Patent Application
20100176928
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag capable of information transmission and reception with an RFID tag.
2. Description of the Related Art
A radio frequency identification (RFID) system configured to read and write information of an RFID tag in a non-contact manner by transmitting an inquiry and receiving a reply by an apparatus, so-called a reader/writer, for communicating with an RFID tag with respect to a small-sized RFID tag is known.
An RFID tag circuit element disposed on a label-shaped RFID tag, for example, is provided with an IC circuit part storing desired RFID tag information and an antenna connected to the IC circuit part and performing transmission and reception of the information. The IC circuit part demodulates and interprets a signal received by the antenna, generates a reply signal on the basis of an information signal stored in a memory and transmits it to the apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag through the antenna.
Here, there can be a wide variety of applications for the RFID system, and the system has been already put into practice. But in order to cover and detect the RFID tags present in a relatively large desired space such as an office floor, a library, a warehouse, for example, without missing, a plurality of interrogators need to be installed so that their communicable ranges are overlapped with each other to some degree. As an example of the apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag which can handle this is known.
In this prior art reference, in order to obtain response signals without missing, a plurality of apparatuses for communicating with an RFID tag, as interrogators, are installed so that their communicable ranges are overlapped with each other. Then, by synchronizing transmission and reception of each apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag, interference between the apparatuses for communicating with an RFID tag can be prevented.
In the above prior art reference, it is configured such that smooth response communication from the RFID tag can be realized by preventing interference between the apparatuses for communicating with an RFID tag. However, radio waves from the plurality of apparatuses for communicating with an RFID tag reach the RFID tag located within overlapped communicable ranges, respectively. That is, even though such an RFID tag has already responded to an apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag and has been detected, it responds to another apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag and is detected again after that. Namely, the RFID tag responds plural times. As a result, wasteful communication time is needed, and detection time is prolonged. Also, since the detection results are duplicated by the responses plural times, deletion processing of the detection results is required, by which the detection time is further prolonged. Because of the prolonged detection time as above, improvement of search efficiency is difficult.
The present invention has an object to provide an apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag that can reduce the detection time of the RFID tag and improve the search efficiency.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described referring to the attached drawings. This embodiment is an example in which an apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag of the present invention is applied to management of a large quantity of articles to which an RFID tag is attached, respectively, for example.
In the example shown in
A reader 1, which is the apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag of this embodiment, is a handheld type and has a substantially rectangular solid housing 1A. In the housing 1A, a reader antenna unit 3 as an antenna device is disposed at one of end portions in the longitudinal direction, and an operation part 7 and a display part 8 are disposed on one of flat plane portions.
The antenna unit 3 is provided with a lateral antenna element 3A and a vertical antenna element 3B so as to switch the polarization phase to the lateral direction and the vertical direction, respectively. The lateral antenna element 3A is disposed in arrangement with its longitudinal direction parallel with the width direction of the housing 1A of the reader 1, while the other vertical antenna element 3B is disposed in arrangement with its longitudinal direction parallel with the thickness direction of the housing of the reader 1. These antenna elements 3A and 3B are constituted by so-called dipole antennas having a substantially straight shape in general in this example. In each of the antenna elements 3A and 3B, the longitudinal direction is a potential surface of the radio wave, that is, the direction forming the polarization phase.
In this example, a user as an operator such as an administrator of the article B manages a storage state of each article B by reading information relating to the corresponding article B from the RFID tag T attached to each article B via radio communication using the reader 1. Here, a communication area 20 of the reader 1 is an area spread from the reader antenna unit 3 as an origin and its range is limited according to its directivity and output power as so-called aerial power. The communication range is shown by a broken line in the figure.
In the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20, only the RFID tag T arranged in an attitude with the polarization direction of the tag antenna 151 (hereinafter referred to as a tag-side polarization direction) to be close to the polarization direction of the reader antenna unit 3 (hereinafter referred to as a reader-side polarization direction) at that time can conduct favorable radio communication with the reader 1. In other words, the RFID tag T arranged in an attitude with the polarization direction with less angular deviation to the polarization direction of the reader antenna unit 3 can conduct favorable radio communication with the reader 1.
Usually, if the angular deviation is approximately 90°, that is, the polarization directions are in an arrangement relationship substantially crossing each other at a right angle, radio communication is not possible in general. On the other hand, if the angular deviation between the tag-side polarization direction and the reader-side polarization direction is approximately 45°, for example, substantially normal radio communication can be conducted in some cases. Therefore, as in the example shown in
The reader antenna unit 3 is not limited to the configuration provided with the so-called dipole antenna elements 3A and 3B as above. There may be such configuration that the polarization direction is switched by changing a direction of a current flow by using an antenna in another form such as a microstrip antenna, for example.
In the example shown in
The CPU 4 performs signal processing according to a program stored in the ROM in advance using a temporary storage function of the RAM and executes various controls of the entire reader 1 by that.
The RFID tag T has an RFID tag circuit element To provided with the tag antenna 151 and the IC circuit part 150 and is made capable of being attached to the article B by disposing the RFID tag circuit element To on a base material, not particularly shown. The RFID tag circuit element To will be described later in detail. The tag antenna 151 is configured by a dipole antenna in a substantially straight shape in general in this example as described above and its longitudinal direction is a direction forming a polarization phase. That is, the longitudinal direction is the tag-side polarization direction.
