WO2016199651A1

WO2016199651A1 - Container and electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2016199651A1
Application number: PCT/JP2016/066289
Authority: WO
Inventors: 洵介田中
Original assignee: 凸版印刷株式会社
Priority date: 2015-06-09
Filing date: 2016-06-01
Publication date: 2016-12-15

Abstract

An electronic device 1 having a display 6 and a control board 7, wherein: the display 6 is visible from the exterior of a body 105; the control board 7 has a control unit 17, a storage unit 11 connected to the control unit 17, a UHF-band IC 15 connected to the control unit 17, and a UHF-band antenna 16 formed in a planar shape and connected to the UHF-band IC 15; the control unit 17 transmits, from the UHF-band antenna 16, at least some data from among the content displayed on the display 6, the content stored in the storage unit 11, and the content stored in the UHF-band IC 15; and a cavity measuring 1mm or greater is formed from the UHF-band antenna 16 to the body 105 in the thickness direction perpendicular to the surface on which the UHF-band antenna 16 is formed.

Description

Container and electronic device

The present invention relates to a container and an electronic device.

Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic bag tag held in a recess provided on an outer surface of a suitcase. The electronic bag tag has an embedded display and a wireless communication interface. The wireless communication interface includes, for example, an RFID UHF antenna.

Special table 2014-516175 gazette

However, in the electronic bag tag described in Patent Document 1, the outer surface of the suitcase including the display is formed flat. Therefore, when the suitcase is transported or the like, there is a possibility that another object or the like may come into contact with the display and the display may be damaged.

In particular, when the suitcase is formed of a metal such as aluminum or duralumin, or when a liquid such as water is contained in the suitcase, the communication characteristics of the antenna may be deteriorated. .

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that suppresses deterioration in communication characteristics of an antenna when incorporated in a container that can accommodate any object, and a container in which the electronic device is incorporated. .

A container according to an embodiment of the present invention is a container including a case that can store an arbitrary object and an electronic device attached to the case, and the electronic device includes a display and a control board. The control board includes a control unit, a storage unit connected to the control unit, a communication IC connected to the control unit, and an antenna connected to the communication IC and formed in a planar shape. The unit transmits at least a part of the content displayed on the display, the content stored in the storage unit, and the content stored in the communication IC from the antenna, on the plane on which the antenna is formed. In the vertical thickness direction, a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from the antenna to the case.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is an electronic device that is attached to a case that can store an arbitrary object, and includes a housing, a display and a control board that are housed in the housing, The body has an opening through which the display surface of the display can be seen, and the control board is connected to the control unit, the storage unit connected to the control unit, the communication IC connected to the control unit, and the communication IC And the antenna formed in a planar shape, the control unit is at least a part of the content displayed on the display, the content stored in the storage unit, and the content stored in the communication IC Data is transmitted from the antenna, and a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from the plane where the antenna is formed to the inner wall of the casing facing the opening in the casing. The display can be visible from the outside of the case.

According to such a container and electronic device, when the electronic device is attached to the case, a space of 1 mm or more is formed between the surface of the case and the antenna. In this case, since the antenna and the case are arranged apart from each other, it is possible to suppress a decrease in communication characteristics of the antenna.

The container and the electronic device may have a structure in which a gap of 5 mm or more is formed from the antenna to the case. In this case, a larger space is formed between the surface of the case and the antenna, and the deterioration of the communication characteristics of the antenna can be further suppressed.

The container and the electronic device may have a structure in which a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from the surface of the display to the edge on the side where the opening is formed in the housing in the thickness direction perpendicular to the surface of the display. . In this case, since the edge (housing) of the electronic device protrudes from the surface of the display by 1 mm or more, even when the electronic device is attached to the case so that the display can be visually recognized. This makes it difficult for other objects to come into contact with the display. Thereby, damage to the display is suppressed.

In the container and the electronic device, the antenna may include a UHF band antenna that performs communication using the UHF frequency band, and the UHF band antenna may be separated from the case by 1 mm or more. Since UHF band antennas are more susceptible to degradation in communication characteristics than other antennas, it is possible to achieve suitable wireless communication with the outside by separating at least the UHF band antenna from the case. It becomes.

Further, the above-described container may further include a UHF band antenna that performs communication using the UHF frequency band, and the UHF band antenna may be provided in the case. In this case, since the UHF band antenna for transmitting data by the electronic device is provided on the case side, the size of the UHF band antenna does not depend on the size of the electronic device. This makes it possible to further improve the communication characteristics by providing a UHF band antenna having a larger (or longer) size than the electronic device. Further, by disposing the UHF band antenna away from the display and the control unit constituting the electronic device, it is possible to make it difficult for radio interference between the UHF band antenna and the display having a high dielectric constant to occur. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the deterioration of the communication characteristics of the UHF band antenna. In this container, the antenna may include an HF band antenna, and the HF band antenna may be separated from the case by 1 mm or more.

