JP2014236408A - Rfid communication device and communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an RFID communication device and a communication method, capable of excellently communicating with an RFID recording medium having a downsized antenna even with a simple, compact configuration.SOLUTION: An RFID label printer 100 includes: a transportation path 12 through which an RFID inlay 4 is transported; a reader writer 14 having a reader writer antenna 15 provided facing one side of the transportation path 12; a dipole antenna 16 that is provided at a position facing the other side of the transportation path 12 that is on the other side of a position where the reader writer antenna 15 is provided across the transportation path 12, and is electromagnetically coupled with the RFID inlay 4.

Description

  The present invention relates to an RFID communication apparatus and a communication method used for an RFID label printer or the like.

Although RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology has been put into practical use, there is still a high demand for downsizing of an RFID inlay (inlet) including an IC chip and an antenna.
However, when the antenna is downsized, the communication characteristics may deteriorate, and communication may take a long time or a communication error may occur. In particular, when RFID tag manufacturing sites and RFID labels are printed, since high-speed and reliable communication is required, deterioration of communication characteristics due to antenna miniaturization is a serious problem. It was.

  In Patent Document 1, the RFID tag attached to a plurality of commodities is sandwiched between a plurality of communication auxiliary bodies, so that even when the RFID tags are overlapped, the individual identification information is stabilized. A technique that can be read is disclosed.

JP 2006-60283 A

  However, in the method of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to arrange a plurality of communication auxiliary bodies so as to sandwich the RFID recording medium from both sides, and there is a problem that the configuration is complicated and the size is increased. Moreover, as a communication auxiliary body, it was necessary to form a capacitor and an inductance, and the configuration of the communication auxiliary body itself was complicated.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an RFID communication apparatus and a communication method capable of performing good communication with an RFID recording medium having a miniaturized antenna even with a simple and small configuration.

  The present invention solves the above problems by the following means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer path through which the RFID recording medium is transferred, a reader / writer having an antenna provided facing one side of the transfer path, and the antenna provided across the transfer path. An RFID communication device comprising: a conductor portion that is provided at a position facing the other side of the transfer path, which is opposite to the position, and is electromagnetically coupled to the RFID recording medium.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the RFID communication apparatus according to the first aspect, the conductor portion is a dipole antenna extending in a direction intersecting a transfer direction of the transfer path. It is.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the RFID communication apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the transfer path is configured to be able to transport the RFID recording medium, and the reader / writer communicates with the RFID recording medium. In the RFID communication device, the RFID recording medium is stopped in the vicinity of the conductor when performing the operation.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer path through which the RFID recording medium is transferred, a reader / writer having an antenna provided facing one side of the transfer path, and the antenna with the transfer path interposed therebetween. A communication unit provided in a position facing the other side of the transfer path that is opposite to the position, and a conductor unit that electromagnetically couples to the RFID recording medium, wherein the conductor unit is the RFID In the communication method, the reader / writer communicates with the RFID recording medium in an electromagnetically coupled state with the recording medium.

  According to the RFID communication apparatus and communication method of the present invention, the RFID communication apparatus can perform good communication with an RFID recording medium having a miniaturized antenna even with a simple and small configuration.

1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an RFID label printer 100 using an RFID communication apparatus and a communication method according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a view of the RFID label continuous body 1 conveyed in the RFID label printer 100 as viewed from the reader / writer 14 side. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the RFID label printer 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an IC chip 5 and an RFID antenna 6 included in the RFID inlay 4. It is a figure which shows the gain simulation result for every frequency of RFID antenna 6 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the directivity simulation result in the frequency 920MHz of the RFID antenna 6 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows IC chip 5, RFID antenna 6, and dipole antenna 16 when RFID inlay 4 exists in a communication position. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a gain simulation result for each frequency in a state where the RFID antenna 6 and the dipole antenna 16 illustrated in FIG. 7 are electromagnetically coupled. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a directivity simulation result at a frequency of 920 MHz in a state where the RFID antenna 6 and the dipole antenna 16 illustrated in FIG. 7 are electromagnetically coupled.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an RFID label printer 100 using an RFID communication apparatus and a communication method according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view of the RFID label continuous body 1 conveyed in the RFID label printer 100 as viewed from the reader / writer 14 side.
Note that each of the following drawings including FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically shown, and the size and shape of each part are appropriately exaggerated for easy understanding.
In the following description, specific numerical values, shapes, materials, and the like are shown and described, but these can be changed as appropriate.
Further, in the present specification, the output of various information by the RFID label printer 100 is described as “printing” as a normal usage by those skilled in the art. However, as described above, “printing” refers to the output of information by a thermal printer, and is not limited to the output of characters, but in a broad sense including the output of graphics such as barcodes and images. It shall be.

