Patent Application
20230055185
The present invention relates to an article registration apparatus, a data processing method thereof, and a program.
In recent years, self-checkout, where a customer operates an settlement apparatus for automatically reading product information from an integrated circuit (IC) tag attached to a product and registering the product, is starting to spread.
Patent Document 1 describes one example of an IC tag reading apparatus used in a self-checkout apparatus. The reading apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes two or more antennas of an RFID reader arranged facing different radio-wave emission faces each other, and has an improved reading rate of an RFID tag associated with a product by emitting radio waves from different directions.
A reading apparatus of an accounting system described in Patent Document 2 includes an antenna that emits a radio wave for communicating with an RF tag and a shield part that 5 contains the antenna and has an opening formed wider than an article, and reads information from an RF tag while the shield part is opened. The shield part forming a containing part for containing an article can prevent a radio wave emitted from the antenna of the reading apparatus from spreading around the reading apparatus, and can reduce influence of the radio wave on another device.
Furthermore, the shield part is formed outside a radio wave absorption sheet in such a way that a radio wave reflection sheet surrounds radio wave absorption acquisition. Thus, a weak radio wave leaking from the radio wave absorption sheet is reflected by the radio wave reflection sheet and absorbed inside the radio wave absorption sheet, and thereby the radio wave can be shielded. Consequently, in the reading apparatus, a communication region with an RF tag is limited to the containing part and thereabove, which prevents incorrectly reading tag information on an RF tag of another product located around the reading apparatus.
The above-described reading apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a high possibility of incorrectly reading a product that should not be originally read. Further, simultaneously driving a plurality of antennas for RFID reading of the reading apparatus may possibly increase power consumption or give influence on another peripheral device.
An IC tag is electrified by receiving a radio wave from a reader, and transmits information stored in a memory to the reader. An IC tag attached to a product or the like often has a sheet shape. Thus, when a face of a tag is oriented in parallel to an emission direction of a radio wave, the radio wave does not sufficiently hit an antenna of an IC tag, which disables the IC tag to be electrified to operate. Thus, there arises a possibility of occurrence of an unread IC tag. Further, when tags of a plurality of products lie on top of one another, radio waves replied from individual IC tags may interfere with and cancel each other.
The reading apparatus described in Patent Document 2 can prevent incorrectly reading a product that should not be originally read, but cannot prevent occurrence of a reading error in an IC tag as described above.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstance, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving accuracy in reading an IC tag associated with an article.
In each aspect of the present invention, following configurations are employed in order to solve the above-described problem.
A first aspect relates to an article registration apparatus.
A first article registration apparatus according to the first aspect is an article registration apparatus communicating with an integrated circuit (IC) tag associated with an article, including:
a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using at least one of a plurality of antennas;
a control unit that controls the reading unit;
a judgement unit that judges whether a reading result of the article identification information by the reading unit satisfies a criterion; and
a determination unit that determines the article identification information read by the reading unit, wherein
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first of the antenna,
the judgement unit judges whether a reading result using the first antenna satisfies the criterion,
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a second antenna different from the first antenna when a reading result using the first antenna is judged as satisfying the criterion, and
the determination unit determines the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna and the article identification information read by using the second antenna.
A second article registration apparatus according to the first aspect is an article registration apparatus communicating with an IC tag associated with an article, including:
a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using a plurality of antennas;
a control unit that controls the reading unit;
a judgement unit that judges whether a reading result of the article identification information by the reading unit satisfies a criterion; and
a determination unit that determines the article identification information read by the reading unit, wherein
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna,
the judgement unit judges whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other,
the control unit
the determination unit determines the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
A second aspect relates to a data processing method of an article registration apparatus executed by at least one computer.
A first data processing method according to the second aspect includes:
by an article registration apparatus communicating with an integrated circuit (IC) tag associated with an article,
including a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using at least one of a plurality of antennas;
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first of the antenna;
judging whether a reading result using the first antenna satisfies a criterion;
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a second antenna different from the first antenna when a reading result using the first antenna is judged as satisfying the criterion; and
determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna and the article identification information read by using the second antenna.
