JP2000306054A - Scanner for non-contact identification data communication - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a scanner for non-contact identification data communication capable of widening the read/write area of identification data to a data carrier and reading/writing the identification data without trouble. SOLUTION: The scanner for non-contact identification data communication for reading/writing the identification data by performing the communication of electromagnetic waves to the data carrier holding the identification data, is provided with plural antennas 2 and an antenna switching part 3 for switching the respective antennas 2 into communicable state. By using the plural antennas 2, the read/write area of the identification data to the data carrier can be widened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to non-contact identification data communication used for logistics management, article management, delivery at a laundry shop, lending and renting goods at a rental shop, FA process management, maintenance management, and the like. It concerns a scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, identification data is communicated between a data carrier and a scanner in a non-contact manner to perform physical distribution management and article management (application). The data carrier holds information unique to the article (object) to which it is attached as identification data. Also,
The scanner communicates with the data carrier to write and read identification data. The communication between the data carrier and the scanner is performed using electromagnetic waves including identification data.

[0003]

Conventionally, since only one antenna is provided in a scanner, a plurality of scanners must be used at the same time in order to secure a large read / write area. The communication between the scanner and the scanner is performed at a distance of several centimeters to several tens of centimeters, so the scanners that use multiple scanners at the same time come close to each other, electromagnetic field interference occurs and reading and writing of identification data in the interference area There was a problem that it became impossible. Furthermore, depending on the positional relationship between the scanner antenna and the data carrier, the magnetic field lines of the electromagnetic field emitted from the antenna and the data carrier antenna may be parallel and the magnetic field lines may not pass through the data carrier antenna. However, there is a problem that the identification data cannot be read or written.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has a non-contact identification method capable of enlarging an area for reading and writing identification data on a data carrier and reading and writing identification data without any trouble. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data communication scanner.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scanner for communication of non-contact identification data which performs communication by electromagnetic waves to a data carrier holding identification data to read and write the identification data. In the contact identification data communication scanner, a plurality of antennas 2 are formed so as to be freely added.

A scanner for non-contact identification data communication according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the antenna 2 is formed so that the angle with respect to the data carrier 1 can be freely adjusted. It is assumed that.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scanner for non-contact identification data communication, wherein an antenna block 6 is formed by providing an antenna body 4 and a terminal portion 5 in addition to the configuration of the first aspect. The antenna unit 2 is formed by connecting the terminal units 5 of the block 6 to each other.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the scanner of the present invention. The scanner includes a controller 10 and a plurality of antennas 2 formed separately from the controller 10. FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the first antenna 2a, the second antenna 2b, and the third antenna 2c are used as the antenna 2, but the number of the antennas 2 can be increased or decreased as described later. A controller 17 for controlling the operation of the scanner, a keyboard I / F, a card reader I / F, and an R
S232C communication I / F, RS485 communication I / F, ethene
an I / F unit (interface unit) 12 configured by an I / F, a USB I / F or the like and connected to a higher-level device such as a personal computer; a memory 13 for storing identification data to be read from and written to the data carrier 1; A modulation / amplification unit 14 for performing modulation and amplification at the time of transmission, an amplification / demodulation unit 15 for performing amplification and demodulation at the time of reception, and an antenna 2
There is provided an antenna switching unit 3 that switches when increasing or decreasing the number. The antenna switching unit 3 performs modulation and
Transmission antenna switching unit 25 connected to amplification unit 14
And a receiving antenna switching unit 26 connected to the amplification / demodulation unit 15. A plurality of connecting portions 16 to which the antenna 2 is connected are provided on the outer surface of the case 17, and one of the first antenna 2 a, the second antenna 2 b, and the third antenna 2 c is provided for one connecting portion 16. One is detachably connected.

The antenna 2 is a coil-shaped transmitting antenna 19.
And one receiving antenna 20. The first antenna 2 a, the second antenna 2 b, and the third antenna 2 c have the first transmitting antenna 1 as the transmitting antenna 19.
9a, second transmitting antenna 19b, and third transmitting antenna 19
c are provided respectively. Also, the first antenna 2a
A first receiving antenna 20a, a second receiving antenna 20b, and a third receiving antenna 20c are provided as receiving antennas 20 in the second antenna 2b, and the third antenna 2c, respectively.

