Wireless IC tag reader

• US 8,390,458 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Nonaka, Nobuyuki, Koyama, Toshimi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US12/205,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5727, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340 1031- 1034, 340/568, 340/825.54, 455/101, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• 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 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• 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 wireless IC tag reader includes a receiving antenna, a transmitting antenna and a beam direction control unit. The receiving antenna has a maximum beam direction and a half-value angle. The transmitting antenna has a maximum beam direction and a half-value angle narrower than the half-value angle of the receiving antenna. The beam direction control unit changes the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna.

Claims

1. A wireless IC tag reader comprising:

a receiving antenna with a maximum beam direction and a half-value angle;

a transmitting antenna with a maximum beam direction and a half-value angle narrower than the half-value angle of the receiving antenna; and

a maximum beam direction changing unit that changes the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna without changing the half-value angle of the transmitting antenna,

wherein a main lobe of the receiving antenna encompasses the whole space in a communication region limited by a floor surface and a wall surface,

and

the maximum beam direction changing unit changes the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna such that a main lobe of the transmitting antenna encompasses a wireless IC tag in the communication region without encompassing the floor surface and the wall surface in the communication region.

2. The wireless IC tag reader according to claim 1, wherein the maximum beam direction changing unit pivots the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna along a vertical direction with respect to the floor surface in the communication region.

3. The wireless IC tag reader according to claim 2, wherein when the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna approaches the wall surface in the communication region by being pivoted along the vertical direction, the maximum beam direction changing unit continuously pivots the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna along a horizontal direction with respect to the floor surface such that the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna is away from the wall surface while the main lobe of the transmitting antenna encompasses the wireless IC tag.

5. The wireless IC tag reader according to claim 1, wherein the maximum beam direction changing unit changes the maximum beam direction of the transmitting antenna by pivoting the transmitting antenna mechanically using a stepping motor.

6. The wireless IC tag reader according to claim 1, wherein the half-value angles of the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are fixed.

4. A wireless IC tag reader comprising:

a receiving antenna with a maximum beam direction and a half-value angle;

transmitting antennas each with a maximum beam direction and a half-value angle narrower than the half-value angle of the receiving antenna; and

a maximum beam direction changing unit that changes the maximum beam directions of the transmitting antennas without changing the half-value angles of the transmitting antennas such that the maximum beam directions differ from each other,

wherein a main lobe of the receiving antenna encompasses the whole space in a communication region limited by a floor surface and a wall surface,

and

the maximum beam direction changing unit changes the maximum beam direction of each of the transmitting antennas such that a main lobe of one of the transmitting antenna encompasses a wireless IC tag in the communication region without encompassing the floor surface and the wall surface in the communication region.

7. The wireless IC tag reader according to claim 4, wherein the maximum beam direction changing unit changes the maximum beam directions of the transmitting antennas by pivoting the transmitting antennas mechanically using a stepping motor.

8. The wireless IC tag reader according to claim 4, wherein the half-value angles of the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are fixed.