JP2003252409A - Document controller using rf-id - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an RF-ID tag from being damaged by impact, friction or the like when a storage subject is taken in and out. <P>SOLUTION: This controller has a storage box 10 for storing documents 20 imparted with the RF-ID tag 21, and transceives an information signal to/ from the RF-ID tag 21 to control and retrieve the documents 20. The storage box 10 has an antenna for transceiving the information signal to/from the RF-ID tag 21 of the stored document, in a back side of a document storage space. A shielding member for shielding each other the signals from the antennas of the document storage spaces arranged back to back is arranged between the document storage spaces arranged back to back. The antenna arranged in the back side of the document storage space is a separate body separate from a shelf board. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document management apparatus using an RF-ID capable of contactlessly transmitting / receiving a data signal and reading / writing data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An RF-ID system is known which is capable of contactlessly transmitting and receiving an information signal to search for a specific object or manage the object. This system
The RF-ID tag and the antenna that mediates the exchange of signals with this tag are the main components. R
Among the F-ID systems, there are an electromagnetic coupling system, an electrostatic coupling system, an electromagnetic induction system, a microwave system, etc. depending on the spatial transmission medium system. The functional features of the RF-ID system are: 1. It is possible to read and write data without contact. Because it communicates by radio waves and electromagnetic waves, it is less susceptible to dirt and dust. 3. Data communication is possible through obstacles (except conductors such as metal). With the built-in anti-collision function, it is possible to access multiple tags simultaneously.

By applying the above-mentioned RF-ID system to shelves and storages, it is used for retrieval and storage management of books, documents, charts, etc. stored in the shelves and storages. A conventional management system or search system using an RF-ID requires an RF at the bottom of the contents in order to satisfy the conditions such as the recognition distance between the RF-ID tag and the antenna.
-The ID tag is attached, and the antenna for transmitting and receiving the information signal is installed on the storage surface of the shelf for storing the storage object.

[0004]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional system using the RF-ID, the contents directly contact the antenna, so that the impact or the like when the contents are placed on or taken out from the shelf board or the like. The antenna may be damaged by friction. Further, the antenna is integrated with the shelf board, which is more expensive than the total price of the shelf board and the antenna alone. Further, due to the characteristics of the radio waves or electromagnetic waves transmitted and received by the antenna, the recognition information of the RF-ID tag cannot be transmitted at the left and right ends of the antenna, and the contents at both ends of the shelf board recognize the information. There was a difficulty that I could not do it.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems of the prior art, and makes it possible to recognize the contents without contacting the RF-ID tag and the antenna. An object of the present invention is to provide a document management device using an RF-ID, which can prevent the RF-ID tag from being damaged by impact or friction when putting in or taking out a contained item.

The present invention is also capable of aligning the front surface of the container with the front surface of the shelf regardless of the size of the container, and
An object of the present invention is to provide a document management device using an RF-ID, in which an antenna can be used as a back of a stored item, can be installed in an existing storage cabinet, and can be easily removed arbitrarily. To do.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A document using an RF-ID that has a storage for storing a document to which an RF-ID tag is added and that can manage and search a stored document by transmitting / receiving an information signal to / from the RF-ID tag. In the management apparatus, the storage is characterized by having an antenna behind the document storage space for transmitting and receiving an information signal to and from the RF-ID tag of the storage document.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the first aspect, the RF-ID tag has an air-core coil wound in a planar shape, and an empty coil so that the RF-ID tag is parallel to the plane of the air-core coil. And a plate-shaped iron core inserted into the core coil. The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the storage is a double storage having back-to-back document storage spaces.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, a shielding member for shielding signals from the antennas of the back-to-back document storage spaces is arranged between the back-to-back document storage spaces. Characterize.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the document storage space has a shelf for loading documents, and the antenna arranged behind the document storage space is separate from the shelf. Is characterized in that. The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1 or 5, the antenna is detachable.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fifth aspect, the RF-ID tag has an air-core coil wound in a planar shape and an empty coil so as to be parallel to the plane of the air-core coil. It consists of a plate-shaped iron core inserted in the core coil, and the shelf supports made of metal plates are arranged at both left and right ends of the shelf plate when viewed from the side of inserting and removing documents. It is characterized in that even an RF-ID tag located within 30 mm on both ends can transmit and receive the information signal. The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 7, the shielding plate comprises a shelf support or a partition which is higher than a height dimension of the shelf plate.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, an outline of an RF-ID tag used in the present invention will be described. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the RF-ID tag has an air-core coil 50 formed by winding a conducting wire appropriately times and a magnetic core 51 inserted in the air-core portion of the air-core coil 50.
The magnetic core 51 has a long plate shape and includes a core 55 made of an amorphous sheet or the like, and an insulating sheet 56 covering the surface of the core 55. The insulating sheet 56 may be omitted if there is no problem of a short circuit between the core 55 and the air-core coil 50. The air-core coil 50 may have a circular planar shape as shown in FIG. 1, but it is desirable that the air-core coil 50 has a quadrangular shape in consideration of shaping as described later.

