JP2006010532A - Location detecting system and floor panel used in the system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lower a system cost, to solve an electric power supply problem of an active tag and to detect a wiring location or the like under a steel panel. <P>SOLUTION: A location detecting system is provided with property tags 4a, 4b being attached to fixtures 3 and transmitting a signal W2 including an ID; a plurality of reference tags 2a-2c being fixed at prescribed locations and transmitting a signal W1 including an ID; and a reader device 5 which is capable of receiving the signals W1, W2 and adjusts its detection range A1 about the reference tags 2a-2c such that when a signal of any one tag is received, signals of other tags are not received, and which correlates the IDs of the property tags 4a, 4b with the IDs of the reference tags 2a-2c and stores them, in the case the signal W1 of the reference tag 2 and the signal of the property tag 4 are received around the same time. The reference tag 2 is attached to a floor panel 1 (1a-1c), and stores merchandise information of the floor panel 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to the presence / absence of a person or an article in a target space, and a position detection system that manages the position thereof, and a floor panel used in the system.

  In bookstores and CD shops, an anti-theft system is employed so that products displayed in the store are not taken out of the store without being purchased. In this system, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tags are attached to each product, and an antenna is installed at the store entrance. When an RFID tag that is not allowed to be taken out is detected by the antenna, Calls attention. In addition, railway companies and the like adopt a contactless IC card as a train commuter pass, and enter and exit the premises by placing the card in an automatic ticket gate equipped with a reader that reads the card. . As described above, when entering or leaving a specific facility, it is common to manage the person or the article by detecting the RFID tag of the person or the article with the antenna installed at the entrance of the facility. It has become.

  However, these systems are limited to managing at a single point of entry / exit of the facility, and it has not been possible to know where the facility is located and what trajectory has been traced. Especially for the latter, there is a demand from retailers who want to manage the flow of customers, and recently, there is a shift from management in one place to management in terms of space and space. Therefore, as a system for solving these problems, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-149875 (Patent Document 1), a plurality of ID tags are embedded in the floor and read by a reader attached to a user's leg. Thus, a system for transmitting information corresponding to each position has been proposed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-58648 (Patent Document 2) proposes to track a detection target by attaching a tag to the detection target such as an article and arranging a plurality of antennas on the back surface of the floor board. ing.

  By adopting these systems, it has become possible to easily manage the location of articles in the facility, but it is necessary for each system to have a plurality of receiving units, which increases the system cost. There's a problem. In order to solve this problem, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of reference tags 2 (2a to 2c) fixed to a predetermined position, a fixture 3 (3a, 3b) and the like are attached to the fixture. 3 and a movable asset tag 4 (4a, 4b), and these are read by a movable reader device 5 having a small detection range A1, thereby detecting a position without adopting a plurality of receiving units. can do. That is, by reducing the detection range A1, the signal W1 of the reference tag 2a within the range A1 is received while preventing detection of other reference tags 2b, 2c and asset tags 4b that do not fall within the range A1. When the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 is received at the same time, it can be determined that the asset tag 4a that has transmitted the signal W2 exists in the vicinity of the reference tag 2a.

  More specifically, as described above, since the position of the reference tag 2 is fixed at a predetermined position and is known, when the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 is received by the reader device 5, the signal of which reference tag 2 is detected. By receiving or recording W1, it becomes possible to detect the position and locus of the fixture 3 to which the asset tag 4 is attached. The information of the asset tags 4a and 4b associated with the reference tags 2a to 2c by the reader device 5 is transmitted to the position management device 6 via wireless means, and further remotely arranged via the network 7. By transmitting to the server apparatus etc. (not shown) which were made, the position etc. of the some furniture 3 can be unitarily managed by the said server apparatus etc. (for example, refer patent document 3).

  By the way, the position detection technology introduced above is also being used in the field of free access floors. A free access floor is one that eliminates the exposure of a large amount of power lines and LAN cables on the floor by the introduction of OA equipment centering on personal computers. A floor panel is laid at a predetermined height on the floor base. Thus, a wiring or a joint box can be laid in a space formed between the floor base and the floor panel. When wiring is performed using this free access floor and maintenance and rewiring of the wiring, etc. are performed, the location of the wiring is conventionally specified by referring to the stored construction drawings. It was. However, over time, the construction drawings may be lost, or when an additional construction is made each time a layout is changed or a tenant enters or exits, an entry may be omitted.