A second data processing method according to the second aspect includes:
by an article registration apparatus communicating with an IC tag associated with an article,
including a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using a plurality of antennas;
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna;
judging whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other;
causing the reading unit to end reading of the article identification information when the reading results are judged as consistent with each other;
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information further by using a third antenna when the reading results are judged as inconsistent with each other; and
determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
Note that, another aspect of the present invention may be a program causing at least one computer to execute the method according to the above second aspect, or may be a computer-readable storage medium on which such a program is stored. The storage medium includes a non-transitory tangible medium.
The computer program includes a computer program code causing, when executed by a computer, the computer to perform, on an article registration apparatus, a data processing method thereof.
Note that, any combination of the above components and conversions of expression of the present invention among a method, an apparatus, a system, a storage medium, a computer program, and the like are also effective as a mode of the present invention.
Further, the various components of the present invention are not necessarily required to exist individually and independently, and a plurality of components may be formed as one member, one component may be formed by a plurality of members, a certain component may be a part of another component, a part of a certain component may overlap with a part of another component, or the like.
Further, while a plurality of procedures are described in order in the method and the computer program according to the present invention, execution order of the plurality of procedures is not limited to the described order. Thus, when the method and the computer program according to the present invention are performed, the order of the plurality of procedures can be changed, as far as the change does not detract from contents.
Furthermore, the plurality of procedures for the method and the computer program according to the present invention are not limited to being executed individually at different timings. Thus, another procedure may occur during execution of a certain procedure, an execution timing of a certain procedure may partly or wholly overlap with an execution timing of another procedure, or the like.
According to each of the above aspects, a technique for improving accuracy in reading an IC tag associated with an article can be provided.
Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present invention will be described by using the drawings. Note that, a similar component is assigned with a similar reference sign throughout all the drawings, and description therefor will be omitted as appropriate. Further, in each of the figures, a configuration of a part unrelated to the essence of the present invention is omitted and not illustrated.
“Acquisition” in the example embodiment includes at least one of fetching (active acquisition), by an own apparatus, data or information stored in another apparatus or storage medium and inputting (passive acquisition), to an own apparatus, data or information output from another apparatus. Examples of active acquisition include requesting or inquiring another apparatus to receive a reply therefrom, accessing another apparatus or storage medium to read out therefrom, and the like. Further, examples of passive acquisition include receiving delivered (transmitted, push-notified, or the like) information, and the like. Furthermore, “acquisition” may be selectively acquiring received data or information, or may be selectively receiving delivered data or information.
A timing for associating the tag 40 and/or the IC tag 42 with the article 32 is not particularly limited, and may be any time before displaying or before selling of the article 32, or another tag 40 and/or another IC tag 42 may be replaced after displaying or before settlement and re-associated with the article 32.
As illustrated in
In the example in
The antenna 10 may be provided inside the enclosure 20, or may be provided on a surface of the lateral face.
As illustrated in
An antenna of the IC tag 42 embedded inside the sheet-shaped tag 40 has directivity.
When a plane of a sheet of the tag 40 is on an X-Z plane, a radio wave emitted from the antenna 10b that faces the X-Z plane and is, for example, at a position distant in a Y-axis direction can be received by the antenna of the IC tag 42 from a front face, and thus, the antenna 10b and the IC tag 42 can communicate with each other. On the other hand, a radio wave emitted from the antenna 10a at a position distant in a Z-axis direction and/or an X-axis direction on the X-Z plane cannot be sufficiently received by the antenna of the IC tag 42, and the antenna 10a and the IC tag 42 cannot communicate with each other.
The tag 40 is attached to the article 32, and may be placed in any directions in the shopping basket 30 or the recess 22 of the enclosure 20. Further, there is also a possibility that a plurality of tags 40 may lie on top of one another. Thus, when the antenna 10 is provided in only one certain direction, there is also a possibility that an incommunicable IC tag 42 may exist. Thus, in the present example embodiment, a plurality of antennas 10 are arranged at different positions relative to the article 32 in such a way as to be communicable with the IC tag 42 of the tag 40 attached to the article 32 from different directions.
The shape of the IC tag 42 is not limited to a sheet shape, and may be various shapes such as a button type, a coin type, a card type, a stick type, and a seal type.
In the present example embodiment, the IC tag 42 is, for example, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 60.
