Indicating processing location of radio frequency tag

Abstract

The invention provides a coupling element (100) for indicating a processing position of at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D), the coupling element (100) comprising: a housing comprising an interior; a shield plate (10) forming an upper surface of the housing and including at least one sensing hole (15); the coupling element (100) is configured to generate an electromagnetic field for coupling with the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D); and at least one light source (50) disposed within the housing and configured to illuminate an interior of the housing. Wherein the coupling element (100) is configured to process the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) located within the induction aperture (15) such that the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) is coupled with the coupling element by an electromagnetic field, and to control the at least one light source (50) in dependence on the time of processing of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The present disclosure relates to a coupling element, an apparatus, a computer program and a method for indicating and optionally adjusting the processing position of one or more RFID tags on a production line. Background Art

[0002] RFID tags are processed during their production process, for example, they are tested to detect and mark defective tags. Defects can be detected by measuring the performance of the RFID tags. For example, the measured frequency response indicates the sensitivity and radio frequency bandwidth of the RFID tag. At the end of the production process, the RFID tags are usually encoded with the correct data content, settings and passwords. Summary of the invention

[0003] Handling RFID tags as they move along the production lane can be challenging because of the need to test them while maintaining production speed.

[0004] In the present disclosure, a coupling element, an apparatus, a computer program and a method for indicating a processing position of an RFID tag are provided. The processing position of the RFID tag, such as a test position and / or an encoding position, can be detected by indicating.

[0005] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claim. Some particular embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect, a coupling element is provided for indicating a processing position of at least one RFID tag, comprising: a housing including an interior; a shielding plate forming an upper surface of the housing and comprising at least one sensing hole; the coupling element is configured to generate an electromagnetic field for coupling with the at least one RFID tag; and at least one light source is arranged in the housing and configured to illuminate the interior of the housing. The coupling element is configured to process the at least one RFID tag located in the sensing hole so that the at least one RFID tag is coupled to the coupling element through the electromagnetic field, and the at least one light source is controlled according to the time of processing of the at least one RFID tag.

[0007] According to a second aspect, there is provided an apparatus for indicating a processed position of an RFID tag, comprising the coupling element as described in the first aspect.

[0008] According to a third aspect, a method for indicating a processing position of at least one RFID tag is provided, comprising: processing at least one RFID tag within a sensing hole located at an upper surface of a coupling element so that the at least one RFID tag is coupled to the coupling element through an electromagnetic field, and controlling at least one light source arranged in a housing of the coupling element according to the processing time of the at least one RFID tag.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program is provided, which is configured to cause an apparatus according to the second aspect to perform a method according to the third aspect. The computer program may be a non-tangible computer program. The computer program may include a non-tangible memory configured to store executable instructions.

[0010] The at least one light source includes at least one of the following: at least one light emitting diode, a light emitting diode array, a flash light, or a strobe light. The at least one light source is arranged to illuminate at least one RFID tag located in the sensing hole. The light emitted by the at least one light source is configured to be reflected from the interior of the housing, and the reflected light is configured to illuminate the at least one RFID tag in the sensing hole. The at least one light source is controlled according to at least one of the following: a start signal for processing of the at least one RFID tag; an end signal for processing of the at least one RFID tag; a starting position of the at least one RFID tag; and a predetermined signal pattern or instruction. The at least one light source includes a colored light configured to indicate the status of the RFID tag in response to different measurement and / or processing results.

[0011] The coupling element is configured to process the RFID tags continuously fed into the sensing hole, wherein the illuminated RFID tags are indicated and / or detected. The coupling element is configured to process the continuous RFID tags and illuminate the continuous RFID tags to indicate whether the position of the continuous RFID tags relative to the sensing hole is stable or unstable.

[0012] The coupling element is configured to adjust the movement speed of the at least one processed RFID tag relative to the sensing hole according to the indicated position of the at least one processed RFID tag relative to the sensing hole. The coupling element is configured to adjust the start time of the processing or the start position of the at least one processed RFID tag according to the indicated position of the at least one processed RFID tag relative to the sensing hole.

[0013] In response to the coupling element receiving a start signal of the process, the at least one light source is turned on for a predetermined time period. In response to the coupling element receiving an end signal of the process, the at least one light source is turned on for a predetermined time period. In response to the coupling element receiving a predetermined signal pattern or instruction, the at least one light source is turned on for a predetermined time period.

[0014] The at least one light source is controlled by adjusting the duration of illumination relative to the speed of movement of the at least one RFID tag.

