JP6914134B2 - Data communication electrodes, data communication equipment and data communication systems - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to electrodes for data communication, data communication devices and data communication systems.

Biocommunication technology has been developed for data communication using a living body such as the human body as a communication path. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an authentication system using a human body communication terminal device that enables stable human body communication regardless of the posture of a human being.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-283480

In biocommunication, the distance between the electrode used for biocommunication and the living body has a great influence on the stability of communication, and if the distance between the two becomes large, communication becomes impossible. In the authentication system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a conducting wire is inserted into a string member for suspending a human body communication terminal device carried by a user from the neck, and one end of the conducting wire is electrically connected to an electrode of the human body communication terminal device. Is connected. By doing so, the communication between the human body communication terminal device carried by the user and the user is stabilized.

However, in the authentication system disclosed in Patent Document 1, between the electrode of the authority writing device that gives the user the authority to enter the room and the user, and between the electrode of the authentication lock device that unlocks the doorway and the user and the user. There is no special mechanism for the relationship with. Therefore, the user needs to touch the electrodes of the authority writing device and the authentication lock device in order to obtain the entry authority and unlock the entrance / exit. Then, many people who use the doorway will touch these electrodes. Therefore, in consideration of hygiene and the like, even if the user does not touch these electrodes, for example, the human body communication terminal device and the authentication lock device can perform data communication simply by bringing their hands close to the electrodes, and the doorway can be locked. It is desirable that it be released.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a data communication electrode, a data communication device, and a data communication system that enable data communication using a living body as a communication path only by bringing the living body close to the living body. The purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the data communication electrode according to the first aspect of the present invention is a data communication electrode used in a non-contact manner with a living body, and is a first electrode plate and the first electrode plate. A second electrode plate facing the surface, a dielectric layer further provided between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, and the first electrode plate has a recess. it allows one lifting a shape surrounding a portion of the biological pledged in the recess without contacting the living body.

Further, the data communication electrode is an electrostatic bond formed between the concave portion of the first electrode plate surrounding a part of the living body and the living body through a gap, and the first electrode. via a capacitor the plate-dielectric layer and said second electrode plate is formed, it may be capable of data communication.

Preferably, the depth of the recess may be I 2 times or more the length Der height of the recess.
Preferably, the shape of the recess may be 3 cm or more and 10 cm or less in height, 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less in width, and 15 cm or more and 25 cm or less in depth.

Further, the data communication device according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a data communication electrode according to the first aspect and a data receiving unit that receives data from the data communication electrode.

Further, the data communication system according to the third aspect of the present invention includes a data communication device according to the second aspect and a communication tag that communicates with the data communication device through a living body.

According to the present invention, data communication using a living body as a communication path becomes possible only by bringing the living body close to the living body.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the data communication system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the electrode for data communication which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the equivalent circuit of the data communication system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the electrode for data communication which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the appearance of the data communication apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure which shows the appearance when the data communication apparatus is installed in the lateral direction. (B) is a figure which shows the appearance when the data communication apparatus is installed in the vertical direction. It is a figure which shows the state at the time of inserting a hand into the data communication apparatus which concerns on embodiment. (A) is a diagram when the data communication device is installed in the horizontal direction. (B) is a diagram when the data communication device is installed in the vertical direction. It is a figure which shows the state at the time of inserting a foot into the data communication apparatus which concerns on embodiment.

Hereinafter, the data communication electrode, the data communication device, and the data communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same or corresponding parts in the figure are designated by the same reference numerals.

(First Embodiment)
First, the overall configuration of the data communication system to which the data communication electrode and the data communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention are applied will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the data communication system 300 according to the first embodiment includes a communication tag 310 carried by the user 400 and a data communication device 200. The data communication device 200 is a matching unit that matches the impedances of the data communication electrode 100, the reader / writer 210 that reads / writes the data of the communication tag 310, and the data communication electrode 100 and the reader / writer 210. 220 and. The reader / writer 210 includes a data receiving unit that receives the data of the communication tag 310 and a data transmitting unit that transmits data to the communication tag 310. The matching unit 220 includes a capacitor and a coil, and matches the impedance of the data communication electrode 100 with 50Ω.

