JPH1062557A - Tag - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the removal of a tag from an object and to transmit an acknowledgment signal only when the tag is fixed surely by providing a guide groove for a tightener tightening the tag and turning a switch section on upon fixing the tag. SOLUTION: A terminal 1b of an IC chip 1 is connected electrically with a contact member 5b through a conductor. The IC chip 1 is connected electrically with an antenna 2 through contact of the contact members 5a, 5b to constitute a response circuit. The contact members 5a, 5b are brought into contact with each other by tightening them by means of a tightener thereby deforming the contact member 5a resiliently. The tightener bites into the tag through guide grooves 4a, 4b made in the tag and the tag is fixed surely. Erroneous recognition of an interogator can be prevented because the tag is provided with a switch section being turned on/off through tightening of the contact members 5a, 5b to transmit an acknowledgment signal only when the tag is fixed surely to an object.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tag used in a non-contact object identification system and attached to an object having an electric circuit capable of outputting information such as an ID number in response to a signal from an interrogator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The basic structure of a general non-contact object identification system comprises an interrogator fixedly arranged and a tag attached to an object. The interrogator transmits an interrogation signal radio wave for reading, and the tag which has entered the detection range receives the interrogation signal and transmits the stored information as a response signal. The interrogator receives and decodes this response and sends necessary information to the host computer.

A conventional tag is disclosed in, for example,
The one described in JP-A-49279 is known. This tag is shaped like a sticker and has the following elements: FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a conventional tag. In the figure, 1
01 is a sheet-shaped package, 102 is a coil-shaped antenna, and 103 is an IC chip. The basic operation of this tag is as follows.
02, information such as an ID code stored in a memory in the IC chip 102 is modulated by an oscillation circuit (not shown) and transmitted from the antenna 102 as a response signal. The interrogator that has received the response signal reproduces the response signal and outputs the ID.
The identification is made from the code. Note that a means for sticking to a window glass or the like is provided on the surface of the package 101 so that the package 101 can be stuck and fixed.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional tag, when it is fixed to an object, there is a problem that it cannot be fixed properly or peels off depending on the material and shape of the object. For this reason, if the tag that has come off falls within the reading range of the interrogator, there is a problem that the interrogator incorrectly recognizes that there is an object even though there is no actual object. .

[0005]

Therefore, according to the tag of the present invention, a switch portion is provided in a part of the wiring of the response circuit, and when the tag is attached to an object to be mounted by being fastened by a fastener, the switch is turned on. The response circuit is configured to be responsive. In addition, it is preferable to provide a guide groove through which the fastener is passed, and to arrange the switch unit on the guide groove.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tag, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along AA, and FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view. In the figure, 1 is an IC chip, 2 is an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from an external terminal, and 3 is a package. Reference numerals 1a and 1b denote terminals provided on the surface of the IC chip 1, to which the antenna 2 is connected.
4a and 4b are guide grooves provided in the package 3. 5a and 5b are contact members, and 5a is formed of a conductive spring material such as metal.

The antenna 2 is formed in a coil shape wound with a conductive wire, and one end thereof is connected to a terminal 1 of the IC chip 1.
a, and the other end is connected to the contact member 5a.
The terminal 1b of the IC chip 1 and the contact member 5b are electrically connected by a conductive wire. Note that this antenna 2
Since the power is induced by radio waves of a predetermined frequency, the tag is operated by the induced power.

Further, the IC chip 1 and the antenna 2
Are electrically connected by contact between the contact members 5a and 5b to form a response circuit. The contact members 5a, 5b
As shown in FIG. 3, the contact member 5a is applied with a force F by tightening with a fastening tool described later to apply a force F to the contact member 5a.
Are elastically deformed and brought into contact. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the response circuit.

In the drawing, reference numeral 11 denotes a detection circuit for an interrogation signal;
12 is a power supply circuit, and 13 is a control circuit. Reference numeral 14 denotes a memory circuit (EEPROM), which is a rewritable nonvolatile memory capable of storing an identification code such as an object type, a serial number, and an ID. Also, here
It is assumed that the identification code has already been written as a binary signal in a predetermined format. 15 is a modulation circuit for modulating a signal to be transmitted from the antenna 2;
Reference numeral 16 denotes an oscillation circuit.

The terminals 1a and 1b are connected to the input side of the detection circuit 11, and the output of the detection circuit 11 is connected so as to be input to the power supply circuit 12 and the control circuit 13. The output of the oscillation circuit 16 and the output of the memory circuit 14 are input to the modulation circuit 15, and the output of the modulation circuit 15 is connected to the antenna 2 through terminals 1a and 1b. Further, the memory circuit 14 and the modulation circuit 15 are connected so as to be controllable by the control circuit 13.

