JP7585589B2 - Fresh food current status information record/update device, fresh food current status information record/update system, fresh food current status information record/update method, and fresh food current status information record/update program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fresh food current status information recording and updating device, a fresh food current status information recording and updating system, a fresh food current status information recording and updating method, and a fresh food current status information recording and updating program.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in food safety, and there has been an increase in cases where products are traded with information about the food product attached, in addition to the labeling of its place of origin.
In particular, for perishable foods with short expiration dates, the freshness changes over time, so various attempts have been made to maintain the freshness of perishable foods until they reach consumers, such as continuously maintaining low temperatures during distribution. Furthermore, various attempts have been made to directly estimate the freshness of perishable foods from the perishable foods themselves.

For example, it has been proposed to measure the freshness of fresh food using image recognition of the fresh food (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). Also, a freshness determination method has been proposed that predicts the freshness of fresh food by analyzing small sections of a digital image of the fresh food taken under specific shooting conditions (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Furthermore, a freshness determination method has been proposed that determines the freshness of a measurement object such as fresh food by dispersing reflected light from the measurement object to form and measure a reflection spectrum, and comparing the obtained reflection spectrum with reference data (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Also, in order to estimate the freshness of raw fish, a method has been proposed that utilizes the phenomenon in which fish eyes become cloudy over time to calculate a freshness index from the cloudiness of the fish eyes (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

JP 2016-085117 A JP 2007-108124 A JP 2015-227820 A

Akane Okamoto, "Successfully preventing waste worth approximately 9 billion yen! Walmart develops system to automatically measure the freshness of vegetables," [online], published on April 3, 2018, Internet <URL: https://unleashmag.com/2018/04/03/walmart_eden/> Katsuji Morioka et al., "Comparison of browning phenomenon of cultured yellowtail and amberjack dark meat during refrigeration," Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 79(6), 1009-1016 (2013) Noda et al. (2017) Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 81(8):1484-1488 "Vegetable Preservation Ideas Book," by Miyuki Shimamoto, published by PIE International on April 17, 2019 Fresh Del Monte Japan Co., Ltd., "Bananas at their best", [online], Internet <URL: http://www.freshdelmonte.co.jp/delicious_banana.html>

The present invention aims to provide a device, system, method, and program that can record and update information on the current state of fresh food, in response to the need to trade fresh food after understanding its current state, which changes over time.

As a result of intensive research by the inventors to achieve the above-mentioned objective, it has been discovered that by adopting a device having a current state determination means for acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining the current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information, and a record update means for recording and updating current state information including the results determined by the current state determination means in an information recording means attached to the fresh food, it is possible to provide a fresh food current state information record update device, a fresh food current state information record update system, a fresh food current state information record update method, and a fresh food current state information record update program that can update the current state information of fresh food.

The present invention is based on the findings of the present inventors, and the means for solving the above problems are as follows.
<1> A current state determination means for obtaining image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record updating means for recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination made by the current state determination means in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The fresh food current status information recording and updating device is characterized by having the following features.
<2> a current state determination step of acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a recording and updating step of recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination in the current state determination step in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The method for updating current state information of fresh food is characterized by comprising the steps of:
<3> acquiring image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time, and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
recording and updating current status information including the result of the determination in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The method for updating the record of current status information of fresh food is characterized in that the processing is carried out by a computer.
<4> An information recording means attached to the fresh food;
a current state determination means for obtaining image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record update means for recording and updating current state information including the result determined by the current state determination means in the information recording means;
The fresh food current status information record update system is characterized by having the following features.

The present invention provides a device, system, method, and program that can record and update current information about fresh food, in response to the need to trade fresh food after understanding its current state, which changes over time.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fresh food current state information record updating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the fresh food current state information record/update device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the fresh food current state information recording/updating device. FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of the acquired information DB. FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of acquired information data stored in the acquired information DB. FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating another example of acquired information data stored in the acquired information DB. FIG. 4D is a diagram illustrating another example of the acquired information data stored in the acquired information DB. FIG. 4E is a diagram illustrating another example of acquired information data stored in the acquired information DB. FIG. 4F is a diagram showing another example of acquired information data stored in the acquired information DB. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of the freshness information DB. FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example of freshness information data stored in the freshness information DB. FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating another example of freshness information data stored in the freshness information DB. FIG. 5D is a diagram illustrating another example of freshness information data stored in the freshness information DB. FIG. 5E is a diagram illustrating another example of freshness information data stored in the freshness information DB. FIG. 5F is a diagram showing another example of freshness information data stored in the freshness information DB. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a terminal device. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a terminal device. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in the fresh food current state information record updating device. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the functional configuration of the fresh food current state information recording/updating device. FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of a price information DB. FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10C is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10C is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10E is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10F is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10G is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10H is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10I is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10J is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 10K is a diagram showing another example of price information data stored in the price information DB. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing procedure in the fresh food current state information recording/updating device.

First, we will explain the correlation between the "image information" of fresh food in this invention and the "current state" of the fresh food.

-Image information of fresh food-
The image of the fresh food refers to a digital image of the fresh food.
The image information of the fresh food may include appearance information of the fresh food obtained from a digital image of the fresh food, such as color, shape, shrinkage, wrinkles, etc.
The current state (freshness, taste, efficacy) of the fresh food changes over time. For example, it is known that the determination element (part to be determined) for determining whether the fresh food is in a good freshness state or in a state where the freshness has decreased differs for each fresh food.
For example, it has been reported that in the case of fillets of yellowtail and amberjack, the freshness of the fillets decreases even when stored in a refrigerator at about 5° C., and the color of the dark muscle gradually changes from red to brown over time from the boundary area between the dark muscle and the normal muscle (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 2). For this reason, the color of the dark muscle of the fillet and the area of the discolored area can be used as an indicator to determine whether the fillet is fresh or not.
It has also been reported that the eye (lens) of unprocessed fish becomes cloudy over time. Taking advantage of this, a method has been proposed for determining the freshness of fish by measuring the cloudiness of the eye and estimating the K value, which is an index of freshness (see, for example, Patent Document 3).
For example, in the case of lettuce, cut lettuce is sometimes sold in stores as a processed food, and it has been reported that cut lettuce turns brown over time at the cut surface and the vicinity of the cut surface (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 3). It is also known that unprocessed fruits and vegetables, such as okra, generally become wrinkled or discolored, such as darkening, over time due to drying (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 4).
In addition, for example, in the case of bananas, it is known that the color of the skin changes over time, and the taste and efficacy of the flesh change depending on the state of the skin color (see, for example, non-patent document 5).

Based on the above findings, the inventors have found that, in response to the need to understand the current state of each fresh food before managing and trading it, it is possible to provide a device, system, method, and program that can obtain real-time information on each fresh food by determining the current state of the fresh food using information on the appearance of the fresh food, i.e., image information of the fresh food, which is updated on a continuous basis, and recording and updating the information for each fresh food.