The air-core coil 50 and the magnetic core 51 are pressed while heating so that their planes are parallel to each other, and the air-core coil 50 or the magnetic core 51 is shaped. The example shown in FIG. 6 is an example in which the magnetic core 51 is shaped.
The overlapping part has unevenness. In this state, the entire air-core coil 50 and magnetic core 51 are laminated and integrated. An RF core in which a memory, a transmission / reception circuit, and other electric circuits are integrated at the winding start and winding end portions of the air-core coil 50.
-It is connected to the electrodes 53 and 54 of the ID module 52 by soldering or the like.

In the RF-ID tag constructed as described above, the air core coil 50 is penetrated in the thickness direction, that is, the X direction which is the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core 51, and the air core coil 50.
Has a directivity in the Z direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the plane of
It is possible to transmit / receive signals to / from antennas arranged apart from each other in the direction or the Z direction. In particular, the directivity in the X direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core 51, is strong, and signals can be transmitted and received even if there is a space of about 100 mm between the RF-ID tag and the antenna. It should be noted that there are various modifications such that the number of the magnetic cores 51 is plural or the air-core coil 50 is composed of a print coil.

Next, an embodiment of a document management apparatus using an RF-ID according to the present invention using the above-mentioned RF-ID tag will be described with reference to the drawings. The document management apparatus using the RF-ID according to the present invention can be applied to a library for storing books and various documents, and a general storage for storing various stored items. A library is drawn as an example of the storage.

In FIG. 1, the library 10 includes side plates 16 on both sides.
And the bottom plate 11 whose both ends are joined to the side plates 16 on both sides.
And a top plate 12, and a shelf plate 13 having a fixed number of steps between the bottom plate 11 and the top plate 12, as well. A plurality of spaces surrounded by the bottom plate 11 or the shelf plate 13 and the side plates 16 on both sides are document storage spaces. By placing the storage document 20 as a stored item on the bottom plate 11 and the shelf plate 13, the storage document 20 is stored in the document storage space.

An RF-ID tag 21 is added to each storage document 20. The RF-ID tag 21 is RF
As a part of the ID system, as described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, an air-core coil wound in a plane and an air-core coil that is parallel to the plane of the air-core coil. And a plate-shaped iron core inserted thereinto, and further various circuit elements and the like are formed in a plane. In the illustrated example, when the RF-ID tag 21 is placed on the cover of the storage document 20 and the storage document 20 is placed upright on the shelf board 13,
The RF-ID tag 21 is attached so as to be located at the back side of the document storage space. The RF-ID tag 21 may be attached to the outer surface of the cover of the storage document 20, may be attached to the inner side of the cover, or may be attached or embedded at any other suitable position. Further, the magnetic core 51 of the RF-ID tag 21 is attached so that the longitudinal direction thereof is the front-back direction.

A back plate 14 is arranged behind each document storage space of the library 10. Both sides of the back plate 14 are supported by side plates 16. An antenna pattern 15 is formed on the back plate 14, and the back plate 14 itself constitutes an antenna module. The back plate 14 constituting the antenna module is formed separately from the bottom plate 11 and the shelf plate 13, and is detachably attached to the library 10 as required. The antenna pattern 15 may be formed on the surface of the back plate 14 or may be embedded in the back plate 14. The RF-ID tag 21 and the antenna pattern 15 of the storage document 20 stored in the document storage space can be electromagnetically coupled in a non-contact manner to send and receive an information signal.

As described with reference to the RF-ID tag shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the air-core antenna and the magnetic core inserted in the air-core antenna are provided, and the air-core antenna and the magnetic core are parallel to each other. The arranged RF-ID tag has an orientation in its own length direction, and even if the antenna is arranged at a position that is somewhat long in this direction, for example, at a position separated by about 100 mm, the RF-ID tag is It is possible to send and receive signals to and from the antenna. Therefore, even if there is a certain amount of space between the rear end of a book or the like stored on the shelf and the antenna, signals can be transmitted and received between the RF-ID tag of the book or the like and the antenna. .

