DE3435506A1 - Arrangement with an information store, attached to an object for marking purposes - Google Patents

Abstract

An arrangement with an information store (6), attached to an object (7) - for example to an equipment unit, cassette or packaging - for marking purposes, for storing information coded in a digital code - for example on production data, equipment type and/or content - in which arrangement a semiconductor circuit (6) with a PROM is mounted as information store (6), the terminals of which are connected to scannable contact spots (1 to 5) attached to an object surface for addressing and for information transfer purposes. <IMAGE>

Description

Arrangement attached to an object for marking

with an information store.

The invention relates to a further development of the arrangement which is defined in the preamble of claim 1 and for example as a sticker with barcodes for the packaging of everyday goods to a large extent nowadays is common. Such strips with barcodes as information storage for marking of objects are also already known per se in printed form, see e.g. DE-PS 25 13 890. The information which is stored in the known information stores provide information about the manufacturer, date of manufacture and product types or The contents of packaging.

One object of the invention is to further develop the known arrangement in such a way that that a large variety of addressable information stored with little effort can be stored on the object with an electronic scanning head in such a way that for searching a very special one of these objects, if necessary also in everyday use with the object in question, addressable in each case special parts of the stored Information from the information store can be read in that case If, for example, a search of stacked objects can be made possible if they are stackable items. In addition, the invention should allow that information to be written into the information store by authorized persons in a very simple way, even afterwards - especially only after they have been stacked Objects e.g. in shelves or housings or racks - can be inscribed can.

The invention should enable, for example, when stacked on shelves Objects in each case magnetic tape cassettes or circuit boards of a large computer or an electronic switching system, in the information store Individually addressable as required, information with a scanning head guided along the shelf to be able to write in or read out, e.g.

regarding the date of the recording and / or the name of the programmer, and / or which control functions of a process computer with the object in question can be carried out.

This object of the invention is specified in claim 1 Measures resolved.

The additional measures specified in the subclaims allow to achieve further advantages. Thus, the measures according to claim 2 allow as often as required the stored information bit by bit or byte by byte with purely electrical Mitzeln subsequently to change, 3, to reduce the number of contact patches and thus caused by poor contacts between the scanning head and contact pads To reduce interference accordingly, 4, after the start of writing or reading in / from successive storage locations no longer externally a corresponding Having to enter a sequence of addressings, 5, especially the number of contact points to be able to greatly reduce, 6, a stack of object automatically instead of manually To be able to search through and / or mark it afterwards, 7, the positioning of the scanning head to facilitate, 8, purely electrical transmissions via the contact pads and thus at least the susceptibility of the contacts between scanning head and contact patches to failure largely to be avoided, 9, a particularly easily stackable, easily markable one and to offer an easily queryable application of the arrangement, as well as 10, one in particular to provide easy manageable application of the arrangement.

The invention is based on the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures further explained, FIG. 1 showing a magnetic tape set with attached to its back arrangement according to the invention, 2 a variant (compared to FIG. 1) of the attachment of Contact patches on the back of a magnetic tape cassette in plan view, as well as 3 a partially sectioned side view of the example shown in Fig. 2 together with an example of a scanning head and the screen of a read / write device.

All figures show an example of an object 7, e.g. the cassette from a magnetic tape, which may be a protocol or a contains a special program of a computer. However, it can also be tapes with different types of information, e.g. dealing with video tapes and beyond the item 7 in no way to contain magnetic tapes. It can also e.g. A refrigerator, a television set, a pKTg, so anything in itself Act item 7. This object 7 contains an arrangement according to the invention with an information memory, see FIG. 6 in FIGS. 1 and 3, for storing in one digital code encoded information. 3 for this information, which is in the Information memory 6 of the arrangement according to the invention are stored, it can themselves e.g. the date of manufacture of the item 7, the date of manufacture of individual items Components of the item 7, the date of the last repair work on the item 7 including details of the type of repair carried out. However, this information can also be found in the information store be saved to any other information for marking .the object 7, so if necessary also for additional notes about the pure identification of the object 7, act, i.e. markings in the most general sense.

With this stored information it can e.g. even are notes from which it can be seen in what respect the item 7, or components of this item 7, still have to be processed further; - so E.g. in what respect the program has to be revised before it is used must be, if the object 7 is a magnetic tape cassette with stored, but is a program that needs to be edited. So this information can also include, for example, instructions for repairs still to be carried out on item 7 - or any other information that is more or less related to item 7.

