JP2005254730A - Recording device, recording control system and recording control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a sequential writing process by identifying a next non-contact IC targeted for writing data, even if a plurality of non-contact IC are present within a communicable range, and to improve productivity in the recording device without being fettered by the communicable range. <P>SOLUTION: In this recording device, an identifying ID peculiar to an element targeted for writing data is previously acquired by an element identifying means for the non-contact IC and data are written according to the priority order of the acquired identifying ID. Also, the recording control system and the recording control program are provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording control system, and a recording control program that perform a data writing operation on an element in parallel with an image recording operation.

  RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) system, which is one of the automatic recognition technologies using wireless communications, takes advantage of simultaneous multiple access, etc., in various fields to replace or supplement barcodes and two-dimensional codes. This is an expected technology.

  RFID is a general term for technologies that use a contactless IC as a data carrier and wirelessly exchange electronic data.

  There are examples of adopting RF-ID technology to realize further efficiency in fields such as logistics and FA that have been automated by conventional automatic recognition technology as well as fields that could not be automated so far. It is increasing.

  In these fields, a non-contact IC is mounted on a medium such as a label, a card, and a tag, and the information encoded in a bar code or a two-dimensional code is stored in the non-contact IC relatively frequently. .

  In such an example, it is necessary to print visible information on the medium surface and write electronic information to the non-contact IC in addition to this, but sharing with a plurality of devices is not preferable from the viewpoint of efficiency. Therefore, it is optimal and general to use an RFID image recording apparatus in which a conventional image recording apparatus has a read / write function and writes electronic data to a non-contact IC in parallel with printing on the surface.

In addition, in order to improve the consistency between visible information and electronic information, control is performed so that a plurality of tags to which electronic information is to be written are not simultaneously provided.
(For example, Patent Document 1)

JP 2003-208573 (3-4 pages, FIG. 2)

  However, it is necessary to control the media feed interval so that multiple non-contact ICs do not exist in the communicable range by controlling the non-contact ICs so that there are not multiple tags for writing electronic information at the same time. There is. Therefore, it was one of the obstacles in terms of productivity improvement.

  In order to solve the above problems, the recording apparatus according to the present invention implements the following recording apparatus, recording control system, and recording control program.

That is, the recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a recording means for recording an image on a recording medium incorporating a wireless communication element,
Data writing means for writing data to the wireless communication element;
Element identifying means for identifying an element identification ID unique to the wireless communication element;
Writing is performed according to the order identified by the element identifying means.

Further, the recording apparatus of the present invention has a recording medium detecting means for detecting whether or not the wireless communication element is in a communicable range,
The data is written in the order detected by the recording medium detecting means.

  The recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that, during data writing by the data writing means, if the target element cannot be detected by the recording medium detecting means, the data writing process is stopped.

  In the recording apparatus of the present invention, the element identification unit also serves as a part of the recording medium detection unit.

The recording control system of the present invention includes a recording means for recording an image on a recording medium incorporating a wireless communication element,
Data writing means for writing data to the wireless communication element;
Element identifying means for identifying an element identification ID unique to the wireless communication element;
Writing is performed according to the order identified by the element identifying means.

  The recording control system of the present invention further comprises recording medium detecting means for detecting whether or not the wireless communication element is within a communicable range, and performs data writing in the order detected by the recording medium detecting means. It is characterized by.

  Also, the recording control system of the present invention is characterized in that the data writing process is stopped when the target element cannot be detected by the recording medium detecting means during the data writing by the data writing means.

  Further, the recording control system of the present invention is characterized in that the element identifying means also serves as a part of the recording medium detecting means.

The recording control program of the present invention includes a recording means for recording an image on a recording medium incorporating a wireless communication element,
Data writing means for writing data to the wireless communication element;
Element identifying means for identifying an element identification ID unique to the wireless communication element;
Writing is performed according to the order identified by the element identifying means.

Further, the recording control program of the present invention has a recording medium detecting means for detecting whether or not the wireless communication element is in a communicable range,
The data is written in the order detected by the recording medium detecting means.

  The recording control program of the present invention is characterized in that, during data writing by the data writing means, when the target element cannot be detected by the recording medium detecting means, the data writing process is stopped.

  The recording control program of the present invention is characterized in that the element identification unit also serves as a part of the recording medium detection unit.

