Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
  • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
  • G06K7/10009—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
  • G06K7/10316—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers
  • G06K7/10346—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
  • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
  • G06K7/10009—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
  • G06K7/10316—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers
  • G06K7/10336—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of electronic tags allowing contactless reading of information and which are read remotely by an interrogation / reading device emitting an electric or electromagnetic field. More generally, these are RFID type information carriers which can take various forms, such as labels, cards, plugs, and without the present invention being limited to a particular form of the invention carrier.
• Barcodes have the disadvantage of being read only one after the other, which represents a significant loss of time when it comes to inventorying a stock.
• RFID tags which contain electronic circuits such as a memory capable of recording an n-bit binary code.
• One of the main advantages of RFID tags is that they can be read simultaneously.
• This device requires the user to stop in front of each item to bring the reading or interrogation means in the immediate vicinity of the information medium. This technique is therefore tedious and long and is therefore not suitable for a complete inventory, or even a search, of all the articles present in the library at a precise moment.
• the first solution consists of a portable device substantially identical to that described in the US Patent No. US 6,232,870, which therefore has the same drawbacks.
• the second solution consists of a rolling cart with a large reading / interrogation panel for information carriers to scan books in several parallel rows.
• the device according to the invention can also be found or inventoried of objects in a shop, personal or professional files at the home or at work, or even his favorite kitchen spice stored in the kitchen.
• the invention therefore aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art.
• a device for identifying articles comprising a contactless label of the RF-ID type, the articles being aligned on a support, the device comprising at least one antenna characterized in that said antenna is included in a flexible head capable of deforming in contact with the contour of at least some of the aligned articles to present an area in contact with said contour of the articles in contact, and a zone extending a handling support.
• aligned means, with reference to the articles, that the said articles rest or are maintained on a support having a substantially flat surface, each article being placed contiguous or at a distance from each other, for example placed on one of the short sides of a book or CD-ROM with the edge or the outline of said book or of said CD-ROM facing towards the outside of the support.
• the device according to the invention will include a means of connection with a power supply module of said antenna.
• connection means will consist of a non-wired connection means.
• connection means will consist of a wired connection means, for example an electric cable.
• the device will directly comprise a power supply module.
• the device will include a storage means.
• the device may also include a comparison means for comparing the information recovered or collected from a contactless label and a prerecorded information, corresponding to a particular label, in the storage means.
• the device may then include an input means for designating the book to be searched for and entering its identification in the above comparison means.
• the device will include a sound and / or visual signaling means, possibly delivered via a user interface, signaling each information retrieval or the retrieval of information corresponding to a special label.
• the head will have a shape homothetic to the shape of the antenna, that is to say having dimensions at least greater than those of the antenna.
• the head will have a rectangular or ovoid shape.
• the head will have a gripping means, such as a handle, allowing its transport and its handling by an operator.
• the gripping means may include an activation trigger, or the like, enabling the above-mentioned antenna to be activated / deactivated.
• the aforesaid head will be connected to the handle by means of a ball joint, or the like, capable of authorizing said head to rotate on its axis and to present a freedom of angular movement of the ⁇ 20 ° order.
• the device according to the invention can be mounted on a displacement means, such as a carriage.
• the flexible head will be made of plastic.
• each label will comprise a storage means, capable of recording a binary code with n bits; at least part of said memory being rewritable.
• the invention also relates to a system for identifying articles according to claims 1 to 18, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of contactless tags of the RFID type arranged on aligned articles and a device comprising an antenna, included in a flexible head able to deform in contact with the contour of at least some of the articles aligned to present an area in contact with said contour of the articles in contact, and a zone extending a handling support. Thanks to these features, the invention makes it possible to detect and find faultlessly, and while minimizing the time spent by an operator, or several labels present on articles placed contiguously when the distances from said articles to the identification device is variable. Furthermore, the flexible antenna according to the invention damages the objects to be identified less than a rigid antenna. Finally, since reliable identification at a shorter distance is possible thanks to the device according to the invention, it is now possible to use RFID tags of small dimensions, to use a lower reading power, thus making it possible to carry out lighter and more ergonomic "hand" readers.
• Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of the flexible head according to the invention
• FIG. 2 illustrates a partial sectional view of the flexible head operating a detection of contactless labels, placed on the edge of a plurality of books, or CD-ROM / DVD-ROM, arranged aligned with respect to each other to others.
• the identification device comprises a flexible head 1, made for example of plastic material relatively flexible such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP); the material of said head 1 being chosen to most easily and durably insert a metallic material forming an antenna 3.