  In these cases, it is no longer possible to specify the location of the wiring and joint box, and since tile carpet is laid on the floor panel, the carpet and floor panel are removed and wiring on the floor is performed. The work of confirming sequentially was required. Therefore, in order to reduce such complicated work as much as possible, a technology that can recognize an electronic device that cannot be seen from the floor panel without removing the floor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-56410 (Patents). Document 4). The technology disclosed in this document is such that when an electronic device incorporated in a wiring network is called wirelessly from a floor panel by a calling device, a light-emitting lamp provided in the electronic device is turned on or buzzered. It is comprised so that. As a result, the work can be performed by removing only the floor panel such as the place where the sound is produced, so that the work can be performed more efficiently than in the prior art.

  As described above, position detection using RFID technology has begun to show various developments such as application to a free access floor. On the other hand, the free access floor itself has not been merged with wireless technology. That is, even in the above-described Patent Document 4, there is nothing other than an electronic device arranged under the floor that shows a response, and there is no attempt to actively incorporate wireless technology into a structure such as a floor panel. Then, next, the approach of the inventors of the present application will be briefly introduced.

Strict quality control is required for each floor panel as a single product, and after construction, the user may be inquired about the quality status of the panel in units of panels. In this case, conventionally, a method of confirming the actual product on site one by one has been taken. However, this method has a problem that management work is complicated because it is necessary to actually go to the site. On the other hand, the inventors of this application have proposed attaching an RFID tag to a floor panel. That is, by storing product information such as manufacturing date, manufacturing factory, shipping date, material, etc. in the RFID tag, quality control at the time of production and maintenance, and specification of the installation location at the time of construction, We can provide floor panels that can be used for a wide range of applications, such as separation management during recycling and disposal.
JP 2002-149875 A JP 2002-58648 A JP 2003-185730 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-56410

  As described above, first, in the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, management in terms of space and space has been realized by laying a reference RFID tag or antenna in the target space. There is a problem that the number of receiving units to be installed in advance is large and the system cost is high. Further, when an active RFID tag is employed, there is a problem of power supply, and there is a problem that maintenance for battery replacement is required.

  On the other hand, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 4 does not need to lay a plurality of RFID tags or the like, but because the user grasps the position of the electronic device one by one with sound in the actual space, Compared to Patent Documents 1 to 3, the position management is more complicated, and it is impossible to grasp the trajectory of the movement of the article. In addition, according to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 4, it is possible to specify the position of an electronic device that exists under the floor panel. This is the case of a panel that transmits radio waves, such as a resin panel. However, it cannot be used in the case of a steel panel. That is, since the panel blocks radio waves, there is a problem that the electronic equipment under the floor cannot receive the radio waves of the calling device, and the position of the electronic equipment cannot be detected.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned various problems. The purpose of the present invention is to first reduce the system cost and secondly to supply power when an active RFID tag is adopted. The third problem is to enable position detection even when a steel panel is employed.

  In order to provide a position detection system that solves the first problem, the inventors of the present application first focused on a floor panel (double floor panel, tile, etc.) as a place to provide a reference tag serving as a reference. . That is, the inventors of the present application have conceived that the RFID tag attached for the quality control described in the background art is also used as a reference tag for position detection.

  Specifically, as means corresponding to claim 1, a first RFID tag that is attached to a fixture that is a position detection target and transmits a signal including a unique identifier, and a unique identifier fixed at a predetermined position A plurality of second RFID tags that transmit a signal including the signal, and a signal transmitted from these RFID tags are receivable, and the plurality of second RFID tags have a signal from any one of the RFID tags. When receiving the signal, the detection range is adjusted so that the signal of the other RFID tag is not received, and at the same time as the time when the signal of the second RFID tag is received or before and after the reception of the signal, any A reader device that stores the identifier of the first RFID tag in association with the identifier of the second RFID tag when the signal of the first RFID tag is received within a predetermined time of A position detection system provided, wherein the second RFID tag is attached to a floor panel laid on a floor base and stores product information of the floor panel. ing.