[0015] The coupling element is configured to be controlled by a controller. The controller may be integrated into the coupling element, or connected thereto. The controller may be configured to indicate and / or detect at least one of the following: the position of at least one or a continuous illuminated RFID tag relative to the sensing hole; the stability or instability of the position of the continuous illuminated RFID tags relative to the sensing hole. The controller may be configured to detect the position based on image data of the illuminated RFID tag on the sensing hole, which image data may be captured by a camera. The controller may be configured to send a control signal, which is configured to adjust the speed of at least one RFID tag or a continuous RFID tag based on the indicated and / or detected position or unstable position of the illuminated RFID tag relative to the sensing hole. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1A and 1B shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary coupling device according to at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0017] Figures 2A-2D and Figure 3 Schematic diagrams showing exemplary coupling devices and exemplary RFID tag rolls according to at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 Exemplary apparatus capable of supporting at least some embodiments of the present invention are shown;

[0019] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary system according to at least some embodiments of the present invention; and

[0020] Figure 6 Exemplary methods in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The coupling element uses an appropriate electromagnetic field to couple with the RFID tag. The coupling can be used to process the RFID tag, which may include performing at least one of the following tasks: powering on, activating, identifying, testing or encoding the RFID tag; and / or, reading RFID tag data. An electromagnetic field suitable for coupling with an RFID tag may refer to an electromagnetic field that is compatible with the RFID tag, or an electromagnetic field that couples with the RFID tag, or an electromagnetic field that matches the RFID tag, or an electromagnetic field that communicates with the RFID tag. For adaptability and / or conversion, one or more of the following parameters can be adjusted: field polarization, field concentration, RFID tag detuning based on loading, electromagnetic field type, differential field separation, etc.

[0022] RFID tags can be so-called "wet inlays" (with adhesive backing) or "dry inlays" (without adhesive backing). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films can be used as substrates for RFID tags.

[0023] It should be noted that the movement of the RFID tags can be carried out along an appropriate conveyor belt or an appropriately arranged plane. RFID tags are generally provided in the form of RFID tag rolls. The RFID tags in a roll can be arranged in a continuous line, or multiple RFID tags in a roll can be arranged in parallel on their respective channels. The methods and devices herein are suitable for processing multiple channels, and ideally, a coupling element is allocated to each channel. As an alternative or in addition, the sensing holes and electrodes can also be configured to use a single multi-channel coupling element to process multiple channels.

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a top view of a coupling element suitable for coupling with an RFID tag. The coupling element 100 includes a housing and an interior surrounded by the housing. The top of the coupling element 100 includes a shielding plate 10. The shielding plate 10 may constitute the top side of the housing, or may be connected to the housing, for example, using a magnet. The housing and / or the shielding plate 10 may be conductive. The shielding plate 10 has at least one opening, wherein the at least one opening is a through hole. The opening is referred to as a sensing hole 15. A plurality of sensing holes 15 may be arranged on the shielding plate 10. The size of the sensing hole 15 may be selected according to the size of the RFID tag to be processed so that the sensing hole 15 is only slightly larger than the RFID tag to be processed (for example, 4-8 mm larger on each side). The speed of the production channel and the distance between two adjacent RFID tags will affect the size of the sensing hole 15. The size of the sensing hole 15 may be selected so that there is at least a 2 mm gap between the antenna of the RFID tag and the sensing hole 15 during the power-on and communication stages. The sensing hole 15 may be used for any operation related to the RFID tag.

[0025] The coupling element 100 comprises an electrode plate 30, which is arranged in the housing of the coupling element 100. The electrode plate 30 has a top surface 31 and a bottom surface 32. In addition, an electrode 33 is arranged on the electrode plate 30, which is arranged, for example, on the bottom surface 32. The electrode is connected to a controller of the coupling element, which is located in the housing. The electrode plate 30 may, for example, include a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0026] The top surface 31 of the electrode plate 30 is arranged to face the sensing hole 15. The top surface 31 of the electrode plate can be white and / or matte. Such a configuration helps to illuminate the RFID tag in the sensing hole.

[0027] The coupling element 100 includes at least one light source 50. The light source 50 is arranged in the housing, preferably above the electrode plate 30 and / or below the shielding plate 10. The light source 50 is oriented so that the main direction of the light is parallel to the top surface 31 and / or the electrode plate 30, so as to obtain diffuse light in the sensing hole 15. This can avoid directly seeing the light through the sensing hole 15 from the outside of the housing. The light source 50 can be configured to illuminate the interior 100A of the housing of the coupling element (i.e., the area inside the sensing hole). The interior 100A and / or the inner surface of the coupling element 100 can be light-colored, white and / or matte. The interior 100A and / or the inner surface of the coupling element 100 can generate secondary, uniform, indirect light toward the sensing hole 15. The secondary indirect light can be emitted (by the light source 50) to the sensing hole 15, while no direct light (from the light source 50) is emitted to the sensing hole 15.

[0028] The light source 50 may include a plurality of LED lamps, for example, 3-12 LED lamps, for example, 6 LED lamps. Suitable LED lamps include high-power and / or high-output LED lamps, etc. These lamps may be arranged inside the shell, below the periphery of the sensing hole, for example, on at least two sides of a rectangle formed inside the shell. When the light source 50 is composed of a plurality of light sources such as LED lamps, different types of lamps may be used. For example, the lamps may have different colors, so that lamps of specific colors may be used to indicate the status of the RFID tag according to different measurement and / or processing results. For example, the light source 50 may include 4 white lights, 2 red lights (used to indicate that the processing result is in a bad state), and 2 green lights (used to indicate that the processing result is in a good state).

