US 2017/0249487 A1 · ANTENNA CONTROL APPARATUS

Abstract

An antenna control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication interface configured to receive identification information indicating whether each of a plurality of antennas received transmission information from a wireless tag. A storage unit stores a count for each of the plurality of antennas. A controller determines, for each of the plurality of antennas, whether the antenna received transmission information from a wireless tag based on a first received identification information. When at least one, but not all, of the plurality of antennas is determined to have not received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information, the storage unit increments the count for each such antenna. When the count for one of the plurality of antennas is determined to exceed the predetermined value, the controller outputs a notification signal indicating that the one of the plurality of antennas has a malfunction.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An antenna control apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive identification information indicating whether each of a plurality of antennas received transmission information from a wireless tag;
a storage unit that stores a count for each of the plurality of antennas;
and
a controller configured to:
determine, for each of the plurality of antennas, whether the antenna received transmission information from a wireless tag based on a first received identification information,
when at least one, but not all, of the plurality of antennas is determined to have not received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information, control the storage unit to increment the count for each such antenna,
determine whether the count for any of the plurality of antennas exceeds a predetermined value, and
when the count for one of the plurality of antennas is determined to exceed the predetermined value, output a notification signal indicating that the one of the plurality of antennas has a malfunction.

5 more elements

A method for controlling antennas, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first identification information indicating whether each of a plurality of antennas received transmission information from a wireless tag;
storing a count for each of the plurality of antennas;
determining, for each of the plurality of antennas, whether the antenna received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information;
when at least one, but not all, of the plurality of antennas is determined to have not received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information, incrementing the count for each such antenna;
determining whether the count for any of the plurality of antennas exceeds a predetermined value;
and
when the count for one of the plurality of antennas is determined to exceed the predetermined value, output a notification signal indicating that the one of the plurality of antennas has a malfunction.

4 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions causing a point of sale system to perform an antenna control method, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first identification information indicating whether each of a plurality of antennas received transmission information from a wireless tag;
storing a count for each of the plurality of antennas;
determining, for each of the plurality of antennas, whether the antenna received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information;
when at least one, but not all, of the plurality of antennas is determined to have not received transmission information from a wireless tag based on the first received identification information, incrementing the count for each such antenna;
determining whether the count for any of the plurality of antennas exceeds a predetermined value;
and
when the count for one of the plurality of antennas is determined to exceed the predetermined value, output a notification signal indicating that the one of the plurality of antennas has a malfunction.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Antenna control apparatus

Life of this patent

Antenna control apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20