In the container described above, the UHF band antenna may be formed of a flexible metal conductor. In this case, since the UHF band antenna can be formed so as to follow the shape of the case, it is possible to form the UHF band antenna for cases with various designs.

In the container described above, the case may be provided with a grip portion, and the UHF band antenna may be formed on the grip portion. In this case, for example, when a container is transported on a belt conveyor line such as a baggage handling system (BHS) or a sorter system (sorter system) in an airport, a cell forming a belt conveyor ( Plate) and the metal frame that becomes the conveyance line skeleton do not come into contact with the grip portion on which the UHF band antenna is formed. This makes it possible to obtain stable communication characteristics even in a normal metal conveyance line that does not use a resin material for the reading unit by the UHF reader / writer.

In the above-described container, a cloth for partitioning a space for housing an object is provided inside the case, and the UHF band antenna may be formed on this cloth. In this case, the UHF band antenna can be further arranged away from the electronic device, and can also be separated from the main body part of the case and a specific part in the case. For example, when the main body portion of the case, the case inner skeleton frame, or the like is made of metal, radio wave interference between the main body portion or the specific portion of the case and the UFH band antenna can be suppressed.

According to the container and the electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in communication characteristics of the antenna in a state where the object is incorporated in a case that can accommodate any object.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electronic device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a suitcase to which the electronic device shown in FIG. 1 is attached. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the electronic device attached to the suitcase shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a suitcase to which an electronic device is attached according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an electronic device attached to the suitcase shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electronic device shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device attached to the suitcase.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For convenience, the same reference numerals are given to substantially the same elements, and the description thereof may be omitted. Note that the present invention is widely applicable to electronic devices that are attached to a container that can accommodate an arbitrary object. In the following description, an example in which an electronic device used as a bag tag in a baggage transport system such as an airport is attached to a suitcase will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[First Embodiment]
1 and 2 are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device, respectively. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electronic device shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 5, a display 6 and a control board 7 housed in the housing 5. The housing 5 of the electronic device 1 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and includes a front side base material 2 and a back side base material 3. The four corners of the front-side base material 2 and the back-side base material 3 are fastened by fastening members 5a such as screws.

The back-side base material 3 has a concave shape including a bottom plate portion 3a and a side plate portion 3b formed on the periphery of the bottom plate portion 3a, and accommodates the display 6 and the control board 7 inside the recess. In this embodiment, the buffer material 8, the control board 7, and the display 6 are sequentially accommodated inside the back side base material 3 from the bottom plate portion 3a side. The buffer material 8 is, for example, a cushion having a porous structure. The cushioning material 8 has a thickness of at least 1 mm or more (eg, 3 mm in the illustrated example), and the cushioning material 8 partially extends from the back surface (surface in contact with the cushioning material) 7a of the control board 7 to the inner wall of the bottom plate portion 3a. By forming, voids are formed. Since the buffer material 8 is arranged, the control board 7 does not directly contact the bottom plate portion 3a. Note that the term “void” does not mean only a completely open space that does not obstruct, but a continuous surface such as a space in which a fixed surface or the entire surface is occupied by a cushion of a porous structure. It is a concept including gaps to be formed.

Further, an edge portion 3c is formed on the periphery of the bottom plate portion 3a so as to protrude to the side opposite to the side on which the side plate portion 3b is formed. The edge part 3c in this embodiment is provided in frame shape along the perimeter of the baseplate part 3a. In the direction perpendicular to the bottom plate portion 3a (thickness direction perpendicular to the display surface of the display 6), the distance L1 from the outer surface of the bottom plate portion 3a to the edge of the edge portion 3c is 1 mm or more. Then, for example, it is 2 mm. As a result, in the direction perpendicular to the bottom plate portion 3a, a gap of 5 mm or more is formed from the control board 7 to the end edge together with the gap due to the cushioning material 8.

The front side base material 2 constitutes a housing 5 by being connected to the back side base material 3. The front-side base material 2 includes an upper plate portion 2a and a side plate portion 2b provided on the periphery of the upper plate portion 2a. A rectangular opening 2c is formed in the upper plate portion 2a. In the present embodiment, the protective panel layer 4 is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the opening 2c. The protective panel layer 4 is formed of a resin material having translucency such as a transparent acrylic panel, for example, and protects the adjacent display 6. In a state where the front side base material 2 and the back side base material 3 are connected, the opening 2 c faces the bottom plate portion 3 a of the back side base material 3. By connecting the back side base material 3 in which the buffer material 8, the control board 7 and the display 6 are accommodated, and the front side base material 2, the display surface of the display 6 can be visually recognized from the opening 2 c of the front side base material 2. Moreover, the edge 2d which protruded on the opposite side to the side in which the side-plate part 2b is formed is formed in the periphery of the upper-plate part 2a. The edge 2d in the present embodiment is provided over the entire periphery of the upper plate 2a. In a direction perpendicular to the upper plate portion 2a (thickness direction perpendicular to the display surface), a distance L2 (gap) from the surface of the display surface to the edge of the edge portion 2d in the display 6 is 1 mm or more, In this embodiment, it is 2 mm, for example. The display 6 is arranged so as to be visible from the outside of the suitcase, but is covered with an openable / closable shutter or the like in order to avoid a load of strength when carrying the suitcase or from the viewpoint of privacy protection. Also good. Even in such a case, the display 6 can be made visible by opening the shutter during use (when reading, etc.).