The first transmitting antenna 19a, the second transmitting antenna 19b, and the third transmitting antenna 19c are connected to the connection unit 1
6 is connected to the transmitting antenna switching unit 25 of the antenna switching unit 3, and the first receiving antenna 20 a, the second receiving antenna 20 b, and the third receiving antenna 20 c are connected to the receiving unit of the antenna switching unit 3 via the connecting unit 16. It is connected to the antenna switching unit 26.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the transmission antenna switching unit 25. The first transmitting antenna 19a, the second transmitting antenna 19b, and the third transmitting antenna 19c are connected in series. First transmitting antenna 19a and second transmitting antenna 19b
Is connected to the first terminal 30a, and
The connecting portion between the second transmitting antenna 19b and the third transmitting antenna 19b is connected to the second terminal 30b, and the end of the third transmitting antenna 19c is connected to the third terminal 30c. Further, an end of the first transmitting antenna 19a is connected to the capacitor changeover switch 31. The capacitor switch 31 is formed to be connected to any one of the first capacitor 32a, the second capacitor 32b, and the third capacitor 32c. Further, the first capacitor 32a, the second capacitor 32b, and the third capacitor 32c are connected to the transmission antenna switch 33. The transmission antenna switch 33 is formed to be connected to any one of the first terminal 30a, the second terminal 30b, and the third terminal 30c. Therefore, a resonance circuit including the transmission antenna switching unit 25 and the first to third transmission antennas 19a, 19b, and 19c is formed.

The transmission antenna changeover switch 33 of the transmission antenna changeover section 25 and the capacitor changeover switch 31 are formed so as to be interlocked. That is,
When one antenna 2 (first antenna 2a) is connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission antenna changeover switch 33 is connected to the first terminal 30a and the capacitor changeover switch 31 is connected to the first capacitor 32a. The first transmission antenna 19a is in a transmission enabled state (communicable state). When two antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a and the second antenna 2b) are connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission antenna switch 33 is connected to the second terminal 30b, and the capacitor switch 31 is connected to the second terminal 30b. The first transmitting antenna 1 is interlocked so as to be connected to the two capacitors 32b.
The transmission antenna 9a and the second transmission antenna 19b enter a transmittable state (communicable state). Further, when the three antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a, the second antenna 2b, and the third antenna 2c) are connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission antenna switch 33 is connected to the third terminal 30c and the capacitor is connected. The changeover switch 31 is linked to be connected to the third capacitor 32c, and the first transmission antenna 20a, the second transmission antenna 20b, and the third transmission antenna 2c are connected.
0c is in a transmittable state (communicable state).

The resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first transmission antenna 19a and the first capacitor 32a, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first transmission antenna 19a, the second transmission antenna 19b, and the second capacitor 32b, Each of the transmitting antennas 1a, 1b, 1c, and 3c is set to have the same resonance frequency.
9a to 19c inductance and each capacitor 32a
３２32c are set. That is, the inductance of the first transmitting antenna 19a is L1,
The capacitance of the first capacitor 32a is C1, the inductance of the second transmitting antenna 19b is L2, the capacitance of the second capacitor 32b is C2, the inductance of the third transmitting antenna 19c is L3, and the third capacitor 32c.
, The resonance frequency f satisfies the following relationship.

[0015]

(Equation 1)

As described above, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first transmission antenna 19a and the first capacitor 32a, and the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first transmission antenna 19a, the second transmission antenna 19b, and the second capacitor 32b, By forming the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first transmission antenna 19a, the second transmission antenna 19b, the third transmission antenna 19c, and the third capacitor 32c to be the same, the number of antennas 2 used for communication increases or decreases. Even so, the transmission antenna changeover switch 33 and the capacitor changeover switch 31 are switched to make the transmission frequency the same.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the receiving antenna switching unit 26. The first receiving antenna 20a, the second receiving antenna 20b, and the third receiving antenna 20c are connected in series. First receiving antenna 20a and second receiving antenna 20b
Is connected to the first terminal 40a, and
The connecting portion between the second receiving antenna 20b and the third receiving antenna 20b is connected to the second terminal 40b, and the end of the third receiving antenna 20c is connected to the third terminal 40c. Further, the end of the first receiving antenna 20a is connected to the capacitor changeover switch 41. The capacitor changeover switch 41 is formed so as to be connected to any one of the first capacitor 42a, the second capacitor 42b, and the third capacitor 42c. Further, the first capacitor 42a, the second capacitor 42b, and the third capacitor 42c are connected to the receiving antenna changeover switch 43. The receiving antenna switch 43 is formed so as to be connected to any one of the first terminal 40a, the second terminal 40b, and the third terminal 40c. Therefore, a resonance circuit including the receiving antenna switching unit 26 and the first to third receiving antennas 20a, 20b, and 20c is formed.

