Information processing systems, information processing methods, programs

Abstract

This allows us to obtain information about the change in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag. [Solution] One aspect of the present invention is an information processing system comprising: a boost antenna positioned to be movable relative to an IC tag; a reader capable of reading the IC tag; and a storage unit that stores information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag based on whether the reader can read the IC tag at different times.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for extending the communication distance with an IC tag.

Background Art

[0002] With the spread of inventory management and sales management of products using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), IC tags having an antenna and an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip electrically connected to the antenna are widely used. Information recorded on the IC tag is read by non-contact communication between the reader / writer and the IC tag and used for various purposes.

[0003] By the way, in an RFID system, the communication distance between the reader / writer and the IC tag may be several centimeters depending on the frequency band used. Therefore, depending on the application field, it is desirable to be able to extend the communication distance. Thus, it is known to provide a booster antenna between the IC tag and the reader / writer in order to extend the communication distance. For example, in Patent Document 1, on the substantially central axis in the space where the antenna of the reader and the antenna of the RFID tag face each other, a booster antenna tuned to the carrier frequency used in the RFID tag system is arranged facing the antenna of the reader in front of the RFID tag.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventional boost antennas are fixedly positioned relative to the target IC tag (for example, the IC tag to be read) and are assumed to operate on that IC tag at all times. In other words, the possibility of the boost antenna being movable has not been considered in conventional designs.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to enable the acquisition of information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an information processing system comprising: a boost antenna positioned to be movable relative to an IC tag; a reader capable of reading the IC tag; and a storage unit that stores information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag based on whether the reader can read the IC tag at different times. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the state before and after a change in the relative position of the boost antenna with respect to the IC tag in a detection system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the state before and after a change in the relative position of the boost antenna with respect to the IC tag in a detection system according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the antenna pattern of the boost antenna shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the system configuration of a detection system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the data structure of a readability database. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a situation in which an article and a reader / writer communicate according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a front view of the fixing part included in the article shown. [Figure 8] This figure shows the case where the movable part is in two different positions relative to the fixed part in the item shown in Figure 6. [Figure 9] This figure shows another example of a data structure for a readability database. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of the data structure for the change amount table. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing a situation in which an article and a reader / writer communicate in a different embodiment than that shown in Figure 6. [Figure 12] Figure 11 is a front view of the fixed and movable parts included in the article shown. [Figure 13] This figure shows the case where the movable part is in two different positions relative to the fixed part in the article shown in Figure 11. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The forms described below are not limited to those shown in the brief description of the drawings.

[0011] A first aspect of one aspect of the present invention is an information processing system comprising: a boost antenna positioned to be movable relative to an IC tag; a reader capable of reading the IC tag; and a storage unit that stores information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag based on whether the reader can read the IC tag at different times.

[0012] According to a first aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be obtained.

[0013] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is that the IC tag and the booster antenna are provided on a predetermined article, and a detection unit that detects a change in the relative position between the booster antenna and the IC tag, and a state specifying unit that specifies the state of the article based on the change in the relative position detected by the detection unit. The information processing system according to the first aspect.

[0014] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the state of an article can be specified.

[0015] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is that the storage unit stores readability information indicating whether the IC tag can be read in association with the time when the readability of the IC tag is determined. The information processing system according to the first or second aspect.

[0016] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a change in the relative position between the booster antenna and the IC tag over time can be recognized.

[0017] A fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is that when a predetermined time has elapsed since the storage unit last stored the readability information, a notification unit that notifies that the predetermined time has elapsed is provided. The information processing system according to the third aspect.

[0018] <~ According to a fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, if necessary, reading of the IC tag by the reader can be prompted.

[0019] A fifth aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is a booster antenna arranged to be movable relative to a plurality of IC tags, a reader capable of reading each of the plurality of IC tags, and based on whether any of the plurality of IC tags can be read by the reader at different times, a storage unit that stores information regarding a change in the relative position between the booster antenna and the IC tag. An information processing system comprising:

[0020] According to a fifth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be obtained.

[0021] A sixth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system according to the fifth embodiment, comprising a detection unit for detecting changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag, wherein the storage unit stores readability information indicating whether any of the plurality of IC tags can be read, associated with the time at which the readability of any of the plurality of IC tags was determined, and the detection unit estimates the amount of change in the relative position based on the elapsed time since the time at which the readability information indicating readability was last stored.

[0022] According to a sixth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, even when there is no recent readability information indicating readability, the approximate amount of change in relative position can be recognized.

[0023] A seventh aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system according to the fifth embodiment, comprising a detection unit for detecting a change in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag, wherein the detection unit determines the amount of the change in the relative position based on whether at least two of the plurality of IC tags can be read at different times.

[0024] According to a seventh aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, the amount of change in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be determined.

[0025] An eighth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system according to the seventh embodiment, wherein the detection unit identifies the amount of change in relative position for each of the plurality of articles each provided with the plurality of IC tags and the boost antenna, and the information processing system includes an output unit that outputs information identifying an article if there is an article among the plurality of articles whose amount of change in relative position is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

[0026] According to an eighth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, articles whose position changes by a relatively large amount can be recognized as needed.

