Radio-frequency identification system, method of carrying out radio-frequency identification, and program for radio-frequency identification

1. A radio-frequency identification system comprising:

(a) a plurality of responders each of which has a unique identification number, and makes a response in radio-frequency communication to an inquiry transmitted from a later mentioned interrogator;

(b) an interrogator which makes an inquiry to each of said responders, and receives said response from each of said responders; and

(c) a host computer which controls communication made between said responders and said interrogator, and binary-searches a number space of said identification number of each of said responders for identifying a responder(s) existing in a communication area in which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other,

said host computer having a function of acting as a discriminator for generating a control signal in accordance with first to N-th communication areas in each of which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other, binary-searching said number space in each of said first to N-th communication areas one by one to identify a responder(s) existing therein, and inactivating the thus identified responder(s), wherein N is a positive integer equal to or greater than two, and said function is accomplished by software.

2. The radio-frequency identification system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said host computer binary-searches said number space in each of said first to N-th communication areas in such an order that a smaller area is selected prior to a larger area.

3. The radio-frequency identification system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said smaller area is contained in said larger area.

4. The radio-frequency identification system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said interrogator includes a power amplifier which amplifies power in accordance with said control signal to incrementally increase a level of an output signal transmitted from said interrogator.

5. The radio-frequency identification system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said interrogator includes:

a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna both having directivity; and

a rotator rotating said signal-transmitting and signal-receiving antennas in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

6. The radio-frequency identification system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said interrogator includes:

a plurality of pairs of a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna; and

a selector which selects one pair of a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna among said pairs in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

7. The radio-frequency identification system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said radio-frequency identification system includes a plurality of interrogators, and further includes a selector which selects one of said interrogators in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

8. A method of carrying out radio-frequency identification in a radio-frequency identification system comprising:

(A) a plurality of responders each of which has a unique identification number, and makes a response in radio-frequency communication to an inquiry transmitted from a later mentioned interrogator;

(B) an interrogator which makes an inquiry to each of said responders, and receives said response from each of said responders; and

(C) a host computer which controls communication made between said responders and said interrogator, and binary-searches a number space of said identification number of each of said responders for identifying a responder(s) existing in a communication area in which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other,

said method including the steps of:

(a) generating a control signal in accordance with first to N-th communication areas in each of which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other, wherein N is a positive integer equal to or greater than two;

(b) binary-searching said number space in each of said first to N-th communication areas one by one to identify a responder(s) existing therein; and

(c) inactivating the thus identified responder(s),

wherein said steps (a), (b) and (c) are carried out by said host computer.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said step (b) is carried out in such an order that a smaller area is selected prior to a larger area.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said smaller area is contained in said larger area.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 , further including the step of amplifying power in accordance with said control signal to incrementally increase a level of an output signal transmitted from said interrogator.

12. The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said step (b) is carried out by rotating a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna of said interrogator in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas, said both signal-transmitting and signal-receiving antennas having directivity.

13. The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said step (b) is carried out by selecting one pair of a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna among a plurality of pairs of a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna of said interrogator in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

14. The method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said radio-frequency identification system includes a plurality of interrogators, and said step (b) is carried out by selecting one of said interrogators in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

15. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further including:

(d-1) initializing said control signal for initializing said first to N-th communication areas;

(d-2) initializing binary-search conditions in accordance with which said number space is binary-searched, to turn all of bits into indefinite bits, and designating all of number spaces;

(d-3) causing said interrogator to transmit an inquiry made in accordance with said binary-search conditions, to said responders;

(d-4) causing said interrogator to receive a response(s) from a responder(s) having a unique identification number matching to said binary-search conditions;

(d-5) judging whether response numbers having been received in said interrogator are in collision with one another;

(d-6) storing a response number which is not in collision with other response numbers, as an identification number of a responder existing in a communication area in which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other;

(d-7) transmitting an instruction to said responder to inactivate said responder;

(d-8) judging whether binary-searching said number space is completed in accordance with said binary-search conditions;

(d-9) if binary-searching said number space is judged in said step (k) to be completed, judging whether binary-searching said number space is completed in all of said first to N-th communication areas; and

(d-10) if binary-searching said number space is judged completed in all of said first to N-th communication areas, finishing binary-searching said number space.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 , further including:

(e) if said response numbers are judged in said step (d-5) to be in collision with one another, resetting a bit which is in collision with a bit in another response number, into another binary number without resetting a bit which is not in collision with a bit in another response number; and

(f) repeating said steps (d-3) to (d-10).

