IC tag mounting on a harness and harness mounting method

• US 20060049942A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakama, Isao, Ashizawa, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,352,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

An IC chip and a minute antenna for conducting transmission with a weak radio wave are mounted on a male connector. An auxiliary antenna for amplifying the weak radio wave emitted by the minute antenna and transmitting the amplified radio wave is mounted on a female connector. If the male connector is fitted into the female connector normally, then the distance between the minute antenna and the auxiliary antenna becomes 1.0 mm or less, and consequently the weak radio wave transmitted by the minute antenna is amplified by the auxiliary antenna and transmitted to the outside. Unless fitting is conducted normally, then the distance between the minute antenna and the auxiliary antenna becomes longer than 1.0 mm, and consequently the weak radio wave emitted the minute antenna is not amplified and transmitted. By receiving the information stored on the IC chip, the fitting state of the connectors can be checked.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An IC tag mounting for a connector having a wireless IC tag mounted on the connector, the wireless IC tag including an IC chip to record information and an antenna to conduct wireless transmission of the information recorded on the IC chip, the IC tag mounting harness comprising:

a first connector having the IC chip and a first antenna mounted thereon, the first antenna being capable of transmitting the information recorded on the IC chip; and

a second connector having an auxiliary antenna mounted thereon to amplify a transmission emitted by said first antenna and for transmitting the amplified transmission,

wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted so as to be located in a position suitable for amplifying the transmission emitted by said first antenna when one of said first connector and said second connector is fitted into the other normally.

14. The IC tag mounting according to claim 13, wherein:

said first connector is connected to one or more first electrical members; and

said second connector is connected to one or more second electrical members other than the first electrical members;

wherein said first and second electrical members and said first and second connectors form at least a portion of a harness used for making electrical connection among a plurality of electrical members.

15. The IC tag mounting according to claim 13, wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted so as to surround an insertion end in an accepting frame at right angles to an insertion direction of said second connector, taking a shape of, and have an electrical length of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of a radio wave use in said transmission.

16. The IC tag mounting according to claim 13, wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted at right angles to an insertion direction of said second connector so as to have an electrical length of λ

/2 along one plane of the accepting frame, where λ

is a wavelength of a radio wave used in said transmission.

17. The IC tag mounting according to claim 13, wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted at right angles to an insertion direction of said second connector so as to form one turn with an electrical length of λ

/2 and surround an insertion end in an accepting frame, where λ

is a wavelength of a radio wave used in said transmission.

18. The IC tag mounting according to claim 13, wherein said first and second connectors are used for connecting a plurality of harnesses, and positions of antennas mounted on said first connector and said second connector differ from harness to harness.

19. The IC tag mounting according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of harnesses are provided, and it is checked whether one of said first connector and said second connector is fitted into the other normally in each of the harnesses on the basis of ID information described in said first connector and said second connector.

20. An IC tag mounting of a wireless IC tag mounted on a harness, the harness being used for electrical connection among a plurality of electrical members, the wireless IC tag including an IC chip for recording information and an antenna for conducting wireless transmission of the information recorded on the IC chip, the IC tag mounting harness comprising:

a first connector mounting a first IC chip to record first information, a first antenna to transmit, with a weak radio wave, the information recorded in said first IC chip, a second IC chip to record second information, and a second antenna to transmit, with a strong radio wave, information recorded in said second IC chip, said first connector being connected to a first electrical member;

a second connector mounting an auxiliary antenna being capable of amplifying a radio wave emitted by said first antenna and transmitting the amplified radio wave, said auxiliary antenna being capable of hanging over said second antenna and intercepting the strong radio wave emitted by said second antenna, said second connector being connected to electrical members other than the first electrical member,

wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted so as to be located in a position suitable for amplifying the radio wave emitted by said first antenna, transmitting the amplified radio wave, and hanging over said second antenna, when one of said first connector and said second connector is fitted into the other normally.

21. The IC tag mounting according to claim 20, wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted so as to surround an insertion end in an accepting frame at right angles to an insertion direction of said second connector, take a shape of, and have an electrical length of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of a radio wave in use.

22. The IC tag mounting according to claim 20, wherein said auxiliary antenna is mounted at right angles to an insertion direction of said second connector so as to form at least two turns and surround an insertion end in an accepting frame and so as to be connected to ground at one end.

23. The IC tag mounting according to claim 20, wherein a plurality of harnesses are provided, and positions of antennas mounted on said first connector and said second connector differ from harness to harness.

24. The IC tag mounting according to claim 20, wherein a plurality of harnesses are provided, and it is checked whether one of said first connector and said second connector is fitted into the other normally in each of the harnesses on the basis of ID information described in said first connector and said second connector.

25. A harness mounting method, wherein a wireless IC tag is mounted on a harness used for electrical connection among a plurality of electrical members of an electrical apparatus, the wireless IC tag including an IC chip to record information and an antenna to conduct wireless transmission of the information recorded on the IC chip, the harness mounting method comprising the steps of:

associating a representative ID of the harness with IDs of connectors and recording the representative ID and the IDs of the connectors in a server in a production line of the electrical apparatus, during an assembly process of the harness;

associating the representative ID with a unique number of the electrical apparatus during a process of mounting the harness on the electrical apparatus;

reading out the IDs of the connectors from the server and storing the IDs of the connectors in a memory of an electronic control unit mounted on the electrical apparatus after the process of mounting the harness on the electrical apparatus is completed; and

accessing the electronic control unit by using a reader/writer and determining whether a fitting state of the connectors is normal or abnormal.

26. The harness mounting method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

providing a first connector having the IC chip and a first antenna mounted thereon, and a second connector for interfitting with the first connector, said second connector having a second antenna mounted thereon capable of amplifying transmissions from said IC chip and said first antenna when in close proximity, wherein

said step of determining whether a fitting state of the connector is normal or abnormal includes detecting the amplified transmissions from said second antenna.