Apparatus for issuing wireless information storage media

The present invention relates to an apparatus for issuing information storage media which media an adapted, e.g., to be attached to commodities or articles for processing them, and that information can be read from and written into by radio.

As the next-generation information carrier, attention has been paid to a wireless information storage medium which makes communications with outside by radio to read information from an internal storage device, such as an IC memory, or write information into the storage device.

Such a wireless information storage medium has been attached as a wireless tag to commodities for the purpose of preventing shoplifting or employed as a ski lift ticket in ski grounds. In addition, an attempt has been made to incorporate the storage medium into a commuter's pass in a wireless automatic ticket inspecting system.

A system employing such wireless information storage media (cards, tags, or the like) allows predetermined processing to be performed in non-contact manner without the need of inserting them into a processing machine and thus provides convenience that conventional systems lack.

Such a wireless information storage medium itself, as a wireless tag, usually has no image display that persons can visually observe. Such a form of storage medium does not matter to a system in which there is no need of directly presenting information concerning commodities to persons (customers) as in a shoplifting preventive system.

In addition to such a system, a variety of systems employing wireless tags has been proposed. For example, if wireless tags are used as price tags and price information contained in tags attached to commodities a customer purchases can be read by radio, then accounting processing can be performed with only these tags. This will provide more efficient accounting processing than at present. In this case, however, it is required for customers to be able to confirm the prices of commodities themselves.

In the field of distribution of commodities, there is a system in which wireless tags are used as tags attached to commodities and information peculiar to each commodity is read from a tag attached to it at each point in the distribution system, thereby controlling the flow of commodities.

Moreover, it has been expected to employ wireless tags for manufacture management by attaching wireless tags to articles in the middle of manufacture. In such a system as well, it will be essential for a site worker or manager to be able to visually confirm article information for the purpose of dealing with unexpected accidents such as tag damage, communications failures, etc.

To solve such a problem, there is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 4 - 368894 a noncontact recording medium which has a noncontact recording means built in and is provided on a surface with a rewritable visible information recording area consisting of a heat-reversible material. That is, a recording area which permits visible information to be recorded by heat in a rewritable manner is formed on the surface of a noncontact recording medium having noncontact recording means built in.

The above-described wireless information storage media are suitable for people to carry but are relatively poor in flexibility. Thus, various restraints may arise in attaching them to articles for use as price tags, article tags, and manufacture process management tags.

Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9 - 104189 discloses an information storage medium in which an electronic component as noncontact recording means is fixed to the surface of a paper-like base member and a printing medium is stuck on it to allow repeated printing of visible information. Thus, the information storage medium is good in flexibility, but a problem arises in that the electronic component is subject to break due to mechanical stress.

In the above-described Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9 - 104189 there is also disclosed a storage medium issuing apparatus for issuing the information storage medium, which is equipped with a writing/printing unit for writing and printing ID information into and onto an ID tag as an information storage medium. The writing/printing unit has a transmitter/receiver unit, an ID tag stacker, a printer, a feed mechanism for feeding ID tags to the printer, an eject mechanism for ejecting the ID tags after printing, a printer controller, and a main controller for controlling these components.

The printer has printing means for printing information on ID tag rewritable paper and erasing means for erasing printed information. The transmitter/receiver unit has an antenna for make communications with the ID tag and a transmitter/receiver circuit for modulating and demodulating information.

The main controller enters data to be written from a host computer through a host interface and controls the printer controller, the printer, and the transmitter/receiver unit for controlling the writing and printing of the ID information. To this end, the main controller has an MPU for such control and a memory for storing data to be written entered through the host interface.

The issuing apparatus has means for deciding whether or not ID information has been recorded on an ID tag. If ID information has already been recorded, it is erased and then new ID information is written. The number of times ID information is written is handled as part of ID information. The number of write operations is printed or the ID information printed position is changed according to the number of write operations.

In issuing a wireless information storage medium, the issuing apparatus arranged as described above performs writing of given information into the information storage unit and printing of visible information on the visible information recording area. However, since a semiconductor circuit constituting the information storage unit is generally an IC or LSI component, it may be damaged by mechanical stress to lose its functions at the time of printing visible information. In particular, when printing is made with a recording head being in contact with an information recording medium as in a printing system in which a thermal head is used as a recording head, a thermal or mechanical stress may be imposed on the IC or LSI built into the information storage medium. Such a stress causes a wireless information storage medium that has no properly functioning semiconductor circuit to be issued, resulting in low yields.

Sometimes it is required to issue wireless information storage media in large quantities. In this case, it is required to store the same information into and print the same visible information on a large number of wireless information storage media. The thermal printing takes a very long time in comparison with the storage of wireless information. The time required to issue one wireless information storage medium depends greatly on the time required to print visual information. It is therefore difficult to reduce the processing time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an issuing apparatus which permits wireless information storage media to be issued without damaging a built-in electronic component.

It is the other object of the present invention to provide an issuing apparatus which permits wireless information storage media to be issued in large quantities with good yield.

These objects are achieved by an apparatus for issuing a wireless information storage medium according to claim 1.

This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features so that then invention may also be a sub-combination of these described features.

