Wireless tag reader and wireless tag status inference apparatus, system, and program
First Claim
1. A wireless tag status inference apparatus for inferring the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person, the wireless tag status inference apparatus comprising:
- a wireless tag information storage unit for storing information pertaining to the wireless tags;
a log compiling unit for compiling wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route; and
a tag status inference unit for identifying inoperable wireless tags from the information stored in the wireless tag information storage unit and the information compiled by the log compiling unit,wherein the tag status inference unit identifies a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit logs information acquired from the wireless tag less often than a threshold frequency.
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Abstract
A system including wireless tags that transmit information from fixed locations to nearby wireless tag readers possessed by moving persons also includes a wireless tag status inference apparatus to which the wireless tag readers send identifying information received from the wireless tags. The wireless tag status inference apparatus logs the information received from the wireless tag readers, and compares the logged information with a stored list of installed wireless tags to identify suspected inoperable wireless tags. Wireless tags requiring replacement or repair can thereby be identified promptly and inexpensively, without the need to dispatch personnel on periodic inspection tours of all areas in which the wireless tags are installed.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A wireless tag status inference apparatus for inferring the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person, the wireless tag status inference apparatus comprising:
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a wireless tag information storage unit for storing information pertaining to the wireless tags; a log compiling unit for compiling wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route; and a tag status inference unit for identifying inoperable wireless tags from the information stored in the wireless tag information storage unit and the information compiled by the log compiling unit, wherein the tag status inference unit identifies a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit logs information acquired from the wireless tag less often than a threshold frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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3. A wireless tag status inference apparatus for inferring the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person, the wireless tag status inference apparatus comprising:
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a wireless tag information storage unit for storing information pertaining to the wireless tags; a log compiling unit for compiling wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route; and a tag status inference unit for identifying inoperable wireless tags from the information stored in the wireless tag information storage unit and the information compiled by the log compiling unit, wherein the tag status inference unit identifies a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit does not log any information acquired from the wireless tag over a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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14. A wireless tag status inference system comprising a wireless tag status inference apparatus for inferring the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person and at least one wireless tag reader usable by the moving person to acquire information from the wireless tags, wherein:
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the wireless tag status inference apparatus comprises a wireless tag information storage unit for storing information pertaining to the wireless tags, a log compiling unit for logging wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route, and a tag status inference unit for identifying inoperable wireless tags from the information stored in the wireless tag information storage unit and the information logged by the log compiling unit; and the wireless tag reader comprises a first communication device for acquiring said information from any of the wireless tags in a vicinity of the wireless tag reader, and a second communication device for transmitting the information acquired by the first communication device to the wireless tag status inference apparatus, wherein the tag status inference unit identifies a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit logs information acquired from the wireless tag less often than a threshold frequency.
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15. A machine-readable tangible medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to infer the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person, the instructions including:
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first instructions causing the computing device to read stored information pertaining to the wireless tags from an information storage unit in the computing device; second instructions causing the computing device to log wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route, thereby obtaining logged information; and third instructions causing the computing device to identify inoperable wireless tags from the stored information and the logged information, wherein the third instructions cause the computing device to identify a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit logs information acquired from the wireless tag less often than a threshold frequency.
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17. A wireless tag status inference system comprising a wireless tag status inference apparatus for inferring the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person and at least one wireless tag reader usable by the moving person to acquire information from the wireless tags, wherein:
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the wireless tag status inference apparatus comprises a wireless tag information storage unit for storing information pertaining to the wireless tags, a log compiling unit for logging wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route, and a tag status inference unit for identifying inoperable wireless tags from the information stored in the wireless tag information storage unit and the information logged by the log compiling unit; and the wireless tag reader comprises a first communication device for acquiring said information from any of the wireless tags in a vicinity of the wireless tag reader, and a second communication device for transmitting the information acquired by the first communication device to the wireless tag status inference apparatus, wherein the tag status inference unit identifies a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit does not log any information acquired from the wireless tag over a predetermined period of time.
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18. A machine-readable tangible medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to infer the status of wireless tags disposed along a route traversable by a moving person, the instructions including:
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first instructions causing the computing device to read stored information pertaining to the wireless tags from an information storage unit in the computing device; second instructions causing the computing device to log wireless tag information acquired by an external wireless tag reader from some or all of the wireless tags as the moving person traverses said route, thereby obtaining logged information; and third instructions causing the computing device to identify inoperable wireless tags from the stored information and the logged information, wherein the third instructions cause the computing device to identify a wireless tag as inoperable if the log compiling unit does not log any information acquired from the wireless tag over a predetermined period of time.
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Specification