RFID Reading Apparatus Lid Closure Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional self-checkout systems using RFID tags for commodity sales registration face challenges in accurately reading commodities due to customer confusion about the timing of starting the reading process, leading to potential illegal operations and inefficient processing.
Innovation Solution
A reading apparatus with a casing, antenna, and an opening and closing lid that houses a shopping basket, where the reading process is initiated only when the lid is closed, ensuring the RFID tags are read correctly and preventing external radio wave interference, thus isolating the reading area from the customer's space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the reading apparatus uses a flat antenna to collectively read RFID tags by placing the shopping basket on the checkout counter, then the reading process can be automated, but the customer becomes confused about the timing of beginning and may perform illegal operations such as taking out or adding commodities during reading
Solution Approach 1:
The reading apparatus is divided into a reading room (for RFID reading) and a customer space (for customer operations), physically separated by a shielded enclosure. This segmentation prevents interference between reading operations and customer activities, ensuring both automation and reading accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
A shielded enclosure acts as an intermediary between the RFID reading system and the customer environment. The enclosure with radio wave shielding properties isolates the reading process from external interference while allowing controlled interaction through the opening/closing lid mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If the reading apparatus allows continuous customer access during RFID reading, then ease of operation is improved, but external operations interfere with the reading process and cause incorrect reading
Solution Approach 1:
The lid of the reading apparatus dynamically transitions between open and closed states, controlling customer access timing. The lid remains open during commodity placement, closes automatically to initiate reading, and stays closed during the reading process, providing both ease of operation and reading accuracy through dynamic state management.
3Measurement precision
If the reading apparatus isolates the reading area from customer space using a shielded enclosure, then reading accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielded enclosure uses a lid structure with radio wave shielding properties that can be opened and closed. This flexible shielding approach provides effective isolation for reading accuracy while maintaining a relatively simple structural implementation compared to fully enclosed complex shielding systems.
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 and efficient reading of RFID tags by clearly defining the start of the reading process and reducing external influences, preventing illegal operations and ensuring reliable commodity registration.
Implementation Method 1
a reading apparatus which reads information from an RFID tag attached to a commodity
Data Source
AI summary
A reading apparatus reading information from an RFID tag attached to a commodity configured to comprise: a casing consisting of an opening serving as an entrance and exit port of a commodity and a space for housing the commodity inside; an antenna configured to be arranged inside the space; an opening and closing lid configured to open and close the opening; an acquisition module configured to acquire an opening and closing state of the opening and closing lid; a reading module configured to execute, in a case in which the opening and closing state acquired by the acquisition module indicates a closing state of the opening and closing lid, a reading processing for reading information relating to commodities from RFID tags of each of the commodities housed in the casing through the antenna; and an output module configured to output the information read by the reading module.