  The RFID label continuum 1 includes a mount 2, a label piece 3, and an RFID inlay 4.

  The mount 2 is formed in a strip shape, and a large number of label pieces 3 are continuously arranged and temporarily attached to one surface (hereinafter referred to as a surface).

  The label piece 3 is a surface on which the front side can be printed, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (not shown) is provided on the other side (hereinafter referred to as the back side). The label piece 3 has a transfer direction front end portion 3A and a transfer direction rear end portion 3B, and a portion corresponding to the transfer direction rear end portion 3B of the label piece 3 on the other surface (hereinafter referred to as the back surface) side of the mount 2. An eye mark (position detection mark) 7 is printed in advance. The label piece 3 is temporarily attached to the mount 2 so that the RFID inlay 4 is sandwiched between the adhesive layer of the label piece 3 and the mount 2. Thus, the label piece 3 can be peeled off from the mount 2 together with the RFID inlay 4 and attached to an object to be attached (not shown).

  The RFID inlay 4 has an IC chip 5 and an RFID antenna 6 and is an RFID recording medium capable of wireless data communication. The RFID inlay 4 of the present embodiment communicates with the reader / writer 14 in a frequency band from 920 MHz to 930 MHz. The RFID inlay 4 has a specific configuration of the IC chip 5 suitable for communication in the frequency band and the shape of the RFID antenna 6.

  The RFID label printer 100 includes a supply unit 11, a transfer path 12, a position detection unit 13, a reader / writer 14, a dipole antenna 16, a printing unit 20, and a control unit 30. The RFID label printer 100 is an RFID communication device that loads the RFID label continuous body 1 and transfers it to the transfer path 12 to perform data communication with the RFID inlay 4 and printing on the label piece 3.

  The supply unit 11 holds a roll 1 </ b> A obtained by winding the strip-shaped RFID label continuous body 1 in a roll shape, and feeds the RFID label continuous body 1 into the transfer path 12 in a strip shape.

  The transfer path 12 is an area (space) defined by a guide member, a guide roller, or the like (not shown), and is a path through which the RFID label continuous body 1 is transferred (conveyed).

  The position detection unit 13 detects the position of the RFID label continuous body 1 in the transfer path 12. The position detector 13 is arranged on the upstream side of the reader / writer 14 in the transfer path 12. Although any type of sensor can be used for the position detection unit 13, the position detection unit 13 includes a reflection type position detection sensor in the present embodiment. The position detector 13 detects the eye mark 7 on the back side of the mount 2 in the RFID label continuum 1, and the position of the label piece 3 temporarily attached to the position corresponding to the eye mark 7 in the transfer path 12. Is detected.

  The reader / writer 14 performs data communication with the RFID inlay 4 and has a reader / writer antenna 15 on one side of the transfer path 12 (upper side in FIG. 1). The reader / writer 14 performs data communication with the RFID inlay 4 (IC chip 5 and RFID antenna 6) of the label piece 3, specifically, reading of data written in advance in the IC chip 5, and IC Write necessary data to the chip 5. Further, as described above, the reader / writer 14 of this embodiment communicates with the RFID inlay 4 in the frequency band from 920 MHz to 930 MHz.

