JP4103552B2 - Portable multi-reader with both optical and radio wave systems - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical / radio wave type portable multi-reader capable of reading information from both an optical information recording medium such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code and an RF tag with a single operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, both an optical information recording medium on which an optical information code (bar code or two-dimensional code) is recorded and an RF tag are attached to a management object such as various products or packages, and the management object. It is considered to be useful for life cycle management including the usage history of products and management / tracking of transport routes. In this case, a label (hereinafter referred to as an information label) in which an RF tag capable of writing management information is fixed to a label printed with an optical information code. In order to cope with the use of such information labels, a portable multi-reader of both optical and radio wave type capable of reading both the optical information code recorded on the information label and the stored information of the RF tag is considered.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The market demand for such a portable multi-reader is that the information reading range is a range of several tens of centimeters from the close contact position, and the reading direction of the optical information code and the stored information of the RF tag is the same (that is, The ability to read both in a single operation), and the consumption of the built-in battery for power supply, which is necessary for being portable, is as small as possible. Considering the capacity of the built-in battery, in order to communicate with the RF tag at a distance of up to several tens of centimeters, it is desirable to employ a microwave (for example, 2.5 GHz band) as a communication medium. Therefore, a patch antenna having strong directivity, capable of downsizing, and good reception sensitivity is used.
[0004]
In this case, in order to read the barcode 1a which is an optical information code of the information label 1, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 showing a schematic side view and a schematic plan view of the optical / radio wave combination portable multi-reader. An information reading device 3 provided in the reader main body 2 receives an optical system 4 (a conjugating lens 4a and a conjugating lens 4a) that receives reflected light from the barcode 1a through a reading port 2a with a translucent cover provided in the reader main body 2. The CCD line sensor 4b) is provided. Since the provision of such an optical system 4 is an indispensable constituent requirement, the patch antenna 5 for communicating with the RF tag 1b of the information label 1 cannot be disposed at a position closing the reading port 2a. Must be arranged in a state shifted from the optical axis (see FIG. 5).
[0005]
Further, in order to enable both readings even when the information label 1 is at the farthest position in a predetermined detectable range, the communication area by the patch antenna 5 is in a state as shown by the hatched band in FIG. The information reading device 3 must be set so as to overlap the detection area. However, in such an arrangement, a dead zone (area indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 5) of the patch antenna 5 occurs in the detection area by the information reading device 3, particularly in the vicinity of the reading port 2a. Become. For this reason, there is a problem in the operability such that the stored information of the barcode 1a and the RF tag 1b cannot be read in one operation in actual use.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical system that can surely realize a dual reading function of reading information from both an optical information recording medium and an RF tag by a single operation.・ To provide a portable multi-reader with radio wave.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first antenna having high directivity for performing the communication operation with the RF tag is an optical for reading the recording information of the optical information recording medium through the reading port provided in the reader body. The detection area set along the optical axis of the system is arranged in a state where communication is possible. For this reason, as described in the conventional configuration, the dead zone of the first antenna is generated in the vicinity of the reading port. However, the low-directivity second antenna that covers the detection area around the reading port as a communication range. Since the second antenna is arranged, communication operation with the RF tag located in the dead zone can be performed by the second antenna. When the trigger switch is operated, the control means tries communication operation with the RF tag in the detection area by alternately using the first antenna and the second antenna, and information reading control by the information reading device Are executed in a preset order, so that the dual reading function of reading information from both the optical information recording medium and the RF tag with a single operation can be reliably realized.
[0008]
According to the second aspect of the invention, when the communication operation using the first antenna and the second antenna is not performed at the same time and the communication operation with the RF tag is successfully performed by the communication control using one antenna. Since execution of communication control using other antennas is cancelled, it is useful for suppressing power consumption.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a schematic side view and a schematic plan view of an optical / radio wave combination portable multi-reader (hereinafter simply referred to as a portable multi-reader) 11. 1 and 2, the portable multi-reader 11 includes a barcode 12a (corresponding to an optical information code) printed on an information label 12, and a microwave tag 12b (an RF tag attached to the information label 12). Equivalent storage information) can be read in both directions. The microwave tag 12b is an RF tag that employs a microwave (for example, 2.5 GHz band) as a communication medium, and has a configuration in which various information can be written.
[0010]
A reading port 14 with a translucent cover is provided in the head portion of the reader main body 13 that can be held by the portable multi-reader 11, and a barcode 12 a is inserted into the reader main body 13 through the reading port 14. An information reading device 15 for reading is stored. The information reading device 15 includes an optical system 16 (the forming lens 16a and the CCD line sensor 16b) that receives reflected light from the barcode 12a from the reading port 14. The reading port 14 is formed in a horizontally long shape parallel to the pixel arrangement direction of the CCD line sensor 16b.