[0027] A ninth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system according to any one of the fifth to eighth embodiments, wherein, when an article among the plurality of articles whose relative position change amount is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold is designated as a first article, the system includes an article identification unit that identifies an article among the plurality of articles of the same type as the first article, but whose relative position change amount is less than the predetermined threshold.

[0028] According to a ninth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, if necessary, the reader can be prompted to read an IC tag on an article of the same type as the first article.

[0029] A tenth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system according to any one of the first to ninth embodiments, wherein the change in relative position is caused by translational motion of either the IC tag or the boost antenna in a predetermined direction.

[0030] According to a tenth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, information regarding changes in the relative position between a boost antenna and an IC tag in a specific direction can be obtained.

[0031] An eleventh aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system according to any one of the first to ninth embodiments, wherein the change in relative position is caused by the rotational movement of either the IC tag or the boost antenna around a predetermined axis.

[0032] According to an eleventh aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, information regarding the change in relative position in the rotational direction between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be obtained.

[0033] A twelfth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention is an information processing method which involves arranging a boost antenna so as to be movable relative to an IC tag, determining whether a reader can read the IC tag, and storing information regarding the change in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag in a storage device based on whether the reader can read the IC tag at different times.

[0034] According to a twelfth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be obtained.

[0035] A thirteenth aspect of a certain aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to perform the following steps in an information processing system comprising a boost antenna positioned to be movable relative to an IC tag and a reader capable of reading the IC tag: a step in obtaining readability information indicating whether the reader can read the IC tag; and a step in causing a storage device to store information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag based on the readability information at different times.

[0036] According to a thirteenth aspect of a certain embodiment of the present invention, information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag can be obtained.

[0037] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the detection system 100, which is one embodiment of the information processing system, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The overall configuration of the detection system 100 will be described later. Figure 1 shows an example of an item 1 targeted by the detection system 100. As shown in Figure 1, the item 1 has a fixed part 2 and a movable part 3. The movable part 3 is pivotally supported by a rotation shaft 91 relative to the fixed part 2 and is configured to rotate on the surface of the fixed part 2. An IC tag TG is placed on the surface of the fixed part 2, and a boost antenna 5 is placed on the surface of the movable part 3. It is preferable that the fixed part 2 and the movable part 3 are made of an insulator such as resin so as not to interfere with communication.

[0038] In one embodiment, as shown in an enlarged view in Figure 1, the IC tag TG includes an IC chip 11 and a tag antenna 12 connected to the IC chip 11, which includes a loop portion. The loop portion of the tag antenna 12 may be spiral in shape. The reader / writer 9 (an example of a reader) is operated by an operator to communicate with the IC tag TG of item 1 and receive information stored in the IC tag TG (i.e., read the IC tag TG). The boost antenna 5 functions to extend the communication distance between the IC tag TG and the reader / writer 9.

[0039] Figure 1 shows examples of the movable part 3 being in a first position and a second position relative to the fixed part 2. In other words, Figure 1 shows examples of the state before and after the relative position of the boost antenna 5 with respect to the IC tag TG changes. As shown in Figure 1 (see also Figure 3), in one embodiment, the antenna pattern 50 of the boost antenna 5 is provided with a tip TP. When the movable part 3 is in the first position, the tip TP of the boost antenna 5 is positioned facing the IC tag TG, thereby electromagnetically coupling the IC tag TG and the boost antenna 5, allowing the boost antenna 5 to function effectively and extending the communication distance between the IC tag TG and the reader / writer 9. The distance between the tip TP of the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG when they are facing each other should be such that mutual induction occurs between the boost antenna 5 and the tag antenna included in the IC tag TG. In contrast, when the movable part 3 is in the second position, the tip TP of the boost antenna 5 is not in a position to face the IC tag TG, and the function of the boost antenna 5 is not effectively performed. As a result, it becomes difficult for the reader / writer 9 to read the IC tag TG.

[0040] In one embodiment, the antenna pattern 50 is configured such that the degree of electromagnetic coupling with the IC tag TG is greater when the tip TP faces the IC tag TG (first position in Figure 1) than when the tip TP does not face the IC tag TG (second position in Figure 1). The degree of electromagnetic coupling is represented, for example, by a coupling coefficient based on the respective inductances of the tip TP of the antenna pattern 50 and the IC tag TG. By increasing the degree of electromagnetic coupling with the IC tag TG, the communication distance can be extended more effectively.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, the boost antenna 5, which is movable relative to the IC tag TG, is configured to extend or not extend the communication distance between the IC tag TG and the reader / writer 9 depending on the position of the boost antenna 5. Therefore, based on whether or not the reader / writer 9 can read the IC tag TG, it is possible to detect changes in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG, that is, changes in the position of the movable part 3 relative to the fixed part 2 (changes in the position of the movable part 3). Changes in the position of the movable part 3 include changes from the first position to the second position, and changes from the second position to the first position. Furthermore, "a change in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG" means that the relative position of the boost antenna 5 to the IC tag TG changes to the extent that the result of whether or not the reader / writer 9 can read the IC tag TG changes.

