Radio-tag reading apparatus and radio tag

Abstract

The radio-tag data containing the merchandise management data about an item of merchandise from the radio tag attached to the item of merchandise. It is determined whether a prescribed one of the bytes constituting the radio-tag data is identification data that specifies the merchandise management data. If the prescribed byte is determined to be identification data, a prescribed number of bytes following the prescribed byte are extracted from the radio-tag data. The bytes thus extracted are output as merchandise management data.

1 . A radio-tag reading apparatus comprising:
 a reading unit which reads radio-tag data in which header data and merchandise management data of a prescribed number of bytes are alternately recorded from a radio tag attached to an item of merchandise;   a tag-data storing unit which stores the radio-tag data read by the reading unit;   a first data reader which reads first header data and data of a prescribed number of bytes which is recorded following the first header data from the radio-tag data recorded in the tag-data storing unit;   a first data analysis unit which determines whether the first header data read by the first data reader is identification data that specifies the merchandise management data;   a first data output unit which outputs, when the first header data is determined as the identification data by the first data analysis unit, the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is read following the first header data by the first data reader, as the merchandise management data to a POS terminal;   a second data reader which reads second header data, which is recorded in the tag-data storing unit following the data of the prescribed number of bytes output by the first data output unit, and data of a prescribed number of bytes which is recorded following the second header data;   a second data analysis unit which determines whether the second header data read by the second data reader is identification data that specifies the merchandise management data or data that indicates no data;   a second data output unit which outputs, when the second header data is determined as the identification data by the second data analysis unit, the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is read following the second header data by the second data reader to the POS terminal; and   a stop unit which stops output of the radio-tag data recorded in the tag-data storing unit to the POS terminal when the second header data is determined as the data that indicates no data by the second data analysis unit.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third data output unit which outputs all data following the second header data to the POS terminal when the second data analysis unit determines that the second header data is neither the merchandise management data nor the data that indicates no data. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first data reader reads the first header data, the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is recorded following the first header data, and the second header data which is recorded following the data of the prescribed number of bytes from the radio-tag data recorded in the tag-data storing unit;   the second data analysis unit determines whether the second header data read by the first data reader is identification data that specifies the merchandise management data or data that indicates no data; and   the second data reader reads the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is recorded following the second header data when the second header data is determined as the identification data that specifies the merchandise management data by the second data analysis unit.   
     
     
         4 . A radio tag to be attached to an item of merchandise whose information of which is managed by using a multi-stage barcode, the radio tag comprising:
 a memory which is configured to store an ID code allocated to the radio tag and management data about the item of merchandise; and   a controller which is configured to control a process of writing data in, and reading data from, the memory,   wherein the memory stores an identification data item specifying the management data about the item of merchandise and data corresponding to the first-stage barcode of the multi-stage barcode, and alternately stores identification data items specifying management data about other items of merchandise and data items corresponding to the second-stage et seq. of the multi-stage barcode, and   the controller outputs the ID code stored in the memory in accordance with an inquiry signal from a radio-tag reading apparatus, and then outputs, when a read request is received from the radio-tag reading apparatus, the identification data and the data corresponding to a barcode of each stage of the multi-stage barcode which are alternately stored in the memory from the first stage in order.   
     
     
         5 . A radio-tag reading method comprising:
 reading radio-tag data in which header data and merchandise management data of a prescribed number of bytes are alternately recorded from a radio tag attached to an item of merchandise;   obtaining first header data and data of a prescribed number of bytes which is read following the first header data from the read radio-tag data;   outputting, when the obtained first header data is identification data that specifies the merchandise management data, the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is read following the first header data, as the merchandise management data, to a POS terminal;   obtaining second header data which is read following the output data of the prescribed number of bytes, and data of a prescribed number of bytes which is read thereafter from the radio-tag data;   outputting, when the obtained second header data is the identification data that specifies the merchandise management data, the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is read following the second header data to the POS terminal; and   stopping output of the radio-tag data to the POS terminal when the obtained second header data is the data that indicates no data.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising outputting all data following the second header data to the POS terminal when the obtained second header data is neither the identification data that specifies the merchandise management data nor the data that indicates no data. 
     
     
         7 . A radio-tag reading method comprising:
 reading radio-tag data in which header data and merchandise management data of a prescribed number of bytes are alternately recorded from a radio tag attached to an item of merchandise;   obtaining first header data, data of a prescribed number of bytes which is read following the first header data, and second header data which is read following the data of the prescribed number of bytes from the read radio-tag data;   outputting, when the obtained first header data is identification data that specifies the merchandise management data, the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is read following the first header data, as the merchandise management data, to a POS terminal;   analyzing the obtained second header data after outputting the data of the prescribed number of bytes which is read following the first header data to the POS terminal, and outputting, when the second header data is the identification data that specifies the merchandise management data, data of a prescribed number of bytes which is read following the second header data to the POS terminal; and   stopping output of the radio-tag data to the POS terminal when the obtained second header data is the data that indicates no data.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising outputting all data following the second header data to the POS terminal when the obtained second header data is neither the identification data that specifies the merchandise management data nor the data that indicates no data.