In the example shown in
The RF communication control part 9 makes an access to information including a tag ID of the IC circuit part 150 in the RFID tag circuit element To through the reader antenna unit 3. That is, the RF communication control part 9 includes a switch portion 341 as a communication area switching portion, a transmitting portion 212, a receiving portion 213, and a transmit-receive splitter 214. The switch portion 341 switches connection of the two antenna elements 3A and 3B by the CPU 4. The transmitting portion 212 transmits a signal to the RFID tag circuit element To through the reader antenna unit 3. The receiving portion 213 receives an input of a response wave from the RFID tag circuit element To received by the reader antenna unit 3.
The switch portion 341 is a switch circuit using a known radio frequency FET or a diode and selectively connects either of the lateral antenna element 3A or the vertical antenna element 3B by a control signal from the CPU 4 to the transmit-receive splitter 214.
The transmitting portion 212 is a block configured to generate an interrogation wave to access RFID tag information of the IC circuit part 150 of the RFID tag circuit element To for reading in this example. That is, the transmitting portion 212 includes a crystal oscillator 215A, a Phase Locked Loop (hereinafter referred to as a “PLL”) 215B, a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (hereinafter referred to as a “VCO”) 215C, a transmission multiplying circuit 216 as an amplification rate variable amplifier, and a variable transmission amplifier 217. The crystal oscillator 215A outputs a reference signal of a frequency. The PLL 215B generates a carrier wave with a predetermined frequency by dividing and multiplying an output of the crystal oscillator 215A by means of control of the CPU 4. The transmission multiplying circuit 216 modulates the carrier wave generated on the basis of the signal supplied from the CPU 4. The amplitude modulation is on the basis of the “TX_ASK” signal from the CPU 4 in this example. An amplification rate variable amplifier, for example, may be used in the case of amplitude modulation. The variable transmission amplifier 217 amplifies the modulated wave modulated by the transmission multiplying circuit 216 and creates a desired interrogation wave. The amplification is amplification with an amplification rate determined by a “TX_PWR” signal from the CPU 4 in this example. The generated carrier wave uses a frequency of a UHF band, for example. The output of the transmission amplifier 217 is transmitted to either of the antenna elements 3A or 3B of the reader antenna unit 3 through the transmit-receive splitter 214 and the switch portion 341 and is supplied to the IC circuit part 150 of the RFID tag circuit element To. The interrogation wave is not limited to the signal modulated as above, but the wave might be a simple carrier wave.
The receiving portion 213 includes an I-phase receiving signal multiplying circuit 218, an I-phase band-pass filter 219, an I-phase receiving signal amplifier 221, an I-phase limiter 220, a Q-phase receiving signal multiplying circuit 222, a Q-phase band-pass filter 223, a Q-phase receiving signal amplifier 225, and a Q-phase limiter 224. The I-phase receiving signal multiplying circuit 218 multiplies and demodulates the response wave from the RFID tag circuit element To received by the reader antenna unit 3 and the carrier wave. The I-phase band-pass filter 219 takes out only a signal in a required band from the output of the I-phase receiving signal multiplying circuit 218. The I-phase receiving signal amplifier 221 amplifies an output of the I-phase band-pass filter 219. The I-phase limiter 220 further amplifies the output of the I-phase receiving signal amplifier 221 and to convert it to a digital signal. The Q-phase receiving signal multiplying circuit 222 multiplies the response wave from the RFID tag circuit element To received at the reader antenna unit 3 and a signal of the carrier wave whose phase is delayed by a phase shifter 227 by 90°. The Q-phase band-pass filter 223 takes out only a signal in a required band from the output of the Q-phase receiving signal multiplying circuit 222. The Q-phase receiving signal amplifier 225 amplifies an output of the Q-phase band-pass filter 223. The Q-phase limiter 224 further amplifies the output of the Q-phase receiving signal amplifier 225 and to convert it to a digital signal. A signal “RXS-I” outputted from the I-phase limiter 220 and a signal “RXS-Q” outputted from the Q-phase limiter 224 are inputted into the CPU 4 and processed.
The outputs from the I-phase receiving signal amplifier 221 and the Q-phase receiving signal amplifier 225 are also inputted into a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) circuit 226 and a signal “RSSI” indicating the intensity of these signals is inputted into the CPU 4. With the arrangement, the reader 1 demodulates the response wave from the RFID tag circuit element To by I-Q quadrature demodulation.
In the example shown in
The IC circuit part 150 includes a rectification part 152, a power source part 153, a clock extraction part 154, a memory part 155, a modem part 156, a random number generator 158, and a control part 157. The rectification part 152 rectifies the interrogation wave as an interrogation signal received by the tag antenna 151. The power source part 153 accumulates energy of the interrogation wave rectified by the rectification part 152 and uses the energy as a driving power source. The clock extraction part 154 extracts a clock signal from the interrogation wave received by the tag antenna 151 and supplies the signal to the control part 157. The memory part 155 is capable of storing a desired information signal. The modem part 156 is connected to the tag antenna 151. The random number generator 158 generates a random number for determining to which identification slot the RFID tag circuit element To outputs the response signal when the interrogation signal from the reader 1 is received. The control part 157 controls operations of the RFID tag circuit element To through the memory part 155, the clock extraction part 154, the random number generator 158, and the modem part 156, for example.
The modem part 156 demodulates an interrogation wave from the reader antenna unit 3 of the reader 1, received by the tag antenna 151 and also modulates a reply signal from the control part 157 and transmits it as a response wave from the tag antenna 151. The response wave is a signal including a tag ID.
