Abstract: There is disclosed a commodity information registering apparatus which registers commodity information while a commodity is moved, comprising a radio tag reading section which reads a radio tag within a first field to acquire commodity identification information stored in the radio tag, an optical reading section which reads a code symbol within a second field to acquire commodity identification information described in the code symbol, and a registering section which registers one of the commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information acquired from the radio tag and the commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information acquired from the code symbol.

Abstract: An identification information reader includes an antenna commonly used for transmission of a radio wave to a radio frequency identification tag and reception of a radio wave that has been modulated with at least identification information and transmitted from a radio frequency identification tag, a transmitter which outputs a radio wave to be transmitted from the antenna, a receiver which demodulates a radio wave received by the antenna to acquire at least the identification information, a directional coupler which is connected between the transmitter and the receiver, guides the radio wave output from the transmitter to the antenna and guides the radio wave received by the antenna to the receiver, and an attenuator which is connected between the antenna and the directional coupler and attenuates the radio wave guided to the receiver to reduce saturation of the receiver due to an increase in voltage standing wave ratio of the antenna.

Abstract: A tag unit comprises two RFID tags arranged nearly parallel with each other, each RFID tag including an antenna, tag transmission/reception section, and storage section. The tag unit stores different serial numbers in the respective storage sections. A tag unit reading/writing apparatus writes the different serial numbers and common data in the storage sections of the respective RFID tags, and retains the same serial numbers of the respective RFID tags in its storage section 18. The tag unit reading/writing apparatus judges validity of reading and reusability of the tag unit, when it successfully reads both of the serial numbers and the data stored in the storage sections of the respective RFID tags.

Abstract: An RF tag reading apparatus reads information from RF tags affixed to postal envelopes by a single operation. An article container contains a large number of postal envelopes provided with RF tags. A reader antenna, which is connected to an interrogator via a coaxial cable, is disposed under the article container. Maximum gain directions of the RF tags of the respective postal envelopes are uniformly directed to the reader antenna. The respective postal envelopes contained in the article container are arranged face to face with each other in a direction orthogonal to the maximum directions of the RF tags. Since a maximum gain direction of the reader antenna is oriented toward a base end surface of the article container, the maximum gain directions of the RF tags are opposed to the maximum gain direction of the reader antenna.

Abstract: Tag information which has been previously read but is not currently read is retrieved every time tag information is collectively read by a wireless tag reading device. When corresponding tag information is detected, sales information of a commodity is acquired from this tag information, and the acquired sales information is registered in a sales registering section. Further, display contents in a display device are changed in response to detection of the tag information which has been previously read but is not currently read. Furthermore, when information concerning a commodity for sale is input through a barcode reader, sales information of the commodity is acquired from this input information, and the acquired sales information is registered.

Abstract: There is disclosed a commodity information registering apparatus which registers commodity information while a commodity is moved, comprising a radio tag reading section which reads a radio tag within a first field to acquire commodity identification information stored in the radio tag, an optical reading section which reads a code symbol within a second field to acquire commodity identification information described in the code symbol, and a registering section which registers one of the commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information acquired from the radio tag and the commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information acquired from the code symbol.

Abstract: An RFID tag device includes an RFID tag having a directivity of maximum gain of electromagnetic waves therefrom in a specific direction and an RFID tag-supporting base supporting the RFID tag. The RFID tag-supporting base includes a first surface on which the RFID tag is attached and a second surface which is oppositely located with and is positioned not in parallel to the first surface to orient the maximum gain direction of the electromagnetic waves from the RFID tag toward a desired direction.

Abstract: There are provided a barcode reader for reading an article code in a barcode form from an article tag, and an RFID tag reader for reading a shelf code from a shelf tag in a non-contact wireless manner. The article code read by the barcode reader is stored in an article code memory, and the shelf code read by the RFID tag reader is stored in a shelf code memory. There are also provided an information processing unit, a control unit and a transmission unit. The information processing unit is controlled by the control unit to process the article code and the shelf code as one set of information for article management. Then, the transmission unit transmits the processed information to a personal computer.

Abstract: A moving object apparatus includes a shopping cart to be moved along an aisle which is provided together with wireless tags arranged near the aisle, an antenna which is attached to the shopping cart and has directivity toward a direction predetermined for communication with the wireless tags, and a transmission and reception units which capture positional identification data held by each of the wireless tags which are accessible by the antenna. The moving object apparatus includes a control panel section which processes a capture result based on antenna position data of the antenna which has been used for capturing the positional identification data.

Abstract: A composite antenna includes a first antenna structure and a second antenna structure integrally combined with the first antenna structure to operate under different frequency bands respectively that are used in different radio transmission systems such that the first antenna structure has a first conductive layer to operate under a first frequency band and the second antenna structure has a second conductive layer a thickness of which is thicker than that of the first conductive layer to operate under a second frequency band lower than the first frequency band.