  In addition, the floor panel used in the position detection system, as means corresponding to claim 2, a first RFID tag attached to a fixture that is a position detection target and transmitting a signal including a unique identifier; A plurality of second RFID tags that are fixed in place and transmit a signal including a unique identifier, and configured to be able to receive signals transmitted from these RFID tags, and the plurality of second RFID tags When receiving the signal of any one RFID tag, the detection range is adjusted so that the signal of the other RFID tag is not received, and the time when the signal of the second RFID tag is received is the same. When the signal of the first RFID tag is received within an arbitrary predetermined time before or after reception of the signal or the signal, the first RFID tag is used as the identifier of the second RFID tag. A floor panel used in a position detection system comprising a reader device that stores and associates identifiers of a group, the second RFID tag being provided, and the merchandise information stored in the RFID tag being stored in the second RFID tag. We propose what is characterized by that.

  Moreover, in order to provide the position detection system which solves the said 2nd subject, the inventors of this application are a position detection system of Claim 1 as a means corresponding to Claims 3 and 4, Claim 2. For each of the floor panels, the second RFID tag is an active tag, and is configured to obtain AC power from a joint box laid at the lower end of the floor panel. Has proposed.

  Further, as means corresponding to claims 5 and 6, for each of the position detection system according to claim 1 and the floor panel according to claim 2, the reader device sets the second RFID tag to its own position. It has been proposed to be built in an autonomous mobile robot used as an information source for acquisition.

  In addition, in order to provide a position detection system that solves the third problem, the inventors of the present application, when receiving a signal from the first RFID tag under the floor panel, directly outputs the signal onto the floor. A second RFID tag having a relay function has been conceived.

  Specifically, as means corresponding to claims 7 and 8, the position detection system according to any of claims 1, 3, and 5 and the floor panel according to any of claims 2, 4, and 6, respectively, The floor panel is a double floor panel made of a material that blocks radio waves, and has a small hole penetrating the upper and lower surfaces for installing the antenna of the second RFID tag, and the second RFID The tag is installed in the small hole and includes an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel. When the antenna receives the signal of the first RFID tag, the antenna receives the signal. It has been proposed to transmit such a signal.

  Further, as means corresponding to the ninth and tenth aspects, the position detection system according to any one of the first, third, and fifth aspects, and the floor panel according to any one of the second, fourth, and sixth aspects, The second RFID tag is a double floor panel made of a material that blocks radio waves, and the second RFID tag includes antennas respectively installed on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel, and the first antenna is an antenna installed on the lower surface. When an RFID tag signal is received, an antenna installed on the upper surface is proposed to transmit the received signal.

  The means corresponding to claim 1 or claim 2 does not have a large number of receiving units, and the RFID tag storing the product information is also used as the second RFID tag for position detection. As a result, the system cost can be reduced.

  Further, the means corresponding to claim 3 or claim 4 has an effect that the problem of power supply does not occur as long as an AC power source can be secured.

  Further, in the means corresponding to claim 5 or claim 6, since the second RFID used for position detection or the like is used as an information source for obtaining position information, the system cost can be reduced. It plays.

  Further, in the means corresponding to each of claims 7 to 10, even if the floor panel is a double floor panel and a steel panel that cuts off radio waves, a fixture ( The position of the first RFID tag) can be detected.

[First Embodiment]
Next, based on the above solution, a preferred embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described. First, the configuration of the entire system will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, this system is used in a facility In. The facility In generally refers to an indoor facility, but may be an outdoor facility as long as it has a position detection application. The facility In will be described. In the facility In, a plurality of floor panels 1 (1a to 1c) are placed on the floor base, and each of the floor panels 1a to 1c has a unique identifier (ID). A reference tag 2 (2a to 2c) is attached. In addition, a plurality of fixtures 3 (3a, 3b) to be managed are placed in the facility In. Similarly, each fixture 3a, 3b has an asset tag 4 (having a unique identifier (ID). 4a, 4b). In addition, although introduced here as what is attached to the fixture 3, you may attach | subject to moving objects, such as a person and an animal. Thereby, the whereabouts of the said person, an animal, etc. can be confirmed.

