JP5262367B2 - Article management system, data processing apparatus, computer program, and data processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article management system capable of easily and surely deciding a plurality of management object articles integrally moved. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of active sensor tags 200 mounted on each of the plurality of management object articles 400 output movement detection data MDD detecting movements of the sensor tags 200 themselves together with individual identification data IDD set for each individual. A data acquiring part 120 acquires the movement detection data MDD together with the individual identification data IDD from the plurality of active sensor tags 200. A synchronization extracting part 130 extracts a plurality of synchronized data MDD from the acquired plurality of movement detection data MDD. The individual identification data IDD of the active sensor tags 200 mounted for each of management object articles 400 is stored in a data storing part 110, and thereby the plurality of management object articles 400 integrally moved are determined by a movement determination part 140 by the individual identification data IDD corresponding to the plurality of movement detection data MDD extracted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an article management system for data management of a plurality of articles to be managed, and in particular, an article management system for data management of articles to be managed in which a plurality of articles are moved together, a data processing apparatus thereof, a computer program thereof, and a data processing method , Regarding.

  At present, on-site such as assembly factories and distribution warehouses, it is required to strictly manage data on management target articles such as assembly parts and transported articles. In order to realize this, an attempt has been made to perform data management of a management target article using its individual identification data by attaching an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag to the management target article.

  In such an article management system, individual identification data of an RFID tag is managed for each article to be managed by a data processing device such as a database server. Then, RFID readers are installed at various locations on the site where the management target article is moved, and the individual identification data acquired from the RFID tag by the RFID reader is transmitted to the data processing device.

  In this data processing apparatus, it is possible to specify from where to where the managed article is moved by specifying which RFID reader has acquired the individual identification data.

  In the physical distribution management system as described above, individual identification data can be acquired wirelessly from an RFID tag by an RFID reader. For this reason, even when a plurality of managed articles are loaded on an article support device such as a so-called pallet and conveyed by an article moving mechanism such as a forklift, the plurality of managed articles conveyed together are individually detected. can do.

Currently, there are various proposals for the above-described physical distribution management system (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 2005-289605 A JP 2008-094504 A

  However, in the physical distribution management system as described above, the management target articles are individually managed by RFID tags. On the other hand, in the current article management site such as a distribution warehouse or an assembly factory, the number of places where RFID readers are installed is increasing in order to perform detailed data management of movement of articles to be managed.

  For this reason, when a plurality of managed objects are moved together and all RFID tags are detected by the original RFID reader, some RFID tags may be erroneously detected by the adjacent RFID reader. .

  In such a case, it is registered as data that the mismanaged object to be managed has moved in two places at the same time. However, even if the management data is confirmed, it cannot be determined that a plurality of articles to be managed have been moved together, so it is difficult to confirm which of the detection results of the two RFID readers is a false detection. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an article management system, a data processing apparatus, a computer program, and a data processing method that can easily and reliably determine a plurality of managed articles that are moved together. Is to provide.

  The article management system of the present invention includes a plurality of article management units that output movement detection data, which are individually attached to each of a plurality of articles to be managed, and detect their own movement, together with individual identification data set for each individual, A data storage means for storing individual identification data of an article management unit mounted for each article to be managed; a data acquisition means for acquiring movement detection data together with individual identification data from a plurality of article management units; Movement determination for determining a plurality of articles to be managed that are moved together by means of synchronous extraction means for extracting a plurality of synchronized movement detection data and individual identification data corresponding to the extracted movement detection data Means.

  The data processing apparatus of the present invention is a data processing apparatus used in the article management system of the present invention, and a data storage means for storing individual identification data of an article management unit attached to each managed article, and a plurality of data storage means Data acquisition means for acquiring movement detection data together with individual identification data from the article management unit, synchronous extraction means for extracting a plurality of synchronizations from the acquired plurality of movement detection data, and a plurality of extracted movement detection data Movement determining means for determining a plurality of articles to be managed that have been moved together by the individual identification data corresponding to.

  The computer program of the present invention is a computer program of the data processing apparatus of the present invention, comprising: a data storage process for storing individual identification data of an article management unit mounted for each article to be managed; and a plurality of article management units. It corresponds to the data acquisition process that acquires the movement detection data together with the individual identification data, the synchronous extraction process that extracts a plurality of synchronizations from the acquired plurality of movement detection data, and the plurality of extracted movement detection data The data processing apparatus executes a movement determination process for determining a plurality of articles to be managed that have been moved together by the individual identification data.

