JP3132886U - Electronic tag reader / writer - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic tag reader / writer that can be used in a wide range of fields without reducing the detection distance (read / write possible distance) and without having to worry about obstacles caused by touching.
A case main body having a read / write circuit, a control circuit, and an I / O interface circuit, and an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves from the read / write circuit or receiving electromagnetic waves from the outside. The antenna 3 is provided outside the case body 2 and the antenna 3 is shaped like a bracelet.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic tag reader / writer suitable for use in a system for managing articles and information using an electronic (wireless) tag.

  Electronic tags have become popular in recent years and are used in various systems. An electronic tag reader / writer used in this type of system is generally composed of a communication circuit including a read / write antenna and a control CPU (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  For example, there are commuter passes and electronic money that humans possess electronic tags, and conversely, systems that attach tags to products and humans possess electronic tag readers / writers include inventory management and traceability. There is a system to ensure.

  As a reader / writer possessed by this human, the one shown in FIG. 9 has recently been marketed. The electronic tag reader / writer includes a case main body 51, an antenna portion 54 connected to the case main body 51 by a lead wire 52 and a connector 53, and a bracelet 55 for attaching the case main body 51 to the wrist. . In the case body 51, circuit sections such as a read / write communication circuit and a control CPU are accommodated. An antenna 56 is disposed in the antenna portion 54, and is connected to a read / write communication circuit in the case body 51 by a lead wire 52. The antenna portion 54 is integrally formed with a ring 57 for wearing on the finger.

When using this electronic tag reader / writer, the bracelet 55 is worn on the wrist and the ring 57 is worn on the middle finger. In order to read the data of the electronic tag, the reading operation is performed with the antenna 56 of the antenna unit 54 integrated with the ring 57 faced to face the electronic tag.
JP 2006-318078 A

  The above-mentioned RFID tag reader / writer used for inventory management and ensuring traceability is easy to carry if it does not need to be held, and does not need to be picked up or moved for reading operations. This is where the point is desired.

  As a response to this demand, there has been proposed an antenna using an antenna having an external ring-shaped holding portion in the case body as shown in FIG. Even if the antenna is built in the case main body, if the device main body (case main body) is about a ring, there is an effect in terms of work efficiency.

  However, antennas with a ring-type holding part can be miniaturized, but the antenna part and the ring part touch hard objects and water and other things that cause obstacles to the device when worn on the finger. Because there are many opportunities, and depending on the work, even a ring can be a hindrance, so in order to be able to use it in everyday life without a sense of incongruity, there are still many issues to be solved, and in addition to antennas If the size is about the size of a ring, there is a problem that the detection distance is small, and there is a problem that it is very difficult to put into practical use.

  This device has been made with the above problems in mind, and does not need to reduce the detection distance (read / write distance), yet there is no need to worry about obstacles due to touching, and it can be used in a wide range of fields. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic tag reader / writer that can be used.

  An electronic tag reader / writer according to the present invention includes a case body incorporating a read / write circuit and a control circuit unit, and an antenna that transmits electromagnetic waves from the read / write circuit or receives electromagnetic waves from the outside. The antenna is shaped like a bracelet and is provided outside the case body.

  In this device, the bracelet-shaped antenna can also serve as a bracelet for attaching the case body to a wrist.

  In the present invention, the case main body may be provided with a bracelet for mounting on the wrist, and the bracelet-shaped antenna may be formed separately from the bracelet.

    In the present invention, the bracelet-shaped antenna may be set so that the size of the ring can be passed through the wrist.

  In the present invention, the bracelet-shaped antenna may be formed of a band-shaped conductor, and at least one end may be attached to the case body with one touch.

  In the present invention, the bracelet-shaped antenna may be formed of a conductive material that is at least partially stretchable.

  In the present invention, the bracelet-shaped antenna may be formed of a cord-like conductor, and at least one end of the case main body may be detachable by a connector.

  According to this device, since the antenna is provided in the shape of a bracelet and is provided outside the main body case, the size of the device is unlikely to be limited like a ring-type antenna, and the detection range of the bracelet-shaped antenna is small. Because it can be widely used, the antenna is less likely to touch obstacles and water in other cases during use. It can be used in a system that supports daily life, and as a result, can contribute to solving social problems such as disaster prevention / crime prevention and life support for the elderly living alone.

