JP2007288341A - Communication apparatus and communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication apparatus which improves user-friendliness by making it possible to transmit discrimination information which becomes a reading object of a reader writer to the corresponding reader writer through a cabinet face, and a communication method. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus detects an antenna which receives a weak radio-wave radiated from a communication partner out of two or more antennas which are prepared independent each other in a state of being in parallel to the face in the cabinet which has a plurality of faces, reads out discrimination information corresponding to the detected antenna from a memory means which stores the discrimination information corresponding to the two or more antennas, and transceives the read out discrimination information with a communication partner through the detected antenna. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and a communication method, and is suitable for application to wireless communication between short-distance electronic devices such as NFC (Near Field Communication).

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a communication system including a mobile phone equipped with an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip and a plurality of short-range wireless antennas, and a reader / writer (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this communication system, when a mobile phone is placed over a weak radio wave irradiation surface provided in the reader / writer, the IC chip in the mobile phone communicates with the reader / writer via a short-range wireless antenna. To do. As a result, the identification information held in the IC chip in the mobile phone is transmitted to the reader / writer.

  At this time, even when a surface other than a specific surface of the mobile phone is held over the irradiation surface of the reader / writer, this communication system is in a state where a plurality of short-range wireless antennas are connected to each other. By providing it in a mobile phone, a situation such as a communication error is prevented in advance.

Here, a plurality of identification information is held in the IC chip of the mobile phone, and this IC chip corresponds to a reader / writer in which the mobile phone is arranged among a plurality of reader / writers that read different identification information. If the identification information can be transmitted, it is convenient for the user.
JP 2005-159607 A

  However, in the communication system having such a configuration, there is a problem that it is difficult for the IC chip in the mobile phone to determine which identification information is read by the reader / writer whose read target is provided.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and intends to propose a communication device and a communication method that can improve usability.

  In order to solve such a problem, the present invention is a communication device, wherein two or more antennas provided independently of each other in a state of being parallel to a surface in a housing having a plurality of surfaces, and two or more Storage means for storing identification information associated with the antenna, detection means for detecting an antenna for receiving weak radio waves radiated from a communication partner, and detection means detected by the detection means. A communication unit is provided that reads identification information associated with the antenna from the storage unit and transmits / receives the read identification information to / from a communication partner via the antenna detected by the detection unit.

  In this communication apparatus, since identification information is associated with a plurality of antennas arranged in parallel to the casing surface, a reader / writer to be used among a plurality of reader / writers that read different identification information is to be read. The selection of identification information to be can be intuitively grasped by a visual element called a face. Further, in this communication device, if a casing surface parallel to the antenna associated with the identification information to be read by the reader / writer to be used is arranged in a minute radio wave radiated from the reader / writer, Among the identification information, identification information to be read by the reader / writer can be transmitted. Thus, in this communication device, identification information to be read by the reader / writer can be transmitted to the corresponding reader / writer via the housing surface.

  Moreover, this invention is a communication method, Comprising: It radiates | emits from the communication other party among two or more antennas provided mutually independently in the state parallel to the surface in the housing | casing which has several surfaces. A first step of detecting an antenna that receives weak radio waves and a storage unit that stores identification information associated with two or more antennas, and an identification associated with the antenna detected in the first step A second step of reading information and transmitting / receiving the read identification information to / from a communication partner via the antenna detected in the first step is provided.

  In this communication method, the identification information is associated with a plurality of antennas arranged in parallel to the casing surface, so that among the plurality of reader / writers that read different identification information, the reader / writer to be used is the reading target. The selection of identification information to be can be intuitively grasped by a visual element called a face. Also, in this communication method, if a casing surface parallel to an antenna associated with identification information to be read by a reader / writer to be used is arranged in a minute radio wave radiated from the reader / writer, a plurality of communication methods can be used. Among the identification information, identification information to be read by the reader / writer can be transmitted. Thus, in this communication method, identification information to be read by the reader / writer can be transmitted to the corresponding reader / writer via the housing surface.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to transmit the identification information to be read by the reader / writer to the corresponding reader / writer via the housing surface, thereby improving usability. Can be realized.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Overall Configuration of Communication System According to this Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a communication system 1 according to this embodiment, and a plurality of reader / writers 10j (j = 1, 2,..., N (n is Integer)) and a planar antenna for near field communication (hereinafter referred to as a near field communication antenna) ANT1, ANT2, ANT3 and IC chip 20 mounted on the rectangular mobile phone 2 .

