JP5312278B2 - RFID paper printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an RFID paper printer, and more particularly to an RFID paper printer that can read and write information in a non-contact manner and can perform printing.

Conventionally, various RFID information media for reading and reading information without contact using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology have a predetermined surface area, for example, a flat sheet body, It has a planar antenna provided and an IC chip connected to the antenna and storing predetermined information, and the information can be read and written by an external data read / write unit. In addition to the case where such an RFID information medium is used in the form of a single leaf, the RFID information medium may be used by being loaded into a printer of an arbitrary form as an RFID sheet having a form such as a continuous belt-like label or a tag. .

When printing, reading and writing on RFID paper, when the RFID paper reaches a position where data communication is possible in the vicinity of the data reading / writing unit mounted on the printer, reading or writing data on the RFID paper, The result was stored in a memory, read again at that position, and verification of the information content of the RFID inlet was performed.

An RFID sheet or the like mounted on a printer is temporarily attached to a base sheet with RFID labels continuously at a predetermined interval. When data communication with a data reading / writing unit is performed, the communication distance becomes shorter than usual. As a cause of this, when the size of a single RFID label is reduced, the interval between adjacent labels in a sheet (RFID sheet) configured by temporarily attaching a large number of RFID labels to a base plate formed in a strip shape at a fixed interval. Multiple RFID labels will enter the communication operation range for the antenna, and the RFID label before and after the target RFID label responds to the signal transmitted from the data reading / writing unit via the antenna. There was a problem that writing could not be performed. In addition, there are many IC chips built in the RFID inlet that are vulnerable to impacts such as static electricity, and are not usable due to damage during the manufacturing process or before use. However, the electrical damage of the IC chip cannot be distinguished from the appearance, and there is a problem that data cannot be written.

JP 2006-18456 A

    The present invention has been considered in view of the above-mentioned problems. The purpose of the present invention is to attach RFID labels to each other continuously on a mount at predetermined intervals even if data communication is possible with a single RFID label. It is an object of the present invention to provide an RFID paper printer capable of preventing erroneous determination that apparently prevents erroneous recognition as a defective RFID label when data communication with a data reading / writing unit is shortened compared to normal communication distance.

That is, the first aspect of the present invention includes an antenna, a transfer path for transferring an RFID sheet having an IC chip connected to the antenna and storing predetermined information, a data reading / writing unit, a printing unit, and the printing unit. And a control unit for controlling the data reading / writing unit, and the data reading / writing unit reads or writes information in the data communication range area with the RFID paper, and the RFID paper An RFID printing paper printer capable of printing predetermined information on the surface of the printer, wherein the control unit reads or writes within the data communication range area of the RFID paper, and the reading or writing is appropriate. The determination result of whether or not there is is stored in the first storage means, and the RFID sheet is placed on the downstream side by a predetermined amount Transfer, read or write at the position transferred from the data communication range area by the predetermined amount, store the determination result in the second storage means, the first storage means and the second storage means, If at least one of the determination results is normal, the printer for RFID printing paper is characterized in that the predetermined information is printed after being transferred to the printing unit further downstream.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, the data reading / writing unit can read or write while the RFID paper on the transfer path is stopped.

    In the RFID paper printer according to the present invention, when the RFID paper is transferred from the upstream side and arrives at the position of the communicable range area with the data reading / writing unit, the determination result is obtained after reading or writing to the IC chip. By further storing a predetermined amount and then reading or writing again, the influence of interference and reflection by radio waves can be avoided, and the reliability of data communication with the RFID sheet is increased.

It is a principal part schematic side view of the printer for RFID paper (for example, thermal printer 1) by the Example of this invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the data read / write unit 4 and the RFID paper 2 with a separator size 25 (a pitch length 26 of the label body 9 and an inter-label gap length 27 added). FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the thermal printer 1.

