Communication apparatus, communication method, and computer program

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a radio wave comprising a commodity code, the radio wave being transmitted from a wireless tag as the antenna moves along a plane parallel to the wireless tag;

a detecting section configured to detect a phase of the radio wave received by the antenna;

a determining section configured to:

determine, based on the radio wave, if a relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a first position within a first range;

measure a first phase while the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is the first position;

determine, based on the radio wave, if the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a second position within the first range;

measure a second phase while the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is the second position;

determine a first phase difference between the first phase and the second phase;

determine if the first phase difference is smaller than a threshold;

determine, based on the radio wave, if the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a third position within a second range different from the first range;

measure a third phase while the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is the third position;

determine if the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a fourth position within the second range;

measure a fourth phase while the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is the fourth position;

determine a second phase difference between the third phase and the fourth phase;

determine if the second phase difference is smaller than the threshold;

index a counter for each determination that the first phase difference is smaller than the threshold and each determination that the second phase difference is smaller than the threshold; and

determine that the wireless tag is present within a predetermined range while the counter is greater than a counter threshold, the predetermined range being a range for settlement of the wireless tag at a point of sale (POS) terminal; and

a storing section configured to store the commodity code as a settlement target commodity code while the wireless tag is present within the predetermined range;

wherein the communication apparatus is configured to provide the settlement target commodity code to the POS terminal to facilitate execution of a settlement transaction associated with the wireless tag.

2. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determining section is configured to:

determine if the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a fifth position within a third range different from the first range and different from the second range;

measure a fifth phase while the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is the fifth position;

determine if the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is a sixth position within the third range;

measure a sixth phase while the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is the sixth position;

determine a third phase difference between the fifth phase and the sixth phase;

determine if the third phase difference is smaller than the threshold; and

determine that the wireless tag is present outside the predetermined range while the third phase difference is smaller than the threshold.

3. A communication method between an antenna, a wireless tag, and a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, the communication method comprising:

receiving, by the antenna, a radio wave comprising a commodity code, the radio wave being transmitted from the wireless tag as the antenna moves along a plane parallel to the wireless tag;

detecting a phase of the radio wave;

determining a relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag;

determining, based on the radio wave, if the relative position is a first position within a first range;

measuring a first phase while the relative position is the first position;

determining, based on the radio wave, if the relative position is a second position within the first range;

measuring a second phase while the relative position is the second position;

determining a first phase difference between the first phase and the second phase;

determining if the first phase difference is smaller than a threshold;

determining, based on the radio wave, if the relative position is a third position within a second range different from the first range;

measuring a third phase while the relative position is the third position;

determining if the relative position is a fourth position within the second range;

measuring a fourth phase while the relative position is the fourth position;

determining a second phase difference between the third phase and the fourth phase;

determining if the second phase difference is smaller than the threshold;

indexing a counter for each determination that the first phase difference is smaller than the threshold and for each determination that the second phase difference is smaller than the threshold;

determining that the wireless tag is present inside a predetermined range when the counter is greater than a counter threshold, the predetermined range being a range of settlement of the wireless tag at the POS terminal;

storing the commodity code as a settlement target commodity code while the wireless tag is present inside the predetermined range; and

providing the settlement target commodity code to the POS terminal to facilitate execution of a settlement transaction associated with the wireless tag.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining if the relative position is a fifth position within a third range different from the first range and different from the second range;

measuring a fifth phase while the relative position is the fifth position;

determining if the relative position is a sixth position within the third range;

measuring a sixth phase while the relative position is the sixth position;

determining a third phase difference between the fifth phase and the sixth phase;

determining if the third phase difference is smaller than the threshold; and

determining that the wireless tag is present outside the predetermined range while the third phase difference is smaller than the threshold.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising

determining if the radio wave is received when the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag is within the first range.

6. A communication method implemented by a communication apparatus having an antenna communicable with a wireless tag and a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, the communication method comprising:

receiving, by the antenna, a radio wave transmitted from the wireless tag as the antenna moves along a plane parallel to the wireless tag, the radio wave comprising a commodity code;

determining, by the communication apparatus, a relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag;

determining, by the communication apparatus, if the relative position is a first position within a first range, based on the radio wave;

measuring, by the communication apparatus, a first phase while the relative position is the first position;

determining, by the communication apparatus, if the relative position is a second position within the first range, based on the radio wave;

measuring, by the communication apparatus, a second phase while the relative position of is the second position;

determining, by the communication apparatus, a first phase difference between the first phase and the second phase;

determining, by the communication apparatus, if the first phase difference is smaller than a threshold;

determining, by the communication apparatus, if the relative position is a third position within a second range different from the first range, based on the radio wave;

measuring, by the communication apparatus, a third phase while the relative position is the third position;

determining, by the communication apparatus, if the relative position is a fourth position within the second range;

measuring, by the communication apparatus, a fourth phase while the relative position is the fourth position;

determining, by the communication apparatus, a second phase difference between third phase and the fourth phase;

determining, by the communication apparatus, if the second phase difference is smaller than the threshold;

indexing, by the communication apparatus, a counter for each determination that the first phase difference is smaller than the threshold and each determination that the second phase difference is smaller than the threshold; and

determining, by the communication apparatus, that the wireless tag is present within a predetermined range while the counter is greater than a counter threshold, the predetermined range being a range for settlement of the wireless tag at the POS terminal; and

storing, by the communication apparatus, the commodity code as a settlement target commodity code while the wireless tag is present inside the predetermined range; and

providing, by the communication apparatus, the settlement target commodity code to the POS terminal to facilitate execution of a settlement transaction for the wireless tag.