JP2006201883A - Printer provided with rfid reading/writing function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent occurrence of an unexpected state by surely making an RFID tag unusable in the case of failure of writing of data to the RFID tag. <P>SOLUTION: This printer comprises a carrying means 41 carrying a label or tag containing the RFID tag; an RFID reader/writer 28 performing reading/writing to the RFID tag; a cutter mechanism 29; a determination means S6 determining whether writing to the RFID tag is successful or not; and a cutting means S6 cutting the antenna of the RFID tag by the cutter mechanism 29 in a case that the determination means determines that the writing to the FRID tag is not successful. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer having an RFID read / write function that incorporates an RFID read / write device that can read / write data without contact.

  In general, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) label or tag is attracting attention as a technology that changes to a barcode because it can read and write data in a non-contact manner by using radio waves.

  However, if the system for reading a barcode installed in a store is switched to RFID, the current barcode cannot be read.

  Therefore, it is necessary to perform barcode printing and RFID writing on one label or tag. In order to satisfy such a need, a printer having a function of performing barcode printing and RFID writing on one tag is known (see Patent Document 1). As shown in this printer, after the label is transported in the label transport direction and data is written in the RFID, the label is transported in the reverse direction to print a barcode on the surface of the label.

  The RFID label has a configuration as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, 11 is a mount, and 12 is a label. An RFID tag 13 is disposed between the mount 11 and the label 12. The RFID tag 13 includes an annular RFID antenna 14 and an RFID chip 15.

  A printer having an RFID read / write function as shown in FIG. 6 for printing a barcode on the label 12 of the RFID label as shown in FIG. 2 or writing data into the RFID chip 15 is known.

  In FIG. 6, reference numeral 41 denotes a conveyance path through which the mount 11 is conveyed. The transport of the mount 11 through the transport path 41 is performed by the transport means 27.

  Reference numeral 42 denotes a platen. An RFID read / write device 28 is provided upstream of the platen 42.

  Further, the print head 31 is disposed so as to face the platen 42 across the transport path 41. The print head 31 is constituted by a thermal head, for example.

A supply-side roller 44 that supplies the ink ribbon 43 is provided upstream of the print head 31, and a take-up roller 45 that winds up the ink ribbon 43 is provided downstream of the print head 31.
JP 2001-96814 A

  Since writing data to the RFID tag 13 is performed using wireless technology, the writing may fail.

  When data writing to the RFID tag 13 fails, a special print pattern called an error pattern is printed on the label to notify the user of that fact.

  There is a case where data writing to the RFID tag 13 fails due to a combination of antenna gain differences due to individual differences between the RFID tag 13 and the RFID chip 15.

However, even if the writing of data to the RFID tag 13 fails because the gain has not reached the specified value, if another RF / ID reading / writing device is used, the writing or reading of data to the RFID tag 13 is not possible. Many things are possible.

  When such an RFID tag 13 goes around, there is a problem that an unexpected situation occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to reliably prevent the use of an RFID tag and prevent the occurrence of unforeseen circumstances when data writing to the RFID tag fails. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer having an RFID read / write function capable of performing the above.

The invention according to claim 1 is a carrying means for carrying a label or tag incorporating an RFID tag;
An RFID reader / writer that reads / writes from / to the RFID tag, a cutter mechanism, a determination unit that determines whether writing to the RFID tag is successful, and writing to the RFID tag by the determination unit And cutting means for cutting the antenna of the RFID tag by the cutting mechanism when it is determined that the RFID tag is not successful.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the data writing to the RFID tag fails, the RFID tag antenna can be used by disconnecting the RFID tag antenna. Can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a system configuration of a label printer having an RFID read / write function will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a CPU (central processing unit) that controls the entire apparatus. A system bus 21 a from the CPU 21 includes a flash ROM (read only memory) 22, a RAM (random access memory) 23, an input unit 24, a print head control unit 25, a display unit 26, a transport unit 27, RFID A reading / writing device 28 and a cutter mechanism 29 are connected.

  A print head 31 is connected to the print control unit 25.

  The flash ROM 22 stores various control programs necessary for printer operation.

  In the RAM 23, a work area used by the various control programs is secured.

  The print head control unit 25 outputs a drive signal to the print head 31 configured by, for example, a thermal head.

  The display unit 26 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device.

  The transport unit 27 is configured by, for example, a stepping motor, a transport roller, or the like that transports the mount 11 to which the label 12 is attached.

  The cutter mechanism 29 has a function of cutting the mount 11 or cutting the RFID antenna 14.

