JP2006246047A - Non-contact communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a non-contact communication device capable of reading data stored at a plurality of non-contact communication media held in a shelf etc. in a short time, without imposing burdens on an operator. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of antenna units 11 and 12 are provided. The pair of antenna units 11 and 12 comprise antenna planes 11a and 12a for transmitting and receiving of electric waves with non-contact transmission media. The pair of antenna units 11 and 12 are supported with antenna frames 13 and 14 and a coupling member 15, in the status where the antenna planes 11a and 12a are substantially in parallel each other. In addition, a wheel 16 is provided to move the supported pair of antenna units 11 and 12 simultaneously in a direction almost perpendicular to a direction orthogonal to the antenna planes 11a and 12a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a non-contact communication apparatus that transmits / receives signals to / from a plurality of non-contact communication media accommodated in a shelf or the like and reads data stored in each non-contact communication medium.

  In recent years, a non-contact communication medium in which a unique identification code (ID code) is recorded in advance is attached to each article, and the identification code stored in the non-contact communication medium is read using a non-contact communication device. An automatic recognition system that recognizes an article provided with a non-contact communication medium has attracted attention. Such a non-contact communication medium is generally called an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), a wireless tag, an IC tag, or the like.

  For example, this type of automatic recognition system is used in a method for managing the distribution of books handled at a bookstore or the like. In this book physical distribution management method, a non-contact communication medium having a unique identification code is attached to each book. Since arbitrary data can be stored in the non-contact communication medium, for example, book data such as a publisher, a publication year, and a book name are stored together with an identification code. When the book arrives, the storage data of the non-contact communication medium attached to the book, that is, the identification code and the book data are read and stored in the storage device of the computer. In this way, a book arrival database can be constructed. Further, at the time of taking a book inventory, the storage data of the non-contact communication medium attached to the book arranged in the book shelf is read and stored in the storage device of the computer. In this way, a book inventory database can be constructed. Further, when the book is sold, the storage data of the non-contact communication medium attached to the book is read and stored in the storage device of the computer. In this way, a book sales database can be constructed. Further, when a customer who passes through a bookstore entrance / exit has a book, the storage data of the non-contact communication medium attached to the customer is read and collated with the sales database. If the sales database does not exist, an alarm is issued. By doing so, shoplifting of books can be prevented.

By the way, in this kind of book physical distribution management method, three patterns have been proposed as non-contact communication devices for reading stored data of a non-contact communication medium in a non-contact manner. First, as a non-contact communication device suitable for receiving a book, a tunnel type capable of collectively reading stored data of a non-contact communication medium attached to a plurality of books passing through a conveyor has been proposed. Yes. Secondly, as a non-contact communication device suitable for inventorying and selling books, stored data of a non-contact communication medium attached to the book by an operator bringing it close to a book in a book shelf or a book to be purchased. There has been proposed a handy type that can read all of the above. Thirdly, a gate type that stands up on both sides of the entrance / exit as a suitable non-contact communication device using stored data of a contactless communication medium attached to a book possessed by a customer who passes through the entrance / exit of a bookstore. Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-063655 A

  However, when performing book shelf inventory work in the book physical distribution management method as described above, the operator holds the handy type non-contact communication device by hand and moves it closer to the book displayed on the book shelf, An operation of reading data of a non-contact communication medium attached to each book in the book shelf was performed. For this reason, reading by one-way operation is almost limited to non-contact communication media for books displayed on the first stage of the bookshelf, so reading work in bookstores with many bookcases takes a lot of time and effort. Was a burden on the workers.

  The present invention has been made based on such circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to save data stored in a plurality of non-contact communication media accommodated in a shelf or the like for a short time without burdening the operator. It is intended to provide a non-contact communication device that can be read by the Internet.

  The non-contact communication device of the present invention supports a pair of antenna units having an antenna surface that transmits and receives radio waves to and from a non-contact communication medium, and supports the pair of antenna units in a state where the antenna surfaces are substantially parallel to each other. And an antenna moving means for simultaneously moving a pair of antenna units supported by the antenna supporting means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction orthogonal to the antenna surface.

