JP5335324B2 - RF tag and product management system using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a configuration that allows information to be written in a tag (hereinafter referred to as an RF tag) that uses RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), and a product management system using the tag.

  In a product management system using an RF tag in the prior art, generally, a product is managed by attaching an RF tag to a product to be managed and reading information in the attached RF tag. The RF tag and the product to be managed are associated with each other using the identification ID of the RF tag, the related information is built together with the product information in the computer system or portable terminal, the identification ID of the RF tag is read using the RF tag reader, and the association is made. Verify product information.

  The matched product information is displayed on a computer system device, a portable terminal device, etc., and the user can see the information displayed on these devices. Furthermore, the information stored in the RF tag is updated by reissuing the RF tag or updating the information based on the information read and displayed by a computer system device, a portable terminal device or the like.

Moreover, as a prior art of an electronic tag that can display information on the electronic tag as visualization information, there is a proposal disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. According to this Patent Document 1, an electronic tag attached to a target article includes an IC chip in which information is stored, an antenna coil, and a display that displays information stored in the IC chip. It is also disclosed to rewrite information of an electronic tag with a writer.
JP 2005-71143 A

  In the above-described product management system in the prior art, the user needs to read the RF tag attached to the managed product, and the product information that has been read and collated is referred to on the apparatus. Necessary. Here, updating the product information requires handling a computer device, a portable terminal device, and the like, and operation requires specialized knowledge. Furthermore, in order to update the product information of the same product, it is necessary to carry out for each RF tag.

  In the prior art including the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a method of updating information of an RF tag by a computer device, a portable terminal device or the like has been proposed. However, the computer recognizes character information written on the surface of the RF tag, transmits the information, and the computer. It is a system that cannot automatically update information managed by the apparatus and update the same product information collectively.

  In view of the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention updates the product information on the display device on the surface of the RF tag attached to the product to be managed, transmits the product information to the computer, and manages the same product managed by the computer system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a product management system using an RF tag that can automatically update product information all at once.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention mainly adopts the following configuration.
A tag (RF tag) attached to a product to be managed and attached with an RFID (RF tag), a computer system that performs product management by exchanging product information with the RF tag, and product information between the RF tag and the computer system A product management system comprising a network environment for transmitting and receiving
The RF tag includes a display unit having a function for writing product information in addition to a function for displaying product information, and the product ID of product information and update information written in the display unit are transmitted via the network environment to the computer. The computer system collates the received product ID of the RF tag with the product ID in the computer system, creates the update information for the same product ID, and sends the update information to the RF tag. By transmitting the update information, the update information is simultaneously displayed on the display unit of the RF tag of the same product. For example, the update information is a selling price of a product to be managed.

In addition, in a tag (RF tag) attached to each product and attached with an RFID for managing the product (RF tag), a display unit having a product information writing function in addition to the product information display function, and the display unit A change of the product ID and product information between a character recognition control unit for recognizing a character, a storage unit for storing a product ID for specifying a product name and the written character, and an external computer system A transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives update information, and the display unit includes a display unit before update of the update information, a display unit after change of the update information, and an update button of information, Product information before update is displayed on the display unit before change, and product information including character information is written on the display unit after change using a pen after the operation of the update button. The character information that has been written is recognized by the character recognition control unit, stored in the storage unit, the character information is transmitted to the external computer system, and updated character information created by the computer system. The product information is displayed on the display unit after change of the display unit .

  According to the present invention, the update information written in the information writable display device of the RF tag attached to the management target product is automatically taken into the computer system, and the update information is simultaneously displayed on the RF tag of the same product. be able to. In this case, it is possible to display update information without requiring specialized knowledge to operate the computer system, the update information change work can be reduced, and the same product can be centrally managed to display update information. it can.

  A merchandise management system using an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a merchandise management system using an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the RF tag according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for collation, creation, and update display of product information in the product management system according to the present embodiment.