Each RF-ID tag 21 has a unique I
The RF-ID tag 21 can be identified by identifying the ID on the receiving device side, and the storage document 20 to which the RF-ID tag 21 and the RF-ID tag 21 are added. The stored document 20 can be identified by associating it with the information related to. For example, by using an RF-ID of an electromagnetic coupling system and utilizing mutual induction of coils by an alternating magnetic field to perform communication,
The existence of the F-ID tag 21 and its ID can be confirmed.

A control unit 2 is provided on the top plate 12 of the library 10.
2 is attached. The control unit 22 is connected to the personal computer 23 by a cable 24.
The control unit 22 controls the antenna module. That is, the control unit 22 emits an AC magnetic field from the antenna pattern 15 as described above, communicates between the coil of each RF-ID tag 21 and the coil on the antenna side by utilizing mutual induction of the coils, and RF-ID tag 2
By recognizing the presence of 1 and its ID, information about the storage document 20 stored in the document storage space is acquired. The acquired information is managed by the personal computer 23. Also, personal
It is also possible to search the information of the documents stored in the document storage space from the computer 23.

According to the embodiment described above, the back plate 14
Each RF-ID tag 21 is contactlessly identified by the antenna module including the antenna pattern 15 and the RF-ID tag 21 added to the storage document 20.
The information unique to the storage document 20 to which the ID tag 21 is added can be stored and managed, and the storage document 20 can be searched as necessary. RF-I of the storage document 20
Since the antenna pattern 15 for transmitting / receiving information signals to / from the D tag 21 is arranged behind the document storage space, it is possible that the antenna pattern 15 is damaged due to impact or friction when the stored document 20 is taken in and out. Can be prevented. Incidentally, even when the RF-ID tag 21 and the antenna pattern 15 are in close contact with each other, that is, the mutual distance is 0 mm, the RF-ID tag 21 is
Even if the mutual distance between the antenna pattern 15 and the antenna pattern 15 is about 100 mm, the RF-ID tag 21 can be recognized.

As described above, information signals can be transmitted and received even if the RF-ID tag 21 and the antenna pattern 15 are not in contact with each other. Also, by using the RF-ID tag as shown in FIG. 4 to FIG.
Even if there is a large gap between the D tag 21 and the antenna pattern 15, the information signal can be transmitted and received. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
Even if the distance between each RF-ID tag 21 and the antenna pattern 15 is different by aligning the front surface of each storage document 20 with the front surface of the bottom plate 11 or the shelf plate 13, Information signals can be transmitted and received. Further, since the antenna pattern 15 is formed on the back plate 14, the antenna can be used as a back contact for the storage document 20.

Since the back plate 14 with the antenna pattern 15 is detachably attached to the library 10, the RF-I
Even if the storage is not equipped with a document storage device using D, the RF-I can be installed by simply attaching the back plate 14 to the storage.
The specifications can be changed to a D-compatible document storage device. On the contrary, even in the case of the RF-ID compatible document storage device, it is easy to change the specifications to a storage cabinet that does not support the RF-ID by removing the back plate 14.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described. This embodiment is an example of a double-type storage having a document storage space with the document storage spaces back to back. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the library 10 has columns 17 that replace the side plates described above. Three columns 17 are arranged at equal intervals in the front-rear direction of the library 10 and in parallel, and one end of one shelf board 13 is formed by the front and middle columns 17 in the depth direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3). Supported, 1 in the depth direction
The other end of the shelf 13 is supported by 7 and 7. Therefore, the shelf plates 13 are provided on the front side and the back side, respectively, when viewed from one direction, but when viewed from the entire library 10, the stored documents 20 can be taken in and out from both sides in the front-rear direction of the library 10. Has become.

As shown in FIG. 3, a large number of holes 171 are formed in the column 17 at regular intervals in the length direction thereof. This hole 171 is a hole for hooking the shelf holder 18, and hooks 181 formed at both ends of the shelf holder 18 are inserted into and locked in the hole 171 at an appropriate height position so that the shelf holder 18 can be received. 18 are arranged in the depth direction of the library 10. Each of the shelf receivers 18 is arranged across two columns 17 arranged in the depth direction of the library 10. Each shelf receiver 18 has a locking piece 182 formed by bending at the lower end edge thereof, and the locking piece 182 is attached to the shelf board 13
One end of the shelf plate 13 is hooked, and the other end of the shelf plate 13 is hooked on the locking piece 182 of the other shelf receiver 18 in the same manner, so that the shelf plate 13 is supported between the left and right columns 17. .

