KR20060088481A - Article management system and method using radio frequency identification tag, radio frequency identification tag - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a radio frequency identification tag, an article management system using the same, and a method for receiving an RF call signal and outputting a call response message thereto. The radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention is an antenna for receiving an RF call signal from a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag, the RF call signal receiving first identification information for calling the radio frequency identification tag. Includes-; A demodulator for demodulating the RF call signal into digital data, the digital data including the first ID information; A storage unit storing second ID information uniquely allocated to each radio frequency identification tag; A message output unit which outputs a call response message for the RF call signal; And a controller configured to control the message output unit to output the call response message when the first ID information and the second ID information are compared and matched with each other. According to the present invention, the manager can easily and quickly find the article to be found.

RFID Tag, Location, Search, Call, Monitor, Output

Description

System for managing goods using radio frequency identification tag, radio frequency identification tag, and method thereof {RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TAG, SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ITEMS USING RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TAG AND METHOD THEREOF}

1 is a view showing the configuration of a radio frequency identification tag system according to the present invention.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system for managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable terminal for managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable terminal implemented using a mobile phone, which is a kind of mobile communication terminal, as a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable terminal managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag and registered article information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a radio frequency identification tag and a tag box for hierarchically registering IDs of a tag box including a radio frequency identification tag and a plurality of identification tags using a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. .

8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration diagram of a portable terminal for managing an article by monitoring whether the article is separated from an article having a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a diagram illustrating a personal goods management menu screen of the portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a lower menu screen displayed when an item search function is selected in a personal item management menu of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a lower menu screen displayed when the item registration function is selected in the personal goods management menu of the portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a menu screen when manual registration is selected.

12 is a lower menu screen displayed when the item registration function is selected in the personal item management menu of the portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and particularly, a menu screen when automatic registration is selected.

FIG. 13 is a lower menu screen that appears when the item registration function is selected in the personal item management menu of the portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, when a tag box registration is selected for item registration through hierarchization of IDs. A diagram illustrating a menu screen.

14 is a diagram illustrating a lower menu screen that appears when a registration status function is selected in a personal goods management menu of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a lower menu screen displayed when a monitoring function is selected in a personal goods management menu of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

16 is a diagram illustrating a database for managing household goods using a radio frequency identification tag in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

17 is a diagram illustrating a database for managing books in a book management system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

18 is a flowchart illustrating a method of managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag in an article management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

110, 310: management server 120, 320: reader

130, 330: radio frequency identification tag 210, 323, 331, 460: antenna

220: voltage amplifier 230, 333: demodulator

240, 335: control unit 250, 311, 334, 410: storage unit

260, 322, 440: Modulator 270, 336: Message output unit

271: alarm sound transmitting means 272: light emitting element

300: goods management system 312, 420: input unit

313 and 430: search unit 314 and 450: transmission unit

321 and 334: receiver 550 and 760: RF signal transceiver

670: Register 740: Monitor signal transmission unit

780: monitor result output unit

The present invention relates to a radio frequency identification tag, an article management system using a radio frequency identification tag, and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a radio frequency identification tag for receiving an RF call signal and outputting a call response message thereto. A management system and method thereof are provided.

In general, a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFID) receives power from a reader and transmits and receives signals to and from the reader using a near field wireless technology. The remote server may be connected to the reader by wire or wirelessly to exchange information with the tag by detecting or recognizing a radio frequency identification tag through the reader. The radio frequency identification tag is a non-contact method and can semi-permanently transmit and receive signals, and the remote server can simultaneously recognize various radio frequency identification tags at high speed. In this way, the radio frequency identification tag and the remote server using the same have a sufficient storage capacity and easy to expand the scope of management, etc. can be applied to various fields, and the research and development is actively made. Currently, RFID tags are 48 times faster than magnetic tape and 8 times faster than barcodes, and the speed is expected to increase further as technology advances. In addition, the bar code is currently less than 10 won, while the radio frequency identification tag is about 600 ~ 2000 won depending on the performance. However, due to ongoing research and development, the price of passive devices is expected to drop significantly below 5 cents in 2005. Radio frequency identification tags are expected to be introduced in commodity management systems such as logistics or distribution.

The article management system using the radio frequency identification tag enables people, objects, and services to manage and track the entire process of ID identification, product production, flow, management, and consumption through tag information of the communication network and the product. As a representative embodiment of such a system, a book management system for managing a book by attaching a radio frequency identification tag to a book in a library, an animal location tracking device for tracking an animal by attaching a radio frequency identification tag to an animal in a ranch, and a large discount mart Or a radio frequency identification tag attached to a product for goods management, or a radio frequency identification tag attached to a baggage for tracking air transport baggage at an airport.

As such, an article management system using a radio frequency identification tag can be used in various fields to manage people, animals, objects, etc., and is expected to be a new management means in terms of improving work efficiency through cost and labor reduction. . For example, Wal-Mart is saving 6 to 7 percent of its cost by managing goods using radio frequency identification tags, resulting in a 10 percent increase in revenue and reduced management costs for the goods. In addition, Seattle airports in the United States managed baggage using radio frequency identification tags, reducing baggage misdelivery by 75 percent and reducing baggage delays by 50 percent.

A conventional article management system using a radio frequency identification tag is operated by calling a radio frequency identification tag through a reader in a management server and then receiving a corresponding response signal from a corresponding radio frequency identification tag. Therefore, in the related art, when the management server does not receive a response signal from the radio frequency identification tag, there is no separate method of checking whether the tag is called.

