READ APPARATUS OF RF TAG AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ OF RF TAG

• US 20100117786A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: KINOSHITA, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,536,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.420
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24175 Redundant communication channel, if one fails use the other
• 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 system includes a first reader/writer unit and a second reader/writer unit. A first reader/writer control unit is configured to control the first reader/writer unit to read a first data from a first RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the first reader/writer unit. A second reader/writer control unit is configured to control the second reader/writer unit to read a second data from a second RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the second reader/writer unit. A monitoring section is configured to issue a selection instruction and to monitor the first reader/writer unit through the first reader/writer control unit, and the second reader/writer unit through the second reader/writer control unit. A switching section is configured to select one of the first reader/writer control unit and the second reader/writer control unit in response to the selection instruction from the monitoring section.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a read operation from an RF tag, comprising:

issuing a selection instruction to a switching section to select a first RF tag reader/writer control unit;

reading a data from a reference RF tag by a first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit;

continuing to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit by said switching section if the data can be read out from said reference RF tag;

issuing the selection instruction to said switching section to select a second RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data cannot be read out from said reference RF tag;

monitoring whether the data can be read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit, through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit in order to detect recovery of said first RF tag reader/writer unit from a trouble;

continuing to monitor said first RF tag reader/writer unit when the data cannot be read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit; and

issuing the selection instruction to said switching section to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data can be read out from said reference RF tag.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

discarding the data read out from said reference RF tag;

neglecting a read/write instruction for said reference RF tag; and

informing to an application, a list of identifiers of RF tags, from which the identifier of said reference RF tag is removed, in response to a read request of the identifiers of the RF tags from said application.

3. A read system for an RF tag, comprising:

a first RF tag reader/writer unit;

a second RF tag reader/writer unit;

a first RF tag reader/writer control unit configured to control said first RF tag reader/write unit;

a second RF tag reader/writer control unit configured to control said first RF tag reader/write unit;

a switching section configured to select one of said first and second RF tag reader/writer control units in response to a selection instruction; and

a monitoring section configured to issue the selection instruction to said switching section to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit, and to monitor whether a data can be read out from a reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit,

wherein said switching section continues to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data can be read out from the reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit,

said monitoring section issues the selection instruction to said switching section to select said second RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data cannot be read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit, monitors whether the data can be read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit, through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit in order to detect recovery of said first RF tag reader/writer unit from a trouble, continues to monitor said first RF tag reader/writer unit when the data cannot be read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit, and issues the selection instruction to said switching section to select said first RE'"'"' tag reader/writer control unit when the data can be read out from said reference RF tag.

4. The read system according to claim 3, further comprising a communication control section configured to discard the data read out from said reference, RF tag, neglect a read/write instruction for said reference RF tag, and inform to an application, a list of identifiers. of RF tags, from which the identifier of said reference RF tag is removed, in response to a read request of the identifiers of the RF tags from said application.