ES1071645U - Terminal for libraries (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Terminal for libraries, which being of the type that is constituted from a piece of furniture (1), in which a touch screen (2) is integrated at the top, associated with a microprocessor or cpu (3), responsible for executing the software that implements the control logic of all the elements and the application that guides the user step by step through the commented touch screen (2), microprocessor to which a hybrid card reader (5) is associated, specifically of bands magnetic cards and chip cards, also having a smart card reader (6), as well as a thermal printer (8), is characterized in that in its upper area and in correspondence with the touch screen (2), the furniture incorporates an area of deposition of the books, materialized in a recess in "V" (9) or similar, intended for the deposition of the books (10) equipped with rfid tags to identify them, as well as anti-theft electromagnetic rods, having it is provided that in correspondence with said "V" surface, an rfid uhf module (11), associated with the microprocessor or cpu (3), is established internally in the frequencies comprised between 865 and 870mhz, according to iso 18000- 6c, for identification of the books, having foreseen that next to it a module of activation/deactivation of electromagnetic rods (12) established in the books is established. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Terminal for libraries.

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a terminal which has been specially designed to allow users of a library identify itself to the management system of the same, and take the loan or return of documents without need to interact with library staff, is say, completely automatically.

Background of the invention

As is known, most libraries they have computerized management systems that allow controlling the circulation of books, normally loans, returns and renovations

In this procedure they must intervene, necessarily, the authorized library staff, who is who interacts with the computer application and devices necessary to complete the process.

More specifically, the conventional process It consists of the following steps:

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He user gives his ID card to the librarian. This Verify your identity in the system and the status of your registration by reading the card with some device. Currently the most widespread card formats are usually barcodes,  magnetic stripe card or chip card.

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When the user registry is accessed, the librarian checks if It is enabled to perform transactions. If so, performs the operations requested by the user, generally Loans or returns of copies. For each copy, the librarian checks the status of it in the system from of reading your identification code, printed in code format of bars on the book itself or stored on the chip of a RFID tag attached inside. Depending on the status of each book, the librarian takes the transactions allowed by the system.

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If the library also has rod-based anti-theft system Electromagnetic: after performing the operation in the application computing, the book is placed on a device that activates the electromagnetic rod stuck inside each book if it It is a return or deactivates it if it is a loan. In this way, the antennas located at the access points to the library detect the state of the rod of each book, alarming  only when you pass with a book that has the active rod, since it does not have a loan associated with a certain user and It is understood that his theft is being attempted.

Trying to ignore this problem, they are well-known self-loan stations that integrate screens touch, barcode readers, card readers magnetic stripe, chip card readers, card readers smart (MIFARE ISO 14443), thermal ticket printers, RFID HF modules (13.56 MHz, ISO 15693), modules for activation and deactivation of electromagnetic rods, as well as corresponding CPUs.

These types of self-loan stations allow to users of a library to do everything on their own the process described above releasing the librarian from these tasks and allowing them to perform more productive work. These stations, as an ATM, incorporate all the necessary technologies to allow the user their identification and subsequent performance of one or more circulation actions of books, mainly loans, refunds and renovations

Current models incorporate several mechanisms for the user to identify themselves to the system of management, being the most common: barcode reader, Chip card reader and magnetic stripe card reader. To perform the loan and book return actions, There are two alternative technologies for automatic identification. The first self-loan stations included a reader of barcodes to read the printed code that identifies uniquely to each book in the management system of the library. Today, most stations existing self-loans on the market work with technology which is considered as the generational relay of the codes of bars, radiofrequency identification (RFID). Is about a wireless technology that allows the univocal identification of objects by fixing labels that include a chip radiofrequency, without the need for line of sight Direct or contact.

These labels are fixed inside the books, storing the unique identifier in the chip's memory associate in the library management system and other additional information (for example, international code of the proprietary library, type of format, signature, etc). He user, once it has been identified in the system through the mechanisms offered by the station, place the book in the area indicated so that the RFID module that integrates the station reads of wirelessly and automatically the identification code of the copy, stored on the tag chip. Thus, using the computer application and following the instructions that appear on the touch screen, the user can complete a loan, return or renewal process for copies of the library's background without interacting with your staff To end the process, stations issue a ticket that summarizes the circulation operations made with the system, as proof.