(Fresh food current status information record update device, fresh food current status information record update system, fresh food current status information record update method, and fresh food current status information record update program)
The fresh food current status information recording and updating device of the present invention comprises:
a current state determination means for obtaining image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record updating means for recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination made by the current state determination means in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
and further includes other means as necessary.
The method for updating the fresh food current status information of the present invention comprises the steps of:
a current state determination step of acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a recording and updating step of recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination in the current state determination step in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
and further including other steps as necessary.
The fresh food status information record update program of the present invention is
acquiring image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time, and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
recording and updating current status information including the result of the determination in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The computer performs the processing and, if necessary, performs other processing.

The fresh food current status information recording and updating method of the present invention can be suitably performed by a fresh food current status information recording and updating device related to the fresh food current status information recording and updating method of the present invention, the current status determination process can be suitably performed by a current status determination means, the record update process can be suitably performed by a record update means, and the other processes can be suitably performed by other means.

Since the control performed by the control unit etc. in the fresh food current status information record/update device of the present invention is synonymous with carrying out the fresh food current status information record/update method of the present invention, the details of the fresh food current status information record/update method of the present invention will also be clarified through the explanation of the fresh food current status information record/update device of the present invention. Also, since the fresh food current status information record/update program of the present invention is realized as the fresh food current status information record/update device of the present invention by using a computer etc. as a hardware resource, the details of the fresh food current status information record/update program of the present invention will also be clarified through the explanation of the fresh food current status information record/update device of the present invention.
Furthermore, each of the means in the fresh food current state information recording and updating device of the present invention may be integrated or may be separate (distant from each other). When each of the means is separate, it is preferable to connect these means using a network such as an intranet or the Internet.

The conventional technology has a problem in that it may only be applicable to some fresh foods.
Furthermore, in conventional technology, when determining freshness by extracting small sections from an image of fresh food taken under specific shooting conditions, if the image contains characteristic parts such as the stem, scratches or discoloration, it becomes difficult to determine the freshness, and there is a problem that it may not be possible to accurately understand changes in the current condition that appear significantly depending on the type of fresh food.
Furthermore, in the conventional technology, it is necessary to capture images of fresh food under specific photographing conditions, which poses the problem that it may be difficult to easily determine the freshness.

Therefore, the inventors have discovered that, in response to the need to manage and trade each fresh food item while understanding its current state, it is possible to provide an apparatus, system, method, and program that can obtain real-time information on each fresh food item by determining the current state of the fresh food item using information on the appearance of the fresh food item, i.e., image information of the fresh food item, which is updated on a sequential basis, and recording and updating this information for each individual fresh food item.
The inventors have also found that the present invention makes it possible to obtain real-time information on each fresh food, and therefore makes it possible to appropriately grasp the management capabilities of producers, wholesalers, and retailers who handle fresh food. Note that "management capabilities" here refer to, for example, the capabilities (facilities) for managing the temperature, storage, and delivery methods of fresh food. For example, retailer A, who purchases fresh food X from wholesaler A and wholesaler B, can evaluate the management capabilities of wholesaler A and wholesaler B by comparing the current status information of the fresh food purchased from wholesaler A and wholesaler B. In addition to management capabilities, retailer A and wholesaler B's purchasing capabilities (quality, quantity, etc.), delivery times, etc. can be compared and evaluated.

- Fresh food -
"Fresh food" means food that is required to be fresh, such as fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, and raw meat.
The fresh food is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose.
The fruits and vegetables are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the fruits and vegetables include lettuce, spinach, broccoli, bean sprouts, okra, cucumber, carrot, lotus root, burdock, ginger, shiso leaves, basil, mint, strawberry, banana, and apple.
The fresh fish is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the fresh fish include yellowtail, amberjack, and rainbow trout.
The raw meat is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the raw meat include beef, pork, and chicken.
The other substances are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, mushrooms and the like can be mentioned.

<Current Status Determination Means and Current Status Determination Process>
The current state determination means is means for obtaining image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time, and determining the current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information.
The current state determination step is a step of acquiring image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time, and determining the current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information.

The current state determination means may be a combination of a means for acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and a means for determining the current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information, or may be separate. When the image acquiring means and the means for determining the current state of the fresh food are separate, they are preferably connected by at least one of wired and wireless communication means.
The current state determination means may be a processing device (CPU, etc.) and a storage device of a known computer, server device, mobile terminal, etc. The current state determination means may be a part of a function realized by a processing device (CPU, etc.) in a mobile terminal (tablet terminal, smartphone, etc.) owned by a user who uses the present invention.

The means for acquiring image information of the fresh food at the said certain point in time is not particularly limited as long as it has an imaging function and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose, and examples include a terminal device (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a terminal device) having an imaging function and a communication function, an imaging device, etc. In addition, in the present invention, a terminal owned by a user (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a user) who uses the present invention can be used as an example of a means for recording image information, and the image information acquired by the current state determination means in the fresh food current state information recording device of the present invention can be appropriately acquired by a terminal owned by the user.

Examples of the terminal device include mobile phones, smartphones, tablet terminals, etc.

Examples of the imaging device include a digital camera.

The current state determination means may be a combination of a means for acquiring image information of the fresh food and a means for determining the current state of the fresh food. There are no particular limitations on the means and the means may be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, a visual analyzer (Visual Analyzer IRISVA400, manufactured by Alpha Moss Japan) may be used.

The method for acquiring image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose.
For example, in the case of domestic distribution, fresh foods are distributed in the order of (1) shippers (producers, shipping groups, collection companies, etc.), (2) wholesale markets, (3) retailers/processors/large-scale consumers, and (4) consumers, so a method of acquiring images at least at any of the stages (1) to (4) can be exemplified. It is preferable to acquire image information at each stage (1) to (4). In this way, the state (freshness) of each fresh food at each stage can be tracked, which not only improves the reliability of the state of the fresh food, but also allows distributors to properly grasp the state and use it as an index for setting prices, etc. In addition, by doing so, it is possible to properly grasp the management capabilities of producers, wholesalers, retailers, and distributors who handle fresh foods. It is to be noted that the "management capabilities" referred to here means, for example, the capabilities (facilities) for managing the temperature, storage, and delivery methods of fresh foods.
In addition, in each of the steps (1) to (4), it is preferable to capture images of fresh food under appropriate lighting conditions. The appropriate lighting conditions mean, for example, sufficient illuminance to determine the current state of the fresh food and sufficient illuminance to provide image information without loss of quality, and a certain color temperature.
In particular, when a processor is involved in the above step (3), it is preferable to provide the processing line with a process for acquiring image information under appropriate lighting conditions, which makes it possible to compare the condition of the fresh food immediately after processing with the condition of the fresh food up until the stage at which the fresh food is actually traded.
Similarly, in the case of imported products, it is preferable to obtain image information at least at one of the above stages (1) to (4).

In addition to the above, other methods for acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time include, for example, acquiring image information at a retail store, acquiring image information by a consumer, and the like.
By acquiring image information at the retail store, the retail store can manage inventory while controlling the condition of fresh food.
By acquiring image information, the consumer can check the condition of fresh food before purchasing it.

