JPWO2020003656A1 - Literacy - Google Patents

Abstract

The read / write device 20 uses at least one of an array of electronic tags 10 formed by arranging a plurality of electronic tags 10 along a predetermined direction and a read / write device 20 that sequentially reads / writes information from the plurality of electronic tags. The read / write device 20 of the read / write system 1 radiates radio waves from the read / write device 20 to the array of electronic tags 10 while moving relative to the other, and reads / writes information to / from the electronic tags 10. The reading / writing device 20 includes an antenna that radiates radio waves, and the radio wave emitting surface 23 that radiates radio waves is arranged so as to be inclined from the posture facing the electronic tag 10. Includes a radio wave absorber 24 that is arranged in and narrows the radio wave radiation region W radiated from the radio wave radiation surface 23 in the direction of the arrangement of the electronic tags 10.

Description

The present application claims the priority of Japanese Application No. 2018-125349 filed on June 29, 2018, the full text of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a literacy device.

In recent years, there is known a read / write system in which information is stored in an electronic tag and the information is read by an antenna substrate in a non-contact manner via radio waves. In such a read / write system, for example, a plurality of arranged electronic tags may be sequentially sent to the front of the antenna substrate and sequentially read the information of the electronic tags.

In such a case, another electronic tag exists in the vicinity of the electronic tag to be read. Therefore, it is necessary to read only the target electronic tag and not to read another electronic tag to prevent interference. For this purpose, two side walls for radio wave absorption are arranged between another electronic tag located before and after the feeding direction of the target electronic tag and the antenna board so as not to read another electronic tag in the vicinity. (For example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-140216).

In the above-mentioned read / write system, further miniaturization is desired while avoiding interference depending on the applied environment.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above points, and provides a reading / writing device capable of achieving miniaturization as compared with the case where two side walls are arranged to prevent interference.

One aspect of the present disclosure is a read / write device, which is an array of electronic tags formed by arranging a plurality of electronic tags along a predetermined direction, and a read / write device that sequentially reads / writes information from the plurality of electronic tags. It is a read / write device of a read / write system that radiates radio waves from the read / write device to the array of electronic tags while moving at least one of the above with respect to the other to read / write information to / from the electronic tags. The reading / writing device is provided with an antenna that radiates radio waves, and is arranged on an antenna substrate in which a radio wave emitting surface that radiates radio waves is inclined from a posture facing the electronic tag, and on the radio wave emitting side of the antenna substrate. , A radio wave absorber that narrows the radiation region of the radio wave radiated from the radio wave radiation surface in the direction of the arrangement of the electronic tags.

In the reading / writing device of this embodiment, the radio wave absorber narrows the radiation region so that radio waves are not radiated across the electronic tags arranged adjacent to each other.

In the reading / writing device of this embodiment, the radio wave absorber narrows the radiation region on the side far from the arrangement of the electronic tags.

In the reading / writing device of this embodiment, the plurality of electronic tags are attached to a plurality of reagent containers arranged along the arrangement of the electronic tags, and information on the reagents contained in the attached reagent containers is stored. There is.

According to the present disclosure, the size of the reading / writing device can be reduced and the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed as compared with the case where the two side walls are arranged to prevent interference.

It is a figure which shows the schematic structure of the reading / writing system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the inclination of the antenna board of a reading / writing device. It is a figure which shows typically how the radio wave radiated from an antenna board is propagated. It is a figure which shows the range which can communicate effectively with an antenna board and an electronic tag. It is a figure which shows the reading / writing device which the antenna board is tilted, and the reading / writing device which the antenna board is not tilted.

Hereinafter, an example of the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent components and parts in each drawing. In addition, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a read / write system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the inclination of the antenna substrate of the reading / writing device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the read / write system 1 includes a plurality of electronic tags 10 and a read / write device 20 that sequentially reads / writes information from the electronic tags 10. In the read / write system 1, at least one of an array of a plurality of electronic tags 10 arranged in a predetermined direction and a read / write device 20 that sequentially reads / writes information from the plurality of electronic tags is moved relative to the other as described later. The reading / writing device 20 radiates radio waves to the array of electronic tags 10 to read / write information to / from the electronic tags 10.

