WO2018169434A1 - Storage device comprising radio-frequency identification of fullness - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of reading and processing information, specifically to commercial equipment having a function for determining the volume of tagged goods, in particular to refrigerators. The technical result is expanded functional capabilities of a device, among other things, owing to the possibility of determining the volume not filled by tagged goods, and the increased accuracy of identifying tags, which increases the accuracy of identifying a volume of tagged goods and increases the information content of such a device on the whole. A storage device comprising radio-frequency identification of fullness comprises walls, a door, shelves, one antenna for each wall and a radio-frequency reader, wherein antennae are connected to the radio frequency reader, one antenna being arranged in each case on each wall at the same distance above the middle shelf and capable of reading radio-frequency tags arranged on tagged objects in the storage device, wherein the radio-frequency reader is able to receive information about the volume of tagged objects in the storage device and transmit information about the volume which is not filled by tagged objects.

Description

 RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION STORAGE DEVICE

 COMPLETIONS

The utility model relates to the field of reading and processing information, namely to commercial equipment with the function of determining the volume of labeled products, in particular to refrigerators.

 Distributors of products are faced with a number of problems associated with the untimely display of goods on display cases or with the display of other people's goods on the display window of a particular manufacturer, which reduces the sale of goods due to the lack of goods on the shelf and creates a negative image of the manufacturer in whose refrigerator someone else’s products are placed.

 The closest analogue of the claimed utility model is the technical solution described in US 7315247. The refrigerator includes storage chambers, a plurality of radio frequency readers, each of which includes an antenna for receiving data from radio frequency tags attached to objects stored in storage chambers. Moreover, the antennas are installed completely within the walls of the storage chambers at a given angle to the walls.

 However, this device does not provide the ability to determine the volume of the refrigerator, not filled with marked products.

 The technical problem to be solved by the claimed utility model is to create a storage device, for example, a refrigerator, which makes it possible to determine its internal volume not filled with marked products.

 The technical result of the utility model is to expand the functionality of the device, including by providing the ability to determine the volume not filled with marked products, and increasing the accuracy of recognition of marks, which increases the accuracy of recognition of the volume of marked products and increases the information content of such a device as a whole.

The specified technical result is achieved due to the fact that the storage device with radio-frequency identification of fullness contains walls, a door, shelves, one antenna on each wall and a radio frequency reader, while the antennas are connected to a radio frequency reader, are located at the same distance above the middle shelf and are capable of reading radio frequency tags placed on marked objects in the storage device, and the radio frequency reader is made with the ability to obtain information about the volume of marked objects in a storage device and transmitting information about the volume not filled with marked objects.

 Antennas can be made spiral and are located at a distance of 0.5-2 cm above the middle shelf.

 Each antenna can be located in the center in the horizontal plane of the wall.

 The frequency of the interrogating signal of a radio frequency reader may lie in the ranges of 860-868 MHz and 925-928 MHz.

 The operating frequency of the antennas can lie in the range of 860-960 MHz.

 The door can be made of glass.

 Radio frequency tags can be made passive.

 Owing to the declared arrangement of antennas in a device case containing at least three walls, a door and at least one shelf located in the middle of the case, the maximum accuracy of determining a large number of RF tags with a minimum of equipment is achieved: antennas by the number of walls and one RF reader, which also leads to a simplification of the design and lower energy consumption. All this increases the efficiency of the device, while providing the ability to determine the volume not filled with marked objects. At the same time, increasing the accuracy of determining the volume of labeled products by reading information simultaneously from all labels without loss of information provides an increase in the accuracy of determining the volume not filled with marked objects. Thus, the user always has access to relevant information about the fullness of the storage device.

The implementation of helical antennas is also aimed at simplifying the design and improving the accuracy of tag recognition, as such antennas do not require additional coordination, have simplicity of design and the required operating frequency range and radiation pattern, which allows for a minimum of elements to ensure high accuracy in identifying the maximum number of labels.

 The location of the antennas at a distance of 0.5-2 cm above the middle shelf is also aimed at simplifying the design of the device with increased recognition accuracy. This arrangement of antennas allows you to confine yourself to only three antennas on the three walls of a standard shop-window refrigerator, which cover its entire internal volume without losing information about the tags.

 The location of the antenna in the center in the horizontal plane of the wall provides optimal scanning space, which also increases the accuracy of identification and simplifies the design of the device as a whole.

 Using the frequency of the interrogating signal of the radio frequency reader in the ranges of 860-868 MHz and 925-928 MHz and the operating frequency of the antennas in the range of 860-960 MHz allows the use of UHF tags (860-960 MHz). This range is most common in the field of logistics, it is open, does not intersect with the overloaded 2.5 GHz range and has the ability to use anti-collision recognition mechanisms, which increases the accuracy of identification. Tags in this range are easy to manufacture, have the greatest identification range and allow the use of a large number of codes.

 The use of passive RFID tags also simplifies the design, as they are simple and convenient to manufacture and use, and also do not require a power source, thereby increasing the energy efficiency of the device as a whole.