Behind each of the document storage spaces which are back-to-back as described above, the back plates 14 are mounted in parallel with each other in a vertical posture. The back plate 14 is formed with an antenna pattern as in the above-described embodiment and constitutes an antenna module. Each of the back plates 14 is located behind the back end surface of each shelf plate 13, and a space exists between the back plates 14. A shielding member 19 is attached in a vertical posture between this space, that is, between the back-to-back document storage spaces. The shield member 19 shields signals from the antennas between the back-to-back document storage spaces, and is made of a conductive material such as metal. The shielding member 19 has a height equal to or slightly higher than the height of the back plate 14 in order to effectively exhibit the above-mentioned shielding function.

The shelf receiver 18 is made of a metal plate, and also serves as a shield plate at the left and right ends of the shelf plate 13 as viewed from the side of the document loading / unloading surface. That is, in order to prevent the signals transmitted and received by the antennas of the document storage spaces arranged side by side as viewed from the side of the loading and unloading side of the documents from interfering with each other, the signals from the antennas of the left and right document storage spaces are fed to the above shelf The receiver 18 is configured to shield.
In order to effectively exhibit this shielding function, the shelf receiver 18 is sufficiently higher than the height dimension of the shelf board 13 and is substantially the same height as the back board 14.

There is also a structure in which the shelf receiver 18 is not used to support the shelf plate 13. In that case, a shielding plate having a shielding effect similar to that of the shelf receiver 18 is added. Alternatively, a partition plate that defines the left-right direction of each document storage space may be provided, and this partition plate may have a function of shielding a signal from the antenna. By the way, RF-ID
When the document 20 to which the tag 21 is added is stored in contact with or close to a shelf receiver made of magnetic metal such as iron, the magnetic flux passing through the air core coil is absorbed by the shelf receiver, and the shelf board is moved in the left-right direction, that is, the longitudinal direction. RF-ID on both ends in the direction
There is a concern that it may not be possible to send and receive information signals to and from the tag. However, as in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, by using the RF-ID tag in which the directivity is strengthened by combining the air core coil and the magnetic core, it is within 30 mm from the left and right ends of the shelf board. Therefore, even if the RF-ID tag is in contact with the metal shelf holder, the information signal can be transmitted / received to / from the antenna.

As shown in FIG. 2, a personal computer 23 is connected to the library 10. personal·
The computer 23 is connected to an antenna module composed of the back plate 14 and the antenna pattern 15, or as shown in FIG.
A control unit similar to the control unit 22 in the above embodiment may be interposed.

According to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 described above, the shielding member 19 for shielding the signals from the antennas of the back-to-back document storage spaces is arranged in the double storage box having a high document storage capacity. Even in a double-type storage, it is possible to prevent interference between signals transmitted and received by back-to-back antennas and perform highly reliable document management and document search.

Further, the shelf board 1 viewed from the side of the document input / output surface.
Since the shelf receivers 18 also serving as a shield plate made of a metal plate are arranged at both left and right ends of 3, the interference of signals transmitted and received by the antennas located on the left and right is prevented, and highly reliable document management and document You can search and so on. In addition, the RF-ID tag 2 is attached to the shelf receiver 18 that also serves as the shield plate.
Even when 1 is in contact, the RF-ID tag 21 has an air-core coil wound in a plane and a plate-shaped iron core inserted in the air-core coil so as to be parallel to the plane of the air-core coil. And has a strong intention,
Information signals can be transmitted to and received from the antenna as described above.

In the case of the present invention, which has an antenna behind the document storage space for transmitting and receiving information signals to and from the RF-ID tag of the stored document,
Since the antenna is not subjected to shock or friction when the document is taken in and out, the transmission / reception method between the RF-ID tag and the antenna can be a contact method.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the invention, since the antenna for transmitting and receiving the information signal to and from the RF-ID tag of the stored document is arranged behind the document storage space, the stored document is taken in and out. It is possible to prevent the antenna from being damaged due to impact or friction.

According to the invention described in claim 2, in the invention described in claim 1, the RF-ID tag is arranged in parallel with the air-core coil wound in a plane and the plane of the air-core coil. Since it has a plate-shaped iron core inserted in the air-core coil, directivity can be strengthened and RF
-A signal is generated between the RF-ID tag and the antenna even if there is a relatively large space between the ID tag and the antenna, or even if the RF-ID tag is in contact with a shelf support made of a metal plate. Can be sent and received.

According to the invention of claim 3, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, since the storage is a double storage having back-to-back document storage spaces,
It is possible to prevent the antenna from being damaged by a shock or friction when a stored document is taken in and out, in a double-type storage having an improved document storage capability.