  The reader / writer 10j is installed at a predetermined place such as a boarding entrance for a vehicle such as a train, an entrance to a member space such as a company or a special room, or a counter of a commercial exchange such as a convenience store.

  In the housing of the reader / writer 10j, a planar loop in a state parallel to the irradiation surface IF is provided on the back surface of a surface IF (hereinafter referred to as an irradiation surface) IF to be irradiated with weak radio waves such as electromagnetic waves. An antenna RA is provided.

  The reader / writer 10j irradiates the loop antenna RA with a weak radio wave at a level that can be received by the communication partner up to a position separated from the loop antenna RA by several centimeters above the irradiation surface IF.

  On the other hand, the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 are built into the casing of the mobile phone 2 so as to be orthogonal to each other by 90 [°] and independent from each other. Specifically, the near field communication antenna ANT1 is provided in the vicinity of the bottom surface 2A of the casing of the mobile phone 2 so as to be parallel to the bottom surface 2A. The near field communication antennas ANT2 and ANT3 are the length of the casing. It is provided in the state of being parallel to the side surfaces 2B and 2C in the vicinity of the side surfaces 2B and 2C in the side direction.

  On the other hand, the IC chip 20 receives the weak radio wave irradiated from the irradiation surface 10A of the reader / writer 10j via any one of the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3. The voltage induced in response to is started as a drive voltage.

  That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A, in a state where none of the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 is parallel to the loop antenna RA of the reader / writer 10j, When arranged on the irradiation surface IF, all of these short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 exist within the reception range from the loop antenna RA to a position separated by several centimeters above the irradiation surface IF. Therefore, the IC chip 20 cannot receive weak radio waves and does not start up.

  On the other hand, among the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3, as shown in FIG. 2B, for example, the short-range communication antenna ANT2 is parallel to the loop antenna RA of the reader / writer 10j. When the IC chip 20 is arranged on the irradiation surface IF, the IC chip 20 receives weak radio waves via the short-range communication antenna ANT2 existing within the reception range and drives a voltage induced in response to the reception. It will start as a voltage.

  As described above, when any of the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 is disposed in a state in which the IC chip 20 is parallel to the loop antenna RA of the reader / writer 10j, The system is activated based on the voltage obtained via the distance communication antenna ANT1, ANT2, or ANT3.

  The IC chip 20 also includes, as identification information to be read by the reader / writer 10j, data relating to a boarding / exiting procedure for a vehicle such as a train (hereinafter referred to as commuter pass information), a company, a special room, etc. Data relating to admission procedures for the member space (hereinafter referred to as membership card information) and data relating to electronic commerce (hereinafter referred to as electronic money information) are stored in the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3. Correspondingly held.

  Then, the IC chip 20 detects the carrier of the weak radio wave emitted from the loop antenna RA of the reader / writer 10j, and after activation, the commuter pass information corresponding to the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 that have received the carrier, Membership card information or electronic money information is appropriately read out and transmitted / received to / from the reader / writer 10j.

  In this way, the IC chip 20 functions as a commuter pass, membership card or electronic money according to the surface of the mobile phone 2 arranged in parallel with the irradiation surface (loop antenna) of the reader / writer 10j. Yes.

  In this way, in the communication system 1, different identification information is assigned to the corresponding surface of the mobile phone 2, so the user can use the reader / writer to be used among the plurality of identification information held in the ID chip 20. As long as the selection of the identification information corresponding to 10j can be intuitively grasped by the visual element of the surface, and the surface is arranged in parallel to the irradiation surface IF of the reader / writer 10j, You can enter the boarding gate of the vehicle, enter the space for members, or conduct business transactions.

  The mobile phone 2 in the communication system 1 includes a long-distance communication antenna (normal antenna) for communicating with a base station (not shown), and short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3. Measures are taken such as separating the antennas by a predetermined distance, and as a result, radiation of high-frequency radio waves transmitted from the antennas for long-distance communication (ordinary antennas) to the antennas for short-range communication ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 is taken. It is made to be able to suppress.