  According to the present invention in which such a measure is taken, the data of the non-contact communication medium placed on both the left and right sides can be read by one reading operation and stored in a plurality of non-contact communication media accommodated in a shelf or the like. It is possible to provide a non-contact communication apparatus that can read the data in a short time without burdening the operator.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
This embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to a non-contact communication device for reading data stored in a non-contact communication medium mounted on a book displayed on a bookshelf in a bookstore or a library. .

  1 and 2 are perspective views showing an overview configuration of the non-contact communication apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part thereof. The non-contact communication device 1 includes a pair of antenna units 11 and 12.

  Both antenna units 11 and 12 have a flat plate shape. One of the flat surfaces 11a and 12a is an antenna surface for transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from a non-contact communication medium, and the other flat surfaces 11b and 12b are non-antennas. It is a surface. The delivery distance (communication distance) of radio waves with the non-contact communication medium is set to several tens of centimeters from the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a. The antenna units 11 and 12 are attached to the antenna frames 13 and 14 in a state where their antenna surfaces are substantially parallel to each other.

  Each antenna frame 13, 14 is connected by a connecting member 15 between its upper ends. The connecting member 15 has a loose structure that can be expanded and contracted, and the distance between the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12 that are respectively supported by the antenna frames 13 and 14 that are attached to both sides of the connecting member 15 is increased or decreased. I can do it. However, the connection member 15 does not expand or contract unless a certain force is applied in the expansion and contraction direction. Incidentally, FIG. 1 shows a state in which the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a are separated from each other, and FIG.

  Here, the pair of antenna frames 13 and 14 and the connecting member 15 constitute antenna support means for supporting the pair of antenna units 11 and 12 in a state where the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a are substantially parallel to each other. Further, the connecting member 15 has a function as a distance adjusting unit that varies the distance between the antenna surfaces 11 a and 12 a in the pair of antenna units 11 and 12.

  Two wheels 16 are attached to the lower ends of the antenna frames 13 and 14, respectively. Thereby, the antenna frames 13 and 14 to which the pair of antenna units 11 and 12 are respectively attached and the connecting member 15 that couples the antenna frames 13 and 14 are integrated, and the antenna surface 11a of each antenna unit 11 and 12 is integrated. , 12a can be moved forward or backward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction perpendicular to 12a.

  Here, the wheel 16 simultaneously moves the pair of antenna units 11, 12 supported by the antenna support means (13, 14, 15) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction orthogonal to the antenna surfaces 11a, 11b. It constitutes an antenna moving means.

  Each antenna unit 11, 12 is provided with a slight gap in the frame of the corresponding antenna frame 13, 14. Rotating shafts 17 and 18 project from the center of both side surfaces of each antenna unit 11 and 12, and these rotating shafts 17 and 18 are respectively inserted into the corresponding antenna frames 13 and 14 from the inside. ing. At least one of the rotation shafts (17 in FIG. 3) passes through the frames of the antenna frames 13 and 14, and a rotation lever 19 is attached to the tip thereof. Then, by rotating the rotating lever 19, the antenna units 11 and 12 rotate at least 180 degrees around the rotation shafts 17 and 18 within the corresponding antenna frames 13 and 14, respectively. . Further, although not shown, the rotation lever 19 is provided with a stopper, and the antenna units 11 and 12 stop at an arbitrary angle with respect to the floor surface by the action of the stopper.

  Here, the rotating shafts 17 and 18 and the rotating lever 19 constitute angle adjusting means for inclining the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the pair of antenna units 11 and 12, respectively.

  A control box 20 is attached to one antenna unit (13 in FIGS. 1 to 3). The internal configuration of the control box 20 is shown in the block diagram of FIG. As shown in the figure, the control box 20 includes transmission amplifiers 21a and 21b, reception amplifiers 22a and 22b, modulation units 23a and 23b, and demodulation units 24a and 24b corresponding to the pair of antenna units 11 and 12, respectively. ing. Also, the interface unit 25 to which the host device 30 is detachably connected via a connector unit (not shown), a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory) and the like are mainly configured. The control unit 26 is built in.