The display 6 can be configured by electronic paper such as an electrophoretic method, a ferroelectric liquid crystal, a cholesteric liquid crystal, and an electrochromic liquid crystal. Since such a display 6 has low power consumption for holding a display image (or does not require power consumption), the display can be maintained even when power supply is stopped. A liquid crystal display other than electronic paper, an organic EL, or the like may be used so that display is performed only while power is supplied.

The image displayed on the display 6 can be the same as that printed on a conventional paper bag tag. That is, the image displayed on the display 6 can be a one-dimensional barcode or two-dimensional code that can be read by a device such as a hand scanner, a barcode scanner, or an automatic luggage scanner. Also, plain text or reference numbers may be displayed on the display 6. Thereby, even when there is no wireless equipment for reading the data of the electronic device 1, data such as a barcode can be read by using conventional equipment or the like as in the case of a paper bag tag.

The control board 7 includes a storage unit 11, an HF band IC (communication IC) 12, an HF band antenna 13, a power supply circuit 14, a UHF band IC (communication IC) 15, a UHF band antenna 16, and the like shown in FIG. And a control unit 17 electrically connected to the control unit 17. The storage unit 11 includes individual identification information of the electronic device 1 such as GUID, TID, and UID, information on the itinerary (including airline name, flight number, waypoint, final destination, tag number, etc.), etc. Various types of information are stored, for example, constituted by a nonvolatile memory.

The HF band antenna 13 can perform near-field communication using the 13.56 MHz HF frequency band. This communication is controlled by the HF band IC 12. The HF band antenna 13 allows the electronic device 1 to be a reader / writer terminal or NFC smartphone that supports communication standards such as ISO / IEC 14443 Type A / B, ISO / IEC 15693, ISO / IEC 18092, FeliCa (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), and the like. It is possible to communicate with etc. The HF band antenna 13 is formed, for example, on the control substrate 7 in a spiral shape (in a planar shape) along its outer frame, and is formed by etching an aluminum metal conductor or the like.

The UHF band antenna 16 can perform communication using a UHF frequency band of 860 MHz to 960 MHz determined by EPCglobal C1Gen2 or ISO / IEC 18000-6. This communication is controlled by the UHF band IC 15. For example, the data stored in the storage unit 11 of the electronic device 1 or the memory area in the UHF band IC 15 can be read by an automatic baggage checker, a handy terminal, or a baggage transfer system equipped with a reader / writer that supports UHF band communication. Done. The UHF band antenna 16 in the present embodiment is formed in a planar shape with respect to the surface of the control board 7 opposite to the display 6 and can have various shapes such as a meandering dipole or a double dipole. . The UHF band antenna 16 is formed, for example, by etching an aluminum metal conductor or the like.

The control unit 17 controls the entire electronic device 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 17 is connected to the storage unit 11, the HF band IC 12, the HF band antenna 13, the power supply circuit 14, the UHF band IC 15 and the UHF band antenna 16, and the switch 18, the display 6 and Connected to the LED 19. The control unit 17 according to the present embodiment is configured by, for example, an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), for example, a wired I ² C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) interface, a serial interface SPI (Serial Parallel Interface), or a UART (Universal Astronautical). The storage unit 11, the HF band IC 12, the HF band antenna 13, the power supply circuit 14, the UHF band IC 15, and the UHF band antenna 16 are electrically connected to each other by a Receiver Transmitter) or the like.

The control unit 17 performs control for rewriting various information stored in the memory unit 11, the memory area in the HF band IC 12, the memory area in the UHF band IC 15, and the display contents on the display 6. For example, in the electronic device 1, power is supplied to the HF band IC 12 and the control unit 17 by a reader / writer terminal such as a smartphone that supports NFC. As a result, the control unit 17 converts various information stored in the memory unit 11, the memory area in the HF band IC 12, the memory area in the UHF band IC 15, or the like into new information received by the HF band antenna 13. Can be updated. Moreover, the control part 17 can rewrite the display content of the display 6 based on the updated information. That is, when the information to be displayed on the display 6 is included in the new information received by the HF band antenna 13, the control unit 17 rewrites the display image on the display 6. Further, also when information to be displayed on the display 6 is generated by the firmware in the control unit 17 based on the received information, the control unit 17 rewrites the display image on the display 6. In the present embodiment, the LED 19 is connected to the control unit 17. For example, when the control unit 17 rewrites the data in the storage unit 11, the memory area in the HF band IC 12, the memory area in the UHF band IC 15, or the display content of the display 6, the rewrite status is indicated by the LED 19. You may make it notify.

