Antenna Control Apparatus for RFID Malfunction Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In POS systems using multiple RFID antennas, malfunctions can go undetected, leading to unaccounted commodities being removed from stores during settlement processing if a malfunctioning antenna is not identified.
Innovation Solution
An antenna control apparatus that monitors each antenna's transmission information, increments a count for non-responsive antennas, and outputs a notification when the count exceeds a predetermined value, indicating a malfunction, ensuring accurate settlement processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple RFID antennas are used for collective reading, then reading coverage is improved, but malfunction detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring function into individual antenna-level tracking by maintaining separate count values for each antenna. This segmentation allows independent monitoring of each antenna's performance while maintaining collective reading capability, resolving the contradiction between using multiple antennas and detecting individual malfunctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring transmission information from each antenna and comparing it against expected values. When an antenna's count exceeds a threshold, the system generates an alert, providing real-time feedback about antenna status without affecting the overall reading operation.
2Productivity
If settlement processing continues without interruption, then productivity is improved, but accuracy of commodity accounting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary monitoring of antenna status during the settlement process. By tracking transmission information counts before finalizing settlement, the system can identify potential malfunctions early and alert operators, ensuring accurate commodity accounting while maintaining continuous processing flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring of antenna performance through automatic count tracking and comparison against thresholds. This self-service capability allows the system to detect malfunctions and generate alerts without external intervention, maintaining productivity while ensuring accounting accuracy through continuous self-verification.
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication interface configured to receive identification information indicating whether each of a plurality of antennas received transmission information from a wireless tag. A storage unit stores a count for each of the plurality of antennas. A controller determines, for each of the plurality of antennas, whether the antenna received transmission information from a wireless tag based on a first received identification information. When at least one, but not all, of the plurality of antennas is determined to have not received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information, the storage unit increments the count for each such antenna. When the count for one of the plurality of antennas is determined to exceed the predetermined value, the controller outputs a notification signal indicating that the one of the plurality of antennas has a malfunction.