In addition, in the conventional article management system by calling the radio frequency identification tag through the antenna of the reader, the location tracking range that can track the position of the tag varies depending on the number of the antenna or the performance of the antenna. For example, the reader determines the one-dimensional position of the radio frequency identification tag in the case of one antenna, the plane position in the case of two antennas, and the three-dimensional position in the case of three antennas. Therefore, in the conventional reader, since at least three antennas are required to determine the exact position of the object to be tracked, there is a problem that the installation is complicated and the price is increased.

If there is a large amount of logistics within a certain range, such as a large discount store or an airport, and if the cost of installing an expensive system is large, a large amount of antennas can be installed at a narrow interval for the target area so that the goods to be tracked can be tracked at any location. However, there is still a problem in a small logistics store, library, etc., because the installation of a large amount of such antennas is not easy due to the expensive installation cost.

The conventional book management system using the radio frequency identification tag has given the administrator the approximate location information of the book to be searched, and the administrator has to manually scan the book placed on the bookshelf corresponding to the location information through the reader. There is this. If the book to be searched is placed in the bottom right corner of the bookshelf, and the administrator performs the scanning operation of the book placed on the bookshelf through the reader from the top left corner of the bookshelf, scanning all the placed books There is a problem that must be done. Therefore, as the conventional system takes a lot of time and effort to search for a book, there is an urgent need for improving it more efficiently. Not only the library, but also if the manager wants to search for the necessary items in the logistics store or shop, scanning the displayed items one by one causes a problem of inefficiency of work.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency identification tag, an article management system using a radio frequency identification tag, and a method for easily searching for an object to be managed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal for more easily searching for and managing an article with a radio frequency identification tag.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal including an RF signal transmitting and receiving unit as a portable terminal for managing an article with a radio frequency identification tag.

Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal that can easily register information about an item to be managed and ID information of a radio frequency identification tag attached to each item.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal for managing goods, which can automatically monitor the distance to the article with the radio frequency identification tag.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency identification tag that notifies an administrator by outputting a message when a product that matches information on the item to be managed is searched.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a radio frequency identification tag that outputs an audio message to determine the location of the article, a system for managing the article using the radio frequency identification tag, and a method thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency identification tag that outputs a visual message to determine the location of the article, a system for managing the article using the radio frequency identification tag, and a method thereof.

As a technical arrangement for achieving the above object, a radio frequency identification tag is an antenna for receiving an RF call signal from a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag, the RF call signal being a first ID for calling the radio frequency identification tag. Contains information; A demodulator for demodulating the RF call signal into digital data, the digital data including the first ID information; A storage unit storing second ID information uniquely allocated to each radio frequency identification tag; A message output unit which outputs a call response message for the RF call signal; And a controller configured to control the message output unit to output the call response message when the first ID information and the second ID information are compared and matched with each other.

In addition, a method for managing an article with a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises the steps of maintaining a database for recording each of the first ID information corresponding to each article; Receiving item information on an item to be searched for from a user; Searching for the first ID information corresponding to the article information by referring to the database; And transmitting an RF call signal including the first ID information to each radio frequency identification tag through a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag, wherein each unique second in each radio frequency identification tag is provided. Storing the ID information, receiving the RF call signal from the reader, and comparing the first ID information with the second ID information to output a call response message for the RF call signal. .

Hereinafter, a system and method for managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag and a radio frequency identification tag will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing the configuration of a radio frequency identification tag system according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the radio frequency identification tag system includes a management server 110, a reader 120, and a radio frequency identification tag 130.

The management server 110 records and manages article information corresponding to each article and first ID information corresponding to the article information in a database. First, the management server 110 receives a search request for the item to be managed from the manager. The search request includes article information on the article to be managed. The management server 110 searches the first ID information corresponding to the article information by referring to the database according to the search request. The management server 110 transmits a read request of the radio frequency identification tag 130 to be read from the reader 120 through wired or wireless communication with the reader 120. The read request includes the first ID information.

The reader 120 receives a read request of the radio frequency identification tag 130 from the management server 110. The reader 120 modulates the first ID information into an RF call signal according to the read request, and transmits the RF call signal to the radio frequency identification tag 130 through an antenna. The RF call signal includes first ID information.

The radio frequency identification tag 130 stores uniquely assigned second ID information. The radio frequency identification tag 130 periodically receives the RF call signal transmitted from the reader 120 through an internal antenna or periodically checks whether the RF call signal is transmitted. After receiving the RF call signal, the radio frequency identification tag 130 compares the first ID information with the second ID information and outputs a call response message for the RF call signal. The radio frequency identification tag 130 is a call response message that informs the manager of the location of the article to which it is attached by outputting an alarm sound through a buzzer or by turning on / off a small lamp. The message output may be generated at regular time intervals or continuously at a predetermined time.

As such, according to the present invention, as the call response message is output through the radio frequency identification tag 130 attached to the item that the manager wants to find, the location of the item can be easily found.

The radio frequency identification tag 130 outputs a call response message as a response to the RF call signal when the first ID information and the second ID information match, and includes the first ID information through an internal antenna. The RF response signal may be transmitted to the reader 120. In this case, the reader 120 receives the RF response signal transmitted from the radio frequency identification tag 130 and transmits call response information for the radio frequency identification tag 130 to the management server 110 through wired or wireless communication. The management server 110 receives the call response information for the radio frequency identification tag 130 read from the reader 120.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the radio frequency identification tag 130 may include an antenna 210, a voltage amplifier 220, a demodulator 230, a controller 240, a storage 250, and a modulator 260. ), And a message output unit 270.

The antenna 210 receives the RF call signal from the reader 120 for reading the radio frequency identification tag 130. The RF call signal includes first ID information for calling the radio frequency identification tag 130. The RF call signal may include a clock for synchronizing the operation of the radio frequency identification tag 130.