 The inventive utility model is illustrated using FIG. 1-2, which depict:

 FIG. 1 is a view of a storage device;

 FIG. 2 is a diagram of an identification system.

In FIG. 1-2 positions 1-10 are indicated:

 1 - wall;

 2 - door;

 3 - shelf;

 4 - antenna;

 5 - radio frequency equipment;

6 - radio frequency tag; 7 - refrigerator;

 8 - an object in the form of a bottle;

 9 - server;

 10 - a computer with software.

 A storage device with radio frequency identification of fullness contains a housing that consists of walls 1, door 2, shelves 3, ceiling and bottom. One antenna 4 is located on each wall 1. A radio frequency reader (not shown) is also located in the housing. Antennas 4 are connected to a radio frequency reader and grounded to the housing of the storage device. Antennas 4 are located on each wall 1 at the same distance above the middle shelf 3.

 In this case, the antennas are made spiral and are located at a distance of 0.5-2 cm above the middle shelf 3 in the center of the horizontal plane of the wall 1.

 The frequency of the interrogating signal of the RF reader lies in the ranges of 860-868 MHz and 925-928 MHz. The operating frequency of the antennas lies in the range of 860-960 MHz. You can use other bands, such as LF (125-134 kHz), HF (13.56 MHz), or others, depending on the requirements of a particular application.

 A radio frequency reader can be equipped with temperature monitoring functions, for example, in a refrigerator and shelf life of marked objects, as well as determining the location of a storage device, for example, using a GPS beacon.

 Because in the particular case of the implementation of the utility model, the storage device is made in the form of a showcase refrigerator, its door 2 is made of glass.

 In the above example, the RF tags 6 are passive, however, active and semi-passive tags can also be used.

 To explain the operation of the device in FIG. 2 shows an identification system, of which the claimed device is a part, in this case a refrigerator 7. The system contains radio frequency equipment 5 for encoding radio frequency tags 6, a server 9 and a computer 10 with software for monitoring marked objects.

The device is used as follows. Pre-printed labels 6 are placed on the bottle 8, for example, under the label at the time of filling. Using radio-frequency equipment 5, label 6 is encoded, and information about the object encoded with label 6 is sent to server 9: bottle volume 8, lot number, bottling date, etc. 5 Then the bottle 8 is transferred to the retailer and placed in the refrigerator 7.

 An RF reader with a predetermined interval sends a signal to antennas 4 and changes the frequency in a predetermined range of 860-868 MHz and 925-928 MHz. The request interval can be from 10 ms to 24 hours. If the natural frequency of the label 6 antenna located on the bottle 8 coincides with the frequency of the interrogating signal of the radio-frequency reader of antenna 4, the ID (identification number - code) of tag 6 is returned, which the radio-frequency reader identifies and receives related information.

 The radio frequency reader allows you to simultaneously receive up to 500 tags per minute.

 15 To determine the volume of the refrigerator 7, not filled with labeled products, use the following formula:

 CX = C-CN,

 where C is the volume of the refrigerator 7, i.e. how much objects refrigerator 7 can potentially accommodate;

20 CN - volume of marked objects;

 CX - volume not filled with marked objects.

 A radio frequency reader, knowing the potential volume that can fit in the refrigerator 7, and knowing the volume of marked objects in the refrigerator 7 at each time point by their identification marks, 25 determines the volume not filled with unmarked objects, i.e. either an empty volume, or filled with unmarked - alien - objects.

All information about the movement of bottles 8, i.e. about the change in the volume of the refrigerator 7 is transmitted by a radio frequency reader through a communication network, for example, via the Internet to server 9. Using a computer 10 with the appropriate software, the manufacturer or distributor monitors information about the bottle 8 in real time, which is transmitted by server 9. b

Thus, the manufacturer or distributor is always aware of the misuse or illegal use of the refrigerator 7 or any other storage device in which only its products should be located.

 The given example is a special case and does not exhaust all possible implementations of the utility model.

 As a storage device, refrigerators for storing medicines in medical institutions, display cases, cabinets and refrigerators in catering establishments, vending machines and display cases in stores, can be used

 Using the claimed utility model will solve the problems of untimely filling the storage device with products, filling other people's products, the lack of accounting for the movement of products and their theft.

Claims

Utility Model Formula 1. Storage device with radio frequency identification of filling, characterized in that it contains walls, a door, shelves, one antenna on each wall and a radio frequency reader, while the antennas are connected to a radio frequency reader, are located at the same distance above the middle shelf and are arranged to be read RF tags placed on marked objects in the storage device, and the radio frequency reader is configured to obtain information about the volume of marked objects in troystve storage and transmission of information on the volume, not filled with tagged objects.  2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the antenna is helical.  3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the antennas are located at a distance of 0.5-2 cm above the middle shelf.  4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that each antenna is located in the center in the horizontal plane of the wall.  5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the frequency of the interrogating signal of the radio frequency reader lies in the ranges 860- 868 MHz and 925-928 MHz.  6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating frequency of the antennas lies in the range of 860-960 MHz.  7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the door is made of glass.  8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the radio frequency tags are made passive.