  The data processing method of the present invention is a data processing method of the data processing apparatus of the present invention, comprising a data storage operation for storing individual identification data of an article management unit mounted for each article to be managed, and a plurality of article management It corresponds to the data acquisition operation that acquires movement detection data together with individual identification data from the unit, the synchronous extraction operation that extracts multiple synchronized detections from the acquired multiple movement detection data, and the multiple extracted movement detection data A movement determination operation for determining a plurality of articles to be managed that are moved together by the individual identification data.

  The various components of the present invention need only be formed so as to realize their functions. For example, dedicated hardware that exhibits a predetermined function, article management provided with a predetermined function by a computer program It can be realized as a system, a predetermined function realized in the article management system by a computer program, an arbitrary combination thereof, or the like.

  In addition, the various components of the present invention do not have to be individually independent, a plurality of components are formed as a single member, and a single component is formed of a plurality of members. That a certain component is a part of another component, a part of a certain component overlaps a part of another component, and the like.

  Moreover, although the data processing method of this invention has described several operation | movement in order, the order of description does not limit the order which performs several operation | movement. For this reason, when implementing the data processing method of this invention, the order of the several operation | movement can be changed in the range which does not interfere in content.

  Furthermore, the data processing method of the present invention is not limited to the case where a plurality of operations are executed at different timings. For this reason, another operation may occur during execution of a certain operation, or a part or all of the execution timing of a certain operation and the execution timing of another operation may overlap.

  In the article management system of the present invention, a plurality of article management units individually attached to each of a plurality of management target articles outputs movement detection data in which their movement is detected together with individual identification data set for each individual. To do. Then, the data acquisition means acquires movement detection data together with individual identification data from a plurality of article management units. The synchronization extraction means extracts a plurality of synchronized movement detection data from the acquired plurality of movement detection data. Since the data storage means stores the individual identification data of the article management unit installed for each article to be managed, a plurality of pieces moved together by the individual identification data corresponding to the plurality of extracted movement detection data The movement determination means determines the management target article. Therefore, it is possible to easily and reliably determine a plurality of management target articles moved together.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The article management system 1000 according to the present embodiment is used for data management of an article 400 to be managed at an article management site GMS such as an assembly factory or a distribution warehouse.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, the article management system 1000 according to the present embodiment sets movement detection data MDD, which is individually attached to each of the plurality of management target articles 400 and detects its own movement, for each individual. An active sensor tag 200 that is a plurality of article management units that are output together with the individual identification data IDD that has been recorded, and a data storage unit 110 that stores the individual identification data IDD of the active sensor tag 200 that is attached to each managed article 400 A data acquisition unit 120 that acquires movement detection data MDD together with individual identification data IDD from a plurality of active sensor tags 200; a synchronization extraction unit 130 that extracts a plurality of synchronizations from the plurality of movement detection data MDD acquired; Individual identification data ID corresponding to a plurality of extracted movement detection data MDD With a movement determining unit 140 determines a plurality of managed article 400 which is moved integrally with the.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the article management system 1000 according to the present embodiment includes a data processing device 100, an active sensor tag 200 that is a plurality of article management units, a plurality of tag reader devices 300, Etc.

  The data processing apparatus 100 includes a so-called database server and is arranged in a backyard of an article management site GMS where the article management system 1000 is used. In the article management site GMS, articles to be managed 400 are placed at various places, and an arbitrary number is moved to each place as necessary.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the active sensor tag 200 includes an acceleration sensor 210 that detects movement in its three-dimensional direction and outputs movement detection data MDD, a memory device 220 that stores individual identification data IDD, and each unit. Hardware includes a computer unit 230 that performs integrated control, a wireless transmission device 240 that wirelessly transmits movement detection data MDD and individual identification data IDD, a battery unit (not shown) that supplies power to each unit, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of tag reader devices 300 are installed in the article transport route GCR of the article management site GMS and the like so that the managed article 400 to be moved as described above can be detected.

  In the plurality of tag reader devices 300, for example, reader identification data is individually registered, and is connected to the data processing apparatus 100 via the communication network 310. The data processing apparatus 100 manages the installation position of the tag reader device 300 for each reader identification data.

  The data processing apparatus 100 includes, as hardware (not shown), a computer unit in which a computer program is installed, a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), a communication I / F (Interface), and the like.

  By executing various processing operations corresponding to the computer program in which the computer unit is mounted, the above-described units 110 to 140 are logically realized in the data processing apparatus 100.

