RFID Cassette Identification via Return Energy Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing devices face issues with correctly identifying the RFID tag on a mounted cassette due to the antenna's communication range, which can inadvertently connect with nearby or previously mounted RFID tags, leading to incorrect cassette information acquisition.
Innovation Solution
The printing device incorporates an RFID reader with a directional antenna and a memory that stores correlations between cassette types and standard return energy ranges, allowing it to determine if communication with the mounted cassette's RFID tag is proper based on unique communication sensitivity for each type of cassette.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the antenna communicates with RFID tags within its range, then it can acquire cassette information, but it may inadvertently communicate with wrong RFID tags (fallen off tags or adjacent device tags)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses communication sensitivity (a parameter of the RFID communication) to identify and filter out incorrect RFID tags. By measuring the return energy from the RFID tag and comparing it against expected sensitivity ranges for different cassette types, the system can distinguish between the correct mounted cassette and other RFID tags in the communication range, thus resolving the contradiction between acquiring information and avoiding incorrect information.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of cassettes are selectively mounted, then the device can handle various cassette types, but determining the correct cassette type becomes more difficult due to varying communication sensitivities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores correlation data between cassette types and their expected communication sensitivity ranges (return energy values). When a cassette is mounted, the system measures the actual communication sensitivity and compares it against the stored ranges to automatically identify the cassette type. This approach maintains versatility with multiple cassette types while simplifying identification through parameter-based detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the RFID communication process itself (the return energy measurement) to determine cassette type. The measured communication sensitivity feeds back into the identification process, allowing the system to automatically recognize the mounted cassette type without requiring manual input or complex mechanical detection mechanisms.
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
This solution ensures accurate communication with the intended RFID tag on the mounted cassette, preventing incorrect information acquisition and enabling proper print control by distinguishing between different types of cassettes based on their unique communication characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
The RFID reader includes a reader antenna. Each of the plurality of types of cassettes includes an RFID tag storing therein cassette information related to the cassette. The RFID tag includes a tag antenna configured to communicate with the reader antenna.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device includes: an RFID reader including a reader antenna; a cassette mounting portion in which a plurality of types of cassettes can be selectively mounted; a memory storing correlations between the types of cassettes and standard ranges concerning a return energy; and a controller. Each cassette includes an RFID tag storing cassette information related to the cassette. The RFID tag includes a tag antenna configured to communicate with the reader antenna. Communication sensitivity between the reader antenna and the tag antenna when the cassette is mounted in the cassette mounting portion is different for each type of cassette. The controller performs: communicating via the RFID reader with the RFID tag of the cassette mounted in the cassette mounting portion; and determining whether a value of the return energy received by the RFID reader in the communicating falls within any one of the standard ranges indicated by the correlations.