RFID system and RFID tag reading method

• US 8,319,644 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimazaki, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carlson, Adam
• Application Number:
  US12/749,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 3405721-5729, 340/10.1, 340/5.92, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

Tag data stored in a specific RFID tag is stored in a specific-data storing unit. Tag data is read from an RFID tag present in a communication area by an RFID reader through radio communication according to detection of a specific object by a sensor for detecting the object. When tag data same as the tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit is not included in the tag data read by the RFID reader, the read tag data is transmitted to a host apparatus.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a person entering a fitting room; and

an RFID reader configured to read tag data from one or more RFID tags present in the fitting room by transmitting a reading radio wave having directivity in an inner direction of the fitting room according to detection of the person entering the fitting room by the sensor, wherein

the RFID reader includes;

a specific-data storing unit configured to store specific tag data of a specific RFID tag; and

a control unit configured to transmit, in response to a determination that tag data coinciding with the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit is not included in any of the tag data read from the one or more RFID tags present in the fitting room, all the tag data read from the one or more RFID tags to a host apparatus, and to prevent, in response to a determination that at least a subset of the tag data read from the one or more RFID tags coincides with the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit, transmission of the tag data to the host apparatus and wait until a predetermined waiting time elapses before allowing the RFID reader to read subsequent tag data.

2. The RFID system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the one or more RFID tags are attached to a commodity, and

the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit is identification information stored in the specific RFID tag associated with a store clerk.

3. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a person entering a fitting room;

an RFID reader configured to read tag data from one or more RFID tags present in the fitting room by transmitting a reading radio wave having directivity in an inner direction of the fitting room according to detection of the person entering the fitting room by the sensor; and

a server apparatus configured to receive the tag data read by the RFID reader, wherein

the server apparatus includes;

a read-data storing unit configured to store the tag data read by the RFID reader;

a specific-data storing unit configured to store specific tag data stored in a specific RFID tag; and

a control unit configured to store, in response to a determination that the tag data read by the RFID reader does not include the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit, all the tag data in the read-data storing unit, and to prevent, in response to a determination that the tag data read by the RFID reader includes the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit, storage of the tag data in the read-data storing unit and prevent the RFID reader from reading subsequent tag data until a predetermined waiting time elapses.

4. The RFID system according to claim 3, wherein

at least one of the one or more RFID tags is attached to a commodity, and

the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit is identification information stored in an RFID tag associated with a store clerk.

5. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag reading method using a sensor configured to detect a person entering a fitting room, an RFID reader configured to read tag data from one or more RFID tags present in the fitting room by transmitting a reading radio wave having directivity in an inner direction of the fitting room, a read-data storing unit configured to store the tag data read by the RFID reader, and a specific-data storing unit configured to store specific tag data of a specific RFID tag, the method comprising:

detecting the person entering the fitting room with the sensor;

reading tag data from the one or more RFID tags present in the fitting room with the RFID reader in response to detection of the person entering the fitting room by the sensor;

determining whether the tag data read from the one or more RFID tags includes the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit;

storing, in response to a determination that the tag data read by the RFID reader does not include the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit; and

preventing, in response to a determination that at least a portion of the tag data read by the RFID reader matches the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit, storage of the tag data read by the RFID reader in the read-data storing unit and waiting a predetermined amount of time before reading subsequent tag data with the RFID reader.

6. The RFID tag reading method according to claim 5, wherein

at least one of the one or more RFID tags are attached to a commodity, and

the specific tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit represents identification information stored in an RFID tag corresponding to a store clerk.