[0029] In one embodiment, the light source 50 includes at least one infrared light source. Infrared light is visible to typical cameras and machine vision. No special camera equipment is required to achieve visualization. In addition, the brightness or flicker of the infrared light will not cause irritation to the outside world (such as an operator).

[0030] The coupling element 100 may also include connectors for data, power, and radio frequency signals. For example, the element 100 may include a coaxial connection and an Ethernet connection.

[0031] The electrode plate 30 in FIG. 1 may be replaced by a device for generating an electromagnetic field coupled to at least one RFID tag. The generation of the coupled electromagnetic field may include electrodes, coils and / or transmission lines. The electrode plate 30 in FIG. 1 may take other forms or shapes, such as a wire, a cord or an arch. The coupling element in FIG. 1 is only an example, and other types of coupling elements may also be used. The rectangular shape of the coupling element may be replaced by other shapes.

[0032] Figure 2A A coupling element and a roll of RFID tags are shown. The coupling element 100 is in a state of being viewed from above. A label roll 990 is located above the coupling element and includes an RFID tag 997. The label roll 990 may include a plurality of RFID tags, for example, hundreds of RFID tags. Figure 2A The arrows on the middle tag roll 990 are for illustration purposes only and indicate that the RFID tags move from left to right on the coupling element 100 .

[0033] The RFID tag 997 to be processed is usually a part of the RFID tag roll 990, which moves on the coupling element 100 and the sensing hole 15 so as to slide toward the sensing hole 15 on the portion of the plate 10 of the coupling element 100 and hang on the portion of the sensing hole 15 of the coupling element 100. Finally, after the RFID tag moves forward through the sensing hole 15, the RFID tag slides over the portion of the plate 10 again, as shown in FIG. Figure 2A shown.

[0034] RFID tags include a chip, an antenna, and a substrate. The RFID tag substrate is a carrier that holds the RFID chip and antenna together. The RFID tag antenna can be deposited or printed on the substrate, and the RFID chip is attached to the antenna. The inlay includes the chip and the antenna attached to the substrate. The inlay and substrate can be translucent.

[0035] Figure 2B A coupling device and a roll of RFID tags are shown. The light source 50 illuminates the RFID tag roll 990. The light source 50 is advantageously configured to turn on and off and provide illumination through the sensing aperture 15. Figure 2B , the RFID tag entering the sensing hole 15 is illuminated. The light source 50 can be configured to be turned on and / or off by a controller, which is connected to the light source 50 and the coupling element 100. Figure 2B990 is illuminated due to the switching on of the light source 50. The light emitted by the light source 50 at least partially passes through the inlay of the RFID tag, forming a visible outline of the antenna of the RFID tag 997. In this way, a visual indication of the RFID tag 997 is provided, wherein, for example, the outline of the antenna of the RFID tag 997 is visible. If the duration of the illumination is short enough relative to the conveying speed of the label material, the illuminated RFID tags appear to be stationary, so that their position is easily perceived when illuminated. The conditions achieved by the illumination allow for good image quality, even when using a lower quality camera system without any triggering function.

[0036] The RFID tag moves forward through the sensing hole. During this period, the RFID tag can be processed by coupling with the RFID tag through a coupling element. Processing tasks during coupling may include, for example, powering the RFID tag, activating the RFID tag, identifying the RFID tag, reading data of the RFID tag, testing the RFID tag and / or encoding the RFID tag. Processing may include testing and / or encoding the RFID tag. During processing, the RFID tag may move, for example, 1 cm. For example, the speed of the RFID tag roll may be 1 meter per second, where 1 millisecond is equivalent to the RFID tag roll moving 1 mm.

[0037] If the coupling between the RFID tag and the coupling device has been established and the predetermined task has been successfully performed, the overall processing result is positive. The light source 50 can be controlled accordingly to indicate the positive processing result of the RFID tag. If the result is negative, the indicating light source 50 can be controlled to indicate the negative processing result of the RFID tag. For example, green and red lights or different light patterns can be used to instantly and intuitively display the processing result.

[0038] Figure 2C A coupling element and a roll of RFID tags are shown. Figure 2C In the embodiment, the light source 50 is turned off after a predetermined period of time. Turning off the light source is beneficial, at least because if the light source is turned off, then turning on the light source means an event, for example, to the machine vision system or the operator.

[0039] Figure 2D It is shown that the light source 50 is turned on at a stage where the RFID tag 997 is away from the sensing hole 15. After the RFID tag passes through the sensing hole 15, the coupling element 100 cannot communicate with the RFID tag.

