APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH RFID TAG

• US 20100289624A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: NAKAMURA, MITSURU
• Application Number:
  US12/844,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289624A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/758 using a signal generator powered by the interrogation signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/046 Displays or indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/20 derived by sampling signal received by an antenna system having periodically-varied orientation of directivity characteristic

Abstract

The disclosure discloses an apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag of a movable type, comprising: an apparatus antenna configured to conduct information transmission and reception with respect to an RFID tag circuit element; a transmission processing portion configured to generate an inquiry signal for obtaining the information stored and transmits the signal via the apparatus antenna; a reception processing portion configured to be able to receive a response signal replied from the RFID tag circuit element via the apparatus antenna; a notifying device configured to make notification according to a reception result; and a notification control portion configured to control the notifying device so that the notification by the notifying device is in a mode corresponding at least to movement of the apparatus before the notification of the notifying device is started after the reception processing by the reception processing portion is performed.

Claims

1. A apparatus for communicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag of a movable type, comprising:

an apparatus antenna configured to conduct information transmission and reception with respect to an RFID tag circuit element having an IC circuit part storing information and a tag antenna connected to said IC circuit part;

a transmission processing portion configured to generate an inquiry signal for obtaining the information stored in said IC circuit part and transmits the signal via said apparatus antenna;

a reception processing portion configured to be able to receive a response signal replied from said RFID tag circuit element according to said inquiry signal via said apparatus antenna;

a notifying device configured to make notification to an operator according to a reception result by said reception processing portion; and

a notification control portion configured to control said notifying device so that the notification by said notifying device is in a mode corresponding at least to movement of said apparatus before the notification of the notifying device is started after the reception processing by said reception processing portion is performed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a movement detecting device configured to detect a movement state amount relating to the movement of said apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said notification control portion includes a direction calculation portion configured to calculate a direction state amount relating to a direction where the RFID tag circuit element that replied said response signal is present by means of using at least a first time state amount corresponding to an elapsed time from the reception processing by said reception processing portion to the start of notification and said movement state amount detected by said movement detecting device and

said notification control portion controls said notifying device so as to be in a mode corresponding to the direction state amount calculated by said direction calculation portion.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said direction calculation portion calculates said direction state amount by means of using said first time state amount set in advance corresponding to said notifying device and said movement state amount detected by said movement detecting device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said direction calculation portion calculates said direction state amount by means of using said first time state amount selected corresponding to a notification type of said notifying device among a plurality of said first time state amounts and said movement state amount.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a time calculation portion configured to calculate said first time state amount corresponding to an elapsed time from the reception processing by said reception processing portion to the start of notification, wherein

said direction calculation portion calculates said direction state amount by means of using said first time state amount calculated by said time calculation portion and said movement state amount detected by said movement detecting device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said direction calculation portion calculates said direction state amount by means of using said first time state amount, a second time state amount corresponding to an elapsed time from when said operator notices the notification after the start of notification by said notifying device till the operator stops movement of said apparatus, and said movement state amount.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said direction calculation portion calculates said direction state amount by means of using said second time state amount set in advance corresponding to said notifying device, said first time state amount, and said movement state amount.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

said direction calculation portion calculates said direction state amount by means of using said second time state amount set corresponding to a notification type of said notifying device, said first time state amount, and said movement state amount.

10. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an operating device for an operator to make an input that the notification made by said notifying device has been checked.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a calculation control portion configured to stop new calculation of said direction state amount by said direction calculation portion if said input that the notification has been checked is made via said operating device.