The article registration apparatus 100 further includes a storage apparatus 110. The storage apparatus 110 stores various kinds of setting data, a program, and the like of the article registration apparatus 100. The storage apparatus 110 may be provided inside the article registration apparatus 100, or may be provided outside. In other words, the storage apparatus 110 may be hardware integrated with the article registration apparatus 100, or may be hardware separate from the article registration apparatus 100. The article registration apparatus 100 and the storage apparatus 110 may be connected through a communication network.
The reading unit 102 reads the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 associated with the article 32 by using at least one of a plurality of antennas 10.
Specifically, the reading unit 102 emits a radio wave via the antenna 10. In the present example embodiment, the RFID tag 60 of a passive reflection type is used, but is not limited thereto. For example, the RFID tag 60 may be a battery-mounted type, or may be a type using light rather than an electromagnetic wave. Upon receiving the radio wave via the antenna 62, the communication unit 68 of the RFID tag 60 is electrified, reads out the article identification information 50 stored in the memory 66, and emits a carrier wave carrying the read article identification information 50. The reading unit 102 receives, via the antenna 10, the carrier wave sent from the RFID tag 60, and acquires the article identification information 50.
The control unit 106 controls the reading unit 102. The judgement unit 104 judges
whether a reading result of the article identification information 50 by the reading unit 102 satisfies a criterion. The determination unit 108 determines the article identification information 50 to be output, by using the article identification information 50 read by the reading unit 102.
The control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 by using a first antenna. Then, the judgement unit 104 judges whether a reading result using the first antenna satisfies a criterion. Furthermore, when it is judged that the reading result using the first antenna satisfies the criterion, the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 by using a second antenna different from the first antenna. Then, the determination unit 108 determines the article identification information 50 to be output, by using the article identification information 50 read by using the first antenna and the article identification information 50 read by using the second antenna.
For example, the first antenna is the antenna 10a provided in a side of the bottom face 20a of the enclosure 20 in
This allows reading to be executed again from another direction, even when orientation of the antenna 62 of the RFID tag 60 relative to the antenna 10 is not a direction suitable for reading. Thus, even when reading of the RFID tag 60 using the first antenna is failed, there is a possibility that the RFID tag 60 may be read by the second antenna, which improves accuracy in reading the RFID tag 60.
The reading unit 102 reads at least the article code 52 of the article identification information 50. The reading unit 102 wirelessly communicates with the antenna 62 of the RFID tag 60 by using a plurality of antennas 10 described in
Alternatively, an input of the number of the articles 32 may be accepted in advance from a user, and the criterion may be that the input number is not consistent with the number of pieces of the article identification information 50. A conceivable cause for inconsistency in the number is, for example, occurrence of the unread article identification information 50, or an erroneous or dishonest input of the number.
The bus 1010 is a data transmission path through which the processor 1020, the memory 1030, the storage device 1040, the input/output interface 1050, and the network interface 1060 transmit and receive data to and from one another. However, a method of connecting the processor 1020 and the like with one another is not limited to bus connection.
The processor 1020 is a processor achieved by a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or the like.
The memory 1030 is a main storage apparatus achieved by a random access memory (RAM) or the like.
The storage device 1040 is an auxiliary storage apparatus achieved by a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a memory card, a read only memory (ROM), or the like. The storage device 1040 stores a program module achieving each function (for example, the reading unit 102, the judgement unit 104, the control unit 106, the determination unit 108, and the like) of the article registration apparatus 100. Each of the program modules is read into the memory
1030 and executed by the processor 1020, and thereby each function relevant to the program module is achieved. Further, the storage device 1040 may store each piece of data of the storage apparatus 110.
A program module may be stored in a storage medium. A storage medium for storing a program module includes a non-transitory tangible medium usable by the computer 1000, and a program code readable by the computer 1000 (the processor 1020) may be embedded in the medium.
The input/output interface 1050 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to various types of input/output devices.
The network interface 1060 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to a communication network. The communication network is, for example, a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). A method by which the network interface 1060 connects to the communication network may be wireless connection, or may be wired connection.
Then, the computer 1000 connects to necessary devices (for example, the antenna 10, a display, a keyboard, a mouse, a printer, a speaker, a microphone, and the like) via the input/output interface 1050 or the network interface 1060.