[0040] like Figures 2A-2DAs shown, the RFID tag 997 is arranged to pass along the surface of the coupling element 100, wherein the surface includes the sensing hole 15. The RFID tag 997 in the sensing hole 15 is processed by the coupling element 100. When the RFID tag 997 passes through the sensing hole 15, the coupling element 100 is used to process the RFID tag 997. During processing, the antenna of the RFID tag 997 is located in the sensing hole 15. The light source 50 is configured to be turned on and off alternately, and may include a strobe light, or may be configured to produce a strobe effect. The strobe light can produce regular flashes. The strobe light can flash hundreds of times per second. A controller can be configured to adjust the time and duration of the light source flashing. The strobe effect is produced by continuously illuminating consecutive RFID tags at the same position, so that the continuous movement of the RFID tags in a line will be displayed and detected as a continuous still image. A flash duration that is too short will be displayed and detected as insufficient luminous intensity, and a flash duration that is too long will be displayed and detected as an inaccurate, blurred and / or stretched image. The visual effect depends on the adjustment of the flash time and / or duration. In the processing channel, the strobe effect can be matched to the speed of the RFID tag, such as by shortening the illumination time to achieve faster movement, or keeping the light source on for a fixed amount of movement of the RFID tag so that the RFID tag is displayed and detected as a still image. In response to the processing results of the RFID tag, the pattern or color of the light can be changed. In this way, unqualified RFID tags can be visually detected from the RFID tags passing through. With this instant visual feedback, a simple camera or even an operator can be used to indicate and detect unqualified / qualified RFID tags.

[0041] It is possible to indicate how to place a moving RFID tag. For example, the position of the moving RFID tag relative to the sensing hole can be detected in a lateral direction relative to the movement of the RFID tag. Additionally or alternatively, the position of each RFID tag in the direction of movement of the RFID tag through the sensing hole can also be detected. Placing the RFID tag in the direction of movement affects the coupling of the RFID tag to the coupling device and / or the execution of the processing. Preferably, each RFID tag is processed online. With a static image of each RFID tag detected, subsequent RFID tags can then be placed relative to the sensing hole. The RFID tag is configured to be illuminated by a flash at the same time as the processing begins. In this way, the start time (or position in the sensing hole) of the online processing of each RFID tag can be tracked. The indicated processing start time can be adjusted according to the indicated position of the illuminated RFID tag relative to the sensing hole.

[0042] Figure 3RFID tags on a coupling device are shown. The coupling device 100 includes a light source 50. A bracket 990 including RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, and 998D is arranged to pass through the sensing hole 15 of the coupling device 100. The RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, and 998D pass through the sensing hole 15 one by one in succession. Each of the RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, and 998D will be processed during the time it is located on the coupling area formed by the sensing hole 15. The arrows indicate the moving direction of the RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, and 998D. The speed of the bracket 990 is adjusted according to the processing time so that each RFID tag 998A, 998B, 998C, and 998D can be processed in time when it moves over the sensing hole 15. The speed of the bracket 990 is affected by factors such as the type and size of the RFID tag and the size of the sensing hole 15. The flashing of the light source 50 can be adjusted to indicate the position of the moving RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, 998D on the sensing hole 15. Indicating the position of the moving RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, 998D can track the position of the RFID tags 998A, 998B, 998C, 998D relative to the sensing hole 15 at the beginning of the process. This makes it possible to indicate and detect that the subsequent process will begin to fail. For example, the position of the RFID tags 998C, 998D that start the process moves to the right end of the sensing hole 15 (i.e., away from the sensing hole 15), indicating that the progress of the process toward the subsequent RFID tags has failed. The process can be controlled so that it starts before the RFID tag is located in the middle of the sensing hole 15. The process can be controlled so that the middle point of the process duration occurs in the middle of the sensing hole. The start time of the treatment may be adjusted by the controller based on any of the following indications: the subsequent treatment is beginning to fail, or the RFID tag is moving to a non-optimal testing position, or the RFID tag is in a non-optimal treatment position.

[0043] The RFID tag has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading edge is the first part of the RFID tag to enter the sensing hole, and the trailing edge is the last part of the RFID tag to enter the sensing hole. For example, a start signal for processing can be provided by triggering a sensor. After receiving the start signal for processing, at least one light source is activated. In order to ensure that the RFID tag is located within the sensing hole, an offset, such as a gap distance, can be used. The offset can be pre-set to the distance and / or time of the RFID tag, which can be added after the start signal for processing is provided. The offset is configured to match the distance and / or time of the RFID tag reaching the sensing hole. This can be referred to as the starting position of the RFID tag. In response to the start signal for processing or the corresponding starting position of the RFID tag, at least one light source is activated. At least one light source can be set to flash. At least one light source can include a strobe light. The illuminated or strobed RFID tag can be indicated and / or detected as being located within (the area of) the sensing hole. The position of the illuminated or strobed RFID tag relative to the sensing hole can be indicated and / or detected. After the RFID tag (e.g., its leading edge, trailing edge, or midpoint) passes the center of the sensing hole, an end signal for processing can be received. Thereafter, the leading edge reaches the edge of the sensing hole. The RFID tag enters the sensing hole, moves along the direction of movement of the RFID tag, and then reaches the other side of the sensing hole, where the RFID tag leaves the sensing hole. Multiple RFID tags enter the sensing hole in sequence. Table 1 below illustrates how to control the start time of the test so that the midpoint of the test duration occurs in the middle of the sensing hole. The same applies to other processing of the RFID tag, including powering on, activating, identifying, encoding, and / or reading data from the RFID tag.

