JP2005148632A - Module and system for transmitting and receiving equipment characteristic data - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform wired/wireless transmission and reception of equipment characteristic data with simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: An equipment characteristic data transmitting and receiving module 50 provided to a component which is attachable to and detachable from an equipment main body includes an RFID chip 52 and an antenna 54. Further, a couple of connection points 56a and 56b are provided at an input/output end of the antenna 54 and a couple of contact terminals 60a and 60b are led out through protection elements 58a and 58b. When the connection terminals 60a and 60b are connected to a communication harness 34, the equipment main body side is connected by wire to the RFID chip 52 through the communication harness 34 and analog input/output ends 66a and 66b and the equipment characteristic data are communicated by wire between them. Further, the contact terminals may be led out of the RFID chip 52 through an interface conversion part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a device-specific data transmission / reception module and a device-specific data transmission / reception system using the module, and more particularly to an external wireless transmission / reception of device-specific data related to the use condition or use status of a device provided in a detachable part of the main body of the device. The present invention relates to a device-specific data transmission / reception module that transmits / receives data to / from an apparatus and a device-specific data transmission / reception system using the device-specific data transmission / reception system.

  In order to trace the distribution of products, parts, etc., a memory module having a wireless transmission / reception function is attached to the target product, part, etc., accessed from an external memory reader / writer, and the contents of the memory are read. Such a memory module having a wireless transmission / reception function is sometimes called an RFID (Radio Frequency Identity) chip with an antenna.

  In an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, if this RFID chip with an antenna is attached to a consumable part such as a toner cartridge or a photosensitive drum, necessary data is written in the memory, and the data can be read wirelessly. Convenient. For example, device-specific data relating to usage conditions such as the usage conditions such as the model of the device to which the part is applied, how much the part was consumed under the user's usage conditions, etc. It is possible to improve the maintainability by writing to and reading this memory.

  The device specific data is held in, for example, a nonvolatile memory on the main body side of the device. Therefore, it is necessary to transfer the device-specific data held in the nonvolatile memory to the component-side memory. In this case, since the component-side memory is an RFID chip memory with an antenna, a wireless transmission / reception interface is provided on the device body side, and communication is performed between the nonvolatile memory and the component-side memory by wireless transmission / reception inside the device. be able to. However, when wireless transmission / reception is performed inside a device, there is a risk of radio interference due to the radio signal, and in some cases, approval of the Radio Law may be necessary. In the case of devices targeting the global market, it is necessary to check and comply with the radio laws and regulations of each country.

  Therefore, it is conceivable to use a so-called wired / wireless shared memory or contact / non-contact shared memory not only having a wireless transmission / reception function but also capable of wired data transfer as a component-side memory. In other words, communication between the non-volatile memory inside the device and the component-side memory is performed by wired connection, and when the component is separated from the device main body and is alone, communication between the component-side memory and the external memory reader / writer is performed wirelessly. It is convenient if you can do it.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a composite IC card having a contact type and non-contact type interface and an IC module for the composite IC card. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses an IC module with a non-contact communication function and a contact-type non-contact shared IC card, and Patent Document 3 discloses a contact / non-contact shared IC card.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-272822 JP 2001-56850 A JP 2001-101376 A

  The contact / non-contact sharing technology is a technology for sharing a contact-type IC card for payment with an IC card and a non-contact type IC card for a ticket gate or a telephone system, and has a wired interface as well as a wireless interface. . For example, the IC module for a composite IC card in Patent Document 1 includes eight electrical contacts and an interface circuit such as a UART for contact communication in addition to a wireless interface such as a reception unit, a power generation unit, a demodulation unit, and a modulation unit. .