  Next, the main part of the hardware configuration of a printer having an RFID read / write function will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 41 denotes a conveyance path through which the mount 11 is conveyed. The transport of the mount 11 through the transport path 41 is performed by the transport means 27.

  Reference numeral 42 denotes a platen. An RFID read / write device 28 is provided upstream of the platen 42. A cutter mechanism 29 is provided downstream of the platen 42 in the label conveying direction.

  Further, the print head 31 is disposed so as to face the platen 42 across the transport path 41. The print head 31 is constituted by a thermal head, for example.

  A supply-side roller 44 that supplies the ink ribbon 43 is provided upstream of the print head 31, and a take-up roller 45 that winds up the ink ribbon 43 is provided downstream of the print head 31.

  FIG. 3 shows the positional relationship of the RFID tag 13 of FIG. 2 when the print head 31 comes to the home position. In the RFID tag 13 of FIG. 2, the RFID antenna 14 and the RFID chip 15 are embedded in the label 12 so as to be biased toward the print head 31. Accordingly, the RFID antenna 14 and the RFID chip 15 are located substantially above the RFID read / write device 28.

  Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the RFID read / write device 28 performs processing for writing RFID tag data to the RFID tag 13 (step S1). Product data (product name, product price, etc.) is given as RFID tag data.

  Next, the RFID reading / writing device 28 determines whether or not the data writing to the RFID tag 13 has succeeded (step S2).

  If “YES” is determined in the determination in step S2, a label is issued (step S3). That is, for example, a product name and a barcode are printed as product data on the label 12 by the print head 31.

  On the other hand, if “NO” is determined in the determination in step S2, a process of writing data to the RFID tag 13 while the label 12 is fed by the transport unit 27 is performed (step S4). That is, it is retried.

  Then, it is determined whether or not the data writing to the RFID tag 13 is successful (step S5).

  If “YES” is determined in the determination in step S5, the label is issued as described above (step S3). That is, after the printing, the mount 11 is further conveyed, and the mount 11 between the printed label 12 and the next label 12 is cut by the cutter mechanism 29.

  On the other hand, if “NO” is determined in the determination in step S5, the RFID antenna 14 is cut by the cutter mechanism 29 as shown in FIG.

  In this way, when the data writing to the RFID tag 13 is not successful, the RFID antenna 14 is disconnected, so that the RFID tag 13 that has not successfully written the data cannot be used reliably. Can be.

  In the above-described embodiment, the mount 11 is cut by the cutter mechanism 29 or the RFID antenna 14 is cut. However, a mechanism for cutting the RFID antenna 14 may be provided separately.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the RFID antenna 14 was cyclic | annular, it can apply also to RFID antennas 14 other than cyclic | annular form. In that case, a mechanism for cutting the RFID antenna 14 may be provided in the cutter mechanism 29, or a special cutter mechanism may be provided.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the RFID tag antenna embedded in the label with the label printer is cut off as an example. However, the reading / writing is performed on a printer other than the label printer or an RFID tag transported instead of the printer. A writable device may be used.

1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a printer having an RFID read / write function according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the RFID label which concerns on the same embodiment. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printer having an RFID read / write function according to the embodiment. FIG. The flowchart for demonstrating the operation | movement of the embodiment. The figure which shows the state by which the RFID antenna of the RFID tag which concerns on the embodiment was cut | disconnected. The figure which shows the structure of the printer provided with the conventional RFID read / write function.

Explanation of symbols

  21 ... CPU, 22 ... ROM (read only memory), 23 ... RAM (random access memory), 24 ... input unit, 25 ... print head control unit, 26 ... display unit, 27 ... conveying means, 28 ... RFID reading / writing device, 29 ... cutter mechanism, 31 ... print head.

Claims (2)

A transport means for transporting a label or tag with a built-in RFID tag;
An RFID reader / writer for reading / writing the RFID tag;
A cutter mechanism;
Determining means for determining whether writing to the RFID tag is successful;
An RFID read / write device comprising: a cutting unit that cuts an antenna of the RFID tag with the cutting mechanism when the determination unit determines that writing to the RFID tag has not been successful. . A transport means for transporting a label or tag with a built-in RFID tag;
A printing unit for printing on the surface of the label or tag;
An RFID reader / writer for reading / writing the RFID tag;
A cutter mechanism for cutting the label printed on the surface of the printing unit while being conveyed by the conveyance unit;
Determining means for determining whether writing to the RFID tag is successful;
An RFID read / write function comprising: a cutting means for cutting the antenna of the RFID tag by the cutting mechanism when the determination means determines that writing to the RFID tag is not successful. With printer.

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