  When the start of reading is instructed from the host device 30 connected via the interface unit 25, the control unit 26 sends a reading signal to each of the modulation units 23a and 23b. Each of the modulation units 23a and 23b modulates the read signal into a modulation signal suitable for wireless communication, and sends it to the corresponding transmission amplifiers 21a and 21b. Each of the transmission amplifiers 21a and 21b amplifies the modulated signal and radiates it as a radio wave from the antenna surfaces 11a and 11b of the corresponding antenna units 11 and 12.

  When the non-contact communication medium receives this radio wave, the non-contact communication medium is activated and radiates data stored in the memory as a radio signal. When the radio signals are received by the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12, the corresponding reception amplifiers 22a and 22b amplify the radio signals and send them to the corresponding demodulation units 24a and 24b. Each demodulator 24a, 24b demodulates data from the amplified radio signal and sends it to the controller 26. The control unit 26 transmits the demodulated data, that is, the data stored in the memory of the activated non-contact communication medium, to the host device 30 via the interface unit 25.

  Thus, the non-contact communication device 1 of the present embodiment receives the identification code from the memory of the non-contact communication medium located within the communication range of the radio waves radiated from the antenna surfaces 11a and 11b of the pair of antenna units 11 and 12. The data included can be read at once.

  Next, a specific example of reading data of a non-contact communication medium attached to each book displayed on the bookshelf using the non-contact communication device 1 of the present embodiment will be described. Each non-contact communication medium stores in advance book data such as the publisher, publication year, and book name of the book in which the medium is mounted, together with a unique identification code.

  5 and 6 are front views when reading data of the non-contact communication medium 45 mounted on each of the books 44 displayed on the two book shelves 42 and 43 placed on the floor 41 in an opposing manner. Compared to FIG. 5, the intervals T1 and T2 (T1> T2) between the bookshelves 42 and 43 are narrower in FIG.

  In this case, the operator first operates the rotating lever 19 to fix the antenna units 11 and 12 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the floor surface 41 with the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a facing outward. . That is, the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a are fixed in directions opposite to each other, specifically in a non-opposing direction. Next, the connecting member 15 is compressed to narrow the distance between the pair of antenna units 11 and 12, and the non-contact communication device 1 is inserted into the passage between the bookshelves 42 and 43. Then, one antenna frame 13 to which the antenna unit 11 is attached is positioned at a position where the antenna surface 11a of the one antenna unit 11 is close to the opposite bookcase 42. Next, the connecting member 15 is extended by pushing the other antenna frame 14 from the inside, and the antenna surface 12a of the other antenna unit 12 is positioned at a position close to the opposite bookcase 43. It is assumed that the lengths of the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a in the height direction substantially coincide with the heights of all the shelves on which the books 44 of the book shelves 42 and 43 are displayed.

  Next, the operator operates the host device 30 connected to the control box 20 and instructs the start of reading. Thereby, the radio wave of the read signal is radiated outward from the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12, and the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the books 44 displayed on the bookshelves 42 and 43 are approached. The memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 attached to the book 44 being read is read.

  Thereafter, the operator pushes the antenna frames 13, 14 from the side by hand. Then, the wheel 16 rotates and the non-contact communication device 1 moves in parallel to the floor surface 41. As a result, the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12 move along the shelves of the corresponding book shelves 42 and 43, respectively, and are attached to the books 44 respectively displayed on the shelves. The memory data of the contact communication medium 45 is read sequentially.

  Therefore, the non-contact communication device 1 is moved in one direction along the path between the opposite book shelves 42 and 43, and the non-contact mounted on the books 44 displayed on the left and right book shelves 42 and 43, respectively. The memory data of the communication medium 45 can be read. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the work time and the work load.

  In addition, since the distance between the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12 can be variably adjusted according to the distance between the opposite book shelves 42 and 43, it has high reliability without being affected by the distance between the book shelves 42 and 43 There is also an advantage that the memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 can be read.

