Control method, control system, rfid antenna and connection investigation method

Abstract

RFID control arrangements in a system including a plurality of RFID antennas and a control unit that controls each of RFID reader/writers. A storage unit stores an antenna use procedure, and a plurality of RFID antennas included in each of the use timings in the antenna use procedure are operated. Each RFID reader/writer: reads information held by a calibration RFID tag through an RFID antennas; and outputs read information. The control unit: receives the information read by each of the plurality of RFID antennas; acquires a combination of RFID antennas that do not read information held by the respective calibration RFID tags, among the plurality of RFID; and outputs, when the combination of RFID antennas that do not read information held by the respective calibration RFID tags is acquired, information of the RFID antennas included in each of the use timings in the antenna use procedure in the storage unit.

1 . A control method by an RFID control system which includes a plurality of RFID antennas each having a calibration RFID tag, one or more RFID reader/writers that perform reading by operating each of said RFID antennas, and a control unit that controls each of said RFID reader/writers, wherein:
 said control unit includes a storage unit that stores an antenna use procedure including one or more use timings each in turn includes one or more RFID antennas; and performs a control step in which the plurality of RFID antennas included in each of said use timings in said antenna use procedure read from said storage unit are operated;
 each of said RFID reader/writers performs steps comprising: 
 a read step in which the RFID reader/writer in question reads information held by a calibration RFID tag through an RFID antennas; and 
 an output step in which the RFID reader/writer in question outputs the read information to said control unit; and 
 said control unit performs steps comprising; 
 a read result acquisition step in which the control unit receives the information read by each of said plurality of RFID antennas that are operated in said control step from each of said RFID reader/writers; 
 a non-readable combination acquisition step in which the control unit acquires a combination of RFID antennas that do not read information held by the respective calibration RFID tags, among said plurality of RFID; and 
 an output step in which the control unit outputs, when the combination of RFID antennas that do not read information held by the respective calibration RFID tags is acquired, information of the RFID antennas included in each of said use timings in the antenna use procedure in said storage unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . A control method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said storage unit further stores configuration information that indicates each of said RFID reader/writers and RFID antennas connected to each of said RFID reader/writers; and   said control unit further performs steps comprising:   a combination acquisition step in which a combination of RFID antennas connected to a same RFID reader/writer is acquired from said configuration information read from said storage unit; and   an antenna use procedure generation step in which the antenna use procedure is generated such that said procedure includes one or more use timings each including one or more said RFID antennas, and RFID antennas included in each use timing do not coincide with a combination of RFID antennas connected with one RFID reader/writer.   
     
     
         3 . A control system comprising a plurality of RFID antennas each having a calibration RFID tag, one or more RFID reader/writers that perform reading by operating each of said RFID antennas, and a control unit that controls each of said RFID reader/writers, wherein:
 said control unit includes:   a storage unit that stores an antenna use procedure including one or more use timings each in turn including one or more RFID antennas;   a control means that operates one or more RFID antennas included in each use timing included in the antenna use procedure read from said storage unit;   a read result acquisition means;   a non-readable combination acquisition means; and   an output means; and   each of said RFID reader/writer performs:   a read step in which the RFID reader/writer in question reads information held by a calibration RFID tag through an RFID antennas; and   an output step in which the RFID reader/writer in question outputs the read information to said control unit;   said read result acquisition means receives information read by a plurality of RFID antennas that are operated from each of said RFID reader/writers;   said non-readable combination acquisition means acquires a combination of RFID antennas that do not read information held by the respective calibration RFID tags, among said plurality of RFID antennas that are operated; and   when the combination of RFID antennas that do not read information held by respective calibration RFID tags is acquired, said output means outputs information of the RFID antennas included in each of said use timings in the antenna use procedure in said storage unit to RFID antennas.   
     
     
         4 . A control system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said storage unit further stores configuration information that indicates each of said RFID reader/writers and RFID antennas connected to each of said RFID reader/writers; and   said control unit further acquires a combination of RFID antennas connected to a same RFID reader/writer from said configuration information read from said storage unit; and   said control unit further generates the antenna use procedure such that said procedure includes one or more use timings each including one or more said RFID antennas, and RFID antennas included in each use timing do not coincide with a combination of RFID antennas connected with one RFID reader/writer.