Complementarily, as commented previously, most libraries have a system anti-theft based on electromagnetic rod technology. Is this is why some models of current auto loan stations they are hybrids and also integrate a module for activation / deactivation of the sticks stuck inside the books according to a return or loan operation of books respectively. In this way, if the book is returned to library funds using the station self-loan, this will activate your rod so that the antennas anti-theft located at the access points to the alarm library if someone tries to take the book without previously studying loan. Similarly, if the book is lent or renewed through of the station, your rod will be deactivated so that the antennas anti-theft located at the access points to the library no trigger the alarm.

The current self-loan stations operate with RFID technology in the HF band 13.56 MHz, according to the ISO standard 15693. These teams have inherent limitations to their own technology in that operating band, less and less used due to the improvements provided by the current standard for application of technology in the UHF band (865-870 MHz - ISO 18000-6C, EPC Global Gen 2).

Description of the invention

The terminal for libraries that the invention proposes to solve the problem fully satisfactorily previously exposed, providing a greater reading range of tags, faster processing speed, all of it, thanks to a cheaper structure.

To do this, and more specifically, the terminal which is recommended is constituted from a housing, in the that a touch screen is integrated for user interaction, housing in which a hybrid reader of magnetic stripe cards and chip cards, for identification of the user, additionally having a card reader smart, also for user identification, as well as a thermal ticket printer, for printing the corresponding  voucher.

Well, according to the essence of the invention, it is provided that the terminal has an RFID module UHF reading the labels that identify each book, counting on a module for activation and deactivation of rods electromagnetic that will allow to activate / deactivate the rods electromagnetic associated with each book, which act as elements anti-theft

Logically, the elements above described will be related to each other through the corresponding microprocessor or CPU equipped with the corresponding programming software

Thus, the inclusion of the UHF RFID module in front of the RFID HF modules, it allows to obtain greater ranges RFID tag reading and faster scanning speed, providing a considerable reduction of time and effort necessary to inventory and perform other usual tasks in libraries, such as locating lost or detecting Badly placed copies with portable RFID terminals. These improvements in turn allow to increase the frequency with which They carry out these tasks.

On the other hand, and as already mentioned with Previously, labels and hardware equipment are more economic in the UHF band, since there are more and more technology applications that are being implemented in the UHF band, which translates directly into a greater offer of Equipment and labels.

The aforementioned reading module is based on RFID technology in the UHF band, according to the standard ISO18000-6C, EPC Global Gen 2.

More specifically, the main differential characteristics with respect to the seasons Conventional based on RFID HF are:

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Improvements in the coverage range of the RFID module antenna: this results in greater agility of the process since the books are detected while they are deposited in the wireless reading zone of the station, without the need for be fully supported on the tray to start the process. In this way, it improves the time needed to complete a transaction with the system (loan, return or renewal), and with it, the waiting time of other users that may be queuing to use the station self-loan This improvement of times is especially noticeable in the case of loan or return of multiple books, situation very common for example, in university libraries.

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further of the improvement in commented times, it also improves comfort and operation that the user has to follow to complete the process. In conventional systems, to perform a transaction either loan or return, the user has to move the book on the support surface to complete the operation, encompassing this RFID reading as well as the activation / deactivation of the electromagnetic rod of the system anti-theft In the season of the invention, just drop the book about the indicated area to complete the operation, without need to make any movement.

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Interface Enrichment application user running on the computer included in the station, both visually and in functionalities available, displaying updated information on the User registration and visual indications on how to Use the station step by step. This translates into greater ease of use by the user, not being necessary that follow a discipline of use thanks to its simplicity.

The computer application that runs on the computer included in the station, includes a SIP2 software module, own development, which implements the integration with the system of library management. The device of the invention implements SIP2 software connectors with the management systems of more extended libraries, based on the latest versions of the Interfaces of different manufacturers.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization of it, is accompanied as part member of that description, a set of drawings where with illustrative and non-limiting nature, what has been represented next:

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of a library terminal made according to the object of the present invention.