  FIG. 7 reads the data of the non-contact communication medium 45 mounted on each book 44 displayed on each shelf when each shelf of the opposite book shelves 42 and 43 is inclined upward. It is a front view in the case.

  In this case, the operator first operates the turning lever 19 so that each antenna unit 11, 12 is in a direction substantially parallel to the inclination angle of each shelf with the antenna surfaces 11 a, 12 a facing outward. Tilt and fix. Thereafter, the same operation as in the case of FIGS. 5 and 6 is performed. By doing so, the non-contact communication apparatus 1 can be mounted on the books 44 displayed on the left and right book shelves 42 and 43 only by moving the non-contact communication device 1 in one direction along the path between the opposite book shelves 42 and 43, respectively. The memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 can be read.

  Thus, since each antenna surface 11a, 12a of the pair of antenna units 11, 12 can be inclined at an arbitrary angle, the book shelf 42 in which the mounting surface of the book 44 is inclined with respect to the floor surface 41, 43 can read the memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 with high reliability without being affected by the inclination angle.

  FIG. 8 shows a case where the memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 mounted on the books 44 displayed on the left and right sides of the book shelf 46 are read. Note that the height of the non-contact communication device 1 is sufficiently higher than the bookcase 46.

  In this case, the operator first operates the rotating lever 19 to fix the antenna units 11 and 12 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the floor surface 41 with the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a facing inward. . That is, the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a are fixed in opposite directions, specifically in the opposite direction. Next, the connecting member 15 is extended to widen the distance between the pair of antenna units 11 and 12 so that the book shelf 46 can be inserted between the antenna units 11 and 12. Then, one antenna frame 13 to which the antenna unit 11 is attached is positioned at a position where the antenna surface 11a of the one antenna unit 11 is close to the opposing shelf. Next, the connecting member 15 is compressed by pushing the other antenna frame 14 from the outside, and the antenna surface 12a of the other antenna unit 12 is positioned at a position close to the opposing shelf.

  Next, the operator operates the host device 30 connected to the control box 20 and instructs the start of reading. As a result, radio waves of the read signal are radiated inwardly from the antenna surfaces 11 a and 12 a of the antenna units 11 and 12, and the antenna surfaces 11 a and 12 a of the books 44 displayed on both the left and right sides of the bookcase 46. The memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 attached to the book 44 approaching is read.

  Thereafter, the operator pushes the antenna frame 13 or 14 from the side by hand. Then, the wheel 16 rotates and the non-contact communication device 1 moves in parallel to the floor surface 41. As a result, the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12 move along the shelves of the bookshelf 46, and the non-contact communication medium 45 attached to each book 44 displayed on each shelf. Memory data is read sequentially.

  Accordingly, the memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 respectively mounted on the books 44 displayed on both the left and right sides of the book shelf 46 can be obtained simply by moving the non-contact communication device 1 arranged across the book shelf 46 in one direction. Can be read. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the work time and the work load.

  Moreover, since the distance between the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a of the antenna units 11 and 12 can be variably adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the bookcase 46, the non-contact communication medium 45 is highly reliable without being affected by the thickness of the bookcase 46. There is also an advantage that the memory data can be read.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage.
For example, in the above embodiment, the antenna frames 13 and 14 and the connecting member 15 are shown as the antenna support means. However, the antenna support means is not limited to this, and the pair of antenna units 11 and 12 can be connected to each other. Any structure may be used as long as the surfaces 11a and 12a can be supported in a substantially parallel state. For example, even if the structure is such that the wheels 16 are directly attached to the pair of antenna units 11 and 12 with the antenna surfaces 11a and 12a facing outward, respectively, and the non-antenna surfaces are connected by the connecting member 15 once. Thus, the memory data of the non-contact communication medium accommodated in each of the left and right shelves can be read during the traveling, and the effects of the present invention can be obtained.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the jagged structure connecting member 15 is shown as the interval adjusting means. However, the interval adjusting means is not limited to this, and for example, a member having an elastic structure such as a rod antenna can be used as the connecting member. You may apply as

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the wheel 16 was shown as an antenna moving means, an antenna moving means is not limited to this, For example, a roller and a roller are attached instead of a wheel, and the non-contact communication apparatus 1 is moved. You may do it. Further, the moving means is not limited to a manual type, and may be a self-propelled type by mounting a motor. In this case, the amount of rotation of the wheel 16 is detected to remotely control the amount of movement of the non-contact communication device 1, or the position of the non-contact communication device 1 is read by reading the data of the position detection contact communication medium embedded in the shelf. It is conceivable to adjust.