  The asset tag 4 and the reference tag 2 described above are the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag according to claim 1, respectively, and the signal W1 including the unique ID transmitted from these tags, W2 is read by the movable reader device 5 having a small detection range A1. The reader device 5 associates the asset of the reference tag 2a with the ID of the reference tag 2a from the signal W2 received at substantially the same time as the signal W1 of the reference tag 2a (at the same time or before and after receiving the signal W1, or any predetermined time) The ID of the tag 4a is stored. That is, as in the conventional technique, the detection range A1 is set small, and the reference tags 2b, 2c and the asset tag 4b that do not fall within the range A1 are prevented from being detected while the reference within the range A1. When the signal W1 of the tag 2a is received and the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 is received at the same time, it can be determined that the asset tag 4a that has transmitted the signal W2 exists in the vicinity of the reference tag 2a.

  More specifically, since the reference tag 2 is attached to the floor panel 1 and its position is fixed and known, when the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 is received by the reader device 5, the signal W1 of which reference tag 2 is received. Is received or recorded, the position and trajectory of the fixture 3 to which the asset tag 4 is attached can be detected. The information of the asset tags 4a and 4b associated with the reference tags 2a to 2c by the reader device 5 is transmitted to and stored in the position management device 6 via wired or wireless means. Thus, the position of the fixture 3 (the asset tag 4) in the facility In can be managed. By the way, although the information regarding the position of the reference tags 2a to 2c (the position in the facility In) stored in the position management device 6 may be directly input to the position management device 6, for example, via the network 7 It may be input from the laying design apparatus 8.

  The laying design device 8 is a so-called CAD device, and inputs floor data including the floor shape and floor area of the facility In, and furniture data such as the types of desks and cabinets provided on the floor and their arrangement. Design data indicating the required number of floor panels and their arrangement positions is output. In places where a large computer is laid, a floor panel with enhanced load resistance is selected, and the number and location of the floor panels are also shown. And based on the design data, the ID of each floor panel to be arranged may be input. For example, each ID may be acquired from the production management device 9 via the network 7. is there.

  The production management device 9 is a production management device for the floor panel 1, which is connected to the production line 10 and is connected to the reference tag 2 attached to the floor panel 1 from the reader / writer device 101 provided in the production line 10. In addition, product information such as date of manufacture, manufacturing factory, shipping date and material, and the like is stored. When the facility In to which the floor panel In is to be shipped is determined, the floor data of the facility In is input to the laying design apparatus 8 to obtain the required number of floor panels. The information is transmitted to the production management apparatus 9 via the network 7, and the apparatus 9 returns the ID data of the floor panel 1 for the requested number of sheets. When the laying design apparatus 8 receives the ID data, the layout data of the floor panel 1 and the ID data are associated with each other and transmitted to the position management apparatus 6.

  In the position management device 6, the data is output to the reader device 5, and the reader device 5 reads the reference tag 2 attached to each floor panel 1 so that the place to be arranged in the facility In can be known. It has become. Further, when the user wants to know the quality status of the panel after the construction, the product information such as the date of manufacture can be obtained by reading the reference tag 2. This information may be provided by reading the panel ID with the reader device 5 and inquiring the production management device 9 through the position management device 6 as necessary. is there. As described above, the RFID tag that can be used to find the place to be laid in the facility or know the product information is also used as the reference tag 2 for position detection. Without attaching a tag to the panel, the system cost can be indirectly reduced. From another viewpoint, it can be said that there is no need to provide a plurality of RFID tags.

  Next, a specific configuration in which the floor panel 1 is laid in the facility In will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, a plurality of floor panels 1 (1a to 1c) each provided with a reference tag 2 (2a to 2c) are laid on the floor F of the facility In. The floor panel 1 is, for example, a resin molded product such as PP, PVC, PET, or ABS, and has a wiring storage function as necessary so as to transmit radio waves. In addition, here, the floor panel used in a general free access floor is illustrated as having a wiring storage function, and a plurality of joint boxes 11 (11a to 11b are provided at the lower end thereof. ) And a cable 12 connecting them to each other.