(2) Configuration of IC Chip Next, the configuration of the IC chip will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 3, the IC chip 20 includes rectifiers 21, 22 and 23, a voltage stabilization circuit 24, a carrier detection circuit 25, and a control circuit 26.

  A short-range communication antenna ANT1 is connected to the rectifier 21, and a weak radio signal (hereinafter referred to as a radio signal) emitted from the loop antenna RA (FIG. 1) is used for the short-range communication. Supplied as a reception result from the antenna ANT1. The rectifier 21 rectifies the radio signal, and when the voltage V1 generated from the rectified signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, outputs the voltage V1 to the voltage stabilization circuit 24.

  Similarly to the rectifier 21, the rectifiers 22 and 23 rectify radio wave signals supplied from the short-range communication antennas ANT2 and ANT3 as reception results at the corresponding short-range communication antennas ANT2 and ANT3, and the rectified signals. Are output to the voltage stabilization circuit 24.

  The voltage stabilization circuit 24 adjusts the voltage V1, V2 or V3 supplied from the rectifier 21, 22 or 23 to a predetermined voltage level, and outputs the voltage VDD obtained as a result of the adjustment to the control circuit 26. To do.

  The carrier detection circuit 25 detects a carrier in the radio signal received by the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3, and sends the detection result to the control circuit 26 as detection data.

  The control circuit 26 has a computer configuration including a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a clock generator, and a flash memory. The flash memory includes a reader / writer 10. The commuter pass information, membership card information, and electronic money information are stored as read information read by.

  Here, for example, when the side surface 2B of the mobile phone 2 is arranged in parallel with the loop antenna RA of the reader / writer 10j (FIG. 2B), the control circuit 26 holds the side surface 2B in parallel with the side surface 2B. A radio signal received by the short-range communication antenna ANT2 is supplied as a voltage VDD through the rectifier 22 and the voltage stabilization circuit 24 in sequence, and a carrier of the radio signal is supplied as detection data through the carrier detection circuit 25. Is done.

  When the control circuit 26 is activated using the voltage VDD as a drive voltage, the control circuit 26 recognizes the short-range communication antenna ANT2 from which the carrier is detected by the detection data, and stores the identification information associated with the short-range communication antenna ANT2 in the flash memory. Read from.

  In this state, the control circuit 26 performs a predetermined modulation process on the carrier according to the identification information, and transmits the modulation signal obtained as a result to the reader / writer 10j via the corresponding short-range communication antenna ANT2. At the same time, the modulation signal received from the reader / writer 10j via the short-range communication antenna ANT2 is demodulated, and communication is performed so as to obtain the data obtained as a result.

  In this way, the IC chip 20 can function as a commuter pass, membership card or electronic money according to the surface of the mobile phone 2 arranged in parallel with the irradiation surface (loop antenna) of the reader / writer 10j. Has been made.

(3) Communication Processing Procedure Next, the communication processing procedure of the control circuit 26 described above will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When activated, the control circuit 26 starts this communication processing procedure in step SP0, and in the subsequent step SP1, based on the detection result in the carrier detection circuit 25 (FIG. 3), the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 Among them, the short-range communication antenna ANT receiving the weak radio wave from the reader / writer 10j is detected.

  Then, the control circuit 26 proceeds to step SP2, reads out the identification information associated with the short-range communication antenna ANT detected in step SP1, from the flash memory, and in step SP3, via the short-range communication antenna ANT. After communicating with the reader / writer 10j and transmitting the identification information to be read by the reader / writer 10j, the process proceeds to step SP4 and the communication processing procedure is terminated.

  In this way, the control circuit 26 communicates with the reader / writer 10j provided with a predetermined surface of the mobile phone 2 via the short-range wireless antenna ANT disposed in parallel with the surface. Identification information corresponding to ANT can be transmitted.

(4) Operation and effect In the configuration described above, the cellular phone 2 in the communication system 1 includes three short-range wireless devices that are independent of each other inside the rectangular casing and in parallel with the surface. Antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 are provided (FIG. 1).

