Apparatus for issuing wireless information storage media

• US 6,404,335 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1998
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohno, Tadayoshi, Yokota, Tsuneshi
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/154,630
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/825.3, 340/825.34, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0025 the arrangement consisting of a wireless interrogation device in combination with a device for optically marking the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/18 Constructional details

Abstract

A method of issuing a wireless tag includes a step of printing visual information corresponding to at least part of predetermined information to be stored in a nonvolatile memory of the tag on an image recording area of the tag, a step of writing the predetermined information into the memory by transmitting the information to the wireless tag by radio, and a step of reading the information written into the memory therefrom by radio and checking the read information with the predetermined information before writing. The number of checks made on a wireless tag is counted. A wireless tag for which the number of checks made reaches a predetermined number is recalled as defective.

Claims

1. An apparatus for issuing a wireless information storage medium provided with a semiconductor integrated circuit having a memory section for storing information and a wireless transmitter/receiver section for transmitting and receiving information by radio and an image recording area which is placed away from the semiconductor integrated circuit and on which visual information is to be printed, comprising:

an insertion/ejection port for inserting or ejecting the wireless information storage medium;

printing means for printing visual information corresponding to at least part of information to be written into the memory section on the image recording area;

first carry means for carrying a wireless information storage medium inserted into the insertion/ejection port with its information recording area at the head to a position where it is opposed to the printing means;

reader/writer means installed between the insertion/ejection port and the printing means for writing information into the semiconductor integrated circuit in a non-contact manner; and

second carry means for carrying the wireless information storage medium to the insertion/ejection port for ejection.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reader/writer means includes means for reading the information written into the semiconductor integrated circuit from it and checking the read information with the information to be written into it.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing means includes overwrite thermal recording means for simultaneously performing thermal recording and thermal erasing on the visual information recording area.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the reader/writer means includes rewriting means for writing information again on the basis of the results of checks, and the apparatus further comprises means for recalling wireless information storage media on the basis of the results of checks made on the information written by the rewriting means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for causing the rewriting means and the checking means to repeat the writing and checking, counting the number of times checks have been made, and causing the recalling means to recall a storage medium for which the number of times checks have been made reaches a predetermined number of times.

6. A method of issuing a wireless information storage medium provided with a wireless information storage unit, having a memory section for storing information and a wireless transmitter/receiver section for transmitting and receiving the information, and an image recording unit, comprising:

inserting the wireless information storage medium into an apparatus for issuing the wireless information storage medium;

carrying the wireless information storage medium into the apparatus;

printing at least a part of the information to be stored in the memory section of the wireless information storage unit onto the image recording unit;

writing the information into the memory section by transmitting the information to be stored into the memory section to the wireless transmitter/receiver section; and

carrying the wireless information storage medium from the apparatus for ejection once the information has been written into the memory section; and

reading the information written into the memory section of the wireless information storage unit through the wireless transmitter/receiver section to check the stored information read from the memory section with the information before being transmitted to the wireless information storage unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

rewriting the information into the memory section of the wireless information storage media if the check indicates a mismatch.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

separating the wireless information storage media after writing the information into the memory section according to the results of the check; and

recalling the wireless information storage media for which the check indicates the mismatch even after writing the information a predetermined number of times.

9. A method of issuing a wireless information storage medium provided with a wireless information storage unit, having a memory section for storing information and a wireless transmitter/receiver section for transmitting and receiving information by radio, and an image recording unit on which visual information is to be printed comprising:

inserting the wireless information storage medium into an apparatus for issuing the storage medium;

carrying the wireless information storage medium into the apparatus upon insertion;

printing visual information corresponding at least part of the information to be stored into the memory section of the wireless information storage medium;

writing the information into the memory section by transmitting the information to be stored into the memory section to the wireless transmitter/receiver section by radio;

carrying the wireless information storage medium on which the information has been written for ejection from the apparatus;

binding the image recording unit printed with the visual information and the wireless information storage unit written with the stored information together; and

reading the stored information from the memory section through the wireless transmitter/receiver section to check the stored information with the information before being transmitted.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

writing the information successively into the memory section of each of a plurality of wireless information storage units;

separating the wireless information storage units after writing the information into the memory section according to the result of the check; and

binding the wireless information storage unit for which the check indicates the match and an image recording unit printed with at least part of the information.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

rewriting the information into the memory section of the wireless information storage units if the check indicates a mismatch.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein separating the wireless information storage units includes recalling the information storage units for which the check results indicate a mismatch even after writing the information into the memory section a predetermined number of times.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein writing the information is performed before printing visual information and further comprises:

separating the wireless information storage media according to the check; and

printing only the information within the wireless storage media for which the check indicates a match.

14. A method of issuing a wireless information storage media provided with a wireless formation storage unit, having a memory section for storing information and a wireless transmitter/receiver section for transmitting and receiving information, and an image recording unit on which visual information is to be printed, comprising:

printing visual information corresponding to at least part of the information to be stored in the memory section of the image recording unit of each of a plurality of the wireless information storage media in succession;

transmitting the information to be stored into the memory section to the wireless transmitter/receiver section to write the information into the memory section of the wireless information storage unit of each of a plurality of the wireless information storage media in successions;

reading, in succession, the information written into the memory section of the wireless information storage unit through the wireless transmitter/receiver section to check the stored information read from the memory section with the information before being transmitted to the wireless information storage unit; and

binding the image recording unit printed with the visual information end the wireless information storage unit written with the stored information together.