The reception antenna changeover switch 43 of the reception antenna changeover section 26 and the capacitor changeover switch 41 are formed so as to interlock. That is,
When one antenna 2 (first antenna 2a) is connected to the connection unit 16, the receiving antenna changeover switch 43 is connected to the first terminal 40a and the capacitor changeover switch 41 is connected to the first capacitor 42a. The first receiving antenna 20a is in a receivable state (communicable state). Two antennas 2
(The first antenna 2a and the second antenna 2b)
When the first receiving antenna 20a is connected to the second receiving terminal 20a, the receiving antenna changeover switch 43 is connected to the second terminal 40b and the capacitor changeover switch 41 is connected to the second capacitor 42b. The receiving antenna 20b enters a receivable state (communicable state). Further, when the three antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a, the second antenna 2b, and the third antenna 2c) are connected to the connection unit 16, the receiving antenna changeover switch 43 is connected to the third terminal 40c and the capacitor is connected. The changeover switch 41 is linked to be connected to the third capacitor 42c, and the first receiving antenna 20a, the second receiving antenna 20b, and the third receiving antenna 20c enter a receivable state (communicable state).

The resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first reception antenna 20a and the first capacitor 42a, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first reception antenna 20a, the second reception antenna 20b, and the second capacitor 42b, Each of the receiving antennas 2a and 2b has the same resonance frequency so that the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the one receiving antenna 20a, the second receiving antenna 20b, the third receiving antenna 20c, and the third capacitor 42c is the same.
0a-20c inductance and each capacitor 42a
４２42c are set. That is, the inductance of the first receiving antenna 20a is L1,
The capacitance of the first capacitor 42a is C1, the inductance of the second receiving antenna 20b is L2, the capacitance of the second capacitor 42b is C2, the inductance of the third receiving antenna 20c is L3, and the third capacitor 42c.
Is the capacitance of C3, the resonance frequency f satisfies the relationship as in the above equation 1.

As described above, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first reception antenna 20a and the first capacitor 42a, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first reception antenna 20a, the second reception antenna 20b, and the second capacitor 42b, By making the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit including the first reception antenna 20a, the second reception antenna 20b, the third reception antenna 20c, and the third capacitor 42c the same, even if the number of antennas 2 used for communication increases or decreases, Receiving antenna switch 43 and capacitor switch 4
1 is switched, and the reception frequency can be made the same.

As shown in FIG. 4, data carrier 1 has I
A C-shaped data carrier antenna 53
Are connected to each other.

Then, the I of the data carrier 1 is
When writing the identification data to the C chip 52, first, the control unit 11 extracts the identification data stored in the memory 13 and sends the identification data to the modulation / amplification unit 14. Next, the transmission signal modulated by the identification data in the modulation / amplification unit 14 is sent to the transmission antenna 19 of the antenna 2 via the transmission antenna switching unit 25 of the antenna switching unit 3. At this time, one antenna 2 (first antenna 2
When a) is connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission signal is sent to the first transmission antenna 19a, and the two antennas 2
(The first antenna 2a and the second antenna 2b)
Is connected to the first transmitting antenna 19a and the second transmitting antenna 19b, and the three antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a, the second antenna 2b, and the third antenna 2c) are connected. 16 is connected to the first transmitting antenna 19a and the second transmitting antenna 1
9b and the third transmission antenna 19c. Thereafter, an electromagnetic wave is output from the transmission antenna 19 to which the transmission signal has been sent. Next, the electromagnetic wave is received by the data carrier antenna 53 of the data carrier 1, and the identification data included in the received signal is stored in the IC chip 52.

Further, the IC of the data carrier 1 is communicated by communication.
When reading the identification data held in the chip 52, first, the control unit 11 extracts the question data stored in the memory 13 and sends the question data to the modulation / amplification unit 14. Next, the transmission signal modulated by the interrogation data in the modulation / amplification unit 14 is sent to the transmission antenna 19 of the antenna 2 via the transmission antenna switching unit 25 of the antenna switching unit 3. At this time, when one antenna 2 (first antenna 2a) is connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission signal is transmitted to the first transmission antenna 19a, and the two antennas 2 (first antenna 2a and second antenna 2a) are transmitted. When the antenna 2b) is connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission signal is sent to the first transmission antenna 19a and the second transmission antenna 19b, and the three antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a, the second antenna 2b, and the When the three antennas 2c) are connected to the connection unit 16, the transmission signal is sent to the first transmission antenna 19a, the second transmission antenna 19b, and the third transmission antenna 19c. Thereafter, an electromagnetic wave is output from the transmission antenna 19 to which the transmission signal has been sent. Next, when the electromagnetic wave is received by the data carrier antenna 53 of the data carrier 1, the identification data is extracted from the IC chip 52 according to the question data included in the received signal. Thereafter, a response signal including the extracted identification data is sent to the data carrier antenna 53 and output as an electromagnetic wave. Next, this electromagnetic wave is received by the receiving antenna 20 of the scanner. At this time, when one antenna 2 (first antenna 2a) is connected to the connection unit 16, the first reception antenna 20a
When the two antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a and the second antenna 2b) are connected to the connection unit 16, the first reception antenna 20a and the second reception antenna 20b
And the three antennas 2 (the first antenna 2a, the second antenna 2b, and the third antenna 2c) are connected to the connection unit 16, and the first reception antenna 20a, the second reception antenna 20b, and the Received from the three transmitting antennas 20c. Thereafter, the received signal is received by the amplifying / demodulating unit 15.
, Where amplification and demodulation into identification data are performed. The demodulated identification data is sent to the control unit 11, stored in the memory 13, or sent to the host device or the like via the I / F unit 12.