[0042] Figure 1 shows a boost antenna 5 positioned to be movable relative to the IC tag TG. Here, "movable relative to the IC tag TG" does not mean that the boost antenna 5 is not limited to cases where the boost antenna 5 moves relative to the fixedly positioned IC tag TG. Cases where the boost antenna 5 is movable relative to the IC tag TG may also include cases where the IC tag TG moves relative to the fixedly positioned boost antenna 5, or where both the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG move. Figure 2 illustrates a case where the IC tag TG moves relative to a fixedly positioned boost antenna 5. In Figure 2, item 1A has a fixed part 2A and a movable part 3A, with the boost antenna 5 positioned on the fixed part 2A and the IC tag TG positioned on the movable part 3A. In this case as well, it corresponds to a case where the boost antenna 5 moves relative to the IC tag TG. Articles 1 and 1A in Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an example of how a change in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG occurs when either the IC tag TG or the boost antenna 5 rotates around a predetermined axis.

[0043] In the configuration shown in Figure 1, for example, if the IC tag TG could be read by the reader / writer 9 at a certain time t1, but could not be read at a subsequent time t2, it can be seen that a change in the position of the movable part 3 occurred between time t1 and time t2. The detection system 100 can detect the change in the position of the movable part 3 based on readability data at different times (data indicating whether the reader / writer 9 can read the IC tag TG; an example of readability information).

[0044] Figure 1 shows an example of detecting a change in the position of a movable part 3 that can rotate around a rotating shaft 91. However, this type of detection of a change in the position of a movable part 3 can be applied to various applications. One example is detecting a change in the position of a movable part 3 of an on / off valve.

[0045] Figure 1 shows an example in which the boost antenna 5 rotates around the rotation axis 91 as the movable part 3 moves, but the motion is not limited to this. Depending on the connection between the fixed part 2 and the movable part 3, the boost antenna 5 can be configured to perform linear motion, zigzag motion, or relative motion along any curve relative to the IC tag TG.

[0046] Next, with reference to Figure 3, the antenna pattern 50 of the boost antenna 5 will be described in more detail. Figure 3 is a diagram that further illustrates the antenna pattern 50 illustrated in Figure 1, and shows an enlarged view of the antenna pattern 50 in Figure 1.

[0047] As shown in Figure 3, the antenna pattern 50 is composed of, for example, a linear conductor and has a tapered tip TP. The tip TP includes a loop 5L. When the loop 5L is positioned opposite the IC tag TG, the boost antenna 5 is electromagnetically coupled to the IC tag TG. The loop 5L is provided with the linear conductor wound around it at least once. The degree of coupling can be increased by electromagnetic coupling between the loop portion 5L and the loop portion of the tag antenna 12 (see Figure 1) of the IC tag TG. From the viewpoint of fully utilizing the effect of electromagnetic induction, it is preferable that the diameter of the loop portion 5L is equal to or greater than the diameter of the loop portion of the tag antenna 12. The antenna length of the antenna pattern 50, excluding the loop section 5L, is set so that resonance is obtained at the carrier frequency of the IC tag (for example, 860-920 MHz in the UHF band).

[0048] The antenna pattern 50 has a meander section 5M connected to the loop section 5L. More specifically, in Figure 3, the antenna pattern 50 is formed of a linear conductor having a first end 51 and a second end 52 as open ends, and the meander section 5M is provided on the second end 52 side with respect to the loop section 5L. By providing the meander section 5M, the antenna pattern 50 can be miniaturized while being configured to obtain the desired antenna characteristics. The antenna pattern 50 in Figure 3 is merely an example; the meander section may be provided on the first end 51 side with respect to the loop section 5L, or it may be provided on both the first end 51 side and the second end 52 side.

[0049] From another perspective, the antenna pattern 50 has a first straight section 53 and a second straight section 54 that extend linearly from the tip section TP at an acute angle. The meander section 5M is connected to the second straight section 54 and is located between the first straight section 53 and the second straight section 54. The meander section 5M is formed to widen as it moves away from the loop section 5L of the antenna pattern 50.

[0050] The tapered shape of the tip TP is a shape in which the width tapers in a certain direction (to the right in Figure 3). From another perspective, the tapered shape of the tip TP is a shape in which the distance between the first straight section 53 and the second straight section 54 narrows in a certain direction (to the right in Figure 3). In one embodiment, the first straight section 53 extending in a certain direction (to the right in Figure 3) folds back, and the second straight section 54 extends in the opposite direction (to the left in Figure 3). The tip TP may be rounded or pointed, as shown in Figure 3. If the tip TP is pointed, the loop portion will not be annular as shown in Figure 3.

[0051] Since the antenna pattern 50 tapers towards the tip TP, the portion of the antenna pattern 50 other than the tip TP can be placed in a limited area. As will be described later, by placing the portion other than the tip TP in a limited area, it is possible to suppress the unintentional electromagnetic coupling between the portion other than the tip TP and the IC tag. In the antenna pattern 50, the portion other than the tip TP is the portion that does not include the loop portion 5L. In the antenna pattern 50 shown in Figure 3, the portion other than the tip TP includes the meander portion 5M, at least a part of the first straight portion 53, and at least a part of the second straight portion 54.

[0052] Next, the overall configuration of the detection system 100 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the detection system 100.

