Method for setting product number in ROM type RFID chip and method, apparatus and system for managing product implementation

• US 7,378,941 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ashizawa, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/931,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/10.1, 340/572.4, 340/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/10.52
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures

Abstract

ROM type RFID chips are produced while data (production numbers) assigned by a user are set in the ROM type RFID chips respectively. A header and an EDC are added and embedded to each data to thereby form an ID format. In the ID format, an application data field may be divided into a user number field and a serial number field in order to verify uniqueness of the data assigned by the user. Or the application data field may be entirely used for the set data assigned by the user in order to verify uniqueness of the numbers assigned by the user. Accordingly, production numbers can be set in chips on the basis of the data assigned by the user. As a result, verification for checking whether each product is genuine can be dispensed with, so that the cost of communication can be reduced.

Claims

1. A method of setting the numbers of products in RFID chips respectively by using a computer, comprising the steps of:

sending from a user apparatus to a chip maker apparatus

a product number list including production numbers assigned in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction;

encoding, in said chip maker apparatus, said production numbers into chip IDs by using a character conversion table to thereby manufacture RFID chips having said chip IDs;

sending said character conversion table from said chip maker apparatus to a production number management server through a communication network;

storing said character conversion table in said production number management server;

obtaining, in said user apparatus, said character conversion table by using a user ID of said user apparatus;

obtaining an ID code by use of said user ID from said production number management server; and

decoding said ID code into a production number based on said character conversion table.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of decoding said chip IDs received from said RFID chips in a user apparatus that has received said RFID chips, and obtaining numbers to be printed on labels to be attached to said products in which said RFID chips are mounted respectively.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said character conversion table corresponds to ID information for each user according to which said user apparatus obtains said character conversion table.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

said application data field has a user number field unique for said user, and a serial number field for the encoded chip IDs; and

the verifying step is carried out in said user number field.

5. A product number setting method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of adding data composed of an error check code generated for verifying product number matching and a header of n bits for discriminating 2ⁿ kinds of service IDs to the product number set in each of said application data fields to thereby form the ID format.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein said user apparatus verifies whether or not each encoded chip is not duplicate to any ID having been already assigned by the user after encoding of said production numbers.

7. A product number setting method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of managing duplication of said product numbers so that when duplicate product numbers are found as a result of uniqueness verification, management is made so that one of said duplicate product numbers is deleted or sub-numbers are added to said duplicate product numbers respectively.

8. A product number setting method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of assigning at least one of numeric and alphabetic characters as each product number, compressing said assigned product numbers by using a conversion table and setting the compressed product numbers in said ROM type RFID chips respectively.

9. A system of setting the numbers of products in RFID chips, comprising:

a user apparatus;

a chip maker apparatus connected to said user apparatus; and

a production number management server connected to said user apparatus and said chip maker apparatus;

wherein said user apparatus sends a product number list including production numbers assigned in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction to said chip maker apparatus;

wherein said chip maker apparatus encodes said production numbers into chip IDs by using a character conversion table thereby to manufacture RFID chips having chip IDs, respectively and sends said character conversion table to said production number management server through a communication network;

wherein said production number management server stores said character conversion table;

wherein said user apparatus obtains said character conversion table by using a user ID of said user apparatus, obtains an ID code by use of said user ID from said production number management server, and decodes said ID code into a production number based on said character conversion table.

10. A system according to claim 9,

wherein said user apparatus decodes said chip IDs received from said RFID chips through antennas provided therein, and obtains numbers to be printed on labels to be attached to said products in which said RFID chips are mounted respectively.