JP4820139B2 - Automatic recognition system, automatic recognition device control device, automatic recognition device setting method, automatic recognition device setting program, computer-readable recording medium and recorded device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic recognition system, an automatic recognition device control device, and an automatic recognition device capable of reading and / or writing information without contact with an object to be recognized such as a wireless tag, a barcode, and a two-dimensional code. The present invention relates to a setting method, an automatic recognition device setting program, a computer-readable recording medium, and a recorded device.

  Automatic recognition devices that can read and recognize information recorded on wireless tags, barcodes, two-dimensional codes, etc. without contact are used for product identification and management in fields such as FA (Factory Automation) and logistics. . Examples of such automatic recognition devices include an RF-ID reader / writer that reads a wireless tag, a barcode reader that reads a barcode, and a two-dimensional code reader that reads a two-dimensional code. When these automatic recognition devices are used, for example, in the FA field, fixed automatic recognition devices are often used rather than hand-held handy types. The automatic recognition device reads a recognition object such as a wireless tag, a barcode, or a two-dimensional code attached to the pallet through a detection medium. The detection medium is light when the automatic recognition device is a barcode reader or a two-dimensional code reader. In the case of a reader / writer, information recorded in the memory of the wireless tag is read using radio waves as a detection medium (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The automatic recognition device is connected to and controlled by the higher-level control device 5. The host control device 5 and the automatic recognition device communicate via RS-232C signals and exchange signals using I / O signals. Further, the driving power of the automatic recognition device is supplied from the upper control device 5. Such automatic recognition devices and higher-level control devices are conventionally used in a stand-alone manner by directly connecting the devices.

On the other hand, in recent years, fieldbuses have been introduced for communication between sensors, actuators, and control devices in factories, and each device is connected to a network, and each signal is digitized, multiplexed, and wired in common. A reduction in wiring and cost is achieved. Similarly, automatic recognition devices such as barcodes, two-dimensional codes, and RF-IDs have become intelligent, such as having a communication function, and have evolved into networks capable of digital communication by introducing fieldbuses. For example, multiple automatic recognition devices and higher-level control devices that control them can be connected to the same fieldbus to control each automatic control device from the higher-level control devices at the same time, or to other sensors and fieldbuses. Can coexist on the above. FIG. 1 shows an example of an automatic recognition system in which a plurality of automatic recognition devices 6 and a higher-level control device PLC 7 are connected on a fieldbus FB. As shown in this figure, a plurality of high-function automatic recognition devices 6 called smart slaves are connected on a field bus FB, and these are controlled by a controller unit such as PLC 7 connected on the same field bus FB. Further, the controller unit is connected to a higher control bus CB and is controlled by the server 8 on the control bus CB. On the other hand, the controller is connected to the sensor bus SB in addition to the field bus FB, and can receive input / output signals from a plurality of I / O devices connected thereto.
(Field bus)

The fieldbus is a standard that uses digital communication to exchange signals between field devices such as measuring instruments and operating devices operating in factories and the like as described above. Since various devices are operating in the factory, an open fieldbus standard that can connect many devices is desired. As such fieldbus standards, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet, INTERRBUS, CC-Link (registered trademark), and the like are known. These field buses have open specifications so that different manufacturers can freely develop devices and use them together, and the specifications are managed and released by the organization that governs the standards. In addition, the institution that governs the standards performs a test of interconnection between different devices connected on the same field bus, and the interconnection is certified.
(Profile)

In addition, an open fieldbus is required to easily construct a system that combines many different devices. For this reason, a device profile is defined for devices of the same category, and any device within the same category can be completely replaced. A profile is a communication specification between devices as an interface for accessing each device from a higher-level control device, and is often a text file, and is prepared for each device. By reading this file into the setting software, communication between devices can be easily established. FIG. 2 shows a state in which a plurality of devices 6A of the same manufacturer (manufactured by Company A) are connected on one fieldbus FB. From this state, one device can be replaced with a device 6B made by another company (manufactured by Company B) of the same category.
(Automatic recognition device profile)

By the way, when the automatic recognition device is connected to the fieldbus, the data to be controlled from the higher-level control device and the data to be read differ depending on the type of the automatic recognition device, and thus a device-specific profile is defined. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when a bar code reader, a two-dimensional code reader, and an RF-ID reader / writer are compared as automatic recognition devices, it is automatically determined whether the data operation method is read only or read / write is possible. It depends on the recognition device. Similarly, the data amount and control signal are different. In order to connect these different automatic recognition devices to the same field bus, a profile in which the specifications of each automatic recognition device are recorded is read by a host control device. That is, each automatic recognition device has a dedicated profile. Profiles have different file names for each fieldbus standard. For example, GFI files for PROFIBUS (RS485), EDS files for DeviceNet, and CSP files for CC-Link (registered trademark) are prepared by device manufacturers.
Japanese Patent No. 2993008