[0053] Figure 1 illustrates the case where a reader / writer 9 reads an IC tag TG attached to a single item 1. In one embodiment, the detection system 100 detects changes in the position of movable parts 3 located on each of one or more items 1. While one reader / writer 9 may sequentially read the IC tags TG from multiple items 1, Figure 4 assumes the use of one or more reader / writers 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, ... from the viewpoint of efficiency. In the following description, when referring to matters common to each of the one or more reader / writers 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, ..., they will be collectively referred to as "reader / writer 9". The information read from the IC tag TG includes an item ID that identifies the item 1 to which the IC tag TG is attached. Therefore, regardless of which reader / writer 9 is used, if the IC tag TG can be read, the item 1 to which the read IC tag TG is attached can be identified.

[0054] In the detection system 100, the results of whether or not an item can be read by one or more reader / writers 9 are managed collectively in the management device 4. In one embodiment, each reader / writer 9 and the management device 4 are configured to communicate via a network NW. The network NW is not limited, but could be, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The reader / writer 9 is equipped with a communication function that communicates with the management device 4 via the network NW. Note that the reader / writer 9 and the management device 4 do not necessarily need to be connected wirelessly or via a wired connection. It is sufficient that the management device 4 can aggregate the information obtained by the reader / writer 9. For example, the management device 4 may acquire the information obtained by the reader / writer 9 via USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory through operator input.

[0055] The reader / writer 9 reads the IC tag placed on item 1, determines whether it can be read or not, and transmits readability data indicating whether it can be read or not to the management device 4. In one embodiment, if the reader / writer 9 does not receive a response from the IC tag (timeout) after a predetermined time has elapsed since starting to read the IC tag placed on item 1, it determines that it cannot be read.

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, the management device 4 comprises a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, an operation input unit 43, and an output unit 44. The control unit 41 includes a microprocessor and memory (ROM (read-only memory) and RAM (random access memory)), and performs data processing on readability data received sequentially from each reader / writer 9 by executing a predetermined management program. The memory unit 42 is a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores a readability database (an example of information regarding changes in relative position). The readability database will be described later.

[0057] The operation input unit 43 includes, for example, a touch input mechanism provided on the display panel, or an input device such as a keyboard or mouse, and accepts operation input from an operator. For example, in response to a request based on the operator's operation input, a management program may access a readability database and display on the display panel whether or not the position of the movable part 3 of a specific item 1 has changed. The output unit 44 includes, for example, a display panel and outputs the processing results of the management program to the display panel. For example, when the output unit 44 detects movement of the movable part 3 of the item 1 based on readability data from the reader / writer 9, it may display information identifying the item 1 on the display panel.

[0058] Figure 5 shows an example of the data structure of a readability database. As shown in Figure 5, the readability database associates each item ID that identifies item 1 with the date and time when the reader / writer 9 attempted to read the IC tag TG (the time when the readability of the IC tag was determined) and the readability data ("readable" or "unreadable"). In the example shown in Figure 5, it can be seen that at time t3, the readability data for item 1 with "item ID:001" changed from "readable" to "unreadable," causing a change in the position of the movable part 3.

[0059] In Figure 5, the readability database associates readability data with the date and time. Therefore, it is possible to recognize the positional change of the movable part 3 over time (i.e., the change in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG over time).

[0060] In one embodiment, the control unit 41 functions as the following detection unit and state identification unit. The detection unit detects changes in the position of the movable part 3 (i.e., changes in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG) based on the readability database. The state identification unit identifies the state of article 1 based on the position change of the movable part 3 detected by the detection unit. For example, if article 1 is applied to an on / off valve and the change between the closed and open states of the on / off valve is associated with the position change of the movable part 3, the state identification unit identifies the state of the on / off valve (closed or open) based on the position change of the movable part 3.

[0061] In one embodiment, the output unit 44 functions as a notification unit that notifies the user that a predetermined time has elapsed since the storage unit 42 last stored readability data. This allows the reader / writer 9 to read the IC tag TG as needed. For example, in the readability database, notifications are issued when a predetermined time has elapsed from each of the times t1, t2, t3, ..., prompting the operator to read the data using the reader / writer 9 within the predetermined time. Therefore, the system can be configured to grasp the positional changes of the movable part 3 of the item 1 in a timely manner. As described above, when the item 1 is applied to an on / off valve, the system can be configured to grasp the state changes of the on / off valve (changes from closed to open, or from open to closed) in a timely manner.

[0062] Figure 1 shows an example of an item on which a single IC tag TG is placed, but this is not limited to this; multiple IC tags TG may be placed on the item. By placing multiple IC tags TG on an item, it is possible to detect not only whether or not the position of the movable part 3 has changed, but also the amount of change in the position of the movable part 3, as will be described later. The following describes an embodiment for detecting changes in the position of a movable part in an item on which multiple IC tags TG are placed, with reference to Figures 6 to 8.

[0063] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the detection of positional changes in the movable part 3 of item 1B, on which multiple IC tags TG are placed. Item 1B comprises a fixed part 2B and a movable part 3. The fixed part 2B differs from the fixed part 2 in Figure 1 in that it has two or more arbitrary numbers (seven in the example of Figure 6) of IC tags TG arranged on it. The movable part 3 is capable of rotational movement along the surface of the fixed part 2B around a rotation axis 91. As in the case of Figure 1, the boost antenna 5 located on the movable part 3 is configured to move relative to each IC tag TG located on the fixed part 2B as the movable part 3 rotates.