  As described above, the conventional technology requires a complicated wired interface together with the wireless interface in order to integrate the payment system and the ticket gate / telephone system functions, and the function and structure of the memory chip are complicated. , The cost will rise.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a device-specific data transmission / reception module and a device-specific data transmission / reception system that solve the problems of the prior art and enable transmission / reception for both wired and wireless communication with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, a device-specific data transmission / reception module according to the present invention is provided in a detachable part of the main body of the device, and device-specific data regarding the use condition or use status of the device is exchanged with an external wireless transmission / reception device. A device-specific data transmission / reception module for transmitting / receiving between the antenna, a component-side memory connected to the antenna via a wireless interface, holding the device-specific data, and drawn from an input / output terminal of the antenna, A contact terminal that is contact-connected to the main body side of the device, and when connected to the main body of the device, the device-specific memory is connected between the component-side memory and the main body of the device via the contact terminal. Data input / output is performed.

  In addition, the device-specific data transmission / reception module according to the present invention is a device that is provided in a detachable part of the main body of the device, and that transmits / receives device-specific data regarding the use conditions or use status of the device to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device A unique data transmission / reception module, which is connected to the antenna via an antenna and a radio interface, holds a component-side memory that holds the device-specific data, and is extracted from the component-side memory via an interface conversion unit, The device-specific data between the component-side memory and the main body of the device via the contact terminal when connected to the main body of the device. It is characterized by performing input / output of.

  The device-specific data transmission / reception system according to the present invention is a device-specific data transmission / reception system that transmits / receives device-specific data related to a use condition or use status of a device to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device. And a nonvolatile memory that reads and writes the device-specific data when the device is turned on and holds the device-specific data when the device is turned off, and is detachable from the body of the device A device-specific data transmission / reception module that is transmitted / received to / from the external wireless transmission / reception device, and the device-specific data transmission / reception module is connected to the antenna via an antenna and a wireless interface, The component-side memory that holds the device-specific data and the main body of the device that is pulled out from the input / output end of the antenna A contact terminal connected in contact with the device, and when connected to the main body of the device, input / output of the device-specific data between the component-side memory and the main body of the device via the contact terminal It is characterized by performing.

  The device-specific data transmission / reception system according to the present invention is a device-specific data transmission / reception system that transmits / receives device-specific data related to a use condition or use status of a device to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device. And a nonvolatile memory that reads and writes the device-specific data when the device is turned on and holds the device-specific data when the device is turned off, and is detachable from the body of the device A device-specific data transmission / reception module that is transmitted / received to / from the external wireless transmission / reception device, and the device-specific data transmission / reception module is connected to the antenna via an antenna and a wireless interface, The component-side memory that holds the device-specific data and the component-side memory are retrieved via the interface conversion unit. And a contact terminal that is contact-connected to the main body side of the device, and when connected to the main body of the device, between the component-side memory and the main body of the device via the contact terminal The device-specific data is input / output.

  According to at least one of the above-described configurations, the device-specific data transmission / reception module includes a contact terminal that is pulled out from the input / output end of the antenna and is contact-connected to the main body of the device. Therefore, when connected to the main body of the device, the main body side of the device and the component-side memory are connected via the contact terminal through the wired connection path of the contact terminal-antenna input / output end-antenna wiring-wireless interface-component-side memory. Communication with analog signals is possible between the two. In this way, wired communication of device-specific data can be performed between the device main body side and the component side memory with a simple configuration in which the contact terminal is drawn out from the input / output end of the antenna.

  In addition, at least one of the above-described configurations includes a contact terminal that is pulled out from the component-side memory via the interface conversion unit and is contact-connected to the main body side of the device. Therefore, when connected to the main body of the device, digital signal communication can be performed between the main body of the device and the component-side memory through the contact terminal and the wired connection path of the contact terminal-interface conversion unit component-side memory. . As described above, the device-specific data can be wired and communicated between the main body of the device and the component-side memory with a simple configuration in which the contact terminal is drawn from the component-side memory via the interface conversion unit.

