Methods for manufacturing and application of RFID built-in cable, and dedicated RFID reading systems

• US 8,111,163 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Utaka, Kenji, Yokota, Toshimi, Shigemi, Ryousuke, Ota, Chikara, Araki, Kenji, Uesaka, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US11/600,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 385100-109
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/368 being a sleeve, ferrule, tag, clip, label or short length strip

Abstract

Disclosed is a cable identifying system for accurately discriminating one cable from another on site over a long period of time, the system enabling a cable layer or a cable user, when laying out an RFID built-in cable, to do without manually writing any information in the RFID tags built in the cable. One cable having RFID tags built therein can be accurately realized. The individual ID'"'"'s of the RFID tags are read and stored in a storage apparatus. When a part of the cable is cut, the ID'"'"'s of the RFID tags nearest to the both end of the cable are read out, and the ID-related data of the RFID tags in the cut-out cable are recorded on a desired medium or electronic information medium.

Claims

1. A cable identifying system used with a RFID built-in cable having an administrative number and including RFID tags therein, each RFID tag having a responder comprising a radio transmitter/receiver and a memory device, operable without physical contact, the system comprising an external information storage apparatus to store an entire information of ID data stored in the memory device of each of a plurality of RFID tags of the RFID built-in cable, and a branch point RFID tag showing location data including data on a branch point within a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out, another external information storage apparatus to store information, associated with the administrative number, on a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out, the RFID built-in cable being arranged to be laid out on a basis of referencing both the ID data stored in the memory devices and in the external information storage apparatuses,

ID data stored in the memory devices of the plurality of RFID tags of the RFID built-in cable and the location data having been stored in a memory device of the branch point RFID tag, being read without physical contact,

wherein directional information on the path is arranged to be displayed with detecting a branched path at the branch point to which the RFID built-in cable forwards by referring to information stored in the external information storage apparatus and information stored in the another external information storage apparatus, in accordance with the ID data and the location data of the branch point RFID taq.

2. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external information storage apparatus stores therein as at least part of the ID data, ID'"'"'s and location data of all the RFID tags included in a cable as well as one of codes representing cable type, fabrication date, fabrication line, lot number, outer diameter of cable, and cable length all associated with the cable.

3. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a direction in which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out is displayed as a visual image by using the information on the ID data stored in the external information storage apparatus.

4. The cable identifying system according to claim 1, wherein the information on location comprises a cable layout-path and a direction of the path.

5. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RFID tags are embedded internally within a sheath of the cable and distributed along a cable-body-length thereof, and with each memory device of each said RFID tag storing unique said ID data which is unique to the RFID tag in comparison to ID data of other RFID tags of the plural RFID tags.

6. A method for application of a cable identifying system used with a RFID built-in cable having an administrative number and including RFID tags therein, each RFID tag having a responder comprising a radio transmitter/receiver and a memory device, operable without physical contact, the method comprising storing an entire information of ID data stored in memory devices of all the RFID tags of the RFID built-in cable in an external information storage apparatus, including a branch point RFID tag showing location data including data on a branch point within a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out, storing information, associated with the administrative number, for a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out, in another external storage apparatus, laying out the RFID built-in cable on a basis of referencing both the ID data stored in the memory devices and in the external information storage apparatus, and

ID data stored in the memory devices of the RFID built-in cable, and location data stored in the memory device of the branch point RFID tag, being read without physical contact,

wherein directional information on the path is arranged to be displayed with detecting a branched path at the branch point to which the RFID built-in cable forwards by referring to information stored in the external information storage apparatus and information stored in the another external information storage apparatus, in accordance with the ID data and the location data of the branch point RFID tag.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the external information storage apparatus stores therein as at least part of the ID data, ID'"'"'s and location data of all the RFID tags included in each length of cable as well as one of codes representing cable type, fabrication date, fabrication line, lot number, outer diameter of cable, and cable length all associated with the length of cable.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein a direction in which the RFID built-in cable has been laid out is displayed as a visual image by using the information on the ID data stored in the external information storage apparatus.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the RFID tags are embedded internally within a sheath of the cable and distributed along a cable-body-length thereof, and with each memory device of each said RFID tag storing unique said ID data which is unique to the RFID tag in comparison to ID data of other RFID tags of the plural RFID tags.

10. A cable identifying system used with a discrete RFID built-in cable including plural RFID tags embedded internally within a sheath of the cable and distributed along a cable-body-length thereof, each RFID tag having a responder comprising a radio transmitter/receiver and a memory device storing unique ID data which is unique to the RFID tag in comparison to ID data of other RFID tags of the plural RFID tags, the RFID tag being operable without physical contact, the system comprising an external information storage apparatus storing the unique ID data stored in the memory devices incorporated in a pair of the plural RFID tags of the RFID built-in cable, as cable identifying information, the pair of the plural RFID tags being at opposing ends of the RFID built-in cable, and the external information storage apparatus further storing the unique ID data stored in a branch point RFID tag showing location data including data on a branch point within a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out;

wherein directional information on the path is arranged to be displayed with detecting a branched path at the branch point to which the RFID built-in cable forwards by referring to information stored in the external information storage apparatus and information stored in another external information storage apparatus detailing a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out, in accordance with the ID data and the location data of the branch point RFID tag.

11. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the RFID built-in cable is inspected on a basis of the cable identifying information stored in the external information storage apparatus.

12. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the RFID built-in cable is removed on a basis of the cable identifying information stored in the external information storage apparatus.

13. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the external information storage apparatus stores therein as at least part of the cable identifying information, ID'"'"'s and location data of all the RFID tags included in a cable as well as one of codes representing cable type, fabrication date, fabrication line, lot number, outer diameter of cable, and cable length all associated with the cable.

14. A cable identifying system as claimed in claim 10, wherein a direction in which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out is displayed as a visual image by using the information on the cable identifying information stored in the external information storage apparatus.

15. A cable identifying system used with an RFID built-in cable having an administrative number and including a plurality of RFID tags therein, each RFID tag having a responder comprising a radio transmitter/receiver and a memory device, operable without physical contact, the system comprising:

an external information storage apparatus, to store an entire information of ID data stored in the memory device of each of the plurality of RFID tags of the RFID built-in cable,

a branch point RFID tag showing location data including data on a branch point within a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out, and

another external information storage apparatus to store information, associated with the administrative number, for a path along which the RFID built-in cable is to be laid out,

wherein both ID data having been stored in the memory devices of the plurality of RFID tags of the RFID built-in cable and the location data having been stored in a memory device of the branch point RFID tag are arranged to be read without physical contact, and

wherein directional information on the path is arranged to be displayed with detecting a branched path at the branch point to which the RFID built-in cable forwards by referring to information stored in the external information storage apparatus and information stored in the another external information storage apparatus, in accordance with the ID data and the location data of the branch point RFID tag.