The voltage amplifier 220 amplifies the induced voltage derived from the RF call signal or a voltage (power) supplied from an internal power supply (not shown) of the radio frequency identification tag 130. The internal power supply device may be included in the radio frequency identification tag 130 when operation power is always required according to the use purpose of the radio frequency identification tag 130. The voltage amplifying unit 220 is a driving voltage for operating the radio frequency identification tag 130. The amplifying unit 220 converts the amplified voltage into a demodulator 230, a controller 240, a storage unit 250, a modulator 260, And a message output unit 270, respectively.

The demodulator 230 demodulates the RF call signal into digital data. The digital data includes the first ID information because the RF call signal is modulated and may also include a synchronization clock. The demodulator 230 provides the digital data to the controller 240. The demodulator 230 may generate a synchronization clock itself as needed when the RF call signal does not include the synchronization clock and includes only the first ID information. In this case, the demodulator 230 may generate the synchronization clock separately from the first ID information. Provided to the control unit 240.

The controller 240 receives the first ID information and the synchronization clock from the demodulator 230, respectively. The clock is for synchronizing the operation of the radio frequency identification tag 130, and may be included in the RF call signal or may be generated by the demodulator 220 itself.

The storage unit 250 stores second ID information uniquely assigned to the radio frequency identification tag 130 attached to each article and various kinds of information necessary for the operation of the radio frequency identification tag 130.

When the radio frequency identification tag 130 according to the present invention is used to manage various items (eg, a TV remote control, an audio remote control, or a video remote control, etc.) held at home, the radio frequency identification tag 130 is used. Identification tags 130 are each attached to the article. In this case, as shown in FIG. 16, the radio frequency identification tag 130 is assigned with different ID information for each article, and stores the ID information in the storage unit 250.

As another embodiment in which the radio frequency identification tag 130 according to the present invention is used to manage a book in a library, the radio frequency identification tag 130 may be classified as shown in FIG. For example, different ID information is allocated according to domestic novels, foreign novels, and poems), and the allocated ID information is stored in the storage unit 250.

As described above, different ID information is assigned to the radio frequency identification tag 130 according to the type of the article to be managed or the place of use, and each of the assigned ID information is stored in the storage unit 250.

The controller 240 compares the first ID information with the second ID information. The control unit 240 provides ID matching data to the modulator 260 when the first ID information and the second ID information match according to the comparison result. In addition, the controller 240 may provide ID mismatch data to the modulator 260 when the first ID information and the second ID information do not match according to the comparison result. The controller 240 controls the message output unit 270 to determine whether to output the message based on whether the first ID information and the second ID information match.

The modulator 260 modulates ID match data or ID mismatch data provided from the controller 240 into an RF response signal. The RF response signal is a signal for reporting to the management server 110 that the first ID information and the second ID information match in response to the RF call signal, the second ID information, the ID matching data or the ID mismatch data is included. The modulator 260 does not need to report to the management server 110 information about whether the RF call signal is answered according to the type of the radio frequency identification tag 130. If it is used for location tracking purposes or if it is not necessary to check whether the search of the article in a separate management server 110 may be omitted. However, the modulator 260 is a necessary component when the management server 110 needs to grasp the management state of the article to which the radio frequency identification tag 130 is attached.

As another embodiment, each function of the voltage amplifier 220, the demodulator 230, the controller 240, the storage 250, and the modulator 260 may be implemented as a single chip 200. have.

The message output unit 270 outputs a call response message corresponding to the first ID information and the second ID information under the control of the controller 240. The message output unit 270 includes an alarm sound transmitting means 271 or a light emitting element 272. The message output unit 270 outputs only an audible response message for providing only the alarm sound to the alarm sound transmitting means 271 according to the use place or the situation of the radio frequency identification tag 130 or sets the light emitting element 272 to be constant. Only the visual response message to be turned on / off at a time interval or the audio response message and the visual response message may be output at the same time.

A case in which the message output unit 270 outputs an alarm sound as the call response message will be described. The alarm sound transmitting means 271 may be implemented in the form of a buzzer. The message output unit 270 may adjust the size of the alarm sound transmitted to the alarm sound transmitting means 271 according to the location or time at which the radio frequency identification tag 130 is used. For example, when the place using the radio frequency identification tag 130 is a noisy place, if the alarm sound is too small, the administrator cannot recognize the position of the radio frequency identification tag 130 even if the alarm sound is transmitted. The loudness of the alarm sound may be adjusted in advance, or may be adjusted as necessary during the search. The manager may adjust the level of the alarm sound through the reader 120 when the level of the alarm sound output from the alarm sound transmitting means 270 is not easily heard. In this case, the reader 120 transmits the alarm sound resizing data that can adjust the level of the alarm sound to the RF call signal to the radio frequency identification tag 130. The radio frequency identification tag 130 receives the alarm sound adjustment data and adjusts the sound level of the alarm sound transmitting means 270 according to the alarm sound adjustment data.

Meanwhile, when the radio frequency identification tag 130 is used in a quiet place such as a library, the message output unit 270 may block the alarm sound from being transmitted to the alarm sound transmitting means 271 in advance. In this case, the message output unit 270 turns on / off the light emitting element 272 at predetermined time intervals instead of transmitting the alarm sound to the alarm sound transmitting means 271 so that the administrator can easily operate the radio frequency. It is possible to determine the position of the identification tag 130. In addition, the message output unit 270 may exclude the alarm sound sending means 271 altogether, and the alarm sound output may be controlled depending on the arrangement position of the book or the search time of the book. An alarm sound transmitting means 271 may be included.