  The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following embodiments.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic tag reader / writer showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention. An electronic tag reader / writer 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a case main body 2 and a bracelet antenna 3 attached to the case main body 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the case body 2 includes an electronic tag reader / writer module 4, a control CPU module 5, and an I / O that exchanges data with devices such as an external PC (personal computer), a mobile phone, and a PDA. An O interface 6, the electronic tag reader / writer module 4, a control CPU module 5, and a battery 7 for supplying power to the I / O interface 6 are mounted on a circuit board in the main body case 2 although not shown. Has been. However, each circuit provided in the case body 2 is well known per se.

  The antenna 3 has a bracelet shape and is formed of a strip-shaped conductor. Due to the characteristics of the antenna, the antenna 3 may be one in which a conductor wiring is wound in a pattern on a belt-like flexible substrate. One end 3 a and the other end 3 b of the antenna 3 are connected to the antenna connection ends 4 a and 4 b of the communication unit of the electronic tag reader / writer module 4 in the main body case 2.

  The bracelet diameter of the antenna 3 is set to be larger than the diameter of the wrist of a general person so as to allow a margin, and the wristband G can be attached to the wrist G as shown in FIG. is there. Here, the antenna 3 also serves as a wearing arm band of the electronic tag reader / writer 1.

  When exchanging data between the electronic tag reader / writer 1 and the electronic tag, the size of the antenna 3 is as large as a bracelet by bringing the electronic tag reader / writer 1 on the wrist closer to the vicinity of the electronic tag. It can be carried out.

<Embodiment 2>
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of an electronic tag reader / writer showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This electronic tag reader / writer 11 is also the same as that shown in FIG.

    The feature of the second embodiment is that one end 3A of the antenna 3 can be attached to and detached from the connection end 4A of the case body 2 with one touch. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, snap plate pieces 8 a and 8 b are provided at one end 3 </ b> A of the antenna 3 from the side end of the antenna 3, and a connection clip 9 is projected from the center of the lower surface of the one end 3 </ b> A. Further, the connection end 4 </ b> A of the case body 2 is provided with a hole 10 for receiving the clip 9 at a position corresponding to the connection clip 9.

    When the electronic tag reader / writer 11 of Embodiment 2 is attached to the wrist, the wrist is passed through the bracelet-shaped antenna 3 in the state shown in FIG. 4, and the clip 9 at one end 3A of the antenna 3 as shown in FIG. Is inserted into the hole 10 of the connection end 4A of the case body 2 and attached with one touch. In this embodiment, a slightly larger diameter can be set than the thickness of the wrist of a general person.

<Embodiment 3>
FIG. 6 is a top view of an electronic tag reader / writer showing Embodiment 3 of the present invention. This electronic tag reader / writer 21 is also similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 in that it is composed of a case body 2 and a bracelet-shaped antenna 3.

    A feature of the third embodiment is that a portion 3C, 3D in which the antenna 3 is formed of a band-shaped metal body, and a portion 3E formed of conductive rubber between the metal bodies 3C, 3D are provided to form one bracelet. This is the configuration of the antenna.

    When the electronic tag reader / writer 21 of this embodiment is attached to the wrist, the tip portion of the finger is inserted into the bracelet portion of the antenna 3, the conductive rubber portion 3E is stretched, and the electronic tag reader / writer 21 is attached to the wrist. Also in this embodiment, the diameter of the antenna 3 can be set to a slightly larger diameter than the thickness of the wrist of a general person.

<Embodiment 4>
FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of an electronic tag reader / writer showing Embodiment 4 of the present invention. This electronic tag reader / writer 31 is also the same as that shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6 in that it is composed of a case body 2 and a bracelet-shaped antenna 3.

    The feature of the fourth embodiment is that the antenna 3 is formed by a cord-like conductor, a plug 3F is provided at one end of the cord-like conductor 3, and a connector 4F that receives the plug 3F is provided at a side end of the main body case 2. The plug 3F of the antenna 3 can be freely attached to and detached from the connector 4F.

