RFID tag and method for obtaining information on article using the same

• US 7,492,252 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Maruyama, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Sigmund
• Application Number:
  US11/783,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.26, 340/10.41, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 3405721-5729, 3405731-5733, 119/712, 235/435
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• 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: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

RFID tags assign computer-readable identification codes to articles and data is obtained from each RFID tag at points along which an article moves. Each RFID tag is separable into an article identification tag section, including an article identification code and a transmitter transmitting same, and an article information management tag section, including an obtaining device continuously obtaining article-related information of an article to which an RFID tag is assigned, a receiving device receiving the article identification code from the article identification tag section, a detecting device detecting the combination status of the article information and the article identification tag section, and a storage device storing the article identification code and the article-related information when the article information and article identification tag sections are in contact with each other.

Claims

1. An RFID tag comprising:

a first RFID tag segment having an article identification tag section for identifying an article, which includes;

an article identification code, and

a transmission device for transmitting the article identification code; and

a second RFID tag segment having an article information management tag section for managing article information, which includes;

an obtaining device for continuously obtaining article-related information of an article to which the RFID tag is assigned,

a receiving device for receiving the article identification code from the article identification tag section,

a combination-status detecting device for detecting that the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section are combined, and

a storage for storing the article identification code and the article-related information when the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section are in contact with each other, wherein the first RFID segment and the second RFID tag segment are removable.

3. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the device for continuously obtaining article information includes:

an environment sensing device for sensing environment of an article and outputting the environmental data; and

a control device for performing control so as to count a clock and cause the environment sensing device to output the environmental data at regular intervals.

5. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the device for continuously obtaining article information includes:

a receiving device for receiving radio waves from a GPS satellite and demodulating signals from the GPS satellite; and

a control device having an algorithm for counting a clock and determining the current location from the signals from the GPS satellite at regular intervals.

7. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the storage device of the article information management tag section is an FRAM.

9. The RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tag segment including the article information management tag section and the RFID tag segment including the article identification tag section are shaped such that the RFID tag segments have protrusions and recesses and thus can be combined by being fitted together, and

the combination-status detecting device of the article information management tag section is a touch sensor that is disposed in the recesses of the article information management tag section.

17. A method for obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag according to claim 1, the method comprising:

a step of assigning the RFID tag to the article;

a step of the article identification tag section of the RFID tag sending the article identification code;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag obtaining the article-related information when the article, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located outside the communication range of an RFID tag reader;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag checking combination of the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag storing the article identification code and the article-related information; and

a step of the RFID tag sending stored article information when the article, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located in the communication range of the RFID tag reader.

2. An RFID tag comprising:

a first RFID tag segment having an article identification tag section for identifying an article, which includes;

a first power-supply-voltage generating unit,

a first-clock-signal generating device for generating a first clock signal,

an identification-tag-section controlling device for controlling the article identification tag section,

a first storage including an article identification code for identifying at least an article, and

a first radio-wave sending and receiving device for sending and receiving radio waves; and

a second RFID tag segment having an article information management tag section for managing article information, which includes;

a second power-supply-voltage generating unit,

a second-clock-signal generating device for generating a second clock signal,

an article-related-information detecting device for detecting information related to an article,

a management-tag-section controlling device for controlling the article information management tag section,

a second storage device,

a combination-status detecting device for detecting that the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section are combined, and

a second radio-wave sending and receiving device for sending and receiving radio waves,

wherein the identification-tag-section controlling device reads the article identification code from the first storage device in response to the first clock signal and sends radio waves corresponding to the article identification code via the first radio-wave sending and receiving device,

the management-tag-section controlling device counts the second clock signal and obtains the article-related information from the article-related-information detecting device at regular intervals,

the management-tag-section controlling device obtains the article identification code from the article identification tag section via the second radio-wave sending and receiving device, and

the management-tag-section controlling device stores the article identification code and the article-related information in the second storage device when recognizing by the combination-status detecting device that the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section are combined,

wherein the first RFID segment and the second RFID tag segment are removable.