The electronic tag 10 is an electronic device capable of writing and reading information by storing arbitrary information and receiving radio waves. The electronic tag 10 is used for various purposes and is attached to the identified object in order to identify various identified objects such as parts, products, goods, devices, appliances or containers. The electronic tag 10 is attached to, for example, a reagent container for inspection, and stores information for identifying the reagent contained in the reagent container and determining the usage history of the reagent. In the following embodiment, a case where the electronic tag 10 is attached to the reagent container 50 will be described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the case where the electronic tag 10 is attached to the reagent container 50, and applies to the electronic tag 10 for any purpose.

A plurality of electronic tags 10 are prepared, and one is attached to each of the plurality of reagent containers 50. The reagent container 50 is arranged along a predetermined arrangement direction S, and the electronic tag 10 attached to the reagent container 50 is also arranged along the arrangement direction S. The reagent container 50 is sequentially delivered relative to the reading / writing device 20 according to the arrangement direction S. The position of the electronic tag 10 changes sequentially with respect to the reading / writing device 20. As an example, the reagent container 50 to which the reading / writing device 20 is fixed and the electronic tag 10 is attached is delivered along the arrangement direction S. The predetermined arrangement direction S (predetermined direction) is not limited to the linear direction shown in FIG. The predetermined arrangement direction S may be a curve direction having a predetermined curvature. In this case, the reagent containers 50 are arranged in a ring shape along the predetermined arrangement direction S, and the electronic tags 10 attached to the reagent containers 50 are also arranged in a ring shape. The read / write device 20 is arranged inside the reagent container 50 arranged in a ring shape, and reads / writes information to / from the electronic tag 10 which moves relatively in the circumferential direction around the read / write device 20.

The read / write device 20 is a device for sequentially reading / writing a plurality of electronic tags 10. The reading / writing device 20 has an antenna board 22 and a radio wave absorber 24.

The antenna board 22 includes an antenna that radiates radio waves. As shown in FIG. 2, the antenna substrate 22 has a radio wave radiation surface 23 that emits radio waves for reading and writing the electronic tag 10 and is arranged so as to be inclined from a posture facing the electronic tag 10. The posture facing the electronic tag 10 is indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. The angle θ at which the radio wave radiation surface 23 of the actual antenna board 22 is tilted with respect to the radio wave radiation surface 23B of the antenna substrate 22B indicated by the alternate long and short dash line is, for example, greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, preferably 30 degrees or more. It is 80 degrees or less, more preferably 45 degrees or more and 75 degrees or less. In other words, the antenna substrate 22 is inclined with respect to the arrangement direction S of the electronic tags 10.

As described above, the antenna substrate 22 radiates radio waves in an inclined posture with respect to the arrangement direction S of the electronic tags 10. The antenna board 22 may read / write to / from the electronic tag 10 located directly in front of the read / write device 20, or may read / write to / from the electronic tag 10 at a position deviated from the front. It is preferable to read and write to the electronic tag 10. Here, "the electronic tag 10 is located directly in front of the read / write device 20" means that the central portion of the radio wave emitting surface 23 and the central portion of the electronic tag 10 are viewed in the arrangement direction S (width direction of the electronic tag 10). Means that they match. However, "the electronic tag 10 is located directly in front of the read / write device 20" means that the central portion coincides with the direction in which the electronic tag 10 intersects the arrangement direction S perpendicularly (height direction of the electronic tag 10) on the plane of the electronic tag 10. do not have to.

When the radio wave radiated from the antenna board 22 reaches the electronic tag 10, the electric power generated by the radio wave causes the electronic tag 10 to read and write information, and the information is transmitted to the antenna board 22 by the radio wave. The antenna board 22 can acquire information from the electronic tag 10 by receiving radio waves. The antenna board 22 can rewrite the information recorded on the electronic tag 10 based on the received information.

