RFID tag, and RFID tag-related determining device and method, and management system and method

• US 20030169149A1
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Atsushi, Asai, Shojiro, Takaragi, Kazuo, Tokuyama, Hideki, Itsuki, Rei, Ohki, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,173,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

The present invention provides a RFID tag structure suited to determining the authenticity of an article or part, and also provides an information processing system for reading RFID tags, which enables authenticity determinations of articles or parts to be carried out with accuracy using Read only RFID tags.

A plurality of RFID tags, each of which holds tag information inside ROM (read-only memory) and responds tag information via a radio wave upon receiving a radio wave from a reader, are designed to have a service identifier which designates a common utilization goal for which the same value is set, and service data which sets different values for the respective RFID tags, as tag information. Then, by dividing the data structure of a RFID tag having read-only memory into a service identifier, which is common to a certain product, and sequential data for managing individual products, it is possible to confirm that an article is authentic by simply confirming the service identifier.

Claims

1. A RFID tag, which has read-only memory, and transmits and receives information stored in the memory, wherein said RFID tag has tag information as the information stored in the memory, said tag information comprising a service identifier for setting a value common to a specific application or category, and service data for setting different values for categorizing within said specific application or category.

2. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein said different values of service data are any one of serial numbers assigned to individual RFID tags, manufacturing period information and serial numbers assigned to individual RFID tags, or service classifications and serial numbers assigned to individual RFID tags.

3. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein

the length of said read-only memory is fixed;

the RFID tag can have a plurality of types of data length for said service identifier;

the RFID tag has a service header, which indicates the type of data length of said service identifier;

the data length of said service data increases or decreases in accordance with increases or decreases of the data length of said service identifier; and

in the respective types of service identifiers, the sum of the data length of the service identifier and the data length of the service data is fixed.

4. The RFID tag according to claim 3, wherein

the RFID tag has two bits for said service header;

the RFID tag has four types of data length for said service identifier;

the length of said service identifier is any one of 10 bits, 14 bits, 24 bits, and 36 bits,;

the length of said service data is any one of 88 bits, 84 bits, 74 bits and 62 bits, respectively; and

the RFID tag has 24 bits for the bits for error detection.

5. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein said tag information consists of information which designates a new service identifier for additionally recording a new service identifier and the additional recording thereof in a recording portion in which a plurality of said service identifiers have been stored beforehand.

6. A determining device, comprising:

a reader which reads tag information from a RFID tag, which has read-only memory, transmits and receives information stored in the memory, and has tag information including a service identifier which sets a value common to a specific application or category as the information in said memory;

a service identifier recording portion which records said service identifier; and

a first determining portion which determines whether or not a service identifier read by said reader matches a service identifier recorded by said service identifier recording portion.

7. The determining device according to claim 6, further comprising an operating portion which either displays determination results, shuts down operation, or issues a warning that operation would be inappropriate, when a determination is made by said first determining portion that the service identifiers do not match.

8. The determining device according to claim 7, wherein said service identifier is information for confirming the authenticity of an article to which a RFID tag is attached;

said first determining portion determines whether an article is authentic or false; and

said operating portion either displays whether the article is authentic or false, shuts down operation if the article is false, or issues a warning that operation would be inappropriate if the article is false.

9. The determining device according to claim 6, wherein said tag information incldes service data for setting different values for categorizing within said specific application or category, and further comprising:

a service data recording portion which records said service data; and

a second determining portion which determines whether or not service data read by said reader matches service data recorded in said service data recording portion.

10. The determining device according to claim 9, further comprising an operating portion which either displays determination results, shuts down operation, or issues a warning that operation would be inappropriate, when a determination is made by said second determining portion that the read service data does not match the recorded service data.

11. The determining device according to claim 10, wherein said service data is information related to the utilization status of an article to which a RFID tag is attached;

said second determining portion determines the usability of said article; and

said operating portion either displays the utilization status, shuts down using operation when said article is unusable, or issues a warning that using operation would be inappropriate when said article is unusable.

12. The determining device according to claim 6, wherein said service identifier recording portion is capable of additionally recording a new service identifier.

13. The determining device according to claim 12, wherein said additional recording is either carried out by inputting, or by reading a RFID tag, which has read-only memory, transmits and receives information stored in the memory, and has information, which designates a new service identifier for additionally recording a new service identifier and the additional recording thereof in a service identifier recording portion.

14. A determining method, comprising the steps of:

reading a RFID tag to which a code of a specific product manufacturer is allocated; and

displaying the fact that a product is authentic when this code matches the code of said specific product manufacturer stored beforehand.

15. A determining method, comprising the steps of:

reading a RFID tag to which a code of a specific product manufacturer and a code of a specific product of this specific product manufacturer are allocated; and

displaying the fact that a product is authentic when these codes match the code of a specific product manufacturer and the code of a specific product of this specific product manufacturer stored beforehand.

16. A management system for managing tag information of a RFID tag, which has read-only memory, transmits and receives information stored in the memory, and has this tag information comprising a service identifier for setting a value common to a specific application or category, and service data for setting different values for categorizing within said specific application or category, as the information inside said memory, said management system comprising:

a manufacturer database which registers a manufacturer, which handles an article to which said RFID tag is attached;

a service identifier database which allocates and registers a service identifier for setting a value common to the application or category utilized by said manufacturer; and

a service data database which allocates and registers service data for setting different values for categorizing within the application or category utilized by said manufacturer.

17. The management system according to claim 16, further comprising an additional service data database for the additional allocation and registration of new service data relative to said service data.

18. A management method for managing tag information of a RFID tag which has read-only memory, transmits and receives information stored in the memory, and has tag information comprising a service identifier for setting a value common to a specific application or category, and service data for setting different values for categorizing within said specific application or category, as the information in said memory, said management method comprising the steps of:

registering a manufacturer, which handles an article to which said RFID tag is attached;

allocating a service identifier in response to a request for a service identifier from said manufacturer; and

notifying the allocated service identifier to said manufacturer, the manufacturer which manufactures the memory of said RFID tag, and the manufacturer which manufactures the determining device for reading the tag information of said RFID tag.

19. The management method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

allocating service data in response to a request for service data from said manufacturer; and

notifying the allocated service data to said manufacturer, the manufacturer which manufactures the memory of said RFID tag, and the manufacture which manufactures the determining device for reading the tag information of said RFID tag.

20. The management method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

making an additional allocation of service data in response to a request for new service data from said manufacturer; and

notifying the additionally allocated service data to said manufacturer, the manufacturer which manufactures the memory of said RFID tag, and the manufacture which manufactures the determining device for reading the tag information of said RFID tag.