RF-tag reading system and RF-tag reader/writer control system, and interference avoidance method therefor

• US 20060175407A1
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Satoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/345,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20060175407A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas

Abstract

An RF-tag reading system is provided, in which a reading schedule for reading RF-tags, without interference among RF-tag readers/writers, can automatically be created. A schedule table is a table that stores the identifiers of RF-tag readers/writers to which schedule control should be applied; fields for storing the IDs of reference RF-tags are incorporated in the schedule table and utilized during creation of the schedule table. A schedule creation unit controls the RF-tag readers/writers to detect interference and then writes a reading schedule in the schedule table. A schedule control unit reads RF-tag information from the RF-tag readers/writers, while controlling timing in accordance with the contents of the schedule table.

Claims

1. An RF (Radio Frequency)-tag reading system including an RF-tag reader/writer control system that, in the case where interference occurs among a plurality of RF-tag reader/writers for reading RF-tag identifiers of RF-tags, controls a schedule for the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the RF-tag reader/writer control system comprising:

reading-test implementation means of implementing a test of sequential reading, through the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, of the RF-tag identifiers of reference RF-tags that are preliminarily installed prior to operation; and

ascertainment means of ascertaining whether or not a single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, based on the test of reading.

2. The RF-tag reading system according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the RF-tag reader/writer control system determines that interference occurs among respective query signals from the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers and then implements control of a reading-timing schedule for the respective plurality of RF-tag reader/writers.

3. The RF-tag reading system according to claim 1, wherein the RF-tag reader/writer control system includes a schedule table in which identifiers of the RF-tag reader/writers to which the control of a reading-timing schedule has to be applied and RF-tag identifiers of the reference RF-tags are stored, the schedule table being created based on the RF-tag identifiers of the reference RF-tags.

4. The RF-tag reading system according to claim 1, wherein the RF-tag reader/writer control system includes an RF-tag table in which correspondence between the identifier of the RF-tag reader/writer and the RF-tag identifier read by the RF-tag reader/writer are stored and a schedule table in each entry of which a list of the identifiers of the RF-tag reader/writers that can concurrently read is stored, the schedule table being created by utilizing the RF-tag table.

5. An RF (Radio Frequency)-tag reader/writer control system that, in the case where interference occurs among a plurality of RF-tag reader/writers for reading RF-tag identifiers of RF-tags, controls a schedule for the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the RF-tag reader/writer control system comprising:

reading-test implementation means of implementing a test of sequential reading, through the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, of the RF-tag identifiers of reference RF-tags that are preliminarily installed prior to operation; and

ascertainment means of ascertaining whether or not a single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, based on the test of reading.

6. The RF-tag reader/writer control system according to claim 5, wherein, in the case where the single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the RF-tag reader/writer control system determines that interference occurs among respective query signals from the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers and then implements control of a reading-timing schedule for the respective plurality of RF-tag reader/writers.

7. The RF-tag reader/writer control system according to claim 5, wherein the RF-tag reader/writer control system includes a schedule table in which identifiers of the RF-tag reader/writers to which the control of a reading-timing schedule has to be applied and RF-tag identifiers of the reference RF-tags are stored, the schedule table being created based on the RF-tag identifiers of the reference RF-tags.

8. The RF-tag reader/writer control system according to claim 5, wherein the RF-tag reader/writer control system includes an RF-tag table in which correspondence between the identifier of the RF-tag reader/writer and the RF-tag identifier read by the RF-tag reader/writer are stored and a schedule table in each entry of which a list of the identifiers of the RF-tag reader/writers that can concurrently read is stored, the schedule table being created by utilizing the RF-tag table.

9. An RF (Radio Frequency)-tag reader/writer interference avoidance method utilized in an RF-tag reading system including an RF-tag reader/writer control system that, in the case where interference occurs among a plurality of RF-tag reader/writers for reading RF-tag identifiers of RF-tags, controls a schedule for the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the RF-tag reader/writer interference avoidance method implementing:

a reading-test implementation process of making the RF-tag reader/writer control system implement a test of sequential reading, through the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, of the RF-tag identifiers of reference RF-tags that are preliminarily installed prior to operation; and

an ascertainment process of ascertaining whether or not a single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, based on the test of reading.

10. The RF-tag reader/writer interference avoidance method according to claim 9, wherein, in the case where the single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the RF-tag reader/writer control system determines that interference occurs among respective query signals from the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers and then implements control of a reading-timing schedule for the respective plurality of RF-tag reader/writers.

11. The RF-tag reader/writer interference avoidance method according to claim 9, wherein the RF-tag reader/writer control system is provided with a schedule table in which identifiers of the RF-tag reader/writers to which the control of a reading-timing schedule has to be applied and RF-tag identifiers of the reference RF-tags are stored, and the RF-tag reader/writer control system creates the schedule table, based on the RF-tag identifiers of the reference RF-tags.

12. The RF-tag reader/writer interference avoidance method according to claim 9, wherein the RF-tag reader/writer control system is provided with an RF-tag table in which correspondence between the identifier of the RF-tag reader/writer and the RF-tag identifier read by the RF-tag reader/writer are stored and a schedule table in each entry of which a list of the identifiers of the RF-tag reader/writers that can concurrently read is stored, and the RF-tag reader/writer control system creates the schedule table, by utilizing the RF-tag table.

13. A program of an RF (Radio Frequency)-tag reader/writer interference avoidance method utilized in an RF-tag reading system including an RF-tag reader/writer control system that, in the case where interference occurs among a plurality of RF-tag reader/writers for reading RF-tag identifiers of RF-tags, controls a schedule for the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, the program making a computer implement the processes of:

implementing a test of sequential reading, through the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, of the RF-tag identifiers of reference RF-tags that are preliminarily installed prior to operation; and

ascertaining whether or not a single RF-tag can be read by the plurality of RF-tag reader/writers, based on the test of reading.