The data communication electrode 100 has a recess 140 into which the user 400's hand 410 can be inserted. When the user 400 inserts the hand 410 into the recess 140 of the data communication electrode 100, data communication becomes possible between the communication tag 310 and the data communication device 200.

The communication tag 310 is a storage unit that stores data such as an ID (Identifier) of the user 400, a control unit that controls data reading / writing, communication, etc., and a communication circuit that transmits / receives data based on instructions from the control unit. The unit is provided with an electrode that comes into contact with or electrostatically couples with the human body. When the communication tag 310 receives a signal through the electrodes, the communication circuit unit demodulates the signal and gives it to the control unit, and the control unit reads and writes data in the storage unit. When the received signal is a data (for example, ID) transmission instruction, the control unit reads the ID from the storage unit, modulates it with the communication circuit unit, and outputs the modulated signal to the electrodes.

The communication tag 310 is thus capable of communicating with the data communication device 200 through the human body. By communicating with the communication tag 310, the data communication device 200 can receive the information stored in the communication tag 310 at the data receiving unit of the reader / writer 210. Further, the data communication device 200 can transmit data to the communication tag 310 by the data transmission unit of the reader / writer 210 and rewrite the data stored in the communication tag 310.

Various uses of the data communication system 300 can be considered, such as an entry management authentication system and a cabinet lock management authentication system. Here, an entry management authentication system is assumed. In this case, when the user 400 inserts the hand 410 into the data communication electrode 100, the ID stored in the communication tag 310 is transmitted to the data communication device 200. Then, if the ID is the ID of the user 400 who has the entry authority, the door is opened, and if it is not such an ID, an alarm is issued.

In FIG. 1, the user 400 stands on the floor 320 of the building, and the reader / writer 210 is electrically connected to the steel frame 330 or the like in the wall or column of the building by electrostatic coupling or the like. Is assumed. Since the steel frame 330 and the like also exist under the floor 320 of the building, it can be assumed that the user 400 and the communication tag 310 are electrically connected to the steel frame 330 and the like under the floor 320 by electrostatic coupling or the like, and the floor 320 can be assumed. The potential of the steel frame 330 or the steel frame 330 becomes the reference potential of the data communication system 300 in the equivalent circuit described later.

Next, the data communication electrode 100 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the data communication electrode 100 includes a first electrode plate 110, a second electrode plate 120 facing the first electrode plate 110, a first electrode plate 110, and a second electrode plate 110. The dielectric layer 130 is sandwiched between the electrode plate 120 and the electrode plate 120 of the above.

The first electrode plate 110 and the second electrode plate 120 are conductors such as metal. The dielectric layer 130 is a layer of a dielectric such as glass epoxy, ceramic, or plastic, but air itself may be used as the dielectric layer 130 without sandwiching a special dielectric.

The first electrode plate 110 has a recess 140, and has a shape capable of surrounding a living body such as a hand or a foot inserted in the recess 140. Since the first electrode plate 110 has such a shape, the inserted living body and the first electrode plate 110 are easily electrostatically coupled, and signals transmitted and received from the first electrode plate 110 are transmitted and received. It becomes difficult to escape to the outside. Therefore, the user 400 does not have to touch the first electrode plate 110, but simply brings his / her hand or foot close to (holds, inserts) the first electrode plate 110, and the data communication device 200 and the communication tag carried by the user 400. Data communication with 310 becomes possible.

Further, the conductor 111 connected to the first electrode plate 110 and the conductor 121 connected to the second electrode plate 120 are connected to a matching portion 220 that matches the impedances of the data communication electrode 100 and the reader / writer 210. ing. Matching the impedance of the data communication electrode 100 to 50Ω by appropriately setting the area and distance between the first electrode plate 110 and the second electrode plate 120, the type of dielectric used for the dielectric layer 130, and the like. If this is possible, the matching unit 220 may be omitted.

The size of the data communication electrode 100 can be set to an appropriate size according to the installation location and orientation. For example, in the data communication electrode 100 used in which the hand is inserted forward, the height shown in FIG. 2 is set to about 3 cm or more and 10 cm or less, the width is set to about 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less, and the depth is set to about 15 cm or more and 25 cm or less. good. In addition, the data communication electrode 100 used by inserting the foot (shoes in the worn state) forward has a height of 5 cm or more and 15 cm or less, a width of 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less, and a depth of 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less. It is good to set. When it is desired to share the height for hands and feet, the height should be set to 5 cm or more and 10 cm or less, the width should be set to 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less, and the depth should be set to 15 cm or more and 20 cm or less.