    When the electronic tag reader / writer 31 of this embodiment is attached to the wrist, the wrist is passed through the bracelet-shaped antenna 3 in the state shown in FIG. 7, and then the plug 3F of the antenna 3 is inserted into the connector 4F of the case body 2. Also in this embodiment, the diameter of the antenna 3 can be set to a slightly larger diameter than the thickness of the wrist of a general person.

<Embodiment 5>
FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of an electronic tag reader / writer showing Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The major features of the electronic tag reader / writer 41 of this embodiment are different from those shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 6, and 7, and are different from the bracelet (band) 12 for attaching the case body 2 to the wrist. The body is provided with a bracelet-shaped antenna 3.

    In this embodiment, the case main body 2 is held by a rubber bracelet 12 that can be expanded and contracted, and by passing the wrist through the bracelet 12, the case main body 2 is fitted to the arm near the wrist by the bracelet 12. Can hold.

    The antenna 3 is a bracelet-shaped metal body, and both ends 3A and 3B are connected to a resonance circuit in the antenna case portion 3G. The diameter of the antenna 3 is set to be larger than the diameter of the bracelet 12 so that the wrist can be inserted into the bracelet portion. Only the resonance circuit is accommodated in the antenna case portion 3G, the antenna case portion 3G is formed integrally with the case body 2, and the resonance circuit is connected to the communication circuit portion in the case body 2 within the case connection portion 3H. It is connected. The antenna case portion 3G may be separated from the case main body 2 and connected to the case main body 2 with a connector.

    When the electronic tag reader / writer 41 is attached to an arm near the wrist and used, the electronic tag reader / writer 41 is placed on the arm by the bracelet 12 when the wrist portion is passed from the direction of the arrow A in FIG. It is fixed to. Since the RFID tag reader / writer of this embodiment includes an antenna with a large diameter separately from the bracelet, there is a margin when the antenna is mounted, and the antenna is fixed to an antenna case portion formed integrally with the case body, so that the constant The antenna can be secured in the direction of and can be read and written stably.

    As a modification of this embodiment, the antenna case portion 3G may be eliminated, and both ends 3A and 3B of the antenna 3 may be connected to the side portion of the case body 2. Further, the antenna 3 may be connected to the case body by the method shown in FIGS.

    In the above embodiments, the electronic tag reader / writer for the arm to be attached to the arm near the wrist has been described. However, for example, this device can be used to read and write an IC tag embedded in the floor surface. It can also be applied as an electronic tag reader / writer for legs to be attached to the foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the electronic tag reader / writer according to the first embodiment. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the state which mounted | worn the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 1 with the wrist. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection state of the antenna and case main body connection part of the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 2. It is a top view which shows the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the electronic tag reader / writer of Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the conventional electronic tag reader / writer.

Explanation of symbols

1, 11, 21, 31, 41 Electronic tag reader / writer 2 Case body 3 Antenna 4 Electronic tag reader / writer module 5 CPU module 6 I / O interface circuit 7 Battery 8a, 8b Snap plate piece 9 Clip 10 Hole 12 Brace for mounting the case main body

Claims (7)

In an electronic tag reader / writer comprising a case body containing a read / write circuit and a control circuit unit, and an antenna for transmitting electromagnetic waves from the read / write circuit or receiving electromagnetic waves from the outside, the antenna is shaped like a bracelet An electronic tag reader / writer provided outside the case body 2. The electronic tag reader / writer according to claim 1, wherein the bracelet-shaped antenna also serves as a bracelet for attaching the case main body to a wrist. The electronic tag reader / writer according to claim 1, further comprising a bracelet for mounting the case main body on a wrist, wherein the bracelet-shaped antenna is formed separately from the bracelet. 4. The electronic tag reader / writer according to claim 3, wherein the bracelet-shaped antenna has a ring size set to allow the wrist to be inserted. 4. The electron according to claim 1, wherein the bracelet-shaped antenna is formed of a band-shaped conductor, and at least one end can be attached to and detached from the case main body with one touch. Tag reader / writer. 4. The electronic tag reader / writer according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the bracelet-shaped antenna is formed of an electrically conductive material that can be expanded and contracted. 5. 4. The bracelet-shaped antenna is formed of a cord-like conductor, and at least one end of the bracelet antenna is detachable by a connector. RFID tag reader / writer.

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