[0064] Figure 7 is a front view of the fixed part 2B included in the item 1B shown in Figure 6. In Figure 7, the movable part 3 is shown by dashed lines. As shown in Figure 7, IC tags TG-10 to TG-70 are arranged in an arc shape on the tag mounting surface 21 of the fixed part 2B with respect to the rotation axis 91 of the movable part 3. The IC tags TG-10 to TG-70 are arranged at predetermined intervals. In the following explanation, when referring to matters common to IC tags TG-** (where "**" is a number used to distinguish IC tags), the term "IC tag TG" will be used as appropriate.

[0065] As described later, as the fixed part 2B rotates around the rotation axis 91, the loop portion 5L (not shown in Figure 7; see Figure 3) of the boost antenna 5 located on the movable part 3 can face any of the IC tags TG-10 to TG-70, which are positioned at different locations. From another perspective, the configuration is such that the loop portion 5L alternates between positions where it faces an IC tag and positions where it does not face an IC tag. Each IC tag TG-10, TG-20, TG-30, TG-40, TG-50, TG-60, and TG-70 stores data indicating the item ID of item 1 and the rotational position of the movable part 3 when the loop portion 5L of the boost antenna 5 is facing each other (these positions are P10, P20, P30, P40, P50, P60, and P70 respectively, in a counterclockwise direction). Here, the rotational position of the movable part 3 corresponds to the direction in which the projection 33 of the movable part 3 faces.

[0066] The operation of item 1B and reader / writer 9 will be explained below with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 shows the case where, in the article 1B shown in Figure 6, the movable part 3 is in two different positions P40 and P35 relative to the fixed part 2B when viewed from the front. In Figure 8, position P40 is the position of the movable part 3 when the loop portion 5L of the boost antenna 5 located on the movable part 3 is facing (overlapping in a front view with) the IC tag TG-40. In Figure 8, position P35 is the position when the movable part 3 has rotated slightly clockwise from position P40, and the movable part 3 is between positions P30 and P40. At position P35, the loop portion 5L is not facing (overlapping in a front view with) either IC tag TG.

[0067] When the movable part 3 is at position P40, when the reader / writer 9 transmits a radio wave, only the response signal from the IC tag TG-40 is amplified by the boost antenna 5 and becomes readable. Therefore, the reader / writer 9 can recognize that the movable part 3 is at position P40 based on the data contained in the response signal from the IC tag TG-40. On the other hand, when the movable part 3 is at position P35, when the reader / writer 9 transmits a radio wave, neither the response signal from any of the IC tags TG is amplified by the boost antenna 5. Therefore, the reader / writer 9 cannot obtain information about the position of the movable part 3.

[0068] Similarly, when the movable part 3 is positioned such that the loop portion 5L of the boost antenna 5 faces each of the IC tags TG-10 to TG-70, the reader / writer 9 can receive data indicating the position corresponding to each IC tag TG. Therefore, when the movable part 3 moves to any of the positions P10, P20, P30, P40, P50, P60, or P70, information about the position of the movable part 3 can be obtained.

[0069] In one embodiment, the antenna pattern 50 of the boost antenna 5 is configured such that the movement trajectory of the portion other than the tip TP does not overlap with the IC tag TG. That is, as can be seen from Figure 8, as the movable part 3 rotates, the tip TP (the portion including the loop 5L) of the antenna pattern 50 may or may not face the IC tag TG, but the portion other than the tip TP is configured not to face the IC tag TG. This is for the following reasons.

[0070] For example, if, when the movable part 3 is at position P40 (Figure 8), a portion of the antenna pattern 50 other than the tip TP is in a position that overlaps with a nearby IC tag TG-30 or IC tag TG-50, then some degree of electromagnetic coupling may occur between the portion other than the tip TP and the IC tag TG-30 or IC tag TG-50. In that case, even though the movable part 3 is at position P40, it may be mistakenly detected as being at position P30 or P50. Furthermore, if, when the movable part 3 is at position P35 (Figure 8), a portion of the antenna pattern 50 other than the tip TP is in a position that overlaps with a nearby IC tag TG-30 or IC tag TG-40, then some degree of electromagnetic coupling may occur between the portion other than the tip TP and the IC tag TG-30 or IC tag TG-40. In that case, it may be possible to mistakenly detect that the movable part 3 is at position P30 or P40. To prevent such false detections, the antenna pattern 50 is configured such that the movement trajectory of the portion other than the tip TP does not overlap with the IC tag TG. For this purpose, it is preferable to make the entire antenna pattern 50 tapered toward the tip TP, thereby generating a highly coupled electromagnetic connection between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG only when the tip TP is facing one of the IC tags TG.

[0071] In item 1C shown in Figure 6, multiple IC tags are placed on the fixed part 2B and a boost antenna is placed on the movable part 3, but this is not limited to this configuration. Multiple boost antennas may be placed on the fixed part 2B and one IC tag on the movable part.

[0072] Figure 9 shows an example of the data structure of a readability database for one or more items 1B. In the detection system 100, when managing the positional changes of the movable part 3 in one or more items 1B, the storage unit 42 (see Figure 4) of the management device 4 stores the readability database shown in Figure 9. In this case as well, the control unit 41 functions as a detection unit that detects changes in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG. As shown in Figure 9, the readability database associates each item ID with the date and time when the reader / writer 9 attempted to read the IC tag TG, readability data ("readable" or "unreadable"), and location data (if readable).