The article registration apparatus 100 is achieved by installing, on the computer 1000, an application program for achieving the article registration apparatus 100 and activating the
application program.
The computer 1000 may be provided as a dedicated apparatus to the enclosure 20, may be a general-purpose personal computer installed at a place where the enclosure 20 is installed, or may be a server installed at a remote place and connected to the antenna 10 of the enclosure 20 via a communication network such as the Internet. Further, a plurality of computers 1000 may be used in combination, and the functions of the article registration apparatus 100 may be shared in each computers 1000.
Further, as will be described later, the article registration apparatus 100 may be achieved by a computer achieving a product registration apparatus and/or a settlement apparatus in a sales system 1. In other words, the product registration apparatus and/or the settlement apparatus and the article registration apparatus 100 may be achieved by an integrated computer.
First, the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to attempt to communicate, by using the antenna 10a (a first antenna) arranged in the bottom face 20a of the enclosure 20, with the RFID tag 60 associated with the article 32 placed on the bottom face 20a of the enclosure 20, and causes to read the article identification information 50 from the RFID tag 60 (step S101).
The judgement unit 104 judges whether a reading result of the article identification information 50 by the reading unit 102 satisfies a criterion (step S103). Herein, the criterion is that at least two of a plurality of pieces of the article identification information 50 read by using the first antenna have the identical article code 52. In other words, when the same articles 32 are detected, reading is retried by using another antenna. This is also applicable when the same articles 32 are purchased in large quantities such as binge shopping, and the like.
In
The second antenna is preferably an antenna that emits a radio wave to the article 32 (the RFID tag 60) from a direction different from the first antenna. Herein, the antenna 10b is used as the second antenna. Consequently, the reading unit 102 acquires the article identification information 50 in
The determination unit 108 determines the article identification information 50 to be output, by using a plurality of pieces of the article identification information 50 read by each of the first antenna and the second antenna (step S107). Herein, a plurality of pieces of the article identification information 50 in
On the other hand, when the article identification information 50 does not satisfy the criterion in step S103 (No in step S103), the determination unit 108 employs the article identification information 50 read by the first antenna as a correct reading result, outputs the determined article identification information 50, and ends the present processing.
As described above, according to the present example embodiment, the control unit 106 first causes to read the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 associated with the article 32 by using a first antenna, and thereafter causes to read the article identification information 50 again from the IC tag 42 associated with the article 32 by using a second antenna different from the first antenna when a criterion is satisfied.
This allows reading of the IC tag 42 to be performed by using the second antenna that can emit a radio wave from a direction different from the first antenna even when the IC tag 42 is arranged in parallel to an emission direction of a radio wave of the first antenna, and thus, the IC tag 42 that cannot be read by the first antenna can be read by the second antenna with an increased possibility.
In other words, the IC tag 42 being unread by the first antenna can be read by the second antenna with an increased possibility. When the IC tag 42 is read by using the antenna 10, reading is preferably completed by one antenna 10, if possible, from a point of view of saving power consumption or preventing emission of an unnecessary radio wave as much as possible. However, because of a characteristic of the IC tag 42 as described above, there is a possibility of occurrence of an unread IC tag in reading from one direction.
Thus, the present example embodiment executes reading of the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 again by using the second antenna that emits a radio wave from a direction different from the first antenna, only when a criterion is satisfied based on a reading result of the first antenna. In other words, a plurality of antennas 10 can be used only when necessary, rather than a plurality of antennas 10 are used more than is needed. This increases a possibility that the IC tag 42 unread by the first antenna can be read by the second antenna, and improves accuracy in reading.
The present example embodiment uses, as a criterion for retrying reading, that pieces of the article identification information 50 have the same article code 52. In other words, when products of a same kind are included in products to be purchased, the present example embodiment can perform reading using another antenna in order to accurately count the number of the products. This can improve accuracy in reading.
An article registration apparatus 100 according to a present example embodiment has a configuration similar to the article registration apparatus 100 according to the above example embodiment, but operates differently. Thus, description will be given by using the function block diagram in
The article registration apparatus 100 according to the present example embodiment is, from the above example embodiment, similar to the above example embodiment except for a point that article identification information 50 is read from an IC tag 42 first by using two antennas 10 (a first antenna and a second antenna) and thereafter the article identification information 50 is read again by using a third antenna when reading results of the two antennas 10 are not consistent with each other.
