JP2003011939A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To enable an RFID label that cannot be read and written electrically to be identified as a defective label. SOLUTION: A determination means (step 5) for determining whether or not the electrical writing of the RFID label to the IC has succeeded, and a change means for changing the printing performed on the RFID label when the determination of the determination means is unsuccessful Step 8 and RF
Means (step 7) for transferring the ID label issuance history to the host computer.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a non-contact read / write IC card (RFID) which transmits and receives data to and from a transceiver in a non-contact manner while transporting a label. The present invention relates to a label printer that performs electrical writing on the IC and records optical and visual information on the label surface before, after, or simultaneously with this. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a non-contact read / write type IC card (hereinafter referred to as "RFID") which includes an IC chip, an antenna, a communication means and the like and electrically reads / writes the IC chip in a non-contact manner. Has been developed. This RF
An ID can record a large amount of information on an IC chip, can transmit and receive information wirelessly without contact, and is not easily forged, so that it is excellent in security. Since it cannot be read by a conventional barcode reader, the RFID is integrated with a label or tag, and the characters and barcode printed on the surface are visually recognized by humans or an optical reading machine such as an OCR or barcode reader. The use form in which reading is possible is expanding. The label printer that performs printing on the RFID label includes a wireless communication unit that communicates with the RFID in addition to the printing unit. The wireless communication unit has a communication antenna on the printer main body side. R
By communicating with the IC chip via the FID antenna, information is written to the IC chip and information from the IC chip is read. [0003] By the way, many RFID labels have a built-in IC chip that is vulnerable to shocks such as static electricity, and are already damaged at the time of manufacture or before use and cannot be used. Exists. However, the electrical damage of the IC circuit is indistinguishable from the external appearance, and if it is printed on a label, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish whether or not it is defective. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to detect a defective label in which an RFID IC chip or the like is damaged before performing printing and perform an abnormal printing to thereby detect a defective product. An object of the present invention is to provide a label printer which can eliminate mixing and use of RFID labels. [0004] In order to solve the above problems,
The feature of the configuration adopted by the label printer of the present invention is that
Determining means for determining whether or not the electrical writing to the label has succeeded; changing means for changing the printing performed on the label if the determination means has failed; transferring the RFID label issuance history to the host computer And means for performing such operations. According to the above configuration, an RFID label that cannot be read and written electrically can be identified as a defective label, and the inconvenience of misuse can be eliminated. Further, by transferring the issuance history to the host computer, shortage of the number of issued copies due to mixing of the defective label and determination of authenticity with the forged label can be easily performed. Preferred embodiments of a label printer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, an RFID label to be printed by a label printer will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the label paper 12 wound in a roll shape. As shown in the figure,
The label paper 12 is a band-shaped backing paper (release paper) 1
6, a large number of RFID labels 14, 14,... Are temporarily attached at predetermined intervals. RFID label 14
Has an upper layer 14A and a lower layer 14B which are stacked, and an IC chip 22 and an antenna 24 are arranged between the upper layer 14A and the lower layer 14B. On the other hand, the mount 16 is RF
Perforation 2 for cutting ID labels 14 one by one
0 is formed and a detection mark (not shown) is formed on the back surface.
Are printed at predetermined intervals. FIG. 1 is an example of the label paper 12, and the configuration of the label paper 12 is not limited to this. For example, a label sheet in which the perforations 20 are not formed on the backing sheet 16 or a label sheet in which the RFID labels 14 are continuously connected may be used. Next, the label printer of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic structure of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 mainly includes a supply unit 26 and a communication unit (RFID
(Reader / writer) 28, printing means 30, and the like. The label paper 12 wound in a roll shape is mounted on a supply shaft 32 of the supply means 26. Label paper 1
2 is fed out from the supply shaft 32 by rotating and driving the platen roller 36 of the printing means 30,
Is transferred to the printing means 30 via A sensor 34 is provided between the RF / ID reader / writer 28 and the printing means 30, and detects a detection mark (not shown) on the mount 16 by the sensor 34. And the printing means 30
Printing is started based on the timing at which the sensor 34 detects the detection mark. The printing means 30 comprises a platen roller 36 and a thermal head (print head) 38 which are arranged to face each other. Between the platen roller 36 and the thermal head 38, the label paper 12 fed from the supply unit 26 and the ink ribbon 40 fed from the supply reel 42 are supplied. Then, the heating element (printing element) 38a of the thermal head 38 generates heat to dissolve the ink of the ink ribbon 40, thereby transferring the ink to the label paper 12 and printing. The printed label paper 12 is taken out from the take-out port 48, and the printed ink ribbon 40 is taken up on a take-up reel 44.