  In the drawing, 1 is a computer system, 2 is a network (HUB), 3 is an access point, 4 is an article to be managed, 11 is a database, 12 is an application program, 13 is an OS, and 21 is a LAN connection port (eg, Ethernet (registration) (Trademark) connection port), 31 is a LAN connection port (eg, Ethernet (registered trademark) connection port), 32 is an antenna, 41 is an RF tag, 42 is an information writable display device, 43 is an antenna, and 44 is character recognition control. , 45 is a storage unit, 46 is a communication circuit unit, 47 is a transmission / reception unit, 48 is a character control unit, 49 is a power supply circuit, 421 is a display unit before change, 422 is a display unit after change, 425 is an update button, 426 is A send button, S10 represents a product information collation creation step, and S20 represents a product information update display step.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a product management system using an RF tag according to the present embodiment includes a computer system 1 that manages product information, and an RF tag 41 (RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification)) attached to an article 4 to be managed. ), An access point 3 that communicates with the RF tag 41 by radio waves, and a network (HUB) 2 that connects (for example, connects via Ethernet) at least one access point.

  The computer system 1 includes an operating system (OS) 13, an application program 12 under the OS 13, a database (DB) 11, and the like, and product information (product name, date of manufacture, date of manufacture) of the article 4 to be managed. (Factory name, sales price, expiration date, etc.).

  The RF tag 41 can transmit and receive data to and from the computer system 1 through the network environment 2 and 3 through the antenna 43 built in itself and the antenna 32 of the access point 3. From the RF tag 41, the product ID of the article 4 to be managed (for example, the product name, the date of manufacture, the name of the manufacturing factory, etc.). ID number 010, ...) and update information (for example, change the selling price from 100 yen to 80 yen, change the expiration date from 30th to 20th, ...). On the other hand, the computer system 1 performs data transmission / reception with the RF tag 41 via the network environments 2 and 3 including the antennas 32 and 43.

  The access point 3 is installed in a range in which the antenna 43 in the RF tag 41 attached to the merchandise that is the management target item 4 displayed in the store can communicate with the antenna 32 (within a range where radio waves reach). In other words, an access point is provided for each block in the store. The HUB 2 is provided with a plurality of connection ports 21 so that a plurality of access points can be connected to, for example, Ethernet.

  Next, the configuration of the RF tag 41 having the information writable display device 42 will be described with reference to FIG. The RF tag 41 includes a display device 42. The display device 42 includes a pre-change display unit 421 and a post-change display unit 422 for updated information (eg, sales price, expiration date, etc.), and An update button 425 and a send button 426 for sending information to the computer system 1 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the RF tag 41 includes a character recognition control unit 44 that recognizes characters written with a pen on the information writable display device 42 as character information, and a storage unit 45 for storing product information. . Further, the RF tag 41 includes a character recognition control unit 44, a character control unit 48 for controlling the storage unit and the communication circuit unit 46, a communication circuit unit 46 for exchanging information with the computer system 1, and a transmission / reception unit 47. The antenna 43 and the power supply circuit 49 are provided.

  The pre-change display unit 421 of the information writable display device 42 displays the sales price before the update, the expiration date, etc., and the salesperson can display the appropriate timing (at the time of evening discount or the expiration date from the present time). By operating the update button 425, when the sales price or the expiration date is written with the pen in the display unit 422 after the change, the character recognition control unit recognizes the character and the display after the change is finally displayed on the display unit 422 after the change. (The procedure will be described with reference to FIG. 3). By displaying the sales price on both the before-change display unit 421 and the after-change display unit 422, the discount range can be clearly understood by the customer. The configuration may be changed so that the display unit is changed to display the display before and after the change alternately, or display only the information after the change. The display units 421 and 422 include not only update information (eg, changed sales price) but also product IDs (eg, 001, 010..., Product types and product IDs) for each product type in a correspondence table. 1).

  Next, the procedure of collation, creation, and update display of product information in the product management system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The computer system 1 receives a product ID (for example, an ID number assigned corresponding to each product A, B...) Transmitted from the information writable display device 42 of the RF tag 41, update information (for example, after the change) Step S10 for comparing the sales price with the product management system based on the database 11 and the application program 12 to create update information, and sending the created update information to each of a plurality of RF tags of the same product. Steps.

  First, in step S10, when there is update information from the information writable display device 42 (information is transmitted from the RF tag 41 to the computer system 1 by the operation of the transmission button 426 shown in FIG. 2), the product information is updated. A request Sll is generated. In step S12 and step S13, the RF tag 41 transmits a product ID and update information by itself, and performs data transmission / reception with the computer system 1 via the antennas 43 and 32.