This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description of embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to an embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the wireless information storage medium of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 3 shows a circuit arrangement in block diagram form of an electronic component built into the wireless information storage medium of FIG. 2;</li><li>FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to another embodiment;</li><li>FIG. 5 shows a recording characteristic of a thermal head on the rewritable recording layer of the image recording unit of the information storage media;</li><li>FIG. 6A is a schematic plan view of a wireless article tag as an embodiment of the wireless information storage medium;</li><li>FIG. 6B is a longitudinal sectional view of the wireless information storage medium taken along line A - A of FIG. 6A;</li><li>FIG. 7A shows a circuit arrangement and an effective recording area of the wireless article tag shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B;</li><li>FIG. 7B shows the effective recording area of the wireless tag;</li><li>FIG. 8 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to still another embodiment;</li><li>FIG. 9 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to a further embodiment;</li><li>FIGS. 10A and 10B are plan and sectional views, respectively, of the wireless information storage element of FIG. 9;</li><li>FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C show a wireless price tag as an embodiment of the wireless information storage medium;</li><li>FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of an issuing apparatus of the present invention;</li><li>FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the issuing apparatus of FIG. 12;</li><li>FIG. 14 is a simplified flowchart for the issuing operation of the apparatus of FIG. 12;</li><li>FIG. 15 is a flowchart for the image printing operation of the issuing apparatus of FIG. 12;</li><li>FIG. 16 is a flowchart for the wireless information writing operation of the apparatus of FIG. 12;</li><li>FIG. 17 is a flowchart for the checking operation of the apparatus of FIG. 12;</li><li>FIG. 18 is a diagram for use in explanation of overwrite recording by a thermal head;</li><li>FIG. 19 is a simplified flowchart illustrating the issuing method of the apparatus of FIG. 19;</li><li>FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating the information writing operation in the issuing method of FIG. 19;</li><li>FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating the image printing operation in the issuing method of FIG. 19; and</li><li>FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating the checking operation in the issuing method of FIG. 19.</li></ul>

Referring now to FIG. 1, which illustrates in sectional view an embodiment of a wireless information storage medium of the present invention, on one side of a sheet-like base member 1 there are provided a wireless information storage unit 2 and an image (visible information) recording unit (area) 3. For example, the base member may consist of plastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate or vinyl chloride resin, paper, such as wood free paper, or synthetic paper. In this example, a sheet of synthetic paper of about 60 µm in thickness is used. The wireless information storage unit 2 has a wireless information storage element and an antenna which are molded with a resin.

The wireless information storage unit will be described below more specifically. It comprises a transmitting/receiving antenna 4 consisting of a loop coil and a wireless information storage element (LSI chip) 12 which are molded with a plastic into the form of a stand-alone component.

Thus, having the wireless information storage element 12 and the antenna 3 integrally molded, the wireless information storage unit 2 is excellent in mechanical durability and high in reliability. In this embodiment, the wireless information storage unit 2 measures 25 mm × 25 mm.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit arrangement of the wireless information storage element 12, which is composed of a power generator 21, a clock generator 22, a demodulator 23, a modulator 24, a control logic 25, and a nonvolatile memory 26 as storage means.

A modulated data signal sent from an external device and received by the antenna 4 is applied to the power generator 21 and the clock generator 22. The power generator rectifies the modulated data signal and smoothes the rectified output for supply power to each circuit component. The clock generator generates clock pulses from the modulated data signal for supply to each circuit component. The modulated data signal received is demodulated by the demodulator 23 and the resulting original data signal is then stored in the nonvolatile memory 26 under the control of the control logic 25.

When a read instruction is externally received, information is read out of the nonvolatile memory 26 under the control of the control logic 25. The information is modulated by the modulator 24 into a form suitable for radio transmission and then sent to outside through the antenna 4.

Next, the image recording unit 3 will be described. As the image recording unit 3, use may be made of a rewritable recording layer, a thermosensible recording layer, or an ink-jet recording layer. In this embodiment, the ink-jet recording layer is used.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the wireless information storage medium will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, the image recording unit 3 is formed as follows: An ink accepting layer application liquid which is a mixture of an alumina sol containing a solid content of 18% synthesized from aluminum alkoxide and a solution containing a polyvinyl alcohol content of 6% by weight is applied to a sheet of synthetic paper in the form of a strip. The application is such that the applied width (the width of the image recording unit 3) is 60 mm, the non-applied width (the width of the base member 1 minus the applied width 3) is 30 mm, and the thickness after drying is 10 µm. The applied layer is dried to form a strip ink accepting layer (image recording unit).

Next, the wireless information storage units 2 are put on the non-applied area of the base member at intervals of 30 mm. The synthetic paper which is provided on top with a plurality of image recording units 3 and a plurality of wireless information storage units 2 is cut into pieces each having a wireless information storage unit and an ink accepting layer of 30 mm × 60 mm.

The wireless information storage medium of this embodiment has a feature that a wireless information storage unit and an image recording unit are provided on the same base member. Thus, a wireless information storage medium can be realized which provides better flexibility than conventional ones and fits any article to which it is to be attached like a label.

With conventional wireless tags, their contents cannot be confirmed without the use of a reader/writer. With the wireless information storage medium of this embodiment, however, since at least part of information stored is visually displayed, users can visually confirm information concerning articles as needed.