The clock extraction part 154 extracts a clock component from the received signal and supplies a clock corresponding to a frequency of the clock component to the control part 157.
The random number generator 158 generates a random number from 0 to 2Q−1 to a slot number specified value Q specified in the interrogation signal from the reader 1. The details will be described later.
The control part 157 executes basic control such that interpretation of a received signal demodulated by the modem part 156, generation of a reply signal on the basis of the information signal stored in the memory part 155, and replying of the reply signal through the tag antenna 151 by the model part 156 in an identification slot corresponding to the random number generated by the random number generator 158, for example.
In the memory part 155, a session flag S0 as a reversible flag for distinguishing a communication session at that time is stored capable of automatic reverse and change of the contents. Instead of the storage of the session flag S0 in the memory part 155 as above, a register in the control part 157 may be used so as to have it perform the substantially equal function.
Here, the reader 1 of this embodiment first transmits a command to unify contents of the session flag S0 via each radio communication by the two reader-side polarization directions to the RFID tag circuit element To as its characteristic. Then, in the respective radio communication by each of the reader-side polarization directions, a command to request tag information only from the RFID tag circuit element To with the unified contents in the session flag S0. The details will be sequentially described below.
First, a signal transmitted and received between the reader 1 and the RFID tag circuit element To and a method of transmission and reception thereof will be described using by
In
Moreover, with the “Select” command, an instruction can be made to arbitrarily specify and change the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag circuit element To of the RFID tag T satisfying the specified condition. The session flags are represented by S0, but any of S0 to S3 may be used to obtain the same result. Here, the contents of the session flag S0 of the RFID tag circuit element To in this example have two types of states, which are “A” and “B”, and in which communication state as so-called communication session the RFID tag circuit element To is can be distinguished from the contents of the session flag. In the illustrated example, the “Select” command instructs that the contents of the session flag S0 should be “A”, and the contents of the session flag S0 of the RFID tag circuit element To, which have been indefinite, are determined as “A” upon reception of the “Select” command.
Subsequently, the reader 1 transmits a “Query” command as a reading command requesting the same RFID tag group to transmit and respond the respective tag information. The tag information includes a tag ID, which is identification information. This “Query” command is a search command for making a search under a condition that the number of RFID tag circuit elements To expected to respond is indefinite. This “Query” command includes a slot number specified value Q specified with a desired number, for example, any of values from 0 to 15. If the RF communication control part 9 transmits the “Query” command through the reader antenna unit 3, each of the RFID tag circuit elements of the RFID tags T creates random numbers from 0 to 2Q−1 (=Q power of 2−1) by the random-number generator 158 and holds it as slot count value SC.
Also, with this “Query” command, the RFID tag circuit element To from which a response is to be requested can be limited by the contents of the session flag S0. That is, the “Query” command also includes the contents of the session flag S0 to be arbitrarily specified together with the slot number specified value Q, and only the one having contents of the stored session flag S0 at that time among the received RFID tag circuit elements To matching the specified contents included in “Query” command, that is, the RFID tag circuit elements To in the same communication session will transmit a response signal to the reader 1 after that. In the illustrated example, the “Query” command requests a response only from the RFID tag circuit element To with the contents of the session flag S0 as “A”, and the RFID tag circuit element To with the contents of the session flag S0 as “A” responds to the reader 1 after that as shown in the figure.
Then, after the reader 1 transmits the “Query” command through the reader antenna unit 3, the reader 1 waits for a response from the RFID tag circuit element To in a predetermined identification slot. This identification slot is a timeframe divided by a predetermined period after the “Query” command (or a “QueryRep” command, which will be described later) is first transmitted. This identification slot is usually repeated continuously for a predetermined number of times (a single session of a first identification slot of the “Query” command and 2Q−1 sessions of a second identification slot and after of the “QueryRep” command, =2Q times).
Then, as in the illustrated example, the RFID tag circuit element To having created a value 0 as a slot count value SC responds in the first identification slot containing this “Query” command. At this time, the RFID tag circuit element To transmits an “RN16” response using a pseudo random number of 16 bits, for example, in order to obtain permission to transmit the tag information to the reader 1 as a response signal.
Then, the reader 1 having received the “RN16” response transmits an “Ack” command to permit transmission of the tag information with the contents corresponding to the “RN16” response. If the RFID tag circuit element To having received the “Ack” command determines that the “RN16” response transmitted first by the RFID tag circuit element To itself corresponds to the received “Ack” command, the RFID tag circuit element To considers that the transmission of the tag information of the RFID tag circuit element To is permitted and transmits the tag information including the tag ID. As described above, transmission and reception of a signal in a single identification slot is performed.
After that, further in the second identification slot and after, the reader 1 transmits the “QueryRep” command instead of the “Query” command and waits for a response of another RFID tag circuit element To (not particularly shown) in the identification slot timeframe disposed immediately after that. At this time, in the RFID tag circuit element To of the RFID tag T with the specification complying with the EPC global Class-I Generation II standards, the contents of the session flag S0 are automatically reversed and changed to another contents different from before (A->B; B->A) when the “QueryRep” command is received. In the illustrated example, the RFID tag circuit element To having received the “QueryRep” command automatically reverses the contents of the session flag S0, which have been “A” (state before reverse), to the other “B”. As a result, even if the “Query” command (or the “QueryRep” command) specifying the contents of the session flag S0 with “A” is received after that, the tag circuit element is in the standby state in which a response operation is not performed.