The light emitting device 272 may be implemented as a small lamp such as an LED, and is turned on or off in response to the RF call signal under the control of the controller 240. The controller 240 controls the message output unit 270 so that the light emitting device 272 is turned on or turned off / on at a predetermined time interval when the first ID information and the second ID information match. As the call response message is output through the light emitting element 272 in a quiet place such as a library or in a dark place, the manager can more easily find the article to which the RFID tag 130 is attached.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system for managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention. The article management system 300 includes a management server 310, a reader 320, and And a radio frequency identification tag 330.

Referring to FIG. 3, the management server 310 includes a storage 311, an input unit 312, a search unit 313, and a transmission unit 314. The storage unit 311 stores ID information to identify each item to be managed. The input unit 312 receives the item information to be searched from the manager. The search unit 313 retrieves first ID information that matches the item information, and the transmission unit 314 transmits the retrieved first ID information. When the management server 310 and the reader 320 are connected by a wired network, the transmitter 314 transmits the first ID information to the reader 320 through a wired communication network. The transmitter 314 may be connected to the management server 310 through a wired or wireless network.

The reader 320 includes a receiver 321, a modulator 322, and an antenna 323. The receiver 321 receives the first ID information from the management server 310. The modulator 322 modulates the first ID information into an RF call signal. The RF call signal includes the first ID information. The antenna 323 transmits the RF call signal to the radio frequency identification tag 330.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the management server 310 and the reader 320 can be used in combination in one device. In the embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 311 and the input unit, which are other components except for the transmitter 314 and the receiver 321, are included in the components of the management server 310 and the reader 320. 312, the searcher 313, the modulator 322, and the antenna 323 are combined. In this case, when article information is input from the input unit 312, the search unit 313 searches for first ID information corresponding to the input item information, and then converts the first ID information through the modulator 322. The RF signal is transmitted to the radio frequency identification tag 330 through the antenna 323 by modulating the call signal. The RF call signal includes first ID information.

The radio frequency identification tag 330 includes an antenna 331, a receiver 332, a demodulator 333, a storage 334, a controller 335, and a message output unit 336.

The receiver 332 receives the RF call signal transmitted from the antenna 323 of the reader 320 through the antenna 331. The demodulator 333 demodulates the RF call signal into digital data. The digital data includes first ID information for a radio frequency identification tag to be called. The storage unit 334 stores second ID information which is unique ID information allocated to the radio frequency identification tag 330. The controller 335 compares the first ID information with the second ID information and controls the call response message for the RF call signal to be output through the message output unit 336.

4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable terminal for managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 4, the portable terminal 400 is a terminal that can be easily carried by the administrator performs both the management server and the reader function. The portable terminal 400 includes a storage unit 410, an input unit 420, a search unit 430, a modulator 440, a transmitter 450, and an antenna 460.

The storage unit 410 corresponds to the first ID information and the first ID information, which are unique ID information for identifying one or more radio frequency identification tags attached to the item to be managed as shown in FIG. 16 or 17. Store first article information about the article;

The input unit 420 receives second item information or second ID information to be searched from the user.

The search unit 430 searches the storage unit 410 for item information that matches the second item information, and retrieves first ID information corresponding to the first item information that matches the second item information. The modulator 440 modulates the first ID information into an RF call signal according to a search result of the searcher 430, and identifies the radio frequency through the antenna 460 through the transmitter 450. Send to tag. The RF call signal includes the first ID information.

The radio frequency identification tag is attached to each article to be managed, stores second ID information uniquely assigned to each tag, and receives an RF call signal transmitted from the portable terminal 400. The radio frequency identification tag compares the first ID information with the second ID information and outputs a call response message for the RF call signal.

As another embodiment of the present invention, a mobile communication terminal including an RF transceiver may be used as the portable terminal. When using a mobile communication terminal instead of a separate dedicated terminal, the storage unit 410, the input unit 420, the search unit 430 may be configured using the existing resources of the mobile communication terminal. That is, the storage unit 410 is a memory of the mobile communication terminal, the input unit 420 is a user input device (for example, a keypad) of the mobile communication terminal, and the search unit 430 is a control device (for example, a mobile communication terminal). For example, it can be configured using a processor for a mobile phone.

For reference, the term "mobile communication terminal" herein refers to a PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) phone, PCS (Personal Communication Service) phone, PHS (Personal Handyphone System) phone, CDMA-2000 (1X, 3X) phone, WCDMA ( Mobile terminals such as wideband CDMA phones, dual band / dual mode phones, global standard for mobile phones, mobile broadband band systems, digital multimedia broadcasting phones, mobile phones, etc. Mobile terminals such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), hand-held PCs, notebook computers, WiBro terminals, smart phones, MP3 players, and extended international roaming services A portable electric and electronic device, which means all kinds of handheld-based wireless communication devices including an International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) terminal that provides a mobile communication service, and includes a Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA) module and a Bluetooth device. Module, infrared It may be provided with a predetermined communication module such as a wireless communication device equipped with a GPS chip to enable location tracking through a new module (IrDA), a wired / wireless LAN card, and a GPS. By mounting, it is interpreted as the concept of collectively a terminal having a predetermined computing power.

5 is a view showing the configuration of the portable terminal implemented using a mobile phone which is a kind of mobile communication terminal according to the present embodiment. The portable terminal of the present embodiment includes a mobile phone memory 510, a mobile phone user input unit 520, a mobile phone controller 530, a mobile phone user output unit 540, an RF signal transceiver 550, and an antenna 560.

The mobile phone memory 510 of the figure is a data storage device built into a mobile phone, and generally employs a flash memory. The mobile phone memory 510 stores product information input from the mobile phone user input unit 520 in association with ID information of the identification tag attached to the product.