  According to the above configuration of the present invention, even if a plurality of non-contact ICs exist in the communicable range, the next non-contact IC to be written can be identified, and the sequential write process can be performed. This can improve the productivity of the recording apparatus.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a printing system in which a host computer is connected to a printing apparatus used in this embodiment. As this printing apparatus, an ink-jet color card printing apparatus using a long line head is used.
The printing apparatus 101 and the host computer 100 are connected by a printer cable 107 so that various data processed by the host computer 100 are recorded by the printing apparatus 101. The printing apparatus 101 opens and closes a later-described line head, an RFID communication antenna, and an upper cover 103 for opening and closing a conveyance unit, and a tank unit that stores liquid ink as an ejection medium supplied to the later-described line head. A front cover 104 for feeding, a paper feeding unit 109 for feeding a recording medium loaded on a paper feeding tray 102, which will be described later, to the recording unit 108, and a recording medium on which data writing and printing (recording) have been completed are discharged. The paper discharge unit 110 forms an outer shell.

  Reference numeral 105 denotes a power switch of the printing apparatus, 106 denotes an input means for setting an operating environment in the printing apparatus, and an operation panel as means for notifying the user of an error occurrence state of the image printing apparatus. The LED 111, the LCD 112, and buttons 113.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an RFID tag built-in card 201 as a recording medium used by the printing apparatus 101 of this embodiment. An RFID tag (wireless communication element) 205 includes an IC chip 203 on which a nonvolatile memory for storing electronic information is mounted and a loop antenna 202, and is covered with a film 204 of paper or PET resin. The RFID tag built-in card 201 does not have a power source, generates an operating voltage using received power of radio waves generated from an RFID communication antenna (described later) disposed in the printing apparatus 101, and transfers it to a nonvolatile memory in the IC chip 203. The data can be read and written.

  3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus 101 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the arrangement of the inkjet recording heads 306Bk to 306Y and the RFID communication antenna 303 of the printing apparatus 101. FIG.

  The RFID tag built-in cards 201 loaded on the paper feed tray 102 are separated and fed one by one by a method described later, and are directed toward the recording position by the recording heads 306Bk to 306Y, for example, at a speed of 100 [mm / sec]. When the paper is conveyed, the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet are detected by a paper leading edge detection (TOF) sensor 304. Subsequently, when the sheet is conveyed to a communicable range with the RFID communication antenna 303, it is incorporated via the RFID communication antenna 303. Writing of electronic information to the RFID tag 205 is started. When the printing position is further advanced, ink is ejected by the recording heads (306Bk, 306C, 306LC, 306M, 306LM, 306Y), and an image is printed on the surface of the RFID tag built-in card 201. It is configured to be carried out.

  Under the transport unit 302, a tank unit 301 for storing dedicated ink supplied to each recording head (306Bk, 306C, 306LC, 306M, 306LM, 306Y) is detachably fixed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a control command transmitted from the host computer 100 used in this embodiment.

  As the control commands, there are a paper setting command 501 for setting the size of the recording medium to be printed, a format command 502 having a reference setting for recording data, a data command for setting detailed information on characters, images, and RFID (503, 504, 505), there is a job start command 510 that indicates the end of print data and starts a job, and these commands are output as in the recording command transfer example 511. The type of the IC chip 203 of the RFID tag is designated by 506, the attachment position of the RFID tag is designated by 507, the write data amount is designated by 508, and the write data is designated by 509.

  FIG. 6 is an electrical block diagram of the printing apparatus 101 used in the present invention. Reference numeral 601 denotes a main controller that controls the entire printing apparatus, and has a function as a storage unit that stores input data, which will be described later, and a function as a data control unit and a setting unit. The main controller is connected to the host computer 100 and can exchange signals with each other. Reference numeral 602 denotes a ROM which is connected to the main controller and stores a control program and the like shown in a flow to be described later. The main controller 601 operates using the RAM 612 in accordance with these programs. The RAM 612 temporarily stores data transferred from the host computer 100 and written to the RFID tag 205, and an RFID communication circuit 609 connected to the main controller 601 is stored in the RAM 612 through the RFID communication antenna 610. Write the data to the RFID tag. Reference numerals 606Bk to 606Y denote image buffers (recording data storage means) for storing image data transmitted from the host computer 100. Reference numerals 606Bk denote black image buffers for temporarily storing black image data, and similarly, 606C and 606LC. 606M, 606LM, and 606Y are image buffers that temporarily store image data of cyan, magenta, light magenta, cyan, light cyan, and yellow. Reference numeral 603 denotes a drive circuit for driving a heating element (not shown) built in the recording head for each color, and a driver controller 607 connected to the main controller 601 uses a bitmap format for each color stored in the image buffer. The image is printed by controlling the head drive circuit 603 in accordance with the image data recorded in (1). Reference numeral 604D denotes a motor driver that drives a feed motor 604 provided in the transport unit, and 600 denotes a drive circuit that drives a lift motor 605 that raises and lowers the paper feed tray 102 of the paper feed unit and a pickup motor 608 that feeds a recording medium. Yes, both are controlled by the main controller 601.

