JP4882500B2 - RFID antenna mount - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an installation base provided with an antenna for performing communication with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag.

  Recently, in performing article management, a technique using an RFID tag capable of recording and rewriting article data and performing wireless communication has been used. This is also called a wireless IC tag. A system using this RFID tag is a system for identifying and managing people and things with a minute wireless chip. In the distribution industry, this is a product identification and management technology that replaces barcodes. Research is ongoing. The RFID tag itself stores data in a tag having a size of about several centimeters, which is excellent in environmental resistance, and communicates with a reading device using radio waves or electromagnetic waves. In recent years, a tag that can be used semipermanently without a battery has been used by a non-contact power transmission technique from the antenna side. In the future, a minute RFID tag will be attached to all articles, and it can be used for discriminating and managing the history of managed articles.

  Accordingly, by using such an RFID tag in, for example, a cell culture system for regenerative medicine, it is possible to strictly manage cells and cultured cells collected from a living body. Patent Document 1 describes a method of inputting and managing unique identification information attached to a container before and after the transfer every time a cell collected from a living body or a cultured cell is transferred to the container. According to the method described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to avoid the danger of giving a living body such as a mistake in cells collected from a living body or cultured cells. In this type of system, an RFID tag using a 13.56 MHz band is usually used, and electromagnetic waves radiated from a loop antenna are received by a coil antenna of the tag, and an induced electromotive force is obtained to perform communication.

  By the way, there may be a state in which a plurality of RFID tags storing individual information overlap. For example, this is the case where petri dishes with RFID tags that contain cultured cells and store individual information in a lid are stacked. Even if it is attempted to read tag information in a state where a plurality of such RFID tags overlap, an IC tag that cannot communicate may occur. In general, when a plurality of RFID tag coils approach, a state as if it is one coil is often caused by a phenomenon in which the frequency shifts (resonance frequency), but a phenomenon that cannot be explained by that alone also occurs. For example, a tag farthest from the loop antenna among tags arranged in an overlapping manner tends to be unable to communicate. This is presumed that when a plurality of IC tags are stacked, the IC tags share the electromagnetic waves supplied, so that the induced electromotive force generated in one IC tag is reduced and an IC tag that cannot communicate is generated. Has been.

  In order to deal with such a problem, a technique has been proposed in which two loop antennas are stacked to enable communication with all RFID tags. When two RFID loop antennas are stacked, even if a tag that cannot be communicated is generated, the two antennas can complement each other, and all IC tags can be recognized. This method of overlapping two loop antennas is a technique that has already been put to practical use in the book management of a library (Patent Document 2).

However, when two antennas are installed facing each other, the electromagnetic waves interfere with each other and the communication performance deteriorates, so that it is necessary to switch the antennas at high speed and to change the frequency slightly. There's a problem.
JP 2005-332046 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-086419

  The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned conventional problems, ensuring communication performance without interfering with each other's electromagnetic waves, and easily arranged in an overlapping manner without using high-speed switching of antennas or frequency changes. An object of the present invention is to provide an RFID tag communication antenna facility capable of communicating with an RFID tag.

  In the present invention, since the left and right loop electromagnetic waves flow in the central part of the antenna, it is considered that the electromagnetic wave density is doubled compared to other positions. This is based on the knowledge that performance is high. In addition, a plurality of RFID tags arranged in a stack are based on the knowledge that communication with all RFID tags is possible in a state where the RFID tags are laterally shifted and stacked obliquely.

That is, the RFID loop antenna mounting table according to the present invention is a loop antenna mounting table for performing communication with an RFID tag, and the first and second RFID loop antennas are connected to the first RFID loop antenna. A slide bar that adjusts a height position of the second RFID loop antenna; and an angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts an angle of the second RFID loop antenna with respect to the first RFID loop antenna. The slide bar and the angle adjustment mechanism The first and second RFID loop antennas are arranged on two planes where the antenna loop planes intersect each other and overlap each other when the antenna loop central space is projected, and the second RFID loop antennas In order to be able to pass through the RFID tag Central space is formed, the central space and reception area of the RFID tag, superimposed arranged flow line direction and the loop plane of the RFID tag is characterized in that it is disposed obliquely to obliquely intersect.