The radio wave absorber 24 is arranged on the radio wave radiating side of the antenna substrate 22, and narrows the radiating region of the radio wave radiated from the radio wave radiating surface 23 in the arrangement direction S of the electronic tag 10. The radio wave absorber 24 is formed in a structure that absorbs radio waves such as a metal plate or a metal net or blocks the passage of radio waves, and blocks the passage of a part of the radio waves radiated from the antenna substrate 22. The radio wave absorber 24 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

Although the radio wave absorber 24 is formed to have a substantially rectangular cross section in FIG. 1, the shape is not particularly limited as long as it can prevent the passage of radio waves. Similarly, although the electronic tags 10 are arranged substantially perpendicularly (perpendicularly) to the arrangement direction, the arrangement method is not particularly limited as long as the passage of radio waves can be blocked.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing how radio waves radiated from the antenna substrate are propagated. In FIG. 3, reference numbers 10A to C are attached to the specific electronic tags 10 in order to separate the specific electronic tags 10. Similarly, reference numbers 50A to 50C are attached to the specific reagent container 50 in order to separate the specific test container 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, the radio wave radiated from the antenna substrate 22 propagates while spreading in the plane direction of the antenna substrate 22 like the radiation region W. The radio wave absorber 24 narrows the radiation region W at least in the arrangement direction S of the electronic tags 10. In particular, the radio wave absorber 24 narrows the radiation region W so that the radio wave is not radiated across the adjacent electronic tag 10 when the reading / writing device 20 reads / writes to / from the electronic tag 10. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the radio wave absorber 24 narrows the radiation region W by placing it on the side far from the arrangement of the electronic tags 10. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the radiation region W is narrowed to the range shown by the diagonal line. In other words, the radiation region W is cut out from one side far from the array of electronic tags 10 toward the other side closer to the array of electronic tags 10.

As a result, for example, the electronic tag 10B of the reagent container 50B shown in FIG. 3 is located in the radiation region W through which radio waves are propagated, and the electronic tag 10A and the electronic tag 10C of the reagent container 50A and the reagent container 50C are in the radiation region. Located outside W. Therefore, the antenna board 22 can communicate only with the electronic tag 10B, and can read and write information to and from the electronic tag 10B.

When reading and writing the information of the electronic tag 10 by the reading / writing device 20, only one of the plurality of electronic tags 10 is located in the radiation region W shown by the diagonal line in FIG. 3, so that interference is not caused. , The read / write device 20 can acquire the information of the electronic tag 10. By moving the reagent container 50 to which the electronic tag 10 is attached in the arrangement direction S so that the electronic tag 10 is located in the radiation region W in order, the reading / writing device 20 sequentially acquires information on the plurality of electronic tags 10. can. The reagent container 50 and the electronic tag 10 do not necessarily have to move in the arrangement direction S. The reading / writing device 20 may move with respect to the reagent container 50 and the electronic tag 10. Alternatively, the electronic tag 10 may move in the arrangement direction S relative to the read / write device 20 by moving both the electronic tag 10 and the read / write device 20.

As described above, the principle that it is sufficient to limit the propagation of radio waves only on the side far from the electronic tag 10, that is, the radiation region W only on the side far from the electronic tag by the radio wave absorber 24 that blocks radio waves is as follows. It is a street. As shown in FIG. 3, radio waves propagate while spreading. Here, since the antenna substrate 22 is inclined with respect to the arrangement direction S of the electronic tags, the outer edge of the radiation region W becomes the electronic tag 10A to be read / written next immediately after being radiated from the antenna substrate 22. It is formed in the approaching direction. However, the outer edge of the radiation region W is formed in a direction away from (escape) from the electronic tag 10A as the distance from the antenna substrate 22 increases. Therefore, even if the radio wave is not blocked by the radio wave absorber 24 on the side close to the electronic tag 10, the electronic tag 10A does not enter the radiation region W, and the information of the electronic tag 10A may be erroneously read. No.

Next, a further advantage of inclining the antenna substrate 22 with respect to the arrangement direction S of the electronic tags 10 as described above will be described.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a range in which the antenna board and the electronic tag can effectively communicate. In FIG. 4, the radio wave absorber 24 is omitted in order to explain the principle.

As shown in FIG. 4, the antenna substrate 22 is also inclined with respect to the receiving surface of the electronic tag 10. As a result, for example, when the electronic tag 10B and the electronic tag 10C are viewed from the center of the antenna substrate 22, the electronic tag 10B looks like the size of the width bB indicated by the double-headed arrow, and the electronic tag 10C is indicated by the double-headed arrow. It looks like the size of the width bC. That is, the electronic tag 10B is visible in a wider width than the electronic tag 10C. In other words, since the antenna substrate 22 is inclined, the electronic tag 10B provides a wider receiving surface than the electronic tag 10C with respect to the antenna substrate 22.