In the present invention, a plurality of connecting sections 16 for connecting the antennas 2 are provided, and an antenna switching section 3 for switching each antenna 2 to a communicable state according to the number of connected antennas 2 is provided. Antenna 2
Is formed so that the antenna 2 can be added and the plurality of antennas 2 can be used, so that the area for reading and writing the identification data to the data carrier 1 can be widened. Part 3
Thus, even if the antennas 2 are close to each other, the interference of the electromagnetic field is eliminated, and the reading and writing of the identification data can be performed without any trouble.
Furthermore, the controller 10 incorporating the antenna switching unit 3 and the control unit 11 only needs to be prepared for one of the plurality of antennas 2, and the size can be reduced without increasing the size.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the antenna. This antenna 2 is formed by a pair of antenna plates 55. The outer surface of the antenna plate 55 is covered with a protective cover 18 made of synthetic resin or the like, and one end surface of the protective cover 18 of each antenna plate 55 is provided with a pair of connecting pieces 56 protruding therefrom. By pivotally connecting the connecting piece 56 of the antenna plate 55 and the connecting piece 56 of the other antenna plate 55 to form a hinge portion 57,
The hinge plate 5 is moved in the direction in which the antenna plate 55 approaches and separates from each other.
7 so that it can be rotated. Therefore, the antenna 2 is formed such that the angle between the antenna plates 55 can be adjusted.

A pair of antenna coils 58 are provided inside the protective cover 18 of the antenna 2 so as to extend over both antenna plates 55, and each of the antenna coils 58 forms a transmitting antenna 19 and a receiving antenna 20, respectively. Have been. As shown in FIG. 6, a part of the antenna coil 58 is disposed so as to pass through the hinge 57, and a portion passing through the hinge 57 is formed by a flexible wiring 60 having flexibility. This allows antenna 2
Even if the angle is changed, disconnection is less likely to occur.

The antenna 2 is usually used in a flat state so that the space between the antenna plates 55 is substantially 180 ° as shown in FIG. At this time, the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the communication between the antenna 2 and the data carrier 1 is perpendicular to the surface of the antenna 2 (antenna plate 55) in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Therefore, when the ring (opening) of the coil-shaped data carrier antenna 53 is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field lines of the electromagnetic field, a large electromotive force is generated in the data carrier antenna 53 and communication is performed well. If the ring (opening) of the antenna 53 is parallel to the magnetic field lines of the electromagnetic field, a large electromotive force is not generated in the data carrier antenna 53, and communication (reading and writing of identification data) may be defective. That is, in FIG. 7A, the reading and writing of the identification data are reliably performed on the data carrier antennas 53a at both ends, but the reading and writing of the identification data are difficult to be performed on the data carrier antenna 53b in the middle.

Thus, when there is a data carrier antenna 53b (data carrier 1) in which the ring (opening) of the data carrier antenna 53 is parallel to the magnetic field lines of the electromagnetic field, as shown in FIG. The angle of the antenna 2 is adjusted with respect to the data carrier antenna 53b so that the surface of the antenna plate 55 faces the data carrier antenna 53b. As a result, the magnetic field lines of the electromagnetic field are not parallel to the ring (opening) of the data carrier antenna 53b, and the communication performance is improved by improving the reading and writing performance of the identification data as compared with the case of FIG. Can be done.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show another example of the antenna 2. FIG. The antenna 2 in FIG. 8A is formed using two antenna blocks 6, and the antenna 2 in FIG. 8B is formed using four antenna blocks 6. As shown in FIG. 9, the antenna block 6 has a transmitting antenna main body 4 a and a receiving antenna main body 4 b as coiled antenna main bodies 4 inside a protective cover 18. Also, two transmission terminals 80a are provided on two adjacent sides of the antenna block 6 as the terminal portions 5 of the transmission antenna main body 4a, and two adjacent sides of the antenna block 6 are provided with the reception antenna main body. As the terminal unit 4b, a receiving terminal unit 80b is provided one by one.
That is, the transmission terminal portion 80a and the reception terminal portion 80b are formed at the same position on one side of the antenna block 6.