Next, the equivalent circuit of the data communication system 300 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows an equivalent circuit of the data communication system 300 shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the equivalent circuit 510 is an equivalent circuit showing an electrostatic coupling between the communication tag 310 and the reference potential (floor 320, steel frame 330). Further, the equivalent circuit 520 is an equivalent circuit of the human body of the user 400. The fact that the electrodes of the communication tag 310 are electrically connected to the user 400 by electrostatic coupling is indicated by the fact that the wire extending from above the communication tag 310 is connected in the middle of the equivalent circuit 520.

The equivalent circuit 530 is an equivalent circuit showing an electrostatic coupling between the user 400 and the reference potential (floor 320, steel frame 330). Further, the equivalent circuit 540 is an equivalent circuit showing an electrostatic coupling between the hand 410 of the user 400 and the electrode 100 for data communication. In FIG. 3, the equivalent circuit 540 provides an electrostatic coupling between the back of the hand 410 and the upper surface of the first electrode plate 110 of the data communication electrode 100, and the flat of the hand 410 and the first of the data communication electrodes 100. The electrostatic coupling between the electrode plate 110 and the lower surface of the electrode plate 110 indicates that the hand 410 is connected to the data communication electrode 100.

In the data communication electrode 100, a capacitor is formed by the first electrode plate 110 and the second electrode plate 120. Therefore, in FIG. 3, the electrode plates 110 and 120 show the capacitor. FIG. 3 also shows that the data communication electrode 100 is connected to the reader / writer 210 via the matching portion 220. The equivalent circuit 550 is an equivalent circuit showing an electrostatic coupling between the reader / writer 210 and the reference potential (floor 320, steel frame 330).

Next, using the equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 3, it is shown that stable data communication can be performed between the communication tag 310 and the data communication device 200 by the data communication electrode 100. First, as a premise, the reader / writer 210 is used as a signal source, and the equivalent circuit of the human body is represented by a parallel connection of a resistor having a resistance value Rh and a capacitor having a capacitance Ch. Here, the resistance value is Rh = 853Ω and the capacitance is Ch = 91pF. This value is "Numerical Dosimilation Evaluation Report on Indirect Coupling between Electromagnetic Fields in Intermediate Frequency Band and Human Body, March 2012, Nagoya Institute of Technology" (http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/resource/ Based on j / ele / body / report / pdf / 040.pdf). Further, ε ₀ = 8.85419 × ^{10 -12} as the dielectric constant of a vacuum, to adopt epsilon _r = 1.00059 as the dielectric constant of air.

Further, the area S of the hand 410 is S = 0.00245 m ² (7 cm × 7 cm ÷ 2), the distance between the hand 410 and the data communication electrode 100 is d, and the frequency f of the signal used for data communication is f = 3. .2 MHz, the impedance Ze of the data communication electrode 100 is set to Ze = 50 Ω (as a value after matching by the matching unit 220). Further, ω = 2πf, and the imaginary unit is represented by j.

Then, the capacitance Air between the data communication electrode 100 and the hand 410 can be expressed as follows.
Cair = ε ₀・ ε _r・ S / d × 2 = 0.04341 / d (pF)
Then, the impedance Zaire at the frequency f of the capacitance Cir can be expressed as follows.
Zaire = 1 / (jω ・ Carr)

Also, the admittance Yh of the human body is
Yh = 1 / Rh + (jω ・ Ch)
The impedance of the human body can be expressed as
Zh = 1 / Yh
Can be expressed as.

Based on the above, the communication tag 310 and the communication tag 310 when the hand 410 is in contact with the data communication electrode 100 and when the distance d between the hand 410 and the data communication electrode 100 is changed to 1 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm. The impedance with the reader / writer 210 is as follows.