The means for determining the current state of the fresh food at the given point in time based on the image information can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, and can be realized, for example, using a known computer, server device, mobile terminal, etc.

We will now explain in more detail how the current status determination means acquires image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and performs a process to determine the current status of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information.

There are no particular limitations on the image information, and it can be selected appropriately depending on the purpose. For example, it can be a digital image of the appearance of the fresh food, such as an image of the part of the appearance of the fresh food that is to be judged.

The part to be judged refers to the part that is used as an indicator for determining the freshness of the fresh food, as determined for each fresh food. Note that the part to be judged includes not only a specific part, but also the entire appearance of the fresh food.

In the case of fresh fish, the part to be judged can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, and examples thereof include the "blood part" of a fillet, and in the case of unprocessed fish, examples thereof include "fish eyes" and "score for appearance (degree of peeling of scales, shape of gills, scars, etc.)."
When the fish's eye is used as the target part, it is preferable to measure the turbidity (estimated K value) of the fish's eye based on the method described in Patent Document 3 and estimate the freshness of the fish.
When the appearance of the fish is used as the part to be judged, the obtained appearance of the fish can be converted into a score by a machine learning unit described later and used as an index of the freshness of the fish.

In addition, in the case of the fruits and vegetables, the part to be judged can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, and for example, in the case of processed foods that have been cut, the part to be judged can be at least one of the cut surface and the vicinity of the cut surface, etc. The cut surface means a cross section generated by cutting, and the vicinity of the cut surface means a region within a radius of 1 cm from any point of the cut.
Here, processing refers to a process such as shaping (cutting) the edible portion of fresh food.
In addition, for unprocessed fruits and vegetables, the part to be judged may be, for example, a score for the appearance (shape, degree of shrinkage, number of wrinkles, color, etc.). That is, in the case of unprocessed fruits and vegetables, the overall appearance and at least any of the shape, shrinkage, wrinkles, color (darkening), etc. of the part to be judged may be used as the part to be judged. When the appearance of the unprocessed fruits and vegetables is used, the obtained appearance of the fruits and vegetables may be scored by a machine learning unit described later, and may be used as an index of the freshness of the fruits and vegetables.

The color is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, and examples thereof include color information represented by the RGB color system, the XYZ color system (xyY color system), the L ^* u ^* v ^* color space, the L ^* a ^* b ^* color space, the Munsell color system, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

There are no particular limitations on the conditions for obtaining the image information, so long as stable results can be obtained for the same color, and these can be selected appropriately according to the purpose. For example, it is preferable to perform measurements under lighting conditions using only LED lighting with a spectral distribution similar to D50 (daylight, CIE standard light source) as the light source. Under the above lighting conditions, color information with little noise can be obtained under the same conditions at all times.

The current state determination means preferably has a machine learning section (machine learning model) that performs machine learning on the relationship between an image of a portion of the fresh food to be determined and the current state of the fresh food.
Here, the machine learning method is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, a method using a neural network, a method using genetic programming, a method using a support vector machine (SVM), etc. can be mentioned.

The relationship between the image of the part of the fresh food to be judged and the current state of the fresh food in the machine learning unit means, for example, a relationship in which a fresh food with a known freshness is linked to image information of the fresh food. In the machine learning unit, the freshness of the fresh food is linked to image information.

As the machine learning, for example, a model that learns the relationship between images of multiple target parts of the fresh food and the current state of the fresh food is preferable. By comprehensively evaluating the colors, shapes, etc. of the multiple target parts of the image information of the fresh food obtained, a more accurate freshness result can be obtained.
The inventors have discovered that by changing the judgment factors used to judge the current state of each fresh food, it is possible to provide an apparatus, system, method, and program that can judge the current state of fresh food after accurately understanding the changes in current state that are evident depending on the type of fresh food.

<Record updating means and record updating process>
The record updating means is means for recording and updating current state information, including the result of the determination made by the current state determining means, in information recording means attached to the fresh food.
The recording and updating step is a step of recording and updating current state information, including the result of the determination made in the current state determination step, in an information recording means attached to the fresh food.
Here, "recording" means storing information in a known recording medium, and "updating" means storing information so as to accumulate or overwrite it.
The record update means is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose, and examples thereof include a writing device corresponding to the information recording means. In addition, for example, in the case where a QR code (registered trademark) or the like is used as the information recording means to connect to the Internet (for example, when the current status information is not directly recorded on the means attached to the fresh food), a processing device (CPU, etc.) and a storage device such as a known computer, server device, and mobile terminal can be used as the record update means. In addition, the record update means may be a part of the function realized by a processing device (CPU, etc.) in a mobile terminal (tablet terminal, smartphone, etc.) owned by a user who uses the present invention.

<<Information Recording Means>>
The information recording means is a means attached to the fresh food and records current state information of the fresh food including the result of the judgment made by the current state judgment means.
The information recording means is not particularly limited as long as it can be attached to the fresh food, and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, and examples thereof include RF tags, IC tags, bar codes, QR codes (registered trademark), electronic watermarks, etc. The means for attaching the current status information to the information recording means is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the information recording means used.

Examples of information recorded by the information recording means include the current state information (e.g., acquired image information (shape, color, appearance, etc.)), the result of judgment by the current state determination means (the result of judgment by the current state determination means of the current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time), the date and time when the image information of the fresh food was acquired, and information for connecting via the Internet or the like to a storage device in which the current state information is recorded (e.g., a storage device such as a known computer, server device, or mobile terminal). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.
The information for connecting to the storage device in which the current status information is recorded via the Internet or the like is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose, and examples thereof include the above-mentioned barcode, QR code (registered trademark), electronic watermark, etc. In this way, data recorded by any storage device in which the current status information is recorded can be managed via the Internet or the like. In addition, by doing so, it becomes unnecessary to store information in the information recording means attached to the fresh food, and therefore an information recording means with a small capacity can be used. In addition, by doing so, the current status information can be managed in a centralized manner even when a fresh food is distributed and the owner changes.
Incidentally, the current state information may be such that even after the fresh food has been purchased by a consumer, a judgment result can be obtained by having the consumer acquire image information.

The results determined by the current state determination means are not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the purpose, and examples include acquired image information (shape, color, appearance, etc.) and information estimated from the current state (freshness) of the fresh food at the given point in time.
Examples of the information estimated from the current state (freshness) of the fresh food at the one point in time include estimated shelf life information, information on whether it can be eaten raw, estimated ripeness information, suitable cooking example information, estimated flavor information, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The estimated shelf life information is information on the estimated shelf life (the number of days until at least one of the best-before date and the expiration date) of the fresh food to be judged in its current state from the time the image information was acquired. Examples of the estimated shelf life information include a notification such as "2 more days of storage from the time the image information was acquired." By using the estimated shelf life information, for example, wholesalers and retailers can efficiently select discounted products. In addition, by using the estimated shelf life information, for example, a user can obtain information on the estimated shelf life of the fresh food regarding the state of the fresh food before and/or after purchase.