According to the invention described in claim 4, in the invention described in claim 3, a shielding member for shielding signals from the antennas of the back-to-back document storage spaces is arranged between the back-to-back document storage spaces. Therefore, in the double-type storage, there is no interference of signals transmitted and received from the antennas between the back-to-back document storage spaces, and highly reliable document management and document retrieval can be performed.

According to the invention of claim 5, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, since the antenna arranged behind the document storage space is separate from the shelf board, the antenna is integrated with the shelf board. It will be cheaper than the one formed in
Whether or not to configure the document management apparatus using the RF-ID can be arbitrarily and easily selected depending on whether or not the antenna is arranged, and the cost is low in any case.

According to the invention of claim 6, in the invention of claim 1 or 5, since the antenna is detachable, the document using the RF-ID is installed by installing the antenna in the existing storage. It is easy to change the specification to the management apparatus, and it is also easy to change the specification of the document management apparatus using the RF-ID to the existing storage.

According to the invention described in claim 7, in the invention described in claim 5, since the shelf receivers made of metal plates are arranged at the left and right ends of the shelf plate as viewed from the side of the taking in and out of the document. , There is no interference of signals transmitted and received from the antennas on both the left and right sides, and even if the RF-ID tag is within 30 mm of both ends of the shelf board supported by the shelf holder and is in contact with the shelf holder, the RF-ID tag Information signals can be transmitted and received between the antenna and the antenna, and highly reliable document management and document retrieval can be performed.

According to the invention described in claim 8, in the invention described in claim 7, since the shielding plate is constituted by a shelf support or a partition higher than the height of the shelf board, the existing member of the storage is By utilizing this, it is possible to effectively eliminate the interference of signals transmitted and received from the antennas on both the left and right sides.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a document management device using an RF-ID according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of another embodiment of a document management apparatus using RF-ID according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing another embodiment described above.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of an RF-ID tag applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the RF-ID tag.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional front view showing another example of the RF-ID tag applicable to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Archives as storage 13 shelves 14 Backboard 15 antenna pattern 18 Shelf receiver that doubles as a shield 19 Shielding member 20 Documents to be kept 21 RF-ID tag 50 air core coil 51 magnetic core

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06K 19/07 G06K 19/00 Q 19/077 K (72) Inventor Takuya Nakamura 3 Kamimoto Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 8-1 No. 1 Kongo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ichiro Ikenaga 3-8-1 Kamiakumamoto, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture Kongo Co. Ltd. (72) Inventor Ichiya Tokunaga 3-8-1, Kamiakumamoto, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture Issue Kongo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Taku Anegawa 3-8-1, Kamiakumamoto, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture Kongo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C005 MA10 MA31 NA09 TA22 3F022 AA11 AA13 CC02 FF01 MM08 MM22 MM35 5B035 BA03 BB09 BC00 CA01 CA23 5B058 CA15 KA01 KA04 KA24

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An RF having a storage for storing documents to which an RF-ID tag is added, and capable of transmitting and receiving an information signal to and from the RF-ID tag to manage and retrieve contained documents. In the document management device using ID, the storage is provided with an antenna behind the document storage space for transmitting and receiving an information signal to and from the RF-ID tag of the storage document. -Document management device using ID. 2. The RF-ID tag has an air-core coil wound in a plane and a plate-shaped iron core inserted in the air-core coil so as to be parallel to the plane of the air-core coil. A document management apparatus using the RF-ID according to claim 1. 3. The document management device using the RF-ID according to claim 1, wherein the storage is a double storage having back-to-back document storage spaces. 4. Between the back-to-back document storage spaces,
4. The document management apparatus using RF-ID according to claim 3, wherein a shielding member that shields signals from the antennas of the back-to-back document storage spaces is arranged. 5. The RF according to claim 1, wherein the document storage space has a shelf plate on which documents are placed, and the antenna disposed behind the document storage space is separate from the shelf plate.
-Document management device using ID. 6. The document management apparatus using the RF-ID according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is removable. 7. The RF-ID tag is composed of an air-core coil wound in a plane and a plate-shaped iron core inserted into the air-core coil so as to be parallel to the plane of the air-core coil. Shelf receivers made of metal plates are arranged at both left and right ends of the shelf plate as viewed from the side of the document loading / discharging surface, and even if the RF-ID tag is located within 30 mm at both ends of the shelf plate supported by the shelf receiver. The document management apparatus using the RF-ID according to claim 5, which is capable of transmitting and receiving an information signal. 8. The document management apparatus using RF-ID according to claim 7, wherein the shielding plate is a shelf support or a partition having a height higher than the height of the shelf plate.