[0011]
In the reader body 13, a highly directional patch antenna 17 (corresponding to the first antenna) for communicating with the microwave tag 12 b is provided at a position below the optical system 16 (position on the hand-held portion side). ing. The patch antenna 17 has a size of about 4 cm square, for example, and is arranged such that a detection area set along the optical axis of the optical system 16 is within a communicable range (shown by a hatched area in FIG. 1). ing.
[0012]
Further, in the reader main body 13, a low directivity dipole antenna 18 (corresponding to a second antenna) having a donut-like gain in a direction orthogonal to the rod-shaped antenna line is provided. The dipole antenna 18 is disposed in the vicinity of the reading port 14 so as to be orthogonal to the reading port 14, and thus the detection area around the reading port 14 is surrounded by a communication range (a two-dot chain line B in FIG. 1). Is arranged to cover as a region).
[0013]
A trigger switch 19 is provided in the grip portion of the reader body 13. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a display unit (shown by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 3) or a keyboard made of liquid crystal or the like or a keyboard (reference numeral in FIG. 3) 21). Further, circuit components as shown in FIG. 3 are accommodated in the reader body 13.
[0014]
That is, FIG. 3 shows an electrical configuration of the portable multi-reader 11, which will be described below.
The CPU 22 (corresponding to the control means) is provided for controlling the overall operation of the portable multi-reader 11, and the trigger switch 19, the display 20 and the keyboard 21 are connected to the CPU 22 via the input / output interface 23. Connected.
[0015]
The optical information processing circuit 24 includes the CCD line sensor 16b and a binarization circuit 24a that samples the scan output of the sensor 16b at a predetermined cycle and binarizes it at a predetermined threshold level. The binarized signal sequence output from the binarization circuit 24a is converted into an image signal by the data conversion unit 25 and then supplied to the CPU 22. The CPU 22 temporarily stores the given image signal in the RAM 26, and performs the decoding process of the reading barcode 12a based on the stored contents.
[0016]
The switch element 27 is configured by a normal electromagnetic relay or solid state relay, and selects either the patch antenna 17 or the dipole antenna 18 for the R / F control circuit 28 according to the switching state. Connected to each other. The R / F control circuit 28 is a signal generation circuit that generates a carrier signal of a predetermined frequency (microwave band) for transmitting through a connected antenna (patch antenna 17 or dipole antenna 18). It includes a modulation circuit that modulates the carrier signal, a demodulation circuit that demodulates a reception signal from the antenna, and the like. The data conversion unit 29 converts the transmission data from the CPU 22 into an analog signal and supplies it to the modulation circuit in the R / F control circuit 28, and also converts the demodulated signal by the demodulation circuit in the R / F control circuit 28 into a digital signal. The conversion is applied to the CPU 22.
[0017]
When reading information from the microwave tag 12 b, the CPU 22 outputs a question signal through the data converter 29. As a result, the interrogation signal converted into an analog signal by the data converter 29 is modulated by the R / F control circuit 28 and then transmitted from either the patch antenna 17 or the dipole antenna 18. The microwave tag 12b that has received the interrogation signal answers the response signal. This response signal is given from the patch antenna 17 or the dipole antenna 18 to the R / F control circuit 28 and demodulated, and the demodulated signal is converted into a digital signal by the data converter 29 and given to the CPU 22. The CPU 22 reads information from the microwave tag 12b by analyzing the digitized demodulated signal.
[0018]
The switching operation of the switch element 27 is configured to be performed by the antenna selection unit 30 that receives a command from the CPU 22. In addition to the input / output interface 23, data converters 25 and 29, and antenna selector 0, the CPU 22 is connected to an external interface 31 having a connector 31a. Note that power for the display 20, the CPU 22, the R / F control circuit 28, and the like is supplied from a power supply unit 33 connected to the built-in battery 32.
[0019]
4 shows a portion related to the gist of the present invention among the contents of control by the CPU 22, which will be described below.
That is, FIG. 4 shows a procedure for communication processing with the microwave tag 12b. First, the switch antenna 27 is switched to the patch antenna 17 side through the antenna selection unit 30, thereby making the patch antenna 17 R / R. Connect to the F control circuit 28 (step S1). Next, an operation of reading information from the microwave tag 12b through the patch antenna 17 (described above) is tried (step S2), and it is determined whether or not the reading result is appropriate (step S3).
[0020]
When appropriate information is read from the microwave tag 12b through the patch antenna 17, the process proceeds to the next processing step S4 including reading processing of the barcode 12a by the optical information processing circuit 24 and information display processing by the display 20. On the other hand, when appropriate information cannot be read, the switch element 27 is switched to the dipole antenna 18 side through the antenna selector 30 to connect the dipole antenna 18 to the R / F control circuit 28 (step). S5). Next, an operation of reading information from the microwave tag 12b through the dipole antenna 18 (described above) is tried (step S6), and it is determined whether or not the reading result is appropriate (step S7).
