Combined RFID reader and transponder with common elements

• US 8,274,375 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burgdorf, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/353,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20090184805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 235375-378, 235382-383, 235/385, 399 9- 13, 399/75, 399 79- 83, 340 52- 527, 340/10.1, 340 104- 106, 340 125- 1255, 340571-5727, 340/636.12, 455 411- 413, 455 77- 78, 455/83, 715733-748
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a first communicating part that reads data stored in a storage device of an outside apparatus and writes data in the storage device of the outside apparatus, a second communicating part that transmits and receives data with respect to the outside apparatus, and an operation controlling part that operates either the first communicating part or the second communicating part. The operation controlling part is configured to operate the first communicating part when power is supplied to the communication apparatus and operate the second communicating part when power is not supplied to the communication apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first communicating part that reads data stored in a storage device of an outside apparatus and writes data in the storage device of the outside apparatus;

a second communicating part that transmits and receives data with respect to the outside apparatus;

an operation controlling part that operates either the first communicating part or the second communicating part; and

a shared storage device that stores data related to the communication apparatus and is shared by the first and the second communicating parts;

wherein the operation controlling part is configured to operate the first communicating part when power is supplied to the communication apparatus and operate the second communicating part when power is not supplied to the communication apparatus;

wherein the shared storage device is configured to be connected to the first communicating part when power is supplied to the communication apparatus and connected to the second communicating part when power is not supplied to the communication apparatus;

wherein the operation controlling part includes a selecting part configured to select one of the first and the second communicating parts;

wherein the one of the first and the second communicating parts selected by the selecting part is configured to access the shared storage device;

the communication apparatus further comprising a shared antenna that is shared by the first and second communicating parts;

wherein the operation controlling part includes a correcting part configured to correct a resonance frequency of the shared antenna in correspondence with the one of the first and the second communicating parts selected by the selecting part;

the communication apparatus further comprising a data managing part that manages the data stored in the shared storage device, wherein the data stored in the shared storage device includes history data related to the history of usage of the communication apparatus and user data related to the user of the communication apparatus;

the communication apparatus further comprising a write control part that controls writing of data to the shared storage device; and

a type determining part that determines the type of the outside apparatus;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes the history data and the user data;

wherein the write control part is configured to write the history data and the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when the type determining part determines that the outside apparatus is the same type as the communication apparatus;

wherein the write control part is configured to write the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when the type determining part determines that the outside apparatus is not the same type as the communication apparatus,

the communication apparatus further comprising an update determining part that determines whether the history data stored in the shared storage device can be updated;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes history data and user data;

wherein the write control part is configured to write all of the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when the update determining part determines that the history data stored in the shared storage device can be updated;

wherein the write control part is configured to write the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when the update determining part determines that the history data stored in the shared storage device cannot be updated.

2. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting part is configured to select the first communicating part as the communicating part for accessing the shared storage device when power is supplied to the communication apparatus and select the second communicating part as the communicating part for accessing the shared storage device when no power is supplied to the communication apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shared antenna includes an antenna coil and a resonance condenser that are connected in series, wherein the correcting part includes a condenser connected in parallel with the antenna coil.

4. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shared antenna includes an antenna coil, a resonance condenser, and a switching member that are connected in parallel, wherein the correcting part includes a condenser connected in series with the antenna coil.

5. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first communicating part includes an authenticating part that authenticates the outside apparatus.

6. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a display part;

wherein the first communicating part is configured to display a result of the authentication by the authenticating part.

7. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a history determining part that determines an existence of any writing history in the shared storage device, the writing history indicating whether the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus are written in the shared storage apparatus;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes history data and user data;

wherein the write control part is configured to write the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when the history determining part determines that writing history exists in the shared storage device;

wherein the write control part is configured to write all of the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when the history determining part determines that no writing history exists in the shared storage device.

8. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a writing completion determining part that determines whether writing of data is completed by the write control part; and

a display part that displays a result of the determination of the writing completion determining part.

9. A method of communicating by using a communication apparatus including first and second communicating parts and a shared storage device, comprising the steps of

a) reading data stored in a storage device of an outside apparatus and writing data in the storage device of the outside apparatus with the first communicating part;

b) transmitting and receiving data with respect to the outside apparatus with the second communicating part;

c) sharing the shared storage device with the first and the second communicating parts;

d) selecting one of the first and the second communicating parts; and

e) accessing the shared storage device with the first communicating part and executing step a) when the first communicating part is selected in a case where power is supplied to the communication apparatus and accessing the shared storage device with the second communicating part and executing step b) when the second communicating part is selected in a case where power is not supplied to the communication apparatus;

wherein the shared storage device is connected to the first communicating part when power is supplied to the communication apparatus and connected to the second communicating part when power is not supplied to the communication apparatus;

the method further comprising;

sharing a shared antenna by the first and second communicating parts;

correcting a resonance frequency of the shared antenna in correspondence with the one of the first and the second communicating parts;

managing the data stored in the shared storage device, wherein the data stored in the shared storage device includes history data related to the history of usage of the communication apparatus and user data related to the user of the communication apparatus;

controlling writing of data to the shared storage device;

determining the type of the outside apparatus;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes the history data and the user data;

writing the history data and the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the outside apparatus is the same type as the communication apparatus;

writing the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the outside apparatus is not the same type as the communication apparatus;

determining whether the history data stored in the shared storage device can be updated;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes history data and user data;

writing all of the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the history data stored in the shared storage device can be updated; and

writing the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the history data stored in the shared storage device cannot be updated.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded for causing a computer to execute a communications method using a communication apparatus including first and second communicating parts and a shared storage device, the method comprising the steps of:

a) reading data stored in a storage device of an outside apparatus and writing data in the storage device of the outside apparatus with the first communicating part;

b) transmitting and receiving data with respect to the outside apparatus with the second communicating part;

c) sharing the shared storage device with the first and the second communicating parts;

d) selecting one of the first and the second comminicating parts; and

e) accessing the shared storage device with the first communicating part and executing step a) when the first communicating part is selected in a case where power is supplied to the communication apparatus and accessing the shared storage device with the second communicating part and executing step b) when the second communicating part is selected in a case where power is not supplied to the communication apparatus;

wherein the shared storage device is connected to the first communicating part when power is supplied to the communication apparatus and connected to the second communicating part when power is not supplied to the communication apparatus;

the method further comprising

sharing a shared antenna by the first and second communicating parts;

correcting a resonance frequency of the shared antenna in correspondence with the one of the first and the second communicating parts;

managing the data stored in the shared storage device, wherein the data stored in the shared storage device includes history data related to the history of usage of the communication apparatus and user data related to the user of the communication apparatus;

controlling writing of data to the shared storage device;

determining the type of the outside apparatus;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes the history data and the user data;

writing the history data and the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the outside apparatus is the same type as the communication apparatus;

writing the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the outside apparatus is not the same type as the communication apparatus;

determining whether the history data stored in the shared storage device can be updated;

wherein the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus includes history data and user data;

writing all of the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the history data stored in the shared storage device can be updated; and

writing the user data included in the data read from the storage device of the outside apparatus to the shared storage device when determining that the history data stored in the shared storage device cannot be updated.