In addition, since the wireless information storage unit and the image recording unit are provided on one side of a base member, its other side can be utilized for advertisement or as a message board. The other side can also be utilized for attachment to an article.

Moreover, by providing an ink-jet recording layer as an image recording unit, an ink-jet recording system that does not subject the wireless information storage unit to mechanical stress can be used to print visual information. An image recording unit can also be formed on the wireless information storage unit.

The size of each of the wireless information storage unit and the image recording unit may be set arbitrarily. Further, in addition to the ink-jet recording unit, image recording units suitable for various recording systems, including thermal recording systems, rewritable recording systems, etc., can be used.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to another embodiment. In this figure, 31 denotes a sheet-like base member, which is provided at an end of its one side with a wireless information storage unit 32 and on its other side with an image recording unit 33. The wireless information storage unit 32 is identical in arrangement to the one 2 used in the previous embodiment and hence its description is omitted. The image recording unit 33 is composed of a rewritable recording layer 34 and a protective layer 35.

The base member 36 may be made of plastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), vinyl chloride resin, or the like, or synthetic paper. When the image recording unit 33 is used a plurality of times, such a base member as has mechanical durability is preferably used. The thickness of the base member is set to less than 1 mm and preferably 10 to 500 µm. In this embodiment, a PET sheet of 188 µm in thickness is used as the base member.

Next, the formation of the rewritable recording layer 34 of the image recording unit 33 will be described. The recording layer may be made of a coloring rewritable recording material, a high molecular matrix/low molecular composite film material, a magnetic capsule recording material, or the like.

An example of a coloring rewritable recording material is a leuco-dye-based rewritable recording material which is composed of a leuco dye and a reversible developer. As an example of a reversible developer, there is a compound having decolorizer and a long chain alkyl group.

The decolorizer is a compound having an acid region and a basis region within a molecule. Examples of such materials include salts of phenol carboxylic acid and organic amine, complex salts of phenolic compound and organic amine, and organic amphoteric compounds. Such materials are disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publications Nos. 6 - 191150 and 6 - 191151.

Examples of compounds having a long chain alkyl group with reversible development include ascorbic acid compounds having a long aliphatic alkyl group, phosphonic acid compounds, and phenolic compounds. By having been heated and melted, the rewritable recording material exhibits a colored state at room temperature. By being heated to a temperature lower than coloring temperatures, the material in the colored state becomes discolored at room temperature. Such recording materials are disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publications Nos. 5 - 96852 and 5 - 193257.

The leuco dye combined with the reversible developer shows the electron donative property and may be a fluoran compound which is conventionally known. The leuco dye is colored black, red, blue, or yellow depending on a dye compound used and can be used as a color recording material as well.

The high molecular matrix/low molecular composite film rewritable recording material is a reversible thermal recording material which reversibly shows either of the opaque state and the transparent state depending on a heating temperature. When it is used as a recording medium, either of a state where a colored layer underlying the rewritable recording layer is visible (the recording layer is transparent) and a state where the colored layer is invisible (the recording layer is opaque) is used as a recorded state. This material is a film in which an organic low molecular weight compound, such as stearic acid or behenic acid, which are higher fatty acids, is dispersed in a resin such as a vinyl chloride resin or vinyl chloride - vinyl acetate copolymer. Such recording materials are disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publications Nos. 2 - 1363, 3 - 2089, and 4 - 201596.

An example of a magnetic capsule recording material is a sheet coated with capsules which seal in flake metal fines of iron, nickel, or iron-nickel-chromium together with a medium vehicle consisting of a polar solvent and a thermoplastic resin. This makes a portion in which the flake metal fines are oriented in the direction of a magnetic field and a portion in which they are not oriented. These portions exhibit different appearances upon exposure to incident light, providing a recorded state and an erased state. Such materials are disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publications Nos. 5 - 24384 and 9 - 71042.

The rewritable recording layer 34 in this embodiment is formed by dispersing a phenolic compound having a leuco dye and a long chain alkyl group in a resin, applying it to a PET sheet of 188 µm in thickness and drying it. The thickness of the resulting rewritable recording layer 34 is about 5 µm.

The protective layer 35 is formed by applying an ultraviolet hardening resin onto the rewritable recording layer 34 and then hardening it. The thickness of the protective layer is about 5 µm. In this manner, a sheet-like rewritable recording layer 34 is obtained which is about 200 µm in thickness and has a very excellent flexibility.

Next, reference will be made to FIG. 5 to describe coloring/discoloring characteristics of the rewritable recording layer 34 of the image recording unit 33. In FIG. 5, the image density is plotted against the applied energy to thermal head when a thermal head of a resolution of 8 dots/mm is driven to print a solid pattern on the image recording unit 33 at a feed speed of 40 mm/sec. The image density at the image recording unit is shown on the vertical axis and the energy applied to the thermal head is shown on the horizontal axis. The solid line indicates the density when a thermal energy is applied to record a solid pattern on the image recording unit in the unrecorded state, or in the initial state. This intensity is maintained even after the thermal energy has been removed. The broken line indicates the density when a thermal energy is applied to erase the recorded solid pattern on the image recording unit.

Thus, by changing the applied energy to the thermal head, recording and erasing an image on the image recording unit 33 can be performed repeatedly. In this embodiment, a recording energy is set to 0.6 mJ/dot and an erasing energy is set t 0.3 mJ/dot.