  The joint box 11 is a wiring device corresponding to a so-called power strip for connecting a harness provided at the end of the above-described cable 12, and is characterized in that the asset tag 4 is attached unlike the conventional one. (Not shown). Therefore, the position of the floor panel 1 can be detected by using the reader device 5. On the other hand, the cable 12 is a power line, for example, a VVF cable composed of multiple cores. Although not particularly illustrated, the asset tag 4 may be attached not only to the joint box 11 but also to the cable 12. In addition to the power line, a wiring such as a LAN cable may be provided under the floor panel 1 in the same manner as a general free access floor. In addition, when there is a device or the like to be fixed under the floor panel 1, it is of course good to attach it to the device or the like.

  Next, when turning to the upper surface of the floor panel 1, a tile carpet C is laid on the upper surface as necessary to improve the aesthetic appearance of the floor surface. A fixture 3 whose position is to be managed is placed on the tile carpet C, and the reader device 5 is pointed at the fixture 3 so that the position information of the fixture 3 is read. According to the example of the figure, the reader device 5 receives the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 attached to the fixture 3, and the signal W1 of the reference tag 2a attached to the floor panel 1a on which the fixture 3 is placed. The Note that the joint box 11a is also included in the detection range A1 of the reader device 5, and the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 attached to the box is similarly received. Then, in the reader device 5, assuming that the fixture 3 (the asset tag 4) and the joint box 11a (the asset tag 4) exist in the vicinity of the floor panel 1a (reference tag 2a), the respective ID and date / time are set. Store it in association.

  In general, the reader device 5 reads the positions of the fixture 3 and the joint box 11 toward the respective reference tags 2 by the user M. For example, as proposed in Patent Document 3, It is desirable to attach to the hose etc. of the vacuum cleaner operated by the person in charge of cleaning. Further, the reader device 5 may be built in the autonomous mobile robot 13. The autonomous mobile robot 13 has a unique detection range A2, and is configured to receive the signal W1 of the reference tag 2c, the signal W2 of the joint box 11c, and the like as shown in the example of FIG. The autonomous mobile robot 13 is a robot that moves within the facility In using the reference tag 2 (2a to 2c) as an information source for acquiring its own position. For example, delivery of letters and materials In addition, a security function may be provided to guard against suspicious persons entering.

  Hereinafter, specific configurations of the reference tag 2, the asset tag 4, the reader device 5, and the autonomous mobile robot 13 will be described in more detail. First, the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4 are RFID tags as described above, and a passive type and an active type are selectively used according to a required output range. Since both the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4 have the same configuration, here, when described as the reference tag 2, the passive configuration is as shown in the block diagram of FIG. That is, an antenna 20 for receiving an interrogation signal (including a carrier wave) transmitted from the reader device 5, a power generation unit 21 for generating electric power from the carrier wave received by the antenna by electromagnetic induction, and the carrier wave While demodulating, the modulation / demodulation unit 22 that modulates the carrier wave with the signal W1 (W2) that is a response signal to the interrogation signal, and the storage unit 24 that stores the interrogation signal identification and the unique identifier (ID) And a control unit 23 that creates a signal W1 (W2) including the ID with reference to the ID.

  On the other hand, the active configuration is, for example, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3B. The self-ID is obtained from the power source 25 of the tag and the storage unit 24 storing the unique identifier (ID). Referring to the control unit 23 that creates the signal W1 (W2) including the ID, the modulation unit 26 that modulates the carrier wave with the signal W1 (W2), and the antenna 20 that transmits the modulated signal. And. The power source 25 may incorporate a battery, but since the joint box 11 is disposed under the floor panel 1, an AC power source may be obtained from the joint box 11. As described above, when the active tag is used, there is a problem of securing power, but since there are a large number of cables 12 (power lines) under the floor panel 1, power can be supplied from these. Therefore, in the present invention, even when an active tag is used, there is no problem of power supply such as battery exhaustion.