The printing method of the printing unit 30 is not limited to the thermal transfer method, but may be a thermal method or an ink jet method. On the other hand, the communication means 28 is provided between the supply means 26 and the printing means 30 and has an antenna 46. The antenna 46 is arranged close to the transport path of the label paper 12. A communication unit (RFID reader / writer) 28 communicates with the IC chip 22 via the antenna 46 and the antenna 24 of the RFID label 14 to write information on the IC chip 22 and read information from the IC chip 22. FIG. 3 shows the printer 10 and the RFI.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a main part of a D label. As shown in FIG.
52 is connected to a ROM 56 and a RAM 58 via a bus 54. The ROM 56 has a flowchart (FIG. 5) described later.
A program for performing the processing shown in FIG.
Are formed with various memory areas. CPU 52
Is also connected to a head controller 60, which controls the thermal head 38. The CPU 52 is connected to a drive controller 62 via a bus 54. The drive controller 62 controls a motor driver 64 to drive a pulse motor 66 to convey the label paper 12. The drive controller 62 includes an A / D converter 6
The pulse motor 66 is connected to the sensor 34 via the sensor 8 and drives the pulse motor 66 based on the timing at which the sensor 34 detects a detection mark (not shown) on the mount 16. Also, C
The PU 52 is connected to the antenna 46 via the communication unit 28, and transmits and receives signals from the antenna 46 to the antenna 24 of the RFID label 14. On the other hand, the RFID label 14 has a microprocessor (MPU) 74, and this MPU 74
From the antenna 24 via the communication means 75
A signal is transmitted / received to / from the antenna 46 of No. 0. 76 is a communication interface (communication I / F) for transmitting and receiving print data and issuance history data to and from the host computer 78, 80 is a keyboard provided via a keyboard controller 82, and 84 is provided via an LCD controller 86. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).
4 is connected to the CPU 52. Next, the operation performed by the label printer 10 will be described with reference to FIG. First, starting by turning on a power switch (not shown), a so-called initial process is performed, in which a hardware check such as a memory or a CPU or a paper position is transferred to a home position, and a program in a ROM 56 is read into a RAM 58 and executed. Step 1). Next, the RFID label 14 is attached to the antenna 4
It feeds to a position where it can communicate with 6, and waits for reception (step 2). In the next step 3, the RFID label 14
It is determined whether or not information to be electrically written to an IC in the IC has been received from the communication I / F 76. If YES (Y), the process proceeds to the next step 4, and if NO (N), the process returns to the step 2 to continue the reception standby state. In step 4, the wireless communication means (reader / writer) 28 to the RFID
Electrical writing is performed on the IC chip 22 via the IC cards 6 and 74.
In step 5, the reader / writer 28 sends the RFID1
Inquiry for collating the contents of writing is made to No. 4 to determine whether or not the electrical writing has succeeded. Here, in the case of YES (Y), the next step 6
Then, visual and optical information (characters, bar codes, two-dimensional codes, etc.) is written on the surface of the label 14 using the thermal head 38 of the printer 10. Next, RF is sent from the label printer 10 to the host computer 78.