This “QueryRep” command can also limit the RFID tag circuit element To from which a response is requested with the contents of the session flag S0. The RFID tag circuit element To having received the “QueryRep” command with the matched session flag S0 subtracts the value of its own slot count value SC only by 1 and holds it and transmits and receives a signal including the “RN16” response in the identification slot at the time when the value of the slot count value SC becomes 0 with the reader 1.
If there is no applicable RFID tag circuit element To in each identification slot (with the slot count value SC at 0 in the identification slot), the identification slot is finished in a predetermined timeframe without transmission and reception of the “Query” command or the “QueryRep” command. Also, a time interval between a plurality of commands transmitted and received is adjusted as appropriate so as to have an appropriate interval.
As described above, since each RFID tag circuit element To replies a response signal in different identification slot, the reader 1 can clearly receive and take in the tag information of the RFID tag circuit element To one by one through the reader antenna unit 3 without being subjected to interference. Also, even if the same RFID tag circuit element To receives the “Query” command specifying the contents of the same session flag S0 several times, once it can response to the “Query” command normally, it no longer responds to the “Query” command received subsequently, and wasteful repetition of transmission of the tag information by the RFID tag circuit element To of the same RFID tag T can be prevented.
Subsequently, a control procedure executed by the CPU 4 of the reader 1 is described by using
Then, at Step S5, a control signal is outputted to the switch portion 341 so as to connect the transmit-receive splitter 214 to the vertical antenna element 3B and set the reader-side polarization direction to the vertical direction.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S10, and the “Select” command is transmitted without specifying any condition for radio communication, that is, instructing all the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20 of the reader 1 at that time to set the respective contents of the session flag S0 to “A”. As a result, in the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20, the contents of the session flags S0 of the RFID tags T arranged with the tag-side polarization direction relatively close to (a direction with a relatively small angular deviation) the vertical direction (the reader-side polarization direction at that time) in the reader 1 are finalized at “A”.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S15, and by means of the control similar to Step S5, the transmit-receive splitter 214 is connected to the lateral antenna element 3A, and the reader-side polarization direction is set to the lateral direction. After that, at the subsequent Step S20, the “Select” command is transmitted to instruct all the RFID tags T to set the contents of the session flags S0 to the same “A” similarly in Step S10. As a result, in the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20, the contents of the session flags S0 of the RFID tags T arranged with the tag-side polarization direction relatively close to the lateral direction (the reader-side polarization direction at this time) in the reader 1 are finalized at “A”. That is, the communication area 20 when transmission is made at Step S10 and the communication area 20 when transmission is made at Step S20 are overlapped at least partially or fully in this example.
And through the procedures at Step S5, Step S10, Step S15, and Step S20, the contents of the session flags S0 of all the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20 of the reader 1 are finalized at “A”.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S25, and by the control similar to that at Step S5, again, the reader-side polarization direction is set to the vertical direction.
Then, at the subsequent Step S30, the value of the slot number specified value Q is set to Q1. This set value Q1 is a parameter for setting what identification slot number is to be used for detection of the tag information in tag information detection processing at Step S100A to be executed subsequently. Also, the set value Q1 is inputted and set by a user in advance according to the size of the communication area 20 of the reader 1 and the number of the RFID tags T expected to be able to conduct radio communication within that. The number of the RFID tags T expected to be able to conduct radio communication is the number of expected RFID tags T with the tag-side polarization direction arranged close to the vertical direction in detail, that is, the number of expected RFID tags T considered to be able to conduct radio communication with the reader 1 in a state in which the reader-side polarization direction is the vertical direction at that time. The set value Q1 is set such that sufficiently many but not more than necessary identification slot numbers are prepared so that a response signal transmitted from each of the expected number of the RFID tags T does not collide with each other.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S100A, and the tag information detection processing is performed for detecting the respective tag information of the RFID tags T arranged with the tag-side polarization direction close to the vertical direction (the reader-side polarization direction at that time) in the communication area 20 of the reader 1 at that time (See
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S35, and it is determined if the contents of the collision occurrence flag F are “1” or not, that is, if a collision between the response signals of the RFID tags T has occurred or not in the tag information detection processing at Step S100A executed immediately before. If the contents of the collision occurrence flag F are “1”, the determination is satisfied, that is, detection of the tag information failed and it is considered that the tag information detection processing needs to be performed again, and the routine returns to step S100A immediately before. On the other hand, if the contents of the collision occurrence flag are not “1”, the determination is not satisfied, that is, it is considered that detection of the tag information was successful, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S40.
At Step S40, by means of the control similar to Step S15 again, the reader-side polarization direction is set to the lateral direction.
After that, at the subsequent Step S45, the value of the slot number specified value Q is set to Q2. This set value Q2 is a parameter similar to the set value Q1 and in this case, this is a value set corresponding to the number set slightly smaller than the expected number of the RFID tags T arranged with the tag-side polarization direction close to the lateral direction in the communication area 20 of the reader 1 (that is, the expected number of the RFID tags T considered to be able to conduct radio communication with the reader 1 with the reader-side polarization direction in the lateral direction at that time).
