JP2006195931A - Rfid reader/writer-incorporating tablet pen - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an RFID reader/writer-incorporating tablet pen incorporating an RFID reader/writer, and capable of performing transmission/reception of information for reading/writing an RFID to/from a tablet computer. <P>SOLUTION: In this RFID reader/writer-incorporating tablet pen, an RFID reader/writer mechanism is incorporated in a tablet pen, and an antenna for the RFID is incorporated in the neighborhood of a pen point such that the pen point is directed to the RFID without holding the tablet pen in another way as it is tablet operation to read/write the information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a tablet pen used as a device for inputting information to a computer using a tablet, and more often used as a substitute for a barcode in shelf management which is in demand in inventory management work. The present invention relates to an RFID reader / writer built-in tablet / pen capable of reading or writing information on RFID (non-contact IC) tags, cards, stickers, and panels.

  As an RFID reader / writer adopting a pen shape, an RFID reader / writer described in Patent Document 1 can be cited. In this system, the circuit and antenna coil are mounted on the board to realize a space-saving configuration inside the RFID reader / writer device. Furthermore, because it is driven by a battery, it can read and write RFID only with a pen-type housing. I have to. However, this system is only a device configuration for implementing reading and writing of RFID in a pen type, and only has a problem of downsizing the device that can be solved by technological advancement.

  In addition, there is a portable terminal device described in Patent Document 2 that presents a combination of a pen-type device and a touch panel. In this apparatus, the pen-type device is not an RFID reader / writer but a bar code reader. Data processing is performed based on the information read by the pen-type barcode reader, and the result obtained from the processing is displayed on the screen of the touch panel computer, and the information is processed by touching the screen with the pen-type barcode reader. It is assumed that the operation can be performed smoothly. The information processing control device described in Patent Document 3 is also based on a device configuration similar to that of Patent Document 2.

However, the apparatuses described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 are characterized in that the pen-type device is a bar code reader, and do not involve the advantages of RFID.
JP 2004-102728 A JP 2001-291122 A JP 2004-303020 A

  When the invention described in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3 is applied, the information reading means is only a barcode. Further, the barcode is often a printed matter based on paper or the like, and can be easily copied, so forgery is also easy. In addition, the barcode may become difficult to manage due to surface contamination of the barcode due to poor reading or peeling of the paper itself. In addition, since barcodes can only be read, there is a need to replace barcodes when it is desired to update management contents and information.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a system for quickly inputting and processing information on an object managed by RFID (non-contact type IC). It is to provide.

  The RFID (non-contact type IC) reader / writer built-in tablet / pen according to the present invention, which is made to solve the above-mentioned problems, has a function as a tablet / pen and also has an RFID reader / writer function. It is characterized by comprising means for transmitting / receiving information to be read / written to / from the RFID to / from the tablet computer.

  In the tablet / pen with a built-in RFID reader / writer according to the present invention, an antenna coil for communicating with the RFID is built in the vicinity of the pen tip, and the RFID can be used without changing the holding method when using the function as the tablet / pen. It can be read and written with the nib pointing toward the head.

  In the above-described RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen according to the present invention, by connecting to a tablet computer with a communication cable, information read (read) from the RFID and information to be written (written) are transmitted to the tablet computer. It becomes possible to transmit / receive between.

  In the tablet / pen with a built-in RFID reader / writer according to the present invention, information that is read (read) from an RFID and information to be written (written) via a wireless communication system by mounting a wireless communication unit is stored in a tablet computer. It becomes possible to transmit / receive to / from.

  In the tablet / pen with a built-in RFID reader / writer according to the present invention, information read (read) from RFID and information to be written (written) can be placed on a tablet communication signal and transmitted / received to / from a tablet computer. It becomes possible.