  When a plurality of RFID tags are recognized at the same time, the recognition performance is improved by passing the RFID tags through the central space region of the pair of RFID loop antennas. When the antenna is installed obliquely as in the above configuration, the loop antenna arrangement only moves and passes along one flow line, improving usability, and further, by installing a bottom antenna, the recognition range is expanded. . Therefore, communication performance can be ensured without interfering with each other's electromagnetic waves, and communication with RFID tags arranged in a simple manner can be performed without using high-speed switching of antennas or frequency changes.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of an RFID loop antenna installation base according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an RFID loop antenna installation base 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in this figure, a carriage 12 framed in a chair shape is formed, and a caster 14 is attached to the lower end of the four legs so as to be movable. A rectangular horizontal plate 16 is provided in a portion corresponding to the seat plate, and a first horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 is incorporated therein. The horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 is disposed on the inner side along the side edge of the horizontal plate, and therefore has a loop shape approximating a rectangle. On the other hand, a slide bar 22 is attached to the carriage 12 so as to move up and down along a parallel vertical frame 20 corresponding to the backrest portion. The slide bar 22 has a carriage vertical frame 20 inserted through sleeves 24 provided at both ends, and the height position can be arbitrarily adjusted by appropriate means such as a set screw. A second inclined RFID loop antenna 26 having the same shape as the horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 is attached to the slide bar 22 so as to cover the upper side of the horizontal RFID loop antenna 18. In this embodiment, an angle adjusting mechanism 28 is provided at the base end of the second inclined RFID loop antenna 26 attached to the slide bar 22 so that the angle of attack is raised above the base end side of the antenna front edge. The second inclined RFID loop antenna 26 is attached to the horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 in an inclined state. As a result, the antenna loop plane is arranged on two planes intersecting each other, and the second inclined RFID is applied to the first horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 fixed to the horizontal plate 16. The loop antenna 26 can be adjusted in height (arrow A) and inclination angle (arrow B).

  In this embodiment, the lower horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 and the upper inclined RFID loop antenna 26 have a loop center space as a transmission / reception area between the RFID tag and the transmission / reception areas of both antennas 18 and 26 are common. The antenna loop central spaces are arranged so as to overlap each other when projected. That is, when the central space of the inclined RFID loop antenna 26 is projected onto the lower horizontal plate 16, the horizontal positions thereof are set so that the central space region of the lower horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 necessarily overlaps. As a result, the electromagnetic waves generated by the antennas 18 and 26 simultaneously act on a plurality of RFID tags 30 (see FIG. 3) attached to a container in which the antennas are stacked.

  A free arm 34 is attached to the upper edge bar 32 corresponding to the backrest of the carriage 12, and a monitor 36 is attached to the arm 36 to display transmission / reception data with the RFID tag 30. Although not shown, the lower part of the carriage 12 accommodates computing devices such as computers and printing devices such as printers, and inputs / outputs data from / to an external server as necessary, and data of a plurality of RFID tags 30 is received. Reading and other processing are performed, and the result is displayed on the monitor 36.

  In this way, the RFID loop antenna installation base 10 is used in, for example, a cell culture system for regenerative medicine, and as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of cells that are collected from cells or cultured by an operator 38. This is applied when simultaneously inspecting the petri dishes 40 in a stacked state. Each petri dish 40 is accompanied by an RFID tag 30 storing the identification information. Therefore, the RFID tag 30 is in a stacked state like the petri dish 40. In the case where petri dishes 40 containing different types of cells are mixed, an abnormal signal is output by the data processing device in which the tag information is read through the RFID loop antennas 18 and 26 and an alarm is displayed through the monitor 36.