As a result, even if the expected number of the RFID tags T with the tag-side polarization direction corresponding to the lateral direction is substantially equal to the expected number of the RFID tags T corresponding to the vertical direction, the set value Q2 is set at a value smaller than the set value Q1. As a result, the identification slot number in the tag information detection processing executed immediately after that is set smaller than the identification slot number in the tag information detection processing executed previous time (See
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S100B, which is a procedure substantially similar to Step S100A, and the tag information detection processing is performed for detecting the respective tag information of the RFID tags T arranged with the tag-side polarization direction close to the vertical direction (reader-side polarization direction at that time) in the communication area 20 of the reader 1 at that time (See
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S50, and it is determined if the contents of the collision occurrence flag F are “1” or not, that is, if a collision between the response signals of the RFID tags T has occurred or not in the tag information detection processing at Step S100B executed immediately before. If the contents of the collision occurrence flag are “1”, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that detection of the tag information failed and the routine returns to Step S100B immediately before. On the other hand, if the contents of the collision occurrence flag are not “1”, the determination is not satisfied, that is, it is considered that detection of the tag information was successful, and this flow is finished.
Subsequently, a detailed procedure of the tag information detection processing executed at Step S100A and Step S100B of
First, at Step S105, contents of a counter variable C and the collision occurrence flag F are initialized to 0, respectively.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S110, and the “Query” command is transmitted through the antenna element 3A or 3B and the RF communication control part 9. This “Query” command includes, as described above, the already set slot number specified value Q and the contents of the session flag S0 for limiting the RFID tag T from which a response is requested. In this example, the slot number specified value Q=Q1 is set in the first tag information detection processing executed if the reader-side polarization direction is the vertical direction, and the slot number specified value Q=Q2 is set in the second tag information detection processing executed if the reader-side polarization direction is the lateral direction. Also, the contents of the session flag S0 is limited by “A” in either case.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S115, and a response signal is received from the RFID tag T only for a predetermined time through the antenna element 3A or 3B and the RF communication control part 9. After that, at Step S120, it is determined if the “RN16” response has been normally received (that is, only one “RN16” response has been normally received instead of no response or without no collision by a plurality of “RN16” responses) or not. In this determination, if the “RN16” response has been normally received, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that there is the RFID tag T responding in the identification slot, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S125.
At Step S125, the “Ack” command with the contents corresponding to the pseudo random number included in the “RN16” response received at Step S115 is transmitted through the RF communication control part 9 and the antenna element 3A or 3B. After that, at Step S130, the tag information including the tag ID from the RFID tag T, which is the identification information thereof, is received only for a predetermined time through the antenna element 3A or 3B and the RF communication control part 9, and then, the routine goes to the subsequent Step S135.
At Step S135, it is determined if the tag information has been normally received during the reception time (that is, if the single tag information has been normally received instead of no response) or not. In this determination, if the tag information has been normally received, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that the tag information could be detected from the single RFID tag T in the identification slot, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S140. At Step S140, the detected tag information is stored in a predetermined storage area in the memory 6 or the nonvolatile storage device 5, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S145. On the other hand, if the tag information has not been received normally due to radio interference, for example, at Step S135, the determination at Step S135 is not satisfied, that is, it is considered that the radio communication has failed, and the routine goes to Step S145 as it is.
At Step S145, 1 is added to the value of the counter variable C, and the routine goes to Step S155. At Step S155, after the “QueryRep” command is transmitted through the RF communication control part 9 and the antenna element 3A or 3B (in this “QueryRep” command, too, the contents of the session flag S0 (“A” in this example) for limiting the RFID tag T from which a response is requested is included), the routine goes to Step S150.
At Step S150, it is determined if a value of the counter variable C is smaller than 2Q or not. If the value of the counter variable C is smaller than 2Q, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that the current tag information detection processing has not been finished yet, and the routine returns to Step S115 and repeats the similar procedure.
On the other hand, in the determination at Step S150, if the value of the counter variable C is 2Q or more, the determination is not satisfied, and this flow is finished.
Also, on the other hand, in the determination at Step S120, if the “RN16” response has not been normally received, the determination is not satisfied, that is, it is considered that the RFID tag T responding in the identification slot is not present and no response was made or a collision of the “RN16” responses from a plurality of the RFID tags T occurred, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S160.
At Step S160, it is determined if a collision by a plurality of “RN16” responses has occurred or not during the reception time at Step S115, that is if the reason why it is determined that the “RN16” response has not been received normally in the determination at Step S120 is a collision or not. In this determination, if a collision by the “RN16” responses has occurred, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that detection in the current tag information detection processing has failed, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S165. At Step S165, the value of the collision occurrence flag F is set to “1” indicating occurrence of a collision; See Step S35 and Step S50 in
Also, on the other hand, in the determination at Step S160, if a collision by the “RN16” responses has not occurred, the determination is not satisfied, that is, it is considered that the RFID tag T responding in the identification slot is not present and no response was made, and the routine goes to the above-described Step S145.
Subsequently, a control procedure executed by the control part 157 disposed in the RFID tag circuit element To shown in
First, at Step S205, command contents of the “Select” command from the reader antenna unit 3 of the reader 1 received by the tag antenna 151 immediately after the RFID tag circuit element To is started is interpreted. Then, it is determined if the RFID tag T is applicable to a specification condition (condition of the RFID tag T to be read by the reader 1) included in the command contents or not. If the RFID tag T is not applicable to the specification condition, the determination at Step S205 is not satisfied, and the same procedure is repeated till the “Select” command including the specification condition to which the RFID tag T is applicable is received and the routine stands by in a loop. On the other hand, if the “Select” command including the specification condition to which the RFID tag T is applicable is received, the determination at Step S205 is satisfied, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S210.
