Tag communication device, tag communication system, and tag communication method

• US 8,537,015 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nogami, Hidekatsu, Kasai, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/743,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/572.1, 340/572.4
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10099 the directional field being used for pinpointing the location of the record carrier, e.g. for finding or locating an RFID tag amongst a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with an object, e.g. for physically locating the RFID tagged object in a warehouse
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2485 Simultaneous detection of multiple EAS tags
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/59 Responders; Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0062 in RFID [Radio Frequency Identification] Systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming

Abstract

It is possible to provide a tag communication device, a tag communication system, and a tag communication method which can secure an optimal communication region even when an antenna installation environment or a peripheral environment changes. A tag A is arranged in a preset communication region while a tag B is arranged outside the communication region. A reader/writer (3) repeatedly scans a radio beam M emitted from a scan antenna (4) and then controls the radio beam so that all the tags A can be read while no tag B can be read according to the ID which has been read.

Claims

1. A tag communication device that wirelessly communicates with an RFID tag by emitting a radio beam from an antenna, the tag communication device comprising:

a receiving means for receiving identification information respectively from a first RFID tag arranged in a communication desired region as a spatial region in which communication is desired, and a second RFID tag arranged outside the communication desired region and at a position adjacent to the communication desired region; and

a control means for controlling the radio beam so as to be communicable with the first RFID tag and non-communicable with the second RFID tag according to the identification information received by the receiving means.

2. The tag communication device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the radio beam by adjusting a direction of the radio beam.

3. The tag communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means controls the radio beam by adjusting a strength of a transmission power of the radio beam.

4. The tag communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the RFID tag is given to an object;

and

the object is a movable body that moves on a movement path, the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag being arranged along the movement path.

5. The tag communication device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a scan antenna for scanning the radio beam.

6. The tag communication device according to claim 5, wherein the control means controls a timing of reading by the scan antenna.

7. A tag communication system that wirelessly communicates with an RFID tag by emitting a radio beam from an antenna, the tag communication system comprising:

a tag communication device including a receiving means for receiving identification information respectively from a first RFID tag arranged in a communication desired region as a spatial region in which communication is desired, and a second RFID tag arranged outside the communication desired region and at a position adjacent to the communication desired region; and

a control device including a control means for controlling the radio beam so as to be communicable with the first RFID tag and non-communicable with the second RFID tag according to the identification information received by the receiving means.

8. The tag communication system according to claim 7, wherein the control means controls the radio beam by adjusting a direction of the radio beam.

9. The tag communication system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the control means controls the radio beam by adjusting a strength of a transmission power of the radio beam.

10. The tag communication system according to claim 7, wherein

the RFID tag is given to an object;

and

the object is a movable body that moves on a movement path, the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag being arranged along the movement path.

11. The tag communication system according to claim 7, wherein the antenna is a scan antenna for scanning the radio beam.

12. The tag communication system according to claim 11, wherein the control means controls a timing of reading by the scan antenna.

13. A tag communication method of wirelessly communicating with an RFID tag by emitting a radio beam from an antenna, the tag communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information respectively from a first RFID tag arranged in a communication desired region as a spatial region in which communication is desired, and a second RFID tag arranged outside the communication desired region and at a position adjacent to the communication desired region; and

controlling the radio beam so as to be communicable with the first RFID tag and non-communicable with the second RFID tag according to the received identification information.

14. The tag communication method according to claim 13, wherein the controlling is carried out by adjusting a direction of the radio beam.

15. The tag communication method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the controlling is carried out by adjusting a strength of a transmission power of the radio beam.

16. The tag communication method according to claim 13, wherein

the RFID tag is given to an object;

and

the object is a movable body that moves on a movement path, the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag being arranged along the movement path.

17. The tag communication method according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is a scan antenna for scanning the radio beam.

18. The tag communication method according to claim 17, wherein the controlling is carried out by controlling a timing of reading by the scan antenna.