In the present example embodiment, a control unit 106 causes a reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 by using a first antenna and a second antenna of a plurality of antennas 10. However, the two antennas 10 preferably execute reading at shifted timings in a time division manner, rather than perform reading simultaneously. This is because of a possibility of interference between radio waves upon simultaneous emission of radio waves from the two antennas 10. The interference between radio waves can be prevented by shifting operation timings of the two antennas 10.
Herein, the first antenna is an antenna 10a in
A judgement unit 104 judges whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other. When the reading results are judged as consistent by the judgement unit 104, the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to end reading of the article identification information 50. Furthermore, when the reading results are judged as inconsistent, the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 further by using a third antenna.
The third antenna is arranged at a position for emitting a radio wave from a direction different from the first antenna and the second antenna toward the article 32 placed on the bottom face 20a of the enclosure 20. Herein, the third antenna is the antenna 10d in
A determination unit 108 determines the article identification information 50 to be output, by using the article identification information 50 read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna. It is assumed that the article identification information 50 illustrated in
The judgement unit 104 judges that the reading results are not consistent between the first antenna and the second antenna, and the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 by using the third antenna. Then, it is assumed that the article identification information 50 illustrated in
The determination unit 108 employs a reading result of the third antenna because the reading result of the third antenna is consistent with a logical sum of the reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna, and determines the article identification information 50 in
Then, the judgement unit 104 judges whether reading results by the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other (step S203). When the reading results are consistent (YES in step S203), the determination unit 108 employs the article identification information 50 read by using the first antenna as a correct reading result, outputs the determined article identification information 50, and ends the present processing.
When the reading results are not consistent (NO in step S203), the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 of the IC tag 42 associated with the article 32 again by using a third antenna different from the first antenna and the second antenna (step S205).
Then, the determination unit 108 determines the article identification information 50 to be output, by using reading results of the first to third antennas (step S207). As described above, herein, the article identification information 50 in
In step S207, when the reading result of the third antenna is a result further different from the first antenna and the second antenna, the control unit 106 may cause the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 again from the IC tag 42 further by using a fourth antenna different from the first to third antennas. Then, the determination unit 108 may determine the article identification information 50 to be output, by using reading results of the first to fourth antennas. For example, the determination unit 108 may determine the article identification information 50 to be output, by taking a logical sum of a plurality of pieces of the article identification information 50 read by the first to fourth antennas.
In this manner, by sequentially changing the antennas 10 for use in reading, radio waves can be emitted from different directions toward the article 32 placed on the enclosure 20, and the article identification information 50 can be read from the IC tag 42. This can reduce the unread
IC tag 42 even when a plurality of IC tags 42 are placed with random orientation. Further, reading is performed by sequentially using the antennas 10 of different directions, and thus, radio waves emitted from different directions can be also prevented from interfering with each other.
According to the present example embodiment, the article identification information 50 is read from the IC tag 42 associated with the article 32 by using two of a plurality of antennas 10 that are arranged at positions having different radio wave emission directions relative to a placement place of the article 32, and, when pieces of the article identification information 50 read by using the two antenna 10 are not consistent with each other, a third antenna capable of emitting a radio wave from another direction is further used to perform reading.
This allows the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 by using two antennas 10 capable of emitting radio waves from different directions when there are a plurality of IC tags 42 facing different directions, which increases a probability that reading may succeed with at least one of the antennas 10. Then, when reading results of the two antennas 10 are not consistent with each other, accuracy in reading can be increased by further using a reading result by the third antenna.
The sales system 1 includes an article registration apparatus 100, a display processing unit 202, an operation acceptance unit 204, a settlement processing unit 206, and a product DB 210.
The display processing unit 202 causes a display to display a screen where a user such as a customer checks a product to be purchased, based on article identification information 50 read by the article registration apparatus 100. The operation acceptance unit 204 accepts an operation from a user who uses the screen displayed on the display. The settlement processing unit 206 acquires, based on the article identification information 50 read by the article registration apparatus 100, a product name and a price of the product from the product DB 210, generates settlement information, and transmits the settlement information to an settlement apparatus (not illustrated).
