Abstract:
A program executed by a computer for measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, having step of performing a read/write test to the RFID tag whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed amount from a print standby position, and a step of outputting the result of the read/write test visibly performed in the steps.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-376325, filed Dec. 27, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a printer having an RFID read/write function with a built-in RFID read/write unit capable of reading and writing data in a noncontact manner.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Generally, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) label or tag can be read and written in a noncontact manner by using a radio wave, and is significant as a technique substitutable for a barcode.  
         [0006]     However, if a barcode reading system installed now in a shop is changed to an RFID applicable system, a current barcode cannot be read.  
         [0007]     Thus, it becomes necessary to print a bar code and write data to an RFID tag. As a device to satisfy this need, a printer having the function of printing a barcode and writing an RFID on one tag has been known (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-96814). This printer writes data on RFID by feeding a label in the label feeding direction, and prints a barcode on the surface of a label by feeding the label in the reverse direction.  
         [0008]     For example, labels as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are available for RFID. In  FIG. 2 , a reference numeral  11  denotes a liner, and  12  denotes a label. An RFID tag  13  is placed between the liner  11  and label  12 . The RFID tag  13  is comprised of an RFID antenna  14  and an RFID chip  15 .  
         [0009]     Explanation will be given on writing data in the RFID chip  15  and printing on the label  12  by using a printer. When the print head of a printer is at the home position, the RFID chip  15  is displaced from the suitable position of the RFID read/write unit to write data. Thus, feed the label first, and move the RFID chip  15  from the FRID read/write unit to the suitable position, and write data on the RFID chip  15 . Then, feed the label again to the position suitable for printing the label by the print head.  
         [0010]     The position of burying the RFID chip  15  in the label  12  is different according to the kinds of RFID tag, and the amount of feeding the label in the label feeding direction is different when writing data on the RFID chip  15 .  
         [0011]     If the feed amount is not optimum, writing data in the RFID chip  15  and printing data on the label  12  may fail.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     It is an object of the present invention is to provide a program stored in a medium readable by a computer for measuring optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna capable of obtaining an optimum value of feeding an RFID label in a label feeding direction, a feed amount measuring method, and a printer having an RFID read/write function.  
         [0013]     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a program stored in a medium readable by a computer for measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data on/from an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising testing the RFID tag for reading/writing whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and outputting the result of the read/write test visibly.  
         [0014]     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0015]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the configuration of a printer having an RFID read/write function according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a view showing an RFID label according to the same embodiment;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a view showing another RFID label according to the same embodiment;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a view showing the configuration of the RFID label of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a view showing the configuration of the RFID label of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the same embodiment;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a graph for explaining the operation of the same embodiment; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is another graph for explaining the operation of the same embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     Am embodiment of the present invention will be explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, explanation will be give on the system configuration of a printer having the RFID read/write function with reference to the block diagram of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0025]     In  FIG. 1 , a reference numeral  21  denotes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to perform centralized control of the printer. A system bus  21   a  from the CPU  21  is connected to a flash ROM (Read Only Memory)  22 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  23 , an input unit  24 , a print head controller  25 , a display  26 , a feeding means  27 , an RFID read/write unit  28 , and an interface  29 .  
         [0026]     A print head  31  is connected to the print controller  25 . The interface  29  is connected to a personal computer  32 . The interface  29  serves as a means of taking in a feed amount described later. The configuration of the personal computer  32  is well known, and detailed explanation will be omitted. The personal computer  32  has a flash ROM  32   f , a RAM  32   m , a display  32   d , and input unit  32   i . The operator can instruct to issue a label or tag from the input unit  21   i.    
         [0027]     The flash ROM  22  stores various control programs necessary for operating the printer.  
         [0028]     The RAM  23  ensures a work area used by the various control programs.  
         [0029]     The print head controller  25  outputs a driving signal to the print head  31  composed of a thermal head, for example.  
         [0030]     The display  26  is composed of a liquid crystal display, for example.  
         [0031]     The feeding means  27  is composed of a stepping motor, a platen  42  and a feeding roller, which feed the liner  11 .  
         [0032]     Next, kinds of RFID will be explained with reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . The RFID tag of  FIG. 2  is as explained in the prior art.  
         [0033]     The configuration of the RFID tag of  FIG. 3  will be explained. In  FIG. 3 , the same numbers are given to the same components of  FIG. 2 , and detailed explanation will be omitted. The RFID tag shown in  FIG. 3  is buried in the upstream of the RFID tag of  FIG. 2  in the feeding direction (indicated by the arrow X).  
         [0034]     Next, explanation will be given on the essential part of the configuration of the printer having the RFID read/write function with reference to  FIG. 4 .  
         [0035]     In  FIG. 4 , a reference numeral  41  denotes a feeding path to feed the liner  11 . The liner  11  is fed on the feeding path  41  by the feeding means  27 .  
         [0036]     A reference numeral  42  denotes a platen. The RFID read/write unit  28  is provided on the upstream of the platen  42 .  
         [0037]     The print head  31  is placed opposite to the platen  42  through the feeding path  41 .  
