JPH10207996A - Data carrier system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data carrier system which checks destinations in order against plural responders so as to make communication, whose processing time is short and which has extendibility without expecting the memory capacity of a responser. SOLUTION: The responser 1 transmits recognition commands 14 to the responders 2a-2d. The responser 1 receives signals from the responders 2a-2d and judges whether plural responders 2a-2d which can operate exist or not. When the responser 1 judges that the plural responders 2a-2d exist, the responser 1 transmits a starting request 15 to the responders 2a-2d. When the responders 2a-2d receive the starting request 15 from the responser 1, the response is returned to the responser 1 at random time and the responser 1 receives data transmitted from the responders 2a-2d.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a data carrier system for exchanging data between an interrogator and a transponder in a non-contact manner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, circuits required for thinning as a data carrier system have been integrated and built into an IC chip.
2. Description of the Related Art A non-contact IC card has been developed which transmits and receives power using inductive coupling or the like without a battery and transmits and receives data without contact. This non-contact IC card does not need to be brought into contact with the interrogator each time it is used, and has no contact point, so there is no need to worry about dirt and corrosion, and it can be designed freely.

A conventional data carrier system is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-4-99698 and JP-A-4-241082.
What is described in a gazette or the like is known. FIG.
Shows a conventional contactless data carrier system.

The interrogator 1 and the transponder 2 are provided with coils 3 and 4 for transmitting and receiving data and generating an induced voltage, respectively. Feeding takes place. Further, in the power supply circuit 5 of the transponder 2, the electromagnetic induction voltage is rectified and smoothed, and the required electric power is covered in the transponder 2.

The signal received by the transponder 2 is transmitted to the switch 6
Are switched, demodulated by the demodulation unit 7, and decoded by the decoding unit 8. Further, in the microprocessor 9, a read-only memory (ROM) 10 storing a program for operating the microprocessor 9 or a rewritable memory (EEP-RO) storing information unique to the card.
M) 11 becomes a transmission signal. The data of the transmission signal is encoded by the encoding unit 12 and modulated by the modulation unit 13. Then, the switch 6 is switched, and data is transmitted to the interrogator 1 via the coil 4.

When there are a plurality of transponders 2 at positions where the transponder 2 can communicate with the coil 3 of the interrogator 1, the transponders 2 return a response to the activation request transmitted by the interrogator 1 all at once, and communication becomes impossible. .

In order to avoid this, the interrogator 1 transmits data addressed to a specific transponder 2 and gives the transponder 2 a function of determining whether the data is addressed to itself. Communication can be performed without colliding responses.

[0008]

In the conventional data carrier system, the interrogator 1 can manage all the responders 2,
This is effective for a device that is small and does not need to take scalability into consideration so as to communicate only with the necessary transponders 2 or a device in which the destinations and groups of the transponders 2 never overlap.

However, the size of the apparatus is large and the
In an apparatus that cannot limit the number of printers, the interrogator 1 needs to make an inquiry to all the transponders 2 and store the destinations of all the transponders 2, so that the processing time becomes longer. In addition, the interrogator 1 requires a large memory capacity, and further has the problem that the destination information must be updated frequently.

[0010] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to sequentially check the destination for a plurality of transponders and communicate with the transponder. It is an object of the present invention to provide a scalable data carrier system in which the memory capacity of the interrogator can be reduced and the memory capacity of the interrogator is not expected.

[0011]

The present invention is characterized in that, in response to an activation request from an interrogator to a transponder, the transponder randomly returns a response in a time-sharing manner.

According to the present invention, a scalable data carrier system can be realized in which a destination is sequentially checked and communicated with a plurality of transponders, thereby reducing the processing time of the apparatus and not expecting the memory capacity of the interrogator. Becomes

[0013]

In the data carrier system according to the first aspect, when the interrogator and the transponder perform data transmission / reception in a non-contact manner, the transponder receives a start request from the interrogator at random time. , A response is returned to the interrogator, and the interrogator receives data sent from the responder.