It is known that the rewritable recording layer is erased more sufficiently by being subjected to slow variations in temperature with a heater large in thermal capacity, such as a hot stamp or heat roller, than by being subjected to rapid temperature variations with a thermal head.

To obtain sufficient erasing, therefore, it is desirable to use a heater such as a hot stamp or heat roller. With the material used in this embodiment, erasing is performed to reach the surface of the base member at temperatures of about 65 to 75°C.

The recording medium is cut into pieces each in the form of a label 60 mm long and 30 mm wide. The wireless information storage unit 32 is provided at an end of the opposite side of the PET-sheet-like base member 36 to the side on which the image recording layer 33 is formed.

Although, in this embodiment, the wireless information storage unit is stuck on the rewritable recording medium cut into the form of a label, the wireless information storage medium may be obtained by putting a plurality of wireless information storage units on the surface of a recording medium with a predetermined spacing between adjacent units and then cutting the recording medium into pieces each in the form of a label.

With the wireless information storage medium according to this embodiment, the entire surface of the storage medium can be utilized for an image recording unit because the storage unit and the recording unit are provided on the opposite sides of the base member.

FIGS. 6A and 6B and FIGS. 7A and 7B show a wireless tag as an embodiment of the wireless information storage medium.

More specifically, FIGS. 6A and 6B are a plan view and a sectional view, respectively, of the wireless information storage medium. As shown in FIG. 6B, the wireless tag 20 is provided with an image recording unit 30 and a wireless information storage unit 40 which are stacked one top of each other. The image recording unit 30, which is a rewritable recording unit which allows repeated erasing and recording of visual information by heat, consists of a rewritable recording layer 37 and a top coating 38 which are stacked in sequence on one side of a base member 36 which is rectangular.

The image recording unit 30 is produced by the following processes. A leuco dye and a phenol compound having a long chain alkyl group are dispersed in a resin. A polycarbonate film (base member 36) of about 25 µm in thickness is coated on top with the resin and then dried to form the rewritable recording layer 37 of about 5 µm in thickness. The rewritable recording layer 37 is then coated on top with an ultraviolet-hardened resin. The resin is hardened to form the top coating 38 of about 5 µm in thickness. The rewritable image recording unit 30 of about 35 µm in thickness is obtained in this manner.

The wireless information storage unit 40 is composed of a rectangular base member 41, a loop antenna 42 placed on the periphery of the major surface of the base member, and an LSI chip (wireless information storage unit) 43 placed at an end of the major surface of the base member. The LSI chip 43 has a nonvolatile memory and functions as wireless transmission/reception control means that records and reads information in a non-contact manner. Shown in FIG. 7A, the arrangement of the LSI is identical to that described in conjunction with FIG. 3 and thus its description is omitted.

The wireless information storage unit 40 is produced in the following manner. Copper foil is stuck on the surface of a polycarbonate film of about 100 µm in thickness to form a plurality sets of patterns for the loop antenna 42, wirings, and connection pads associated with the LSI chip 43 by means of the PEP method. The antenna pattern is formed on the periphery of the base member 41 as shown in FIG. 6A. The LSI chip connection pad pattern (which, though not shown, is formed on the base member 41 and below the chip 43) is formed so that it will locate at an end of the finished wireless tag 20. The LSI chip is connected to the connection pads by means of die bonding.

The wireless tag 20 is formed by sticking with an adhesive layer 39 the opposite side of the base member 36 to its side on which the rewritable recording layer is formed on that side of the base member 41 on which the wireless information storage unit is formed.

The rewritable recording layer 37 has an effective recording area 44 inside the antenna 42 as shown in FIG. 6A. The effective recording area 44 and the LSI chip 43 are placed separated from each other in the direction of length of the tag. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, there is illustrated printed information on the effective recording area 44.

Although a rewritable recording layer is used for the image recording unit, this is not restrictive. Any other recording layer, such as an ink-jet recording layer, a thermal recording layer, or the like, can be used.

The wireless information storage medium of this embodiment provides excellent flexibility because each of the wireless information storage element and the image recording unit is formed in the form of a thin sheet. Further, since the wireless information storage unit is built into the base member, the medium is formed in the form of a label. Thus, even upon contact with something the wireless information storage medium will never catch in it.

With the wireless information storage medium structured such that the surface on which the LSI chip or the antenna is placed is coated, the recording layer 37 is not in direct contact with an irregular surface due to the LSI chip or antenna. Thus, irregularities of the surface of the image recording unit can be reduced. In the case of a contact recording system such as thermal recording, stable, clear images can be formed. When the LSI chip and antenna substrate and the image recording layer substrate are bonded, the advantage is particularly obtained.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to still another embodiment. A wireless information storage unit 51 is composed of a loop antenna 53 placed in the periphery of one side (lower side) of a first base member 52 in the form of a cut sheet and a wireless information storage element 54 placed at an end of that side. The wireless information storage element 54 is the same in arrangement as that in the previously described embodiment and hence its description is omitted.

An image recording unit 56 is formed of a rewritable recording layer 58 and a protective layer 59 which are sequentially formed on one side (upper side) of a third base member 57 in the form of a cut sheet.