  In this way, a unique profile is provided for each model of automatic recognition device. However, in actual use, the amount of data used varies depending on the application, so efficient operation cannot be achieved. was there. For example, when using the automatic recognition device A having a profile with a small amount of data as shown in FIG. 4, if the application uses a small amount of data with this automatic recognition device, the data transfer amount is reduced and the data is transferred once. Since the communication is completed by the operation instruction, the entire fieldbus is used efficiently. In other words, optimal use is realized with this profile.

  However, when this automatic recognition device A is used for an application that uses a large amount of data, the amount of data transfer increases, so that the amount of data specified in the profile is insufficient for one operation instruction, and multiple operations are performed. Need to repeat instructions. For this reason, it is necessary for the user to set the operation instruction a plurality of times, and the processing efficiency including communication is deteriorated.

  On the other hand, when the automatic recognition apparatus B having a profile with a large amount of data as shown in FIG. 5 is used for an application that uses a small amount of data, a small amount of data is communicated with a large transfer amount specified in the profile. Although communication is completed with a single operation instruction, unnecessary data increases and becomes inefficient. Conversely, when the automatic recognition device B is used for an application that uses a large amount of data, it is preferable because the transfer amount is large, communication is completed in one operation, and unnecessary data is small.

  In this way, the higher-level control device regulates the amount of data according to the profile of the automatic recognition device. Therefore, depending on the amount of data required in the actual application, waste may occur or, conversely, multiple operation instructions may be issued. There was a problem that efficiency became worse, such as being necessary.

  In general, the profile is provided by the manufacturer of the automatic recognition device targeted by the profile, and the user cannot create or change the profile independently. Further, only one profile is usually provided for one automatic recognition device. For this reason, there has been a problem that the automatic recognition device cannot be optimally set according to different purposes and situations. In particular, even among automatic recognition devices, RF tags such as RF-IDs have a large maximum amount of data, so the amount of data to be used may vary greatly depending on the application, and such fieldbus usage efficiency problems are likely to occur. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems. A first object of the present invention is an automatic recognition system capable of providing an appropriate profile according to the setting of an automatic recognition device, an automatic recognition device control device, an automatic recognition device setting method, an automatic recognition device setting program, and a computer. To provide a readable recording medium and a recorded device.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first automatic recognition system of the present invention is an automatic recognition system capable of recognizing information recorded in a recognition object, and accesses the information of the recognition object without contact. And a controller unit that is electrically connected to and controls the head unit. The controller unit further acquires device setting information of the head unit, and based on the device setting information, the head unit Profile generating means for generating a device profile related to data communication with the unit. As a result, the device-specific profile of the head unit to be used can be appropriately set according to the actual application, so that optimum data communication suitable for the use state is realized.

  In the second automatic recognition system of the present invention, the device setting information includes at least a data amount necessary for communication between the head unit and the controller unit. As a result, communication between the head unit and the controller unit is efficiently performed with an optimum data amount corresponding to an application in which the automatic recognition system is used.

  Furthermore, in the third automatic recognition system of the present invention, the device setting information further includes information related to the communication method. As a result, the baud rate and address of communication between the head unit and the controller unit can be set optimally.

  Furthermore, in the fourth automatic recognition system of the present invention, the recognition target is a wireless tag, and the head unit is a reader / writer capable of reading / writing information recorded in the memory of the wireless tag. In particular, since a wireless tag has a large amount of data that can be recorded, a large amount of data can be set by a profile, so that efficiency may deteriorate depending on use conditions. For this reason, the significance of being able to adjust to the optimal data amount according to the application is significant.

  Furthermore, in the control device for a fifth automatic recognition device of the present invention, the head unit has a smart slave function that can be connected to a field bus. As a result, network communication between the head unit connected to the fieldbus and the controller unit can be performed based on the optimized device profile, and efficient operation utilizing the characteristics of the fast and stable fieldbus can be performed. Figured.

  Furthermore, a control device for a sixth automatic recognition device of the present invention is a control device capable of connecting and controlling an automatic recognition device capable of recognizing information recorded on a recognition object in a non-contact manner. In addition, the apparatus includes profile generation means for acquiring device setting information of the automatic recognition device and generating a device profile related to data communication with the automatic recognition device based on the device setting information. As a result, the device-specific profile of the automatic recognition device to be used can be appropriately set according to the actual application, so that optimum data communication suitable for the use state is realized.