  The antenna 20 described above is not particularly limited as long as the antenna 20 can transmit and receive signals in the passive type and can transmit signals in the active type. For example, a loop antenna is used. Moreover, the power generation part 21 in a passive type should just be able to generate electric power with the carrier wave transmitted from the reader apparatus 5, and is not limited to electromagnetic induction.

  Next, the configuration of the reader device 5 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, the reader device 5 includes an antenna 50 for receiving a signal W1 (W2) transmitted from the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4, a carrier wave including the signal W1 received by the antenna 50, and the like. Are provided with an RF amplification section 51 having a filtering function for amplifying the signal to a predetermined band, and a signal processing section 52 for processing the amplified signal. As the antenna 50, a directional antenna is employed to form the predetermined detection range A1 described in FIG. As a specific example, a small patch antenna is used, but the invention is not limited to this, and a Yagi antenna, a parabolic antenna, or the like may be used. The signal processing unit 52 described above acquires the IDs of the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 3 from the demodulation circuit 520 that demodulates the amplified signal and the signal W1 (W2) demodulated by the circuit. And a signal processing circuit 521.

  Further, the reader device 5 includes the storage unit 53 that stores the position of the reference tag 2 in the facility In, the position information of the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4, and before and after the time when the signal W1 of the reference tag 2 is received, When the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 is received within a predetermined time, the ID of the tag is associated with the time and stored in the storage unit 53, the ID of the tag received by the antenna 50, and the reception When the reference tag 2 is included in the tag, the display unit 55 that displays the position of the tag in the facility In, the output of information stored in the storage unit 53, and the reference tag in the storage unit 53 In order to store the position in the facility In 2, signals are transmitted and received with the position management device 6 by wired communication such as serial communication or wireless communication such as specific low power radio. And a transceiver 56 for performing.

  By the way, when receiving the signal of the passive tag, the signal processing circuit 521 of the reader device 5 transmits an interrogation signal for transmitting the signals W1 and W2 to the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4 every predetermined time. create. At this time, the circuit introduced as the demodulation circuit 520 described above functions as a modulation / demodulation circuit 520 having a modulation function, and modulates a carrier wave with an interrogation signal. The modulated signal (carrier wave) is amplified by the RF amplification unit 51 and transmitted to the reference tag 2 and the like by the antenna 50.

  Next, the configuration of the autonomous mobile robot 13 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, the autonomous mobile robot 13 has substantially the same function as the reader device 5, and includes an RF amplification unit 51, a signal processing unit 52, and a transmission / reception unit 56. Since these units have the same functions as the reader device 5, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted. On the other hand, the autonomous mobile robot 13 includes an antenna 130 for receiving the signal W1 (W2) transmitted from the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4 in the same manner as the reader device 5, and the antenna 130 is The directional characteristics are as shown in the detection range A2 shown in FIG. 2 so that the position of the fixture 3 (assets tag 4) can be detected under the floor panel 1 or on a desk on the floor panel 1. . Specifically, a loop antenna is used so as to be able to receive the signal W1 (W2) coming from the vertical direction of the robot. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a dipole antenna may be used. In addition, the antenna 130 receives the signals W1 of the plurality of reference tags 2, and the directivity and gain thereof are adjusted so as not to hinder the position detection.

  The autonomous mobile robot 13 includes a storage unit 131 that stores the position of the reference tag 2 in the facility In and the position information of the reference tag 2 and the asset tag 4 in the same manner as the reader device 5. The storage unit 131 further stores information necessary for movement, such as the target movement point of the autonomous mobile robot 13, the floor panel 1 (ID of the reference tag 2) that can be passed, and the like. Further, the autonomous mobile robot 13 includes a control unit 131 for performing position management in the same manner as the leader device 5, and the control unit 131 also has a command function for autonomous traveling. . Specifically, when the signal W1 of the reference tag 2 is detected by the antenna 130, the ID of the tag included in the signal W1 is acquired from the signal processing circuit 521. Next, the self-location and the target movement point are obtained from the ID by referring to the storage unit 131, and the traveling route is determined.