• this flexible head 1 has an ovoid shape and ends at one of its ends by a gripping handle 2 allowing an operator / user to handle said head 1.
• this gripping handle 2 consists of a gripping means which can be in various variable forms, it being understood that its ergonomic shape must easily allow it to be gripped by a human hand.
• This flexible head made of relatively flexible plastic, will include or support an antenna 3, said antenna delivering an electrical signal to a reception and modulation circuit present in the RFID tag.
• the flexible head can be used to write data in one or more labels, for example a change in classification of the article in question.
• the term “antenna” will be understood to mean a means sensitive to an electric or electromagnetic field and delivering an electromotive force which is a function of the electric or electromagnetic field detected by the antenna.
• the term “antenna” will include means such as a loop in the case of an RFID tag at 13.56 MHz, a strand or any other suitable element for generating an electric or electromagnetic field.
• the term “antenna” will be understood to mean means sensitive to an electric or electromagnetic field and delivering an electromotive force which is a function of the electric or electromagnetic field detected by the antenna.
• the antenna 3 when the antenna 3 receives energy from a power supply source, not shown in the figures, and connected to said antenna 3 by wired or non-wired link, the antenna creates an electric or electromagnetic field at a short distance.
• the connection means between the head 1 and the supply means is of the non-wired type, the connection means may be of the "bluetooth", “Airport” or “WIFI” type .
• the device according to the invention can essentially be used in two non-limiting cases, described below.
• the operator seeks to find a specific article 4, that is to say bearing a number or a known identification code, for example stored in a server.
• the operator enters the number or the identification code on an input means, for example a keypad, to store it in a storage means, fixed to the flexible head 1 or independent of the latter.
• the device will also include a comparison means capable of making a comparison between the identification numbers or codes noted on each label and the identification number (s), or codes, recorded in the storage means. If there is indeed a match between the identification code of a label and the registered identification code, then a means of signaling emits an audible or visual signal, for example a flashing light, indicating that the article sought has just been located.
• the operator can also use the device of the invention to identify all of the articles 4 present on a shelf.
• the user / operator similarly approaches the flexible head 1 in contact with the articles 4, ideally near the location of the RFID tag present on or in the article 4, so that the head 1 folds and has a planar surface contact with the contour of article 4 to emit an electric or electromagnetic field substantially perpendicular to each label, the latter then being capable of being perfectly detected by the antenna 2.
• the operator can benefit from a handle comprising an activation / deactivation trigger of the above antenna 3.
• a handle comprising an activation / deactivation trigger of the above antenna 3.
• provision may also be made for the case where the antenna 3 is active so continues as soon as the operator has started the supply means supplying energy to said antenna.
• the user slightly presses the flexible head 1 against the articles 4 to be monitored.
• the flexible head 1 is always in contact at least partially with the article 4 or in the vicinity of this article 4, in the case for example where the article 4 is set back significantly with respect to these neighbors.
• the label of each article is therefore always in the electric or electromagnetic field of one antenna 2 and all the articles 4 can thus be identified.
• the head 1 may be connected to the gripping means by a ball joint or a conical orifice capable of authorizing the said head 1 to rotate along the axis of its handle 2 and to have freedom of angular movement, for example from 1 '' ⁇ 20 °.
• the flexible head 1 on a carriage that can be moved by an operator or automatically, for example by remote control means, to facilitate scanning of rows of articles 4 located on the shelving.
• a carriage that can be moved by an operator or automatically, for example by remote control means, to facilitate scanning of rows of articles 4 located on the shelving.
• it will be advantageous to produce a flexible head 1 of large size so as to be brought into contact with or near articles 4 arranged on several levels, or height, of rows.
• the flexible head according to the invention may have a plurality of fingers, for example in the manner of tentacles.
• the antenna (s) used in the flexible head according to the invention may (may) consist of three-dimensional antennas or planar antennas.
• the handle connected to the flexible head and allowing the gripping of the device, may also include a telescopic tube capable of increasing or reducing the distance between the handle and the flexible head so that a user can easily bring the flexible head near relatively distant items.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
• Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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• 2002
  • 2002-12-12 FR FR0215743A patent/FR2848696B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-12-12 WO PCT/FR2003/050165 patent/WO2004055710A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2003-12-12 US US10/538,555 patent/US20060232375A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-12 AU AU2003299423A patent/AU2003299423A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-12 EP EP03799721A patent/EP1570410A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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