[0021]
When proper information is read from the microwave tag 12b through the dipole antenna 18, the process proceeds to the next processing step S4. However, when proper information cannot be read, the microwave tag 12b is fixed to the information label 12. It is determined whether or not it has been performed (step S8). In this case, the information on whether or not the microwave tag 12b is fixed to the information label 12 is included in the barcode 12a, for example, and the determination in the step S8 is performed through the optical information processing circuit 24. Based on the result of reading 12a.
[0022]
When it is determined that the microwave tag 12b is not fixed, the process proceeds to the next processing step S9 including information display processing by the display device 20 and the like. Further, when it was determined that the microwave tag 12b was fixed, the information reading operation could not be performed even though the microwave tag 12b was present within the communication range of the patch antenna 17 and the dipole antenna 18. As a result, the error processing step S10 is executed.
[0023]
In short, according to the configuration of the present embodiment described above, the following operations and effects can be obtained.
That is, in the portable multi-reader 11 according to the present embodiment, a highly directional patch antenna 17 for performing a communication operation with the microwave tag 12b is provided in the reader main body 13 with recorded information of the barcode 12a. In addition, the detection area set along the optical axis of the optical system 16 for reading through the reading port 14 is arranged in a communicable range. For this reason, even when the microwave tag 12b (information label 12) is at the farthest position in the detection area, the patch antenna 17 having good reception sensitivity enables communication with the microwave tag 12b.
[0024]
When the patch antenna 17 is arranged as described above, a dead zone of the patch antenna 17 is generated in the vicinity of the reading port 14, but low directivity that covers the detection area around the reading port 14 as a communication range. Since the dipole antenna 18 is disposed, the dipole antenna 18 enables a communication operation with the microwave tag 12b located in the dead zone. When the trigger switch 19 is operated, the CPU 22 tries communication operation with the microwave tag 12b in the detection area using the patch antenna 17 and the dipole antenna 18 in this order, and the information reading device 15 Since the reading control of the bar code 12a is sequentially executed, the dual reading function of reading information from both the bar code 12a and the microwave tag 12b by one operation can be reliably realized. In this case, since the dipole antenna 18 that is newly added in the present embodiment has a very small occupied volume and is lightweight, it is possible to prevent an increase in size and weight of the portable multi-reader 11.
[0025]
Moreover, in the said Example, the communication operation by the patch antenna 17 and the dipole antenna 18 is not performed simultaneously, and the communication operation with the microwave tag 12b succeeded by the communication control using the patch antenna 17 performed previously. Since the configuration is such that execution of communication control using the dipole antenna 18 is canceled at the time, it is useful for suppressing power consumption.
[0026]
(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified or expanded as described below.
A configuration in which the communication operation by the patch antenna 17 is performed after the communication operation by the dipole antenna 18 is performed first is also possible. However, when the portable multi-reader 11 is actually used, an operation of bringing the reader body 13 closer to the information label 12 from the far side is usually performed. It is more reasonable to do the operation. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a communication operation with the microwave tag 12b is performed after the barcode 12a reading operation is performed.
The optical information recording medium to be read is not limited to a barcode, but may be a two-dimensional code such as a QR code. The first and second antennas may be other than a patch antenna or a dipole antenna.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an optical / radio wave combination portable multi-reader showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the multi-reader. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a communication processing procedure. FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 illustrating a conventional example. FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG.
11 is an optical / radio combined portable multi-reader, 12 is an information label, 12a is a barcode (optical information code), 12 is a microwave tag (RF tag), 13 is a reader body, 14 is a reading port, 15 is Information reading device, 16 is an optical system, 17 is a patch antenna (first antenna), 18 is a dipole antenna (second antenna), 19 is a trigger switch, 22 is a CPU (control means), and 24 is an optical information processing circuit. , 27 is a switch element, and 28 is an R / F control circuit.

Claims (2)

An information reading device including an optical system for reading the recording information of the optical information recording medium printed on the information label through a reading port provided in the reader body;
A highly directional first antenna arranged such that a detection area set along the optical axis of the optical system is a communicable range;
A low-directivity second antenna disposed so as to cover the detection area around the reading port as a communication range;
In accordance with the operation of the trigger switch, communication control for trying communication operation with the RF tag in the detection area by alternately using the first antenna and the second antenna, and information reading control by the information reading device When the RF tag is fixed to the information label, it is determined whether or not the RF tag is fixed to the information label from the recorded information read by the optical system in a preset order . And a control means for performing error processing when the RF tag cannot be read although the RF tag cannot be read despite the determination. Type multi-reader.   The control means cancels the execution of communication control using another antenna when the communication operation with the RF tag succeeds by communication control using either the first antenna or the second antenna. The portable multi-reader using both optical and radio waves according to claim 1.

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