  As described above, according to the device-specific data transmission / reception module and the device-specific data transmission / reception system according to the present invention, wired / wireless transmission / reception can be performed with a simple configuration.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, a case where a device to which the device-specific data transmission / reception system according to the present invention is applied is a copying machine, a toner cartridge is taken up as a detachable part from the copier body, and a device-specific data transmission / reception module is provided in the toner cartridge. As will be described, an image processing apparatus other than a copying machine, such as a printer or a facsimile machine, may be used. In addition to the image processing apparatus, a control device having a nonvolatile memory for storing device-specific data may be used. In addition, the device-specific data transmission / reception module may be provided as a detachable component such as an ink jet cartridge, a ribbon cartridge, or a photosensitive drum, and a component having different specifications depending on the device. For example, it may be a control board or the like.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a copying machine 20 in which a device-specific data transmission / reception system 10 is mounted. The device-specific data transmission / reception system 10 includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) 32 that is mounted on a control board 30 to which necessary power is supplied from the power supply 22 of the copier 20 and stores device-specific data, and the copier 20. And a device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 attached to the removable toner cartridge 40, and a communication harness 34 for connecting the control board 30 and the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 by wire. The copying machine 20 is equipped with other elements for the copying function, but these are not shown in FIG.

  The non-volatile memory 32 is a memory for storing device-specific data. Data can be read / written when the power supply 22 of the copying machine 20 is turned on, and the written data is lost (volatilized) even when the power supply 22 is turned off. It is a memory that can be held without any problems. As the nonvolatile memory 32, for example, a semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM (Electrical Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) can be used. The nonvolatile memory 32 and the communication harness 34 are connected by an internal bus or the like via an appropriate interface circuit. Therefore, in a state where the power supply 22 is ON, the nonvolatile memory 32 can perform wired communication of the device specific data transmission / reception module 50 and the device specific data via the communication harness 34.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a case where the toner cartridge 40 is stored in the packaging 90 in a state where it is separated from the main body of the copying machine 20 in the device-specific data transmission / reception system 10. At this time, it is a diagram illustrating a state in which wireless communication is performed between the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 attached to the toner cartridge 40 and the external memory reader / writer 100.

  The memory reader / writer 100 is a wireless transmission / reception device having a function of performing wireless communication of device-specific data with the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50. The memory reader / writer 100 includes an antenna, an analog / digital converter (A / D), and a data processing device connected to the antenna / digital converter (A / D). The memory reader / writer 100 can use, for example, a dedicated device that facilitates the collection, setting, and changing of device-specific data for maintenance, as well as a general transmission / reception circuit and an A / D conversion circuit. A combination of a personal computer (PC) and the like can be used.

  The device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 is a circuit module including a memory that holds at least a part of essential data of the device-specific data held by the nonvolatile memory 32, and communicates with the nonvolatile memory 32 via a communication harness 34. The circuit module can communicate with a wire and communicate with the external memory reader / writer 100 wirelessly. FIG. 3 shows a more detailed block diagram of the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50. In the following description, the reference numerals shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are used.

  In FIG. 3, an RFID chip 52 is a memory having a wireless transmission / reception function. FIG. 4 shows an internal block diagram of the RFID chip 52. The RFID chip 52 includes a component-side memory 62 and a wireless interface 64, and has analog input / output terminals 66a and 66b to the antenna 54. The wireless interface includes a receiving unit, a transmitting unit, a power generation unit, a demodulating unit, a modulating unit, and the like. The RFID chip 52 can be obtained by a custom LSI, or a commercially available wireless IC having a standard specification can be used. The RFID chip 52 may be constituted by a single monolithic chip or may be constituted by a plurality of semiconductor chips, and a plurality of electronic components are arranged on a small circuit board and formed into one chip. It may be a thing.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the antenna 54 has a function of receiving radio waves from the external memory reader / writer 100 and transmitting radio waves to the memory reader / writer 100, and is composed of a conductor wound around a plurality of times. be able to. The input / output end of the antenna 54 is connected to the analog input / output ends 66 a and 66 b of the RFID chip 52.

  A pair of connection points 56 a and 56 b provided at the input / output ends of the antenna 54 are connection points used for communication between the communication harness 34 and the RFID chip 52. A pair of contact terminals 60a and 60b are pulled out from the connection points 56a and 56b via the protection elements 58a and 58b. Resistance elements, diodes, or the like can be used for the protection elements 58a and 58b.