The mobile phone controller 530 controls mobile phone components such as a mobile phone memory 510, a mobile phone user input unit 520, a mobile phone user output unit 540, and an RF signal transceiver 550 and executes a mobile phone driving program command. Means a circuit device including a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and the like. The mobile phone controller 530 retrieves the item information stored in the mobile phone memory 510 according to a user's request, or detects whether the mobile phone controller 510 is separated from an item having a radio frequency identification tag, and transmits it to the user through the mobile phone user output unit 540. You can print a message. The output message may be delivered to the user in a visual, audio, or tactile form. For this purpose, the mobile phone user output unit 540 may include a display device, a light emitting device (LED), a voice output device, a buzzer, And a mobile phone vibration device.

The RF signal transceiver 550 may include a baseband processor for processing a baseband signal of a mobile phone, an RF signal modulator and a demodulator for converting digital data from an RF signal. The RF signal transceiver 550 may transmit an RF call signal from a mobile phone to a radio frequency identification tag attached to each article or receive an RF response signal transmitted from the identification tag. The RF call signal and the RF response signal include ID information unique to each identification tag.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration diagram of a portable terminal that registers ID information and article information of a radio frequency identification tag and manages articles by using the registered information.

Referring to FIG. 6, the portable terminal according to the present embodiment further includes a register 670 in addition to the components of the portable terminal of FIG. 4. In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, an example of enabling additional registration of a searched article is described by inputting ID information for a new article using a portable terminal. As an example of additional registration, there is a manual registration in which ID information of a radio frequency identification tag attached to an article to be registered by a user is directly inputted to the database through the input unit 620 together with the article name (article information). As another example, when the radio frequency identification tag is located near the portable terminal, ID information is automatically received from the radio frequency identification tag, and a user name (article information) corresponding to the received ID information is stored in the database. There is an automatic registration where registration is completed by input.

For automatic registration, the registration unit 670 of the portable terminal receives the RF registration signal from the identification tag attached to the article. The RF registration signal includes ID information uniquely assigned to the identification tag. When the portable terminal receives the RF registration signal from the identification tag, the registration unit 670 receives the product information corresponding to the ID information included in the received RF registration signal from the user, it is input to the database of the storage unit 610 Save it.

As such, when the automatic registration is used, the user does not need to input ID information corresponding to the tag, and there is an advantage that the search item can be easily registered by simply inputting only the tag name of the tag.

As one embodiment for article registration, it is possible to make article registration easier by layering ID information of a tag and registering the layered ID information for each layer. 7 shows an example of layered ID information. According to FIG. 7, when a plurality of radio frequency identification tags are sold in one box unit, each tag 720 included in the box may have upper layer ID information assigned to the tag box 710 itself, that is, box ID information. 730 is shared, and in addition, ID information of a lower layer is individually allocated. Thus, by combining the ID information of the lower layer and the ID information of the upper layer, it is possible to build one complete ID information for each tag. In Fig. 7, the ID number of the upper layer "051120 1530 30" exists as unique ID information of the box, and again "001", "002", "003",... An example in which lower layer ID information such as the above is allocated is shown. Therefore, as the ID information for each tag, "051120 1530 30 001", "051120 1530 30 002",... Etc. are given sequentially. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in determining the ID information of the upper layer and the lower layer, various criteria such as a manufacturing date of a tag and a use purpose may be applied.

In addition, in FIG. 7, ID information of a higher layer is received as an RF registration signal and automatically registered from a radio frequency identification tag, and ID information and article information of a lower layer are received from a user by manual registration. And ID information of the lower layer may be associated with each other and stored as one item ID information.

Through such a hierarchical process of ID information, it is possible to easily manage goods by sharing some ID information for tags having similar attributes. Alternatively, it can be used as an index for inferring tag attributes (manufacturing date) through shared ID information. Furthermore, the common ID information can be replaced with one tag box ID input instead of inputting each item for each item registration, thereby simplifying the registration process.

In the above embodiment, only the layering of the ID box between the tag box including the plurality of radio frequency identification tags and each identification tag belonging to the box is described as an example, but the ID information of the article is associated with each other in a manner other than the layering. The technical idea of the present invention may be applied to a method stored in a database. As another embodiment, the article information may have a plurality of attribute fields such as a manufacture date, an owner, and a use, in addition to the article name, and the database may be a relational database ( And a portable terminal composed of an R-DB, a relational database. The portable terminal according to the present embodiment may sort or group the registered articles according to each item information input in the plurality of attribute fields in various ways, according to the sorted order or the generated group by the above method. You can search, modify and monitor your registered items. The sorting and group creation may be performed statically at the time of item information input, but may also be performed dynamically prior to each search, modification, and monitor operation.

As such, the portable terminal in which ID information is layered or organized and stored in a database improves the ease of goods management, reduces the human and material costs required for management, and improves the overall efficiency of the goods management system. Can be imported.

8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable terminal for monitoring an article having a radio frequency identification tag by determining whether the article is attached to the radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the embodiment further includes a monitor signal transmitter 840, a monitor response signal receiver 850, and a monitor result output unit 880. The monitor signal transmitter may include a modulator for modulating digital data into an RF monitor signal. The monitor response signal receiver may include a demodulator for demodulating the received RF monitor response signal into digital data.

The portable terminal transmits a monitor signal including ID information of an identification tag attached to an article to be monitored to determine whether to separate the radio frequency identification tag at a predetermined period to the identification tag. The predetermined period may be a fixed period or a variable period. In addition, the RF monitor signal should be composed of data distinguished from the RF call signal for calling the radio frequency identification tag to generate a response message from the identification tag. For example, when the message packet of the monitor signal and the call signal includes a header, a class ID indicating the type of a message, ID information of an identification tag attached to an article, and a footer, the monitor signal and the RF The call signal may not include the same data in the class ID part. However, the rest of the data may be the same.