[0073] In one embodiment, the control unit 41 determines the amount of relative position change (amount of change of the movable part 3) based on readability data at different times for at least two of the multiple IC tags TG. In the following explanation, when the rotational position of the movable part 3 in item 1B shown in Figures 6 to 8 changes from Pm to Pn (where m and n are 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 respectively), the change in the movable part 3 is expressed in (nm). The change in the movable part 3 can be either positive or negative. For example, in the readability database shown in Figure 9, the movable part 3 of item 1B with "item ID: 011" is at position P40 initially (time t1), but at time t3 it is at position P30. Therefore, the control unit 41 identifies the change in the movable part 3 at time t3 as "-10". Similarly, the movable part 3 of item 1B with "item ID: 011" is at position P10 at time t10. Therefore, the control unit 41 identifies the change in the movable part 3 at time t10 as "-30".

[0074] In one embodiment, the management device 4 manages the amount of change in each movable part 3 of one or more items 1B using a change amount table. An example of the data structure of the change amount table is shown in Figure 10. In the change amount table in Figure 10, each item ID is associated with a value indicating the item type and the change amount of the movable part 3. Here, the item type indicates the type of item. The article 1B shown in Figures 6 to 8 is an example, and the basic configuration, such as the number of IC tags TG, the spacing between adjacent IC tags TG, or the connection method between the fixed part 2B and the movable part 3 (for example, the diameter of the rotating shaft 91 or the distance between the rotating shaft 91 and the IC tags TG), may differ from article to article. Articles with the same basic configuration can be said to be of the same type. In the change amount table in Figure 10, the "change amount" associated with the item ID refers to the change in the movable part 3 from the initial state of item 1B corresponding to the item ID (for example, time t1 in Figure 9).

[0075] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the control unit 41 identifies the amount of change for each of a plurality of items 1B, each with a different item ID, and records it in a change amount table. The output unit 44 outputs information identifying the item (e.g., item ID) to the display panel if there is an item among the plurality of items 1B whose change amount of the movable part 3 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold TH. This allows, for example, a manager of the plurality of items 1B to recognize the item among the plurality of items 1B that has a relatively large change amount of the movable part 3.

[0076] In one embodiment, it can be used to monitor the amount of change of multiple items 1B, or to inspect multiple items 1B. In this case, it is assumed that items of the same type among the multiple items 1B will change to a similar extent over time. On the other hand, since the timing of acquiring readability data by the reader / writer 9 may differ for each item, the change amount values ​​recorded in the change amount table may fluctuate among items of the same type. Therefore, if there is an item among the same type where the change amount of the movable part 3 is greater than or equal to the threshold TH, even if the change amount values ​​recorded for other items of the same type are less than the threshold TH, the actual change amount values ​​may be greater than or equal to the threshold TH. For this reason, it is preferable to prompt the reader / writer 9 to read the latest position data of the movable part 3 for those other items as well.

[0077] From the above perspective, in one embodiment, the control unit 41 functions as an article identification unit that identifies an article among a plurality of articles 1B that is of the same type as the first article and whose change in the movable part 3 is less than the threshold TH, when the article among a plurality of articles 1B whose change in the movable part 3 is greater than or equal to the threshold TH is designated as the first article. The output unit 44 outputs the article ID of the article identified by the article identification unit to the display panel. For example, in the example of the change amount table shown in Figure 10, the change amount (absolute value) for article 1B corresponding to "article ID: 026" is smaller than that of other similar articles (articles "article ID: 011" and "article ID: 013" which are of the same article type Ta), and therefore can be identified by the article identification unit.

[0078] In the readability database shown in Figure 9, readability data is associated with a date and time. Here, even at times when no readability data indicating readability is recorded in the readability database for item 1B corresponding to a specific item ID, it is possible to estimate the position of the movable part 3 of item 1B and the amount of change in the movable part 3 at that time. More specifically, the control unit 41 of the management device 4 estimates the position of the movable part 3 of the item 1B at the current time and the amount of change in the movable part 3, based on the elapsed time since the last time readability data indicating readability was stored.

[0079] For example, in the readability database illustrated in Figure 9, if no readability data indicating readability is obtained for item 1B with "item ID: 011" between time t10 and the current time, the position of the movable part 3 at the current time is estimated as follows. That is, since the positions P30 and P10 of the movable part 3 at times t3 and t10 are known, the control unit 41 calculates a function (including, for example, a coefficient of the rate of change) that shows the degree of change in the position of the movable part 3 with respect to the change in time, and estimates the current position of the movable part 3 based on this function. Furthermore, the control unit 41 estimates the amount of change in the movable part 3 from the initial position based on the estimation result of the current position of the movable part 3.

[0080] Articles 1, 1A, and 1B described above are all configured so that their movable parts perform rotational motion. In contrast, the following will describe articles configured so that their movable parts perform linear motion, with reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing a situation in which an item 1C containing a boost antenna 8 and an IC tag TG communicates with a reader / writer 9, in a different application example than that shown in Figure 6. In the application example shown in Figure 11, article 1C includes a fixed part 6 and a movable part 7. The fixed part 6 and the movable part 7 are preferably made of an insulator such as resin so as not to interfere with communication. One or any number of IC tags TG (five in the example in Figure 11) are placed on the fixing part 6. The fixing part 6 has a support base 61 and a columnar part 62 supported by the support base 61. The columnar part 62 extends upward from the support base 61.