  The contact terminals 60a and 60b are detachably disposed on the communication harness 34. Therefore, when the contact terminals 60a, 60b are connected to the communication harness 34, the nonvolatile memory 32-communication harness 34-contact terminals 60a, 60b-protective elements 58a, 58b-antenna 54 input / output terminals-antenna 54 wiring-analog input The non-volatile memory 32 and the component-side memory 62 are connected to each other by a wire via paths of the output terminals 66 a and 66 b, the wireless interface 64, and the component-side memory 62.

  The operation of the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 having such a configuration will be described. When the toner cartridge 40 is mounted on the main body of the copying machine 20, the contact terminals 60 a and 60 b of the device specific data transmission / reception module 50 are firmly connected to the communication harness 34. When the power supply 22 of the copying machine 20 is ON, the nonvolatile memory 32 on the main body side of the copying machine 20 and the component-side memory 62 exchange device-specific data via the contact terminals 60a and 60b. Therefore, the latest device specific data can be downloaded from the nonvolatile memory 32 side to the component side memory 62. For example, when the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 receives and holds the update of device-specific data from the external memory reader / writer 100 before that, for example, the latest data is transferred from the component-side memory 62 to the nonvolatile memory 32. Can be uploaded to.

  On the other hand, when the toner cartridge 40 is stored in a warehouse or the like separately from the main body of the copying machine 20 or stored in the package 90, the contact terminals 60a and 60b remain open, and the copying machine No power is supplied from the 20 main bodies. Here, when the antenna 54 receives a wireless signal from the external memory reader / writer 100, an operating voltage is generated by the power generation means of the wireless interface 64 by the wireless signal, thereby enabling the device-specific data transmission / reception module 50 to operate. . The component side memory 62, the wireless interface 64, the analog input / output terminals 66a and 66b, the antenna, the wireless signal, the memory reader / writer 100, and the device-specific data between the component side memory 62 and the memory reader / writer 100 wirelessly. Can communicate. Therefore, the device specific data can be downloaded from the component side memory 62 side to the memory reader / writer 100 side. In addition, device-specific data relating to setting of device usage conditions and changes thereof can be uploaded from the memory reader / writer 100 side to the component-side memory 62. As described above, the uploaded device-specific data is stored in the non-volatile memory on the main body side of the copier 20 via the contact terminals 60a and 60b when the toner cartridge 40 is next mounted on the main body of the copier 20. 32 is uploaded.

  In this way, with a simple configuration that pulls out the contact terminal from the input / output end of the antenna, a wired / wireless transmission / reception module that enables wired communication of device-specific data using analog signals between the main body of the device and the component-side memory In addition, a wired / wireless shared transmission / reception system can be realized.

  Therefore, access to the component-side memory when a detachable component such as consumables is attached to a device is used in a wired manner, and the data in the component-side memory is removed with the component removed from the device at a component factory or warehouse. When reading or rewriting, the component side memory can be accessed wirelessly. As a result, it is possible to avoid the problem of the complicated radio wave law authorization, and rewrite the internal data of the part-side memory and the physical distribution management in the factory or warehouse, etc., while the parts are packed.

  Note that the device-specific data transmitting / receiving module 50 may individually arrange the RFID chip 52, the antenna 54, the contact terminals 60a and 60b, the wiring between the antenna 54 and the contact terminals 60a and 60b, etc. on the circuit board, A portion other than the antenna 54 may be a single LSI. Further, a single LSI including the antenna 54 may be used.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a device-specific data transmission / reception module 70 capable of wired communication of device-specific data using digital signals. Elements common to those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In the device specific data transmitting / receiving module 70, the contact terminals 60 a and 60 b are connected to the RFID chip 52 via the interface conversion unit 72. The interface conversion unit 72 is an input / output conversion circuit for matching input / output interfaces on both sides of the communication harness 34. For example, when the main body side of the copying machine 20 is connected to the communication harness 34 by a general-purpose IIC bus, the interface conversion unit 72 This is a circuit having a function that makes it possible to directly access the component-side memory 62 by performing necessary interface conversion in 72.