The autonomous mobile robot 13 includes a distance detection unit 133 for recognizing the external environment of the robot and a drive driver 135 for operating the motor 134. The control unit 132 is a floor detector. Recognize the distance to the object or the like placed on the panel 1, avoid the collision with the object, and output a drive command to the drive driver 135 along the determined route to move to the target moving point It has become. The distance detection unit 133 described above may be any device that can measure the distance between the robot and an object. For example, an ultrasonic sensor is used, but a laser distance meter, a distance image sensor, or the like may be used. is there.
[Second Embodiment]
Next, the preferred implementation in the case where the floor panel laid on the floor is a double floor panel used in a free access floor and is made of a steel-based panel, that is, made of a material that blocks radio waves such as steel. A form is demonstrated. In addition, about the structure similar to the above-mentioned embodiment, suppose that the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified. First, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of support posts 14 (14 a to 14 d) are fixed with an adhesive or the like at predetermined intervals on the floor of the facility In. A plurality of steel-based floor panels 15 (15a to 15c) are placed so that the four corners are supported by the column 14 (only the front side is shown).

  Here, unlike the floor panel 1 in the above-described embodiment, the floor panel 15 in the present embodiment has a feature in that the reference tag 16 (16a to 16c) is employed. Unlike the above-described embodiment, the reference tag 16 has a relay function for receiving the signal W2 from the asset tag 4 attached to the joint box 11 under the floor panel 15 and outputting it directly to the floor. It has.

  Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the configuration is attached to the tag power source 160 connected to the battery or connected to the AC power source, the storage unit 161 storing the unique identifier (ID), and the joint box 11. While receiving the signal W2 from the received asset tag 4, the antenna 162 for transmitting the signals W1 and W2 to the reader device 5 (not shown) and the autonomous mobile robot 13, and the signal W1 received by the antenna 162 The modulation / demodulation unit 163 for modulating the carrier wave with the signals W1 and W2 and whether the signal received by the antenna 162 is the signal W2 transmitted from the asset tag 4 attached to the joint box 11 A control unit 164 for determining and creating a signal W1 including its own ID is provided.

  The antenna 162 described above is only required to be able to transmit and receive signals on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel 16, and is not particularly limited. For example, a loop antenna is used. Further, as an example, the installation position of the antenna 162 on the floor panel 15 is installed in a small hole that penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel 15 so that signals can be transmitted and received above and below the floor panel 15 (see FIG. Not shown). Here, in the case where there is a concern about a decrease in strength of the floor panel 15 due to the drilling of the small holes, the antennas 162 may be installed on the front and back surfaces of the floor panel 15, respectively. In this case, for example, a patch antenna or the like is used instead of the loop antenna described above.

  Next, the operation of the reference tag 16 will be described. The control unit 164 transmits a detection command to the modem unit 163 every arbitrary time. Upon receiving the command, the modem unit 163 demodulates the carrier wave received by the antenna 162 and outputs the demodulated signal to the control unit 164. When the modulated wave received from the modem unit 163 is the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 attached to the joint box 11, the control unit 164 recognizes that it is a regular asset tag 4. Then, the control unit 164 again modulates the carrier wave with the signal W2 in the modulation / demodulation unit 163, and transmits the signal W2 with the antenna 162. Since the antenna 162 is installed in a small hole provided in the floor panel 15, the signal W2 is also output upward, and the signal W2 can be detected by the autonomous mobile robot 13 or the like. When the antenna 162 is installed on the front and back surfaces of the floor panel 15, the signal W2 received by the antenna installed on the back surface (lower surface) of the floor panel 15 is installed on the front surface (upper surface). It is designed to transmit with an antenna.

  By the way, when the control unit 164 of the reference tag 16 does not output the detection command, the storage unit 161 refers to its own ID, creates a signal W1 including the ID, and outputs the signal W1 to the modem unit 163. To do. In the modem unit 163, the carrier wave is modulated by the signal W1, and the modulated wave is transmitted by the antenna 162. In this way, while transmitting the signal W1 including its own ID, when receiving the signal W2 of the asset tag 4 attached to the joint box disposed under the floor panel, the signal W2 is transmitted upward. Thus, even when a steel panel is employed, it is possible to detect the position of the joint box 11 and the like disposed under the floor panel 15.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the whole system of this application. It is side sectional drawing which shows the place where the floor panel 1 which consists of resin moldings was mounted in the floor F of the facility In. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the reference tag 2 or the asset tag 4, (a) is a passive type, (b) is a figure which shows an active type structure. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reader device 5. FIG. It is side sectional drawing which shows the place where the floor panel 15 which consists of steel was mounted in the floor F of the facility In. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reference tag 16. FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the state which performs the position detection of an asset tag using the reference tag fixed to the predetermined position.