The monitor response signal transmitted from the identification tag in response to the monitor signal is received through a monitor response signal receiver, and the monitor response signal includes ID information of the identification tag. When the monitor response signal is not received under a predetermined condition, the portable terminal determines that the article attached with the identification tag is out of the monitor radius and outputs the monitor result to the monitor result output unit 880. The predetermined condition is a case in which the monitor response signal is not continuously received for a predetermined time, when it is not continuously received for a predetermined number of times, when it is discontinuously received in a specific pattern, or when data contaminated with a specific pattern is received. It may include.

The monitor result output unit 880 may include a display device, a light emitting device (LED), a voice output device, a buzzer, or a vibration device, and may be visually displayed to the user through the monitor result output unit 880. Monitor results can be output in audible, auditory, or tactile form.

The monitor signal may be transmitted separately for a plurality of registered articles. In this case, the plurality of monitor signals transmitted for the plurality of items include ID information corresponding to the plurality of items, and may be time-divisionally transmitted.

The monitor signal may be transmitted for some as well as all of a plurality of registered articles. For this purpose, it is possible to configure the monitor state for each registered article to be on / off, and transmit the monitor signal only for the article whose monitor state is on-state.

 9 to 15 illustrate examples of an article management method using a radio frequency identification tag in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention. Hereinafter, it will be described in detail.

9 is a diagram illustrating a menu screen for the article management function among the main functions of the mobile communication terminal. The mobile communication terminal according to the present invention includes a menu of various functions such as a mail menu, a message menu, a schedule management menu, and the like, in addition to an article management menu. Selecting "Personal Goods Management" in the main function menu 910 brings up a goods management screen 920. In this screen, menus for the four functions are provided.

In the "article search" menu, it is possible to search for tagged articles for registered articles. In the "Item Registration" menu, ID information unique to a tag attached to each item can be registered together with the item information. The "Registration Status" menu provides a status inquiry function of the goods registered in the mobile communication terminal, and the "Monitoring" menu determines the distance from the mobile communication terminal with respect to some of the registered items so that the monitor result can be output. do.

Fig. 10 shows an example of a more detailed submenu configuration when the "item search" menu is selected. The name of the item to be searched may be directly input in the input window 1011, or the list 1020 of registered items may be provided to the user, and the user may select the item to be searched from the list as a mobile key of the mobile phone. After completing the entry or selection of the search article name, clicking the "Search" button causes the light emitting element (LED) or the alarm sound transmitting means (buzzer) of the tag attached to the article to react.

11 to 13 show an example of a more detailed submenu configuration when the "item registration" menu is selected. 11 is a submenu structure when "manual registration" is selected in the item registration menu, FIG. 12 is a submenu structure when "automatic registration" is selected in the item registration menu, and FIG. Is a diagram illustrating a submenu configuration in the case of selecting. It will be described in detail below.

Referring to FIG. 11, the manual registration menu displays a window for inputting a unique number which is ID information of a radio frequency identification tag attached to an article and a window for inputting article name (article information) (1120). In the manual registration, both the unique number (ID information) and the item name (article information) are input from the user through the input unit 620 (1130). When finished, press the "Register" button to register the item.

12 shows the auto registration menu screen. When the auto registration menu is selected, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention receives ID information included in the RF registration signal transmitted from the radio frequency identification tag at the closest distance and displays the ID information in the unique number input window (1221). The user inputs a product name (article information) with an identification tag corresponding to the displayed unique number (ID information) (1230). When finished, press the "Register" button to register the item.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a tag box registration menu screen for registering tag box ID information, which is an example of higher layer ID information, as an example of a mobile communication terminal including a registration unit that registers ID information hierarchically. The box tag registration menu includes a box unique number input window 1321 for inputting a box unique number (box ID information). After inputting to the input window 1321, a unique ID information may be input to each identification tag except for the box unique number through the item registration screen 1330. Unlike when entering, for example, "051120 1530 30 001" as ID information of the identification tag in the manual registration menu when the box tag is not registered, when the box tag ID information "051120 1530 30" is entered, it is attached to the article. It is only necessary to input "001" as ID information of the tagged tag (1330). In this way, the user input process required for the item registration is simplified by stratifying the ID information.

Fig. 14 shows an example of a more detailed submenu configuration when the "Registration Status" menu is selected. Selecting "tag registration status" in the menu, a list of items registered in the mobile communication terminal appears on the screen. If you select "My Wallet", the registration date and ID information of the tag are displayed on the screen.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a more detailed submenu configuration when the "Monitoring" menu is selected. In the monitoring menu, it is possible to set the status of the monitoring whether the space for each registered item on / off-state. FIG. 15 illustrates a process of changing a monitor state of an item selected on the screen 1520 when “my wallet” is selected from the list of registered items displayed on the screen. In addition, the screen 1530 of changing the off-state to the on-state using the input unit 620 of the mobile communication terminal can be seen in the figure.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an article database for managing household goods using a radio frequency identification tag in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the article database includes article information and radio frequency identification attached to each article. Contains unique ID information of the tag.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 16, a process of searching for an item that a user wants to find through the portable terminal 400 at home will be described.