At Step S210, the contents of the session flag S0 of itself are set to the contents specified by the “Select” command received at Step S205. In this example, since any “Select” command transmitted from the reader 1 at Step S10 and Step S20 in the flow of
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S215, and the command contents of the “Query” command from the reader antenna unit 3 of the reader 1 received by the tag antenna 151 subsequently to the “Select” command are interpreted. Then, it is determined if the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T match the contents of the specified session flag S0 (limiting condition of the RFID tag T from which the reader 1 requests a response) included in the command contents or not.
If the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T do not match the contents of the session flag S0 specified by the “Query” command, the determination at Step S215 is not satisfied, and the same procedure is repeated till the “Query” command including the session flag S0 matching the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T is received and the routine stands by in a loop. On the other hand, if the “Query” command including the specified session flag S0 matching the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T is received, the determination at Step S215 is satisfied, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S220. Also, at this time, the slot number specified value Q included in the “Query” command is stored in the memory part 155.
At Step S220, on the basis of the slot number specified value Q stored in the memory part 155 at Step S215, the random numbers from 0 to 2Q−1 are generated by the random number generator 158, and the value is set as the slot count value SC. By means of this slot count value SC, the identification slot in which the RFID tag T transmits the response signal (“RN16” response in this example) is determined.
Subsequently, the routine goes to Step S225, and it is determined if the slot count value SC is 0 or not. If the slot count value SC is not 0, the determination is not satisfied, that is, it is considered that the identification slot to transmit the response signal has not been reached, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S230.
At Step S230, it is determined if the “QueryRep” command transmitted from the reader 1 at Step S155 in the flow of
If the “QueryRep” command has not been received or the contents of the specified session flag S0 included therein do not match the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T, the determination at Step S230 is not satisfied, and the routine stands by in a loop. If the “QueryRep” command has been received and the contents of the specified session flag S0 included therein match the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T, the determination at Step S230 is satisfied, the routine goes to Step S235, the slot count value SC is subtracted by 1, and the routine returns to Step S225 and repeats the similar procedure.
Also, on the other hand, if the slot count value SC is 0 in the determination at Step S225, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that the RFID tag T has reached the identification slot to transmit the response signal, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S245. At Step S245, the “RN16” response using a 16-bit pseudo random number, for example, is generated as the response signal at the modem part 156 and replied to the reader 1 through the tag antenna 151 at a predetermined timing.
After that, the routine goes to Step S250, and it is determined if the “Ack” command with the contents corresponding to the pseudo random number included in the “RN16” response transmitted at Step S245 has been received through the tag antenna 151 or not. If the “Ack” command has been received through the tag antenna 151, and the contents are those reflecting the pseudo random number included in the “RN16” response transmitted by the RFID tag T itself previously, the determination is satisfied, that is, it is considered that the individual RFID tag T is allowed to transmit the tag information from the reader 1, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S255.
At Step S255, the tag information including the tag ID of the RFID tag T is transmitted to the reader 1 through the tag antenna 151, and the routine goes to Step S257.
At Step S257, it is determined if the “QueryRep” command transmitted from the reader 1 has been received through the tag antenna 151 or not. As described above, the specified session flag S0 is also included in the “QueryRep” command, and when the “QueryRep” command is received, it is also determined if the contents of the specified session flag S0 included therein match the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T or not (that is, if it is the “QueryRep” command in the same communication session or not).
If the “QueryRep” command has not been received or the contents of the specified session flag S0 included therein do not match the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T, the determination at Step S257 is not satisfied, the routine returns to Step S205, and the similar procedure is repeated. If the “QueryRep” command has been received and the contents of the specified session flag S0 included therein match the contents of the session flag S0 stored in the RFID tag T, the determination at Step S257 is satisfied, and the routine goes to the subsequent Step S260.
At Step S260, the contents of the session flag S0 are changed (reversed) to another contents different from those before. In this example, as described above, the contents of the session flag S0 are set only to two types, that is, “A” and “B”, and whichever “Select” command is received at Step S205, the contents of the session flag S0 is set to “A” at Step S210, and also the contents are maintained till the tag information is transmitted at Step S255. Therefore, at Step S260, an operation to reverse the contents of the session flag S0 from “A” to “B” in a lump sum is performed. Then, the routine returns to Step S205, and the similar procedure is repeated.
Also, on the other hand, in the determination at Step S250, if the “Ack” command has not been received through the tag antenna 151 or even if it is received, if the contents do not reflect the pseudo random number included in the “RN16” response transmitted before, the determination is not satisfied, and it is considered that the radio communication has failed for some external factor or the reader 1 allows another RFID tag circuit element To to transmit the tag information in the same identification slot, no signal is transmitted and the routine returns to Step S205.
Subsequently, an example of transmission and reception and a control operation of various signals transmitted and received between the reader 1 executing the control procedures in
In
Also, at this time, with regard to the RFID tag T1, it is arranged with the tag-side polarization direction substantially matching the vertical direction, and only when the reader-side polarization direction is the vertical direction, the radio communication can be conducted with the reader 1. Also, with regard to the RFID tag T3, it is arranged with the tag-side polarization direction substantially matching the lateral direction, and only when the reader-side polarization direction is the lateral direction, the radio communication can be conducted with the reader 1. With regard to the RFID tag T2, it is arranged with the tag-side polarization direction being an angular direction substantially in the middle of the vertical direction and the lateral direction (diagonal direction), and the radio communication can be conducted with the reader 1 with the reader-side polarization direction in either of the vertical direction or the lateral direction.
