Reader/writer for contactless integrated circuit cards and management system for vending machines

• US 7,543,742 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US11/878,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 235379-382, 235/382.5, 235/487, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• 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: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A handy reader/writer has a data transmitting and receiving units and a control unit. The transmitting and receiving units communicate with a contactless IC card placed within a communication area of the communicating unit by using first electromagnetic waves outputted from an antenna. The control unit judges whether or not the card is now in communication with a second reader/writer. If the control unit detects the card communicating with the second reader/writer by using second electromagnetic waves, the control unit forbids the antenna outputting the first electromagnetic waves. If the control unit does not detect the card communicating with the second reader/writer, the control unit starts communicating with the card placed. The second reader/writer does not output the second electromagnetic waves when detecting the first electromagnetic waves, and starts communicating with the card when detecting no first electromagnetic waves.

Claims

1. A reader/writer, comprising:

a communicating unit that is able to output first electromagnetic waves to perform a communication based on the first electromagnetic waves with a contactless IC card placed within a communication area of the communicating unit;

a judging unit that judges whether or not the contactless IC card placed within the communication area is now in communication with a second reader/writer; and

a communication control unit that forbids the communicating unit outputting the first electromagnetic waves in response to a judgment of the judging unit indicating that the contactless IC card is now in communication with the second reader/writer, and that controls the communicating unit, in response to a judgment of the judging unit indicating that the contactless IC card is not in communication with the second reader/writer, to output the first electromagnetic waves to the contactless IC card placed with the communication area in order to start communicating with the contactless IC card.

2. The reader/writer according to claim 1, wherein

the judging unit judges, based on second electromagnetic waves outputted from the contactless IC card or the second reader/writer and received in the communicating unit, whether or not the contactless IC card is now in communication with the second reader/writer.

3. The reader/writer according to claim 2, wherein

the judging unit judges when the second electromagnetic waves exceed a predetermined threshold level, that the contactless IC card is now in communication with the second reader/writer, and

judges when the second electromagnetic waves do not exceed the predetermined threshold level, that the contactless IC card does not communicate with the second reader/writer.

4. The reader/writer according to claim 1, wherein

the communication control unit reads a first control parameter and first transfer data written in the contactless IC card,

controls the communicating unit to perform a first data transfer of the first transfer data while checking the first data transfer on the basis of the first control parameter, and

writes a second control parameter and second transfer data in the contactless IC card such that the second reader/writer performs a second data transfer of the second transfer data with the contactless IC card while checking the second data transfer on the basis of the second control parameter.

5. The reader/writer according to claim 1, further comprising

a body case accommodating the communicating unit, the judging unit and the communication control unit, and

a holder portion for holding the contactless IC card within the communication area of the communicating unit, wherein

the body case is shaped so as to be able to be hand-held.

6. The reader/writer according to claim 1, wherein

the communication control unit controls the communicating unit to first transfer handshaking data to the contactless IC card such that the communicating unit and the second reader/writer alternately communicate with the contactless IC card on the basis of the handshaking data.

7. The reader/writer according to claim 1, wherein

the contactless IC card is placed in both the communication area of the communicating unit and a communication area of the second reader/writer.

8. A vending machine management system, comprising:

a contactless IC card;

a hand-held reader/writer that is able to output first electromagnetic waves to perform a communication based on the first electromagnetic waves with the contactless IC card placed within a communication area of the hand-held reader/writer; and

a vending machine that is able to output second electromagnetic waves to perform a communication based on the second electromagnetic waves with the contactless IC card placed within a communication area of the vending machine, wherein

the hand-held reader/writer outputs the first electromagnetic waves to start communicating with the contactless IC card placed within the communication area of the hand-held reader/writer in response to the contactless IC card not communicating with the vending machine, and

the vending machine outputs the second electromagnetic waves to start communicating with the contactless IC card placed within the communication area of the vending machines in response to the contactless IC card not communicating with the hand-held reader/writer.

9. The management system according to claim 8, wherein

the hand-held reader/writer outputs no first electromagnetic waves in response to the second electromagnetic waves exceeding a first threshold level and being received from the contactless IC card or the vending machine, and

outputs the first electromagnetic waves in response to no reception of the second electromagnetic waves exceeding the first threshold level from the contactless IC card or the vending machine, and

the vending machine outputs no second electromagnetic waves in response to the first electromagnetic waves exceeding a second threshold level and being received from the contactless IC card or the hand-held reader/writer, and

outputs the second electromagnetic waves in response to no reception of the first electromagnetic waves exceeding the second threshold level from the contactless IC card or the hand-held reader/writer.

10. The management system according to claim 8, wherein

the hand-held reader/writer outputs the first electromagnetic waves in response to the contactless IC card which does not communicate with the vending machine and is placed within the communication areas of the hand-held reader/writer and the vending machine, and

the vending machine outputs the second electromagnetic waves in response to the contactless IC card which does not communicate with the hand-held reader/writer and is placed within the communication areas of the hand-held reader/writer and the vending machine.