  The dipole antenna 16 is provided at a position facing the other side (lower side in FIG. 1) of the transfer path 12, which is opposite to the position where the reader / writer antenna 15 is provided across the transfer path 12. The dipole antenna 16 is formed by printing a conductor such as copper on a resin substrate, for example, and is a conductor portion that is electromagnetically coupled to the RFID inlay 4. The dipole antenna 16 is disposed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the transfer path 12.

The printing unit 20 is disposed on the downstream side of the reader / writer 14 in the transfer path 12 and sequentially prints the necessary contents on the label pieces 3. The printing unit 20 includes a thermal head 24, a platen roller 25, a supply shaft 22 for the thermal transfer ink ribbon 21, and a winding shaft 23.
When printing is performed, the RFID label continuous body 1 is loaded into the RFID label printer 100 and is sandwiched between the thermal head 24 and the platen roller 25. The printing unit 20 performs printing on the RFID label continuous body 1 (the surface of the label piece 3) conveyed through the transfer path 12 by the rotation of the platen roller 25 by the heating element 24 </ b> A portion of the thermal head 24.

  The control unit 30 controls the above-described units (the supply unit 11, the position detection unit 13, the reader / writer 14, the printing unit 20, and the like).

  The RFID label printer 100 is provided with a peeling portion for peeling the label piece 3 from the mount 2 on the downstream side of the printing unit 20 as necessary, or for cutting the label piece 3 together with the mount 2. A cutting part (both not shown) may be provided.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the RFID label printer 100.
In step (hereinafter referred to as S) 11, the control unit 30 rotates the platen roller 25 and starts conveying the RFID label continuous body 1.

  In S <b> 12, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the eye mark 7 has been detected by the position detection unit 13. When the eye mark is not detected, the RFID label continuous body 1 is continuously conveyed until the eye mark is detected by repeating this step. If an eye mark is detected, the process proceeds to S13.

  In S13, since the position of the RFID label continuum 1 can be specified by the eye mark 7 detected in S12, the control unit 30 continues to convey the RFID label continuum 1 and the RFID inlay 4 comes to the communication position. Sometimes stop transport. Here, the communication position is a position where the RFID inlay 4 communicates with the reader / writer 14.

  In S <b> 14, the control unit 30 communicates with the RFID inlay 4 by the reader / writer 14. At this time, the dipole antenna 16 can resonate at a frequency used for communication by being electromagnetically coupled to the RFID inlay 4 and increase the antenna gain.

  In S15, the control unit 30 conveys the label piece 3 including the RFID inlay 4 that has completed communication to the printing unit 20, and performs printing.

Here, the improvement of the communication characteristics by providing the dipole antenna 16 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the IC chip 5 and the RFID antenna 6 included in the RFID inlay 4.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a gain simulation result for each frequency of the RFID antenna 6 shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a directivity simulation result of the RFID antenna 6 shown in FIG. 4 at a frequency of 920 MHz.

  The RFID antenna 6 of this embodiment is a small antenna of 13.6 mm × 10.9 mm. Due to the miniaturization, the frequency at which the gain of the RFID antenna 6 increases is shifted from the frequency band of 920 MHz to 930 MHz used for communication by the reader / writer 14 of the present embodiment. The antenna gain in the 0 degree direction at a frequency of 920 MHz is −17.6 dB for the RFID antenna 6 alone.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the IC chip 5, the RFID antenna 6, and the dipole antenna 16 when the RFID inlay 4 is in the communication position.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a gain simulation result for each frequency in a state where the RFID antenna 6 and the dipole antenna 16 illustrated in FIG. 7 are electromagnetically coupled.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a directivity simulation result at a frequency of 920 MHz in a state where the RFID antenna 6 and the dipole antenna 16 shown in FIG. 7 are electromagnetically coupled.
The dipole antenna 16 of this embodiment is formed with a width of 3.9 mm and a length of 153 mm.
In the present embodiment, when the RFID inlay 4 is at the communication position, the RFID antenna 6 and the dipole antenna 16 are in an electromagnetically coupled state, and resonate in the frequency band from 920 MHz to 930 MHz to increase the gain. The antenna gain in the 0-degree direction at a frequency of 920 MHz is 1.3 dB due to the electromagnetic coupling between the RFID antenna 6 and the dipole antenna 16, which is much higher than −17.6 dB in the case of the RFID antenna 6 alone. It is getting higher.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the dipole antenna 16 can increase the antenna gain, which is low in the RFID antenna 6 alone, by electromagnetic coupling with the RFID antenna 6. Therefore, the reader / writer 14 can perform good communication with the RFID inlay 4 having the miniaturized RFID antenna 6. Further, since the dipole antenna 16 has a simple configuration, the RFID label printer 100 can have a simple and small configuration.