First, the display processing unit 202 displays a confirmation screen 300 on a display 203 (step S401). The display 203 is, for example, a touch panel-type liquid crystal display. For the display 203, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or the like may be used.
The number-of-items confirmation message display section 304 displays the number of pieces of the article identification information 50 determined by the article registration apparatus 100, together with a message prompting a user to confirm the number of items. The YES button 306 and the NO button 308 are operation buttons for causing a user to input a result of confirming the number of items.
Returning to
When the operation acceptance unit 204 accepts a depression of the NO button 308 (NO in step S403), the display processing unit 202 causes a display to display a number-of-items input screen 320, and the operation acceptance unit 204 accepts an input of a correct number of items (step S405).
Returning to
Then, based on the input number of items, the control unit 106 causes the reading unit 102 to read the article identification information 50 again from an IC tag 42. The reading
processing may be performed by any procedure described in each of the example embodiments. At this time, for example, a guidance such as a message or an image instructing a user to change orientation of an article 32 or re-place the article 32 may be output before re-reading.
In re-reading processing, a first antenna is preferably an antenna 10a positioned under a placement place of the article 32. Furthermore, in re-reading processing, it is preferable to use, as second and third antennas, antennas other than antennas used as second and third antennas in first reading. This is because there is a possibility that the unread IC tag 42 can be read by reading the article identification information 50 from the IC tag 42 from a direction different from a first time.
According to the present example embodiment, a configuration is made in which a user is provided with and caused to check a reading result of the IC tag 42, and thus, reading can be performed again when a read error occurs. Thus, accuracy in reading is improved.
While the example embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the example embodiments are exemplification of the present invention, and various configurations other than the above can be employed.
For example, as illustrated in
According to the configuration, the unread article identification information 50 of the article 32 can be reduced, and a risk that the article identification information 50 of the article 32 is left unread can be reduced.
Furthermore, as illustrated in
Further, in the above example embodiments, a user is caused to input the number of products to be purchased after reading of the IC tag 42. However, a user may be caused to input the number of products to be purchased before reading of the IC tag 42. For example, the number-of-items input screen 320 in
Alternatively, the article registration apparatus 100 may further include a notification unit (not illustrated) that notifies a store clerk when an input number is not consistent with the number of pieces of the article identification information 50 determined by the determination unit 108 even after reading using all the antennas 10 is executed. For example, the notification unit may transmit a message to a portable terminal (not illustrated) carried by a store clerk, or may output a ringing tone from a speaker (not illustrated) of the article registration apparatus 100. Alternatively, the notification unit may display, on the display 203, a message instructing a user to call a store clerk because of inconsistency in numbers.
While the invention of the present application has been described with reference to the example embodiments and the examples, the invention of the present application is not limited to the above example embodiments and the examples. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configurations and details of the invention of the present application within the scope of the invention of the present application.
Note that, acquisition and usage of information relating to a user shall be performed in a lawful manner in the present invention.
The whole or part of the above-described example embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes.
1. An article registration apparatus communicating with an integrated circuit (IC) tag associated with an article, including:
a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using at least one of a plurality of antennas;
a control unit that controls the reading unit;
a judgement unit that judges whether a reading result of the article identification information by the reading unit satisfies a criterion; and
a determination unit that determines the article identification information read by the reading unit, wherein
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first of the antenna,
the judgement unit judges whether a reading result using the first antenna satisfies the criterion,
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a second antenna different from the first antenna when a reading result using the first antenna is judged as satisfying the criterion, and
the determination unit determines the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna and the article identification information read by using the second antenna.
2. The article registration apparatus according to supplementary note 1, wherein the criterion includes that at least two of a plurality of pieces of the article identification information read by using a first antenna are identical.