The eat-raw-suitability information is information resulting from a judgment as to whether the fresh food being judged can be eaten raw, based on the current freshness of the fresh food. By using the eat-raw-suitability information, for example, a user can obtain information on whether the fresh food can be eaten raw, for at least one of the conditions of the fresh food before and after purchase.

The estimated ripeness information is, for example, information resulting from judging the ripeness from the time the image information was acquired. For example, when the fresh food is a banana, the ripeness information may include information such as: [1] "overall yellow, with the stem (crown) and the fingertip (finger tip) of the bunch being green" indicates that the banana has a refreshing sweetness with a sour taste and regulates the intestines; [2] "completely yellow" indicates that the banana has a sufficient sweetness and a skin-beautifying effect; and [3] "overall yellow, with brown spots here and there" indicates that the banana is fully ripe, very sweet, flavorful, smooth in texture, and has an immune effect. In this way, in the case of fresh food whose taste and nutritional effects change, as opposed to foods such as bananas that ripen after harvest, the ripeness from the time the image information was acquired can be estimated based on the image information of the fresh food. It is also preferable to register the preferences of the user (at least one of the trader and the consumer) in advance, and present (notify) the user of the ripeness according to the user's preferences.

The suitable recipe information is information resulting from determining suitable recipes based on the freshness of the fresh food. By using the suitable recipe information, for example, a user can obtain suitable recipe information based on the condition of the fresh food after purchase.

The estimated flavor information is information resulting from judging the current flavor (sweetness, sourness, etc.) of the fresh food based on the freshness of the fresh food.

In addition to the current status information, the information recorded by the information recording means may include, for example, the name of the fresh food, the name of the producer of the fresh food, and the place of origin of the fresh food.

It is also preferable that the current status information recorded by the information recording means is made displayable by the terminal device having a display screen. There is no particular limit to the method of making the current status information recorded by the information recording means displayable by the terminal device having a display screen, and it can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, a method of displaying the current status information on the terminal device based on image information of the fresh food acquired in an application installed on the terminal device; a method of reading at least one of an RF tag, an IC tag, a barcode, a QR code (registered trademark), and an electronic watermark using the terminal device, and displaying the information on the terminal device. There is no particular limit to the terminal device as long as it can read the information recorded in the information recording means, and it can be appropriately selected according to the purpose.
For example, in a retail store such as a supermarket, if a QR code (registered trademark) is attached to fresh food as an information recording means, a user can obtain current information about the fresh food by reading the QR code (registered trademark) with a terminal device such as a smartphone.
In this way, any user (distributor, wholesaler, retailer, consumer, etc.) who wishes to know the current condition (freshness) of fresh food can easily and quickly find out the current condition of each fresh food item.

It is also preferable that the record updating means records and updates price information of the fresh food at the one point in time set by a price setting means, which will be described later, in the information recording means.
The record updating means records and updates price information, which will be described later, in the information recording means, making it possible to set appropriate prices according to the current state of the fresh food, which changes over time.

<Other Means and Other Steps>
The other means may include, for example, a price information setting means.
The other steps include, for example, a price information setting step.

<<Price information setting means and price information setting process>>
The price information setting means is means for setting price information of the fresh food at the given point in time based on the result of the determination made by the current situation determination means.
The price information setting step is a step of setting price information of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the result of the determination made in the current state determination step.
By having the price information setting means, it is possible to obtain appropriate price information based on the current information of the fresh food at the given point in time, and this can be used as an indicator when, for example, traders in the distribution channel such as wholesalers and retailers set the price of fresh food.

Claim 13
The price information is information related to the price of the fresh food, such as the price (value) of the fresh food and the discount rate (%).

The price setting means is not particularly limited as long as it can set the price information of the fresh food at the given point in time based on the result determined by the current situation determination means, and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, it may be one of the functions realized by a processing device (CPU, etc.) in the same device as the current situation information determination means and the record update means, or it may be one of the functions realized by a processing device (CPU, etc.) in a terminal (terminal device) owned by a user.

The fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention can be created using various programming languages depending on the configuration of the computer used and the type and version of the operating system.

The fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention may be recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk, or may be recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc-ROM), an MO (Magneto-Optical) disk, or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory.
The fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention may be recorded in an external storage area (such as another computer) accessible from the computer via an information and communication network. In this case, the fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention recorded in the external storage area can be installed in a recording medium from the external storage area via the information and communication network and used as necessary.
The fresh food current state information record update program of the present invention may be divided and recorded on a plurality of recording media for each arbitrary process.

The processing by the fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention can be executed by a computer having a control unit that constitutes a fresh food current status information record update device.
The hardware configuration and the functional configuration of the fresh food current state information record updating device will be described below using a concrete example.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Hardware configuration of the fresh food current status information recording and updating device>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fresh food current state information record updating device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
1, fresh food current state information record updating device 100 constructs a fresh food current state information record updating system 10 in which terminal device 200A, terminal device 200B, terminal device 200C, ... and information recording means 400 are communicatively connected via network 300. Terminal device 200A, terminal device 200B, terminal device 200C, ... each have image information acquisition means 201a, 201b, 201c, ... mounted thereon.
The fresh food current state information recording/updating device 100 is communicatively connected to the image information acquiring means 201a, 201b, 201c, ... via the network 300. The communication between the fresh food current state information recording/updating means 100 and the image information acquiring means 201a, 201b, 201c, ... may be wireless communication or wired communication.

Since the image information acquisition units 201a, 201b, 201c, . . . have the same device configuration, they will be collectively referred to as "image information acquisition unit 201" below.
Furthermore, when there is no need to distinguish between the terminal device 200A, the terminal device 200B, the terminal device 200C, . . . , they may be simply referred to as "terminal device 200."

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the fresh food current state information record/update device 100. As shown in FIG.
2, the fresh food current status information record updating device 100 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a main memory device 102, an auxiliary memory device 103, a communication interface 104, an input device 105a, and an output device 106a, and is connected to a terminal device 200 having an input device 105b and an output device 106b via a network 300. These components are each connected to each other via a bus 107.

The CPU 101 is a processing device that performs various controls and calculations. The CPU 101 realizes various functions by executing an OS (Operating System) and programs stored in the main memory device 102, etc. That is, in the present invention, the CPU 101 functions as the control unit 130 of the fresh food current status information record updating device 100 by executing a fresh food current status information record updating program.
Furthermore, CPU 101 controls the overall operation of fresh food current status information recording/updating device 100. In the present invention, the device that controls the overall operation of fresh food current status information recording/updating device 100 is CPU 101, but this is not limited thereto, and it may be, for example, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or the like.

The main memory device 102 stores various programs and also stores data and the like required to execute the various programs.
The main storage device 102 includes, for example, at least one of a ROM and a RAM (Random Access Memory).
The ROM stores various programs such as a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and the program for recording and updating the fresh food current status information of the present invention. There are no particular limitations on the ROM, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the ROM include a mask ROM and a programmable ROM (PROM).
The RAM functions as a working area in which various programs stored in the ROM or auxiliary storage device are expanded when executed by the CPU 101. There are no particular limitations on the RAM, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the RAM include DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and SRAM (Static Random Access Memory).