  In step S14, the application program 12 collates with the product ID based on the read information, and updates the information in the database 11 (in the case of one product ID). Also, when there are a plurality of identical product IDs, update is performed in the same manner, and update information S15 to be transmitted to each RF tag 41 is created, and the process proceeds to step S20.

  In step S21, update information is transmitted from the computer system 1 to the RF tag 41 via the network environments 2 and 3 including the antenna. In step 22, the RF tag 41 (a plurality of RF tags attached to the same product) is updated. Receive. In step S23, the received update information is processed by the character control unit 48, and the information stored in the storage unit 45 is updated. Specifically, the update information stored in the storage unit is displayed on the display unit 422 after the change.

  As described above, when a large number of the same products are displayed, if the update information is transmitted to the computer system 1 using the RF tag 41 attached to one product, the computer system 1 will respond to the same product ID. The update information is created, the update information is transmitted to the RF tags of the same product, and the received RF tags of the same product automatically store and display the update information. This eliminates the need for expertise in computer operation for display, and reduces information modification work. In short, when 30 identical products are displayed and the sales price is changed, the salesperson has to change the price for all 30 items in the past. When managing prices, it was necessary to perform complicated and specialized computer operations in order to change the price of the RF tag. In this embodiment, an information writing function (in addition to the display function) is added to the RF tag. It is a general feature that update information of the same product that exists in large numbers can be automatically updated and displayed by, for example, performing a pen operation only on the update information.

  Note that the above-described update of product information (change in sales price, change in expiration date, etc.) is efficient when there are multiple identical products and they are displayed, However, the same information is exchanged between the RF tag and the computer system, so that it can be updated again and again. Note that the scope of application of the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be applied to all cases where product information is updated in a product management system using an RF tag.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the goods management system using the RF tag which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of RF tag regarding this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the procedure of collation of the merchandise information, preparation, and an update display in the merchandise management system which concerns on this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Computer system 2 Network (HUB)
3 Access Point 4 Managed Object 11 Database 12 Application Program 13 OS
21 LAN connection port (eg Ethernet (registered trademark))
31 LAN connection port (eg Ethernet (registered trademark))
32 antenna 41 RF tag 42 information writable display device 43 antenna 44 character recognition control unit 45 storage unit 46 communication circuit unit 47 transmission / reception unit 48 character control unit 49 power supply circuit 421 pre-change display unit 422 post-change display unit 425 update button 426 Send button S10 Product information collation creation step S20 Product information update display step

Claims (5)

A tag (RF tag) attached to a product to be managed and attached with RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), a computer system that performs product management by exchanging product information with the RF tag, and the RF tag and the computer system A product management system comprising a network environment for sending and receiving product information between
The RF tag includes a display unit having a function for writing product information in addition to a function for displaying product information, and the product ID of product information and update information written in the display unit are transmitted via the network environment to the computer. Call the system,
The computer system compares the received product ID of the RF tag with the product ID in the computer system, creates the update information for the same product ID, and transmits the update information to the RF tag By doing so, the update information is simultaneously displayed on the display unit of the RF tag of the same product. A product management system using an RF tag. In claim 1,
A product management system using an RF tag, wherein the update information is written on a display unit of the RF tag using a pen, and the written character information is recognized and stored in a storage unit. In claim 2,
A product management system using an RF tag, wherein the update information is a sales price of a product to be managed. In a tag (RF tag) attached to each product and attached with RFID for managing the product,
A display unit having a product information writing function in addition to the product information display function, a character recognition control unit for recognizing characters written in the display unit, a product ID for specifying a product name, and the written characters And a transmission / reception unit that transmits and receives the product ID and update information indicating a change in product information between an external computer system,
The display unit has a display unit before change of the update information, a display unit after change of the update information, and an information update button,
The product information before update is displayed on the display unit before change,
In the post-change display section, product information consisting of character information is written using a pen after operation of the update button,
Character information written using the pen is recognized by the character recognition control unit, stored in the storage unit, the character information is transmitted to the external computer system, and an update created by the computer system An RF tag, wherein the received character information is received and product information is displayed on the display unit after change of the display unit . In claim 4,
The product tag displayed on the display unit after change of the display unit is character information of a sale price of the product.

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