Read apparatus of RF tag and method of controlling read of RF tag

• US 7,675,420 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US11/728,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/10.2, 340/928, 235/384, 235/385, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24175 Redundant communication channel, if one fails use the other
• 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

Abstract

An RF tag system includes a first reader/writer unit and a second reader/writer unit. A first reader/writer control unit is configured to control the first reader/writer unit to read a first data from a first RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the first reader/writer unit. A second reader/writer control unit is configured to control the second reader/writer unit to read a second data from a second RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the second reader/writer unit. A monitoring section is configured to issue a selection instruction and to monitor the first reader/writer unit through the first reader/writer control unit, and the second reader/writer unit through the second reader/writer control unit. A switching section is configured to select one of the first reader/writer control unit and the second reader/writer control unit in response to the selection instruction from the monitoring section.

Claims

1. An RF tag system comprising:

a first reader/writer unit;

a second reader/writer unit;

a first reader/writer control unit configured to control said first reader/writer unit to read a first data from a first RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of said first reader/writer unit;

a second reader/writer control unit configured to control said second reader/writer unit to read a second data from a second RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of said second reader/writer unit;

a monitoring section configured to issue a selection instruction and to monitor said first reader/writer unit through said first reader/writer control unit, and said second reader/writer unit through said second reader/writer control unit; and

a switching section configured to select one of said first reader/writer control unit and said second reader/writer control unit in response to the selection instruction from said monitoring section.

2. The RF tag system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring section issues the selection instruction to said switching section to select said second reader/writer control unit when the trouble state of said first RF tag reader/writer unit is confirmed.

3. The RF tag system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring section issues a monitor instruction to said first reader/writer control unit to detect recovery of said first RF tag reader/writer unit from the trouble state, when the trouble state of said first RF tag reader/writer unit is confirmed.

4. The RF tag system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication control section configured to communicate with an external network and to transfer a data request from said external network to said switching section to acquire a data of said first RF tag or second RF tag.

5. The RF tag system according to claim 1, wherein said first RF tag and said second RF tag are a same single reference RF tag provided for operation confirmation, and

said first and second RF tag reader/writer units access said reference RF tag.

6. A method of controlling a read operation from an RF tag, comprising:

issuing an instruction to a switching section to use a first RF tag reader/writer control unit;

inquiring said first RF tag reader/writer control unit to check whether said first RF tag reader/writer unit is in a trouble state;

continuing to use first RF tag reader/writer control unit by said switching section if said first RF tag reader/writer unit is not in the trouble state;

issuing an instruction to said switching section to use a second RF tag reader/writer control unit, when it is confirmed that said first RF tag reader/writer unit is not in the trouble state;

instructing said first RF tag reader/writer control unit to confirm whether said first RF tag reader/writer unit has been recovered from the trouble state, when it is confirmed that said first RF tag reader/writer unit is not in the trouble state; and

when it is confirmed that said first RF tag reader/writer unit has been recovered from the trouble state, issuing an instruction to said switching section to use said first RF tag reader/writer control unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

issuing a data read request from an application connected to an external network;

receiving the data read request from said application and transferring the data read request to said switching section; and

controlling one of said first RF tag reader/writer control unit and said second RF tag reader/writer control unit in response to the data read request to read a data from the RF tag.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

issuing a read instruction to said first RF tag reader/writer control unit to read a data from the RF tag, when it is confirmed that said first RF tag reader/writer unit is not in the trouble state; and

controlling said first RF tag reader/writer unit to access the RF tag to read the data by said first RF tag reader/writer control unit in response to the read instruction.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

issuing a read instruction to said second RF tag reader/writer control unit to read a data from the RF tag, when it is confirmed that said first RF tag reader/writer unit is in the trouble state; and

controlling said second RF tag reader/writer unit to access the RF tag to read the data by said second RF tag reader/writer control unit in response to the read instruction.