  In the RFID reader / writer built-in tablet / pen according to the present invention, in addition to the function as a tablet / pen, the RFID reader / writer built-in tablet / pen can be read or written by directing the pen tip to the RFID without having to change the tablet / pen. The information can be transmitted to and received from the tablet computer. As a result, in a business management system for product management and inventory management in which RFID is often used, information is reflected on the tablet computer in conjunction with information read or written on the RFID, and information reflecting the information is reflected in the information processing system. It can be displayed on the tablet screen of the tablet computer, and the tablet computer can be operated by touching the pen tip of the tablet pen with a built-in RFID reader / writer toward the tablet screen.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tablet / pen with a built-in RFID-compatible function of the present embodiment incorporates the RFID reader / writer mechanism 20 in the tablet / pen housing 10 with a built-in RFID reader / writer, so that the tablet / pen tip is not changed without changing the way the pen is held during tablet operation. An RFID reader / writer / antenna unit 22 connected to the RFID reader / writer mechanism unit is built in the vicinity of the pen tip so that information can be read and written to the RFID.

  An information storage unit 24 for temporarily storing information read from the RFID by the RFID reader / writer mechanism unit or information to be written into the RFID in the tablet / pen incorporated in the RFID reader / writer is provided with the tablet / pen mechanism unit 14. By connecting, information in the information storage unit can be transmitted to the computer 40 or received from the computer and stored in the information storage unit using a conventional tablet communication function.

  The information storage unit may be built in the RFID reader / writer mechanism unit in advance and communicate information with the tablet / pen mechanism unit.

  FIG. 2 shows a case where data to be transmitted / received to / from the RFID by the tablet pen with a built-in RFID function is transmitted / received to / from the computer 40 by a wired system. The wired communication unit 26 built in the tablet / pen with a built-in RFID reader / writer is connected to a computer by a communication cable 32, and can transmit and receive information by various communication methods including serial communication.

  Further, FIG. 3 shows a case where data to be transmitted / received to / from the RFID by the tablet pen with a built-in RFID function is transmitted / received to / from the computer 40 by a wireless method. The wireless communication unit 28 incorporated in the RFID-compatible function tablet / pen can transmit and receive information by various wireless methods including infrared communication.

  In recent years, computers equipped with a wireless LAN function have become common, and if a protocol compatible with the wireless LAN is adopted for the wireless communication unit of the tablet pen with a built-in RFID function, the usage scene is further expanded. It is also possible.

  For the wireless system, it is not necessary to specify a protocol, and if communication including mobile phones is assumed, it is possible to easily exchange information with a remote place using a tablet pen with a built-in RFID function. Can support business models.

  1, 2, and 3, the power required by the RFID reader / writer mechanism unit 20 is not limited to being supplied from a power storage unit (not shown) to the RFID-compatible tablet / pen. In the case of communicating with a computer by using the communication cable, it may be supplied from the computer side using the communication cable.

  In addition to the above, it goes without saying that various embodiments are conceivable within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

  1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.   1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.   1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... RFID / writer built-in tablet / pen housing 12 ... Tablet / pen tip 14 ... Tablet / pen mechanism unit 20 ... RFID reader / writer mechanism unit 22 ... RFID reader / writer / antenna unit 24 ... Information storage unit 26 ... Wired communication unit 28 ... Wireless communication unit 30 ... Tablet communication schematic diagram 32 ... Wired communication line 34 ... Wireless communication schematic diagram 40 ... Computer

Claims (4)

  In an input device for use in a computer using a tablet, a reader / writer that can read and write information of an RFID (non-contact IC) tag, a card, a seal, and a panel while reading a pen, or reading information An RFID reader / writer built-in tablet / pen that has a built-in reader function.   2. The RFID according to claim 1, wherein information read from the RFID tag, card, sticker, or panel, or information written to the RFID tag, card, sticker, or panel can be transmitted to and received from a computer via a tablet. Reader / writer built-in tablet pen.   The information read from the RFID tag, card, sticker, or panel, or information to be written to the RFID tag, card, sticker, or panel can be transmitted / received to / from a computer via a connected cable. The described RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen.   The information read from the RFID tag, card, sticker, or panel, or information to be written to the RFID tag, card, sticker, or panel can be transmitted to and received from a computer via a wireless system. RFID reader / writer built-in tablet pen.