JPH0587916A - Distinguishing apparatus of moving body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change the system program of an answering device easily without exchanging the answering device by providing the answering device with a memory, and an inquiring device equipped with a transmission means for transmitting a modulated and not-modulated transmission medium to the answering device. CONSTITUTION:When an answering device 10 enters an area where it is able to communicate with an inquiring device 19, and receives an answer detecting command from the inquiring device 19, the answering device 10 is released from the standby state, with transmitting a response to the inquiring device 19. It is detected whether or not the system program is received from the inquiring device 19, and the system program is started to be transmitted from the inquiring device 19. When the system program is received, then, the receipt of the system program is judged to be completed. When the receipt is finished, the received program is transferred to the inquiring device 19 so as to compare whether or not the received system program is perfect. If the transferred program is not normal, the answering device 10 receives a comparison NG command, and tries to receive the program again. Accordingly, when the system program of the answering device 10 is to be changed, it is not necessary to exchange the answering device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a moving body identifying apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a moving body identifying apparatus is provided with an interrogator arranged at a fixed position and a responder attached to a moving body or the like.
It is an effective device for managing information such as specifications of individual products, processing and inspection in the process of paying out. The mobile body identification device is used for transportation, physical distribution, etc. in addition to the production line, and is also called a data carrier system.

The transponder of this type of moving body identifying apparatus is also called a data carrier, and usually has a hermetically sealed structure in which a communication control section having an antenna and the like are built in and is attached to a moving body.

The transponder executes a communication control unit having a function of transmitting and receiving a transmission medium to and from the interrogator, control of the communication control unit, storage of data transmitted from the interrogator, decoding of an instruction from the interrogator, and the like. It has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which system programs are stored, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) in which data is stored. The communication control unit includes an antenna, a transmission medium modulation unit, and the like.

The system program of the transponder is usually written in advance in a ROM in the transponder by a general-purpose data transfer device of electric contact. The ROM is used as a system program area and the RAM is used as a data area. Transfer of information between the transponder and the interrogator is controlled by the system program stored in the RAM in the transponder, and is performed as follows.

When transmitting information to the interrogator, the transponder that has entered the effective radio wave range of the interrogator receives the interrogation signal radio wave from the interrogator and then sends it out from the interrogator based on the information stored in the RAM. The transmission medium is modulated and transmitted to the interrogator. When receiving information from the interrogator, the transponder responds to the interrogation signal radio wave from the interrogator, and then the interrogator transmits information to the transponder and writes the information in the RAM of the transponder.

The transponder has a sealed structure in view of environmental resistance, and therefore the ROM in which the system program is written in advance is mounted in the transponder before sealing. Therefore, it was difficult to change the system program after the transponder was sealed.

[0008]

However, when it is necessary to change the system program of the transponder due to the specification change of the moving body identifying apparatus or the countermeasure against the trouble of the system program, the conventional moving body as described above is used. Since it is difficult to change the identification device, a method of replacing the transponder in which a new system program is written has been used.

For this reason, there are problems such as an increase in costs and maintenance costs associated with system specification changes, and
There is a problem that it is not possible to immediately deal with the problem of the system program.

Therefore, the present invention provides a moving body identifying apparatus which can easily change the system program of a transponder without replacing the transponder.

[0011]

According to the present invention, an interrogator comprising a transponder having a memory for storing a system program and a transmission means for sending a modulated and non-modulated transmission medium to the transponder. And an interrogator including means for transferring the system program for the transponder to the transponder, the transponder transferring to the transponder by the modulated transmission medium emitted from the interrogator. There is provided a mobile body identification device including means for storing the stored system program in a memory.

[0012]

The interrogator transfers the system program previously registered in the memory of the interrogator to the responder by the means for transferring the system program. At this time, the means for transferring the system program conveys the system program to the transmitting means, and the transmitting means modulates the transmission medium based on the system program and transmits it to the responder. The transponder receives the modulated transmission medium emitted from the interrogator containing the system program and stores the system program in the memory by means of storing in the memory. Control of the operation of the transponder is carried out by the system program stored in this memory.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the structure of a transponder and an interrogator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a memory map of the transponder.