The auxiliary storage device 103 is not particularly limited as long as it can store various information and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, a solid state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD) can be used. The auxiliary storage device 103 may also be a portable storage device such as a CD drive, a DVD drive, or a BD (Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc) drive.

There are no particular limitations on the communication interface 104, and any known interface may be used as appropriate, such as a wireless or wired communication device.

The input device 105a is not particularly limited as long as it can accept various requests and information input to the fresh food current status information record update device 100, and any known device can be used as appropriate, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, microphone, camera, etc. In addition, if the input device 105a is a touch panel (touch display), the input device 105a can also serve as the output device 106a.

There are no particular limitations on the output device 106a, and any suitable known device may be used, such as a display. There are no particular limitations on the display used in the output device 106a, and any suitable known device may be used, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The terminal device 200 has an input device 105b and an output device 106b. There are no particular limitations on the terminal device as long as it has an imaging means as the input device 105b, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, such as a smartphone. The terminal device 200 also has a display screen as the output device 106b. There are no particular limitations on the display screen, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The information recording means 400 is a recording means attached to the fresh food, including the results processed by the fresh food current status information recording and updating device 100. Furthermore, the information recording means 400 does not have to directly record the results processed by the fresh food current status information recording and updating device 100, and may be a means for storing information for connecting to a device that stores the results processed by the fresh food current status information recording and updating device 100.

The CPU 101 to the auxiliary storage device 103 in the fresh food current status information recording and updating device 100 may be part of a cloud, which is a group of computers on a network.

<Functional configuration of the fresh food current status information record update device>
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the fresh food current state information recording/updating device 100. As shown in FIG.
3, fresh food current status information record updating device 100 has a communication unit 110, a memory unit 120, a control unit 130, an input unit 140, and an output unit 150. In fresh food current status information record updating device 100, for example, the function of the communication unit 110 is realized by the communication interface 104, the function of the memory unit 120 is realized by the main memory unit 102 and the auxiliary memory unit 103, the function of the control unit 130 is realized by the CPU 101 and the main memory unit 102, the function of the input unit 140 is realized by the input devices 105a and 105b, and the function of the output unit 150 is realized by the output devices 106a and 106b.

The communication unit 110, for example, transmits and receives various types of data to and from external devices (e.g., a cloud server).

The memory unit 120 stores, for example, various programs and has an acquired information DB 121 and a freshness information DB 122.

4A to 4F are diagrams showing examples of acquired information data tables stored in the acquired information DB 121. FIG.
As the acquired information DB 121, for example, as shown in FIG. 4A, it is possible to use one that has an acquired information table (vegetables, etc.), an acquired information table (fish), and an acquired information table (meat) for each type of fresh food.

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing an example of a data table in the case where the fresh food is "Vegetables: Cut Lettuce." As shown in FIG. 4B, the acquired information table (Vegetables: Cut Lettuce) includes "ID (Data Reference Number),""Data Acquisition Date and Time,""DataAcquirer,""Color of the Area Near the Cut Surface," and other data items. Note that the larger the numerical value in the "Color of the Area Near the Cut Surface" item in FIG. 4B, the better the condition (freshness) is. The "..." items in FIG. 4B represent other data items, and "XXX" represents acquired data. Note that "XXX" does not necessarily represent the same information. The same applies below to the "..." items.
Fig. 4C is a diagram showing an example of a data table in the case where the fresh food is "vegetables: spinach". As shown in Fig. 4C, the acquired information table (vegetables: spinach) includes "ID (data serial number)", "data acquisition date and time", "data acquirer", "appearance (degree of shrinkage, number of wrinkles, etc.) score", "color", and other data items. Note that the larger the numerical values in the "appearance (degree of shrinkage, number of wrinkles, etc.) score" and "color" items in Fig. 4C, the better the condition (freshness) of the product.
Fig. 4D is a diagram showing an example of a data table in the case where the fresh food is "Fish: Amberjack (unprocessed)". As shown in Fig. 4D, the acquired information data table (Fish: Amberjack (unprocessed)) includes "ID (data serial number)", "Data acquisition date and time", "Data acquirer", "Appearance (peeling of scales, gill shape, scars, etc.) score", "Eye color (turbidity)", and other data items. Note that the larger the numerical values in the items "Appearance (peeling of scales, gill shape, scars, etc.) score" and "Eye color (turbidity)" in Fig. 4D, the better the condition (freshness) is.
Fig. 4E is a diagram showing an example of a data table when the fresh food is "Fish: Yellowtail (fillet)". As shown in Fig. 4E, the acquired information data table (Fish: Yellowtail (fillet)) includes "ID (data serial number)", "Data acquisition date and time", "Data acquirer", "Color of blood vessel", and other data items. Note that the larger the value in the "Color of blood vessel" item in Fig. 4E, the better the condition (freshness) of the fish.
Fig. 4F is a diagram showing an example of a data table in the case where the fresh food is "Meat: Beef (offcuts)". As shown in Fig. 4F, the acquired information data table (Meat: Beef (offcuts)) includes "ID (data serial number)", "Data acquisition date and time", "Data acquirer", "Color", and other data items. Note that the larger the value in the "Color" item in Fig. 4F, the better the condition (freshness) is.

5A to 5F are diagrams showing examples of freshness information data tables stored in the freshness information DB.
As the freshness information DB 122, for example, one having a freshness information data table (vegetables, etc.), a freshness information data table (fish), and a freshness information data table (meat) for each type of fresh food stored, as shown in Figure 5A, can be used.

FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an example of a data table in the case where the fresh food is "vegetables: cut lettuce". As shown in FIG. 5B, the freshness information table (vegetables: cut lettuce) includes data items such as "ID (data reference number)", "data acquisition date and time", "data acquirer", and "current status information". There are no particular limitations on the "current status information" and it can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, the "current status information" includes the acquired image information (e.g., "color near the cut surface" and other data) in the "ID (storage data reference number)", "shelf life information", "raw edible/unstable information", "best time to eat information", "suitable cooking example information", and "flavor information" calculated from the acquired image information. Hereinafter, the "current status information" means the same thing as the "shelf life information", "raw edible/unstable information", "best time to eat information", "suitable cooking example information", and "flavor information" calculated from the acquired information data.
Here, the "current state information" in the freshness information DB will be described in more detail.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the freshness information table (vegetables: cut lettuce) records current status information obtained from image information acquired for each “ID (stored data serial number)” assigned to each fresh food item over time.
For example, based on the data on the "color near the cut surface (3 points)" of cut lettuce "A1001" obtained at "2019/12/24 17:30:35", the results determined by the current status determination means are recorded in the freshness information table (vegetables: cut lettuce), and are as follows: "shelf life information" is "2 days remaining", "can be eaten raw information" is "OK", "best time to eat information" is "now", "suitable cooking example information" is "salad, fried rice, stir-fry", and "flavor information" is "- (no problem)".
Next, based on the data on "color near the cut surface (2 points)" obtained for "A1001" at "2019/12/25 17:31:20", the results determined by the current status determination means are recorded in the freshness information table (vegetables: cut lettuce) as follows: "shelf life information" is "1 day remaining", "can be eaten raw information" is "OK", "best time to eat information" is "1 day left", "suitable cooking example information" is "salad, fried rice, stir-fry", and "flavor information" is "may taste slightly sour".
In the example of Fig. 5B, image information is acquired and managed when managing merchandise displayed at a specific time at "retail store C1", the data acquirer. In this way, the status of a specific fresh food is recorded and the current status information is updated sequentially, so that the user can trade the fresh food after understanding its current status, which changes over time.
In the case of cut lettuce "A1002", the data of "color near the cut surface (2 points)" acquired on "2019/12/24 17:35:21" determines that the "shelf life information" is "2 days remaining", "whether it can be eaten raw" is "OK", "best time to eat" is "1 day before", "suitable cooking example information" is "salad, fried rice, stir-fried dishes", and "flavor information" is "may taste a little sour", while the data of "color near the cut surface (1 point)" acquired on "2019/12/25 9:35:30" determines that the "shelf life information" is "1 day remaining", "whether it can be eaten raw" is "not OK", "best time to eat" is "2 days before", "suitable cooking example information" is "fried rice, stir-fried dishes", and "flavor information" is "may taste sour". Therefore, since the "color near the cut surface" of cut lettuce "A1002" was determined to be "1 point", this product can be discarded in inventory management operations. In this way, inventory management can be performed based on an understanding of the current state of fresh food, which changes over time, thereby reducing food waste resulting from conventional inventory management in which fresh food is discarded regardless of its condition.

Fig. 5C is a diagram showing an example of a data table in the case where the fresh food is "vegetable: spinach". As shown in Fig. 5C, the freshness information table (vegetable: spinach) includes data items such as "ID (stored data serial number)", "data acquisition date and time", "data acquirer", and "current status information". The current status information includes, for example, "appearance (score such as degree of shrinkage, number of wrinkles, etc.)", "color", and other data.
As shown in Fig. 5C, the fresh food current status information updating device of the present invention can include at least one of "retailer C2", "producer A1" and "wholesaler B1" as "data acquirers", and can therefore record all current status information from harvest to being displayed in stores. Therefore, for example, each trader can select an appropriate trading method (e.g., display arrangement, inventory management, discounts, etc.) according to "shelf life information", "information on whether or not it can be eaten raw" and "information on when it is ripe to eat".

Fig. 5D is a diagram showing an example of a data table when the fresh food is "Fish: Amberjack (unprocessed)". As shown in Fig. 5D, the freshness information data table (Fish: Amberjack (unprocessed)) includes data items such as "ID (stored data serial number)", "Data acquisition date and time", "Data acquirer", and "Current status information". The current status information includes, for example, "Appearance score (peeling of scales, gill shape, scars, etc.)", "Eye color (turbidity)", and other data.
Fig. 5E is a diagram showing an example of a data table when the fresh food is "Fish: Yellowtail (fillet)". As shown in Fig. 5E, the freshness information data table (Fish: Yellowtail (fillet)) includes data items such as "ID (stored data serial number)", "Data acquisition date and time", "Data acquirer", and "Current status information". The current status information includes, for example, "Color of blood vessel" and other data.
Fig. 5F is a diagram showing an example of a data table when the fresh food is "meat: beef (offcuts)". As shown in Fig. 5F, the freshness information data table "meat: beef (offcuts)" includes data items such as "ID (stored data serial number)", "data acquisition date and time", "data acquirer", and "current status information". The current status information includes, for example, "color" and other data.
As shown in Figures 5B to 5F, by determining the current state according to the type of fresh food, highly accurate current state information can be obtained. Furthermore, the freshness information DB 122 records the state of a specific fresh food, and furthermore, the current state information is updated successively, so that transactions (pricing) can be performed after understanding the current state of the fresh food, which changes over time. Furthermore, since inventory management can be performed after understanding the current state of the fresh food, which changes over time, food waste due to inventory management that discards fresh food regardless of its condition can be reduced. Furthermore, since current state information can be recorded from the time it is harvested until it is put on display in the store, appropriate information can be presented to the user according to the fresh food.
5D to 5F, the fresh food current status information updating device of the present invention can also include a "consumer D1" as a "data acquirer." This can be achieved by the consumer acquiring image information of the fresh food, and the current status determination means determining the current status information of the fresh food at the stage when the consumer actually consumes it based on the acquired image information. This allows the consumer to understand the current status of the fresh food at the stage when he or she actually consumes it.

The control unit 130, for example, executes various programs stored in the memory unit 120 and controls the operation of the entire fresh food current status information recording and updating device 100. The control unit 130 has an image information acquisition unit 131, a determination unit (machine learning unit) 132, and a current status information recording unit 133.

The image information acquisition unit 131 acquires image information received by the communication unit 110 or the input unit 140 , and stores the acquired image information data in the acquired information DB 121 .
The judgment unit (machine learning unit) 132 judges the state (freshness, etc.) of the fresh food at the time the image information data was acquired based on the image information data received by the communication unit 110 or the input unit 140, and stores the determined freshness information data in the freshness information DB 122.
The current state information recording unit 133 records at least a part or all of the determined freshness information data (current state information) in the information recording means 400 attached to the corresponding fresh food. At this time, if the information recording means attached to the fresh food is a storage device, the current state information may be recorded directly in the information recording means. Alternatively, instead of recording the current state information directly in the information recording means attached to the fresh food, the current state information may be recorded in the storage unit 120 so that the determined current state information and the information recording means are linked.

The input unit 140, for example, accepts various instructions for the fresh food current status information recording and updating device 100.

The output unit 150 outputs, for example, the current status information stored in at least one of the current status information recording unit 133 and the freshness information DB 122 to an output device 106 having a display screen.

In the explanation of the hardware configuration and functional configuration of the fresh food current status information record update device 100, an example in which each element is integrated has been shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, some elements may be independent and each may be connected to a network via a communication interface. More specifically, for example, the acquired information DB 121 and the freshness information DB 122 may be stored in an area on a cloud server.

Next, the hardware configuration and functional configuration of the terminal device 200 will be described.

The terminal device 200 is a device used to transmit the acquired image information of fresh food to the fresh food current status information record update device 100. There are no particular limitations on the terminal device 200 as long as it has image information acquisition means capable of acquiring images and communication means capable of transmitting the acquired image information to the control unit 130 of the fresh food current status information record update device 100, and an example of the terminal device 200 is a smartphone.

<Hardware configuration of terminal device>
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the terminal device 200. As shown in FIG.
As shown in Figure 6, the hardware configuration of the terminal device 200 is similar to the hardware configuration of the fresh food current status information record update device 100 in Figure 2, except that the terminal device 200 is not shown via the network 300, so a description thereof will be omitted.