  Furthermore, a seventh automatic recognition device setting method of the present invention is a method for setting an automatic recognition device capable of recognizing information recorded on a recognition object in a non-contact manner, and includes device setting information of the automatic recognition device. And a step of generating a device profile related to data communication with the automatic recognition device based on the acquired device setting information. As a result, the device-specific profile of the automatic recognition device to be used can be appropriately set according to the actual application, so that optimum data communication suitable for the use state is realized.

  Furthermore, an eighth automatic recognition device setting program of the present invention is a setting program for an automatic recognition device capable of recognizing information recorded in a recognition object in a non-contact manner, and the device setting information of the automatic recognition device is obtained. Based on the acquired device setting information, a function to be acquired and a function of generating a device profile relating to data communication with the automatic recognition device are realized by the computer. As a result, the device-specific profile of the automatic recognition device to be used can be appropriately set according to the actual application, so that optimum data communication suitable for the use state is realized.

  Furthermore, a ninth computer-readable recording medium or recorded device of the present invention stores the above program. Recording media include CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, flexible disk, magnetic tape, MO, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD + R, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, Blu-ray disc, HD DVD And other media that can store programs such as magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memories, and the like. The program includes a program distributed in a download manner through a network line such as the Internet, in addition to a program stored and distributed in the recording medium. Further, the recorded devices include general-purpose or dedicated devices in which the program is implemented in a state where it can be executed in the form of software, firmware, or the like. Furthermore, each process and function included in the program may be executed by computer-executable program software, or each part of the process or hardware may be executed by hardware such as a predetermined gate array (FPGA, ASIC), or program software. And a partial hardware module that realizes a part of hardware elements may be mixed.

  As described above, according to the automatic recognition system, the control device for the automatic recognition device, the automatic recognition device setting method, the automatic recognition device setting program, the computer-readable recording medium, and the recorded device according to the present invention, the head to be used Since the profile unique to the monitor and the automatic recognition device can be appropriately set according to the actual application, optimum data communication suitable for the use state is realized. In particular, since only a single profile has been conventionally provided for one automatic recognition device, it was not possible to use a profile optimal for an actual application. On the other hand, since the present invention can flexibly set a profile according to the application, efficient operation is possible.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment shown below is an automatic recognition system for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, an automatic recognition device control device, an automatic recognition device setting method, an automatic recognition device setting program, and a computer-readable program. The present invention exemplifies a recording medium and a recorded device, and the present invention relates to an automatic recognition system, an automatic recognition device control device, an automatic recognition device setting method, an automatic recognition device setting program, a computer-readable recording medium, and a recording The following equipment is not specified. Further, the present specification by no means specifies the members shown in the claims to the members of the embodiments. In particular, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the component parts described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified, and are merely explanations. It is just an example. In addition, the size, positional relationship, and the like of members illustrated in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation. Furthermore, in the following description, the same name and symbol indicate the same or the same members, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, each element constituting the present invention may be configured such that a plurality of elements are constituted by the same member and the plurality of elements are shared by one member, and conversely, the function of one member is constituted by a plurality of members. It can also be realized by sharing.

In this specification, an automatic recognition system, an automatic recognition device, a control device thereof, and a computer, a printer, an external storage device, and other peripheral devices for operation, control, input / output, display, and other processing connected thereto For example, connection is made through serial connection such as IEEE1394, RS-232x, RS-422, RS-423, RS-485, USB, parallel connection, or network such as 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T, etc. Connect and communicate. The connection is not limited to a physical connection using a wire, but may be a wireless connection using a wireless LAN such as IEEE 802.1x or OFDM, radio waves such as Bluetooth, infrared rays, optical communication, or the like. Further, a memory card, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like can be used as a recording medium for storing data or setting of the automatic recognition system.
(Wireless tag reader / writer)

  Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, a wireless tag reader / writer capable of reading and / or writing information by contactlessly accessing a wireless tag or an IC tag will be described. Note that the wireless tag reader / writer is also called an interrogator, an interrogator, a controller, or the like.

  In recent years, wireless tags are being used as technology relating to product identification and management that replaces barcodes. A wireless tag is also called an IC tag, an ID tag, an RF tag, an electronic tag, a transponder, a data carrier, or the like, and is a non-contact type that receives an RF (Radio Frequency) signal and is recorded in an electronic circuit such as a semiconductor memory Is a tag using RF-ID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology that can read or write data. Recently, wireless tags that can be used semi-permanently without a power source have appeared due to the development of non-contact power transfer technology. A wireless tag reader / writer is used to read / write data from / to such a wireless tag.