The wireless information storage unit 51 is produced as follows. Copper foil is stuck on one surface of a polycarbonate film (base member 52) of about 100 µm in thickness and a plurality of patterns for the loop antenna, wirings, and pads for connection between the LSI chip terminals and the wirings are formed in the copper foil by means of the known PEP method. The loop antenna pattern is formed in the periphery of the first base member 52.

The connection pad pattern of the LSI chip (wireless information storage element 54) is formed so that it will locate at an end of each wireless information storage medium as shown in FIG. 6B when the base member is cut to separate the wireless information storage units 51 from one another. The LSI chip is die bonded to the connection pads.

That surface of the first base member 52 on which the antenna 53 and the wireless information storage element 54 is covered with a second base member 55 in the form of a cut sheet. A filler (resin) 60 is filled between the base members 52 and 55 to bond them.

The image recording unit 56 is formed as follows. A leuco dye and a phenol compound having a long chain alkyl group are dispersed in a resin. The resin is spread on the surface of a polycarbonate film (third base member 57) of about 25 µm in thickness and then dried to form the rewritable recording layer 58 of about 5 µm in thickness. The leuco dye and the phenol compound used for forming the rewritable recording layer 58 were described previously and hence their descriptions are omitted here.

An ultraviolet-hardened resin is spread on the rewritable recording layer 58 thus formed and then hardened to form the protective layer 59 of about 5 µm in thickness. In this manner, the rewritable recording layer 58 of about 35 µm in thickness is obtained. The image recording unit 56 and the wireless information storage unit 51 are bonded with the filled adhesive layer 60.

The base member is cut into pieces each in the form of a label 600 mm long and 30 mm wide, each piece having a wireless information storage element 54 and an antenna 53. With the wireless information storage medium, the wireless information storage element 54 and the antenna 53 are placed on one side of the first base member 52 and covered with the second base member 55, the rewritable recording layer 58 is formed on one side of the third base member 57, and the other side of the third base member 57 and the other side of the first base member 52 are stuck together.

Although the third and first base members are bonded, the third base member and the second base member may be stuck together. Although a rewritable recording layer is used for the image recording unit, this is not restrictive. Any other recording layer, such as an ink-jet recording layer, a thermal recording layer, or the like, can be used.

With the wireless information storage medium of this embodiment, the recording layer substrate 52 is not in direct contact with an irregular surface due to the LSI chip or antenna. Thus, irregularities of the surface of the image recording unit can be reduced. In the case of a direct contact recording system such as thermal recording, stable, clear images can be formed. When the LSI chip and antenna substrate 50 and the image recording layer substrate 57 are bonded, the advantage is particularly obtained.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a wireless information storage medium according to still another embodiment. In this figure, 61 denotes a sheet base member which is provided at an end of its one side with a disc type of wireless information storage unit 62 and on its other side with an image recording unit 63. The image recording layer 63 is composed of a rewritable recording layer 64 and a protective layer 65.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are a plan view and a sectional view, respectively, of the wireless information storage unit 62. This storage unit has a circular antenna 71 and a wireless information storage element 72 interposed between circular plastic substrates 73 and 74 as shown in FIG. 10B and is formed as an isolated part.

A through hole 75 is formed in the center of the wireless information storage unit 62. The storage unit is stuck on the base member 61 so that the through hole 75 is aligned with a through hole 66 formed in the base member 61 at its end. The storage element 72 remains unchanged from the storage unit 21 in the previous embodiment and hence its description is omitted.

The base member 61 may be made of plastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), vinyl chloride, or the like, or synthetic paper. Here, a white PET film of about 190 µm in thickness is used.

The image recording unit 63 is formed on the other side of the base member 61 as follows. A leuco dye and a phenol compound having a long chain alkyl group are dispersed in a resin. The resin is spread on the surface of the white PET film (base member 61) and then dried to form the rewritable recording layer 58 of about 5 µm in thickness. The leuco dye and the phenol compound used for forming the rewritable recording layer 58 were described previously and hence their descriptions are omitted here.

An ultraviolet-hardened resin is spread on the rewritable recording layer 64 thus formed and then hardened to form the protective layer 65 of about 5 µm in thickness. In this manner, the rewritable recording layer 64 which is about 200 µm in thickness and exhibits excellent flexibility is obtained.

Next, a plurality of wireless information storage units 62 are arranged at regularly spaced intervals along an end of the opposite side of the base member to the side on which the image recording layer 63 is formed. Through holes 66 are formed in the base member 61 and the image recording layer 63 so that each hole aligns with a corresponding one of the holes 62 in the wireless information storage units 62 as shown in FIG. 9. To separate the wireless storage units 72 from one another, the base member is cut into pieces in the form of a label 60 mm long and 30 mm wide.

In this manner, a wireless information storage medium is obtained in which a disc type wireless information storage unit 62 having a through hole 75 at its center is stuck on a thin-sheet-like base member 61 having a through hole 66 so that both the holes 75 and 66 align with each other.

With the wireless information storage medium of this embodiment, since the wireless information storage unit is circular, even if it protrudes from the base member, it will not catch in something upon contact. Since it resembles an existing price tag in appearance, it can be attached to an article in the same manner as before.