(Deformation)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the scope of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the RFID inlay 4 and the reader / writer 14 have been described with an example in which communication is performed in the frequency band from 920 MHz to 930 MHz. For example, the RFID inlay 4 and the reader / writer 14 are UHF bands (300 MHz to 3 GHz (preferably 860 MHz to 960 MHz, more specifically 433 MHz, 900 MHz, 920 MHz to 925 MHz, 950 MHz to 956 MHz)) or the like. Communication may be performed in a predetermined frequency band such as microwave (1 GHz to 30 GHz, specifically 2.45 GHz), HF band (3 MHz to 30 MHz (preferably 13.56 MHz)), or 135 kHz or less. .

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the dipole antenna 16 is provided has been described. For example, other types of conductors may be used for electromagnetic coupling with the RFID antenna 6.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 30 has been described with an example in which the conveyance is stopped when the RFID inlay 4 comes to the communication position, and the reader / writer 14 communicates with the RFID inlay 4. For example, the communication may be performed while conveying the RFID label continuous body 1.

  In the present embodiment, the RFID label printer 100 has been described as an example of the RFID communication apparatus. For example, the RFID communication apparatus of the present invention may be an RFID tag printer that prints on an RFID tag, or an apparatus that communicates with the RFID inlay in the process of producing the RFID inlay itself. There may be any specific form.

  In addition, although embodiment and a deformation | transformation form can also be used in combination as appropriate, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted. Further, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described above.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 RFID label continuous body 1A Roll body 2 Mount 3 Label piece 3A Transfer direction front-end | tip part 3B Transfer direction rear end part 4 RFID inlay 5 IC chip 6 RFID antenna 7 Eye mark 11 Supply part 12 Transfer path 13 Position detection part 14 Reader / writer 15 Reader / writer antenna 16 Dipole antenna 20 Printing unit 21 Thermal transfer ink ribbon 22 Supply shaft 23 Winding shaft 24 Thermal head 24A Heating element 25 Platen roller 30 Control unit 100 RFID label printer

Claims (4)

A transfer path through which the RFID recording medium is transferred;
A reader / writer having an antenna provided facing one side of the transfer path;
A conductor portion electromagnetically coupled to the RFID recording medium provided at a position facing the other side of the transfer path opposite to the position where the antenna is provided across the transfer path;
An RFID communication device comprising: The RFID communication device according to claim 1, wherein
The conductor portion is a dipole antenna extending in a direction intersecting the transfer direction of the transfer path;
RFID communication device characterized by the above. In the RFID communication device according to claim 1 or 2,
The transfer path is configured to be capable of transporting the RFID recording medium, and when the reader / writer communicates with the RFID recording medium, the RFID recording medium is stopped in the vicinity of the conductor portion;
RFID communication device characterized by the above. A transfer path through which the RFID recording medium is transferred;
A reader / writer having an antenna provided facing one side of the transfer path;
A conductor portion electromagnetically coupled to the RFID recording medium provided at a position facing the other side of the transfer path opposite to the position where the antenna is provided across the transfer path;
A communication method in an RFID communication device comprising:
A communication method in which the reader / writer communicates with the RFID recording medium in a state where the conductor portion is electromagnetically coupled to the RFID recording medium.

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