  The mobile phone 2 is provided with an IC chip 20 connected to these short-range wireless antennas ANT1, ANT2 and ANT3 (FIG. 1), and the memory of the control circuit 26 of the IC chip 20 has each short-range Identification information (commuter pass information, membership card information, electronic money information) associated with the radio antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 is stored.

  The IC chip 20 detects the short-range wireless antenna ANT1, ANT2, or ANT3 that receives the weak radio wave radiated from the reader / writer 10j via the carrier detection circuit 25 (FIG. 3). Then, the IC chip 20 reads out the identification information associated with the detected short distance wireless antenna ANT from the memory, and reads the read identification information through the detected short distance wireless antenna ANT through the reader / writer 10j. Send and receive to and from.

Accordingly, in this communication system 1, commuter pass information, membership card information, and electronic money information are respectively provided to the short-range wireless antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 arranged in parallel to the housing surfaces 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D, 2E, and 2F. since is associated, among the plurality of reader-writer 10j, the reader writer 10 _1, 10 2 to be _utilized, ...., or a selection of reading the target identification information 10 _n, the visual elements that face It can be intuitively grasped.

In addition, a housing parallel to the short-range wireless antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 associated with identification information to be read by the reader / writers 10 ₁ , 10 ₂ ,..., Or 10 _n to be used. body surface 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D, the 2E and 2F, the reader writer ₁₀ 1, 10 _2, ..., or if only placed in a small radio wave radiated from the 10 _n, IC chip 20, the reader It is possible to communicate with the writers 10 ₁ , 10 ₂ ,..., Or 10 _n to convey the corresponding identification information.

  In this way, the communication system 1 uses the casing surfaces 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D, 2E and 2F as selection elements of identification information, and the casing surfaces 2A and 2B and 2C arranged in the reader / writer 10j to be used. The identification information to be read by the reader / writer 10j can be transmitted via 2D, 2E, and 2F.

  In the communication system 1, as a specific arrangement mode of the short-range wireless antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3, the short-range communication antenna ANT1 is located near the bottom surface 2A of the casing of the mobile phone 2 with respect to the bottom surface 2A. The short-range communication antennas ANT2 and ANT3 are provided in the vicinity of the side surfaces 2B and 2C in the long side direction of the housing in a state parallel to the side surfaces 2B and 2C. .

  Therefore, in this communication system 1, selection of identification information can be intuitively grasped not only by a simple surface but also by a visual element such as a difference in size (narrow surface and wide surface) of the surface. An arrangement space for a substrate or the like disposed in the housing of the telephone 2 can be ensured larger than that in the above-described embodiment.

  Further, in this communication system 1, the IC chip 20 is activated based on the weak radio wave radiated from the loop antenna RA by being parallel to the planar loop antenna RA (FIG. 1) held by the reader / writer 10j. Thereafter, the short-range radio antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 from which the weak radio waves are received are detected.

  Therefore, in this communication system 1, when all of the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 are arranged on the irradiation surface IF in a state where they are not parallel to the loop antenna RA of the reader / writer 10j ( Since it is not activated in FIG. 2 (A)), it is possible to further enhance that the selection of identification information is intuitively grasped by a visual element called a surface.

  According to the above configuration, the casing surfaces 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D, 2E and 2F are used as selection elements of identification information, and the casing surfaces 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D arranged in the reader / writer 10j to be used, Since the identification information to be read by the reader / writer 10j can be transmitted via 2E and 2F, the communication system 1 that can improve the usability can be realized.