    In the present invention, a predetermined amount of data is transferred to the downstream side before performing data communication again in the data reading / writing unit, so that within the data communication range area, the adjacent single-piece RFID labels are connected to each other in the data communication area. By having a single RFID label outside, the read or write operation increases the reliability, it is possible to prevent erroneous recognition as a defective RFID label, and the overall processing speed is improved while simplifying the configuration An RFID paper printer that can be used.

An RFID paper printer (for example, thermal printer 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a main part of a thermal printer 1. The thermal printer 1 includes a transfer path 3 for an RFID label 8, a data reading / writing unit 4 (reader / writer), a printing unit 5, and a control unit 6. And having.

The RFID label 8 is, for example, in the form of a label, and includes a strip-shaped mount 7 and a plurality of RFID labels 8 temporarily attached to the mount 7 at equal intervals. Of course, the RFID label 8 may be in the form of a tag (a tag) in a state where the RFID label 8 is continuous with a perforation between them.
The RFID label 8 is constructed by laminating and incorporating an RFID inlet 10 (so-called IC tag) into a label main body 9, and this is transferred onto the transfer path 3 together with the mount 7. The RFID inlet 10 includes an antenna 11 and an IC chip 12.
The RFID label 8 is capable of reading data from the IC chip 12 and writing data to the IC chip 12 in response to the transmission of radio waves from the data reading / writing unit 4, and also on the surface of the printing unit 5. Predetermined information can be printed.
A label position detection mark 13 for label position detection is printed on the back surface of the mount 7 in advance.

    The RFID label 8 is appropriately transferred to the transfer path 3 from the RFID label 8 supply unit (not shown) toward the data reading / writing unit 4 and the printing unit 5 (from the upstream side to the downstream side). It is.

    As shown in FIG. 1, the data reading / writing unit 4 is located upstream of the printing unit 5, and the individual RFID labels 8 on the RFID paper 2 are transferred to an area where data communication with the data reading / writing unit 4 is possible. At this time, in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 6, data reading from the RFID label 8 or data writing to the RFID label 8 in the data communication range area 30 (from FIG. 2), that is, non-radio communication is performed. Contact data can be exchanged in both directions. Of course, in order to prevent reading performance from being deteriorated by the positional relationship between the data reading / writing unit 4 and the RFID inlet 10, the positional relationship of the surface of the RFID inlet 10 of the data reading / writing unit 4 has a parallel structure due to the nature of radio waves and electromagnetic induction. Yes. The output value of the electromagnetic wave in the reading / writing unit 4 shown in FIG. 2 is set to be constant, and data communication is possible within the data communication range area 30, but is transferred from the transfer path 3 outside the data communication range area 30. The RFID inlet 10 is set so as not to react.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing unit 5 includes a thermal head 14 and a platen roller 15. Based on a detection signal from a label detection sensor 16 that detects a label position detection mark 13, the printing unit 5 generates a heating element of the thermal head 14. Predetermined information is printed on the surface of the RFID label 8 of the RFID paper 2 as required by a control signal output to (not shown). The information to be printed is arbitrary information such as management information of the RFID label 8, other necessary display information, or information corresponding to data in the IC chip 12.
Further, by providing a peeling part (peeling plate, not shown) for peeling the RFID label 8 from the mount 7 as necessary, only the mount 7 can be turned and the RFID label 8 can be peeled from the mount 7. can do.

    The control unit 6 controls the transfer of the RFID paper 2 described above, and controls the data reading / writing unit 4, the printing unit 5 (thermal head 14 and platen roller 15), the label detection sensor 16, and the RFID sensor 17.

    In the thermal printer 1 having such a configuration, the data reading / writing unit 4 can read data from the RFID label 8, that is, read data from the IC chip 12 in the RFID label 8, or write necessary data to the IC chip 12. In addition, predetermined bar code information corresponding to these data can be printed on the surface of the RFID label 8 in the printing unit 5.

    In the data read / write unit 4, after data communication with a certain RFID label 8, the RFID label 2 is transferred in the forward direction without performing reverse transfer (so-called back feed) of the RFID label 8 upstream. Data communication and data printing can be performed sequentially only by operation (that is, while maintaining a one-to-one relationship with the RFID label 8 between the data reading / writing unit 4 and the printing unit 5).