[0044] Table 1 Example times, RFID tag roll speed 1 meter per second

[0045] event Event time (ms) The rear edge of the RFID tag enters the sensing hole -12 The RFID tag is 2mm away from the edge of the sensing hole -10 After receiving the test start signal, the light source is turned on -9 Light off -8.8 The RFID tag is in the center of the sensing hole (reference) 0.0 Receive the end signal of the test 0 The front edge of the RFID tag has reached the edge of the sensing hole 12

[0046] Figure 4A coupling element is shown. The coupling element 200 includes a shielding plate 210 and a sensing hole 231 arranged on the top side of the coupling element 200, and a printed circuit board (PCB) 275 parallel to the top side. A corner member 274 is provided at the corner of the coupling element 200, which is located between the top side and the printed circuit board 275. The top side, the printed circuit board 275 and the corner member define the interior of the coupling element 200A. The light source 250 is arranged inside the coupling element 200A. The coupling element 200 includes an input / output (I / O) control port 271 (which can be configured as a signal connector) and a coaxial connector 272 (which can be a coaxial radio frequency connector for forming a connection with an external device). The coupling element 200 includes a switch 273 for selecting an operation mode. The corner member 274 can be arranged between the shielding plate 210 and the printed circuit board 275 (which can be a printed wiring board PWB), and is located at the four corners of the rectangular coupling element 200.

[0047] Figure 5 A system for processing RFID tags is shown. The system includes a controller 501. The controller may include a router and connector for Ethernet connection, one or more switches for operating mode selection, and connections for input / output (IO) of sensors and stations. The controller 501 can be connected to an operating device 501A, for example, via an Ethernet connection. The controller 501 can be connected to a trigger sensor 504, a rotary encoder 505, and processing stations 502, 503 (such as a test station, an encoding station) via a switch. The rotary encoder 505 can be an electromechanical device that can be configured to convert the angular position or movement of an axis or shaft into an analog or digital output signal. The rotary encoder 505 can be configured to control the speed and direction of multiple motion axes. The controller 501 includes a bidirectional data connection with processing stations 502, 503. For example, the number of processing stations 502, 503 can be 1-5. One processing station 502, 503 on each channel is sufficient. For example, when the same coupling system is used to process high frequency (HF) RFID tags and ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID tags, more than one processing station 502, 503 can be used. If more data needs to be collected without slowing down the movement of the RFID tags on the lane, multiple processing stations 502, 503 can be used. For example, the additional processing station 506 can be a test station for marking failed / bad RFID tags as indicated / detected by at least one processing station 502, 503 being a test station. One or more processing stations 502, 503 can be a test station, encoding station, activation station, identification station, charging station, reading station, or similar processing station for RFID tags.

[0048] Figure 5The system in the embodiment includes a camera 60, which can be used to capture images or illuminate and image the RFID tags during processing. The system can include multiple cameras. The controller can detect the location of at least one or more RFID tags from the image data.

[0049] like Figure 1A and 1B As mentioned above, the controller may be part of the coupling element or integrated into the coupling element. Additionally or alternatively, the coupling element may also be connected to a separate controller, such as Figure 5 As shown. The controller is configured to detect the position of the RFID tag or a series of RFID tags relative to the sensing hole, for example, from the image data captured by the camera. Software or executable instructions can be used to indicate and / or detect the position of the RFID tag based on the image data. Different types of coupling elements are suitable for the purposes described in the present application.

[0050] Adjusting the starting point of the process (i.e., the correct relative position of the sensing aperture to the RFID tag advancing along a channel) can be difficult because the coupling can depend on the speed of the RFID tag and the type of coupling formed between the coupling element and the RFID tag, which in turn depends on the operation being performed, the size and spacing of the RFID tags, etc. The present disclosure provides a method for indicating and optionally adjusting the connection point of each RFID tag in a roll of RFID tags advancing along a channel.

[0051] Figure 6 An exemplary method according to at least some embodiments of the present invention is shown. The method for connecting a coupling element to at least one RFID tag includes: in step 601, processing at least one RFID tag in a sensing hole of the coupling element so that the at least one RFID tag is coupled to the coupling element through an electromagnetic field; and in step 602, controlling at least one light source according to the time when the at least one RFID tag is processed. The coupling element may include: a shell, the shell including an interior; a shielding plate forming a top surface of the shell, the shielding plate including at least one sensing hole; a plate arranged inside the shell and below the sensing hole, the plate including a device for generating an electromagnetic field, the electromagnetic field configured to couple with at least one RFID tag; and at least one light source arranged inside the shell to illuminate the inside of the shell.