Figure 2.- Shows a block diagram of the main elements that participate in the terminal of the invention.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In view of the figures outlined you can Note how the terminal of the invention is constituted to from a piece of furniture (1), whose configuration may vary substantially according to different design lines without it affect the essentiality of the invention, furniture (1), in which Superiorly integrates a touch screen (2), which acts as device management interface, touch screen (2) associated with a microprocessor or CPU (3), responsible for running the software that implements the control logic of all the elements and the application that guides the user step by step through the commented touch screen (2), set that will be assisted by the corresponding power supply, materialized in a eight-socket strip in which the feeds of all the equipment and peripherals that make up the equipment self-loan

A microprocessor will be associated with a hybrid card reader (5), specifically magnetic strips and chip cards, which can be used as a means of user identification, also having a reader of smart cards (6) according to ISO 14443, which can be used in turn for user identification.

The steps taken will be registered in the library's computer system, for which the terminal it will have a software SIP2 module, interface determinant of communication with the library management systems, while the user will receive proof of said operation through a thermal printer (8) associated to the commented microprocessor or CPU (3).

The aforementioned furniture (1) will have in your area upper and in correspondence with the touch screen (2), a recess staggered in "V" (9), intended for the deposition of books (10), which will be provided with RFID tags of identification thereof, as well as electromagnetic rods anti-theft, so that in correspondence with said surface in "V", internally a module is established RFID UHF (11), working at frequencies between 865 and 870 MHz, according to ISO 18000-6c, EPC Global Gen 2, associated with the microprocessor, which allows a fast and comfortable identification of books, with a reduced cost.

On the other hand, the described device incorporates, also in correspondence with said surface in "V", a electromagnetic rod activation / deactivation module (12), through which the output of the books is enabled without the corresponding alarm system is activated.

So, and from the structuring previously described, the process to follow would be the following:

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He user approaches the terminal and deposits the books on the same.

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Insert the card in any of the previously commented readers, and the control interface to through this touch screen it facilitates step by step the operative to follow.

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Saying terminal may, thanks to the programming software require a user key that complements the identification of the same.

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In the screen will display a loan return button, renewal, etc., that the user must press.

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Next, the user will deposit the book on the surface in "V" to allow the reading of your identification code

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A Once this code is detected, it will appear on the screen and the software application that runs on the CPU will carry out the operation of circulation interacting with the management system of the library.

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A Once the operation is done, the user can support the book in the left area of the counter defined in the terminal furniture, of so that you will be given the option to end or continue with the Loan of other books.

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In case of pretending to carry out the loan of several books, these they will be passed one by one through the UHF RFID reader located in the "V" surface, with the consequent acceptance by screen.

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A Once all the books have been selected, the button end, after which a screen will appear on that screen print the corresponding ticket if desired, offering to make other operations or exit, after which the machine will return Automatically the user's identification card.

Claims (1)

1. Terminal for libraries, which being of the type that is constituted from a piece of furniture (1), in which a touch screen (2) is integrated, associated with a microprocessor or CPU (3), responsible for executing the software that implements the control logic of all the elements and the application that guides the user step by step through the aforementioned touch screen (2), microprocessor to which a hybrid card reader (5) is associated, specifically bands magnetic and chip cards, also having a smart card reader (6), as well as a thermal printer (8), is characterized in that in its upper area and in correspondence with the touch screen (2), the furniture incorporates a zone of deposition of books, materialized in a "V" recess (9) or similar, intended for the deposition of books (10) equipped with RFID tags to identify them, as well as anti-theft electromagnetic rods, having provided that, in correspondence with said "V" surface, an UHF RFID module (11), associated to the microprocessor or CPU (3), is established internally at frequencies between 865 and 870 MHz, according to ISO 18000- 6c, for identification of the books, with the provision that an activation / deactivation module of electromagnetic rods (12), established in the books, be established next to it.