The control unit 17 is data including at least a part of the contents displayed on the display 6, the storage unit 11, the memory area in the HF band IC 12, the various areas stored in the memory area in the UHF band IC 15, etc. Is transmitted from the UHF band antenna 16 to the baggage transfer system. For example, power is supplied to the UHF band IC 15 and the control unit 17 by an automatic baggage checking machine, a handy terminal, or a reader / writer of a baggage transport system. Accordingly, the control unit 17 performs control to transmit data stored in the storage unit 11 and the like from the UHF band antenna 16 to the baggage transport system. The data transmitted to the baggage transport system includes, for example, a tag number, GUID, baggage weight information, or a priority level for loading and unloading. When the amount of transmission data is small, the UHF band IC 15 may receive power and transmit data independently without using the control unit 17. If the power supply time and reading time can be long, the information amount such as the airline name, flight number, and waypoint may be arbitrarily selected and transmitted. In the present embodiment, the voltage induced by the UHF band antenna 16 is rectified by the power supply circuit 14 and supplied to the control unit 17.

The switch 18 is, for example, a touch sensor, and is used for arbitrary function selection such as screen activation on the display 6, deletion of a display image, page turning, and the like. Such a switch 18 is an electrostatic switch or the like formed on the display 6, and can be used when, for example, electric power supplied in a non-contact manner in the HF band is stored in a capacitor or the like.

Such an electronic device 1 is attached to a case that can accommodate an arbitrary object. As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the electronic device 1 is attached to the suitcase 100. The suitcase 100 includes a body (case) 105, a handle 106, a grip portion 107, and casters 108. The body 105 includes a body side shell 102 and a lid side shell 103 that faces the body side shell 102. The body-side shell 102 includes a bottom plate portion 102a and a side plate portion 102b that stands up around the bottom plate portion 102a. The lid-side shell 103 includes an upper plate portion 103a and a side plate portion 103b that stands up around the upper plate portion 103a. The body side shell 102 and the lid side shell 103 can be opened and closed by an opening / closing mechanism such as a slide fastener in a state where the

side plate portions

102b and 103b are combined. The material of the body 105 is, for example, a resin such as polycarbonate or ABS.

The handle 106 and the grip portion 107 are attached to the body shell 102. The handle 106 is configured to be extendable and retractable and can be stored in the body shell 102. The grip portion 107 is fixed to the side plate portion 102 b of the body side shell 102. The handle 106 and the grip portion 107 are provided on the side of the side plate portion 102b facing the side on which the casters 108 are attached. The suitcase 100 in the illustrated example has four casters 108, but may be two, for example.

The electronic device 1 is attached to the body 105. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the electronic device 1 is attached to the side plate portion 103 b in the lid side shell 103. More specifically, the electronic device 1 is attached to the surface of the side plate portion 103b opposite to the side on which the casters 108 are attached (opposite side). The side plate portion 103 b of the lid side shell 103 is formed with a recess 104 that matches the shape of the electronic device 1. The recess 104 has a rectangular bottom surface portion 104a and a side surface portion 104b provided around the bottom surface portion 104a. For example, the height of the recess 104 may be equal to or greater than the thickness of the housing 5 of the electronic device 1. The electronic device 1 is fixed to the lid-side shell 103 while being accommodated in the recess 104.

In the state in which the electronic device 1 is accommodated in the recess 104, the edge of the edge 2d of the front-side base material 2 of the housing 5 enters inside the surface of the side plate 103b. As a result, the surface of the display 6 enters at least the height of the edge 2d from the surface of the side plate portion 103b.

Further, the edge of the edge 3c of the back base 3 is in contact with the bottom surface 104a of the recess 104. As a result, a gap is formed from the bottom surface portion 104 a of the recess 104 to the surface of the bottom plate portion 3 a in the back-side base material 3. For example, the electronic device 1 may be fixed by fixing a transparent acrylic panel from the electronic device 1 side to the lid-side shell 103 in a state where the electronic device 1 is accommodated in the recess 104.

According to the electronic device 1 described above, the edge of the housing 5 protrudes from the surface of the display 6 by 1 mm or more. Therefore, even when the electronic device 1 is attached to the suitcase 100, it is difficult for other objects or the like to come into contact with the display 6. Thereby, the damage of the display 6 is suppressed. Further, a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from the UHF band antenna 16 to the edge of the housing 5. Therefore, even when the electronic device 1 is attached to the suitcase 100, a space (gap) is formed between the surface of the suitcase 100 and the UHF band antenna 16. Thereby, since the UHF band antenna 16 and the suitcase 100 are arranged apart from each other, the deterioration of the communication characteristics of the UHF band antenna 16 is suppressed. Similarly, a gap of 1 mm or more is formed between the HF band antenna 13 and the surface of the suitcase 100 (bottom surface portion 104a).

