Printed label-to-RFID tag data translation apparatus and method

摘要

An apparatus and a method for translating, transcribing, and/or converting a printed label on a surface of an RFID tag into electronic data, which are writable to a non-volatile storage inside the RFID tag, are disclosed. In one example, the apparatus comprises an image reader for scanning a printed label on the surface of an RFID tag, a UHF antenna module, a UHF tag access module for reading from or writing into the RFID tag, and a computer interface to display various parameters and control the apparatus. A tag-holding plate containing batches of RFID tags can be brought to an access range of the image reader using a conveyor belt or another moving mechanism. Once positioned within the access range, the apparatus can read and translate a printed label on a RFID tag and write the converted electronic data into a non-volatile storage inside the RFID tag.

主权项

1. An apparatus for printed label-to-RFID tag data translation, the apparatus comprising:
an image reader configured to scan printed information on a surface of a particular RFID tag to convert and transcribe the printed information to electronic data, wherein the electronic data are identical electronic transcriptions of the printed information on the surface of the particular RFID tag; a computer interface operatively connected to the image reader, a UHF tag access module, and a computer to route the electronic data among the image reader, the computer, and the UHF tag access module; the UHF tag access module operatively connected to a UHF antenna module, wherein the UHF tag access module provides a literal electronic transcription of the printed information by sending a data write instruction with the electronic data that are identical electronic transcriptions of the printed information to a non-volatile storage inside the particular RFID tag via the UHF antenna module, wherein the literal electronic transcription of the printed information does not retrieve or add any information from a database of the computer, and wherein the electronic data are identical electronic transcriptions of the printed information; a tag-holding plate embedding a bottom RF absorber pad to form a combined plate structure that holds the particular RFID tag in a tag slot formed on a top surface of the combined plate structure, wherein the combined plate structure is removably and portably placed on a conveyor belt, and wherein the tag slot is brought within an access range of the image reader and the UHF tag antenna module by activating the conveyor belt; the UHF antenna module located above the conveyor belt, wherein the UHF antenna module is configured to transmit the data write instruction to the non-volatile storage inside the particular RFID tag, and is also configured to receive some data from the particular RFID tag in case of a data read instruction; and the computer executing an application program on a CPU and a memory unit in the computer, wherein the application program is configured to control a particular behavior of at least one of the image reader, the computer interface, UHF tag access module, the conveyer belt, and the UHF antenna module.