JP2000082119A - Reader/writer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to monitor information communication especially between a reader/writer and a mobile information communication body and to inform whether normal information communication can be performed or not in the reader/writer which transmits power to the mobile information communication medium such as an IC card by using an antenna, transmits information, and receives information from the mobile information communication medium by using the antenna. SOLUTION: This reader/writer 1 is equipped with a communication part 2, a transmission part 3, a reception part 4, a power transmission antenna 5, a reception antenna 6, a power source circuit 7 and a control part 8. It is also equipped with a reception data decision part 9 for deciding data reception from an IC card 20 and an informing part 12. The reader/writer 1 decides by the reception data decision part 9 whether a enough power to demodulate modulated data from the IC card 20 is received from the IC card 20 or not. When the enough power to demodulate is received, the control part 8 has the informing part 12 driven by an instruction from the reception data decision part 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reader / writer for transmitting electric power to a mobile information communication body such as an IC card using an antenna, transmitting information, and receiving information from the mobile information communication body using an antenna. In particular, the present invention relates to a reader / writer that monitors information communication between a reader / writer and a mobile information communication body and performs stable information communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, an IC card formed by embedding a microcomputer chip and a memory chip on a card substrate having a size similar to that of a credit card or the like has been put to practical use in various fields such as finance, distribution, transportation, and medicine. Is planned. In an IC card system using such an IC card, power is transmitted and supplied from a reader / writer to the IC card, and information such as a control code and data is communicated between the reader / writer and the IC card.

In power transmission and information communication between a reader / writer and an IC card, a non-contact method using electromagnetic induction is employed in addition to a contact method in which terminals are brought into contact with each other. Various aspects of the non-contact method are also being studied. For example, a two-frequency method in which the frequency for power transmission and the frequency for information communication are different, and a method in which the same frequency is used for power transmission and information communication 1 There are frequency systems and the like. In the two-frequency system, for example, at the first frequency, the IC
At the same time as transmitting power to the card, transmitting information,
By transmitting information from the IC card to the reader / writer at the second frequency, bidirectional communication can be performed simultaneously between the reader / writer and the IC card. Meanwhile, 1
In the frequency system, since the frequencies for power transmission and information communication are the same, two-way communication cannot be performed simultaneously between the reader / writer and the IC card.

Here, FIG. 3 shows an example in which a mobile information communication body such as an IC card and a reader / writer perform information communication by the two-frequency system. FIG. 3 shows the appearance and internal antenna arrangement of a reader / writer 21 provided with the power transmitting antenna 5 and the receiving antenna 6 separately, and FIG.
An IC card 20 for performing power transmission and information communication with the reader / writer 21 is shown. Each of the antennas 5 and 6 provided in the reader / writer 21 is formed of, for example, a loop-shaped coil antenna wound in a square or the like.

As described above, the power transmission and the information communication between the reader / writer 21 and the IC card 20 are performed, for example, as shown in FIG.
This is performed in a state where it is held over both antennas 5 and 6 provided in 1 and the like. That is, the power receiving and information receiving antenna (receiving antenna) and the information transmitting antenna (transmitting antenna) each including, for example, a coil on a loop are also provided in the IC card 20, or both the power receiving and information communication are performed. (The antenna of the IC card 20 is not shown), and the power transmission antenna 5 provided in the reader / writer 21 for power transmission and information transmission from the reader / writer 21 to the IC card 20. I
It is performed by electromagnetic coupling between a power receiving antenna or a common antenna provided on the C card 20, and information transmission from the IC card 20 to the reader / writer 21 is performed by the receiving antenna 6 provided on the reader / writer 21 and the IC card. This is performed by electromagnetic coupling between the transmitting antenna or the common antenna provided in the apparatus 20.

FIG. 4 shows a conceptual circuit configuration example of a reader / writer. Here, an example of a reader / writer that performs information communication by using a two-frequency system using an IC card as a mobile information communication body will be described. The reader / writer 21 includes a communication unit 2 for performing information communication with the IC card 20.
It has a transmitting unit 3 for transmitting power to the card 20 and transmitting information, and a receiving unit 4 for receiving information from the IC card 20. The transmitting unit 3 has a power transmitting antenna 5, and the receiving unit 4 has The receiving antenna 6 is connected. Further, a power supply circuit 7 for receiving electric power from an external power supply and a control unit 8 for making these units 2 to 7 function and control.

[0007] The reader / writer 21 transmits power to the IC card from the transmitting unit 3 via the power transmitting antenna 5, modulates data to be transmitted by the transmitting unit 3, and transmits the data to the IC card 20.
Here, as the modulation, a modulation method such as FSK modulation, ASK modulation, PSK modulation, or the like is used.

[0008] The IC card 20 demodulates the received data, and after performing the processing, modulates the response data using the carrier (transmission power) from the reader / writer 21 and responds.

[0009] The reader / writer 21 demodulates the data from the IC card 20 via the receiving antenna 6 in the receiving section 4 to complete the communication.

[0010]

However, in the information communication between the IC card and the reader / writer as described above, since information transmission is performed by electromagnetic coupling, the IC card has a limited area to which electric power can be transmitted. Depending on the positional relationship between the card and the reader / writer, communication may not be possible even within the communicable area.

Here, the user of the IC card cannot judge whether or not the information has been reliably transmitted to the reader / writer. Although the information transmission has not been completed due to the positional relationship between the user and the reader / writer, the user may erroneously recognize that the information transmission has been completed.

