Read apparatus of RF tag and method of controlling read of RF tag

• US 8,536,974 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/689,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.42, 340/3.44, 340/10.1, 3405721-5724, 235/382, 235/383, 235/385, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/3.42
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24175 Redundant communication channel, if one fails use the other
• 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 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas

Abstract

An RF tag system includes a first reader/writer unit and a second reader/writer unit. A first reader/writer control unit is configured to control the first reader/writer unit to read a first data from a first RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the first reader/writer unit. A second reader/writer control unit is configured to control the second reader/writer unit to read a second data from a second RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the second reader/writer unit. A monitoring section is configured to issue a selection instruction and to monitor the first reader/writer unit through the first reader/writer control unit, and the second reader/writer unit through the second reader/writer control unit. A switching section is configured to select one of the first reader/writer control unit and the second reader/writer control unit in response to the selection instruction from the monitoring section.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a read operation from an RF tag, comprising:

issuing a selection instruction to a switching section to select a first RF tag reader/writer control unit;

reading a data from a reference RF tag by a first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit;

continuing to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit by said switching section if the data is successfully read out from said reference RF tag;

issuing the selection instruction to said switching section to select a second RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data is not successfully read out from said reference RF tag;

monitoring whether the data is successfully read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit, through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit in order to detect recovery of said first RF tag reader/writer unit from a trouble;

continuing to monitor said first RF tag reader/writer unit when the data is not successfully read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit; and

issuing the selection instruction to said switching section to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data is successfully read out from said reference RF tag.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

discarding the data read out from said reference RF tag;

neglecting a read/write instruction for said reference RF tag; and

informing to an application, a list of identifiers of RF tags, from which the identifier of said reference RF tag is removed, in response to a read request of the identifiers of the RF tags from said application.

3. A read system for an RF tag, comprising:

a first RF tag reader/writer unit;

a second RF tag reader/writer unit;

a first RF tag reader/writer control unit configured to control said first RF tag reader/writer unit;

a second RF tag reader/writer control unit configured to control said second RF tag reader/writer unit;

a switching section configured to select one of said first and second RF tag reader/writer control units in response to a selection instruction; and

a monitoring section configured to issue the selection instruction to said switching section to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit, and to monitor whether a data is successfully read out from a reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit,

wherein said switching section continues to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data is successfully read out from the reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit,

said monitoring section issues the selection instruction to said switching section to select said second RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data is not successfully read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit, monitors whether the data is successfully read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit, through said first RF tag reader/writer control unit in order to detect recovery of said first RF tag reader/writer unit from a trouble, continues to monitor said first RF tag reader/writer unit when the data is not successfully read out from said reference RF tag by said first RF tag reader/writer unit, and issues the selection instruction to said switching section to select said first RF tag reader/writer control unit when the data is successfully read out from said reference RF tag.

4. The read system according to claim 3, further comprising a communication control section configured to discard the data read out from said reference RF tag, neglect a read/write instruction for said reference RF tag, and inform to an application, a list of identifiers of RF tags, from which the identifier of said reference RF tag is removed, in response to a read request of the identifiers of the RF tags from said application.