Remote code transmission system between a nameplate apparatus and a data processing apparatus

• US 5,113,183 A
• Filed: 10/31/1990
• Issued: 05/12/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Mizuno, Yutaka, Sakai, Tooru, Tsuzuki, Hanzo, Haruhara, Kazuyoshi, Ooishi, Kazuhiro, Motoike, Katsuhiko, Miyata, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISSMAN, PETER
• Application Number:
  US07/609,115
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825, 340/31, 340/825.3, 340/825.33, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 235/7 R, 235/12, 235/15, 235/375, 235/382, 364/401, 364/404, 364/405, 364/918.5
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1097 Optical sensing of electronic memory record carriers, such as interrogation of RFIDs with an additional optical interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

In a nameplate apparatus incorporating a communication unit therein, the communication unit is formed in a thin film shape and transmits a coded code specific to the nameplate apparatus. On a front surface of this thin-film shaped communication unit, a display plate is mounted so as to display information such as a name, whereas on a rear surface of the communication unit, a holding member is provided so as to detachably secure the communication unit to a user'"'"'s clothing or the like. In a data processing apparatus, after the coded code transmitted from the communication unit is determined to be coincident with a predetermined identification code, the data processing apparatus is brought into an operable condition.

Claims

1. A remote code transmission system between a nameplate apparatus and an electronic cash register, for automatically controlling the cash register, comprising:

(a) a nameplate apparatus for a staff member, including;

a thin-film shaped communication unit built into said nameplate apparatus, and including a transmitting element;

transmitter circuit means coupled to said transmitter element for continuously, and repeatedly transmitting an identification coded staff member code allocated to said staff member; and

a battery powder supply for supplying power to said transmitter circuit means;

a display plate mounted on one surface of said thin-film shaped communication unit, for displaying information on the identification coded staff member code allocated to said staff member;

holding means mounted on another surface opposite to said one surface of said thin-film shaped communication unit and including means for holding said communication unit on the body of said staff member;

switching means for designating an operation state of said transmitter circuit means; and

said transmitter circuit means including means responsive to operation of said switching means for continuously and repeatedly transmitting said identification coded staff member code while said switching means designates an operation state of said transmitter circuit means; and

(b) an electronic cash register, including;

input means for inputting data;

memory means for storing a plurality of different identification coded staff member codes;

receiver means for receiving the identification coded staff member code which is continuously and repeatedly transmitted from said nameplate apparatus;

detector means coupled to said receiver means and to said memory means, for detecting repeatedly whether or not a coincidence exists between the received identification coded staff member code and one of said plurality of identification coded staff member codes stored in said memory means; and

processor means responsive to said input means and also responsive to said detector means, and including means for performing a data processing operation in response to an input instruction supplied from said input means only when said coincidence is detected by said detector means;

means for again causing said detector means to detect whether said coincidence exists after said data processing operation has been accomplished; and

means for prohibiting a data processing operation in response to a subsequent input instruction until a coincidence between the received identification coded staff member code and one of said plurality of identification coded staff member codes is detected.

7. The remote code transmission system of claim 1, wherein said switching means is coupled to and actuated by operation of said holding means for controlling a power ON/OFF condition of said battery power supply.

2. A remote code transmission system between a nameplate apparatus and a data processing apparatus, for automatically controlling the cash register comprising:

(a) a nameplate apparatus for a staff member, including;

a thin-film shaped communication unit built into said nameplate apparatus, and including a transmitting element;

transmitter circuit means coupled to said transmitting element for continuously and repeatedly transmitting an identification coded staff member code allocated to said staff member; and

a battery power supply for supplying power to said transmitter circuit means;

a display plate mounted on one surface of said thin-film shaped communication unit, for displaying information on the identification coded staff member code allocated to said staff member;

holding means mounted on another surface opposite to said one surface of said thin-film shaped communication unit and including means for holding said communication unit on the body of said staff member;

switching means for designating an operation state of said transmitter circuit means; and

said transmitter circuit means including means responsive to operation of said switching means for continuously and repeatedly transmitting said identification coded staff member code while said switching designates an operation state of said transmitter circuit means; and

(b) data processing apparatus, including;

input means having a keyboard;

detector means for receiving and detecting repeatedly the presence of said identification coded staff member code which is continuously and repeatedly transmitted from said nameplate apparatus; and

processor means responsive to said detector means and also responsive to said input means, and including means for performing a data processing operation in response to a key entry from said keyboard only after the presence of said identification coded staff member code is detected by detector means and means for again causing said detector means to detect said presence of said identification coded staff member code after said data processing operation has been performed, said processing means performing a data processing operation every time a key entry is subsequently made from said keyboard only when said presence of said identification coded staff member code is detected by said detector means for every key entry, and prohibiting a data processing operation when the presence of said identification coded staff member code is not detected by said detector means for every key entry.

3. The remote code transmission system of claim 2 wherein said holding means includes means for holding said communication unit on an article of clothing of said staff member.

4. The remote code transmission system of claim 2, wherein:

said data processing apparatus further comprises comparing means for comparing the received identification coded staff member code, detected by said detector means, with a predetermined identification coded staff member code; and

said processor means of said data processing apparatus includes means for prohibiting an operation of said data processing apparatus as attempted by a staff member to whom an identification coded staff member code has been allocated when a coincidence is not detected by said comparing means, and for enabling the operation of said data processing apparatus by a staff member when a coincidence is detected by said comparing means.

5. The remote code transmission system of claim 2, wherein said information on the identification coded staff member, displayed by said display plate, comprises information on the name of the staff member.

6. The remote code transmission system of claim 2, wherein said switching means is coupled to and actuated by operation of said holding means for controlling a power ON/OFF condition of said battery power supply.