The information is stored in a digital code, e.g. in a binary code. In contrast to the barcode labels that are used today are often found on objects of everyday use, it is in the invention, however, addressable information is stored. To have to so both when writing and when reading there are addresses under which the relevant digits or bytes are to be saved or called up because in the invention, instead of the printed bar code, a semiconductor PROM is attached as an information memory, see 6 in FIGS. 1 and 3.

This PROM is connected via lines to the clock marks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, which in the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures the back of a cassette 7 are attached. However, these contact pads can if necessary also attached at any other points of the respective objects 7 be. if the object 7 is e.g. a refrigerator, a washing machine, a typewriter, is a television set, etc., then such contact pads, see FIGS. 1 to 5, can also inside the object 7, e.g. behind the door or blinds of the item 7 should be attached, e.g. so that only the repairing specialist has easy access to the Has contact patches.

The contact pads each have their own connections to the semiconductor circuit 6, which contains the semiconductor PROM. via such contact pads can also, respectively for writing in and / or reading out, the operating voltage for the semiconductor circuit 6 can be applied, furthermore the relevant one or more own contact patches Information is written or read, i.e. transmitted. It is also possible, provide one or more contact patches for entering addresses, below those enrolled in the PROM or

should be read out. Particularly few contact patches are used for the entry of the address is required if the address is entered as a serial digit sequence which is possible, for example, if a SDA 2116 from Siemens is used. This module does not only allow serial Transmission of the address, here with 7 bits, but also serial transmission of the information, here in packets of 8 bits.

The number of contact pads can be further reduced by no separate contact pads for the supply voltage of the semiconductor circuit 6 attaches, but instead one or more solar cells 11, see. Figs. 1 and 2.

It is advantageous to use an electrically erasable and electrically erasable PROM writable PROM, i.e. a so-called EIROM. Such a PROM allows incorrect and out-of-date information in the PROM as often as required on especially easy way to delete almost any number of times and write new information.

The handling of the arrangement is particularly facilitated when it is not more it is necessary to enter all memory addresses individually if in a single one Operation several consecutive addresses must be available for addressing, e.g. because the information in question is much longer than 8 bits. Particularly addressing is then simple if the semiconductor circuit 6 - on the same Semiconductor chip or on an adjunct semiconductor chip - an address register and contains a 1-adder for address incrementation. Then there is only that Enter the start address in order to create this series of addresses using the 1-adder in to produce in a known manner. There is no need, even a special one Enter the start address via one or more of the contact points 1 to 5, if a pure start impulse corresponding to the address 00 ... 000 as the start address a contact pad is entered, which enables reading of the entire memory contents from its first to the last address by means of the 1-adder.

It is often not possible to apply as few contact points 1 to 5 as possible only advisable to avoid taking up a lot of space. Also the scanning head, see 10 in 3, the fewer contact pads there are, the simpler it can be built up are. In addition, there is a risk of poor contact between a tactile pad 9 and an associated contact pad, see FIGS. 1 to -5, arises during scanning and thus a disturbed transmission is caused, and / or * especially if there are many contact spots there are. The fewer contact spots there are, the more trouble-free the operation the arrangement.

Often one has the need just explained to have as few contact spots as possible, 1 to 5, to be attached to the object 7 in order to increase operational safety. Often, however, it is also advisable to reduce the space required for the contact patches, 1 to 5 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, to make it particularly large, even if the The scanning head, see FIG. 10 in FIG. 3, would have to be made very large - it is then possible, extremely large tolerances for the positioning of the scanning head Allow 10 when writing and reading the information, especially large ones Tolerances with regard to lateral movements of the probe head 10. However, the Contact patches, cf. 1 to 5 in FIG. 2, spatially closely separated on the object 7 attached, then it is often advisable to use stops or beads or holes, cf. 8 in Fig.

2 and 3, to be attached to the object 7 in order to position the scanning head to facilitate. For this reason, the scanning head 10 shown in FIG. 3 points to the right in addition, a nose, which is in the correspondingly shaped section of the associated Stop 8, see FIG. 2, intervenes when reading or writing. Especially when the Scanning head 10 is placed by hand on the contact pads 1 to 5, such additional ones Stops, see a, are often useful - but other corners are often sufficient or surfaces of the object 7, which the function of such a stop 8 can take over, e.g.

Side edges to the left and right of the contact patch line 1 to 5 in Fig. 1, because the scanning head 10 can then also be positioned by means of these edges.