  The sensor circuit 611 includes the aforementioned paper leading edge detection (TOF) sensor 304 and the like.

  The electronic data writing process to the RFID tag will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Various parameters such as the number of printed sheets, paper size, type of IC chip 203, image data for printing, and information to be written in the memory in the IC chip 203 are sent from the host computer 100 to the printing apparatus 101 together with a command for instructing printing. The image data is transmitted, the image data is temporarily stored in the image buffer (606Bk to 606Y), the writing information is temporarily stored in the RAM 612, and the printing operation is started (step 701).

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the RFID tag built in the conveyed paper is accessible (step 702).

  The main controller 601 transmits a unique ID (hereinafter referred to as UID) acquisition command via the RFID communication circuit 609, and determines that an accessible RFID tag exists if a valid UID can be acquired, and does not exist if it cannot be acquired. This UID is an identification number unique to the RFID tag, and individual RFID tags can be identified by the UID.

  The acquired UIDs are registered in the order of detection as UIDs to be written (step 703). At this time, registration of the UID registered as the written UID in step 707 described later is not performed.

  Next, the first registered UID is selected from the UIDs registered as write targets, and electronic information is written (step 704).

  If a writing error has occurred (step 705-Yes), error processing such as stopping of the sheet conveying apparatus is performed (step 710), and the printing process is terminated.

  If writing to the RFID tag has not been completed, the process returns to step 704 and is repeated until the writing process is completed (step 706).

When the writing to the RFID tag is completed (step 706-Yes), the target UID is registered as a written ID (step 707), and at the same time, the corresponding UID is excluded from the writing target.
Next, the printing operation of the recording data is performed (step 708), and it is determined whether or not the predetermined printing process is completed (step 709). If the print job remains, the process returns to step 702.

  The process on the RFID tag side during UID acquisition to writing is shown in FIG.

First, all RFID tags in the receivable area receive the UID to be written (step 901), but the received UID is compared with the UID held by itself, and if they match (step 902-Yes), to the memory Is turned on (enabled) (step 901), and if they do not match (step 902-NO), the writing is not accepted and is terminated. These processes may be performed by an integrated circuit when the CPU is not held in the RFID.
(Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the detection of the next RFID tag is performed after the completion of the writing process to one RFID tag. The control for detecting the next RFID tag during the writing process will be described with reference to the control flowchart shown in FIG. To do.

  As in the first embodiment, various parameters such as the number of sheets to be printed, paper size, type of IC chip 203, image data for printing, and information to be written in the memory in the IC chip 203 are displayed together with a command for instructing printing. The data is transmitted from the host computer 100 to the printing apparatus 101, the image data is temporarily stored in the image buffer (606Bk to 606Y), the write information is temporarily stored in the RAM 612, and the printing operation is started (step 801).

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the RFID tag built in the conveyed paper is accessible (step 802).

  The main controller 601 transmits a UID acquisition command via the RFID communication circuit 609 and determines that an accessible RFID tag exists if a valid UID can be acquired, and does not exist if it cannot be acquired.

  This UID is an identification number unique to the RFID tag, and individual RFID tags can be identified by the UID.

  The acquired UIDs are registered in the order in which they are detected as write target UIDs (step 803). At this time, registration of a UID registered as a written UID in step 809 described later is not performed.

  Next, the first registered UID is selected from the UIDs registered as write targets, and electronic information is written (step 804).

  If a writing error has occurred (step 805-Yes), error processing such as stopping of the sheet conveying device is performed (step 812), and the printing process is terminated.

  Since the next RFID tag may become accessible while writing is in progress, whether or not the RFID tag built in the sheet to be subsequently conveyed is accessible is confirmed (step 806). If a valid UID can be acquired, the acquired UID is registered (step 807), electronic information is written, and if writing to the RFID tag is not completed (step 808-No), the process returns to step 804 to write processing. Repeat the process until is finished.