The portable terminal 400 receives item information to be searched through the input unit 420 from the user. The item information is an item that a user wants to use right now, but frequently forgets its location, such as a "remote control", as shown in FIG. 16. More specifically, the type of remote control (TV remote control, audio remote control, video remote control) ) May be input. ID information corresponding to the article information is prioritized as a unique ID to the radio frequency identification tag to which the household article is attached by ranking according to the frequency frequently used by the user among household articles as shown in FIG. 16. If the user knows ID information about household items that are frequently used, the ID information may be directly input. However, in general, since the user usually does not correctly remember the ID information of the household goods, the portable terminal 400 receives the product information (for example, the name of the article) from the user through the input unit 420, and searches. The storage unit 410 searches for the first ID information that matches the item information in the unit 430. For example, when a user wants to find a TV remote control, the user inputs the item information on the TV remote control directly through the input unit 420 of the portable terminal 400 or directly inputs or selects the ID information (for example, 001). Enter the request. Then, the portable terminal 400 outputs the first ID information searched corresponding to the article information, the input ID information, and the article information.

As another example, when a list of items is provided to the user, the user may check the output list of the item information, and then select item information to be found from the list and input the item information. The modulator 440 modulates the first ID information into an RF call signal, and then transmits the modulated signal to the radio frequency identification tag through the antenna 460 via the transmitter 450.

When the radio frequency identification tag is attached to the TV remote control, for example, the tag stores the second ID information 001 and receives an RF call signal transmitted from the portable terminal 400. The radio frequency identification tag outputs a call response message for notifying a user of the location of the TV remote controller according to the second ID information when the first ID information included in the RF call signal is "001". The radio frequency identification tag is a call answering message that alerts the user to the TV remote control by sending an alarm through the buzzer or by flashing the small lamp (on / off at regular time intervals) or by turning on the small lamp at the same time. You can easily tell the location of.

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, there is an advantage in that the user can quickly find the position of the household goods by using the portable terminal.

17 is a diagram illustrating a database for managing books in a book management system according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 17, types of books (eg, domestic novels, foreign novels, and poems) are classified according to book information, and IDs of radio frequency identification tags attached to each book according to the sorted books are classified. Information (eg, 11-0001, 12-0001, 21-0001) can be variously assigned. For example, if the type of book is a domestic novel, it is classified as "11", if the kind of the book is a foreign novel, it is classified as "12", and if the kind of book is a poem, it is classified as "21". The administrator may designate the ID information according to various criteria such as the order of purchase of the books again or the alphabetical order of the titles of the books or the alphabetical order of the author names of the books.

In addition, the message output unit 336 in the book management system does not output an alarm when outputting the call response message, instead of the book to be searched for the administrator by continuously turning on / off the small lamp at a predetermined time interval Tells the location of.

As such, the book management system using the radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention can easily find a book to be searched without the administrator directly scanning one by one, thereby reducing the time of book search.

18 is a flowchart illustrating a method of managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag in an article management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 18, in step 1811, the management server allocates ID information (second ID information), which is a unique ID, to a radio frequency identification tag attached to each item to be managed, and assigns the ID information to the radio frequency identification tag. Store in the frequency identification tag. In step 1812, the management server maintains a database that records first ID information corresponding to article information for all articles to be retrieved. In step 1813, the management server receives the item information about the item to be retrieved from the manager. In step 1814, the management server retrieves first ID information corresponding to the article information. The management server outputs the approximate location information of the radio frequency identification tag corresponding to the retrieved article information. In operation 1815, the management server modulates the first ID information into an RF call signal through a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag and transmits the radio frequency identification tag to the radio frequency identification tag.

In step 1821, the radio frequency identification tag stores unique ID information (second ID information) assigned from the management server in the memory means. In step 1822, the radio frequency identification tag receives first identification information through the RF call signal transmitted from the reader. In operation 1823, the radio frequency identification tag compares first ID information with the second ID information. In operation 1824, it is determined whether the first ID information and the second ID information match according to the comparison result. If the first ID information and the second ID information match, in step 1825, the radio frequency identification tag outputs a call response message in response to the RF call signal. The call response message may be an acoustic positioning message by sending an alarm sound through a buzzer or a speaker, or a visual positioning message as the light emitting device is turned on or the light emitting device is turned on / off at a predetermined time interval. have.

Embodiments of the invention include a computer readable medium containing program instructions for performing various computer-implemented operations. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic-optical media such as floppy disks, and ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute the same program instructions are included. The medium may be a transmission medium such as an optical or metal wire, a waveguide, or the like including a carrier wave for transmitting a signal specifying a program command, a data structure, or the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described so far, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims below, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, the present invention has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, which can be variously modified and modified by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Modifications are possible. Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should be understood only by the claims set forth below, and all equivalent or equivalent modifications thereof will belong to the scope of the present invention.

As can be seen from the above description, according to the present invention, a search target can be easily searched by providing a radio frequency identification tag for searching a target to be managed, a system using the radio frequency identification tag, and a method thereof.

Further, according to the present invention, by providing a portable terminal for searching for and managing an article with a radio frequency identification tag, the article information or article can be searched more quickly at the position where the article is placed.

In addition, according to the present invention, by providing a radio frequency identification tag for outputting a visual message to determine the location of the article, a system and a method for managing the article using the radio frequency identification tag to provide a method of The location can be identified more accurately.

In addition, according to the present invention, by providing a radio frequency identification tag, an article management system using a radio frequency identification tag and a method for outputting an audio message to inform the location of the article, the administrator can quickly determine the location of the article Article management can be made more smoothly.

In addition, the book management system using the radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce the time of book search because the administrator can easily find the book to be searched without scanning one by one.