In FIG. 1, the thermal printer 1 includes a first data memory 21 and a second data memory 22 which are storage means in the control unit 6. As the storage means, a non-volatile RAM or the like that stores data even when the power is turned off is suitable.
Further, an RFID sensor 17 for detecting the position of the RFID inlet 10 is provided on the upstream side of the data reading / writing unit 4 on the transfer path 3, and an RFID position detection mark 18 that can be detected by the RFID sensor 17 is provided on the mount 7. The part corresponding to the RFID inlet 10 is printed in advance on the back surface.
When the RFID sensor 17 detects the RFID position detection mark 18, the data reading / writing unit 4 has been transferred to a position where data communication with the RFID label 8 (RFID inlet 10) can be started.

    FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the data reading / writing unit 4 and the separation size 25 of the RFID paper 2 (added with the label pitch length 26 and the label gap length 27). FIG. 2A1 shows the case of the separation size A25. When the separation size A25 is larger than the data communication range area 30, the transfer is stopped when the RFID sensor 17 detects the RFID position detection mark 18, and the data read / write unit 4 is stopped. Is a state of reading or writing. FIG. 2A2 shows a state in which the RFID sheet 2 having a separation size A25 is moved downstream by a predetermined amount W28 on the transfer path 3. That is, the predetermined amount W28 is a moving distance that the RFID inlet 10 can exist in the data communication range area 30 even after moving. Therefore, only a single RFID label 8 exists in the data communication range area 30, and the adjacent RFID label 8 is outside the data communication range area 30.

Similarly, from FIG. 2, (b1) is a case where the size of the separation size B25 is the data communication range area 30/2 <separ size B25. That is, the data communication range area 30 is larger than the separation size B25 but twice the separation size B25. When it is small, the transfer is stopped when the RFID sensor 17 detects the RFID position detection mark 18, and the data reading / writing unit 4 performs reading or writing. (B2) is a state in which the RFID paper 2 having the separation size B25 is moved downstream by a predetermined amount X28 on the transfer path 3. There is only a single RFID label 8 in the data communication range area 30, and the adjacent RFID label 8 is outside the data communication range area 30.
In the case of the data communication range area 30> 2 × separ size, the RFID label 8 becomes a minimum, but the gap 27 between labels is made larger than the normal width and the data communication range area 30 = 2 × separ size (b1), This is the same as the process of (b2), and only a single RFID label 8 exists in the data communication range area 30, and the adjacent RFID label 8 has outside the data communication range area 30.

    As shown in FIG. 1, after the data communication by the data reading / writing unit 4, the control unit 6 transfers the data again to the first data memory 21 as the first storage means for the RFID label 8 after a predetermined amount of data transfer. After that, it is stored in the second data memory 22 as the second storage means, the determination result of the data communication result of the RFID label 8 is confirmed, and printing on the RFID label 8 in the printing unit 5 is permitted.

In the thermal printer 1 having such a configuration, data communication (data reading or writing) with the RFID label 8 in the data reading / writing unit 4 and printing operation in the printing unit 5 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the thermal printer 1. In step S1, the transfer of the RFID sheet 2 is started. If the RFID inlet 10 of the RFID label 8 is detected by the RFID sensor 17 in step S2, the RFID sheet is detected. Stop the transfer of 2. If the RFID sensor 17 has not detected the RFID position detection mark printed on the mount 7 of the RFID label 8, the RFID paper 2 is transferred until it is detected. In step S 3, data communication is performed between the data reading / writing unit 4 and the RFID label 8 (RFID inlet 10), and the result of whether or not the communication is appropriate is stored in the first data memory 21.

In step S4, the RFID paper 2 is transferred by a predetermined amount X28, and after stopping, data communication between the data reading / writing unit 4 and the RFID label 8 (RFID inlet 10) is performed again. This is to perform data communication with a single RFID label 8 in the data communication area of the data reading / writing unit 4, and the predetermined amount X <b> 28 transferred by the pitch length 26 of the single RFID label 8 can be varied. That is, in the data communication area, the adjacent RFID label 8 is connected by the mount 7 and is outside the data communication area, and the existence of a single RFID label 8 increases the reliability of the reading or writing operation, and the defective RFID label. It is possible to prevent misrecognition as.