In this embodiment, since a gap of 5 mm or more is formed from the UHF band antenna 16 to the edge, a larger space is formed between the surface of the suitcase 100 and the UHF band antenna 16. Is done. Thereby, the fall of the communication characteristic of the UHF band antenna 16 is further suppressed.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a storage body according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The container according to the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the UHF band antenna is provided not on the electronic device but on the case side. Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a suitcase to which the electronic device 1 is attached according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the electronic device. Similar to the first embodiment, the electronic device 1a includes a housing 5, a display 6 accommodated in the housing 5, and a control board 7b (see FIG. 9).

The control board 7 b includes a storage unit 11, an HF band IC 12, an HF band antenna 13, a power supply circuit 14, and a UHF band IC 15, and a control unit 17 electrically connected thereto as shown in FIG. 8. The control unit 17 has a connection terminal 20 that can be electrically connected to the UHF band antenna 16a provided in the suitcase 100 via the UHF band IC 15. This electrical connection may be physical connection using solder, conductive paste, caulking, or the like, or may be electromagnetic contact that is physically non-contact. The storage unit 11 includes various information such as GUID, TID, and individual identification information of the electronic device 1 such as a UID, and information on the itinerary (including airline name, flight number, waypoint, final destination, tag number, etc.) Information is stored, for example, constituted by a nonvolatile memory.

The UHF band antenna 16a provided in the suitcase 100 can perform communication using the UHF frequency band of 860 MHz to 960 MHz defined by EPCglobal C1Gen2, ISO / IEC 18000-6, etc., as in the first embodiment. This communication is controlled by the UHF band IC 15. For example, the data stored in the storage unit 11 of the electronic device 1 or the memory area in the UHF band IC 15 can be read by an automatic baggage checker, a handy terminal, or a baggage transfer system equipped with a reader / writer that supports UHF band communication. Done. As in the first embodiment, the UHF band antenna 16 can have various shapes such as a meandering dipole and a double dipole.

The control unit 17 controls the entire electronic device 1. As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 17 is connected to the storage unit 11, the HF band IC 12, the HF band antenna 13, the power supply circuit 14, the UHF band IC 15 and the UHF band antenna 16a, as well as the switch 18, the display 6 and Connected to the LED 19. The control unit 17 in this embodiment is configured by, for example, an MCU. For example, the storage unit 11, the HF band IC 12, the HF band antenna 13, the power circuit 14, and the like by a wired I ² C interface, a serial interface SPI, UART, or the like. It is connected to the UHF band IC 15, and is electrically connected to the UHF band antenna 16 a through the connection terminal 20.

The control unit 17 stores data including at least a part of the contents displayed on the display 6, the storage unit 11, the memory area in the HF band IC 12, the memory area in the UHF band IC 15, and the like. Control for transmitting from the UHF band antenna 16a to the baggage transfer system is performed. For example, power is supplied to the UHF band IC 15 and the control unit 17 by the reader / writer of the baggage transport system. Accordingly, the control unit 17 performs control to transmit data stored in the storage unit 11 and the like from the UHF band antenna 16a to the baggage transport system. The data transmitted to the baggage transfer system is, for example, a tag number, an airline name, a flight number, a waypoint, etc., as in the first embodiment. When the amount of transmission data is small, the UHF band IC 15 may receive power and transmit data independently without using the control unit 17.

As shown in FIG. 6, the suitcase 100a includes a body 105, a handle 106, a grip portion 107, and a caster 108, as in the first embodiment. In addition, in the body 105 of the suitcase 100a, as shown in FIG. 9, an interior cloth 109 is provided as a partition from a space for accommodating an object.

As shown in FIG. 9, the side plate portion 103b of the lid-side shell 103 is formed with a recess 104 that matches the shape of the electronic device 1a. In this embodiment, the concave portion 104 is formed on the surface of the side plate portion 103b on the opposite side (opposite side) to the side on which the casters 108 are attached. The recess 104 has a rectangular bottom surface portion 104a and a side surface portion 104b provided around the bottom surface portion 104a. For example, the height of the recess 104 may be equal to or greater than the thickness of the housing 5 of the electronic device 1. The electronic device 1 a is fixed to the lid-side shell 103 while being accommodated in the recess 104. In the state in which the electronic device 1a is housed in the recess 104, the edge of the edge 2d of the front-side base material 2 of the housing 5 enters inside the surface of the side plate 103b. As a result, the surface of the display 6 enters at least the height of the edge 2d from the surface of the side plate portion 103b. For example, the electronic device 1 may be fixed by fixing a transparent acrylic panel from the electronic device 1 side to the lid-side shell 103 in a state where the electronic device 1 is accommodated in the recess 104.

