Electronic label information exchange system

• US 4,807,140 A
• Filed: 11/09/1984
• Issued: 02/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dominique C. Saulnier
• Original Assignee: Dominique C. Saulnier
• Inventors: Saulnier, Dominique C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mac Donald, Allen
• Application Number:
  US06/670,377
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478, 364/468, 364/200, 364/900, 364/479, 235/375, 235/376, 235/377, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 343/6.5 R, 343/6.5 CC, 343/6.5 SS, 343/6.8 CC, 340/572, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 340/825.54
• US Class Current: 700/116
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/128 by electric registration, e.g. electrolytic, spark erosion recording apparatus for measuring instruments G01D15/06; information storage in general G11
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

An electronic label data exchange system has work posts adapted for data transmission with objects passing through the posts and with a central control. The objects are provided with electronic labels having a non-volatile memory which may be cleared and written into by the work post devices. The work post fixed transmission devices each have a modulator-demodulator for connection to the control center, a coder-decoder connected to a receiving circuit and to a transmission circuit, and may also include a power transmission circuit for supplying the electronic circuits of the electronic labels with power. Each electronic label has a reception circuit and a transmission circuit in addition to the non-volatile memory. A local data exploitation circuit is connected to the modulator and to the demodulator disposed in each fixed transmission device.

Claims

1. An electronic data exchange system for use with objects moving along a processing path having a plurality of work posts including handling and machining means thereat, the data exchange system comprising:

fixed data transmission means disposed at the work posts;

electronic labels on the objects, the electronic labels each having a non-volatile memory which can be cleared and written into by the fixed data transmission means;

each fixed data transmission means having a modulator-demodulator for connecting the data transmission means to a remote control center, a coder-decoder connected to a receiving circuit and to a transmission circuit;

each electronic label having a reception circuit, a transmission circuit and said non-volatile memory;

a local data exploitation circuit connected to each fixed transmission means; and

,

a programmable memory and program memory in the fixed data transmission means, in which are stored a plurality of elementary instructions required for a plurality of procedures to be selectively effected by the data exploitation circuit, and the data exploitation circuit being operable responsive to the electronic labels and the remote control center to select and execute a sequence of instructions from said elementary instructions, specific to a particular situation.

2. Data exchange system according to claim 1, wherein the modulator-demodulator communicates with a peripheral means that is connected to the transmission circuit, the modulator-demodulator and peripheral means being in communication with the data exploitation device and allowing monitoring and maintenance of the data exchange system.

3. Data exchange system according to claim 1, further comprising a power transmission circuit in the data transmission means and a power receptor circuit in the electronic labels, the power transmission circuit being operable to supply electronic circuits of the electronic labels with power.

4. An electronic data exchange system for use with objects moving along a processing path having a plurality of work posts including handling and machining means thereat, the data exchange system comprising:

fixed data transmission means disposed at the work posts;

electronic labels on the objects, the electronic labels each having a non-volatile memory which can be cleared and written into by the fixed data transmission means;

each fixed data transmission means having a modulator-demodulator for connecting the data transmission means to a remote control center, a coder-decoder connected to a receiving circuit and to a transmission circuit;

each electronic label having a reception circuit, a transmission circuit and said non-volatile memory; and

,

a local data exploitation circuit connected to each fixed data transmission means;

the local data exploitation circuit having a microprocessor connected to a program memory in which are stored elementary instructions defining process steps of the microprocessor during data exchange between the electronic labels and the data transmission means, and between the handling and machining means and the remote control center, and further including an input interface and an output interface connected to the microprocessor for exchanging information between the transmission circuit and the microprocessor and further including a programmable memory for storing sequenced instructions, said microprocessor having means to select, sequence and load the elementary instructions into the programmable memory to effect the data exchange.

5. An improved data exploitation device of the type responsive to an electronic label carried by objects passing a work post, including handling and machining means thereat and responsive to data from a remote control, the data exploitation device being operable to read and write information to and from the electronic label and the remote control the data exploitation device being operative to control at least one mechanism for performing operations based on data from the electronic labels, said at least one mechanism being part of the handling and machining means, the improvement comprising:

the data exploitation device having a microprocessor, a program memory storing a plurality of elementary instructions including a plurality of procedures to be performed based upon data received from the electronic labels and the remote control, and a programmable memory for storing sequenced instructions subject to execution, the data exploitation circuit having means to select elementary instructions from the program memory, sequence the elementary instructions and load the elementary instructions into the programmable memory, whereby the data exploitation device is operable to selectively execute instructions as required for particular electronic labels and control data requirement;

the data exploitation device including;

a power amplifier operable to induce a current in the electronic labels coming within range of the power amplifier;

an oscillator, modulator and coil for sending data to the electronic labels and a coil, demodulator and detector for receiving data from said electronic labels, said modulator and demodulator communicating with the electronic labels, the modulator and demodulator connected to a coder/decoder for coding, decoding and converting data sent and received form the electronic labels into a serial data steam;

a series to parallel converter and a parallel to series converter for converting between the serial data stream and a parallel data pattern to and from at least said modulator and demodulator;

the microprocessor responsive to data from the coder/decoder;

at least part of the programmable memory and the program memory being readable and writable by the microprocessor;

data interface means for communicating between the microprocessor and the remote control, and between the handling and machining means;

a peripheral means separate from said data exploitation device and disposed adjacent the work post, operable to monitor and control operations of the data exploitation circuit.

6. An electronic data exchange system, comprising:

a plurality of objects bearing electronic labels, each of the labels having a non-volatile memory which can be cleared and written into, the objects being moved along a path including work posts, the work posts having controllable means for effecting data communications with the electronic labels and operations on the objects;

the work posts having a data exploitation device for the work posts including a microprocessor for reading and writing data to the electronic labels and for controlling operation of mechanisms effecting operations on the objects, the data exploitation circuit including a program memory having stored therein elementary instructions combinable and executable by the microprocessor for conducting a plurality of selectable operations on the object and the data exploitation circuit having a programmable memory for storing instructions to be executed, the data exploitation circuit being operable to select from the program memory, sequence, store in the programmable memory and execute instructions in response to data received from the electronic labels and from mechanisms controlled.

7. Data exchange system according to claim 6, further comprising a centralized remote controller communicating with the data exploitation devices at a plurality of the work posts, the data exploitation device also being responsive to select and execute program instructions based upon data from the centralized controller.