    Although not described in the flowchart of FIG. 3, whether the data reading / writing unit 4 and the RFID label 8 perform reading or writing in the data communication range area 30 to determine whether reading or writing is appropriate. If the determination result is normal, printing is performed after transfer to the printing unit 5, and only when there is an abnormality, the RFID sheet 2 is transferred downstream by a predetermined amount X28, and read or read at the position where the predetermined amount X28 is transferred. If writing is performed and the determination result is normal, it is also possible to transfer to the printing unit 5 further downstream and print predetermined information.

In step S5, data communication is performed between the data reading / writing unit 4 and the RFID label 8 (RFID inlet 10), and the result of whether or not the communication is proper is stored in the second data memory 22.

    In step S6, it is confirmed whether the determination results in the first data memory 21 and the second data memory 22 are appropriate. If at least one of them is appropriate, the transfer is resumed in step S7, and the label detection sensor. When the label position detection mark 13 is detected by 16, an appropriate printing start position is obtained, and printing is performed on the RFID label 8 by the printing unit 5 positioned downstream from the data reading / writing unit 4. In step 8, the RFID label 8 is printed, and if both the determination results in the first data memory 21 and the second data memory 22 are inappropriate, it is determined that the RFID label is defective, and a warning is issued in step S9. Perform printing. The warning printing method is arbitrary, and includes, for example, “X mark” printing on the RFID label 8 or “RFID defect” printing.

    Thus, for example, when the separation size is larger than the data communication range area 30 or when the data communication range area 30/2 <separate size, the position where the RFID inlet 10 is sandwiched with respect to the RFID label 8 is temporarily sandwiched in which part. However, since the RFID label 8 does not perform data communication (reading and writing operations) at the same position on the transfer path 3, at least the data communication range area 30 has a single RFID label 8 before and after the transfer. At the time of data communication between the read / write unit 4 and the RFID label 8 (RFID inlet 10), data communication and printing can be performed without receiving electromagnetic interference from other adjacent RFID labels 8. Therefore, the read or write operation can increase the certainty and prevent erroneous recognition as a defective RFID label.

1 Thermal printer (Example, Fig. 1)
2 RFID paper 3 Transfer path 4 Data reading / writing unit 5 Printing unit 6 Control unit 7 Mount 8 RFID label 9 Label body 10 RFID inlet 11 Antenna 12 IC chip 13 Label for position detection 14 Thermal head 15 Platen roller 16 Label detection sensor 17 RFID sensor 18 RFID position detection mark 21 First data memory 22 Second data memory 25 Sepa size, Sepa size A, Sepa size B
26 Pitch length 27 Gap 28 between labels Predetermined amount W, predetermined amount X
30 Data communication range area

Claims (2)

An antenna, a transfer path for transferring an RFID sheet having an IC chip connected to the antenna and storing predetermined information, a data reading / writing unit, a printing unit, the printing unit, and the data reading / writing unit, And a control unit for controlling
An RFID print paper printer that reads or writes information within a data communication range area with the RFID paper by the data read / write unit and prints predetermined information on the surface of the RFID paper. ,
The control unit performs reading or writing within the data communication range area of the RFID sheet, stores a determination result as to whether the reading or writing is appropriate in a first storage unit, and stores the RFID sheet. A predetermined amount is transferred to the downstream side, the predetermined amount from the data communication range area is read or written at the transferred position, a determination result is stored in the second storage means, the first storage means, and the first storage means A printer for RFID printing paper, characterized in that, if at least one of the determination results of the two storage means is normal, control is performed to print the predetermined information after being transferred to the printing unit further downstream. 2. The RFID printing paper printer according to claim 1, wherein the data reading / writing unit reads or writes the RFID paper on the transfer path while the transfer is stopped.

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