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C show a wireless price tag as an embodiment of the wireless information storage medium. The wireless price tag, indicated collectively at 150, comprises a wireless information storage unit 76 and an image recording unit 77 each of which is rectangular. By coupling the storage unit 76 and the recording unit 77 at their short side, the storage medium is formed into the form of a long rectangle as a whole.

An image recording unit 77 is composed of a rectangular-sheet like base member 151 and a rewritable recording layer 152 formed on the base member. A wireless information storage unit 76 has a rectangular base member 154 on which a wireless information storage element 156 is fixed. The storage element comprises an LSI chip 157 and a loop antenna 158. The base member 154 is formed with a through hole 160 for attachment to an article.

Next, a wireless information storage medium issuing method and apparatus of the present invention will be described in terms of the wireless tag shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B.

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of an issuing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus has a casing 87 which is formed at its one end with an insertion/ejection port 86 through which a wireless tag 20 is inserted and ejected. Within the casing 87 there are provided a reader/writer (R/W) 81 for reading from and writing into the wireless information storage unit 40 in the wireless tag 20 in a non-contact manner and an image printer (PRT) 82 for erasing old information and recording new information on the effective recording area 44 of the image recording unit 30 of the wireless tag. The reader/writer 81 and the image printer 82 are disposed serially with respect to the insertion/ejection port 86. That is, the reader/writer is located between the port and the printer.

Two pairs of carrying rollers 84 are provided within the casing, which constitute a carrying means 83 for carrying the wireless tag 20 inserted into the port 86 to the reader/writer 81 and the printer 82 and ejecting the tag through the port from the casing. The carrying means is further provided with a platen roller 85 which is opposed to the thermal head in the printer 82.

In the vicinity of the insertion/ejection port 86 of the casing 87 is provided a first sensor 88 which detects the insertion or ejection of the wireless tag 20 into or from the apparatus. Between the reader/writer 81 and the printer 82 is provided a second sensor 89 which detects the feed of the wireless tag 20 into the printer 82.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the issuing apparatus of FIG. 12. The reader/writer 81 comprises an I/F 10, a controller 11 including a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, a demodulator 12, a receive amplifier 13, a modulator 14, a transmit amplifier 15, and an antenna 16.

The printer 82 comprises an I/F 17, a controller 18, and a line type of thermal head 19. The head is substantially equal in width to the effective recording area 44 and is positioned in a place where the effective recording area passes.

The carrying means 83 comprises a controller 90, two sets of rollers 84, and the platen roller 85. The two sets of rollers 84 carry the wireless tag while sandwiching only its both ends in the direction of width. That is, the LSI chip 43 is kept away from the rollers. The platen roller 85 is substantially equal in width to the thermal head 19 and is opposed to the head.

The issuing apparatus includes a CPU 71 for controlling the entire apparatus. The CPU is connected by a bus 72 to the reader/writer 81, the printer 82, the carrying means 83, and the first and second sensors 88 and 89.

Next, the wireless tag issuing method implemented by the above-described apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 and FIGS. 14 to 17.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of the issuing procedure. In this embodiment, visual information is printed on the image recording unit 30 of a wireless tag 20 in step S10, information sent by radio is written into the wireless information storage unit in the tag 40 in step S20, and the written information is checked to issue the wireless tag in step S30.

In more detail, the wireless tag 20 is first inserted through the insertion/ejection port 86 into the casing 87 of the issuing apparatus with its effective recording area 44 placed at the head (step S1). When the first sensor 88 detects the wireless tag (step S2), the CPU 71 outputs a carrying signal to the carrying controller 90. The controller then activates a carrying driver not shown to rotate the carrying rollers 84 and the eject roller 85, thereby carrying the wireless tag to the printer 82 at a given speed (step S3). In subsequent step S10, visual information is printed.

FIG. 15 is a detailed flowchart for the printing operation of the printer. When the second sensor 29 detects the feed of the wireless tag into the printer, the thermal head 19 moves downward from a place where it does not come into contact with the tag to a place where it comes into contact with the tag. In corporation with the platen roller 85, the thermal head 19 comes into contact with the effective recording area with pressure (step S12).

The CPU 71 transfers visual information to the recording controller 18 via the I/F 17 (step S13). The information includes, as shown in FIG. 7A, destination information "HOKKAIDO", recipient information "000 COMPANY", bar-code information concerning an article to which the wireless tag is to be attached, recordeding position information, etc.

When the wireless tag further moves and the recording starting position of its effective recording area 44 of the image recording unit 30 reaches the thermal head 19, the recording controller 18 drives each heated element of the thermal head in accordance with predetermined conditions. As a result, information already printed on the effective recording area as shown in FIG. 7B, the destination 80 "KAWASAKI", the recipient 81 "000 COMPANY", and the bar code 82, is rewritten through the use of an overwriting technique to be described later by the destination 90 "HOKKAIDO", the recipient 91 "000 COMPANY", and the bar code 92 (step S14) as shown in FIG. 7A. The coloring (recording) and discoloring (erasing) characteristics of the rewritable recording layer 37 of the image recording unit 30 of the wireless tag 20 remain unchanged from those shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 18 shows the manner in which the line type thermal head 19 rewrites information already recorded. In this example, an existing image 92, an alphabetic character "A", recorded on the image recording unit 30 of the wireless tag 20 is rewritten by a new image 97, an alphabetic character "B", by heating the recording unit by a string of heated elements 99 of the thermal head 19 while moving the tag in the direction of an arrow. In this figure, each of dots of the existing image is indicated by a white dot, while each dot of the new image is indicated by a black dot.

