IC tag communication system

• US 7,498,941 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohishi, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/366,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/24 by interference with electromagnetic field distribution

Abstract

An IC tag communication system according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a plurality of reader antennas which receive radio waves emitted from an IC tag attached to an article, the radio waves being at least partly overlapped with each other; a plurality of readers which are connected respectively to the reader antennas; and a phase adjustment section for adjusting the phases of the radio waves that the reader antennas receive to each other.

Claims

1. An IC tag communication system comprising:

a pair of reader antennas which are disposed so as to be opposed to each other, and which receive radio waves emitted from an IC tag attached to an article, the radio waves being at least partly overlapped with each other;

a plurality of readers which are connected respectively to the reader antennas; and

a phase adjustment section for adjusting the phases of radio waves transmitted by the pair of reader antennas so as to reinforce, at a central location, the radio waves transmitted by the pair of reader antennas,

wherein the radio waves transmitted by the pair of reader antennas at least partly overlap with each other at the central location.

2. The IC tag communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the pair of reader antennas are disposed toward a gate so as to be opposed to each other across the gate and which receive radio waves from an IC tag attached to an article passing through the gate, the radio waves being at least partly overlapped with each other.

3. The IC tag communication system according to claim 2, wherein

the IC tag is a passive-type IC tag.

4. The IC tag communication system according to claim 3, wherein

the phase adjustment section is provided in one of the gate readers and is controlled by a controller which is connected to the gate reader.

5. An IC tag communication system comprising:

a pair of reader antennas which are disposed so as to be opposed to each other, and which receive radio waves from IC tags attached to a plurality of articles arranged on a shelf, the radio waves being at least partly overlapped with each other;

a plurality of readers connected respectively to the reader antennas; and

a phase adjustment section for adjusting the phases of radio waves transmitted by the pair of reader antennas so as to each reinforce, at a central location, the radio waves transmitted by the pair of reader antennas,

wherein the radio waves transmitted by the pair of reader antennas at least partly overlap with each other at the central location.

6. The IC tag communication system according to claim 5, wherein

the IC tag is a passive-type IC tag.

7. The IC tag communication system according to claim 6, wherein

the phase adjustment section is provided in one of the gate readers and is controlled by a controller which is connected to the gate reader.

8. The IC tag communication system according to claim 7, wherein

the reader antennas are driven by the readers to which they are respectively connected, and

the directions of the reader antennas can be changed.

9. The IC tag communication system according to claim 7, wherein

the directions of the reader antennas are fixed, and

the shelf is configured to be movable.