[0081] The movable part 7 is mounted on the columnar part 62 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction (an example of a predetermined direction), and the boost antenna 8 is positioned on it. The boost antenna 8 is configured to move relative to the IC tag TG located on the fixed part 6 as the movable part 7 moves linearly in the vertical direction. The reader / writer 9 transmits radio waves to read and write data to the IC tag TG. Item 1C in Figure 11 is an example of how a change in the relative position between the boost antenna 5 and the IC tag TG occurs when either the IC tag TG or the boost antenna 5 translates in a predetermined direction.

[0082] Figure 12 is a front view of the fixed part 6 and the movable part 7 included in item 1C shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 12, IC tags TG-10 to TG-50 are arranged in a straight line at equal intervals from the bottom up on the columnar portion 62 of the fixing part 6. A boost antenna 8 is positioned on the antenna mounting surface 71 of the movable part 7. In one embodiment, the antenna pattern of the boost antenna 8 is formed by a linear conductor having a first end 81 and a second end 82 as open ends, and has a loop portion 8L and a pair of meander portions 8M. Each meander portion 8M is provided on both sides of the first end 81 and the second end 82 with respect to the loop portion 8L. In one embodiment, each of the pair of meander portions 8M extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the IC tags TG-10 to TG-50 are positioned (up and down direction) (i.e., horizontal direction).

[0083] As the movable part 7 moves linearly up and down, the loop portion 8L of the boost antenna 8 may face any of the IC tags TG-10 to TG-50, which are positioned at different locations. From another perspective, as the movable part 7 moves linearly up and down, the loop portion 8L is configured to alternate between a position where it faces an IC tag and a position where it does not face an IC tag. Each of the IC tags TG-10, TG-20, TG-30, TG-40, and TG-50 stores data indicating the position of the movable part 7 (positions P10, P20, P30, P40, and P50, respectively) when the loop portion 8L of the boost antenna 8 is facing each other.

[0084] The operation of item 1C and reader / writer 9 will be explained below with reference to Figure 13. Figure 13 shows the case in item 1C shown in Figure 11, where the movable part 7 is at two different positions P10 and P40 relative to the fixed part 6 when viewed from the front. In Figure 13, position P10 is the position of the movable part 7 when the loop portion 8L of the boost antenna 8 located on the movable part 7 is facing (overlapping in a front view with) the IC tag TG-10. In Figure 13, position P40 is the position of the movable part 7 when it is facing the IC tag TG-40.

[0085] When the movable part 7 is at positions P10 and P40, when the reader / writer 9 transmits radio waves, only the response signals from IC tags TG-10 and TG-40, respectively, are amplified by the boost antenna 8 and become readable. Therefore, the reader / writer 9 can recognize that the movable part 7 is at positions P10 and P40 based on the data contained in the response signals from IC tags TG-10 and TG-40. On the other hand, when the movable part 7 is in a position where the loop part 8L does not face either IC tag, when the reader / writer 9 transmits radio waves, the response signals from either IC tag TG are not amplified by the boost antenna 8. Therefore, the reader / writer 9 cannot obtain information about the position of the movable part 7.

[0086] Similarly, when the movable part 7 is positioned such that the loop portion 8L of the boost antenna 8 faces each of the IC tags TG-10 to TG-50, the reader / writer 9 can receive data indicating the position corresponding to each IC tag TG. Therefore, the reader / writer 9 can acquire position information of the movable part 7 when it moves to any of the positions P10, P20, P30, P40, or P50. Item 1C can be used, for example, as a water level gauge to detect water levels. That is, by setting the fixed part 6 in the water and configuring the movable part 7 to move up and down in response to fluctuations in the water level, the water level (position of the movable part 7) can be determined based on the data received by the reader / writer 9 from one of the IC tags.

[0087] In one embodiment, the antenna pattern of the boost antenna 8 is configured such that the movement trajectory of the portion other than the loop portion 8L does not overlap with the IC tag. That is, as can be seen from Figure 13, as the movable part 7 moves linearly, the loop portion 8L of the antenna pattern may or may not face the IC tag TG, but the portion other than the loop portion 8L (meander portion 8M, etc.) is configured so that it does not face the IC tag TG. In the antenna pattern of the boost antenna 8, the meander portion 8M extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the IC tags TG-10 to TG-50 are positioned (up and down direction) (i.e., the horizontal direction), so the meander portion 8M does not unintentionally face the IC tag, and erroneous detection of the position of the movable part 7 can be prevented.

[0088] The control device 4 shown in Figure 4 can also be used to manage the positional change of the movable part 7 or the amount of change of the movable part 7 for item 1C. Figure 11 illustrates the case where multiple IC tags TG are arranged in the fixing part 6, but this is not limited to this case; only one IC tag TG may be arranged in the fixing part 6. For item 1C where one IC tag TG is arranged, the readability database exemplified in Figure 5 may be applied. For item 1C where multiple IC tags TG are arranged, the readability database exemplified in Figure 9 may be applied.