The transponder 10 includes a communication control section including an antenna 11, a modulation section 12, a writing reception section 13, and a modulation signal generation section 14. The antenna 11, the modulation unit 12, and the writing reception unit 13 are electrically connected separately, and the modulation unit 12 and the modulation signal generation unit 14 are electrically connected. The transmitting means is an antenna 11, a modulator 12, a writing receiver 13, and a modulated signal generator 14.
Composed of. The modulator 12 digitally modulates the received unmodulated microwave. The modulation signal generation unit 14 is a device that generates the modulation signal. The writing receiving unit 13
It is a device for demodulating a received modulated wave.

As the antenna 11, for example, a rectangular patch antenna that also serves as transmission and reception is used. In the figure, three antennas 11 are drawn for the sake of clarity, but one is also used in this embodiment. Also, the antenna in the figure
Although the antenna 11 is drawn separately, the antenna 11 may be built in the housing of the transponder, or the antenna 11 and the modulator 1 may be used.
2. The part including the writing / receiving section 13 and the modulation signal generating section 14 may be housed in a separate housing.

The write receiver 13 and the modulation signal generator 14 are connected to the CPU 16 via an interface 15. A ROM 17 and a RAM 18 are connected to the CPU 16. The interface 15 is a device that implements an interface with the communication control unit, and performs parallel / serial conversion or serial / parallel conversion of signals.

The interrogator 18 includes an antenna 19 and an interrogation transmitting portion 2
0, receiving unit for reading 21, transmitting unit for writing 22, and data processing unit 2
Equipped with 3. The interrogation transmission section 20 has a function of transmitting a read command and then transmitting an unmodulated microwave. The reading receiver 21 receives the response from the transponder 10 and demodulates it. The writing transmitter 22 modulates the microwave in accordance with the information transmitted to the responder 10. Although three antennas 19 are shown in the figure for the sake of clarity, an array antenna in which a plurality of square patch antennas are arranged is usually used to improve the directivity and support long-distance communication.

The data processing unit 23 includes a control unit, an interface and a memory, and the control unit generally includes a microprocessor (not shown). The interface is a device that implements an interface with the antenna and performs parallel / serial conversion or serial / parallel conversion of signals. The memory consists of RAM and ROM,
Used to store information, etc. In addition, it is connected through an interface different from the host computer.

In transmitting information between the interrogator 20 and the responder 10, control of processing of commands transmitted from the interrogator 20 in the responder 10 and storage of information in the RAM 18 is performed as shown in FIG. It is executed by the system program stored in the RAM 17. In order to write this system program in the RAM 18, a system program storage program is stored in the ROM 17 in advance. Further, the interrogator 20 is provided with a system program transfer program corresponding to the system program storage program of the responder 10, and if necessary, the system program pre-registered in the RAM of the interrogator 20 is transferred to the responder 10. Can be transferred.

From the interrogator 20 of the system program to the responder
The transfer to 10 is carried out at the time of initial setting, specification change, or trouble countermeasure (debugging of system program) of the responder 10 by communication using microwaves.

Next, referring to the drawings, one of the system program storing program corresponding to the means for storing the system program of the responder 10 in the RAM and the system program transfer program corresponding to the means for transferring the system program of the interrogator 20 The operation flow of the embodiment will be described. Figure 1
2 is a flowchart of a storage program of the system program on the responder 10 side, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a transfer program of the system program on the interrogator 20 side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transponder 10 normally in the standby state receives the transponder detection command from the interrogator 20 when the transponder 10 enters the communicable area with the interrogator 20 (step S1). ), The transponder 10 releases the standby state,
The response is transmitted to the interrogator 20 (step S2).
It is determined whether the system program is received from the interrogator 20 (step S3), and if the answer to this is affirmative, that is, the transfer of the system program is started from the interrogator 20 and is received, the process proceeds to the next step. .. Next, it is determined whether the system program reception is completed (step S4), and if the reception is completed, the received system program is transferred to the interrogator 20 to verify whether the received system program has been completely transmitted. (Step S
5). Next, collation N issued from the interrogator 20 indicating that the transfer of the system program is not normally executed.
It is determined whether the G command has been received (step S
6). If the verification NG command is received, step S
Return to 3.

If the answer to step S6 is negative, that is, if the transfer of the system program is normal, it is judged whether or not the end command is received (step S6).
7) If the end command is not received, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed (timed out) to repeat step S7 until the end command is received for a predetermined time (step S8). If the answer in step S7 is affirmative or if the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S1.

If the answer in step S3 is negative, that is, if the system program is not received,
In order to repeat step S3 until the system program is received for a predetermined time, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed (timed out) (step S9). If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S1.