The UHF band antenna 16a is provided adjacent to the recess 104 in the side plate portion 103b. The UHF band antenna 16a in this embodiment is, for example, an inlet sheet obtained by etching a flexible thin-film aluminum metal conductor on a polyethylene terephthalate base material, and is attached to the inner side surface of the side plate portion 103b. The UHF band antenna 16 a and the UHF band IC 15 are electrically connected by a connection terminal 20 that communicates the outside and the inside of the lid-side shell 103.

As described above, according to the suitcase 100a including the electronic device 1a described above, the UHF band antenna 16a for transmitting data by the electronic device 1a is provided on the suitcase 100a side. However, it is not necessary to depend on the size of the electronic device 1 (control board 7). Thereby, the UHF band antenna 16a having a size larger or longer than the size of the electronic device 1 can be provided, and communication characteristics can be improved. Further, the UHF band antenna 16a is arranged away from the display 6 and the control unit 17 (control board 7) constituting the electronic device 1a, so that radio wave interference between the UHF band antenna 16a and the display 6 having a high dielectric constant. Is unlikely to occur. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in communication characteristics of the UHF band antenna 16a. In the electronic device 1a, since the UHF band antenna 16a can be provided outside, it is easy to reduce the size of the electronic device 1a. Since the HF band antenna 13 is provided on the control board 7, a gap of 1 mm or more is formed between the case and the case.

Further, an interior cloth 109 that partitions a space for accommodating an object is provided inside the suitcase 100a according to the present embodiment, and the UHF band antenna 16a may be formed on the interior cloth 109. In this case, the UHF band antenna 16a can be arranged further apart from the electronic device 1a, and can also be separated from the main body part of the suitcase 100a and a specific part in the suitcase 100a. For example, when the main body portion of the suitcase 100a, the case inner skeleton frame, or the like is made of metal, radio wave interference between the main body portion or the specific portion of the suitcase 100a and the UHF band antenna 16a can be suppressed.

Further, the UHF band antenna 16a according to the present embodiment may be formed of a metal conductor having flexibility. In this case, since the antenna can be formed so as to follow the shape of the suitcase 100a, the UHF band antenna 16a can be formed for cases with various designs.

Also, the suitcase 100a according to the present embodiment may be provided with the grip portion 107, and the UHF band antenna 16a may be formed on the grip portion 107. In this case, for example, when the container is transported on a belt conveyor line such as a baggage handling system or a sorter system in an airport, the cell (plate) forming the belt conveyor or the metal frame that forms the transport line skeleton is used. On the other hand, the grip 107 on which the UHF band antenna 16a is formed does not come into contact. This makes it possible to obtain stable communication characteristics even in a normal metal conveyance line that does not use a resin material for the reading unit by the UHF reader / writer.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail with reference to drawings, a specific structure is not restricted to these embodiment. For example, although the

suitcases

100 and 100a were illustrated as a container, it is not limited to this. For example, the types of containers can be used for logistics boxes (folding containers), cases used for process management in factories, containers of various sizes used for railway transportation and home delivery, in-house flights, confidential document processing, etc. There are a wide variety of cases, such as round-trip letter cases based on reuse.

Moreover, although the edge part 3c was provided in the back side base material 3 of the housing | casing 5 in the

electronic devices

1 and 1a, the example which forms a space | gap between the suitcase 100,100a surface and the baseplate part 3a was shown, It is not limited to. For example, you may provide a convex part in the periphery of the bottom face part in the recessed part 104 formed in the

suitcases

100 and 100a. In this case, a space can be formed between the surface of the

suitcase

100, 100a and the bottom plate portion by the protrusions coming into contact with the bottom plate portion of the housing 5.

Further, the

electronic device

1, 1a may be attached to any part of the

suitcase

100, 100a. For example, the

electronic devices

1 and 1a may be provided on the other surface of the lid-side shell 103 or the upper plate portion 103a. Moreover, the

electronic devices

1 and 1a may be attached to the body side shell 102, for example, may be attached to the side surface in which the holding part 107 in the body side shell 102 is provided. Note that, in the

suitcases

100 and 100a, generally, the side surface on which the casters 108 are provided is less likely to face upward. Therefore, the

electronic devices

1 and 1a are attached to the side surface facing the side surface on which the casters 108 are provided, so that the

electronic devices

1 and 1a are less likely to contact the ground. Therefore, the

UHF band antennas

16 and 16a are likely to be located away from the ground and the like, visibility is improved, and deterioration of communication characteristics during conveyance on the belt conveyor can be suppressed. The body side shell 102 and the lid side shell 103 may be formed by integral molding, or may be divided. When the body-side shell 102 and the lid-side shell 103 are divided, the electronic device 1 is provided in the divided parts, so that the trouble of mounting the electronic device 1 during manufacturing and assembly is reduced. In this case, the parts to be divided may be designed so that the electronic device can be replaced after the product is shipped.

