Apparatus for reading RFID tag

• US 20100007471A1
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Taki, Kazunari, Takeda, Michihiro
• Application Number:
  US12/586,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007471A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0025 the arrangement consisting of a wireless interrogation device in combination with a device for optically marking the record carrier
• 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

Abstract

This disclosure discloses an apparatus for reading with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising: a plurality of information creation devices, capable of generating a plurality of types of command signals for making an access to an RFID tag circuit element having an IC circuit part storing information and a tag antenna that transmits and receives information; a plurality of apparatus antennas connected to the plurality of information creation devices, respectively, and configured to transmit the plurality of types of command signals to the RFID tag circuit element via radio communication substantially at the same timing; and a single information processing device configured to obtain reading information by means of receiving processing of a response signal transmitted from the RFID tag circuit element according to the command signal transmitted from the apparatus antenna and received by the apparatus antenna.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reading with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising:

a plurality of information creation devices, capable of generating a plurality of types of command signals for making an access to an RFID tag circuit element having an IC circuit part storing information and a tag antenna that transmits and receives information;

a plurality of apparatus antennas connected to said plurality of information creation devices, respectively, and configured to transmit said plurality of types of command signals to said RFID tag circuit element via radio communication substantially at the same timing; and

a single information processing device configured to obtain reading information by means of receiving processing of a response signal transmitted from said RFID tag circuit element according to said command signal transmitted from said apparatus antenna and received by said apparatus antenna.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of information creation devices has a carrier-wave modulation device configured to receive a carrier wave generated by a carrier-wave generation device in common to each other and to modulate the carrier wave received.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of information creation devices generates said plurality of types of command signals including an obtainment processing command signal that carries out obtainment processing for said RFID tag information of said IC circuit part and a command signal of processing for not to respond that carries out processing for said RFID tag circuit element not to respond.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said plurality of information creation devices generates said plurality of types of command signals including a sleep processing command signal that makes a function of said RFID tag circuit element sleep as said command signal of processing for not to respond.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a control portion configured to control said plurality of information creation devices so that one of said plurality of information creation devices generates said obtainment processing command signal and the remaining information creation devices of said plurality of information creation devices generate said command signal of processing for not to respond.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

said control portion controls said plurality of information creation devices so that said one information creation device that generates said obtainment processing command signal is sequentially switched.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a lighting display device configured to make lighting display corresponding to a switched state of said information creation device that generates said obtainment processing command signal, said switched state being executed by a control of said control portion.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an antenna identification portion configured to identify said apparatus antenna that conducted communication with said RFID tag circuit element according to said reading information obtained by said information processing device on the basis of the response signal received by said apparatus antenna.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

each of said plurality of apparatus antennas is provided at antenna unit corresponding to the apparatus antenna from a plurality of antenna units, each antenna unit being connected to a operating terminal corresponding to the antenna unit from a plurality of operation terminals.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an information sorting portion configured to determine the operation terminal to become an output destination of said reading information obtained by said information processing device or information corresponding to said reading information among said plurality of operation terminals on the basis of an result of identification by said antenna identification portion.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a reading information storage device configured to store said reading information obtained by said information processing device on the basis of the response signal received by said apparatus antenna in association with an result of identification by said antenna identifying portion.