[0052] The method may include at least some or all of the following:

[0053] - Move the RFID tag in the sensing hole 15 of the coupling element 100 by at least one motor;

[0054] -Connect with RFID tag through electromagnetic field of coupling element;

[0055] - At the beginning of a process such as testing / encoding, a start signal of the process is received, and at least one light source 50 arranged near the sensing hole 15 is controlled so that the RFID tag is illuminated during a short movement (preferably less than 0.5 mm) of the RFID tag in the sensing hole 15 along the moving direction of the RFID tag, and the position of the RFID tag is indicated in a visual manner, such as by an operator, system, software and / or camera. The predetermined time period for the light source to flash can be, for example, 200 microseconds.

[0056] - When the end signal of the process is received, the indication / detection of the position of the RFID tag described above is repeated using the light source 50 .

[0057] - Verify that the RFID tag is already in the sensing hole at the start signal of the processing (which may be offset) and the end signal of the processing.

[0058] -If it has been shown / detected that the center position of the RFID tag relative to the sensing hole is ahead of the center point of the sensing hole, the offset for delayed triggering (after the start signal of the processing) can be increased in subsequent processing. In the opposite case, if it has been shown / detected that the center position of the RFID tag relative to the sensing hole exceeds the center point of the sensing hole, the offset for delayed triggering can be reduced. If both the starting position and the ending position of the RFID tag processing cannot correctly fit the aperture of the sensing hole, then the speed of the RFID tag is too high for the processing. In this case, the processing speed can be reduced or the number of processing times can be reduced.

[0059] The benefit of the above method is that the light source provides an indication when the RFID tag correctly enters the sensing hole. In this case, "correct" can be defined as, for example, a situation where the RFID tag is coupled to the coupling element and the coupling element is able to perform the selected process during the period when the RFID tag is in the sensing hole.

[0060] The method may further include: in response to the light source 50 being turned on, capturing image data or at least one image including the illuminated RFID tag, and indicating / detecting by the controller the position of the RFID tag relative to the sensing hole 15. The controller may be configured to detect the position of the illuminated RFID tag based on the image data.

[0061] The method may further include: adjusting the start time of the process by the controller. Preferably, the start time of the process can be adjusted so that the next RFID tag is correctly located in the sensing hole at the start (time) of the process. In addition, the position of the RFID tag and / or the rolling of the RFID tag can be tracked and controlled. This can provide accurate alignment based on the actual RFID tag performance measured from the coupling element, for example based on machine vision (photogrammetry from the obtained image).

[0062] The method may further include sending a signal to adjust the speed of the motor through the controller, preferably so that the movement of the RFID tag within the sensing hole can process the RFID tag. The speed of the motor used to move the RFID tag is preferably maintained at a level close to the production speed, but is also limited to a speed that is not too fast to process.

[0063] The method may further include turning on a light source 50 for a predetermined time period in response to the coupling element 100 receiving a signal to end the processing, wherein the light source is optionally arranged near the sensing hole 15. In this way, measurements and adjustments can be made based on the entry and exit of the RFID tag in the sensing hole. Obviously, adjustments can be made individually or collectively based on entry (start of processing) and exit (end of processing). In one embodiment, the motor speed is adjusted to enable processing of the RFID tag. As an alternative or in addition, the light source can be turned on or flashed in response to the coupling element receiving a predetermined signal pattern and / or instruction.

[0064] The coupling element may receive a signal pattern and / or instruction to trigger the flashing or turning on of the light source. The received signal pattern and / or instruction may include at least one of: a specific command of the RFID air interface protocol; a specific tag response of the RFID air interface protocol; a specific portion of the command, such as a pulse, pulse train, pilot tone, or preamble portion of the command; a threshold level of detected radio frequency carrier power; or a detected radio frequency carrier frequency.

[0065] In at least some embodiments, the RFID tags are continuously passed over the coupling element.The RFID tags may be arranged on a continuous support (eg, an insert, a tape, or a roll) that moves over the coupling element.

[0066] In at least some embodiments, the RFID tag moves about 1 centimeter during processing.

[0067] In at least some embodiments, the speed of the tape (roll) may be about 2 m / s. The roll / tape usually moves in a continuous manner. Successive RFID tags on the roll / tape pass through the sensing holes of the coupling element in sequence.