  For example, the data storage unit 110 corresponds to a storage area constructed in a storage device such as an HDD so that the computer unit recognizes corresponding to the computer program.

  Since the data storage unit 110 stores the individual identification data IDD of the active sensor tag 200 attached to each managed object 400 as described above, as shown in FIG. Individual identification data IDD is stored for each article management data GMD for data management.

  The data acquisition unit 120 corresponds to a function in which the computer unit recognizes the individual identification data IDD and the movement detection data MDD received from the tag reader device 300 through the communication I / F corresponding to the computer program. The synchronization extraction unit 130 and the movement determination unit 140 correspond to a function of the computer unit executing various data processing corresponding to the computer program.

  The computer program of the data processing apparatus 100 as described above includes, for example, a data storage process for storing the individual identification data IDD of the active sensor tag 200 attached to each managed article 400, and an individual from the plurality of active sensor tags 200. Corresponding to data acquisition processing for acquiring movement detection data MDD together with identification data IDD, synchronous extraction processing for extracting a plurality of synchronizations from a plurality of acquired movement detection data MDD, and a plurality of extracted movement detection data MDD It is described to cause the data processing apparatus 100 to execute a movement determination process for determining a plurality of management target articles 400 that are moved together by the individual identification data IDD.

  In the configuration as described above, a data management method for the article to be managed 400 by the article management system 1000 according to the present embodiment will be described below. In the article management site GMS to which the article management system 1000 of the present embodiment is applied, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a plurality of management target articles 400 are placed on a pallet board 410 that is an article support device. A plurality of management target articles 400 are moved together with the pallet board 410.

  In the article management site GMS, as described above, a plurality of article inventory positions GSP where the management target articles 400 loaded on the pallet board 410 are arranged are defined, and an article transport path GCR that communicates the plurality of article inventory positions GSP. Are also stipulated.

  A tag reader device 300 is arranged at a main point of the article transport path GCR so that the managed object 400 to be transported can be detected by the active sensor tag 200. In such a state, the plurality of management target articles 400 loaded on the pallet board 410 are conveyed along the article conveyance path GCR.

  Then, the individual identification data IDD output from the active sensor tag 200 individually attached to each of the plurality of management target articles 400 is detected by the tag reader device 300.

  At this time, since the active sensor tag 200 also generates and outputs movement detection data MDD corresponding to the three-dimensional movement locus, this is also detected by the tag reader device 300 together with the individual identification data IDD.

  The individual identification data IDD and the movement detection data MDD detected in this way are transferred to the data processing apparatus 100 together with the reader identification data of the tag reader device 300, for example.

  In the data processing apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 5, when the individual identification data IDD and the movement detection data MDD of a plurality of management target articles 400 are acquired from one tag reader device 300 as described above (step S1-Y). Then, a plurality of synchronized three-dimensional movement trajectories are extracted from the plurality of movement detection data MDD (step S2).

  Therefore, when the movement trajectories of the plurality of movement detection data MDD are synchronized (step S3-Y), the article management data GMD is read with the corresponding individual identification data IDD (step S4).

  For example, reader identification data of the tag reader device 300, tag detection date and time, movement detection data MDD of the active sensor tag 200, and the like are registered in each of the plurality of article management data GMD read in this way as an article movement record. (Step S5).

  Further, when the plurality of movement detection data MDD are synchronized as described above (step S3-Y), for example, simultaneous movement records of the plurality of article management data GMD are registered together with the movement detection data MDD.

  Even when the movement detection data MDD acquired together with the plurality of individual identification data IDD is not synchronized (steps S1-Y to S3-N), the article management data GMD is read with the individual identification data IDD (step S7).

  In each of the plurality of article management data GMD read in this way, the reader identification data and tag detection date and time of the tag reader device 300, the movement detection data MDD of the active sensor tag 200, and the like are also registered as article movement records ( Step S8).

  As described above, when the management object 400 is conveyed on the article conveyance path GCR and the active sensor tag 200 is detected by the tag reader device 300, the data processing apparatus 100 registers the article movement record and the simultaneous movement record in the article management data GMD. Is done.

  Therefore, it is possible to easily confirm not only the date and time when the management target article 400 was transported and the position where the transport was detected but also whether a plurality of management target articles 400 were transported integrally by the article management data GMD. it can.