Further, although an example has been shown in which power supply and data communication (data update) are performed using the HF band frequency and stored data is read using the UHF band frequency, the present invention is not limited thereto. The frequency band described in the embodiment is an example, and may be an arbitrary frequency band. For example, power is supplied to an electronic device using a 13.56 MHz HF band frequency band or other energy harvesting such as a primary battery, a solar battery, or a vibration element, and the microwave frequency band is 2.4 GHz. The baggage transport system may be configured to perform data communication and image rewriting power generation with the electronic device. The battery may be temporarily stored in a secondary battery, a capacitor, or the like, and may receive all or part of the necessary power. In this case, the baggage transport system uses the Bluetooth (registered trademark), Bluetooth LE (registered trademark), ANT (registered trademark) communication, or wireless LAN (including Wi-Fi) communication in the 2.4 GHz band. Data communication may be performed with the

electronic devices

1 and 1a, and the communication method may exist simultaneously in addition to the HF band and UHF band antennas.

Moreover, although the example in which the

suitcases

100 and 100a are formed of a resin such as polycarbonate or ABS is shown, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the suitcase may be formed of a metal such as aluminum or duralumin. In general, when wireless communication is performed, communication characteristics deteriorate if the antenna is in contact with metal. However, since the gap is formed between the antenna and the suitcase as in the first embodiment, for example, the antenna does not come into contact with metal, and deterioration of communication characteristics can be suppressed. .

Further, the material forming the housing 5 in the

electronic devices

1 and 1a is, for example, a synthetic resin and is not particularly limited. The housing 5 is not only formed of one type of material, but may be formed of two or more types of materials. For example, only the

edges

2d and 3c in the housing 5 may be formed of an elastic body having a low Young's modulus. Moreover, the structure where the surface of the housing | casing 5 is coat | covered with the elastic body with a low Young's modulus may be sufficient. Furthermore, even in a crushable structure widely used in automobiles and the like, priority is given to protection of important members for satisfying the functions of the display 6 and the control unit 17, etc., and a structure that promotes alternative destruction of the casing and case is adopted. Good. In addition, the case 5 itself may be provided with the functions of the

suitcase

100, 100a, and the antenna-formed substrate may be directly fixed to the

suitcase

100, 100a without the case.

Further, the UHF band IC 15 may have two or more external interfaces, one of which may be electrically connected to the

UHF band antennas

16 and 16 a and the other may be connected to the control unit 17. Furthermore, you may connect with various component devices via the control part 17. FIG. Further, the display and the UHF band antenna do not have to be installed in parallel, and the receiving part of the antenna does not have to be a plane parallel to the vicinity of the display.

In the second embodiment, the UHF band antenna 16a is attached to the inner surface of the lid-side shell 103, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the UHF band antenna 16 a may be provided on the outer surface of the lid-side shell 103. Further, the UHF band antenna 16a may be embedded in the lid-side shell 103 when forming a suitcase. Further, the UHF band antenna 16a may be printed on the body of the suitcase by an ink jet printer or an ultrasonic vibration type wire coil embedded drawing, or may be attached with a label tag seal or the like.

Further, when the electronic device 1 a is attached to the body side shell 102, the UHF band antenna 16 a may be provided at an arbitrary place of the body side shell 102. In this case, for example, the UHF band antenna 16a may be provided in the grip portion 107. When the material of the handle 106 is a metal, it is possible to suppress a reduction in communication characteristics by taking into consideration that the UHF band antenna 16a is not in contact with the handle 106 and that the plane is not shielded.

Furthermore, the UHF band antenna 16a may be provided on the interior cloth. For example, the UHF band antenna 16a may be printed on an inlet sheet, and this inlet sheet may be adhered or fused to a woven fabric. Further, the UHF band antenna 16a may be directly sewn to the interior fabric by a metal wire or the like. Alternatively, a UHF band antenna 16a formed of a copper wire wound wire antenna by ultrasonic vibration embedding in a thermoplastic sheet may be attached to the interior cloth as a retrofit. In this configuration, the antenna can be further separated from the electronic device and can be separated from the case itself. For example, when the suitcase is formed of a metal such as aluminum, the UHF band antenna 16a does not contact the metal, so that deterioration in communication characteristics is suppressed. In addition to the above, the UHF band antenna 16a may be an etching antenna such as aluminum or copper, a printed antenna using conductive silver ink, or the like. By providing the UHF band antenna 16a with flexibility, the UHF band antenna can be formed so as to follow the shape of the case. Therefore, it is possible to form the UHF band antenna for cases with various designs.

Further, in the UHF band antenna 16a externally incorporated in the suitcase 100a, a gap layer may be provided around the antenna for the purpose of suppressing communication characteristics reduction, and a buffer equivalent material having a dielectric constant close to 1 is provided. The antenna may be covered with, for example.