On the basis of the above assumption, in
Subsequently, after connecting the lateral antenna element 3A, the reader 1 transmits the “Select” command to have the contents of the session flag S0 also set to “A” to all the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20 again (See Step S20 in
Then, the reader 1 connects the vertical antenna element 3B again and executes the tag information detection processing for detecting the tag information of the RFID tags T1 and T2 corresponding to the vertical polarization phase. In this tag information detection processing, first, the reader 1 transmits the “Query” command (including the slot number specified value Q=Q1 corresponding to the vertical polarization phase) requesting a response only from the RFID tag T with the contents of the session flag S0 as “A” to all the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20 (See Step S110 in
In this first identification slot, first, the RFID tag T1 transmits the “RN16” response as a response signal to the reader 1 (See Step S245 in
On the other hand, in the illustrated example, the RFID tag T2 has generated the slot count value SC as a value of X by the random number (0 to 2Q1−1, too) immediately after the reception of the “Query” command and thus, it responds to the reader 1 in the X+1st identification slot counting from immediately after the “Query” command. This (X+1) th identification slot is started by transmission and reception of the X-th “QueryRep” command because the “QueryRep” command is transmitted from the second identification slot. The RFID tag T2 has the slot count value SC at 0 when the X-th “QueryRep” command is received (See Step S225 in
Then, the identification slot is repeated after that, too, and when the 2Q1-th identification slot is finished, the tag information detection processing corresponding to the current vertical polarization phase is finished. However, if a collision of the response signals from the plurality of RFID tags T occurs in any of the identification slots performed in the middle of this tag information detection processing, it is considered at that time that the detection processing failed, the processing is interrupted (the value of the collision occurrence flag F is set to “1”. See Step S165 in
In the tag information detection processing corresponding to the lateral polarization phase, the reader 1 detects only the tag information of the RFID tag T3 which has not been detected yet in the RFID tags T2 and T3 corresponding to the lateral polarization phase while the lateral antenna element 3A is connected. First, the reader 1 transmits the “Query” command (including the slot number specified value Q=Q2 corresponding to the lateral polarization phase) requesting a response only from the RFID tag T with the contents of the session flag S0 at “A” to all the RFID tags T present in the communication area 20 (See Step S110 in
Here, the RFID tag T2 has already reversed and changed the contents of the session flag S0 to “B” in the tag information detection processing corresponding to the vertical polarization phase and gone to the standby state even if the radio communication is possible with the reader 1 in the radio wave of the lateral polarization phase. Therefore, even if the “Query” command including the specified session flag S0=A is received, a response signal is not transmitted in the identification slot repeated after that. That is, the RFID tag T2 having transmitted the tag information once will not transmit the tag information in duplicate again.
Also, as a result, in the second tag information detection processing corresponding to the lateral polarization phase, the number of RFID tags T whose tag information is detected is smaller than that in the tag information detection processing corresponding to the vertical polarization phase performed for the first time. Therefore, a possibility of collision of the response signal can be sufficiently suppressed even if the detection processing is performed with smaller identification slot number, that is, in the set values Q1 and Q2 at which the slot number specified value Q included in the “Query” command in the respective tag information detection processing, the set value Q2 can be set at a value smaller than the set value Q1.
In the illustrated example, in the tag information detection processing corresponding to the lateral polarization direction, only the RFID tag T3 generates the slot count value SC at 0 by the random number (0 to 2Q2−1) immediately after reception of the “Query” command and transmits the tag information responding to the reader 1 in the first identification slot immediately after the “Query” command (See Step S255 in
In the tag information detection processing corresponding to the lateral polarization phase, too, if a collision of the response signals in any of the identification slots in the middle of the processing, the processing is interrupted at that time (the value of the collision occurrence flag F becomes “1”), and the tag information detection processing corresponding to the same lateral polarization phase is performed again. On the other hand, if all the 2Q2-th identification slots are finished without any collision of the response signal (the value of the collision occurrence flag F remains at “0”), the entire detection processing is finished.
As described above, the three RFID tags T1 to T3 with largely different tag-side polarization directions can be detected only once each without duplication of the respective tag information.
In the above, the communication area 20 generated in the vertical polarization phase and the communication area 20 generated in the lateral polarization phase correspond to the plural modes of communication area described in each claim.
Also, the procedures at Step S10 and Step S20 in the flow of
Also, the switch portion 341 functions as an antenna switching device. Also, the procedures at Step S5, Step S15, Step S25, and Step S40 in the flow of
As described above, in this embodiment, the RFID tag T is provided with the session flag S0 as a reversible flag capable of reversing the contents at response. Also, the direction of polarization phase formed from the reader antenna unit 3 can be sequentially switched to a plurality of polarization directions (vertical direction and lateral direction in the above-described example) through the switch portion 341. Then, to the RFID tags T, the “Select” command is transmitted by the procedures at Step S10 and Step S20 in
At this time, the RFID tag T having responded to the “Query” command has the contents of the session flag S0 changed from “A” state before the reverse to “B” state after the reverse. Therefore, the RFID tag T having responded once in the vertical polarization phase does not respond to a radio wave in the lateral polarization phase switched after that (even if the wave reaches). That is, the RFID tag T can be distinguished from an RFID tag T not having responded but remaining with the contents of the session flag S0 in “A” state before the reverse. As a result, in the tag information detection processing in the lateral polarization phase (Step S100B in
As described above, in communication while the polarization direction is switched, even if there is an RFID tag T capable of radio communication in a plurality of polarization directions in duplication, after a response to the reader 1 side is made once, a subsequent response can be prevented reliably. As a result, as compared with the case in which the deletion processing of the detection result should be performed after the RFID tags T are detected from the reader 1 side in duplication several times, the detection time of the RFID tag T can be reduced, and the search efficiency can be improved.