17. The method as set forth in claim 15 , further including:

(g) if binary-searching said number space is judged in said step (d-8) not to be completed, resetting a bit which is in collision with a bit in another response number, into another binary number without resetting a bit which is not in collision with a bit in another response number; and

(h) repeating said steps (d-3) to (d-10).

18. The method as set forth in claim 15 , further including:

(i) if binary-searching said number space is judged in said step (d-9) not to be completed in all of said first to N-th communication areas, varying said control signal for selecting another area among said first to N-th communication areas; and

(j) repeating said steps (d-2) to (d-10).

19. A program for causing a computer to control communication made between each of a plurality of responders each of which has a unique identification number, and makes a response in radio-frequency communication to an inquiry transmitted from a later mentioned interrogator, and an interrogator which makes an inquiry to each of said responders, and receives said response from each of said responders, and binary-search a number space of said identification number of each of said responders for identifying a responder(s) existing in a communication area in which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other,

wherein steps executed by said computer in accordance with said program includes:

(a) generating a control signal in accordance with first to N-th communication areas in each of which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other, wherein N is a positive integer equal to or greater than two;

(b) binary-searching said number space in each of said first to N-th communication areas one by one to identify a responder(s) existing therein; and

(c) inactivating the thus identified responder(s).

20. The program as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said step (b) is carried out in such an order that a smaller area is selected prior to a larger area.

21. The program as set forth in claim 20 , wherein said smaller area is contained in said larger area.

22. The program as set forth in claim 21 , wherein said steps executed by said computer in accordance with said program further includes amplifying power in accordance with said control signal to incrementally increase a level of an output signal transmitted from said interrogator.

23. The program as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said step (b) is carried out by rotating a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna of said interrogator in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas, said both signal-transmitting and signal-receiving antennas having directivity.

24. The program as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said step (b) is carried out by selecting one pair of a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna among a plurality of pairs of a signal-transmitting antenna and a signal-receiving antenna of said interrogator in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

25. The program as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said step (b) is carried out by selecting one of said interrogators in accordance with said control signal for varying a communication area among said first to N-th communication areas.

26. The program as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said steps executed by said computer in accordance with said program further includes:

(d-1) initializing said control signal for initializing said first to N-th communication areas;

(d-2) initializing binary-search conditions in accordance with which said number space is binary-searched, to turn all of bits into indefinite bits, and designating all of number spaces;

(d-3) causing said interrogator to transmit an inquiry made in accordance with said binary-search conditions, to said responders;

(d-4) causing said interrogator to receive a response(s) from a responder(s) having a unique identification number matching to said binary-search conditions;

(d-5) judging whether response numbers having been received in said interrogator are in collision with one another;

(d-6) storing a response number which is not in collision with other response numbers, as an identification number of a responder existing in a communication area in which said responders and said interrogator can make communication with each other;

(d-7) transmitting an instruction to said responder to inactivate said responder;

(d-8) judging whether binary-searching said number space is completed in accordance with said binary-search conditions;

(d-9) if binary-searching said number space is judged in said step (k) to be completed, judging whether binary-searching said number space is completed in all of said first to N-th communication areas; and

(d-10) if binary-searching said number space is judged completed in all of said first to N-th communication areas, finishing binary-searching said number space.

27. The program as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said steps executed by said computer in accordance with said program further includes:

(e) if said response numbers are judged in said step (d-5) to be in collision with one another, resetting a bit which is in collision with a bit in another response number, into another binary number without resetting a bit which is not in collision with a bit in another response number; and

(f) repeating said steps (d-3) to (d-10).

28. The program as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said steps executed by said computer in accordance with said program further includes:

(g) if binary-searching said number space is judged in said step (d-8) not to be completed, resetting a bit which is in collision with a bit in another response number, into another binary number without resetting a bit which is not in collision with a bit in another response number; and

(h) repeating said steps (d-3) to (d-10).

29. The program as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said steps executed by said computer in accordance with said program further includes:

(i) if binary-searching said number space is judged in said step (d-9) not to be completed in all of said first to N-th communication areas, varying said control signal for selecting another area among said first to N-th communication areas; and

(j) repeating said steps (d-2) to (d-10).