In addition, a portable terminal, which is a household appliance search apparatus using a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention, has an advantage of allowing a user to quickly identify a position of household articles.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a portable terminal configured as a mobile communication terminal for managing an article using a radio frequency identification tag, costs associated with the development and production of the portable terminal by using the resources of the existing mobile communication terminal In addition, the user can shorten the time and effort, reduce the inconvenience of having to carry a separate terminal, and make the user more familiar with the user by not having to learn additional terminal operations.

In addition, the portable terminal including the article information registration unit according to an embodiment of the present invention facilitates a process of registering ID information and article information of the radio frequency identification tag by automating, organizing, and hierarchizing the registration procedure.

In addition, a portable terminal, which is a device for monitoring an article using a radio frequency identification tag according to an embodiment of the present invention, enables the article attached with the radio frequency identification tag to check whether the article deviates from the radius of the monitor. And accuracy can be increased.

Claims (15)

In the radio frequency identification tag, An antenna for receiving an RF call signal from a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag, the RF call signal including first identification information for calling the radio frequency identification tag; A demodulator for demodulating the RF call signal into digital data, the digital data including the first ID information; A storage unit storing second ID information uniquely allocated to each radio frequency identification tag; A message output unit which outputs a call response message for the RF call signal; And A control unit for controlling the message output unit to output the call response message when the first ID information and the second ID information are compared and matched. Radio frequency identification tag comprising a. The method of claim 1, And the message output unit includes alarm sound transmitting means for outputting an alarm sound as the call response message. The method of claim 1, The message output unit includes a light emitting device that is turned on or off in response to the RF call signal, And the control unit controls the message output unit to turn on or off the light emitting device when the first ID information and the second ID information match. The method of claim 1, And a modulator for modulating the call response message into an RF response signal. And transmitting the RF response signal to the reader through the antenna. A system for managing a plurality of articles using radio frequency identification tags, the system comprising: A management server managing the article via the radio frequency identification tag; A reader for reading the radio frequency identification tag; And Radio frequency identification tag attached to each item Including, The management server A storage unit for storing a database for recording first ID information for identifying an item to be managed; An input unit to receive product information about an item to be searched for from a user, wherein the item information includes a name of the item to be searched for; A search unit for searching for the first ID information corresponding to the article information through the database; And Transmitting unit for transmitting the first ID information to the reader Including, The reader Receiving unit for receiving the first ID information from the management server; A modulator for modulating the first ID information into an RF call signal; And An antenna for transmitting the RF call signal to the radio frequency identification tag Including, The radio frequency identification tag is A storage unit storing second ID information uniquely allocated to each radio frequency identification tag; A receiver which receives the RF call signal; A demodulator for demodulating the RF call signal into digital data, the digital data including the first ID information; A message output unit which outputs a call response message for the RF call signal; And A control unit for controlling the message output unit to output the call response message when the first ID information and the second ID information are compared and matched with each other; Article management system using a radio frequency identification tag comprising a. A portable terminal for managing a plurality of articles by using a radio frequency identification tag attached to each article, A storage unit which stores a database for recording the first ID information allocated to each article; An input unit to receive product information about an item to be searched for from a user; A search unit for searching for first ID information corresponding to the article information by referring to the database; A modulator for modulating the retrieved first ID information into an RF call signal, the RF call signal including the first ID information; And An antenna for transmitting the RF call signal to the radio frequency identification tag, The radio frequency identification tag receives the RF call signal and compares the first ID information with the second ID information, wherein the second ID information is uniquely assigned and stored for each radio frequency identification tag. Outputting a call response message for the RF call signal Portable terminal characterized in that. The portable terminal of claim 6, wherein the portable terminal is a mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 6, A register configured to receive an RF registration signal including the second ID information from the radio frequency identification tag, and store the received second ID information in association with the article information in the database. A portable terminal, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 6, The ID information is layered into upper layer ID information and lower layer ID information. The method of claim 8, And the registration unit receives third ID information and item information from a user, and stores the third ID information corresponding to the input item information in association with the second ID information in the database. The method of claim 6, A monitor signal transmitter configured to transmit a monitor signal for determining whether the radio frequency identification tag is separated from the radio frequency identification tag; A monitor response signal receiver for receiving a monitor response signal transmitted as a response to the monitor signal from the radio frequency identification tag; And A monitor result output unit which outputs a monitor result when the monitor response signal is not received under a predetermined condition; A portable terminal, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 11, And the monitor signal transmitter separately transmits the monitor signal to a plurality of radio frequency identification tags. A method of managing a plurality of articles with a radio frequency identification tag, the method comprising: Maintaining a database for respectively recording first ID information corresponding to each article; Receiving item information on an item to be searched for from a user; Searching for the first ID information corresponding to the article information by referring to the database; And Transmitting an RF call signal including the first ID information to each radio frequency identification tag through a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag. Including, The RF ID signal is stored in each radio frequency identification tag, the RF call signal is received from the reader, and the RF call is compared when the first ID information and the second ID information are matched with each other. Item management method using a radio frequency identification tag, characterized in that for outputting a call response message for the signal. In the article management method through a radio frequency identification tag, Storing first identification information corresponding to the article to which the radio frequency identification tag is attached, in a memory; Receiving an RF call signal from a reader that reads the radio frequency identification tag, the RF call signal including second identification information corresponding to an article with a radio frequency identification tag to call; Demodulating the RF call signal into digital data, the digital data including the second ID information; Comparing the first ID information with the second ID information; And Outputting a call response message for the RF call signal to an output means when the ID information is matched according to a result of comparing the ID information, wherein the call response message outputs an alarm sound through a buzzer or a small lamp; Message to notify the administrator of the location of the goods by turning on / off- Article management method through a radio frequency identification tag comprising a. A computer-readable recording medium for recording a program for executing the method of claim 13 or 14 on a computer.

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