A flowchart of the interrogator 20 side with respect to the above flowchart will be described below with reference to FIG.

The interrogator 20 is a transponder normally in a standby state.
A responder detection command is transmitted to 10 (step S10). It is determined whether or not a response is received from the responder 10 (step S11), and if the result is affirmative, the system program is transmitted to the responder 10 (step S1).
2). If the answer to step S11 is negative, has the predetermined time elapsed to repeat step S11 until a response is received for a predetermined time (whether a timeout has occurred)?
Is determined (step S13). If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S10.

Subsequent to step S12, it is judged whether or not the transmission of the system program is completed (step S1).
4) When the system program has been transmitted to the end and ended, it is determined whether or not the system program has been transferred from the transponder 10 for collating the system program (step S15). If the answer to step S15 is a positive result, it is collated whether the system program for collation transferred from the responder 10 is the same as the system program transmitted to the responder 10, and if collated. An end command is transmitted to the responder 10 (step S1)
7).

If the answer to step S15 is negative, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed (timed out) in order to repeat step S15 until the system program for collating for a predetermined time is received (step S).
18). If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S10.

If the answer to step S16 is negative, that is, if the collation system program transferred from the responder 10 is different from the system program transferred to the responder 10, the process returns to step S12 and the response is made again. vessel
Transfer the system program to 10.

Accordingly, the interrogator transfers the system program registered in the memory of the interrogator to the responder by the means for transferring the system program. At this time, the means for transferring the system program conveys the system program to the transmitting means, and the transmitting means modulates the transmission medium based on the system program and transmits it to the responder. The transponder receives the modulated transmission medium emitted from the interrogator containing the system program and stores the system program in the memory by means of storing in the memory. Control of the operation of the transponder is carried out by the system program stored in this memory.

Therefore, when it is necessary to change the system program of the transponder due to the specification change of the moving body identifying apparatus or the countermeasure against the trouble of the system program, a new system program like the conventional moving body identifying apparatus is used. The transponder system program can be easily changed without the need to replace the transponder in which is written. Furthermore, it is not necessary to supply a memory in which a system program is stored for each specification of the product, and simplification of the manufacturing process can be achieved.

In the above embodiment, the memory of the transponder 10 is RO
Although it is composed of M17 and RAM18, it may be composed of only RAM, in which case the system program storage program is pre-written in RAM.

In the above embodiment, the microwave system was used as the transmission medium system, but the transmission medium system is not limited to this, and an electromagnetic coupling system, an electromagnetic induction system, an optical communication system or the like may be used.

[0035]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a moving body provided with a transponder having a memory and an interrogator having a transmission means for sending a modulated transmission medium to the transponder. An identifying device, wherein the interrogator includes means for transferring to the transponder a system program for controlling the operation of the transponder, the transponder being transferred by a modulated transmission medium emitted from the interrogator. Provided is a mobile identification device including means for storing a system program in a memory.

As a result, the interrogator transfers the system program registered in the memory of the interrogator to the responder by the means for transferring the system program. At this time, the means for transferring the system program conveys the system program to the transmitting means, and the transmitting means modulates the transmission medium based on the system program and transmits it to the responder. The transponder receives the modulated transmission medium emitted from the interrogator containing the system program and stores the system program in the memory by means of storing in the memory. Control of the operation of the transponder is carried out by the system program stored in this memory.

Therefore, when it is necessary to change the system program of the transponder due to the change of the specifications of the moving body identifying apparatus or the countermeasure of the trouble of the system program, a new system program like the conventional moving body identifying apparatus is used. The transponder system program can be easily changed without the need to replace the transponder in which is written. Furthermore, it is not necessary to supply a memory in which a system program is stored for each specification of the product, and simplification of the manufacturing process can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a means for storing a system program of a transponder in a moving body identifying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of means for transferring a system program of an interrogator in the moving body identifying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a moving body identifying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a memory map of a responder in the moving body identifying apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Transponder 11 Antenna 12 Modulator 13 Write receiver 14 Modulation signal generator 15 Interface 16 CPU 17 ROM 18 RAM

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mobile unit identification device comprising: a transponder having a memory; and an interrogator having a transmission means for transmitting a modulated transmission medium to the transponder, wherein the interrogator is the response. To the transponder, the system comprising means for transferring a system program for controlling the operation of the transponder, the transponder being transferred to the transponder by the modulated transmission medium emitted from the interrogator. A moving body identifying apparatus comprising means for storing a program in the memory.