Next, a description will be given of the operation of fixing to an object to be mounted. FIG. 5 is an exemplary diagram of a state of being fixed to an object.
As shown in the figure, this tag is configured to fasten the package 3 with a fastener X such as a lace or a rubber band and attach the package 3 to the object Y to be attached. At this time, it is preferable that the fastening tool X be formed with guide grooves 4a and 4b formed in the tag and to be fastened through the guide grooves 4a and 4b.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the contact member 5a is pressed down by the force F and comes into contact with the contact member 5b. The contact member 5
a and the contact member 5b constitute a switch section. By the way, as described above, when a radio wave having a constant amplitude is received as an interrogation signal from an interrogator (not shown) in a state where the radio frequency signal is received by the interrogator (not shown) in a state where the radio frequency signal is attached to the mounting object Y by the fastener X, The terminals 1a,
The signal is input to the detection circuit 11 in the IC chip 1 through 1b. The detection circuit 11 distributes the received signal, and one of the signals is input to the power supply circuit 12. The power supply circuit 12 rectifies and smoothes the input high-frequency signal to generate a DC voltage, and supplies the DC voltage as power to each circuit. The other signal distributed by the detection circuit 11 detects the presence or absence of a high-frequency signal, and outputs the detection signal to the control circuit 13.

The control circuit 13 receives a signal indicating the presence of a high-frequency signal from the detection circuit 11 for a predetermined period or more, and then supplies a modulation operation start signal and a clock signal to the modulation circuit 15. The modulation circuit 15 reads the identification code one bit at a time from the memory circuit 14 in synchronization with the modulation operation start signal and the clock signal from the control circuit 13, and according to the content of the signal, the oscillation circuit The 16 output signals are amplitude-modulated. The modulated high-frequency signal is supplied to terminal 1
The signal is supplied to the antenna 2 through a and 1b and radiated to the outside as a radio wave of a response signal. An interrogator (not shown) receives the radio wave, reproduces the identification code from the modulated high-frequency signal, and immediately identifies the object.

On the other hand, the contents stored in the memory circuit 14 are as follows:
Change as follows: First, an interrogator (not shown) repeatedly transmits a radio signal of a write signal modulated with a synchronization signal and code data to be written. That is, the code data is modulated into a high-frequency signal as an ON / OFF signal obtained by serially converting the synchronization signal and the subsequent code data, and transmitted as an intermittent radio wave.

The radio wave is received by the antenna 2 at the tag, and the tag generates a DC voltage from the high-frequency signal by the power supply circuit 12 as described above and supplies the DC voltage to each circuit.
The detection circuit 11 detects the presence or absence of a radio wave from the high-frequency signal and sends the signal to the control circuit 13. The control circuit 13 reproduces the original synchronization signal and the subsequent code data as ON / OFF signals obtained by serial conversion, and writes the ON / OFF signals in the memory circuit 14. When the writing is completed, the control circuit 13 sends a code signal indicating the end of the writing to the modulation circuit 15. Then, the modulation circuit 15 modulates as a termination code signal by the high frequency signal from the oscillation circuit 16 and radiates it from the antenna 2 to the outside.

The interrogator (not shown) receives this radio wave, confirms that the writing operation has been completed, and stops transmitting the write signal radio wave. For confirmation, the interrogator transmits a radio wave of a constant amplitude as an interrogation signal, reads data from the tag as described above, compares it with the data to be written, and ends a series of writing operations when they match. If they do not match, the writing operation may be performed again.

[0017] Finally, an operation when the tag is detached from the attached object for some reason will be described. In such a case, the contact member 5a returns to its original shape due to the restoring force of the spring, and comes into a state in which the contact member 5b is not in contact with the contact member 5b, that is, a released state. Even if it receives the radio wave of the interrogation signal because it is not input to 1, it does not return a response signal. That is, it becomes inactive. Therefore, an interrogator (not shown) does not erroneously recognize an object as if it were there as in the related art.

As described above, the tag according to the present embodiment is provided with the switch for turning ON / OFF the contact members 5a and 5b by tightening, and the switching of the switch is performed by tightening with the fastener X. A response signal can be transmitted only when the device is securely attached to the object. Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, an effect is obtained in which detachment from the object to be attached is reduced as compared with attachment by attachment. In addition, it is expected that the fastening tool can be more securely attached to the tag by securely engaging the fastener with the guide groove. Further, since the tag can transmit the response signal only when the tag is securely attached to the attached object, the effect of preventing erroneous recognition of the interrogator can be obtained.

[0019]

As described above, according to the tag of the present invention, the tag is less likely to be detached from the object to be attached than when the tag is attached. Further, since the tag can transmit the response signal only when the tag is securely attached to the attached object, the effect of preventing erroneous recognition of the interrogator can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tag according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a response circuit.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a state of being fixed to an object.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a conventional tag.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 IC chip 2 Antenna 3 Package

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical indication location // H04B 1/59

Claims (2)

[Claims] An external terminal comprising: an antenna for transmitting and receiving a radio wave to and from an external terminal; a modulation circuit for modulating a signal to be transmitted from the antenna; and a memory circuit for storing information such as an ID. Operates with the electric power induced in the antenna by a radio wave of a predetermined frequency transmitted from the antenna, after detecting an interrogation signal transmitted from an external terminal, the information stored in the memory circuit through the modulation circuit the antenna A tag having a response circuit for transmitting a response signal from the tag, wherein a switch is provided on a part of the wiring of the response circuit, and when the tag is fastened by a fastener and attached to an object to be attached, the switch is turned on and the response A tag characterized in that the circuit is configured to be responsive. 2. The tag according to claim 1, wherein a guide groove for passing the fastener is provided, and a switch portion is arranged on the guide groove.