[0068] In general, the RFID tag in the sensing hole can be coupled to the inverse of the RFID tag feed frequency for about 50% of the total time (before a new RFID tag enters the sensing hole). Therefore, optimizing time (such as the start-up time or the time to start the process) is a problem that the present disclosure aims to solve. The size of the RFID tag, the size of the sensing hole and the duration of the process are all known. By providing a flashing light at the beginning of the process, the position of the tested RFID tag relative to the sensing hole can be indicated, so that it can be sensed and / or detected. This can also be done at the end of the process. Alternatively, one of the start and end times can also be calculated. The coupling element and / or the processing equipment may include a switch for selecting whether to illuminate at the start time of the process, the end time of the process or both times. Preferably, the duration of illumination is short compared to the moving speed of the RFID tag. This makes the illuminated RFID tag appear to be stationary. In other words, the illuminated RFID tag is indicated and detected as stationary. For example, the position of the RFID tag that is stationary when illuminated can be sensed or detected by an operator or using a simple camera system. When the above-mentioned multiple still images appear in the same position one after another, a stable image can be perceived. If the RFID tag fails to appear in a single stable image and appears to jitter, this indicates that the triggering of the process is unreliable. If the position and image of consecutive RFID tags appear stable, this indicates that the trigger sensing and its settings are normal. If the RFID tag fails during the process, does not produce a stable image, and jitter is felt in the processed RFID tags, this may indicate a problem with the triggering, sensing, or settings of the process, and not necessarily a problem with the RFID tag.

[0069] In some embodiments, multiple coupling elements are part of a channel system. In "multi-channel" embodiments, each channel has its own coupling element, or a single multi-channel coupling element is configured to handle multiple channels. In addition, in some embodiments, a single channel can have multiple coupling elements, such as one for encoding and one for processing, arranged one after the other.

[0070] Regarding controllers discussed herein, such as controllers of coupling elements, one type of controller may include, for example, at least one computing device, such as a server, a node, or a cloud computing device. The computing device includes a processor, which may include, for example, a single-core or multi-core processor, wherein a single-core processor includes one processing core and a multi-core processor includes more than one processing core. The processor may include more than one processor. For example, the processing core may include, for example, a Cortex-A8 processing core of ARM Holdings, or a Steamroller processing core produced by Advanced Micro Devices. For example, the processor may include at least one Qualcomm Snapdragon and / or Intel Core processor, etc. The processor may include at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor may include at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA). The processor may be a device that performs method steps in a computing device. The processor may be configured to perform operations at least in part by computer instructions.

[0071] In the context of the present disclosure, it is understood that the controller for the device can be composed of multiple devices that cooperate with each other. These devices can be connected via a network to facilitate communication with control devices, radiation devices, measuring devices, instruments, motors, gantry and other components. Available network technologies include: wireless local area network (WLAN), Ethernet, universal serial bus (USB) and / or world interoperable microwave access (WiMAX), standard and satellite communication methods, direct wiring (such as wires), etc. As an addition or alternative, a proprietary communication framework can also be used. In some embodiments, a separate network can be used for one or more of the following purposes: communication between control devices, communication between control devices and devices, and communication between controllers and servers, etc.

[0072] In some embodiments, a programmable logic controller (PLC) may be used as the controller. The IEC 61131 standard defines a programmable logic controller, but in the context of this disclosure, the term PLC is not limited to this standard. The PLC may be connected to the device in various ways, including but not limited to wires.

[0073] It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific structures, process steps or materials disclosed herein, but can be extended to equivalents thereof that can be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art. It should also be understood that the terms used herein are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not restrictive.

[0074] Throughout the specification, references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

[0075] Multiple items, structural elements, constituent elements and / or materials used in this article may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be interpreted as each component of the list being independently identified as a separate and unique component. Therefore, any single element of the list cannot be interpreted as equivalent to any other component of the same list simply based on their presentation in a common group without contrary indication. In addition, various embodiments and examples of the present invention may involve substitutes for various components therein. It should be understood that such embodiments, examples and substitutes should not be understood as actual equivalents of each other, but should be considered as independent and autonomous representations of the present invention.

[0076] In addition, the described features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable or technically feasible manner. In the description herein, many specific details, such as examples of length, width, shape, etc., are provided to facilitate a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the present invention can be practiced without one or more specific details, or with the use of other methods, components, materials, etc. In addition, in order to avoid obscuring various aspects of the present invention, known structures, materials or operations are not shown or described in detail.

[0077] Although the above examples illustrate the principles of the present invention in one or more specific applications, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of form, use and details can be made without paying creative effort and without departing from the principles and concepts of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited except by the appended claims.

[0078] The verbs "comprise" and "include" are used in this document as open limitations, which neither exclude nor require the presence of unrecited features. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other. Furthermore, it should be understood that the use of "a" or "an" (i.e., the singular form) throughout this document does not exclude the presence of a plurality.

[0079] Industrial Applicability

[0080] At least some embodiments of the present invention may find industrial application in RFID tag processing, such as testing and encoding.

