APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH RFID TAG

• US 20100141396A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: FUJINO, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.400
• 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 7/10019 resolving collision on the communication channels between simultaneously or concurrently interrogated record carriers. collision between the communication channels used by wireless communication devices, where the solution is not particularly adapted for RFIDs or the like, H04W74/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0062 in RFID [Radio Frequency Identification] Systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

The disclosure discloses an apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag comprising: a radio communicating device configured to conduct radio communication with a plurality of individual RFID tags constituting a single tag group and a single representative RFID tag associated so as to represent said tag group; a first information obtainment portion configured to conduct first communication for search of said representative RFID tag corresponding to said individual RFID tag to be searched and to obtain information from said representative RFID tag; a switching determination portion configured to determine if said first communication in information obtainment satisfies a predetermined switching condition; and a second information obtainment portion configured to conduct second communication for search of said individual RFID tag to be searched in a communication mode different from that of said first communication if the determination is satisfied and to obtain information from said individual RFID tag.

Claims

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

a radio communicating device configured to conduct radio communication with a plurality of individual RFID tags constituting a single tag group and a single representative RFID tag associated so as to represent said tag group;

a first information obtainment portion configured to conduct first communication for search of said representative RFID tag corresponding to said individual RFID tag to be searched through said radio communicating device and to obtain information from said representative RFID tag;

a switching determination portion configured to determine if said first communication in information obtainment by said first information obtainment portion satisfies a predetermined switching condition; and

a second information obtainment portion configured to conduct second communication for search of said individual RFID tag to be searched in a communication mode different from a communication mode of said first communication through said radio communicating device if the determination by said switching determination portion is satisfied and to obtain information from said individual RFID tag.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said first information obtainment portion obtains identification information of said representative RFID tag corresponding to said individual RFID tag to be searched by means of using correlation information of said individual RFID tag and said representative RFID tag corresponding the individual RFID tag, conducts said first communication by specifying the obtained identification information and obtains information from the representative RFID tag with the identification information specified; and

said second information obtainment portion conducts said second communication by means of specifying identification information of said individual RFID tag to be searched and obtains information from the individual RFID tag with said identification information specified.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a storage device configured to store and hold said correlation information, wherein

said first information obtainment portion conducts said first communication by means of specifying the identification information obtained using said correlation information stored and held in said storage device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a position detecting portion configured to detect a position of said representative RFID tag corresponding to said individual RFID tag to be searched on the basis of a communication result of said first communication, wherein

said switching determination portion determines if a detected position by said position detecting portion is within a predetermined distance range or not as said switching condition.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a power control portion configured to control to increase and decrease a power of said radio communicating device when said first communication is conducted, wherein

said position detecting portion detects the position of said representative RFID tag on the basis of a communication result of said first communication when intensity of said power is increased and decreased by said power control portion.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said radio communicating device has an intensity detecting device configured to detect received signal intensity from said representative RFID tag; and

said position detecting portion detects the position of said representative RFID tag on the basis of a detection result of said intensity detecting device when said first communication is conducted.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a parameter switching portion configured to control said radio communicating device so that a communication parameter as said communication mode is switched which is carried out among said first communication and said second communication.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said parameter switching portion sets said communication parameter as a power from said radio communicating device and switches the power.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said parameter switching portion sets said communication parameter as a communication frequency used in said radio communicating device and switches the communication frequency.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said parameter switching portion sets said communication parameter as a communication protocol used in said radio communicating device and switches the communication protocol.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said radio communicating device has a plurality of antennas with characteristics different from each other; and

the apparatus further comprises an antenna switching portion configured to switch said communication mode which is carried out among said first communication and said second communication, by means of switching said antenna to be used.