In the antenna 2 shown in FIG. 8A, two antenna blocks 6 are arranged side by side, and the transmission terminal 80a of one antenna block 6 and the other antenna block 6
Of the antenna block 6 and the receiving terminal 80b of the other antenna block 6 are electrically connected. That is, a transmitting antenna 19 in which two transmitting antenna main bodies 4a are connected in series,
The antenna 2 having the receiving antenna 20 in which the two receiving antenna main bodies 4b are connected in series is formed. The remaining two transmission terminal portions 80a and reception terminal portions 80 not used for the connection between the antenna blocks 6 described above.
b is connected to the connection unit 16 of the controller 10.

In the antenna 2 of FIG. 8B, four antenna blocks 6 are arranged side by side, and the transmitting terminal 80a is formed so that the four transmitting antenna main bodies 4a are connected in series to form the transmitting antenna 19. The receiving terminals 80b are sequentially electrically connected to each other such that the four receiving antenna main bodies 4b are connected in series to form the receiving antenna 20.
The remaining two transmission terminal portions 80a and reception terminal portions 80b not used for the connection between the antenna blocks 6 described above.
Is connected to the connection unit 16 of the controller 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the antenna block 6, a strong electric field area 85 (shown by hatching) is formed concentrically with the antenna main body 4 inside the protective cover 18, and the data carrier 1 is formed in the strong electric field area 85. Exists, communication is performed well, and reading and writing of identification data can be performed reliably. However, even if the data carrier 1 is present in the weak electric field area 86 (shown by a dotted pattern) formed outside the strong electric field area 85, communication may not be performed well, and reading and writing of identification data may not be performed reliably. Therefore, FIG.
In the antenna 2 of (a) and (b), since the antenna main body 4 is formed by connecting a plurality of antenna blocks 6 in series, the strong electric field area 85 is compared with the case where the antenna 2 is formed by one antenna block 6. Thus, the area for reading and writing the identification data to the data carrier can be widened.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-contact identification data communication scanner for reading and writing identification data by performing communication by electromagnetic waves with respect to a data carrier holding identification data. Since a plurality of antennas are formed so as to be freely added, the area for reading and writing identification data to the data carrier can be widened by using the plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas can be connected in series. Thereby, even if the antennas are close to each other, the interference of the electromagnetic field is eliminated, and the reading and writing of the identification data can be performed without any trouble.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the antenna is formed so as to be freely adjustable in angle with respect to the data carrier, the angle of the antenna is adjusted with respect to the data carrier in which it is difficult to read and write the identification data. Thus, the direction can be changed, and reading and writing of the identification data can be performed without any trouble.

According to the invention of claim 3 of the present invention, an antenna is formed by forming an antenna block by providing an antenna body and a terminal portion, and forming an antenna by connecting terminal portions of a plurality of antenna blocks. The area can be widened, and the area for reading and writing the identification data on the data carrier can be widened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a transmission antenna switching unit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a receiving antenna switching unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a data carrier according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the antenna.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a part of the antenna.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams showing the usage state of the antenna according to the first embodiment.

8A and 8B are schematic diagrams showing another example of the antenna of the above.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an antenna block according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Data carrier 2 Antenna 3 Antenna switching part 4 Antenna body 5 Terminal part 6 Antenna block

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yutaka Maeda 1048 Kazuma Kadoma, Kazuma, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. 5B058 CA15 KA40 YA01 5K012 AA01 AA05 AB05 AC06 AC07 AC08 AC10 AE08 BA03

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A non-contact identification data communication scanner for reading and writing identification data by communicating with a data carrier holding identification data by electromagnetic waves, wherein a plurality of antennas are formed so as to be freely added. Scanner for non-contact identification data communication. 2. The non-contact identification data communication scanner according to claim 1, wherein an antenna is formed so as to be adjustable in angle with respect to the data carrier. 3. The non-contact antenna according to claim 1, wherein an antenna block is formed by providing an antenna body and a terminal portion, and an antenna is formed by connecting terminal portions of a plurality of antenna blocks to each other. Scanner for identification data communication.