  When writing to the RFID tag is completed (step 808-Yes), the target UID is registered as a written ID (step 809), and at the same time, the corresponding UID is excluded from the writing target.

Next, the recording data is printed (step 810), and it is determined whether or not a predetermined printing process is finished (step 810). If there is a print job, the process returns to step 802.
(Other examples)
Although the present invention has been described with respect to a full-line type ink jet printing apparatus, the present invention is also applicable to printers other than the ink jet system, that is, other recording systems such as thermal, thermal transfer, and electrophotographic systems, or monochrome printing apparatuses. It is possible.

  Further, although an element that records information by non-contact has been described using an RFID tag, the present invention can also be applied to media having other elements that can record information by non-contact.

  Further, although the UID of the RFID tag is used as the element identification unit, a unique number may be set for a predetermined area in the element.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to use the present invention for a recording apparatus that simultaneously performs a recording operation on a recording medium incorporating a wireless communication element such as an RF-ID and a writing operation to the element at high speed. is there.

It is the block diagram which connected the printing apparatus with a RFID tag write function in a present Example, and the host computer. It is the structure schematic of the recording medium incorporating the RFID tag used in a present Example. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing apparatus used in this embodiment. It is a perspective view explaining typically the arrangement of the ink jet recording head of the printing apparatus used in a present Example, and the communication antenna for RFID. It is a figure which shows the control command system of the printing apparatus in a present Example. 1 is an electrical block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a control flowchart for demonstrating a 1st Example. It is a control flowchart for demonstrating a 2nd Example. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement by the side of RFID at the time of writing.

Explanation of symbols

100 Host computer
101 Printing device
102 Paper tray
108 Recording unit

201 RFID tag built-in card
202 Loop antenna
203 IC chip
204 films
205 RFID tag

301 Tank
302 Conveying unit
303 Communication antenna
304 Paper edge detection (TOF) sensor
306Bk recording head (black)
306C print head (cyan)
306LC recording head (light cyan)
306M recording head (magenta)
306LM recording head (light magenta)
306Y recording head (yellow)

501 Paper setting command
502 Format command
503 Character data command
504 Image data command
505 RFID data command
506 IC chip type part
507 RF-ID tag mounting position
508 RF-ID data length
509 RF-ID data writing part
510 Job start command
511 Command transmission example

600 Drive circuit
601 Main controller
602 ROM
609 RFID communication circuit
610 Communication antenna for RFID
612 RAM

Claims (12)

Recording means for recording an image on a recording medium containing a wireless communication element;
Data writing means for writing data to the wireless communication element;
Comprising an element identification means for identifying an element identification ID unique to the wireless communication element,
Writing is performed according to the order identified by the element identifying means. Recording medium detecting means for detecting whether or not the wireless communication element is in a communicable range;
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data is written in an order detected by the recording medium detection unit. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data writing process is stopped when a target element cannot be detected by the recording medium detecting unit during the data writing by the data writing unit. . The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the element identification unit also serves as a part of the recording medium detection unit. Recording means for recording an image on a recording medium containing a wireless communication element;
Data writing means for writing data to the wireless communication element;
Comprising an element identification means for identifying an element identification ID unique to the wireless communication element,
Writing is performed according to the order identified by the element identifying means. 6. The recording medium detecting means for detecting whether or not the wireless communication element is within a communicable range, and writing data in the order detected by the recording medium detecting means. Recording control system. 7. The recording control according to claim 5, wherein when the target element cannot be detected by the recording medium detecting unit during the data writing by the data writing unit, the data writing process is stopped. system. 8. The recording control system according to claim 5, wherein the element identification unit also serves as a part of the recording medium detection unit. Recording means for recording an image on a recording medium containing a wireless communication element;
Data writing means for writing data to the wireless communication element;
Comprising an element identification means for identifying an element identification ID unique to the wireless communication element,
A recording control program for performing writing in the order identified by the element identifying means. Recording medium detecting means for detecting whether or not the wireless communication element is in a communicable range;
The recording control program according to claim 9, wherein data is written in the order detected by the recording medium detection unit. 11. The recording control according to claim 9, wherein when the target element cannot be detected by the recording medium detection unit during the data writing by the data writing unit, the data writing process is stopped. program. The recording control program according to claim 9, wherein the element identification unit also serves as a part of the recording medium detection unit.