RFID Tag Label Apparatus Antenna Timing Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tag label producing apparatuses face issues with reliability and stability of RFID communication due to residual pressing forces from rollers affecting the contact points between IC circuit parts and tag antennas, leading to potential communication errors.

Innovation Solution

A tag label producing apparatus with coordination control means that ensures information transmission/reception occurs only after the IC circuit part has passed through a segment where the nearest roller's pressing force has dissipated, using a feeding roller positioned close to the apparatus antenna to minimize external pressure on the laminated structure of the RFID circuit elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If feeding rollers and pressure rollers are used to transport the tag tape, then the tag tape can be fed and printed, but the pressing force from the rollers affects the contact point between the IC circuit part and tag antenna, causing residual effects that reduce communication reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetag label production efficiencyVSAvoidRFID communication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus performs information transmission/reception only after the IC circuit part has passed through a segment from the nearest feeding roller to the apparatus antenna, ensuring that the pressing force effects have dissipated before communication occurs. This preliminary timing action resolves the contradiction by sequencing the operations to avoid residual pressure interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coordination control means dynamically adjusts the timing of information transmission/reception based on the position of the IC circuit part relative to the apparatus antenna and the pressing force dissipation time. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain both productivity and communication reliability by adapting the communication timing to the mechanical state of the RFID circuit element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of time

If the nearest feeding roller is positioned close to the apparatus antenna, then the segment length for pressing force dissipation is minimized, but the coordination control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for pressing force dissipationVSAvoidcoordination control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coordination control means uses feedback from the positional relationship between the IC circuit part and the apparatus antenna to determine the optimal timing for information transmission/reception. This feedback mechanism enables precise control of the communication timing while keeping the system manageable through sensor-based position detection and coordinated roller control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The coordination control means serves multiple functions simultaneously: it controls the feeding rollers' rotation, determines the timing of information transmission/reception, and monitors the positional relationship between components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control systems while managing the complexity of coordinating multiple operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 approach improves the reliability and stability of RFID communication during label production by ensuring that the effects of pressing forces have fully dissipated before wireless communication takes place, preventing communication errors and enhancing the quality of produced RFID labels.

Implementation Method 1

an apparatus antenna located downstream from the printing means in a transport direction along a feeding path of the feeding roller, for transmitting and receiving information to and from the RFID circuit element by wireless communication

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

a pressing force acts upon the tag tape comprising the RFID circuit elements by the feeding rollers, pressure rollers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

the contact point is released from the pressure, and returns to its original shape gradually because of its inherent elastic restoring force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2020295B1Tag label producing apparatus
Publication Date: 2012.09.19 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP2020295B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2020295B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2020295B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A sub roller (47) is positioned downstream of a print head (49) with respect to a tape feeding path, and constitutes a nearest roller closest to an apparatus antenna (53), and a sub roller (47), a platen roller (50), the print head (49), and an apparatus antenna (53) are controlled in coordination such that information transmission/reception between a tag antenna (62) of an RFID circuit element (To) and the apparatus antenna (53) is performed once an IC circuit part (80) of the RFID circuit element (To) provided to a tag tape (101) has passed downstream in a tape transport direction from a segment (L1) from the nearest roller to the apparatus antenna (53) along the tape transport direction.