RFID tag communication system and RFID tag communication apparatus

• US 20100073138A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kenichi, Sugimoto, Masahiro, Suzuki, Mikitoshi
• Application Number:
  US12/586,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073138A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• 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 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00

Abstract

This disclosure discloses an RFID tag communication apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of RFID circuit elements, each of the RFID circuit elements having a tag antenna that transmits and receives information and an IC circuit part that stores information, comprising: a communication antenna that forms a communication range that includes said RFID circuit elements and performs wireless communication; at least one information acquisition device that attempts to acquire tag identification information from said RFID circuit elements positioned within said communication range by selectively using a plurality of communication protocols different from each other; and a storage processing device that performs predetermined storage processing with respect to a plurality of tag identification information with associating with each communication protocol, said plurality of tag identification information being acquired by said at least one information acquisition device with using said plurality of communication protocols different from each other.

Claims

1. An RFID tag communication apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of RFID circuit elements, each of the RFID circuit elements having a tag antenna that transmits and receives information and an IC circuit part that stores information, comprising:

a communication antenna that forms a communication range that includes said RFID circuit elements and performs wireless communication;

at least one information acquisition device that attempts to acquire tag identification information from said RFID circuit elements positioned within said communication range by selectively using a plurality of communication protocols different from each other; and

a storage processing device that performs predetermined storage processing with respect to a plurality of tag identification information with associating with each communication protocol, said plurality of tag identification information being acquired by said at least one information acquisition device with using said plurality of communication protocols different from each other.

2. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of communication protocols include a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol that are different from each other;

said communication antenna forms a first communication range that includes a first RFID circuit element and a second RFID circuit element to perform wireless communication, said first RFID circuit element having a first tag antenna that transmits and receives information using said first communication protocol and a first IC circuit part that stores information, said second RFID circuit element having a second tag antenna that transmits and receives information using said second communication protocol and a second IC circuit part that stores information;

said at least one information acquisition device includes a first information acquisition device and a second information acquisition device, said first information acquisition device acquiring a first tag identification information from said first RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said first communication protocol;

said second information acquisition device acquiring a second tag identification information from said second RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said second communication protocol; and

said storage processing device has a first storage device that stores said first tag identification information of said first RFID circuit element in association with said first communication protocol, and said second tag identification information of said second RFID circuit element in association with said second communication protocol.

3. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 2 capable of performing communication by selectively switching among a plurality of communication parameters that includes a first communication parameter and a second communication parameter that are different from each other, wherein:

said first information acquisition device acquires said first tag identification information from said first RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said first communication parameter;

said second information acquisition device acquires said second tag identification information from said second RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said second communication parameter; and

said first storage device stores said first tag identification information of said first RFID circuit element in association with said first communication parameter, and stores said second tag identification information of said second RFID circuit element in association with said second communication parameter, based on information acquisition results of said first information acquisition device and said second information acquisition device.

4. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a write data generating portion that generates a first write data for writing to said first IC circuit part of said first RFID circuit element, or a second write data for writing to said second IC circuit part of said second RFID circuit element; and

a write data transmitting device that sends said first write data to said first RFID circuit element by wireless communication with using at least said first communication protocol among said first communication protocol and said first communication parameter, or said second write data to said second RFID circuit element by wireless communication with using at least said second communication protocol among said second communication protocol and said second communication parameter, via said communication antenna and based on storage contents of said first storage device.

5. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first operation device that enables operation input by an operator;

a first application processing part that performs processing an operation input of said operator by means of said first operation device in accordance with a predetermined application program and that generates a processing instruction signal corresponding to said operation input; and

a first communication processing part having said first storage device and that controls said first information acquisition device and second information acquisition device or controls said write data transmitting device, based on the processing instruction signal generated by said first application processing part.

6. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said communication antenna forms a second communication range that simultaneously includes said plurality of RFID circuit elements respectively corresponding to said plurality of communication protocols different from each other, to perform wireless communication, and

said RFID tag communication apparatus further comprises a protocol switching device that switches one by one among said plurality of communication protocols;

said at least one information acquisition device includes a third information acquisition device that performs acquisition processing for attempting to acquire information by wireless communication from said RFID circuit elements positioned within said second communication range, with using each communication protocol switched one by one by said protocol switching device; and

said storage processing device has a first association processing device and a second association processing device, said first association processing device associating a third tag identification information of a third RFID circuit element with a fourth tag identification information of a fourth RFID circuit element, said third tag identification information being acquired from said third information acquisition device with using a third communication protocol switched to by said protocol switching device, said fourth tag identification information being acquired from said third information acquisition device with using a fourth communication protocol switched to by said protocol switching device;

said second association processing device associating a first target object corresponding to said third RFID circuit element with a second target object corresponding to said fourth RFID circuit element, based on a processing result from said first association processing device.

7. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said first association processing device associates said third tag identification information with said fourth tag identification information acquired by said third information acquisition device when said protocol switching device switches among said plurality of communication protocols by making a round through said plurality of protocols in a predetermined sequence.

8. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said first association processing device associates said third tag identification information with said fourth tag identification information acquired during both a first pass and a second pass in a case where an acquisition result of said third information acquisition device of said first pass when said protocol switching device switched among said plurality of communication protocols by making a pass through said plurality of communication protocols in a predetermined sequence matches an acquisition result of said third information acquisition device of said second pass when said protocol switching device subsequently switched among said plurality of communication protocols by making a pass through said plurality of communication protocols in a predetermined sequence.

9. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said first association processing device associates said third tag identification information with said fourth tag identification information acquired in a case where said protocol switching device switches among said plurality of communication protocols by making a pass through said plurality of protocols in a predetermined sequence and repeating the pass, and the acquisition results of said third information acquisition device within a range of a predetermined time match with each other.

10. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said third information acquisition device performs said information acquisition processing a plurality of times with respect to one communication protocol included in said plurality of communication protocols, and performs said information acquisition processing once with using all other communication protocols other than said one communication protocol, when said protocol switching device switches among said plurality of communication protocols by making a pass through said plurality of communication protocols in said predetermined sequence.

11. The RFID tag communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

said protocol switching device switches to a sub-protocol of said one communication protocol in the next sequence of said one communication protocol when switching among said plurality of communication protocols by making a pass through said plurality of communication protocols in said predetermined sequence; and

said third information acquisition device performs said information acquisition processing once by using said one communication protocol and performs said information acquisition processing once by using said sub-protocol in response to said switching by said protocol switching device.

12. An RFID tag communication system comprising:

an RFID tag communication apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of RFID circuit elements, each of the RFID circuit elements having a tag antenna that transmits and receives information and an IC circuit part that stores information; and

an operation terminal that enables operation of said RFID tag communication apparatus,

said RFID tag communication apparatus having;

a communication antenna that forms a communication range that includes said RFID circuit elements and performs wireless communication; and

at least one information acquisition device that attempts to acquire tag identification information from said RFID circuit elements positioned within said communication range by selectively using a plurality of communication protocols different from each other;

said operation terminal has a storage processing device that performs predetermined storage processing with respect to a plurality of tag identification information with associating with each communication protocol, said plurality of tag identification information being acquired by said at least one information acquisition device with using said plurality of communication protocols different from each other.

13. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 12, wherein:

said plurality of communication protocols include a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol that are different from each other;

said communication antenna forms a first communication range that includes a first RFID circuit element and a second RFID circuit element to perform wireless communication, said first RFID circuit element having a first tag antenna that transmits and receives information using said first communication protocol and a first IC circuit part that stores information;

said second RFID circuit element having a second tag antenna that transmits and receives information using said second communication protocol and a second IC circuit part that stores information;

said at least one information acquisition device includes a first information acquisition device and a second information acquisition device, said first information acquisition device acquiring a first tag identification information from said first RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said first communication protocol;

said second information acquisition device acquiring a second tag identification information from said second RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said second communication protocol; and

said storage processing device has a second storage device that stores said first tag identification information of said first RFID circuit element in association with said first communication protocol, and said second tag identification information of said second RFID circuit element in association with said second communication protocol.

14. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 13, wherein:

said RFID tag communication apparatus is capable of performing communication by selectively switching among a plurality of communication parameters that includes a first communication parameter and a second communication parameter that are different from each other,

said first information acquisition device of said RFID tag communication apparatus acquires said first tag identification information from said first RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said first communication parameter;

said second information acquisition device of said RFID tag communication apparatus acquires said second tag identification information from said second RFID circuit element positioned within said first communication range by wireless communication with using said second communication parameter; and

said second storage device of said operation terminal stores said first tag identification information of said first RFID circuit element in association with said first communication parameter, and stores said second tag identification information of said second RFID circuit element in association with said second communication parameter, based on information acquisition results of said first information acquisition device and said second information acquisition device.

15. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 13, wherein:

said operation terminal further includes a write data generating portion that generates a first write data for writing to said first IC circuit part of said first RFID circuit element, or a second write data for writing to said second IC circuit part of said second RFID circuit element; and

said RFID tag communication apparatus further includes a write data transmitting device that sends said first write data to said first RFID circuit element by wireless communication with using at least said first communication protocol among said first communication protocol and said first communication parameter, or said second write data to said second RFID circuit element by wireless communication with using at least said second communication protocol among said second communication protocol and said second communication parameter, via said communication antenna and based on storage contents of said second storage device of said operation terminal.

16. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 15, wherein:

said operation terminal has;

a second operation device that enables operation input by an operator;

a second application processing part that performs processing an operation input of said operator by means of said second operation device in accordance with a predetermined application program and that generates a processing instruction signal corresponding to said operation input; and

a second communication processing part having said second storage device and that controls said RFID tag communication apparatus based on the processing instruction signal generated by said second application processing part.

17. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 12, wherein:

said communication antenna forms a second communication range that simultaneously includes said plurality of RFID circuit elements respectively corresponding to said plurality of communication protocols different from each other, to perform wireless communication, and

said RFID tag communication apparatus further comprises a protocol switching device that switches one by one among said plurality of communication protocols;

said at least one information acquisition device includes a third information acquisition device that performs acquisition processing for attempting to acquire information by wireless communication from said RFID circuit elements positioned within said second communication range, with using each communication protocol switched one by one by said protocol switching device; and

said storage processing device has a third association processing device and a fourth association processing device, said third association processing device associating a third tag identification information of a third RFID circuit element with a fourth tag identification information of a fourth RFID circuit element, said third tag identification information being acquired from said third information acquisition device with using a third communication protocol switched to by said protocol switching device, said fourth tag identification information being acquired from said third information acquisition device with using a fourth communication protocol switched to by said protocol switching device;

said fourth association processing device associating a first target object corresponding to said third RFID circuit element with a second target object corresponding to said fourth RFID circuit element, based on a processing result from said third association processing device.

18. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 17, wherein:

said operation terminal has;

a third operation device that enables operation input by an operator,

a third application processing part that performs processing an operation input of said operator by means of said third operation device in accordance with a predetermined application program and that generates a processing instruction signal corresponding to said operation input, and

a third communication processing part that controls said RFID tag communication apparatus based on a processing instruction signal generated by said third application processing part; and

said fourth association processing device is provided in said third application processing part; and

said third association processing device is provided in said third communication processing part.

19. The RFID tag communication system according to claim 18, wherein:

said third application processing part outputs said processing instruction signal for providing instructions for information reading in accordance with the operation input of said operator by means of said third operation device;

said third information acquisition device acquires said third tag identification information with using said third communication protocol, and acquires said fourth tag identification information with using said fourth communication protocol, based on the control performed by said third communication processing part in accordance with said processing instruction signal for providing instructions for said information reading;

said third association processing device of said third communication processing part associates said third tag identification information with said fourth tag identification information acquired by said third information acquisition device, and collectively outputs the third tag identification information and the fourth tag identification information to said third application processing part; and

said fourth association processing device of said third application processing part associates said first target object with said second target object based on said third tag identification information and said fourth tag identification information associated with each other.