Impedance when the hand 410 is in contact with the data communication electrode 100 Zh + Ze = 46.88134-4.05138j

Impedance when the hand 410 is close to the data communication electrode 100 up to 1 cm Zh + Zair + Ze = 49.69434-1.57115j

Impedance when the hand 410 is close to the data communication electrode 100 up to 3 cm Zh + Zair + Ze = 49.94933-0.64972j

Impedance when the hand 410 is close to the data communication electrode 100 up to 5 cm Zh + Zair + Ze = 49.98011-0.4078j

Impedance when the hand 410 is close to the data communication electrode 100 up to 10 cm Zh + Zair + Ze = 49.99469-0.21094j

It should be noted that the impedance Ze of the data communication electrode 100 is much smaller than the impedance Zair due to the capacitance Carr between the data communication electrode 100 and the hand 410 without performing the strict calculation as described above. It is clear that. Since Ze and Zaire are connected in parallel, it can be seen that the combined impedance of Ze and Zaire is hardly affected by the value of Zaire and is only slightly smaller than the value of Zaire.

That is, if the hand 410 is properly inserted into the data communication electrode 100, the impedance between the communication tag 310 and the reader / writer 210 changes almost even if the distance between the hand 410 and the data communication electrode 100 changes. You can see that it doesn't.

Therefore, the data communication electrode 100 allows the user 400 to perform stable data communication between the communication tag 310 and the data communication device 200 simply by bringing (holding, inserting) the hand 410 close to (holding, inserting) the hand 410. ..

(Second Embodiment)
In the data communication electrode 100, the second electrode plate 120 and the dielectric layer 130 extend from the lower surface to the upper surface in the same manner as the first electrode plate 110. However, since only the first electrode plate 110 is directly electrostatically coupled to the hand 410, it is considered that there is no problem even if the second electrode plate 120 and the dielectric layer 130 do not extend over the entire surface. Therefore, a second embodiment of the present invention in which the second electrode plate 120 and the dielectric layer 130 are provided only on the lower surface will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the data communication electrode 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which the second electrode plate 120 and the dielectric layer 130 are present only in a part of the lower surface. The area of the second electrode plate 120 is less than half the area of the first electrode plate 110. Except for this point, the data communication electrode 101 according to the second embodiment is the same as the data communication electrode 100 according to the first embodiment. The data communication electrode 101 shown in FIG. 4 has a structure in which the second electrode plate 120 and the dielectric layer 130 are present on a part of the lower surface, but the structure is not limited to this, and for example, one of the upper surfaces. It may have a structure that exists only in the part.

In order to manufacture the data communication electrode 100 according to the first embodiment, it is necessary to perform the same processing (bending, etc.) on the second electrode plate 120 and the dielectric layer 130 as in the first electrode plate 110. However, it is not necessary for the data communication electrode 101. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the data communication electrode 101 according to the second embodiment can be suppressed to be lower than the manufacturing cost of the data communication electrode 100 according to the first embodiment. However, in the data communication electrode 101, the portion of the first electrode plate 110 that is not covered by the second electrode plate 120 is likely to be electrostatically coupled to another metal, so that the first electrode plate 110 is grounded. It is necessary to be careful not to come close to the metal (building steel frame, water pipe, etc.) connected to the above.

(Data communication device)
Next, an example of the appearance of the data communication device 200 in which the data communication electrodes 100 and 101 and the reader / writer 210 according to the embodiment of the present invention are integrated will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the data communication device 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a resin case 610 that covers an internal reader / writer 210 and the like, a display unit 620, and a metal first. The electrode plate 110 of 1 is provided. The display unit 620 includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and indicates the state of the power supply of the data communication device 200, the state of data communication, the authentication result, and the like by turning on and off the LED. The first electrode plate 110 is a portion where a living body such as a hand or a foot is brought close to each other.

As shown in FIG. 5A, among the components of the data communication electrodes 100 and 101, only the first electrode plate 110 is exposed to the outside. However, the first electrode plate 110 does not necessarily have to be exposed, and for example, the first electrode plate 110 may be covered with a resin or the like along its curvature. Further, since the second electrode plate 120 is electrostatically coupled to the reference potential through the equivalent circuit 550 shown in FIG. 3, the first electrode plate 110 surrounded by the second electrode plate 120 is around. It is less susceptible. In the data communication electrode 101, since the area of the second electrode plate 120 is small, the second electrode plate 120 is arranged at a position close to the outside so that the first electrode plate 110 is less affected by the surroundings. It is good to be done.

