Electronic Tag Writing System for Variable Product Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The widespread adoption of electronic tags in retail stores and small quantity, large variety production settings is hindered by high unit costs and challenges in writing different information onto individual products, particularly due to issues like radio wave blocking from water and metal containers, and incomplete electronic tag writing technology.
Innovation Solution
An electronic tag writing system that includes a writing device and an information acquisition section to acquire and write specific information onto electronic tags, which can be automatically supplied and attached to objects, using sensors to detect individual information such as codes, colors, and weights for accurate and efficient information writing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electronic tags are manually attached and written at retail stores for individual product management, then different information can be written for each object, but it takes a lot of time and is not practical for small quantity and large variety production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated system that uses sensors to detect object information and a writing device to automatically write data to electronic tags. The system substitutes human labor with automated detection and writing mechanisms, enabling high-speed processing of small quantity, large variety products without manual intervention for each tag attachment and writing operation.
2Measurement precision
If electronic tag writing technology is improved for accurate individual product identification, then reading accuracy increases, but the unit price of electronic tags becomes prohibitively high for retail stores with low unit prices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables electronic tags to be written with specific information automatically at the point of use rather than requiring pre-written tags from manufacturers. This self-service approach allows retail stores to write necessary information themselves, eliminating the need to purchase expensive pre-written tags and reducing the unit price burden on low-margin retail operations.
3Reliability
If source tagging is implemented for all products to enable individual product management, then complete information is written at manufacture, but it takes a lot of time for environment maintenance and is not feasible for retail stores
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional source tagging approach by implementing destination tagging, where electronic tags are written with information at the retail store or end-use location rather than at the manufacturing source. This reversal allows the system to maintain complete and accurate information writing while adapting to the specific needs and constraints of the end environment, thereby improving overall productivity and feasibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the efficient and accurate writing of different information onto electronic tags for various objects, facilitating automatic and successive manufacturing and attachment, even for products of different types and quantities, improving reading accuracy and reducing operational time.
Implementation Method 1
an electronic tag (also referred to as an RF tag, an IC tag, an RF label, etc.) has an IC chip and an antenna connected to the IC chip for performing contactless storage and reading of information by short-range wireless communication
Data Source
AI summary
A technology is for writing different information depending on an object into an electronic tag. The above problem is solved by an electronic tag writing system including a writing device that writes write information into an electronic tag, and an information acquisition section that acquires write information related to an object associated with the electronic tag, in which the write information acquired by the information acquisition section is written into the electronic tag using the writing device.