The thermal head 19 is controlled for each heated element 99. The applied energy to each heated element is selectively switched to a recording energy and an erasing energy in accordance with image information to be printed. The heated elements supplied with the recording energy are each indicated by a black square, whereas the heated elements supplied with the erasing energy are each indicated by a square with oblique lines.

Of the image recording unit 30, in the area which is not heated yet by the heated elements 99 (the lower area in FIG. 18) there are left existing dots 96 indicated by white dots. In the area which has been already heated, however, the recording heat has been applied to new image portions and the erasing heat has been applied to existing image portions to be erased. Thus, portions of an existing image that do not overlap a new image have been erased simultaneously with recording of the new image as indicated by dotted dots. Therefore, any existing image can be rewritten by a new image no matter how the existing image has been recorded. Upon termination of the recording of the image information (step S15), the thermal head 19 returns to the original position, thereby releasing the pressure contact with the wireless tag (step S16). Thus, the printing of image information on the image recording unit 30 terminates.

In the wireless tag 20, the effective recording area 44 and the LSI chip 43 are separated from each other in the direction of length of the tag. Since, as described previously, the wireless tag is fed into the printer 82 with the effective recording area side at the head, the LSI chip will never come into contact with the thermal head 19. That is, the LSI chip will never be subjected to mechanical and thermal stress by the thermal head.

After the printing of image information, information sent by radio is written into. FIG. 16 is a detailed flowchart for the operation of writing information sent by radio into the memory of the wireless tag 20. Upon termination of printing by the printer, the carrying controller 90 reverses the rotation of the rollers 84 and 85 to carry the tag back in the direction of the insertion/ejection port 86 in step S21.

When the second sensor 89 detects the trailing edge of the tag 20 on the recording area side (step S22), the tag is carried to the position where it is opposed to the antenna 16 of the reader/writer 81 after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time at which the second sensor produced a detected signal. Then, the CPU 71 sends information to the reader/writer 81 (step S23). Here, destination information "HOKKAIDO", recipient information "000 COMPANY", and information concerning an article to which the tag is to be attached are sent from the CPU 71 to the controller 11 comprised of CPU, RAM, and ROM.

The information from the controller 11 is subjected in the modulator 14 to modulation suitable for transmission by radio (step S24) and the modulated information is transmitted from the antenna 16 through the transmit amplifier 15 (step S25).

The transmitted information is received by the antenna 42 of the wireless tag 20 (step S26). The received signal is rectified and stabilized in the power generator 21 to apply a supply voltage to the LSI chip 43. The received signal is also demodulated in the demodulator 23 (step S27). The demodulated information is written into the nonvolatile memory 26 through the control logic 25 in such a way as to overwrite old information therein (step S28). In this manner, information is written into the wireless information storage unit 40.

Subsequently, a checking operation is performed to verify that data has been written correctly. FIG. 17 is a detailed flowchart for this checking operation. After data has been written into the storage unit 40, the CPU 71 sends a read instruction to the reader/writer 81 (step S31). The reader/writer modulates the read instruction in the modulator 14 for transmission to the wireless tag 20 (step S32). Upon receipt of the read instruction (step S33), the wireless tag decodes it and then reads the stored information from the nonvolatile memory 26 (step S34), the information including the destination information "HOKKAIDO", the recipient information "000 COMPANY", and the article information.

The read information is modulated in the modulator 24 and then transmitted from the antenna 42 (step S35). The transmitted information from the wireless tag is received by the antenna 16 (step S36) and then demodulated in the demodulator 12 after being amplified by the receive amplifier 13 (step S37). The demodulated information is sent through the controller 11 and the I/F 10 to the CPU 71, where the demodulated information is checked with the previously written information (step S38).

When a coincidence occurs between both the information, the electronic tag 20 is ejected from the insertion/ejection port 86 in step S41 of FIG. 14. If no coincidence occurs, then the procedure returns to step S23 of FIG. 16 to repeat the information writing steps beginning with step S23 and the subsequent checking steps.

As described above, the wireless tag issuing apparatus of this embodiment has the insertion/ejection port 86, the reader/writer 81 and the printer 82 placed in the order mentioned, prints image information on the effective recording area 44 of the wireless tag fed from the insertion/ejection port with the effective recording area at the head by the printer 82, and writes predetermined information into the wireless information storage unit 40 in a non-contact manner by the reader/writer 81. Therefore, stored information in the wireless information storage unit 40 and image information on the image recording unit 30 can be overwritten without imposing mechanical stress on the LSI chip 43 as an electronic component. That is, the LSI chip can be prevented from being damaged at the time of issuing or reissuing wireless tags. In addition, even when the thermal head 19 prints image information, heat will not be directly transferred to the wireless information storage unit, preventing written information from being destroyed by heat. Thus, the reliability and safety of the wireless tag issuing can be increased.

Moreover, the use of the thermal head-based overwrite recording permits one single printer to print and erase visual information, reducing the size of the entire apparatus.