  In this way, a digital signal is transmitted between the nonvolatile memory 32 and the component-side memory 62 by the wired connection path of the nonvolatile memory 32, the communication harness 34, the contact terminals 60 a and 60 b, the interface conversion unit 72, and the component-side memory 62. Can communicate with each other.

  In the device-specific data transmission / reception module 70, the RFID chip 52, the antenna 54, the contact terminals 60a and 60b, the interface conversion unit 72, and the like may be individually arranged on the circuit board. May be. Further, a single LSI including the antenna 54 may be used.

It is a figure which shows a mode that the apparatus specific data transmission / reception system of embodiment which concerns on this invention is mounted | worn with an apparatus. In embodiment which concerns on this invention, it is a figure which shows a mode that radio | wireless communication is performed between the apparatus specific data transmission / reception module attached to the component which can be attached or detached to an apparatus main body, and an external radio | wireless transmission / reception apparatus. In embodiment concerning this invention, it is a more detailed block diagram of an apparatus specific data transmission / reception module. It is an internal block diagram of an RFID chip. It is a block diagram of the apparatus specific data transmission / reception module of other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Device specific data transmission / reception system, 20 Copy machine, 22 Power supply, 30 Control board, 32 Non-volatile memory, 34 Communication harness, 40 Toner cartridge, 50,70 Device specific data transmission / reception module, 52 RFID chip, 54 Antenna, 56a, 56b Connection point, 58a, 58b Protection element, 60a, 60b Contact terminal, 62 Component side memory, 64 Wireless interface, 66a, 66b Analog input / output terminal, 72 Interface conversion unit, 90 Packing, 100 Memory reader / writer.

Claims (4)

A device-specific data transmission / reception module that is provided on a detachable part of the device body and transmits / receives device-specific data related to the use condition or use status of the device to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device,
An antenna,
A component-side memory connected to the antenna via a wireless interface and holding the device-specific data;
A contact terminal that is pulled out from the input / output end of the antenna and connected to the main body of the device;
And device-specific data is input / output between the component-side memory and the device main body via the contact terminal when connected to the device main body. Data transmission / reception module. A device-specific data transmission / reception module that is provided on a detachable part of the device body and transmits / receives device-specific data related to the use condition or use status of the device to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device,
An antenna,
A component-side memory connected to the antenna via a wireless interface and holding the device-specific data;
A contact terminal that is pulled out from the component-side memory through an interface conversion unit and is contact-connected to the main body side of the device;
And device-specific data is input / output between the component-side memory and the device main body via the contact terminal when connected to the device main body. Data transmission / reception module. A device-specific data transmission / reception system that transmits / receives device-specific data related to device usage conditions or usage status to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device,
A nonvolatile memory that is provided in the main body of the device, reads and writes the device-specific data when the device is turned on, and holds the device-specific data when the device is turned off;
A device-specific data transmission / reception module that is provided on a detachable part of the main body of the device and transmits / receives data to / from the external wireless transmission / reception device;
With
The device-specific data transmitting / receiving module is
An antenna,
A component-side memory connected to the antenna via a wireless interface and holding the device-specific data;
A contact terminal that is pulled out from the input / output end of the antenna and connected to the main body of the device;
And device-specific data is input / output between the component-side memory and the device main body via the contact terminal when connected to the device main body. Data transmission / reception system. A device-specific data transmission / reception system that transmits / receives device-specific data related to device usage conditions or usage status to / from an external wireless transmission / reception device,
A nonvolatile memory that is provided in the main body of the device, reads and writes the device-specific data when the device is turned on, and holds the device-specific data when the device is turned off;
A device-specific data transmission / reception module that is provided on a detachable part of the main body of the device and transmits / receives data to / from the external wireless transmission / reception device;
With
The device-specific data transmitting / receiving module is
An antenna,
A component-side memory connected to the antenna via a wireless interface and holding the device-specific data;
A contact terminal that is pulled out from the component-side memory through an interface conversion unit and is contact-connected to the main body side of the device;
And device-specific data is input / output between the component-side memory and the device main body via the contact terminal when connected to the device main body. Data transmission / reception system.

Images