  The wireless tag reader / writer includes a head unit that communicates with the wireless tag by non-contact communication and performs reading / writing, and a controller unit that controls the head unit. The wireless tag reader / writer is a transmission device that modulates and transmits a carrier wave as a baseband signal with a digital signal and receives a response signal from the wireless tag. The modulation based on the baseband signal of the carrier includes ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) modulation for changing the amplitude of the carrier, FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) modulation for changing the frequency, and PSK (Phase Shift changing the phase). Keying) modulation.

6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the RF-ID system 10 including the wireless tag reader / writer 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the wireless tag, and FIG. 8 is a wireless tag reader / writer. Block diagrams showing the configuration of 100 are respectively shown. The RF-ID system 10 in FIG. 6 manages the pallet W transported on the transport line by writing data to the wireless tag using the RF signal modulated with ASK or reading data in the wireless tag. System. The RF-ID system 10 includes a wireless tag 1, a reader / writer 2, a serial bus cable 3, and a control device 4.
(Wireless tag 1)

The wireless tag 1 receives an RF signal from the reader / writer 2 and generates electric power necessary for the operation, and writes received data into the memory or reads data from the memory based on the received data. . In this memory, UID (Unique ID) assigned at the time of manufacture is stored as identification information for identifying the wireless tag 1. Specifically, a manufacturer code, a product code, a serial number, and the like are stored as a UID. Therefore, the pallet W to which the wireless tag 1 is attached can be identified by reading the UID from the wireless tag 1. In addition, there are various types of wireless tags, and the commands that can be used differ mainly depending on the manufacturer. Wireless tag types include I / CODE SLI, MB89R116, MB89R118, Tag-itHFI, my-d, and the like.
(Reader / Writer 2)

Hereinafter, as one form of the wireless tag reader / writer 100, a reader / writer 2 that supports reading and writing of a plurality of types of wireless tags will be described. The reader / writer 2 performs an operation of transmitting an ASK modulation signal and receiving a response signal from the wireless tag 1. The reader / writer 2 is a wireless tag reader / writer based on the ISO15693 standard, and is a so-called proximity type (VICC: Vicinity) reader. Specifically, it is suitable for non-contact communication when the distance to the wireless tag is in the range of several centimeters to several tens of centimeters (for example, 70 cm). The reader / writer 2 is connected to the control device 4 via the serial bus cable 3. This reader / writer 2 is also called a head unit. On the other hand, the control device 4 is also called a controller unit and is configured by a computer, a PLC, or the like. Note that the head unit and the controller unit may be configured integrally as well as configured by separate members.
(Control device 4)

  The control device 4 instructs the reader / writer 2 to start communication with the wireless tag 1 and collects, accumulates, or displays data read from the wireless tag 1 by the reader / writer 2. The control device 4 instructs the start of communication at the timing when the pallet W on the transport line is located within the communication area of the reader / writer 2. As such a control device 4, an information processing terminal such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or a general-purpose personal computer is used.

Specifically, a read / write command is output from the control device 4 to the reader / writer 2 as a trigger signal for instructing the start of communication. Then, the reader / writer 2 starts transmitting a response request to the wireless tag 1 based on the read / write command. This response request is transmitted as an ASK-modulated RF signal, and is repeatedly transmitted until a response signal from the wireless tag 1 is received.
(Configuration of wireless tag 1)

  Details of the card-like wireless tag 1 shown in FIG. 6 are shown in a plan view of FIG. The wireless tag 1 includes a thin rectangular substrate 11, an antenna coil 12 spirally wired along each side of the substrate 11, and a semiconductor connected to the antenna coil 12 and disposed inside the antenna coil 12. It consists of a chip 13.

  The substrate 11 is made of, for example, a resin sheet having a thickness of 0.2 mm, and the antenna coil 12 is formed on the resin sheet by printing or etching. The semiconductor chip 13 includes a capacitor that forms a resonance circuit with the antenna coil 12, a demodulation circuit that demodulates the reception circuit, a processing circuit that processes reception data, and a semiconductor memory that stores UID and reception data. The response signal is generated based on a response request from the reader / writer 2. Specifically, it is generated by reading data from the semiconductor memory based on the received data and encoding a subcarrier generated by load modulation of the RF signal.

