RFID System, Reader, Control, Program and Transmission Method

• US 20090051499A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakao, Toshiyasu
• Application Number:
  US11/918,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20090051499A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.340
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0062 in RFID [Radio Frequency Identification] Systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A reader (100-1) transmits an interrogation wave to an RFID tag (200) through an antenna (102-1). A reader (100-2) transmits a power supply wave to the RFID tag (200) through an antenna (102-2). The waves to be transmitted in prescribed timing are switched, and the reader (100-1) transmits the power supply wave to the RFID tag (200) through the antenna (102-1). The reader (100-2) transmits the interrogation wave to the RFID tag (200) through the antenna (102-2).

Claims

1. An RFID system, comprising:

means for replacing each of a role of an antenna for transmitting an interrogation wave and a role of an antenna for transmitting a power supply wave with the other.

2. The RFID system according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting the interrogation wave and the power supply wave while changing a magnitude of a power of at least one of them.

3. An RFID system, said RFID system comprising:

at least two transmitting means for transmitting one of an interrogation wave and a power supply wave to an RFID tag, wherein at least one interrogation wave and at least one power supply wave are transmitted to the RFID tag by employing said two transmitting means or more, and the waves, which said transmitting means transmit, are mutually switched at a predetermined timing.

4. The RFID system according to claim 3, wherein said transmitting means, which comprises a power adjusting means for adjusting an output power of one of the interrogation wave and the power supply wave, is configured to transmit the interrogation wave and the power supply wave while changing a magnitude of a power of one of them.

5. An RFID system, comprising:

at least two readers for transmitting one of an interrogation wave and a power supply wave to an RFID tag; and

a controlling means for taking a control in such a manner that controlling said readers allows at least one interrogation wave and at least one power supply wave to be transmitted to the RFID tag, and the waves, which said readers transmit, to be mutually switched at a predetermined timing.

6. The RFID system according to claim 5, wherein:

said reader comprises a power adjusting means for adjusting an output power of one of the interrogation wave and the power supply wave; and

said controlling means controls said power adjusting means so that the interrogation wave and the power supply wave are transmitted while a magnitude of a power of one of them is changed.

7. A reader in an RFID system, comprising:

a transmitting means for transmitting one of an interrogation wave and a power supply wave to an RFID tag based upon a switchover control.

8. The reader according to claim 7, further comprising:

a power adjusting means for adjusting an output power of one of the interrogation wave and the power supply wave wherein said transmitting means transmits the interrogation wave and the power supply wave while changing a magnitude of a power of one of them.

9. A computer readable medium storing a control program of an RFID system, wherein, when executed by an i.p.d., causing the information processing device to perform the steps of:

causing at least two transmitting means, each of which transmits one of an interrogation wave and a power supply wave to an RFID tag, to transmit at least one interrogation wave and at least one power supply wave; and

switching the waves, which said transmitting means transmit, at a predetermined timing.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further causing the information processing device to perform a step of causing said transmitting means to transmit said interrogation wave and said power supply wave while changing a magnitude of a power of one of them.

11. A transmission method of transmitting an interrogation wave and a power supply wave to an RFID tag, comprising:

replacing each of a role of an antenna for transmitting the interrogation wave and a role of an antenna for transmitting the power supply wave with other, thereby to transmit the interrogation wave and the power supply wave.

12. The transmission method according to claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the interrogation wave and the power supply wave while changing a magnitude of a power of at least one of them.