Explanation of symbols

1 Floor panel 2 Reference tag (second RFID tag)
3 Furniture 4 Asset tag (first RFID tag)
5 Reader device 13 Autonomous mobile robot 16 Reference tag (second RFID tag)
162 Antenna

Claims (10)

  A first RFID tag that is attached to a fixture that is a position detection target and transmits a signal including a unique identifier, and a plurality of second RFID tags that are fixed at a predetermined position and transmit a signal including a unique identifier; The signal transmitted from these RFID tags is configured to be received, and when the signal of any one RFID tag is received for the plurality of second RFID tags, the signals of other RFID tags are not received. As described above, the detection range is adjusted, and the signal of the first RFID tag is set at the same time as the time when the signal of the second RFID tag is received or before and after the reception of the signal within an arbitrary predetermined time. A reader device that stores the identifier of the first RFID tag in association with the identifier of the second RFID tag when received, the position detection system comprising: RFID tags, a position detection system wherein the storing attached to the floor panel to be laid under the floor ground, and the product information of the floor panel.   A first RFID tag that is attached to a fixture that is a position detection target and transmits a signal including a unique identifier, and a plurality of second RFID tags that are fixed at a predetermined position and transmit a signal including a unique identifier; The signal transmitted from these RFID tags is configured to be received, and when the signal of any one RFID tag is received for the plurality of second RFID tags, the signals of other RFID tags are not received. As described above, the detection range is adjusted, and the signal of the first RFID tag is set at the same time as the time when the signal of the second RFID tag is received or before and after the reception of the signal within an arbitrary predetermined time. And a reader device that stores the identifier of the second RFID tag in association with the identifier of the first RFID tag when received. A panel, the second comprises a RFID tag, and its RFID tag, a floor panel characterized in that it contains its own product information.   The position detection system according to claim 1, wherein the second RFID tag is an active tag, and is configured to obtain AC power from a joint box laid at a lower end portion of a floor panel.   The floor panel according to claim 2, wherein the second RFID tag is an active tag and is configured to obtain AC power from a joint box laid at a lower end portion of the floor panel.   The position detection system according to claim 1, wherein the reader device is built in an autonomous mobile robot that uses the second RFID tag as an information source for acquiring its own position.   3. The floor panel according to claim 2, wherein the reader device is built in an autonomous mobile robot that uses the second RFID tag as an information source for acquiring its own position.   The floor panel is a double floor panel made of a material that blocks radio waves, and has a small hole penetrating the upper and lower surfaces for installing the antenna of the second RFID tag. The RFID tag is installed in the small hole and includes an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel, and when the antenna receives the signal of the first RFID tag, 6. The position detection system according to claim 1, wherein the received signal is transmitted.   The floor panel is a double floor panel made of a material that blocks radio waves, and has a small hole penetrating the upper and lower surfaces for installing the antenna of the second RFID tag. The RFID tag is installed in the small hole and includes an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel, and when the antenna receives the signal of the first RFID tag, The floor panel according to any one of claims 2, 4, and 6, wherein a received signal is transmitted.   The floor panel is a double floor panel made of a material that blocks radio waves, and the second RFID tag includes antennas respectively installed on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel, and is an antenna installed on the lower surface. 6. The position detection system according to claim 1, wherein when the signal of the first RFID tag is received, the received signal is transmitted by an antenna installed on an upper surface.   The floor panel is a double floor panel made of a material that blocks radio waves, and the second RFID tag includes antennas respectively installed on the upper and lower surfaces of the floor panel, and is an antenna installed on the lower surface. The floor panel according to any one of claims 2, 4, and 6, wherein when the signal of the first RFID tag is received, the received signal is transmitted by an antenna installed on an upper surface.

Images