FIG. 5A shows the appearance when the data communication device 200 is installed in the lateral direction. When installed in this way, the user will insert his or her hands or feet forward. Further, FIG. 5B shows the appearance when the data communication device 200 is installed in the vertical direction. When installed in this way, the user will insert his hand downward. However, the installation method is not limited to these. For example, if the data communication device 200 shown in FIG. 5B is installed upside down, the user can insert his / her hand upward. Further, the data communication device 200 is installed diagonally at an angle between the installation direction of the data communication device 200 shown in FIG. 5 (A) and the installation direction of the data communication device 200 shown in FIG. 5 (B). Is also possible.

FIG. 6 shows a state when the hand 410 is inserted into the data communication device 200. FIG. 6A shows a state when the hand 410 is inserted into the data communication device 200 installed in the lateral direction. Further, FIG. 6B shows a state when the hand 410 is inserted into the data communication device 200 installed in the vertical direction. In this way, regardless of which direction the user 400 is installed, the user 400 can insert the hand 410 into the data communication device 200 without touching the first electrode plate 110.

Further, FIG. 7 shows a state when the foot 420 is inserted into the data communication device 200. In the data communication device 200, since the first electrode plate 110 has a shape surrounding the inserted living body, it can be electrostatically coupled to the foot 420 even while wearing shoes, and stable communication can be performed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the shapes of the data communication electrodes 100 and 101 described above are only examples. A living body such as a hand can be inserted into the recess 140, and the shape may be such that the living body inserted into the recess 140 does not come into direct contact with the first electrode plate 110. The depth does not have to be constant. For example, the upper surface and the lower surface may have a shape that undulates in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first electrode plate 110 has a shape in which recesses are formed on the upper surface and the lower surface so that the left and right sides are open, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be shaped like a quadrangular pillar or a quadrangular pyramid having metal surfaces not only on the top and bottom but also on the left and right, or it may be shaped like a bowl with a rounded shape as a whole.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the data communication device 200 and the communication tag 310 have been described as being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from each other. However, the data communication device 200 and the communication tag 310 may be those capable of either transmitting or receiving data. For example, the communication tag 310 may only be capable of transmitting data, and the data communication device 200 may be capable of only receiving data. Even in this case, since the communication tag 310 can transmit the stored ID information and the data communication device 200 can receive the ID information, the ID information stored in the communication tag 310 cannot be rewritten, except that the ID information cannot be rewritten. An authentication system similar to the above-mentioned entry management authentication system can be constructed.

100, 101 ... Electrode for data communication, 110 ... First electrode plate, 111, 121 ... Lead wire, 120 ... Second electrode plate, 130 ... Dielectric layer, 140 ... Recess, 200 ... Data communication device, 210 ... Reader Writer, 220 ... matching part, 300 ... data communication system, 310 ... communication tag, 320 ... floor, 330 ... steel frame, 400 ... user, 410 ... hand, 420 ... foot, 510, 520, 530, 540, 550 ... equivalent circuit , 610 ... Resin case, 620 ... Display

Claims (6)

Electrodes for data communication used in non-contact with living organisms
The first electrode plate and
The second electrode plate facing the first electrode plate and
With
A dielectric layer is further provided between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate.
Said first electrode plate, by having a recess, having a shape surrounding a portion of the biological pledged in the recess without contacting the living body,
Electrode for data communication. An electrostatic bond formed between the concave portion of the first electrode plate surrounding a part of the living body and the living body through a gap, the first electrode plate, the dielectric layer, and the living body. Data communication is possible via a capacitor formed by the second electrode plate.
The electrode for data communication according to claim 1. The depth of the recess is at least twice the height of the recess.
The electrode for data communication according to claim 1 or 2. The shape of the recess has a height of 3 cm or more and 10 cm or less, a width of 10 cm or more and 20 cm or less, and a depth of 15 cm or more and 25 cm or less.
The electrode for data communication according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The electrode for data communication according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A data receiving unit that receives data from the data communication electrode and
A data communication device comprising. The data communication device according to claim 5 and
A communication tag that communicates with the data communication device through the living body,
A data communication system including.

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