<Functional configuration of terminal device>
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the terminal device 200. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the functional configuration of the terminal device 200 includes a communication unit 210 , a storage unit 220 , a control unit 230 , an input unit 240 , and an output unit 250 .

Based on instructions from the control unit 230 , the communication unit 210 uses the communication interface 204 to transmit the acquired image information to the fresh food current state information recording/updating device 100 .
Furthermore, the communication unit 210 receives information from the fresh food current status information recording/updating device 100 .
The memory unit 220 stores the information received from the fresh food current status information recording/updating device 100 in the auxiliary memory device 203 .
The control unit 230 also controls the transmission of information to the fresh food current status information recording/updating device 100 .

Next, the processing procedure of the fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure of the fresh food current status information record update program in the control unit 130 of the fresh food current status information record update device 100.

In step S101, the image information acquisition unit 131 acquires image information of fresh food at a certain point in time acquired by the image information acquisition means 201 of the terminal device 200 from the communication unit 110, and the process proceeds to S102.
In step S102, the judgment unit (machine learning unit) 132 of the current state judgment means judges the current state of the fresh food based on the acquired image information, and the process proceeds to S103.
In step S103, the current status information recording unit 133 records and updates the current status information including the determination result in the information recording means attached to the fresh food, and then the process proceeds to S104.
In step S104, the control unit 130 transmits the recorded and updated current status information to the terminal device and causes it to be displayed, and then ends this process.

Second Embodiment
The second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that a price information setting unit is further provided in the first embodiment. The following describes the differences from the first embodiment.

<Hardware configuration of the fresh food current status information recording and updating device>
In the second embodiment, the hardware configuration of the fresh food current state information recording/updating device is similar to that of the first embodiment.

<Functional configuration of the fresh food current status information record update device>
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the functional configuration of the fresh food current state information recording/updating device 100. As shown in FIG.
9 differs from FIG. 3 showing the first embodiment in that the storage unit 120 further includes a price information DB 123 and the control unit 130 further includes a price information setting unit 134. In FIG.

The price information DB will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.
10A to 11E are diagrams showing examples of a "current status information-price information correspondence table" and a "price information table" stored in the price information DB.
As an example of a current status information-price information correspondence table, as shown in FIG. 10A, a current status information-price information correspondence table (vegetables, etc.), a current status information-price information correspondence table (fish), and a current status information-price information correspondence table (meat) can be used for each type of fresh food.
As the price information table, for example, as shown in FIG. 10A, a price information table (vegetables, etc.), a price information table (fish), and a price information table (meat) for each type of fresh food can be used.

FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of a current status information-price information correspondence table in the case where the fresh food is "vegetables: cut lettuce". As shown in FIG. 10B, the current status information-price information correspondence table (vegetables: cut lettuce) includes data items of "current status information" and "price information". The data item of "price information" includes "discount rate (%)". The data table shown in FIG. 10B is a correspondence table for applying an appropriate discount rate according to "shelf life information" as the current status information obtained by the current status determination means. For example, if the "shelf life information" is "more than 2 days remaining but not more than 3 days", no discount is applied and the current price is left as it is. If the "shelf life information" is "more than 1 day remaining but not more than 2 days", a discount rate (%) of 20% is applied. In this way, the shelf life information of fresh food is associated with the price information (discount rate (%)).
Similar to FIG. 10B, FIG. 10C shows an example of a current information-price information correspondence data table when the fresh food is "vegetables: spinach", FIG. 10D shows an example of a current information-price information correspondence data table when the fresh food is "fish: amberjack (unprocessed)", FIG. 10E shows an example of a current information-price information correspondence data table when the fresh food is "fish: yellowtail (fillets)", and FIG. 10F shows an example of a current information-price information correspondence data table when the fresh food is "meat: beef (cuttings)".
As shown in FIGS. 10B to 10F, the user can set the corresponding numerical range of the current status information and the discount rate (%) of the price information for each fresh food item as appropriate.

10G to 10K are diagrams showing examples of price information tables in which price information for the fresh foods shown in FIGS. 5B to 5F is set and stored.
Fig. 10G is a diagram showing an example of a price information table in the case where the fresh food is "vegetables: cut lettuce". As shown in Fig. 10G, the price information table (vegetables: cut lettuce) includes data items such as "ID (stored data serial number)", "data acquisition date and time", "data acquirer", "current status information (shelf life information)", and "price information". The price information includes, for example, "(1) discount rate (%)", "(2) current price (yen)", and "(3) discounted price".
10G, the price information table (vegetables: cut lettuce) records current status information obtained from image information acquired for each "ID (stored data serial number)" assigned to each fresh food, and price information based on that current status information over time. In the fresh food current status information recording and updating device of the present invention, price information is set and recorded over time by the price information setting means (price information setting unit) based on the determined current status information.
For example, the price information setting means (price information setting unit 134) sets and records a corresponding discount rate (%) by referring to the set current state information-price information correspondence table based on the current state information (shelf life information) of "A1001" cut lettuce "2019/12/24 17:30:35" determined by the determination unit 132. In the price information table (vegetables: cut lettuce), not only the discount rate but also the discounted price (yen) calculated from the discount rate (%) and the current price (yen) may be recorded as the set price information.
Similarly, price information is set and recorded over time by a price information setting means (price information setting unit) based on current information determined from data obtained for "A1001" at "2019/12/25 9:35:30" and "2019/12/25 17:31:20".
In this way, in the price information table, price information can be set based on current information, and the set price information can be set and recorded in accordance with the change over time of the fresh food. This makes it possible to set an appropriate price in accordance with the change over time of a single fresh food.
As shown in Figures 10H to 10K, by processing the current information obtained in Figures 5B to 5F using a price information setting means (price information setting unit), appropriate prices can be set for various fresh foods in accordance with changes over time.

In the second embodiment, a form in which price information is set using only "shelf life information" as current status information has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, price information can also be set using acquired information data used to estimate "shelf life information" or data such as the "color" of fresh food as current status information.

In the fresh food current status information recording and updating device of the present invention according to the second embodiment, a usage fee can be charged from users who wish to set prices using the device, thereby improving the profitability of businesses that use the fresh food current status information recording and updating device.

Next, the processing procedure of the fresh food current status information record update program of the present invention in the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing procedure of the fresh food current status information record update program in the control unit 130 of the fresh food current status information record update device 100.

In step S201, the image information acquisition unit 131 acquires image information of fresh food at a certain point in time acquired by the image information acquisition means 201 of the terminal device 200 from the communication unit 110, and the process proceeds to S202.
In step S202, the judgment unit (machine learning unit) 132 of the current status judgment means judges the current status of the fresh food based on the acquired image information, and the process proceeds to S203.
In step S203, price information setting unit 134 of the price information setting means sets price information for the fresh food based on the result of the determination by determination unit 132, and the process proceeds to S204.
In step S204, the current status information recording unit 133 records and updates at least one of the current status information including the determination result and the price information in the information recording means attached to the fresh food, and then proceeds to S205.
In step S205, the control unit 130 transmits and displays at least one of the recorded and updated current status information and price information on the terminal device, and ends this process.