3. The article registration apparatus according to supplementary note 1 or 2, wherein
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna,
the judgement unit judges whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other,
the control unit
the determination unit determines the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
4. An article registration apparatus communicating with an IC tag associated with an article, including:
a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using a plurality of antennas;
a control unit that controls the reading unit;
a judgement unit that judges whether a reading result of the article identification information by the reading unit satisfies a criterion; and
a determination unit that determines the article identification information read by the reading unit, wherein
the control unit causes the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna,
the judgement unit judges whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other,
the control unit
the determination unit determines the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
5. The article registration apparatus according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 4, wherein
the control unit causes the reading unit to
by an article registration apparatus communicating with an integrated circuit (IC) tag associated with an article,
including a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using at least one of a plurality of antennas;
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first of the antenna;
judging whether a reading result using the first antenna satisfies a criterion;
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a second antenna different from the first antenna when a reading result using the first antenna is judged as satisfying the criterion; and
determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna and the article identification information read by using the second antenna.
10. The data processing method of the article registration apparatus according to supplementary note 9, wherein
the criterion includes that at least two of a plurality of pieces of the article identification information read by using a first antenna are identical.
11. The data processing method of the article registration apparatus according to supplementary note 9 or 10, further including:
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna;
judging whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other;
causing the reading unit to end reading of the article identification information when the reading results are judged as consistent with each other;
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information further by using a third antenna when the reading results are judged as inconsistent with each other; and
determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
12. A data processing method of an article registration apparatus, including:
by an article registration apparatus communicating with an IC tag associated with an article, including a reading unit for reading article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using a plurality of antennas;
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna;
judging whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other;
causing the reading unit to end reading of the article identification information when the reading results are judged as consistent with each other;
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information further by using a third antenna when the reading results are judged as inconsistent with each other; and
determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
13. The data processing method of the article registration apparatus according to any one of supplementary notes 9 To 12, wherein
the plurality of antennas are provided at least under a placement position of the article and in at least one side of lateral sides of the placement position of the article.
14. The data processing method of the article registration apparatus according to supplementary note 13, further including,
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to
by the article registration apparatus,
causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using all remaining antennas other than the first antenna used for first reading the article identification information.
16. The data processing method of the article registration apparatus according to supplementary note 15, further including,
by the article registration apparatus,
determining the article identification information to be output, by taking a logical sum of the article identification information read from the IC tag by using the first antenna and all the remaining antennas.
17. A program for causing a computer achieving an article registration apparatus communicating with an integrated circuit (IC) tag associated with an article, the article registration apparatus including
a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using at least one of a plurality of antennas,
the program for causing a computer to execute:
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first of the antenna;
a procedure of judging whether a reading result using the first antenna satisfies a criterion;
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a second antenna different from the first antenna when a reading result using the first antenna is judged as satisfying the criterion; and
a procedure of determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna and the article identification information read by using the second antenna.
18. The program according to supplementary note 17, wherein
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna;
a procedure of judging whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other;
a procedure of causing the reading unit to end reading of the article identification information when the reading results are judged as consistent with each other;
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information further by using a third antenna when the reading results are judged as inconsistent with each other; and
a procedure of determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
20. A program for causing a computer achieving an article registration apparatus communicating with an IC tag associated with an article, the article registration apparatus including
a reading unit that reads article identification information from the IC tag associated with the article by using a plurality of antennas,
the program for causing a computer to execute:
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using a first antenna and a second antenna;
judging whether reading results of the first antenna and the second antenna are consistent with each other;
a procedure of causing the reading unit to end reading of the article identification information when the reading results are judged as consistent with each other;
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information further by using a third antenna when the reading results are judged as inconsistent with each other; and
a procedure of determining the article identification information to be output, by using the article identification information read by using the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna.
21. The program according to any one of supplementary notes 17 to 20, wherein the plurality of antennas are provided at least under a placement position of the article and in at least one side of lateral sides of the placement position of the article.
22. The program according to supplementary note 21, for further causing a computer to execute:
a procedure of causing the reading unit to
a procedure of causing the reading unit to
a procedure of causing the reading unit to read the article identification information by using all remaining antennas other than the first antenna used for first reading the article identification information.
24. The program according to supplementary note 23, for further causing a computer to execute
a procedure of determining the article identification information to be output, by taking a logical sum of the article identification information read from the IC tag by using the first antenna and all the remaining antennas.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2020-022231, filed on Feb. 13, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-022231 | Feb 2020 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/004349 | 2/5/2021 | WO |