Also, particularly in this embodiment, the set values Q1 and Q2 (Q1>Q2) are set by the procedures at Step S30 and Step S45 in the flow of
In this embodiment, the example in which a plurality of communication areas 20 with the polarization directions different from each other (the position and size of the areas are substantially the same, for example) are generated as plural modes of communication area which can be switched by the reader 1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to that. Such variations will be sequentially described below.
(1) When a plurality of communication areas with different frequencies are generated:
This is a case in which a plurality of communication areas 20 with different communication frequencies (the position and size of the areas are substantially the same, for example) are generated are generated while being switched by the reader 1, for example. That is, the reader 1 can switch among the plurality of communication frequencies (frequency channels) and conduct communication, and a relatively wide allowable range of the frequency at which the RFID tag T can conduct communication can be considered. In this case, there can be a case in which the RFID tag T capable of radio communication only at a relatively low communication frequency in the frequency band or its neighboring communication frequency, the RFID tag T capable of radio communication only at a relatively high communication frequency to the contrary and the RFID tag T capable of radio communication capable of radio communication at the both communication frequencies are mixed.
In this case, in this embodiment, for example, it is only necessary that the communication frequency is switched in a desired width by a control method such as switching a frequency from the PLL 215B of the RF communication control part 9 by a control signal outputted from the CPU 4 instead of switching of the polarization direction (See
In this case, the PLL 215B and the control procedure outputting a control signal thereto function as a frequency control portion together and also function as a communication area switching portion.
In this variation, by switching the communication frequency, while the plurality of communication areas with different frequencies are sequentially generated, the same effect as the embodiment can be obtained.
(2) When a plurality of different communication areas are sequentially generated by changing directivity:
This is a case in which a directivity of the antenna (direction of main lobe) is changed and the plurality of communication areas 20 are sequentially formed in different directions according to that, for example. Specifically, as shown in
In this case, the session flags S0 of all the RFID tags T are unified by transmission of the “Select” command in advance in each of the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c and then, it is only necessary that the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c are sequentially switched and the tag information detection processing is performed.
In this case, the driving device of the Yagi antenna 11 and the control procedure for outputting a driving signal thereto function as a directivity control portion and also function as a communication area switching portion.
In this variation, by switching and controlling the main lobe directions 21a, 21b, and 21c, the plurality of communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c with different directivities can be sequentially generated and the same effect as the embodiment can be obtained. In the example shown in
(3) When the respective communication areas are generated by a plurality of antennas:
This is a case in which a plurality of antennas generating the communication areas 20 different from each other are used, for example. Specifically, as in an example shown in
In this case, too, it is only necessary that the session flags S0 of all the RFID tags T are unified in advance by transmission of the “Select” command in each of the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c and then, the tag information detection processing is performed by sequentially switching the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c.
In this case, the switch portion 341 switching the connection with the antennas 11a, 11b, and 11c functions as an antenna switching device and also functions as a communication area switching portion.
In this variation, by switching and controlling connection of the antenna to be used in the communication, while the plurality of communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c with different positions are sequentially generated, the same effect as the embodiment can be obtained. The sizes of the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c may be changed by changing the power together with the antenna switching or instead of the antenna switching.
(4) When communication areas are generated sequentially at different positions by moving the antenna:
This is a case in which a single antenna is moved by the reader 1, and the communication areas 20 are sequentially generated at different positions (formed at a plurality of locations) according to that, for example. Specifically, as shown in
In this case, too, it is only necessary that the unification of the session flags S0 of all the RFID tags T by transmission of the “Select” command in each of the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c and the tag information detection processing according to the sequential switching of the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c after that.
In this case, the bogie 12 for moving the antenna 31 to plural locations and means for moving and controlling the same (driving means, for example) function as an antenna moving device and also function as an communication area switching portion.
In this variation, by moving the position of the antenna 31, while the plurality of communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c with different positions are sequentially generated, the same effect as the embodiment can be obtained. It may also be configured that the power is changed together with the antenna movement or instead of the antenna movement so as to change the sizes of the communication areas 20a, 20b, and 20c.
(5) Others
In the above, the cases in which the plurality of RFID tags T are present in the communicable range from the antenna have been described, but not limited to them. That is, if a single RFID tag T is arranged within a range where the plurality of communication areas are overlapped, the RFID tag T would be subjected to the tag information detection processing in duplication several times, and the present invention can be applied in order to avoid such plural responses (a response shall be made only once). In this case, too, the same effect as above can be obtained.
Also, the “Select” command, the “Query” command, the “RN16” response, the “Ack” command, the “QueryRep” command, for example, used in the above shall comply with the specification formulated by EPC global. The RFID tag circuit element To as described above has the specification complying with the EPC global Class-I Generation II standards. Signals or RFID tag circuit element To complying with other standards will do as long as they serve the same functions.
Other than those described above, methods of the embodiments and each variation may be combined as appropriate for use.
Note that the arrows shown in each figure above, such as
Also note that the present disclosure is not limited to the procedures shown in the flowcharts of
Though not specifically exemplified, the present invention should be put into practice with various changes made in a range not departing from its gist.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-270094 | Oct 2007 | JP | national |
This is a CIP application PCT/JP2008/066984, filed Sep. 19, 2008, which was not published under PCT article 21(2) in English.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2008/066984 | Sep 2008 | US |
| Child | 12728646 | US |