In many cases, a large number of objects 7 are next to one another layered, e.g. stacked on a shelf, especially if it is slim flat objects 7 such as tape cassettes or circuit boards. If wants to search for a certain cassette, whereby digits are to be queried from the PROM, in order to find the right item 7 from this warehouse, it is often advantageous to not to move the scanning head by hand .10 from object to object and read digits from the PROM, but with the help of a machine that works automatically the scanning tone 10 leads from object to object, ~ bYS he is the correct sought Item 7 (based on the information read from the PROM at the relevant addresses Information). In this case, e.g. by means of a linkage, the scanning head 10 moves from object to object and, preferably also automatically, positioned and used to automatically read the relevant information, until the searched object 7 with the information characteristic of it in. PROM is found.

Malfunctions due to poor contacts between a contact point, see 1 to 5 in the figures, with the respectively assigned scanning pen or scanning spot 9 of the scanning head 10, see FIG. 3, are particularly easy to avoid when at least some of the contact pads 1 to 5 through light-sensitive and / or through Light-emitting components 1 to 5 is formed, so when the transmission the corresponding digits are not carried out galvanically but optoelectronically will. In this case, the addresses and / or the information transmitted optoelectronically between the relevant contact patches and the tactile patches. This also reduces the tolerance for the distance between the touch pads and the contact pads, see Fig. 3, extraordinary during reading and writing great, which is particularly important even with fully automatic searches of large stacks of objects 7 is advantageous. This is especially true with such optoelectronic components it is possible to store even large stocks of objects 7, e.g. cassettes or printed circuit boards 7, which, for example, are stored tightly stacked on top of each other as well as next to each other search for a particular object 7, reliably and with little effort to search, especially if there are also solar cells to power the Arrangement are appropriate and if there is possibly a ground connection via the shelf, or via the rear walls of this camp, is reached; - e.g. by the relevant Objects 7 metallic surface sections, e.g. at the bottom of these objects, and in that shelf parts touched by it are electrically grounded.

If such optoelectronic couplings between the tactile spots 9 and the contact pads 1 to 5 can also be attached if necessary Measures for the mutual decoupling of the light paths are taken. E.g. adjacent light-emitting components can each have light of different wavelengths emit, whereby it is avoidable that adjacent light paths mutually can have a disruptive effect, especially if specially suitable light-sensitive Components are chosen.

10 claims 3 figures

Claims (10)

Patent claims. 1. On an object (7) - e.g. on a device unit, cassette or packaging - for marking attached arrangement with an information memory (6) for storing information encoded in a digital code - e.g. on date of manufacture, device type and / or content e i c h n e t that - a semiconductor circuit (6) with a PROM as an information memory (6 ') is attached, its connections for addressing and for information transfer with scannable contact pads (1 to 5) attached to an object surface connected 0 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z It is true that the PROM (in Figure 6) is an E2PROM. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that - one or more solar cells (11) for their direct current supply are appropriate. 4. Arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, d a d u r c h g e k E n n z e i c h n e t that - the semiconductor circuit (6) has an address register contains a 1-adder for address incrementation. 5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h e k e n n n n n e i n e t that - the addresses and the information as serial bits are transmitted via the contact pads (1 to 5j. 6. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h e k e n n n n z e i c h n e t that - in read or write operation to the Contact pads (1 to 5) a movable, information from the information store (6) reading and / or writing information into the information memory (6) Scanning head (10) of a reading or writing device (10/12) through a stacked one Objects (7) searching machine is created. 7. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h e k e n n n n z e i c h n e t that - one or more stops (8) for positioning of the scanning head (10) are attached. 8. Arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, d a d u r c h g e k e n It is not stated that - at least some of the contact leaks (1 to 5) are through light-sensitive and / or light-emitting components (1 to 5), for optical transmission of addresses and / or information between the relevant contact points (1 to 5) and the contact pads (1 to 5) corresponding tactile spots (9) of the scanning head (10), is formed. 9. Application of the arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d u r c h e k e n n n z e i c h n e t that - the contact pads (1 to 5) attached to the back of a flat object (cassette 7). 10. Application according to claim 9, d a d u r c h e k e n n z e i c h n e t that - the objects (7) on top of one another and / or next to one another -at the stacked - e.g. stored loosely or put out of a rack - and - the Information memory (6) each in this stacked state of the objects (7) is read.