As explained above, by using the fresh food current status information recording and updating device of the present invention, it is possible to update the current status information of fresh food in response to requests to trade fresh food after understanding its current status, which changes over time.

- Fresh food status information record update system -
The fresh food current status information record update system of the present invention comprises:
An information recording means attached to the fresh food;
a current state determination means for obtaining image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record update means for recording and updating current state information including a result determined by the current state determination means in the information recording means;
and further includes other means as necessary.
In the fresh food current status information recording and updating system of the present invention, the information recording means, current status determination means, record updating means, and other means can be similar to those described in the fresh food current status information recording and updating device of the present invention.

Examples of aspects of the present invention include the following.
<1> A current state determination means for obtaining image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record updating means for recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination made by the current state determination means in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The fresh food current status information recording and updating device is characterized by having the above.
<2> The fresh food current status information recording and updating device described in <1>, wherein the image information acquired by the current status determination means is captured by a terminal device having an imaging function and transmitted by at least one of wired and wireless communication means.
<3> The fresh food current status information recording and updating device according to any one of <1> to <2>, wherein the current status information recorded in the information recording means can be displayed on a terminal device having a display screen.
<4> The current state determination means includes a machine learning unit that performs machine learning on a relationship between an image of a determination target part of the fresh food and a current state of the fresh food,
The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the machine learning unit judges the current state of the fresh food based on an image of the part to be judged.
<5> The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to <4>, wherein the machine learning unit performs machine learning on the relationship between the images of each of the plurality of judgment target parts of the fresh food and the current state of the fresh food.
<6> A fresh food current status information recording and updating device described in any of <1> to <5>, wherein the current status information includes at least one selected from estimated shelf life information, information on whether the food can be eaten raw, information on estimated ripeness to eat, information on suitable cooking examples, and estimated flavor information.
<7> The fresh food is a fillet of fish having a bloody portion,
The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the part to be judged is the bloody part.
<8> The fresh food is cut vegetables,
The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the part to be judged is a part near a cut surface of the cut vegetables.
<9> The fresh food is at least one of fruits and vegetables,
The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the part to be determined is the appearance of at least one of the fruit and the vegetable.
<10> The fresh food is fresh fish,
The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the part to be determined is an eye of the fresh fish.
<11> The fresh food current status information recording and updating device described in any of <1> to <10> further has a price information setting means for setting price information of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the result determined by the current status determination means.
<12> The fresh food current status information recording and updating device described in <11>, wherein the recording and updating means records and updates the price information of the fresh food at the one point in time set by the price information setting means in the information recording means.
<13> The fresh food current status information recording/updating device according to any one of <11> to <12>, wherein the price information is at least one of a discount rate and a price.
<14> A current state determination step of acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time, and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a recording and updating step of recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination in the current state determination step in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The method for updating current state information of fresh food is characterized by comprising the steps of:
<15> Acquiring image information of fresh food at a certain point in time, and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
recording and updating current status information including the result of the determination in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The method for updating the record of current status information of fresh food is characterized in that the processing is carried out by a computer.
<16> An information recording means attached to the fresh food;
a current state determination means for obtaining image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record update means for recording and updating current state information including a result determined by the current state determination means in the information recording means;
The fresh food current status information record update system is characterized by having the following features.

The fresh food current status information record/update device described in any one of <1> to <13>, the fresh food current status information record/update method described in <14>, the fresh food current status information record/update program described in <15>, and the fresh food current status information record/update system described in <16> can solve the above-mentioned problems in the past and achieve the object of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Fresh food current state information recording and updating system 100 Fresh food current state information recording and updating device 121 Acquired information database 122 Freshness information database 123 Price information database 131 Image information acquisition section 132 Determination section 133 Current state information recording section 134 Price information setting section 200 Terminal device 300 Network 400 Information recording means

Claims (14)

a current state determination means for obtaining image information of fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record updating means for recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination made by the current state determination means for each fresh food in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
having
the current state determination means includes a machine learning unit that performs machine learning on a relationship between images of each of a plurality of determination target parts of the fresh food and a current state of the fresh food,
The fresh food current state information recording and updating device is characterized in that the machine learning unit determines the current state of the fresh food based on an image of the part to be determined . The fresh food current status information recording and updating device according to claim 1, wherein the image information acquired by the current status determination means is captured by a terminal device having an imaging function and transmitted by at least one of wired and wireless communication means. The fresh food current status information recording and updating device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the current status information recorded in the information recording means can be displayed on a terminal device having a display screen. A fresh food current status information recording and updating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the current status information includes at least one selected from estimated shelf life information, information on whether the food can be eaten raw, information on estimated ripeness to eat, information on suitable cooking examples, and estimated flavor information. The fresh food is a fillet of fish having a blood vessel portion,
5. The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to claim 1, wherein the part to be judged is the bloody part. The fresh food is cut vegetables,
5. The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to claim 1, wherein the portion to be determined is a portion near a cut surface of the cut vegetables. The fresh food is at least one of fruits and vegetables,
5. The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to claim 1, wherein the part to be determined is the external appearance of at least one of the fruit and the vegetable. The fresh food is fresh fish,
5. The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to claim 1, wherein the part to be determined is an eye of the fresh fish. 9. The fresh food current state information recording/updating device according to claim 1, further comprising a price information setting means for setting price information of said fresh food at a certain point in time based on the result of the judgment made by said current state judgment means. 10. The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to claim 9, wherein said record updating means records and updates the price information of said fresh food at the one point in time set by said price information setting means in said information recording means. 11. The fresh food current state information recording and updating device according to claim 9 , wherein the price information is at least one of a discount rate and a price. The computer
a current state determination step of acquiring image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a recording and updating step of recording and updating current state information including the result of the determination in the current state determination step for each fresh food in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
Run
A method for recording and updating fresh food current status information, characterized in that the current status determination process determines the current status of the fresh food based on images of the target parts by a machine learning unit that has machine-learned the relationship between images of each of the multiple target parts of the fresh food and the current status of the fresh food . acquiring image information of the fresh food at a certain time point, and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain time point based on the image information;
recording and updating current status information including the result of the determination for each fresh food in an information recording means attached to the fresh food;
The processing is carried out by a computer ,
A fresh food current status information record and update program, characterized in that a machine learning unit that has machine-learned the relationship between images of each of a plurality of target parts of the fresh food and the current status of the fresh food determines the current status of the fresh food based on images of the target parts . An information recording means attached to the fresh food;
a current state determination means for obtaining image information of the fresh food at a certain point in time and determining a current state of the fresh food at the certain point in time based on the image information;
a record updating means for recording and updating current state information including the result determined by the current state determining means for each fresh food item in the information recording means;
having
A fresh food current status information recording and updating system characterized by judging the current status of the fresh food based on images of the target parts by a machine learning unit that has machine-learned the relationship between images of each of the multiple target parts of the fresh food and the current status of the fresh food.

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