         [0038]     On the upstream of the print head  31 , a supply roller  44  to supply an ink ribbon  43  is provided. On the downstream of the print head  31 , a take-up roller  45  to take up the ink ribbon  43  is provided.  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  shows the position of the RFID tag of  FIG. 2  when the print head  31  comes to the home position. In the RFID tag  13  of  FIG. 2 , the RFID antenna  14  and RFID chip  15  are buried close to the print head  31  in the label  12 . Therefore, the RFID antenna  14  and RFID chip  15  are placed substantially over the RFID read/write unit  28 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  shows the position of the RFID tag of  FIG. 3  when the print head  31  comes to the home position. In the RFID tag  13  of  FIG. 3 , the RFID antenna  14  and RFID chip  15  are buried in the upstream of the RFID tag of  FIG. 2  in the feeding direction (indicated by the arrow X). Therefore, the RFID antenna  14  and RFID chip  15  are buried in the upstream of the RFID read/write unit in the feeding direction (indicated by the arrow X).  
         [0041]     Next, explanation will be given on the operation of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 6 . A program for performing the operation shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 6  is stored in a recording medium  33  (e.g., CD-ROM) readable by a computer. The program stored in the recording medium  33  is downloaded into the flash ROM  32   f  of the personal computer  32 .  
         [0042]     First, a read test is performed at the print standby position shown in  FIG. 4  (step S 1 ). The read test is a judgment whether specified data stored in the RFID chip  15  can be successfully read or not.  
         [0043]     The result of the read test is stored in the memory  32   m  of the personal computer  32 .  
         [0044]     Then, a write test is performed (step S 2 ). The write test is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when the RFID read/write unit  28   a  receives a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID chip  15 , from the RFID chip  15 .  
         [0045]     The result of the read test is stored in the memory  32   m  of the personal computer  32 .  
         [0046]     Then, the feeding means  27  feeds the label  12  by +5 mm forward, that is, toward the print head  31  (step S 3 ). “+” means the feeding direction indicated by the arrow X shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0047]     Whether the forward feeding is completed is judged (step S 4 ). The feed amount is determined by considering the characteristic of the stepping motor composing the feeding means  27 .  
         [0048]     When NO in step S 4 , the operations on and after S 1  are repeated. Namely, until the forward feeding is completed, the operations to read and write the data from/in the RFID chip  15  are repeated.  
         [0049]     In this embodiment, the operations to read and write the data in the forward direction are repeated by 100 times.  
         [0050]     When YES in step S 5 , the feeding means  27  feeds the label  12  in the reverse direction to return to the print standby position (step S 4 ).  
         [0051]     At the print standby position, the read test is performed (step S 6 ). And then, the write test is performed (step S 7 ).  
         [0052]     Then, the feeding means  27  feeds the label  12  by 5 mm in the direction reverse to the print head  31 , that is, by −5 mm.  
         [0053]     Then, whether the reverse feeding is completed is judged (step S 9 ). Until YES is judged in step S 9 , the operations of steps S 6 -S 8  are repeated. In this embodiment, the read and write tests in the reverse direction are repeated by 100 times. The results of the tests are stored in the memory  32   m  of the personal computer  32 .  
         [0054]     When YES is judged in step S 9 , the test results of the tests are displayed in the display  32   d  as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0055]     Next, explanation will be given on the results of the tests displayed in the display  32   d  of the personal computer  32  with referent to  FIG. 7 . In  FIG. 7 , a sign A indicates the read test, and a sign B indicates the write test.  
         [0056]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the reading and writing are 100% successful in the feed amount 0-10. When the feed amount is increased to 15 and 20, the reading and writing are not 100% successful.  
         [0057]     When the feed amount is decreased to −5 to −10, the reading and writing are 100% unsuccessful.  
         [0058]     It is seen from  FIG. 2  that when the feed amount is close to 0, the reading and writing are 100% successful. Therefore, an optimum feed amount is set to 0.  
         [0059]     Because, when the RFID tag  13  is at the print standby position, the RFID chip  15  is placed over the RFID read/write unit  28 .  
         [0060]      FIG. 8  shows the state that the results of similar tests performed by using the RFID tag shown in  FIG. 3  are displayed in the display of the personal computer  32 .  
         [0061]     As seen from this graph, when the feed amount is in a range of +20 to +30, the reading and writing are 100% successful. In this case, an optimum feed amount may be set to +25.  
         [0062]     As explained above, by loading the programs for performing the operations shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 6  in the personal computer  32 , an optimum feed amount of the printer can be obtained.  
         [0063]     It is also permitted to store an optimum feed amount in the RAM  32   m  of the personal computer  32 . The apparatus may be so configured that when an issue command is entered from the personal computer  32 , the personal computer  32  sends the command to the printer through the interface  29 . Receiving the command, the printer feeds the label or tag according to the feed amount, and performs printing (an issuing means).  
         [0064]     In the embodiment described above, the programs for performing the operations of the flowchart of  FIG. 6  are loaded in the personal computer  32 . The programs for performing the operations of the flowchart of  FIG. 6  may be loaded in the flash ROM  22 .  
         [0065]     Further, although the test result is displayed in the display  32   d  of the personal computer  32 , the result may be displayed in the display  26  of the printer or may be printed on the label  11 .  
         [0066]     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.