  In the above embodiment, the rotary shafts 18 and 19 and the rotation lever 19 are shown as the angle adjusting means. However, the angle adjusting means is not limited to this. It is good also as a structure bend | folded outside from.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the control box 20 was mounted in the antenna frame 13, you may make the control box 20 separate from the non-contact communication apparatus 1. FIG. Conversely, a host device 30 such as a personal computer may be attached to the antenna frame 13 together with the control box 20 so that the read result of the non-contact communication medium 45 can be confirmed while moving the non-contact communication device 1.

  In the above embodiment, only the case where the memory data stored in the non-contact communication medium 45 is read has been described. However, the non-contact communication device 1 of the present invention is limited to reading the non-contact communication medium 45 only. Instead, the present invention can also be applied to the case where data is written to the memory of the non-contact communication medium 45 in a non-contact manner.

  The non-contact communication device 1 of the present invention is not applied only when reading the memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 from the books 44 displayed on the book shelves 42, 43, 46. The present invention can be applied to the reading or writing of the memory data of the non-contact communication medium 45 attached to each product displayed on the product display shelf in a warehouse of a supplier, etc., and has a good effect.

  In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, the constituent elements over different embodiments may be combined.

The perspective view which shows an external appearance when the space | interval between the antenna units of the non-contact communication apparatus 1 which is one embodiment of this invention is expanded. The perspective view which shows an external appearance when the space | interval between the antenna units of the non-contact communication apparatus 1 is narrowed. The perspective view which expands and shows the principal part of the non-contact communication apparatus. The block diagram which shows the internal structure of the control box which the non-contact communication apparatus 1 has. The schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of reading the memory data of a non-contact communication medium from the book displayed on a pair of bookshelf which opposes a wide space | interval using the non-contact communication apparatus. The schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of reading the memory data of a non-contact communication medium from the book displayed on a pair of bookshelf which opposes at a narrow space | interval using the non-contact communication apparatus. The schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of reading the memory data of a non-contact communication medium from the book displayed on a pair of bookshelf which the shelf level inclines using the non-contact communication apparatus 1. FIG. The schematic diagram which shows the state at the time of reading the memory data of a non-contact communication medium from the book displayed on the bookshelf which has the shelf on both right and left using the non-contact communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Non-contact communication apparatus 11, 12 ... Antenna unit, 13, 14 ... Antenna frame, 15 ... Connecting member, 16 ... Wheel, 17, 18 ... Rotating shaft, 19 ... Turning lever, 20 ... Control box, 42, 43, 46 ... book shelf, 44 ... book, 45 ... non-contact communication medium.

Claims (6)

A pair of antenna units having an antenna surface for delivering radio waves to and from a non-contact communication medium;
Antenna support means for supporting the pair of antenna units in a state in which the antenna surfaces are substantially parallel to each other;
Antenna moving means for simultaneously moving the pair of antenna units supported by the antenna supporting means in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction orthogonal to the antenna surface;
A non-contact communication device comprising:   The non-contact communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antenna support unit includes a space adjustment unit that varies a space between the antenna surfaces of the pair of antenna units.   The non-contact communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antenna support means includes angle adjustment means for inclining each antenna surface of the pair of antenna units.   The non-contact communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of antenna units are supported by the antenna support means in directions in which antenna surfaces of each other are opposite to each other.   The non-contact communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the opposite directions are opposite directions.   The non-contact communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the opposite directions are non-opposing directions.

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