Portable Terminal RFID Tag Position Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RFID systems struggle to accurately notify users of the position of RFID tags attached to items, especially when the tags are internally mounted or difficult to visually confirm, leading to challenges in reading the tag information.
Innovation Solution
A portable terminal equipped with a CPU, RFID reader/writer, imaging section, and storage section that captures item images, correlates tag position information with image data, and displays this information to the user, allowing for efficient retrieval of RFID tag data by guiding the user to the tag's location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the RFID tag is attached to the outside of the equipment, then it is possible to confirm the position of the tag by sight, but if the RFID tag is attached to the inside or internally mounted, then the user cannot confirm the position of the RFID tag by sight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image processing system as an intermediary between the RFID tag and the user. The system captures images of the equipment, processes them to locate the RFID tag position, and displays the processed image with tag position markers to the user. This intermediary system enables visual confirmation of tag positions regardless of whether the tag is externally attached or internally mounted, resolving the contradiction between ease of visual confirmation and device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the RFID tag is attached to a position difficult to confirm or is a color/shape difficult to confirm by sight, then the tag can be mounted on the equipment, but it becomes impossible to position the antenna close to the RFID tag
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing system serves as an intermediary that overcomes the limitation of visual confirmation. By capturing images and processing them to highlight tag positions with markers or overlays, the system enables precise antenna positioning even when tags are attached to difficult-to-see locations or have colors/shapes that blend with the equipment. This resolves the contradiction between attachment flexibility and positioning precision.
3Productivity
If the user does not know the position of the RFID tag, then the antenna cannot be positioned close to the RFID tag, but without knowing the position, it is not possible to read the information of the RFID tag
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images and processing them to determine RFID tag positions before the user attempts to read tag information. The processed image with position markers is displayed to the user in advance, enabling them to efficiently position the antenna and read tag information without time-consuming trial and error. This preliminary position determination eliminates the loss of time and resolves the contradiction between productivity and information loss.
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 accurate notification of RFID tag positions, facilitating efficient reading of tag information even when tags are internally mounted or hard to visually identify, thereby improving the usability of RFID systems in tracking and inventory management.
Implementation Method 1
The RFID scanner (RFID reader/writer) reads information from a RFID tag by wireless communication through radio waves or an electromagnetic field within a short distance
Implementation Method 2
an imaging section for obtaining image data by imaging the item
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A portable terminal (10) and a computer readable storage medium are described. According to one implementation, a portable terminal includes, a storage section (17), an imaging section (19), a notifying section (14) and a control section (11). The storage section stores item identification information to identify an item with a RFID tag (30) attached corresponded with tag position information which shows a position of the RFID tag. The control section retrieves item identification information of an item corresponding to image data imaged by the imaging section from the stored item identification information, and allows the notifying section to notify the tag position information corresponding to the retrieved item identification information.