Further, even in the communicable area, an IC card which obtains power by electromagnetic coupling from a reader / writer and starts and responds to data has a small power when responding.
In addition, a carrier using a long wave is easily affected by external noise generated from a CRT or the like, and communication may not be performed.

Here, the user of the IC card or the manager of the reader / writer cannot determine whether the IC card or the reader / writer is in a noise environment or whether there is a problem with the IC card or the reader / writer. It was not possible to determine what kind of installation should be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem. When information is transmitted to a mobile information communication body such as an IC card by using a non-contact type reader / writer, the mobile communication is performed. An object of the present invention is to provide a reader / writer capable of monitoring information transmission between an information communication body and a reader / writer and realizing stable information communication.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, a reader / writer according to the present invention comprises a reception data judgment unit for judging that information from a mobile information communication body has been received, and a notification unit. The notification unit notifies that the information from the mobile information communication body has been received. Also,
A noise determination unit for determining noise included in information received from the mobile information communication unit and a notification unit are provided, and the notification unit notifies the deterioration of the information received from the mobile information communication unit.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this example, a two-frequency reader / writer using an IC card as the mobile information communication body will be described. A first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawing of FIG. FIG. 1 shows a conceptual circuit configuration example of a reader / writer.

The reader / writer 1 includes a communication unit 2, a transmission unit 3, a reception unit 4, a power transmission antenna 5, a reception antenna 6, a power supply circuit 7, and a control unit 8 as in the prior art.
A reception data judgment unit 9 for judging data reception from the C card 20 and a notification unit 12 are provided. Here the notification unit 12
Any configuration may be used, such as a sounder that generates a sound, a vibrator that generates a vibration, an LED or an LCD that is visually displayed, and the like, as long as the user can surely know the notification.

The reader / writer 1 transmits power from the transmitting unit 3 to the IC card via the power transmitting antenna 5, modulates data to be transmitted by the transmitting unit 3, and transmits the data to the IC card 20. IC
The card 20 demodulates the received data, performs the process, modulates the response data using the carrier (transmission power) from the reader / writer 21, and responds. Reader / writer is IC
Receives and demodulates weak radio waves from the card.

The received data determination section 9 determines whether or not power enough to demodulate the modulated data from the IC card 20 has been received from the IC card 20, and if sufficient power to demodulate has been received, the control section 8 The notification unit 12 is driven by a command from the determination unit 9.

A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a conceptual circuit configuration example of a reader / writer.

The reader / writer 10 includes a communication unit 2, a transmission unit 3, a reception unit 4, a power transmission antenna 5, a reception antenna 6, a power supply circuit 7, and a control unit 8 as in the prior art. A noise determination unit 11 that measures the amount of noise included in the data received from the device and compares it with a predetermined value, and a notification unit 12. Here the notification unit 12
Any configuration may be used, such as a sounder that generates a sound, a vibrator that generates a vibration, an LED or an LCD that is visually displayed, and the like, as long as the user can surely know the notification.

The reader / writer 10 transmits power from the transmitting unit 3 to the IC card via the power transmitting antenna 5, modulates data to be transmitted by the transmitting unit 3, and transmits the data to the IC card 20. I
After demodulating the received data and performing the process, the C card 20 modulates the response data using the carrier (transmission power) from the reader / writer 21 and responds. The reader / writer is I
A weak radio wave from the C card is received, amplified, and demodulated. If external noise including a frequency corresponding to the reception frequency is mixed in the receiving unit, data cannot be correctly received.

The reader / writer 10 determines in the noise determination section 11 whether or not the same frequency as the response frequency from the IC card 20 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and if the noise is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. An instruction to drive the notification unit 12 is given to the control unit 8.

Here, in the above embodiment, the reader / writer of the two-frequency system has been described, but a one-frequency system in which a power transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna are integrated may be used. Although the case where an IC card is used as the mobile information communication body has been described, the present invention relates to a reader that performs power transmission with various mobile information communication bodies such as a tag and information reception from the mobile information communication body. It is widely applicable to writers.

[0025]

As described above, according to the reader / writer according to the present invention, by monitoring and notifying the response data from a mobile information communication body such as an IC card, whether or not reliable information transmission has been performed. Can be determined by the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a dual-frequency reader / writer.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional example of a dual-frequency reader / writer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Reader / writer, 2 ... Communication unit, 3 ...
Transmission unit, 4 ... Reception unit, 5 ... Power transmission antenna,
6 ... receiving antenna, 7 ... power supply circuit, 8 ...
Control unit, 9: reception data determination unit, 10: reader / writer, 11: noise determination unit, 12: notification unit,
20 ... IC card

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shinichi Miyashita 3-14-20 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Kokusai Denki Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5B058 CA17 KA04 KA29

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A reader / writer for transmitting electric power to a mobile information communication body using an antenna, transmitting information, and receiving information from the mobile information communication body, wherein the information from the mobile information communication body is received. A reader / writer comprising: a reception data determination unit that determines whether the mobile information communication unit has received information from the mobile information communication body; 2. A reader / writer that transmits power to a mobile information communication body using an antenna, transmits information, and receives information from the mobile information communication body, wherein the reader / writer includes information included in the information received from the mobile information communication body. A reader / writer comprising: a noise determination unit that determines noise to be received; and a notification unit, wherein the notification unit notifies the deterioration of information received from the mobile information communication body.