[0081] Reference numerals list

[0082] 10,210 Shielding Plate

[0083] 15,231 sensor holes

[0084] 30 Electrode Plate

[0085] 31. Top surface of electrode plate

[0086] 32 Bottom of electrode plate

[0087] 33 Electrodes for generating coupling fields

[0088] 50,250 light sources

[0089] 100,200 coupling elements

[0090] 100A, 200A coupling element interior

[0091] 271 control port

[0092] 272 coaxial connection

[0093] 273 Switch

[0094] 274 Corner Components

[0095] 275 Printed Circuit Board

[0096] 501 Controller

[0097] 501A operating device

[0098] 502 Processing Station

[0099] 503 Processing Station

[0100] 504 trigger sensor

[0101] 505 Rotary Encoder

[0102] 506 Additional processing station

[0103] 60 cameras

[0104] 990RFID label roll

[0105] 997RFID tag

[0106] 998A-998D RFID Tags

[0107] Steps of the 601,602 method

Claims

1. A coupling element (100) configured to indicate a processing position of at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D), the coupling element (100) comprising: a housing, including an interior; A shielding plate (10), which forms the upper surface of the housing and includes at least one sensing hole (15); The coupling element (100) is configured to generate an electromagnetic field for coupling with the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D); as well as at least one light source (50) disposed within the housing and configured to illuminate the interior of the housing; wherein the coupling element (100) is configured to process the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) located in the sensing hole (15), so that the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) is coupled to the coupling element through the electromagnetic field; as well as The at least one light source (50) is controlled based on a time of processing of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D).

2. The coupling element according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one light source (50) comprises at least one of the following: at least one light emitting diode, a light emitting diode array, a flash lamp or a strobe lamp.

3. The coupling element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The at least one light source (50) is arranged to illuminate at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) located within the sensing aperture (15).

4. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The light emitted by the at least one light source (50) is configured to be reflected from the interior of the housing, and the reflected light is configured to illuminate at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) within the sensing hole (15).

5. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The at least one light source (50) is controlled according to at least one of: a start signal of processing of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D); an end signal of processing of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D); a starting location of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D); and a predetermined signal pattern or instruction.

6. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The at least one light source (50) includes a colored light configured to indicate a status of the RFID tag in response to different measurement and / or processing results.

7. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The coupling element is configured to process radio frequency identification tags (997, 998A-998D) continuously fed into the sensing aperture (15), wherein illuminated radio frequency identification tags (997, 998A-998D) are indicated and / or detected.

8. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The coupling element is configured to process and illuminate the consecutive RFID tags (997, 998A-998D) to indicate whether the position of the consecutive RFID tags (997, 998A-998D) relative to the sensing aperture (15) is stable or unstable.

9. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The coupling element is configured to adjust the movement speed of at least one processed radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) relative to the sensing hole (15) according to the indicated position of at least one processed radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D) relative to the sensing hole (15).

10. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The coupling element is configured to adjust the start time of the processing or the start position of the at least one processed RFID tag according to the indicated position of the at least one processed RFID tag (997, 998A-998D) relative to the sensing hole (15).

11. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The at least one light source (50) is turned on for a predetermined period of time in response to at least one of the following: The coupling element (100) receives a start signal for the process; The coupling element (100) receives a signal indicating the end of the processing; The coupling element (100) receives a predetermined signal pattern or instruction.

12. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The at least one light source (50) is controlled by adjusting the duration of illumination relative to the speed of movement of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-998D).

13. A coupling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The coupling element is configured to be controlled by a controller.

14. A device for indicating a handling position of at least one radio frequency identification tag, comprising a coupling element according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein: Further included is a camera (60) configured to capture image data including at least one or a series of illuminated radio frequency identification tags located within the sensing aperture (15).

16. The device according to claim 14 or 15, wherein: Also included is a controller integrated into the coupling element, or connected to the coupling element.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein: The controller is configured to indicate and / or detect at least one of the following, optionally based on the image data according to claim 15: the position of at least one or a series of illuminated RFID tags (997, 998A-998D) relative to the sensing aperture (15), and The stability or instability of the position of successive illuminated radio frequency identification tags (997, 998A-998D) relative to the sensing aperture (15).

18. The device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: The controller is configured to control the at least one light source (50), wherein Optionally, the controller is configured to turn on the light source (50) within a predetermined time period in response to at least one of the following: The coupling element (100) receives a start signal for the process; The coupling element (100) receives a signal indicating the end of the processing; The coupling element (100) receives a predetermined signal pattern or instruction.

19. The device according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein: A controller is included that is configured to send a control signal configured to adjust the speed of at least one RFID tag or successive RFID tags based on an indicated and / or detected position or unstable position of an illuminated RFID tag relative to the sensing aperture (15).

20. A method for indicating a processing location of at least one radio frequency identification tag (997, 998A-D), the method comprising: Processing (601) at least one radio frequency identification tag in a sensing hole (15) on an upper surface of a coupling element so that the at least one radio frequency identification tag is coupled to the coupling element through an electromagnetic field, and At least one light source disposed within a housing of the coupling element is controlled based on a time of processing of the at least one radio frequency identification tag (602).

21. A computer program configured to cause an apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 19 to perform a method according to claim 20.

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