  Next, a block diagram showing the configuration of the reader / writer 2 of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. The reader / writer 2 includes an oscillation circuit 21, an amplification circuit 22, a modulation circuit 23, an LPF (low-pass filter) 24, an LC resonance circuit 25, an attenuator 26, a demodulation circuit 27, a binarization circuit 28, a control circuit 29, an external circuit An interface 30 and an encoding circuit 31 are provided.

  The oscillation circuit 21 is an RF signal generation circuit that generates an RF signal using a crystal oscillator. For example, a 13.56 MHz RF signal is generated and output as a carrier wave. The carrier wave is amplified by the amplifier circuit 22 and output to the modulation circuit 23.

  The modulation circuit 23 performs ASK modulation on the carrier wave after power amplification based on the baseband signal from the encoding circuit 31, and generates an ASK modulated signal. The modulation circuit 23 can switch between ASK modulation with a modulation factor of 100% and ASK modulation with a modulation factor of 10% so that communication can be performed even with different types of wireless tags. Further, in the ASK modulation with a modulation degree of 10%, in order to improve the communication performance for a wireless tag for a low modulation degree that designates a communication system with a modulation degree of 10%, the ASK modulation signal is within a range of 10% to 30%. The modulation degree can be switched.

  The encoding circuit 31 performs a process of encoding the data input from the control circuit 29 with a pulse position and generating a baseband signal.

  The harmonic component of the ASK modulated signal is removed by the LPF 24 and is output to the LC resonance circuit 25. The LC resonance circuit 25 is a resonance circuit including the antenna coil 12 and a capacitor. The ASK conversion signal from the modulation circuit 23 is sent to the wireless tag 1 via the LC resonance circuit 25. The response signal from the wireless tag 1 is received by the LC resonance circuit 25. Thus, the LC resonance circuit 25 constitutes the communication unit 70. The received signal is attenuated by the attenuator 26 to a level that can be controlled by the demodulation circuit 27 at the subsequent stage.

  The demodulating circuit 27 demodulates the received signal after attenuation based on the carrier wave and the sub-carrier wave to generate a demodulated signal. The binarization circuit 28 is a comparator that binarizes the demodulated signal from the demodulation circuit 27 by threshold processing, and generates composite reception data.

  The control circuit 29 starts communication with the wireless tag 1 based on a trigger signal input from the control device 4 via the external interface 30, and performs control to switch the modulation degree based on the demodulated signal. Specifically, a response request for the wireless tag 1 is generated based on the read / write command from the control device 4 and is output to the encoding circuit 31, and the response signal is received from the wireless tag 1 based on the demodulated signal. And an operation of switching the modulation degree of the ASK modulation signal is performed.

Here, it is assumed that an operation for automatically setting parameters relating to communication with the wireless tag 1 is performed based on a control signal input from the control device 4. Specifically, the parameter table is read based on the automatic determination command from the control device 4, the reception command is generated based on the read parameter table, and is transmitted to the wireless tag 1. Communication parameters are set based on a response from the wireless tag 1 in response to this reception command.
(Parameter table)

  The parameter table is composed of communication parameters (data) relating to communication standards and communication methods, and a plurality of tables are stored in a memory such as an EEPROM according to the type of the wireless tag 1 to be communicated. The communication parameters include the degree of modulation in ASK modulation, the radio wave intensity at the time of RF signal transmission, the block size (access size) of the tag read from the wireless tag 1, the maximum size of received data, the reply timing, and the like. Here, there are 8 types depending on the combination of communication parameters, that is, whether the communication method is modulation degree 100% or 10%, the strength of the radio wave intensity, and the designation of the read size (8 bytes or 4 bytes) Are stored as a parameter table.

One such parameter table is read, and based on the read parameter table, a communication parameter is determined and an acceptance command is transmitted. The reception command is also called an Inventory command, and the reply data is data specifying the manufacturer code or product code of the wireless tag 1. If there is no response from the wireless tag 1, this acceptance command is retransmitted after changing the parameter table. If there is a response from the wireless tag 1 to the reception command, the type of the wireless tag 1 is determined based on the received data, and communication parameters are registered and set. That is, an appropriate communication parameter can be automatically set by sending an acceptance command to the wireless tag 1 to be communicated.
(Automatic recognition system)

