Patent ID: 6879264

Claim:
An article identifying system comprising: communication tags, each of which is attached to an article; and an information output device stationarily positioned at a predetermined location during use, wherein each of the communication tags comprises: first storage means for storing an identifier which is assigned to an article with to the communication tag; and first transmission means for wirelessly transmitting the identifier stored in the first storage means, wherein the information output device comprises: a planar surface having a sufficient area on which one more articles can be placed; second storage means for storing information data which is related to the article so that the information data is associated with the identifier assigned to the article; first receive means forming at least a part of the planar surface for receiving the identifier from the communication tags when the article with the communication tag is placed in its communication area; information reading means for reading the information data associated with the identifier received by the first receive means from the second storage means; and information output means for outputting the information data read out by the information reading means, wherein the information data are voice data for specifying the article that is associated with the identifier, wherein the information output device further comprises: voice record means for recording the voice data for specifying the article associated with the identifier; first write means for writing the voice data recorded by the voice recording means in the second storage means so that the identifier is associated with the article specified by said voice data; and second transmission means for transmitting the identifier wirelessly, wherein each of the communication tans further comprises: second receive means for receiving the identifier from the information output device; and second write means for writing the identifier received by said second receive means in said first storage means; and wherein the information output device further comprises a button which is pressed by a user for recording the voice data, wherein the information output device records the voice data while the button is being pressed and stops recording when the user releases the button, and wherein when the button is pressed within a predetermined time after the voice data is reproduced, the information output device replaces the voice data with new voice data given by the user.