JP2004289462A - Apparatus and method for inspecting rf-id media - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection apparatus capable of quickly and efficiently inspecting the RF-ID media sequentially carried in a prescribed direction by communication while avoiding wasteful communication inspection. <P>SOLUTION: The inspection apparatus includes: a carrying section (1) for sequentially carrying the RF-ID media (12) to inspect in a prescribed direction; discrimination sections (2:21, 22, 23) for discriminating the RF-ID media sequentially carried in the prescribed direction communicatable; and a communication inspection section (3) for applying communication inspection to the RF-ID media which the discrimination section discriminates communicatable. The discrimination section includes spectrum analyzers (22a, 22b) for measuring the resonance frequency of each of the RF-ID media. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus and an inspection method for RF-ID media, and for example, relates to a communication inspection of an IC roll label.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, there is known an IC roll label configured in a roll shape by attaching a large number of IC labels to a long and elongated release paper at substantially equal intervals. The IC label is a flat RF-ID medium including an IC chip (IC module) and an antenna.
[0003]
In the communication inspection of the IC roll label, the IC label is sequentially conveyed along a predetermined direction, and a read / write inspection is performed on each IC label using a reader / writer. The read / write inspection is an inspection in which information is read from and written into an IC label which is an RF-ID medium, and its tact time is relatively long. Therefore, at the time of the read / write inspection, each IC label is temporarily stopped so that its antenna has a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the reader / writer.
[0004]
In the communication inspection of the IC label, it is determined as a defective product when communication is impossible or when the communication distance is insufficient. Incidentally, when the antenna or the IC chip is defective, or when the connection between the antenna and the IC chip is defective, the IC label cannot communicate. Further, when a required characteristic cannot be ensured for the antenna due to a manufacturing error or the like, the communication distance of the IC label is insufficient. In general, the IC roll label to be inspected randomly includes an IC label that cannot be communicated in the previous process.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art, in the same way as a non-defective IC label capable of communication, a defective IC label unable to communicate is stopped with respect to the reader / writer to perform a read / write inspection. As a result, a wasteful read / write inspection with a relatively long tact time, which is not necessary to be performed, is also performed on the defective IC label, and it is not possible to perform a quick and efficient communication inspection. there were.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and is capable of quickly and efficiently inspecting an RF-ID medium that is sequentially transported along a predetermined direction without performing unnecessary communication inspection. An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus and an inspection method that can be used.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the first embodiment of the present invention, a transport unit for sequentially transporting an RF-ID medium to be inspected along a predetermined direction, and an RF- sequentially transported along the predetermined direction. A determination unit for determining that the ID medium is communicable, and a communication inspection unit for performing a communication inspection of the RF-ID medium determined to be communicable by the determination unit. A characteristic inspection device is provided.
[0008]
According to a preferred aspect of the first aspect, the determination unit includes a spectrum analyzer for measuring the resonance frequency of each RF-ID medium. In this case, the determination unit controls the operation of the spectrum analyzer based on the timing sensor for detecting the timing mark formed on each RF-ID medium, the output of the timing sensor, and the output of the spectrum analyzer. It is preferable to further have a control unit for controlling the operation of the transport unit and the communication inspection based on the above.
[0009]
In the second aspect of the present invention, the RF-ID media to be inspected is sequentially transported along a predetermined direction, and it is determined that the RF-ID media sequentially transported along the predetermined direction can be communicated. Provided is an inspection method characterized by performing a communication inspection of an RF-ID medium determined to be possible.
[0010]
According to the preferable aspect of the second mode, the conveyance of the RF-ID media determined to be communicable is stopped for the communication inspection.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an IC roll label that is an inspection target of the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 3 is a flowchart schematically showing an IC roll label inspection process using the inspection apparatus of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to the communication inspection of each IC label of the IC roll label.
[0012]
First, referring to FIG. 2, the IC roll label 10 to be inspected according to the present embodiment is formed into a roll by applying a large number of IC labels 12 to a release paper 11 extending in a long direction along one direction at almost equal intervals. It is configured. Each IC label 12 includes an IC module (or IC chip) 12b having an information storage unit (memory), and an antenna 12c connected to the IC module 12b for non-contact communication (that is, data transmission / reception). It has. The IC module 12b and the antenna 12c are provided on the substrate 12a in the form of an IC inlet.
[0013]
Referring to FIG. 1, the inspection apparatus of the present embodiment is a winding unit (not shown) as a transport unit for sequentially transporting each IC label 12 of an IC roll label 10 to be processed along the direction indicated by arrow F1. A roller and a conveyance roller 1 are provided. Moreover, the inspection apparatus of this embodiment can communicate in the determination part 2 for determining that the IC label 12 conveyed sequentially along the direction shown by the arrow F1 can communicate with the determination part 2. A reader / writer 3 as a communication inspection unit for performing a communication inspection of the determined IC label 12 is provided.
[0014]
The determination unit 2 includes a timing sensor 21, a detection unit 22 a and a main body 22 b of the spectrum analyzer 22, and a control unit 23. The timing sensor 22 detects a timing mark (not shown) formed on each IC label 12 and supplies the detection result to the control unit 23. The spectrum analyzer 22 measures the resonance frequency of each IC label 12 in the detection unit 22a and the main body 22b, and supplies the measurement result to the control unit 23.
[0015]
The control unit 23 controls the operation of the spectrum analyzer 22 based on the output of the timing sensor 21. The control unit 23 controls the operations of the transport unit 1 and the reader / writer (communication inspection unit) 3 based on the output of the spectrum analyzer 22. The reader / writer 3 has a function of reading information from and writing information to the IC label 12 which is an RF-ID medium.