The automatic recognition system according to the present embodiment has a function that can change a device profile unique to a reader / writer, thereby enabling efficient operation suitable for an application. In particular, when the reader / writer has a smart slave function that can be connected to the fieldbus, it is suitable for communication when a controller unit or a higher-level control device is connected to the reader / writer connected to the fieldbus via a network. Efficient operation is achieved by creating a device profile and establishing communication based on it. Hereinafter, the configuration of the automatic recognition system will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The automatic recognition system shown in this figure includes a reader / writer 2 which is an automatic recognition device as a head unit, a controller unit connected to the reader / writer 2 and controlling it, and is connected to a higher level of the control unit. It has a control device for controlling this. The reader / writer 2 and the control device can be configured integrally to be an automatic recognition device. The integrated automatic recognition device is controlled by directly connecting to a host control device. The host control device is composed of a PLC or a computer. A plurality of control devices may be connected to the host control device to control them. It is also possible to integrate a host control device and a control device and connect a plurality of reader / writers 2 to the integrated controller unit.
(Block diagram of control device 4)

  The control device 4 illustrated in FIG. 9 includes a power supply circuit 80, a connection unit 82, a control circuit 29, a storage unit 60, and a user interface circuit 84. The power supply circuit 80 supplies power to the wireless tag reader / writer 2. The connection unit 82 is a member for connecting the control device 4 and the reader / writer 2. For example, the control device 4 and the reader / writer 2 are connected via an electric cable, and an electric signal can be exchanged between them by data communication or I / O connection. The control circuit 29 transmits various operation instructions to the reader / writer 2 for control based on a control signal from a higher-level control device 5 to which the control device 4 is connected. The above control device 4 supplies power to the wireless tag reader / writer 2 from the power supply circuit 80, and transmits various operation instructions to the reader / writer 2 under the control of the host control device 5.

  Further, the control circuit also functions as a profile generation unit that acquires device setting information of the reader / writer and generates a device profile based on the device setting information. Thus, by providing a function that can change the profile unique to the reader / writer, optimal communication can be performed according to the user's application. Specifically, since the data amount necessary for communication is determined from the device setting information of the reader / writer, the control circuit generates a profile based on the device setting information.

  Only one conventional profile is provided for the automatic recognition device such as a reader / writer by the manufacturer of the automatic recognition device. This is because device setting information includes multiple parameters such as data volume and data access method, and as the number of input terminals and output terminals increases, the number of combinations becomes enormous, depending on the user's application. This is because, since the required profiles are different, considering the labor of profile creation, the labor of management, and the labor of selection, it has been extremely difficult to deal with all of them. Also, the user cannot create or edit a profile. For this reason, conventionally, one general-purpose profile has to be used, and efficient data access has not necessarily been realized between an automatic recognition device and a controller or host control device that controls the device. .

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the profile generation unit can create a profile optimized according to the environment actually used by the user, the most efficient data access can be realized. It is also possible to create a plurality of profiles for the same automatic recognition device. As a result, the device profile can be changed to change the communication settings according to the usage status of the automatic recognition device, and communication between the automatic recognition device and the host control device can be performed efficiently even in different situations. . Moreover, since it is sufficient to create and manage only the necessary profiles, the burden on the user is small.

  FIG. 10 illustrates an example in which a plurality of different profiles are created according to different applications using the same automatic recognition device C. For example, consider a setting for an application 1 that frequently writes flags. In this case, it is preferable that the input and output are small amounts of data and the communication time is short. Based on the device setting information A suitable for such conditions, the profile A is generated by a control circuit which is a profile generation means. The profile A is set to a small amount of data for both input data and output data, and data communication suitable for the application 1 is realized.

  As an application 2, a setting for a purpose of reading the entire memory of the wireless tag and logging the result of the entire process is considered. In this case, since the input is only an operation instruction, only a small amount of data is required. Conversely, it is preferable that the output is large so that a large amount of data can be handled by one operation instruction. Based on the device setting information B suitable for such conditions, the profile B is generated by the control circuit. In the profile B, the input data is set to a small amount and the output data is set to a large amount of data, whereby data communication suitable for the application 2 is realized.

Further, as an application 3, a setting for a purpose of writing initialization data to the entire memory of the wireless tag is considered. In this case, since the input is an operation instruction and write data, it is preferable to use a large amount of data, and since the output is only the result, it is preferable to use a small amount of data. Based on the device setting information C suitable for such conditions, the profile C is generated by the control circuit. In the profile C, a large amount of input data and a small amount of output data are set, so that data communication suitable for the application 3 is realized.
(Storage unit 60)

Returning to FIG. 9, the control circuit 29 issues a predetermined command to the reader / writer 2 via the connection unit 82, thereby acquiring the setting of the reader / writer 2 and storing it in the storage unit 60. The storage unit 60 stores settings related to recognition of the reader / writer 2. The storage unit 60 can use a secondary storage medium such as a memory or a hard disk that can be electrically written and erased. Preferably, it comprises a ROM, RAM, EEPROM and / or FRAM for storing data. Preferably, the storage unit 60 is a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM so that the setting data can be held even when the control device 4 is powered off.
(User interface circuit 84)