According to this configuration, the transponder randomly returns a response to the interrogator activation request in a time-sharing manner, thereby reducing the probability of collision. Specifically, the interrogator sends an acknowledgment command to the transponder, receives a signal from the transponder, determines whether there are a plurality of operable transponders, and if there is a single transponder, asks the interrogator. If the interrogator determines that the transponder determines that there are multiple transponders, the interrogator continues to perform communication processing to receive the data sent from the transponder. When the transponder receives a start request from the interrogator,
The response is returned to the interrogator at a random time, and the interrogator receives the data sent from the transponder. The interrogator that has detected a state in which the responses from the plurality of transponders have collided with the activation request, determines that an error has been received, waits for a random response from the next transponder, and communicates with one of the transponders. The interrogator that has normally completed retransmits the activation request and performs communication processing with the remaining transponders. After successful communication between the Interrogator and the Transponder, the Interrogator instructs the Transponder not to respond to the activation request and to not respond to the activation request. The transponder is configured not to respond to the start command until reset, and the interrogator responds to the destination added to the transponder response only when it receives the expected data format and error check code. In order to perform communication, communication with all transponders is performed in order.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described based on. (Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 show (Embodiment 1) of the present invention.

In this (Embodiment 1), there are a plurality of IC cards 2a to 2d as transponders that can communicate with a single interrogator 1. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the interrogator 1 of the data carrier system of the present invention.

The interrogator 1 first transmits a confirmation command in step # 1, and checks whether there are a plurality of operable IC cards. As a result of the response to the confirmation command in step # 2, if no collision is confirmed, it is determined that there is one IC card, and in step # 3 it is confirmed whether the response is normal. If the response is not normal, the interrogator 1 transmits a confirmation command again, and the same processing is repeated from step # 1 until the response becomes normal.

If the response is normal, in step # 4, the interrogator 1 sends a start command to the IC card to perform desired processing such as data reading and writing. Here, since there are a plurality of IC cards, step #
In step 2, the response to the confirmation command is determined as an error by the error detection function, and the interrogator 1 determines that there are a plurality of IC cards.

In step # 5, the interrogator 1 that has determined that there are a plurality of IC cards transmits a start request command to all the IC cards at the same time. In step # 6, the IC card randomly returns a response to the activation request command in a time sharing manner. At this time, if the response is normal, step #
At 7, the IC card starts communication with the interrogator 1 and performs desired processing such as data reading and writing.

In step # 6, when the plurality of IC cards 2a to 2d simultaneously respond to the activation request command from the interrogator 1, and the interrogator 1 determines that the response is an error by the error detection function, the IC card Waits for the next response. When the interrogator 1 determines that the response received is the expected data format and a normal error check code, the interrogator 1 starts communication with the unique destination of the IC card added to the response, and proceeds to step # 7. Performs desired processing such as data reading and writing.

The interrogator 1 that has completed the processing of step # 7,
The activation request command is transmitted to the IC card again.
At this time, the IC card that has completed the process does not respond to the activation request command. If it is desired to access the IC card that has completed the response again, it is sufficient to access a known destination. Then, by resetting the IC card, it responds to the start command again, and repeats the above processing until all the IC cards respond.

Software processing is performed during the time when each IC card corresponds to the activation request command. That is, the microprocessor selects one number (0 to F) from a random number table registered in the memory device in advance. At this time, the random numbers registered in the transponders are different from each other, and it is determined which of the five types of timings to use based on the selected numerical value. The determination method is to operate the delay timer of 20 msec only for a few minutes obtained by dividing the selected number by 5, and then transmit the data.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing the flow of data. I receiving the confirmation command 14 sent by the interrogator 1
The case where C cards 2a to 2d are present is shown.

IC card 2 receiving confirmation command 14
a to 2d return responses to the interrogator 1 all at once. The IC cards 2a to 2d that have returned the response wait for a request from the interrogator 1. On the other hand, the interrogator 1 uses the IC card 2a-
It is determined that a plurality of 2d exist.

When the interrogator 1 determines that there are a plurality of IC cards 2a to 2d, it sends a start request command 15 to the IC cards 2a to 2d. Start request command 15
Are interrupted, the IC cards 2a to 2d interrupt the processing up to that point and return a response at random time intervals of 20 msec within 100 msec.

In this case, the I which has received the activation request command
The C cards 2a and 2c immediately return a response to the interrogator 1. I
The interrogator 1 that has determined that an error has occurred due to collision of the data of the C cards 2a and 2c waits for the next data. After another 20 msec has elapsed, the IC card 2 b returns a response to the interrogator 1.
The interrogator 1 issues a read or write request 16, and upon receiving a normal response, the IC card 2b receives it and
Receives a normal response and performs necessary processing.

When data is read or written and necessary processing is completed, the interrogator 1 sets the IC card 2b
, So as not to return a response to the activation request command 15. After all the processes of the IC card 2b are completed, the interrogator 1 sends out the activation request command 15 again.
At this time, the IC card 2b that has already completed the process does not respond.