Abstract: There is disclosed a commodity information registering apparatus which registers commodity information while a commodity is moved, comprising a radio tag reading section which reads a radio tag within a first field to acquire commodity identification information stored in the radio tag, an optical reading section which reads a code symbol within a second field to acquire commodity identification information described in the code symbol, and a registering section which registers one of the commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information acquired from the radio tag and the commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information acquired from the code symbol.

Abstract: Tag information which has been previously read but is not currently read is retrieved every time tag information is collectively read by a wireless tag reading device. When corresponding tag information is detected, sales information of a commodity is acquired from this tag information, and the acquired sales information is registered in a sales registering section. Further, display contents in a display device are changed in response to detection of the tag information which has been previously read but is not currently read. Furthermore, when information concerning a commodity for sale is input through a barcode reader, sales information of the commodity is acquired from this input information, and the acquired sales information is registered.

Abstract: There is provided an article management system having a plurality of article management apparatus that are arranged at the respective process stage position in a production line and read information by RF tag readers from an article RF tag affixed to each of articles contained in a case and a case RF tag attached to each of the cases. A server connected to the respective article management apparatus for managing ID information on the articles, quantity of the articles, current process stage positions for each of the cases and other items. With this system, production management for the articles contained in the cases can be performed in a short time without being interrupted, even if some of the tags have become damaged and reading from the tags is impaired.

Abstract: A radio tag is attached to a specified position of an outer side surface of a case. A member is arranged on an inner side opposing to the radio tag to form a surface substantially parallel to the surface to which the radio tag is attached by the member. Further, a metal reflector is attached on the surface. Electromagnetic waves emitted from outside are supplied to the radio tag and the electromagnetic waves have not consumed by the radio tag are reflected from the reflector to be supplied again to the radio tag.

Abstract: An RF tag includes an IC chip and a dipole antenna both arranged on a dielectric base. The dipole antenna is composed of a pair of antenna patterns each of which is connected to respective feed points of the IC chip and extends in an opposite direction. When manufacturing the RF tag, length of the pair of antenna patterns is set so that the impedance matching between the IC chip and the dipole antenna is optimum in the air. When using the RF tag attached on an article, the extending ends of the antenna patterns are eliminated so that the length of the dipole antenna matches the wave-length of radio waves traveling through the article that the RF tag is attached.

Abstract: An RF tag reading apparatus reads information from RF tags affixed to postal envelopes by a single operation. An article container contains a large number of postal envelopes provided with RF tags. A reader antenna, which is connected to an interrogator via a coaxial cable, is disposed under the article container. Maximum gain directions of the RF tags of the respective postal envelopes are uniformly directed to the reader antenna. The respective postal envelopes contained in the article container are arranged face to face with each other in a direction orthogonal to the maximum directions of the RF tags. Since a maximum gain direction of the reader antenna is oriented toward a base end surface of the article container, the maximum gain directions of the RF tags are opposed to the maximum gain direction of the reader antenna.

Abstract: A mount sheet having a plurality of radio tags attached at an interval to it is run over a radio communicating section. The radio communicating section has a metal member providing a conveying surface with a slit formed therein. A dielectric member is arranged on a lower surface of the metal member with a projecting section inserted into the slit and, by doing so, the top surface of the projecting section is set flush with the top surface of the metal member. An antenna of the radio communicating section is located beneath the projecting section of the dielectric member and this antenna is held within the metal case. When any radio tag being an object of a radio communication is located over the slit, the radio communicating section positively makes radio communication with the radio tag through the antenna.

Abstract: An RF tag reader/writer is provided which includes a conveyance plate including a conveyance surface for conveying a paper containing an RF tag, and an antenna having a radiation element. The radiation element is positioned such that the RF tag provided in the paper conveyed on the conveyance surface passes over the radiation element, and a communication section transmits and receives radio waves to and from the RF tag through the antenna to execute data communication with the RF tag. A radio wave passage is provided in the conveyance plate at a position corresponding to the antenna such that the radio waves between the antenna and the RF rag pass through the radio wave passage.

Abstract: A tag unit comprises two RFID tags arranged nearly parallel with each other, each RFID tag including an antenna, tag transmission/reception section, and storage section. The tag unit stores different serial numbers in the respective storage sections. A tag unit reading/writing apparatus writes the different serial numbers and common data in the storage sections of the respective RFID tags, and retains the same serial numbers of the respective RFID tags in its storage section 18. The tag unit reading/writing apparatus judges validity of reading and reusability of the tag unit, when it successfully reads both of the serial numbers and the data stored in the storage sections of the respective RFID tags.

Abstract: There is provided an article management system comprising a plurality of article management apparatus that are arranged at the respective process stage position in a production line and read information by RF tag readers from an article RF tag affixed to each of articles contained in a case and a case RF tag attached to each of the cases, and a server connected to the respective article management apparatus for managing ID information on the articles, quantity of the articles, current process stage positions for each of the cases and other items. With this system, production management for the articles contained in the cases can be performed in a short time without being interrupted, even if some of the tags have become damaged and reading from the tags is impaired.