The user interface circuit 84 provides a user interface for the user to operate the control device 4. Here, the user interface includes a display unit, an operation unit, and the like provided in the control device 4, and the user interface circuit 84 controls these members. As the display unit, a seven-segment display such as a liquid crystal or LED can be used, and a CRT, a liquid crystal, an organic EL display, or the like may be connected or incorporated in a control device. The operation unit can use various operation buttons, an external keyboard, a console, a remote control, and the like. An example of a control device provided with a user interface is shown in FIG. In this example, a 7-segment display 86 is provided above, various indicators 87 are arranged around it, and operation buttons 88 such as a shift key, an enter key, and an up / down key are provided in the center. The user saves and writes back various settings of the reader / writer 2 via the interface such as the display unit and the operation unit. That is, the user operates the operation unit while looking at the display unit, and sends an operation instruction to save the setting to the reader / writer 2 from the control device 4 via the connection unit 82 to acquire and store various settings of the reader / writer 2. Store in unit 60. In addition, when transferring the settings, an instruction to transfer the settings is given from the interface, and the settings stored in the storage unit 60 are transferred to the reader / writer 2 via the connection unit 82. It is very easy to set up connected automatic recognition devices. In particular, setting devices such as laptop computers that have installed a program for setting automatic recognition devices are connected to each automatic recognition device one by one, and the connected automatic recognition devices are saved in advance for connection. The set data can be transferred and set. For this reason, even when a new automatic recognition device is replaced due to failure or maintenance, or when an automatic recognition device is added, these settings can be easily and quickly set to the same setting contents as before.
(Automatic recognition device setting program)

  The procedure for operating the control device 4 to save and transfer the setting contents has been described above. Further, such an operation instruction is not limited to a configuration that is performed from the control device, but can be configured to be performed from a control device connected to a higher level of the control device. In addition, the user can store and transfer the reader / writer settings by operating an automatic recognition device setting program for setting or operating automatic recognition devices installed in the control device or the upper control device. In particular, in a configuration in which higher-level control devices are connected to a plurality of control devices via a network or the like, settings can be made for a plurality of automatic recognition devices that can communicate with this by a single higher-level control device. Furthermore, with this automatic recognition device setting program, a profile optimized for an application using the automatic recognition device can be created. Hereinafter, in the configuration of FIG. 9, the higher-level control device is configured by a computer, and an automatic recognition device setting program for setting automatic recognition devices is installed in this computer, and the user displays a user interface screen of the automatic recognition device setting program. A mode for operating and setting the automatic recognition device will be described. The user operates this automatic recognition device operation program, selects one of the connected reader / writers, copies the settings of each reader / writer, and reads the data of the wireless tag read by the reader / writer on the display unit. The profile can be created based on the display or the device setting information of the reader / writer.

  An example of a user interface screen for creating a profile of an automatic recognition device is shown in FIG. The user interface screen 300 shown in this figure automatically recognizes the currently connected automatic recognition device such as the reader / writer 2 and displays it in a tree shape on the left pane 310 and the automatic recognition selected from this pane 310. The device setting information set for the device can be read and displayed on the setting unit 320, and a device profile can be created based on this setting. A device profile in which this value is changed can also be created by referring to the device setting information displayed on the setting unit 320. The device setting information may be acquired by accessing the automatic recognition device, or may be stored in advance in the storage unit of the controller unit and called from here.

  In the example of FIG. 12, DeviceNet is used as a fieldbus, and a slave ID, baud rate, data write size, output data, read size, input data, and the like for the communication setting are displayed on the setting unit 320. After confirming or correcting these, when an “EDS file output” button 330 is pressed, a file save screen is opened, the file name is input, and the EDS file is saved as a device profile. The stored EDS file is read by the host control device, and communication is performed between the host control device and the reader / writer according to the specifications defined in this file.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a profile. As shown in this figure, the profile is a text file, and defines communication between the automatic recognition device and the upper control device. In addition, as described above, various files are defined according to the fieldbus standard, such as GSD file for PROFIBUS (RS485), EDS file for DeviceNet, and CSP file for CC-Link (registered trademark). Used as

  A plurality of EDS files can be created and saved for the same reader / writer. Thereby, according to the use condition of a reader / writer, a device profile can be changed and a communication setting can be changed. Thus, an appropriate device profile can be selected in a plurality of situations.