Next, another embodiment of the wireless tag issuing method of the present invention will be described. FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of the issuing operation of this embodiment. This method is characterized in that information written into the wireless information storage unit 40 is checked immediately after printing of image information on the image recording unit 30 of the wireless tag 20. The procedure is performed in the order of writing of information into the wireless information storage unit 40 (step S60), printing of visual information on the image recording unit 30 (step S70), and checking of the written information (step S80) as shown in FIG. 19. This issuing method is implemented using the same issuing apparatus as that shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

As shown in FIG. 19, the wireless tag 20 is first inserted through the insertion/ejection port 86 into the casing 87 of the issuing apparatus with its effective recording area 44 placed at the head (step S51). When the first sensor 88 detects the wireless tag (step S52), the CPU 71 outputs a carrying signal to the carrying controller 90. The controller then activates a carrying driver not shown to rotate the carrying rollers 84 and the eject roller 85, thereby carrying the wireless tag to the printer 82 at a given speed (step S53).

When the wireless tag is carried to a place where it is opposed to the antenna 16 of the reader/writer 81 after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time at which the first sensor 88 produced a detected signal, information sent by radio is written into the wireless information storage unit 40 to overwrite old information (step S60).

FIG. 20 is a detailed flowchart for the operation of writing information by radio. Predetermined wireless information, which, in this example, includes destination information "HOKKAIDO", recipient information "000 COMPANY", and article information, is sent from the CPU 71 through the I/F 10 to the controller 11 (step S61). Data from the controller 11 is modulated in the modulator 14 (step S62). The modulated information is sent by radio from the antenna 16 to the wireless tag 20 (step S63).

The modulated information signal is received by the antenna 42 of the wireless tag 20 (step S63). In response to the received signal the power generator 21 supplies a supply voltage to the LSI chip 43. The received signal is demodulated in the demodulator 23 (step S65) and then overwrites old information in the memory 26 (step S66). Thus, the writing of information into the wireless information storage unit 40 terminates.

Next, printing of visual information on the image recording unit is performed. FIG. 21 is a flowchart for the visual information printing operation. When the second sensor 29 detects the entry of the wireless tag into the printer (step S71), the thermal head 19 moves downward from a place where it does not come into contact with the tag to a place where it comes into contact with the tag. In corporation with the platen roller 85, the thermal head 19 comes into contact with the effective recording area with pressure (step S72).

The CPU 71 transfers visual information to the recording controller 18 via the I/F 17 (step S73). In this example, the information includes destination information "HOKKAIDO", recipient information "000 COMPANY", bar-code information indicating part of information concerning an article to which the wireless tag is to be attached, and recorded position information.

When the wireless tag further moves and the recording starting position of its effective recording area 44 of the image recording unit 30 reaches the thermal head 19, the recording controller 18 drives the thermal head in accordance with predetermined conditions. As a result, information already printed on the effective recording area as shown in FIG. 7B, the destination information 93 "KAWASAKI", the recipient information 94 "000 COMPANY", and the bar code 95, is rewritten through the use of an overwriting technique to be described later by destination information 90 "HOKKAIDO", recipient information 91 "000 COMPANY", and bar code 92 (step S74) as shown in FIG. 7A.

Upon termination of the recording of the image information, the thermal head 19 returns to the original position, thereby releasing the pressure contact with the wireless tag (step S76). The carrying controller 90 reverses the rotation of the rollers 84 and 85 to carry the tag in the direction of the insertion/ejection port 86 (step S77). Thus, the printing of image information on the image recording unit 30 terminates.

After the printing of visual information, the wireless tag 20 is carried to the position in which it is opposed to the antenna 16 of the reader/writer 81 after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time at which the second sensor 89 detected the trailing edge of the tag. The information stored in the wireless information storage unit 40 of the tag is read and then checked with the information previously used in writing. FIG. 22 is a detailed flowchart for the checking operation.

The CPU 71 sends a read instruction to the reader/writer 81 (step S81). The reader/writer sends the read instruction to the wireless tag 20 by radio (step S82). Upon receipt of the read instruction (step S83), the wireless tag reads the previously stored information from the nonvolatile memory 26 (step S84), the information including the destination information "HOKKAIDO", the recipient information "000 COMPANY", and the article information.

The read information is modulated in the modulator 45 and then transmitted from the antenna 42 (step S85). The transmitted information from the wireless tag is received by the antenna 16 (step S86) and then recovered in the demodulator 12 after being amplified by the receive amplifier 13 (step S87). The recovered information is sent through the controller 11 and the I/F 10 to the CPU 71, where the recovered information is checked with the previously written information (step S88).

When a coincidence occurs between both the information, the electronic tag 20 is ejected from the insertion/ejection port 86 (step S91). If no coincidence occurs, then the procedure returns to step S23 of FIG. 16 to repeat the information writing steps beginning with step S23 and the subsequent checking steps.

According to the issuing method of this embodiment, immediately after printing of visual information, a check is made on previously written information to determine whether or not the information has been written correctly. Thus, the issue of wireless information storage media can be prevented which have not predetermined information written correctly or have stored information damaged.

Accordingly, a wireless tag issuing method and apparatus can be provided which permit wireless information storage media to be issued without damaging an built-in electronic component.

The present invention may be implemented in still other ways without departing the scope and spirit thereof. For example, the wireless information storage medium may take any other form, for example, a price tag.