In addition, it adds to the invention of the container as described in 2nd Embodiment mentioned above below.
(Appendix 1)
A container comprising a case capable of accommodating any object and an electronic device attached to the case,
The electronic device has a display and a control board,
The display is visible from the outside of the case,
The control board includes a control unit, a storage unit connected to the control unit, and a communication IC connected to the control unit and connectable to an antenna.
The control unit transmits from the antenna at least a part of the content displayed on the display, the content stored in the storage unit, and the content stored in the communication IC,
The antenna is a container provided in the case.
(Appendix 2)
The container according to appendix 1, wherein the antenna is formed of a metal conductor having flexibility.
(Appendix 3)
The container according to

appendix

1 or 2, wherein the case is provided with a grip portion, and the antenna is formed on the grip portion.
(Appendix 4)
The container according to

appendix

1 or 2, wherein a cloth for partitioning a space for housing the object is provided inside the case, and the antenna is formed on the cloth.

In addition, the operational effects of the container according to Supplementary Notes 1 to 4 described above will be described.

In the container of Appendix 1, since the antenna for transmitting data by the electronic device is provided on the case side, the size of the antenna does not depend on the size of the electronic device. As a result, an antenna having a size larger than the size of the electronic device can be provided. In addition, since the antenna is arranged away from the display and the control unit constituting the electronic device, radio wave interference between the antenna and the display is less likely to occur. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in communication characteristics of the antenna.

In the container of appendix 2, the antenna may be formed of a flexible metal conductor. According to this configuration, since the antenna can be formed so as to follow the shape of the case, it is possible to form the antenna for cases with various designs.

In the container of Supplementary Note 3, the case may be provided with a grip portion, and the antenna may be formed on the grip portion. According to this configuration, for example, when a container is transported on a belt conveyor line such as a baggage handling system or a sorter system in an airport, it becomes a cell (plate) or a transport line skeleton forming the belt conveyor. The grip part on which the antenna is formed does not contact the metal frame. As a result, stable communication characteristics can be obtained in a transport line or the like.

In the container of appendix 4, a cloth for partitioning a space for housing an object may be provided inside the case, and the antenna may be formed on the cloth. In this configuration, the antenna can be further arranged away from the electronic device, and can also be separated from the main body portion of the case and a specific portion in the case. For example, when the main body part of the case, the skeleton frame in the case, and the like are made of metal, radio wave interference between the main body part or the specific part of the case and the antenna can be suppressed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a container and an electronic device having excellent antenna communication characteristics.

DESCRIPTION OF

SYMBOLS

1, 1a ... Electronic device, 5 ... Case, 6 ... Display, 7, 7b ... Control board, 11 ... Memory | storage part, 12 ... HF band IC, 13 ... HF band antenna, 15 ... UHF band IC, 16, 16a ... UHF band antenna, 17 ... control unit, 20 ... connection terminal, 100, 100a ... suitcase, 105 ... body, 107 ... gripping part, 109 ... interior cloth.

Claims

A case that can accommodate any object;
An electronic device attached to the case, comprising:
The electronic device includes a display and a control board. The control board includes a control unit, a storage unit connected to the control unit, a communication IC connected to the control unit, and the communication board. An antenna connected to the IC and formed in a planar shape,
The control unit transmits from the antenna at least a part of the content displayed on the display, the content stored in the storage unit, and the content stored in the communication IC,
A container in which a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from the antenna to the case in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plane on which the antenna is formed.
The container according to claim 1, wherein a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from a surface of the display to an edge of the electronic device in a thickness direction perpendicular to the surface of the display.
The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a gap of 5 mm or more is formed from the antenna to the case in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plane on which the antenna is formed.
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the antenna includes a UHF band antenna that performs communication using a UHF frequency band, and the UHF band antenna is separated from the case by 1 mm or more.
A UHF band antenna that performs communication using the UHF frequency band;
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the UHF band antenna is provided in the case.
The container according to claim 5, wherein the antenna includes an HF band antenna, and the HF band antenna is separated from the case by 1 mm or more.
The container according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the UHF band antenna is formed of a flexible metal conductor.
The container according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the case is provided with a grip portion, and the UHF band antenna is formed on the grip portion.
The container according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a cloth that partitions the space for housing the object is provided inside the case, and the UHF band antenna is formed on the cloth. .
An electronic device attached to the case according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
An electronic device having the display and the control unit.
An electronic device attached to a case that can accommodate any object,
A housing, and a display and a control board housed in the housing;
The housing has an opening through which a display surface of the display can be visually recognized,
The control board includes a control unit, a storage unit connected to the control unit, a communication IC connected to the control unit, and an antenna formed in a planar shape connected to the communication IC. And
The control unit transmits from the antenna at least a part of the content displayed on the display, the content stored in the storage unit, and the content stored in the communication IC,
An electronic device in which a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from a plane on which the antenna is formed to an inner wall of the casing facing the opening in the casing.
The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein a gap of 1 mm or more is formed from a surface of the display to an edge of the housing where the opening is formed in a thickness direction perpendicular to the surface of the display. device.