/write handle is provided with a display that confirms a successful read or write process or indicates an error. In the simplest case, the display can consist of different colored LEDs. This allows the user to immediately see whether the read or write process was successful and, if necessary, repeat the process.

The read/write handle is also equipped with a buzzer that acoustically confirms a successful read or write process. Different confirmations can be given acoustically using the tone sequence or the tone pitch. This allows the user to immediately recognize whether the read/write process was successful and, if necessary, repeat the process.

The read/write handle not only allows one type of tag to be read and written, but tags from different manufacturers can also be read and written. For this purpose, the read/write head contains an automatic switch.

The read/write handle contains control electronics that on the one hand write and read the tags via an antenna and encode and decode the data accordingly. In addition, the electronics in the read/write handle control a serial interface and thus enable communication with the higher-level system (PC, handheld terminal, etc.). This interface can be designed as an RS232 interface, whereby communication can also take place wirelessly.

The power supply for the read/write handle is conveniently provided by the connected computer, so that a separate power supply is not necessary. Alternatively, the battery compartment already mentioned can also be provided in the read/write handle.

The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. The accompanying drawing shows:

Fig. 1 a write/read handle for writing

and reading transponders;

Fig. 2 the read/write handle according to Fig. 1 with

an additional barcode reader;
25

Fig. 3 a - c different views of a combined

Write/read handle; and

Fig. 4 shows a circuit arrangement of a control and decoding electronics for the writing

/Reading handle according to Fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 shows a read/write handle for writing to transponders 1 or for reading the information stored on them, which consists of an elongated base body 1, at one end of which a read/write head 3 in the form of a transponder read/write head 4 is arranged and at the other end a handle 5. Such a

The read/write handle is comfortable to use and enables the reading or writing of transponder data even in places that are difficult to access.

Within the base body 2 there is a control and decoding circuit and an interface for connecting the write/read handle to a personal computer, whereby the connection is made via a data line 6 and an associated plug 7.

To make the read/write handle easy to use, the base body 2 is provided with a display 8 consisting of two differently colored LEDs that indicate whether the read or write process was successful or needs to be repeated. One of the two LEDs can also be used as a ready indicator. Red and green LEDs or two-colored LEDs are suitable for this. A button 9 is also provided with which the user can start the read or write process.

Fig. 2 shows a read/write handle in which the read/write head 3 is equipped with an additional barcode reader 10. This barcode reader 10 can be activated together with the transponder read/write head 4, or a mode switch 11 arranged on the base body 2 in the form of a button or slide switch can be used to select whether the transponder read/write head 3 or the barcode reader 10 should be activated. This mode switch 11 also reduces energy consumption, since only the unit required at any given time needs to be supplied with energy.

Fig. 3 a - c show various views of another combined read/write handle. The transponder read/write head 4 is combined here with the barcode reader 10.

Details of the control and decoding circuit are shown in Fig.

4 in the form of a simplified block diagram. A microprocessor 12 is provided for controlling all writing or reading processes, which is connected to a TAG antenna 15 in the transponder read/write head 4 via a modulator circuit 13 and an excitation circuit 14 for writing transponder data. A demodulator circuit 16 is also connected to the TAG antenna 15, which is connected to an input of the microprocessor 12 via a filter 17 and a Schmitt trigger 18 so that the transponder data can be read. The Schmitt trigger 18 is used to shape the pulses so that the data received by the TAG antenna 15 can be processed by the microprocessor 12 without errors.

In addition, a decoding circuit 19 is connected to another input of the microprocessor 12, which is connected to the barcode reader 10.

To connect the microprocessor 12 to a computer, an output is connected to an RS-232 interface 20, via which the data exchange takes place with a computer or terminal connected via the data line 6.

The button 9 and the display 8 are connected to further terminals of the microprocessor 12.

L/hu

Lippert, Stachow, Schmidt

& Partners ¹³ · ^{June 1996}

Patent attorneys Frankenforster Sfraße 135-137 D-51427 Berglsch Gladbach

SCEMTEC Hardware and Software for Measurement and Control Technology GmbH 51709 Marienheide-Rodt

10 List of reference symbols

1 transponder

2 base bodies

3 Read/write head

15 4 Transponder read/write head

5 Handle

6 Data line

7 plugs

8 Display
20 9 Button

10 Barcode readers

11 Operating mode switch

12 Microprocessor

13 Modulator circuit 25 14 Excitation circuit

15 TAG antenna

16 Demodulator circuit

17 filters

18 Schmitt trigger 30 19 Decoding circuit

20 RS-232 interface

Claims (15)

Protection claims 1. Arrangement for writing and/or reading coded information from transponders or for reading barcode information with control and decoding electronics and an interface for data exchange with a computer, preferably a personal computer or a laptop, characterized in that the control and decoding electronics, including the interface for data exchange, are housed in a mobile unit and that the mobile unit is provided with a read/write head. 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile unit is designed as a read/write handle. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the read/write head is designed as a transponder read/write head. 4. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized
characterized by the fact that there is a barcode reader on the read/write head. 5. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized
characterized in that the writing-reading hand- 9
handle is provided with a battery compartment. 6. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized
characterized in that the transmission of data between the read/write handle and the computer is wireless. 7. Arrangement according to claims 1 to 6, characterized
characterized in that a button for starting the reading or writing process is arranged on the read/write handle. 8. Arrangement according to claims 1 to 7, characterized
characterized in that the read/write handle is provided with a display which confirms a successful read or write operation or indicates an error. 9. Arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the display consists of different colored light-emitting diodes. 10. Arrangement according to claims 1 to 3, characterized
characterized in that the write/read handle is equipped with a buzzer for generating different tone sequences or pitches. 11. Arrangement according to claims 1 to 10, characterized
characterized in that the write/read handle is provided with an automatic function for writing/reading different tags. 12. Arrangement according to claims 1 to 11, characterized
characterized in that the control and decoding electronics of the transponder read/write head or the TAG antenna via a control circuit and the barcode reader via a decoding circuit 10
connected is. 13. Arrangement according to claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the read/write handle is provided with an interface for data exchange with a PC, handheld terminal or the like. 14. Arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that the interface is designed as an RS 232 interface. 15. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the power supply of the read/write handle comes from the connected computer.