[0016]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the timing sensor 21 detects timing marks (not shown) formed on the IC labels 12 that are sequentially conveyed along the direction indicated by the arrow F1 (S1). The detection unit 22a and the main body 22b of the spectrum analyzer 22 measure the resonance frequency of the IC label 12 in which the timing sensor 21 has detected the timing mark in accordance with a command from the control unit 23 that has received the output signal from the timing sensor 21 ( S2).
[0017]
At this time, since the resonance frequency of the IC label 12 is measured instantaneously by the spectrum analyzer 22, it is not necessary to stop the conveyance of each IC label 12 when measuring the resonance frequency. Next, the control unit 23 determines whether or not the resonance frequency of the IC label 12 measured by the spectrum analyzer 22 is within a specified resonance frequency range, that is, whether or not the IC label 12 can communicate. (S3).
[0018]
When it is determined that the resonance frequency of the IC label 12 is within the specified resonance frequency range and the IC label 12 is communicable, the antenna of the IC label 12 is connected to the reader / writer 3 according to the arrow indicated by YES in the figure. The conveyance of the IC label 12 is stopped so as to be in a predetermined positional relationship (S4). In this way, the reader / writer 3 performs a read / write inspection (communication inspection) on the IC label 12 in the stopped state in response to an instruction from the control unit 23 that has received the output signal from the spectrum analyzer 22 (S5).
[0019]
When the read / write inspection for the IC label 12 is completed, the transport unit 1 resumes transport of each IC label 12 in response to an instruction from the control unit 23 that has received the output signal from the reader / writer 3 (S6). Then, the process proceeds to the subsequent IC label 12 processing. On the other hand, if it is determined that the resonance frequency of the IC label 12 is outside the specified resonance frequency range and the IC label 12 cannot communicate, the conveyance of each IC label 12 is stopped according to the arrow indicated by NO in the figure. The process proceeds to the processing of the subsequent IC label 12 without performing the read / write inspection on the IC label 12.
[0020]
As described above, in this embodiment, it is determined in advance whether each IC label 12 that is sequentially conveyed is communicable or not communicable, and a defective IC label that is not communicable is not stopped by the reader / writer. Thus, without performing the read / write inspection, only the non-defective IC label capable of communication is stopped with respect to the reader / writer to perform the read / write inspection. As a result, it is possible to perform a quick and efficient communication inspection without performing a wasteful read / write inspection with a relatively long tact time which is not necessary to be performed on the defective IC label. In the present embodiment, a spectrum analyzer is used as a resonance frequency measuring device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same processing can be performed using a network analyzer or an impedance analyzer.
[0021]
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an inspection apparatus according to a modification of the present embodiment. The modification of FIG. 4 has a configuration similar to that of the embodiment of FIG. 1, but differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 only in that a reader / writer 24 is arranged instead of the spectrum analyzer 22. Hereinafter, the modified example of FIG. 4 will be described by paying attention to differences from the embodiment of FIG.
[0022]
In the modification of FIG. 4, the reader / writer 24 reads information such as a manufacturing serial number from the IC label 12. The control unit 23 determines whether the IC label 12 is communicable or not communicable based on the output of the reader / writer 24. At this time, reading of information from the IC label 12 by the reader / writer 24 is performed relatively quickly, and therefore it is not necessary to stop the conveyance of each IC label 12 as in the embodiment of FIG.
[0023]
In the above-described embodiment and modification, it is determined whether or not each IC label can communicate immediately before the communication inspection unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if it is determined whether each IC label is communicable or not communicable in the previous process, it is also possible to inspect only a good IC label communicable based on the determination data. it can.
[0024]
In the above-described embodiment and modification, the present invention is applied to the communication inspection of each IC label of the IC roll label. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the IC roll label is sequentially conveyed along a predetermined direction. The present invention can also be applied to general RF-ID media.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the inspection apparatus of the present invention, it is determined in advance whether the sequentially conveyed RF-ID media are communicable or incapable of communication, and communication inspection of defective RF-ID media that cannot be performed is performed. In addition, the communication inspection is performed only on the good RF-ID media that can be communicated. As a result, it is possible to perform a quick and efficient communication inspection without performing a wasteful inspection that is not originally required for the defective RF-ID media.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an IC roll label that is an inspection target of the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart schematically showing an IC roll label inspection process using the inspection apparatus of the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an inspection apparatus according to a modified example of the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Transport roller (transport section)
2 Judgment part 3 Leader / writer (communication inspection part)
10 IC Roll Label 12 IC Label 21 Timing Sensor 22a Spectrum Analyzer Detection Unit 22b Spectrum Analyzer Body 23 Control Unit 24 Reader / Writer

Claims (5)

A transport unit for sequentially transporting RF-ID media to be inspected along a predetermined direction;
A determination unit for determining that the RF-ID media sequentially conveyed along the predetermined direction can communicate;
An inspection apparatus comprising: a communication inspection unit for performing communication inspection of the RF-ID media determined to be communicable by the determination unit. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit includes a spectrum analyzer for measuring a resonance frequency of each RF-ID medium. The determination unit controls a timing sensor for detecting a timing mark formed on each RF-ID medium, an operation of the spectrum analyzer based on an output of the timing sensor, and based on an output of the spectrum analyzer The inspection apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a controller for controlling the operation of the conveyance unit and the communication inspection. The RF-ID media to be inspected are sequentially conveyed along a predetermined direction,
Determining that the RF-ID media sequentially transported along the predetermined direction can communicate;
An inspection method comprising performing a communication inspection of an RF-ID media determined to be communicable. The inspection method according to claim 4, wherein conveyance of the RF-ID media determined to be communicable is stopped for communication inspection.

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