The issuance history of the ID 14 is transferred. This is performed, for example, by transferring the serial number of a normally issued RFID to the host computer 78. And
Next, in order to process the electrical writing and the RFID label to be printed on the front surface, the process returns to step 2 described above. On the other hand, if NO (N) in step 5, the process proceeds to step 8. This step 8 is to print a different pattern from the normal print data on the RFID label 14 that could not be read / written normally so that a pattern different from the normal print can be printed and the good product and the defective product can be visually discriminated. prepare. For example, "NG", "X", "R", "SAMPLE"
LCD8 print data that can be selected from "Entry memorial"
4 and selectable from the keyboard 80 (FIG. 6)
reference). Here, the former three symbols are commonly used as defective products. “SAMPLE (sample)” is a sample of printed and RFID labels. Since RFID labels are still expensive and it is difficult to make a sample using the actual product, it is difficult to use the defective product generated during the issuance work. As a result, waste utilization and cost reduction can be achieved. The “entrance commemoration” means that RFID has many uses such as cash vouchers (prepaid cards), entrance tickets, boarding passes, etc. due to high cost and anti-counterfeiting effects.
The pattern of the C chip and antenna is interesting as a geometric pattern, and it is formed with good appearance, such as being laminated with a plastic film, so it is used for free distribution as souvenirs, stickers and bookmarks to visitors and visitors. it can. In step 9, it is determined whether or not any of the print data displayed on the LCD 84 in step 8 has been selected. If the selected data is selected (Y), the symbol is printed on the surface of the defective RFID label 14. I do.
Then, the process returns to step 2 described above. On the other hand, if the print data is not selected in step 9 (N), the process returns to the beginning of step 9 and
Wait until a selection operation is performed. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the RF in which the read / write error occurred electrically was performed.
By printing the ID label as a defective label differently from normal printing, the inconvenience of misuse can be eliminated. At this time, if a print sample or a print for commemorating the entrance can be made, waste can be used and cost can be reduced. Further, by transferring the issuance history to the host computer, various effects can be obtained, such as a shortage of the number of copies due to the incorporation of a defective label, and easy determination of authenticity with a forged label. In the above-described embodiment, a label printer in which electrical data is electrically written in an RFID in which no electrical data is written and a print is printed by a print head is exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this. When data has been written, the data may be read from the RFID label 14 by the reader / writer 28 and printed based on the read data. Further, in the above embodiment, when data writing to the RFID label 14 has failed, a specific pattern is printed on the label 14. At this time, a buzzer sounds, a rotating light, a multicolor L
The ED may blink. According to the present invention, an RFID label that cannot be read and written electrically can be identified as a defective label, and the inconvenience of misuse can be eliminated. Further, by transferring the issuance history to the host computer, shortage of the number of issued copies due to mixing of the defective label and determination of authenticity with the forged label can be easily performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an RFID which performs printing with a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a perspective view showing a label. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control unit of the printer in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a conceptual perspective view showing a main part of the printer of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process performed by the printer of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a printing example of a read / write error RFID. [Description of Signs] 10 printer, 12 label paper, 14 RFID label, 22 IC chip, 24 antenna, 26 supply means, 28 communication means (RFID reader / writer), 30
... Printing means, 34 ... Sensor, 36 ... Platen roller, 3
8 thermal head (printing head), 38a heating element (printing element), 46 antenna

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06K 17/00 G06K 17/00 J 5B058 19/07 G09F 3/00 G G09F 3/00 M G06K 19/00 HF term (for reference) 2C061 AQ04 AS06 AS08 HP00 HV19 HV60 2C087 AA07 AC05 BA05 BB09 BC12 BD41 BD55 3E095 BA03 CA02 DA03 DA13 DA15 DA24 DA63 DA65 DA69 DA72 DA77 EA02 EA05 EA24 EA34 FA25 5B021 AA12 BB10 BC35 CA23 KA05 KA27 YA20

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A label printer for receiving print data from a host computer and printing on a printing section, wherein an IC circuit readable / writable in a non-contact manner by wireless communication means is incorporated in the label. Determining means for performing electrical writing on the IC, and then, when printing print data on the label, determining whether or not the electrical writing on the IC is successful; A label printer provided with a change unit for changing the printing to be performed on the label when the determination of the writing is unsuccessful, and a unit for transferring an RFID label issuance history to a host computer.