(5) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the case where the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, ANT3 and the IC chip 20 are built in the mobile phone 2 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be incorporated in various other portable electronic devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), portable audio players, and portable game devices. Further, even if it is used as a dedicated device having the short-distance communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, ANT3 and the IC chip 20 instead of being built-in, the same effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  In the above-described embodiment, the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, and ANT3 are independent from each other, and the short-range communication antenna ANT1 is placed on the bottom surface 2A in the vicinity of the bottom surface 2A of the casing of the mobile phone 2. The cellular phone so that the short distance communication antennas ANT2 and ANT3 are parallel to the side surfaces 2B and 2C in the vicinity of the side surfaces 2B and 2C in the long side direction of the casing. Although the present invention is not limited to this, the present invention is not limited to this, and if it is provided independently of each other in a state of being parallel to the surface of the housing, two or more other positions can be provided. A short-range communication antenna can be incorporated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the short-range communication antennas ANT11 to ANT16 may be provided independently of each other inside the back side of each surface of the cubic housing 30 in a state parallel to the surface. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the short-range communication antennas ANT11 to ANT16 may be provided independently of each other inside the back side of each surface of the hexagonal column housing 40 in a state parallel to the surface.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the flash memory in the control circuit 26 is applied as the storage means for storing the identification information associated with two or more antennas has been described. Not limited to this, it may be shared with the memory of the mobile phone 2. In short, any memory provided in the housing containing the short-range communication antenna may be used.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a case where a carrier of a received antenna is detected as detection means for detecting an antenna that receives a weak radio wave radiated from a communication partner among two or more antennas. As described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and the voltage level supplied via the rectifier 21, 22 or 23 (FIG. 3) may be detected.

  Specifically, for example, it is assumed that a weak radio wave radiated from the communication partner is received when the voltage supplied via the rectifier 21, 22 or 23 (FIG. 3) exceeds a predetermined threshold. A voltage exceeding the threshold is supplied to the control circuit 26 via the voltage stabilization circuit 24, and the control circuit 26 receives a weak radio wave radiated from the communication partner according to the input terminal to which the voltage is supplied. It is made to recognize which antenna is an antenna. Even if it does in this way, the effect similar to the case of the above-mentioned embodiment can be acquired.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where one IC chip is provided for the short-range communication antennas ANT1 to ANT3 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in FIG. One IC chip 20A, 20B, or 20C may be provided for each of the short-range communication antennas ANT1, ANT2, or ANT3. The IC chip 20A, 20B or 20C is mounted with the same configuration as the rectifier 21 (22 or 23), the voltage stabilization circuit 24, and the control circuit 26, respectively, and is stored in the memory in the control circuit. Stores identification information (commuter pass information, membership card information, electronic money information) corresponding to the short-range communication antenna. In this way, the same effect as in the case of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  The present invention can be used in the field of wireless communication at a short distance.

It is a basic diagram which shows the whole structure of the communication system by this Embodiment. It is a basic diagram with which it uses for description of arrangement | positioning of the antenna for near field communication with respect to a reader / writer. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of IC chip. It is a flowchart which shows a communication processing procedure. It is a basic diagram which shows the housing and antenna (1) by other embodiment. It is a basic diagram which shows the housing and antenna (2) by other embodiment. It is an approximate line figure showing an IC chip by other embodiments.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Communication system, 2 ... Mobile phone, 10j ... Reader / writer, 20, 20A, 20B, 20C ... IC chip, 21, 22, 23 ... Rectifier, 24 ... Voltage stabilization circuit, 25 ... Carrier detection circuit, 26... Control circuit.

Claims (4)

Two or more antennas provided independently of each other in a state of being parallel to the surface inside the housing having a plurality of surfaces;
Storage means for storing identification information associated with the two or more antennas;
Detecting means for detecting an antenna that receives a weak radio wave radiated from a communication partner among the two or more antennas;
Communication that reads identification information associated with the antenna detected by the detection means from the storage means, and transmits / receives the read identification information to / from the communication partner via the antenna detected by the detection means A communication device comprising: means. The two or more antennas are
2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is provided independently of each other in a state of being parallel to each of the surfaces of the rectangular housing that are orthogonal to the surfaces of the casing. . The detection means detects an antenna that receives a weak radio wave radiated from the planar antenna by being parallel to the planar antenna held by the communication partner. Communication device. An antenna that receives a weak radio wave radiated from a communication partner is detected from two or more antennas provided independently of each other in a state of being parallel to the above surface inside a housing having a plurality of surfaces. A first step;
The identification information associated with the antenna detected in the first step is read out from the storage means for storing the identification information associated with the two or more antennas, and the read identification information is referred to as the first identification information. And a second step of transmitting / receiving to / from the communication partner via the antenna detected in the step.

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