Tag grouping system and tag grouping method

• US 7,603,298 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Kenichi, Sakamoto, Kenji, Kunito, Goro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zare; Scott A
• Application Number:
  US10/775,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• 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: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2485 Simultaneous detection of multiple EAS tags

Abstract

To group ID tags distributed in a larger area than the coverage of a tag reader, a parameter which represents a measure of the strength of relationship among a plurality of ID tags is stored in a parameter storage database. Values of the parameter are increased and decreased according to the number of pieces of ID information detected simultaneously in the ID tags by a mobile tag reader. A plurality of ID tags are judged as belonging to the same group according to values of the parameter stored in the parameter storage database, thereby making it possible to group ID tags distributed in a larger area than the coverage of a tag reader.

Claims

1. A tag grouping system, comprising:

parameter storage means for storing a parameter which represents a measure of a strength of relationship among a plurality of ID tags;

parameter adjusting means for increasing and decreasing values of the parameter according to a number of pieces of ID information detected simultaneously in the plurality of ID tags by a mobile tag reader; and

judging means for judging the plurality of ID tags as belonging to a same group according to values of the parameter stored in the parameter storage means;

wherein when ID information is first detected simultaneously in a pair of ID tags, the parameter adjusting means newly sets the parameter for the pair or ID tags to indicate the measure of the strength of relationship between the pair of ID tags, and when ID information is subsequently detected simultaneously in the pair of ID tags, the parameter adjusting means increases the value of the parameter stored in the parameter storage means.

2. The tag grouping system according to claim 1, wherein when ID information is detected in the plurality of ID tags, the parameter adjusting means increases the values of the parameter stored in the parameter storage means.

3. The tag grouping system according to claim 1, wherein if ID information is detected only in one ID tag of the pair of ID tags which has been registered in the parameter storage means, the parameter adjusting means decreases the parameter value of one of the ID tags of the pair of ID tags.

4. The tag grouping system according to claim 1, wherein when a value of the parameter stored in the parameter storage means becomes zero, the parameter adjusting means clears a parameter setting.

5. The tag grouping system according to claim 1, wherein when a value of the parameter stored in the parameter storage means exceeds a predetermined threshold, the judging means judges that the plurality of ID tags relevant to the parameter value belong to the same group.

6. A method of tag grouping, comprising:

storing in a parameter storage medium a parameter which represents a measure of a strength of relationship among a plurality of ID tags;

increasing and decreasing values of the parameter according to a number of pieces of ID information detected simultaneously in the plurality of ID tags by a mobile tag reader;

judging the plurality of ID tags as belonging to a same group according to values of the parameter stored in the parameter storage medium;

when ID information is first detected simultaneously in a pair of ID tags, newly setting the parameter for the pair of ID tags to indicate the measure of the strength of relationship between the pair of ID tags; and

when ID information is subsequently detected simultaneously in the pair of ID tags, increasing the value of the parameter stored in the parameter storage medium.

7. The method of tag grouping according to claim 6, wherein when ID information is detected in the plurality of ID tags, increasing the values of the parameter stored in the parameter storage medium.

8. The method of tag grouping according to claim 6, wherein if ID information is detected only in one ID tag of the pair of ID tags which has been registered in the parameter storage medium, the parameter value of one of the ID tags of the pair of ID tags is decreased.

9. The method of tag grouping according to claim 6, wherein when a value of the parameter stored in the parameter storage medium becomes zero, a parameter setting in the parameter adjusting medium is cleared.

10. The method of tag grouping according to claim 6, wherein when a value of the parameter stored in the parameter storage medium exceeds a predetermined threshold, the plurality of ID tags are judged to be relevant to the parameter value belonging to the same group.