Reading apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018240291-A1
Application number	US-201815875186-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2018
Priority date	Feb 20, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a wireless tag reading apparatus includes a housing enclosing a storage section and having an opening through which an article can pass into the storage section, an antenna on the housing, a door that is movable to open and close the opening, a locking mechanism configured to lock and unlock the door when the door is closed, a tag reader/writer configured to communicate with a wireless tag attached to the article within the storage section via the antenna, a controller configured to control the locking mechanism to lock the door while the tag reader/writer is communicating with the wireless tag, and unlock the door after the reader/writer has completed communicating with the wireless tag, and a door releasing mechanism configured to open the door when the locking mechanism unlocks the door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wireless tag reading apparatus, comprising:
a housing enclosing a storage section and having an opening through which an article can pass into the storage section; an antenna on the housing; a door that is movable to open and close the opening; a locking mechanism configured to lock and unlock the door when the door is closed; a tag reader/writer configured to communicate with a wireless tag attached to the article within the storage section via the antenna; a controller configured to control the locking mechanism to:
lock the door while the tag reader/writer is communicating with the wireless tag, and
unlock the door after the reader/writer has completed communicating with the wireless tag; and
a door releasing mechanism configured to open the door when the locking mechanism unlocks the door.

2 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism locks the door in accordance with an instruction to the tag reader/writer to start communication with the wireless tag.

3 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect whether the door is open or closed, wherein
the locking mechanism locks the door when the door is detected by the sensor as closed, and
the tag reader/writer initiates communication with the wireless tag when the door is locked.

4 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the locking mechanism locks the door in accordance with an instruction the tag reader/writer to start communication with the wireless tag.

5 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is an electric lock.

6 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the door releasing mechanism comprises an elastic spring, the elastic spring pushing against the door so as to open the door when the door is unlocked.

7 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the door releasing mechanism is a push rod on the housing, the push rod pushing against the door so as to open the door when the door is unlocked.

8 . A wireless tag reading system, comprising:
a main body including a touch panel; a housing enclosing a storage section and having an opening through which an article can pass into the storage section; an antenna connected to the housing; a door configured to open and close the opening; a locking mechanism configured to lock and unlock the door when the door is closed; a tag reader/writer configured to communicate with a wireless tag attached to the article in the storage section via the antenna; a controller configured to control the locking mechanism to:
lock the door while the tag reader/writer is communicating with the wireless tag, and
unlock the door after the reader/writer has completed communicating with the wireless tag; and
a door releasing mechanism configured to open the door when the locking mechanism unlocks the door.

9 . The wireless tag reading system according to claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism locks the door in accordance with an instruction received from the touch panel to the tag reader/writer to start communication with the wireless tag.

10 . The wireless tag reading system according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect whether the door is open or closed, wherein
the locking mechanism locks the door when the door is detected by the sensor as closed, and
the tag reader/writer initiates communication with the wireless tag when the door is locked.

11 . The wireless tag reading system according to claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism locks the door in accordance with an instruction received from the touch panel the tag reader/writer to start communication with the wireless tag.

12 . The wireless tag reading system according to claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism is an electric lock.

13 . The wireless tag reading system according to claim 8 , wherein the door releasing mechanism comprises an elastic spring, the elastic spring pushing against the door so as to open the door when the door is unlocked.

14 . The wireless tag reading system according to claim 8 , wherein the door releasing mechanism is a push rod on the housing, the push rod pushing against the door so as to open the door when the door is unlocked.

15 . A wireless tag reading apparatus, comprising:
a housing enclosing a storage section and having an opening through which an article can pass into the storage section, the housing being formed of a radio-wave blocking material; a plate on which the article can be placed, the plate being inside the housing spaced from a bottom surface of the housing and being made of an insulating material; an antenna between the plate and the bottom surface of the housing; a door configured to open and close the opening; a locking mechanism between the housing and the door, the locking mechanism being configured to lock and unlock the door when the door is closed; a tag reader/writer configured to communicate, via the antenna, with a wireless tag attached to the article on the plate; a controller configured to control the locking mechanism to:
lock the door while the tag reader/writer is communicating with the wireless tag, and
unlock the door after the reader/writer has completed communicating with the wireless tag; and
a door releasing mechanism configured to open the door once the locking mechanism unlocks the door.

16 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the locking mechanism locks the door in accordance with an instruction received from the touch panel instructing the tag reader/writer to start communication with the wireless tag.

17 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect whether the door is open or closed, wherein
the locking mechanism locks the door only when the door is detected by the sensor as closed, and
the tag reader/writer initiates communication with the wireless tag only when the door is locked.

18 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the locking mechanism locks the door in accordance with an instruction received from the touch panel instructing the tag reader/writer to start communication with the wireless tag.

19 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the locking mechanism is an electric lock.

20 . The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the door releasing mechanism comprises an elastic spring, the elastic spring pushing against the door so as to open the door when the door is unlocked.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Watanabe Osamu

Classifications

• E05B47/0001

  with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof (for vehicles E05B81/04) · CPC title

• E05B47/0004

  said core being linearly movable · CPC title

• G06K7/10118

  the sensing being preceded by at least one preliminary step · CPC title

• G07C9/00182 Primary

  operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• G07C9/00944

  Details of construction or manufacture · CPC title