  In addition, since it is possible to reliably confirm whether or not the plurality of articles to be managed 400 are integrally conveyed in this way, for example, erroneous detection by the adjacent tag reader device 300 can be easily eliminated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the tag reader device 300 is adjacent, when all of the plurality of management target articles 400 passing through the article transport path GCR are detected by the original tag reader device 300, some are adjacent. May be erroneously detected by the tag reader device 300.

  However, since it is detected and confirmed by the original tag reader device 300 that the plurality of management target articles 400 are integrally conveyed, a part of the management target articles 400 is detected by the adjacent tag reader device 300. However, this can be determined as a false detection.

  The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and various modifications are allowed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, only a plurality of management target articles 400 are loaded and conveyed on the pallet board 410 which is an article support tool.

  However, the active sensor tag 200 is also attached to the article support device such as the pallet board 410, and the individual identification data IDD of the active sensor tag 200 attached to each article support device is registered in the data processing apparatus 100. (Not shown).

  In this case, the data processing apparatus 100 determines that the plurality of management target articles 400 are supported by the article support device and moved together by the individual identification data IDD corresponding to the extracted plurality of movement detection data MDD. can do. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably determine the plurality of management target articles 400 that are moved together with the article support device.

  Such an article support device may be a shopping cart or a shopping cart, a sale item in a retail store may be a management target item, and it may be determined that a general customer transfers a plurality of sale items using a shopping cart or the like. .

  Similarly, an active sensor tag 200 is attached to an article moving mechanism such as a forklift or a stretch wrapping machine that integrally moves a plurality of articles 400 to be managed, and the active sensor tag 200 attached to each article moving mechanism. May be registered in the data processing apparatus 100 (not shown).

  In this case, the data processing apparatus 100 can determine that the plurality of management target articles 400 have been moved together by the article movement mechanism based on the individual identification data IDD corresponding to the plurality of extracted movement detection data MDD. it can. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably determine the plurality of management target articles 400 that are moved together by the article movement mechanism.

  Such an article movement mechanism may have characteristics inherent to the movement. For example, the stretch wrapping machine rotates a plurality of management target articles 400 to be wrapped up to a predetermined number of times. Further, the forklift lifts and transports the plurality of management target articles 400.

  Therefore, the movement characteristic data peculiar to each article movement mechanism is also registered in the data processing apparatus 100 in correspondence with the individual identification data IDD, and the consistency between the extracted movement detection data MDD and movement characteristic data is also confirmed. By doing so, it may be determined that the plurality of management target articles 400 have been moved together by the article moving mechanism.

  In this case, it is possible to more reliably determine the plurality of management target articles 400 that are moved together by the article moving mechanism. Furthermore, in order to ensure such a determination, the article movement mechanism may intentionally perform a specific movement.

  For example, a forklift may generate a predetermined number of vibrations in a predetermined cycle when a plurality of articles to be managed 400 are lifted, and the connection between the movement characteristic data of the vibrations and the movement detection data MDD may be confirmed.

  If the movement characteristic data is registered in the data processing apparatus 100 without attaching the active sensor tag 200 to the article movement mechanism as described above, and a plurality of extracted movement detection data MDD matches the movement characteristic data, a plurality of movement characteristic data are registered. It can also be determined that the management target article 400 has been moved together by the article movement mechanism.

  In the above embodiment, the active sensor tag 200 detects its own three-dimensional movement trajectory and generates movement detection data, and the data processing apparatus 100 obtains a three-dimensional movement trajectory from the acquired plurality of movement detection data MDD. An example of extracting a plurality of synchronized ones was illustrated.

  However, the active sensor tag 200 detects its own plurality of movement dates and times to generate movement detection data MDD, and the data processing apparatus 100 synchronizes the plurality of movement dates and times from the acquired plurality of movement detection data MDD. A plurality may be extracted.

  Such an active sensor tag 200 incorporates an accurate clock device that always operates, and records the start and stop of movement together with the date and time to generate movement detection data MDD.

  Therefore, the data processing apparatus 100 can determine the management target article 400 moved together by detecting a plurality of pieces of movement detection data MDD in which the date and time of movement start and movement stop coincide.

  Moreover, in the said form, the active sensor tag 200 which performs an active sensing and data transmission with the electric power of a battery was illustrated as an article | item management unit. However, an article management unit that operates by generating electric power by electromagnetic coupling with a tag reader device is not impossible.

  Needless to say, the above-described embodiment and a plurality of modifications can be combined within a range in which the contents do not conflict with each other. Further, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, the structure of each part has been specifically described, but the structure and the like can be changed in various ways within a range that satisfies the present invention.