As a result, the antenna board 22 is most easily communicated with the electronic tag 10B, which is the object of communication, and is difficult to communicate with the electronic tag 10C. Needless to say, the antenna board 22 is in a state where it is more difficult to communicate with the electronic tag 10 read before the electronic tag 10C.

Since the antenna substrate 22 is tilted in this way, it is easy to communicate only with the target electronic tag 10B, and it is difficult to communicate with the electronic tag 10 farther from the target electronic tag 10B. Since the radio wave absorber 24 is applied to this state as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, it is possible to more reliably prevent the antenna board 22 from erroneously reading and writing electronic tags other than the target electronic tag 10.

Further, since the antenna board 22 is tilted, the receiving surface of the electronic tag 10C or the like that is not intended for reading can be substantially narrowed, so that the space between the electronic tags 10 is compared with the case where the antenna board 22 is not tilted. Interference can be prevented even if the interval between the two is narrowed. If the interval between the electronic tags 10 can be narrowed, there is an advantage that the transport time can be reduced and the size of the device can be reduced.

Further, according to the present embodiment, not only the size of the electronic tag 10 and the reagent container 50 side can be reduced, but also the size of the reading / writing device 20 itself can be reduced.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an electronic tag reader in which the antenna substrate is tilted and an electronic tag reader in which the antenna substrate is not tilted. In FIG. 5, the upper side (A) shows the reading / writing device 20 in which the antenna board 22 is tilted, and the lower side (B) shows the reading / writing device 100 in which the antenna board 90 is not tilted.

When the antenna board 22 is tilted and only one radio wave absorber 24 is provided as in the present embodiment shown in the upper figure (A) of FIG. 5, the antenna board 22 and the radio wave absorber in the read / write device 20 are provided. 24 falls within the width of the range C1 indicated by the double-headed arrow. On the other hand, as in the reference technique shown in the figure (B) below, when the antenna board 90 is not tilted and the radio wave absorbers 94 are provided on both sides of the antenna board 90 to prevent interference, the antenna board 90 And the radio wave absorber 94 falls within the width of the range C2 indicated by the double-headed arrow. As is clear from the comparison of the widths of the ranges C1 and C2 indicated by the double-headed arrows, the device in the above figure (A) can be downsized and the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed.

Although the read / write system of the present embodiment has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications or improvements are possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the antenna substrate 22 and the radio wave absorber 24 are provided non-parallel. However, the radio wave absorber 24 may be installed in parallel with the antenna substrate 22. The radio wave absorber 24 may have a radiation region W narrowed at least on one end side of the antenna substrate 22.

Further, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the radio wave absorber 24 absorbs radio waves so as to narrow the radiation region W of the radio waves radiated from the antenna substrate 22 on the side far from the electronic tag 10. However, the radio wave absorber 24 may narrow the radiation region W on the side closer to the electronic tag 10 instead of narrowing it on the side far from the electronic tag 10. In this case, since the narrowed position and range of the radiation region W change, the shape of the radiation region W also changes. However, the radio wave absorber 24 may absorb the radio waves radiated from the antenna substrate 22 as long as only one electronic tag 10 is adjusted to enter the radiation region W.

Claims (4)

While moving at least one of an array of electronic tags formed by arranging a plurality of electronic tags along a predetermined direction and a reading / writing device that sequentially reads / writes information from the plurality of electronic tags with respect to the other. A read / write device for a read / write system that radiates radio waves from the read / write device to an array of electronic tags to read / write information to / from the electronic tags.
An antenna substrate provided with an antenna that radiates radio waves, and the radio wave radiating surface that radiates radio waves is arranged so as to be inclined from the posture facing the electronic tag.
A radio wave absorber arranged on the radio wave radiating side of the antenna substrate and narrowing the radiating region of the radio wave radiated from the radio wave radiating surface in the direction of the arrangement of the electronic tags.
A literacy device that includes. The read / write device according to claim 1, wherein the radio wave absorber narrows the radiation region so that radio waves are not radiated across electronic tags arranged adjacent to each other. The reading / writing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the radio wave absorber narrows the radiation region from one side far from the array of electronic tags toward the other side close to the array of electronic tags. 3. The reading / writing device according to any one item.

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