  Information communication with the RFID tag 30 in a stacked state can be satisfactorily performed using the loop antenna installation base 10 according to the embodiment. This will be described based on the schematic diagram shown in FIG. The RFID loop antennas 18 and 26, when viewed from the side, use the antenna leading edge side with a large opening width as the tag insertion side, and operate and move the stacked RFID tag 30 as indicated by an arrow X. The synthetic electromagnetic wave M1 is radiated in the vertical direction in the central space of the horizontal RFID loop antenna 18, and the synthetic electromagnetic wave M2 is radiated from the inclined RFID loop antenna 26 in the direction perpendicular to the inclined surface. Moreover, since the antenna central space serving as the transmission / reception area overlaps when projected onto the horizontal plane as shown in FIG. 3 (projection plane regions 18A and 26A), the radiated electromagnetic waves to the laminated RFID tag 30 are surely generated in the transmission / reception area. Act on. As a result, electromagnetic waves M1 and M2 act on the stacked RFID tag 30 from the upper and lower surfaces, and the electromagnetic wave M2 of the inclined RFID loop antenna 26 skews the RFID tag 30. As a result, the inspection without communication leakage can be performed only by moving the plurality of RFID tags 30 back and forth along the single insertion flow line X in the stacked state.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a transmission / reception state of the inclined RFID loop antenna 26 with a stacked RFID tag 30 alone. As shown in this figure, if the inclined RFID loop antenna 26 is simply installed and the RFID tag 30 is operated so as to pass through the loop central space as indicated by the flow line X or Y, the laminated RFID tag 30 can be obtained. The radiated electromagnetic wave M2 is skewed with respect to each other, and communication with all the RFID tags 30 becomes possible. An embodiment of a loop antenna installation base 10A to which this is applied is shown in FIG. This is an example in the case of use at a cash register such as a supermarket, and a structure without the horizontal RFID loop antenna 18 on the lower surface can be provided. In this case, the cart 12A without the horizontal plate 16 may be used, the inclined RFID loop antenna 26 may be attached to the slide bar 22 and the inclination angle may be adjusted.

  According to such an embodiment, if the RFID loop antenna is angled, the action necessary for recognition is reduced by one action, and usability is improved. It can also be applied to check picking of parts at production plants.

  The present invention can be applied to a loop antenna facility for a recognition device using an RFID tag.

It is a perspective view of the loop antenna installation base which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the use condition of the same loop antenna installation base. It is a schematic diagram explaining the effect | action of the loop antenna and RFID tag used for embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating an effect | action with the RFID tag at the time of using an inclination RFID loop antenna alone. It is a perspective view which shows the use condition of the loop antenna installation stand which shows the application example of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 ......... Loop antenna installation base, 12 ......... Car, 14 ......... Caster, 16 ......... Horizontal plate, 18 ......... Horizontal RFID loop antenna, 20 ......... Vertical frame, 22 ......... Slide bar 24 ......... Sleeve, 26 ......... Inclined RFID loop antenna, 28 ......... Angle adjustment mechanism, 30 ......... RFID tag, 32 ......... Upper edge bar, 34 ......... Free arm, 36 ......... Monitor, 38 ... Operator.

Claims (1)

A loop antenna installation base for communicating with an RFID tag,
First and second RFID loop antennas;
A slide bar for adjusting a height position of the second RFID loop antenna with respect to the first RFID loop antenna;
An angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting an angle of the second RFID loop antenna with respect to the first RFID loop antenna;
With
The first and second RFID loop antennas are arranged on two planes where the antenna loop plane intersects each other by the slide bar and the angle adjusting mechanism , and overlap each other when the antenna loop central space is projected. And place
In the second RFID loop antenna, a central space is formed so as to be able to pass through the RFID tag, and the central space is used as a transmission / reception area of the RFID tag, and a flow line direction and a loop plane of the RFID tags arranged in an overlapping manner. An RFID loop antenna installation base characterized in that it is arranged obliquely so that the crossing is oblique .

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