This time, after 40 msec, the IC card 2c
Returns a response. The interrogator 1 performs necessary processing on the IC card 2c, and finally instructs not to return a response to the activation request command 15.

The interrogator 1 sends the activation request sending command 15 again, repeats the same processing, and repeats all the IC cards 2a to 2a.
Communicate with 2d. After transmitting the activation request command 15, the interrogator 1 confirms that there is no response within 100 msec, determines that communication with all the IC cards has been completed, and transmits the confirmation command 14 again.

As described above, even for a plurality of IC cards, by repeating the above operation, the destination can be checked in order and communication can be performed. (Embodiment 2) FIGS. 3 and 4 show (Embodiment 2).

In the first embodiment, the time for each IC card to respond to the activation request command is set by software, but may be set by hardware. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, in the 5-bit shift register 17, QA to QE operate in a cyclic pattern as shown in FIG. When the data latch circuit 18 receives the activation request command, it selects any bit timing of QA to QE. One of the timers 19 to 23 for setting the delay time according to the selected signal operates,
Determine the time for the C card to respond to the activation request.

20 described in timers 19 to 23
.., msec, 40 msec... indicate the specified time of the timer, and the timer 19 with no written time specification indicates that the delay time is 0 msec. In this case, it is necessary that the five timers have different times, and that the time interval is such that necessary processing can be completed.

After a predetermined time has elapsed, the parallel data signal is converted into a serial signal by the circuit 24 and sent to the interrogator. Note that the timers 19 to 23 and the data latch circuit 18 are reset by a 19 read or write command.

In this way, it is possible to communicate with a plurality of IC cards by sequentially examining the destination, thereby reducing the processing time of the device and the scalable data carrier that does not expect the memory capacity of the interrogator. The system becomes possible.

The data carrier system used in each of the above embodiments has the same configuration as that of the conventional example shown in FIG. For example, as the IC card, an IC card may be used, and any shape such as a coin type may be used. Further, the control circuit is constituted by the microprocessor and the read-only memory, but may be constituted by wired logic.

[0036]

As described above, according to the data carrier system of the present invention, each IC card randomly returns a response to a request for a plurality of IC cards from the interrogator in a time-division manner, and the request response collides. In this case, the interrogator processes the response as a response error, performs data communication only with the destination added to the normally received data, sends a signal to another IC card again after the communication is completed, The communication between the interrogator and a plurality of IC cards became possible by performing the communication by examining. Further, with such a configuration, it is possible to provide a scalable data carrier system in which the processing time of the apparatus is reduced and the memory capacity of the interrogator is not expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a data processing procedure of an interrogator according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing a data flow of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a random transmission time setting circuit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a circulation pattern for determining a random time according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional data carrier system.

[Description of Signs] 1 Interrogator 2a to 2d Transponder 14 Confirmation command 15 Activation request command

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masayuki Arai 2-16-46 Minami Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Tokimec Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akihisa Yamazaki 2--16-46 Minami Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock Inside the company Tokimec

Claims (5)

[Claims] When the interrogator and the transponder perform data transmission / reception in a non-contact manner, when the transponder receives a start request from the interrogator, the transponder returns a response to the interrogator at random time. A data carrier system that receives data sent from a transponder. 2. An interrogator which sends an acknowledgment command to a transponder and receives a signal from the transponder when the interrogator and the transponder perform data transmission / reception in a non-contact manner. And if the interrogator determines that there is a single transponder,
The interrogator continues the communication process of receiving the data sent from the transponder, and if the interrogator determines that there are multiple transponders,
The interrogator sends a start request to the transponder, and when the transponder receives the start request from the interrogator, it returns a response to the interrogator at random time, and the interrogator sends the data sent from the transponder. Receive data carrier system. 3. The data according to claim 2, wherein the interrogator that has detected a state in which responses from the plurality of transponders have collided with the activation request determines that an error has been received and waits for a random response from the next transponder. Carrier system. 4. An interrogator that has detected a state in which responses from a plurality of transponders have collided with an activation request, determines that an error has been received, waits for a random response from the next transponder, 3. The data carrier system according to claim 2, wherein the interrogator that has normally completed communication with the interrogator retransmits the activation request and performs communication processing with the remaining transponders. 5. When normal communication is completed between the interrogator and the transponder, the interrogator commands the transponder not to return a response to the activation request, and returns a response to the activation request. 3. The data carrier system according to claim 2, wherein the responder commanded not to respond does not respond to the start command until reset.