[0089] In item 1C of Figure 11, the IC tag TG is placed on the fixed part 6 and the boost antenna 8 is placed on the movable part 7, but this is not limited to that arrangement. The boost antenna 8 may be placed on the fixed part and the IC tag TG on the movable part.

[0090] The article 1C shown in Figure 11 is an example in which the movable part 7 moves in a vertical (or vertical) direction, but the direction of translational motion of the movable part is not limited to the vertical direction. The direction of translational motion of the movable part may be horizontal, or it may be in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal or vertical direction. A movable part that moves in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal plane can be incorporated into, for example, a mechanism for detecting landslides.

[0091] One embodiment is an information processing method that includes the following steps (I) to (III). (I) The step of positioning boost antennas 5 and 8 so that they are movable relative to the IC tag TG. (II) A step to determine whether the reader / writer 9 is able to read the IC tag TG. (III) Based on whether the IC tag TG can be read by the reader / writer 9 at different times, the step of storing a readability database in the storage unit 42 of the management device 4 as information regarding the change in the relative position between the boost antennas 5, 8 and the IC tag TG.

[0092] One embodiment is a program for causing a computer to execute the following steps (I) to (II) in a detection system 100 that includes boost antennas 5 and 8 arranged to be movable relative to an IC tag TG, and a reader / writer 9 capable of reading the IC tag TG. (I) Procedure for obtaining readability data indicating whether the IC tag TG can be read by the reader / writer 9. (II) Procedure for storing the readability database in the storage unit 42 of the management device 4 as information regarding the change in the relative position between the boost antennas 5,8 and the IC tag TG, based on readability data at different times.

[0093] The above program may be recorded on a non-temporary storage medium. The above program may be executed by one or more processors.

[0094] Although embodiments of the information processing system, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Furthermore, the above embodiments can be improved or modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1,1A,1B,1C…Goods 2,2A,2B…Fixed part 21... Tag installation surface 3,3A…Movable part 33...Protrusion 4…Management device 41... Control Unit 42...Storage section 43... Operation input section 44…Output section 5…Boost antenna 50… Antenna Pattern TP…Tip 51,81...1st end, 52,82...2nd end 53...First straight section, 54...Second straight section 5M...Meanda Department 5L... Loop section 6…Fixed part 61...Support stand 62...Columnar part 7...Movable part 71… Antenna mounting surface 8... Boost antenna 8M...Meanda Department 8L... Loop section 9... Reader / Writer 91... Rotation axis 100...Detection system TG…IC tag 11…IC chip 12…Tag Antenna

Claims

1. A boost antenna positioned to be movable relative to the IC tag, A reader capable of reading the aforementioned IC tag, A storage unit that stores information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag based on whether the reader can read the IC tag at different times, An information processing system equipped with the following features.

2. The IC tag and the boost antenna are provided on a predetermined item. A detection unit that detects changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag, A state identification unit that identifies the state of the article based on the change in relative position detected by the detection unit, is provided. The information processing system described in claim 1.

3. The storage unit stores readability information indicating whether the IC tag can be read, associated with the time when the readability of the IC tag was determined. The information processing system described in claim 1.

4. The storage unit is equipped with a notification unit that notifies the user that a predetermined time has elapsed since the last time the readability information was stored in the storage unit. The information processing system described in claim 3.

5. A boost antenna positioned to be relatively movable relative to multiple IC tags, A reader capable of reading each of the aforementioned plurality of IC tags, A storage unit that stores information regarding changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag based on whether or not the reader can read any of the plurality of IC tags at different times, An information processing system equipped with the following features.

6. The system includes a detection unit that detects changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag. The storage unit stores readability information indicating whether any of the plurality of IC tags can be read, associated with the time when the readability of any of the plurality of IC tags was determined. The detection unit estimates the amount of change in the relative position based on the elapsed time since the last time readability information indicating readability was stored. The information processing system described in claim 5.

7. The system includes a detection unit that detects changes in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag. The detection unit determines the amount of change in the relative position based on whether at least two of the plurality of IC tags can be read at different times. The information processing system described in claim 5.

8. The detection unit identifies the amount of change in the relative position of each of the multiple items on which the multiple IC tags and the boost antennas are each provided. The information processing system includes an output unit that outputs information identifying an item when there is an item among the plurality of items whose relative position change amount is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. The information processing system described in claim 7.

9. If, among the plurality of articles, an article whose relative position change amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold is designated as the first article, the system includes an article identification unit that identifies an article of the same type as the first article among the plurality of articles, but whose relative position change amount is less than the predetermined threshold. The information processing system described in claim 8.

10. The aforementioned change in relative position is caused by either the IC tag or the boost antenna translating in a predetermined direction. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The aforementioned change in relative position occurs when either the IC tag or the boost antenna rotates around a predetermined axis. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. The boost antenna is positioned so that it can move relative to the IC tag. The reader determines whether or not the IC tag is readable. Based on whether the reader can read the IC tag at different times, information regarding the change in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag is stored in the storage device. Information processing methods.

13. In an information processing system comprising a boost antenna positioned to be movable relative to an IC tag, and a reader capable of reading the IC tag, the computer provides: A procedure for obtaining readability information indicating whether the IC tag can be read by the reader, A procedure for storing information regarding the change in the relative position between the boost antenna and the IC tag in a storage device based on the readability information at different times, A program to execute.

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