  As mentioned above, the example applied to the wireless tag reader / writer as the automatic recognition device of the present invention has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to other automatic recognition devices such as a barcode reader and a two-dimensional code reader. is there. For example, in FIG. 9, a bar code reader or a two-dimensional code reader optical reader can be used for the head portion.

  Automatic recognition system of the present invention, automatic recognition device control device, automatic recognition device setting method, automatic recognition device setting program, computer-readable recording medium, and recorded device, information recorded in a wireless tag without contact It can be applied to a reader / writer that reads For example, as an individual object recognition system called a data carrier system or the like, a wireless tag is attached to an article to identify the article. Examples of applications include machine tool tools in FA (Factory Automation), parts in factories, product management, article identification systems used in logistics systems, railway tickets, and supermarket price reading.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the automatic recognition system which connected several automatic recognition apparatus and PLC which is a high-order control apparatus on the fieldbus. It is explanatory drawing explaining that the apparatus of the same manufacturer connected on the fieldbus is exchangeable for the apparatus of another company. It is a figure explaining that each profile is produced | generated according to the characteristic of an automatic recognition apparatus. It is a figure explaining the example which performs data transfer using the automatic recognition apparatus A with a profile with little data amount. It is a figure explaining the example which performs data transfer using the automatic recognition apparatus B with a profile with much data amount. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an RF-ID system including a wireless tag reader / writer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a top view of a wireless tag. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a wireless tag reader / writer. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic recognition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining a mode that a different device profile is produced | generated according to an application. It is a figure which shows an example of the user interface of a control apparatus. It is an image figure which shows an example of the user interface screen which produces the profile of an automatic recognition apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a profile.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Wireless tag reader / writer 1 ... Wireless tag 2 ... Reader / writer 3 ... Serial bus cable 4 ... Control device 5 ... Upper control device 6, 6A, 6B ... Automatic recognition device 7 ... PLC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 ... Server 10 ... RF-ID system 11 ... Board | substrate; 12 ... Antenna coil; 13 ... Semiconductor chip 21 ... Oscillator circuit; 22 ... Amplifier circuit; 23 ... Modulator circuit 24 ... LPF; DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 27 ... Demodulation circuit; 28 ... Binarization circuit; 29 ... Control circuit 30 ... External interface; 31 ... Coding circuit 60 ... Memory | storage part 80 ... Power supply circuit 82 ... Connection part 84 ... User interface circuit 86 ... 7 segment type display 87 ... Indicator 88 ... Operation button 300 ... User interface screen 310 ... Pane 320 ... Setting section 330 ... "EDS file output" button W ... Palette FB ... Field bus; CB ... Control bus; SB ... Sensor bus

Claims (9)

An automatic recognition system capable of recognizing information recorded on a recognition object,
A head unit for accessing the information of the recognition object in a contactless manner;
A controller unit that is electrically connected to and controls the head unit;
With
The controller unit further includes:
An automatic recognition system comprising: profile generation means for acquiring device setting information of the head unit and generating a device profile relating to data communication with the head unit based on the device setting information. The automatic recognition system according to claim 1,
The automatic recognition system, wherein the device setting information includes at least a data amount necessary for communication between the head unit and the controller unit. The automatic recognition system according to claim 2,
The automatic recognition system, wherein the device setting information further includes information on a communication method. An automatic recognition system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The recognition object is a wireless tag;
An automatic recognition system, wherein the head unit is a reader / writer capable of reading / writing information recorded in a memory of a wireless tag. An automatic recognition system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An automatic recognition system, wherein the head unit has a smart slave function connectable to a fieldbus. A control device capable of controlling and controlling an automatic recognition device capable of recognizing information recorded on a recognition object in a non-contact manner,
A control apparatus for an automatic recognition device, comprising: profile generation means for acquiring device setting information of the automatic recognition device and generating a device profile related to data communication with the automatic recognition device based on the device setting information . A method for setting an automatic recognition device capable of recognizing information recorded on a recognition object in a non-contact manner,
Acquiring device setting information of the automatic recognition device;
And a step of generating a device profile relating to data communication with the automatic recognition device based on the acquired device setting information. An automatic recognition device setting program capable of recognizing information recorded on a recognition object in a non-contact manner,
A function of acquiring device setting information of the automatic recognition device;
An automatic recognition device setting program for causing a computer to realize a function of generating a device profile related to data communication with the automatic recognition device based on the acquired device setting information.   A computer-readable recording medium or a recorded device storing the program according to claim 8.