It is a typical block diagram which shows the logical structure of the article | item management system of embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the physical structure of an article | item management system. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the active sensor tag which is an article | item management unit. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state in which the management object article is conveyed in the article management site where the article management system is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the data processing method of the data processing apparatus of an article | item management system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Data processor 110 Data storage part 120 Data acquisition part 130 Synchronization extraction part 140 Movement determination part 200 Active sensor tag 210 Acceleration sensor 220 Memory device 230 Computer unit 240 Wireless transmission device 300 Tag reader device 310 Communication network 400 Management object 410 Pallet board 1000 Item management system GCR Item transport route GMD Item management data GMS Item management site GSP Item inventory position IDD Individual identification data MDD Movement detection data

Claims (10)

A plurality of article management units that output movement detection data that is individually attached to each of a plurality of articles to be managed and detects their own movement together with individual identification data set for each individual,
Data storage means for storing the individual identification data of the article management unit mounted for each article to be managed;
Data acquisition means for acquiring the movement detection data together with the individual identification data from a plurality of the article management units;
Synchronization extraction means for extracting a plurality of synchronizations from the plurality of acquired movement detection data;
Movement determination means for determining a plurality of the management target articles moved together by the individual identification data corresponding to the plurality of movement detection data extracted
An article management system. An article support device that is mounted with the article management unit and movably supports the plurality of articles to be managed;
The data storage means also stores the individual identification data of the article management unit attached to each article support device,
The movement determination means determines that a plurality of articles to be managed are supported by the article support device and moved together based on the individual identification data corresponding to the plurality of movement detection data extracted. Item management system of item 1. An article moving mechanism that is mounted with the article management unit and moves a plurality of the articles to be managed integrally;
The data storage means also stores the individual identification data of the article management unit attached to each article movement mechanism,
The said movement determination means determines that the said some management object goods were integrally moved by the said goods movement mechanism by the said individual identification data corresponding to the extracted said several movement detection data. Item management system according to 2. The data storage means stores movement characteristic data unique to each article movement mechanism in association with the individual identification data,
The movement determination means determines whether a plurality of the articles to be managed are moved together by the article movement mechanism by confirming matching between the plurality of extracted movement detection data and the movement characteristic data. Item management system of item 3. An article moving mechanism for moving the plurality of articles to be managed integrally;
The data storage means also stores movement characteristic data unique to each article movement mechanism,
The movement determination means determines that the plurality of articles to be managed have been moved together by the article movement mechanism when the plurality of extracted movement detection data matches the movement characteristic data. The article management system described. The article management unit detects at least its own movement trajectory and generates the movement detection data,
The article management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the synchronization extraction unit extracts at least a plurality of the movement trajectories that are synchronized from the plurality of acquired movement detection data. The article management unit detects at least a plurality of movement dates and generates the movement detection data;
The article management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the synchronization extraction unit extracts a plurality of at least a plurality of movement dates and times that are synchronized from the acquired plurality of movement detection data. A data processing apparatus used in the article management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Data storage means for storing the individual identification data of the article management unit mounted for each article to be managed;
Data acquisition means for acquiring the movement detection data together with the individual identification data from a plurality of the article management units;
Synchronization extraction means for extracting a plurality of synchronizations from the plurality of acquired movement detection data;
Movement determination means for determining a plurality of the management target articles moved together by the individual identification data corresponding to the plurality of movement detection data extracted;
A data processing apparatus. A computer program for the data processing apparatus according to claim 8,
A data storage process for storing the individual identification data of the article management unit mounted for each article to be managed;
A data acquisition process for acquiring the movement detection data together with the individual identification data from a plurality of the article management units;
A synchronous extraction process for extracting a plurality of synchronizations from the plurality of movement detection data obtained;
A movement determination process for determining a plurality of the management target articles moved together by the individual identification data corresponding to the plurality of movement detection data extracted;
A computer program for causing the data processing apparatus to execute. A data processing method for a data processing device according to claim 8,
A data storage operation for storing the individual identification data of the article management unit installed for each article to be managed;
A data acquisition operation for acquiring the movement detection data together with the individual identification data from a plurality of the article management units;
A synchronous extraction operation for extracting a plurality of synchronized movement detection data obtained from the plurality of movement detection data;
A movement determination operation for determining a plurality of the management target articles moved together by the individual identification data corresponding to the plurality of extracted movement detection data;
A data processing method for the data processing apparatus.

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