4. The RFID tag according to claim 2, wherein the article-related-information detecting device includes:

an environment sensing device for sensing environment of an article.

6. The RFID tag according to claim 2, wherein the article-related-information detecting device includes:

a receiving device for receiving radio waves from a GPS satellite and demodulating signals from the GPS satellite; and

a control device having an algorithm for counting a clock and determining the current location from the signals from the GPS satellite at regular intervals.

8. The RFID tag according to claim 2, wherein the second storage device is an FRAM.

10. The RFID tag according to claim 2, wherein the RFID tag segment including the article information management tag section and the RFID tag segment including the article identification tag section are shaped such that the RFID tag segments have protrusions and recesses and thus can be combined by being fitted together, and

the combination-status detecting device of the article information management tag section is a touch sensor that is disposed in the recesses of the article information management tag section.

18. A method for obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag according to claim 2, the method comprising:

a step of assigning the RFID tag to the article;

a step of the article identification tag section of the RFID tag sending the article identification code;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag obtaining the article-related information when the article, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located outside the communication range of an RFID tag reader;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag checking combination of the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag storing the article identification code and the article-related information; and

a step of the RFID tag sending stored article information when the article, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located in the communication range of the RFID tag reader.

11. A method for obtaining information on an article that uses a RFID tag that can be combined and separated wherein, when the RFID tag is separated, one RFID tag segment includes an article identification tag section for identifying the article, and the other RFID tag segment includes an article information management tag section for managing article information, the method comprising:

a step of assigning the RFID tag to the article;

a step of the article identification tag section of the RFID tag sending the article identification code;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag obtaining the article-related information when the article, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located outside the communication range of an RFID tag reader;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag checking combination of the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag storing the article identification code and the article-related information; and

a step of the RFID tag sending stored article information when the article, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located in the communication range of the RFID tag reader.

12. A method according to claim 11 for continuously obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag, the method further comprising:

a step of sensing environment of the article and outputting the environmental data; and

a step of performing control so as to count a clock and cause the environment to output the environmental data at regular intervals.

13. A method according to claim 11 for continuously obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag, the method further comprising:

a step of receiving radio waves from a GPS satellite and demodulating signals from the GPS satellite; and

a step of counting a clock and determining the current location from the signals from the GPS satellite at regular intervals.

14. A method according to claim 11 for continuously obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag, wherein in the step of storing the article identification code and the article-related information, the article identification code and the article-related information is stored to an FRAM.

15. A method according to claim 11 for continuously obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag, wherein a first RFID tag segment including the article information management tag section and a second RFID tag segment including the article identification tag section are shaped such that the first tag segment and the second RFID tag segment have protrusions and recesses and thus can be combined by being fitted together, and

the combination-status detecting device of the article information management tag section is a touch sensor that is disposed in the recesses of the article information management tag section.

16. A method according to claim 11 for continuously obtaining information on an article that uses the RFID tag, the method further comprising:

a step of adding a customer data to the RFID tag;

a step of shipping the article to a customer; and

reclaiming the article information management tag section of the RFID tag.

19. A method for obtaining information on a meat that uses the RFID tag that can be combined and separated wherein, when the RFID tag is separated, one RFID tag segment includes an article identification tag section for identifying the article, and the other RFID tag segment includes an article information management tag section for managing article information, the method comprising:

a step of entering information on a cow in the RFID tag and data base related to the RFID tag;

a step of attaching the RFID tag to meat of slaughtered cow;

a step of the article identification tag section sending an identification code of the meat;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag obtaining an information of the meat when the meat, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located outside the communication range of an RFID tag reader;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag checking combination of the article information management tag section and the article identification tag section;

a step of the article information management tag section of the RFID tag storing the identification code of the meat and the information related to the meat;

a step of the RFID tag sending stored the information of the meat when the meat, to which the RFID tag is assigned, is located in the communication range of the RFID tag reader

a step of adding a customer data to the RFID tag;

a step of shipping the article to a customer; and

reclaiming the article information management tag section of the RFID tag.