JP4713221B2 - Book storage management device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of a book storage management apparatus suitable for use in, for example, a large library that stores a large amount of books.

  As is well known, recently, in large libraries with a large amount of collections, an automatic loading / unloading system is used to improve the efficiency of the work required for taking out books from the library and returning books to the library. Has been introduced.

  This automatic loading / unloading system takes out the book requested by the user from the library and transports it to the user counter, and records that the book has been rented and records that the book has been returned. The work of returning the book to the library and recording the storage position is automated, so that the work required for taking out and returning the book can be executed accurately and quickly.

  That is, in the automatic loading / unloading system, a bar code is attached to each book in order to facilitate management of a large number of books stored in the library. Each book is stored in a container for each of a plurality of books, and is stored in and out of the library in units of containers.

  When a book retrieval is requested, the container in which the book is accommodated is automatically delivered from the library and transported to the user counter. The librarian takes out a desired book from the container transported to the user counter and gives it to the user, where the book is lent out.

  When the return of the book is requested, the container that should accommodate the returned book is automatically issued from the library and taken out to the user counter. The librarian puts the returned book into the container taken out at the user counter, and then puts the container into the original position of the library, where the book is returned.

  By the way, in the current library, a book storage management system that allows users to borrow necessary books without having to bother the librarian by operating the automatic loading / unloading system is expected. ing.

  In other words, a terminal that allows access to the library server is opened to the user, and the user uses the OPEC (on-line public access catalog) provided on the terminal to read the book name, author name, When the requested book is effectively searched from the bibliographic record by entering items such as publisher, keyword, and year of publication, and a rental reservation is made, and the requested book is stored in a closed library By sending user information and bibliographic records to the archive server, the user himself can receive a target book from the container by performing a certain procedure at a specific location (for example, a station). A book storage management system is desired.

  By the way, in the book storage management system in which users themselves access the library server and take out necessary books in this way, many users efficiently use the place where the containers are taken out from the library and the books are put in and out, that is, the station. A mechanism that can do this is required.

  That is, there is a difference for each user, such as the time required to transport the container from the library to the station, the time from when the user makes a rental reservation with the terminal to the rental location (station), etc. There is a strong demand for a device that reduces various factors that hinder the efficient use of a limited number of stations.

Patent Document 1 discloses a book management apparatus in which a wireless tag is built in a book so that when a book is taken out from a container, the book can be lent and registered without reading the barcode of the book. The book is disclosed until the book is reserved, taken out at the station, and then completed.
JP 2003-11812 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, a book storage management system in which a user himself / herself accesses a library server to reserve a book to be borrowed and takes out the book at the station is to improve the use efficiency of the station. , Nothing is described.

  As described above, in a library storage management system in which an individual user who searches for a book in a closed library at a library terminal and makes a reservation for lending directly takes out the book from the container transported to the station, Users will use a limited number of stations.

  In particular, when a plurality of books are reserved and the books are distributed in a plurality of containers, after the books are taken out from one container, the next container is transported from the library to the station. A waiting time is required, and the time for one user to occupy the station becomes long.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances. The waiting time of the container in the station is reduced, the occupation time in the user station is shortened as much as possible, and the limited number of stations is effectively used. An object of the present invention is to provide a book storage management apparatus.

Library storage management apparatus according to the present invention is housed in the archive, each plurality of containers and which houses a plurality of books; intended for causing the rental reservation of books to the user, the user identifying the user Input means for generating reservation information in which the identification information and the book identification information for identifying the book requested to be lent are associated with each other ; holding the container taken out from the library and allowing the user to take out the book from the container a station for causing; provided on the container transport path between the library and the station, for temporarily storing standby shelf and the container; and a first conveying means for conveying the containers between the library and the standby shelf; a second conveying means for conveying the containers between the standby shelf and the station; and the third transport means for transporting the container between the library and the station; identify containers Storage means for storing the information indicating the storage position of the container in the library and the information indicating the books stored in the container in association with each other, and storing based on the reservation information generated by the input means By referring to the stored contents of the means, the container including the book reserved by the input means is searched, and the container is controlled so that the first to third transport means are selectively controlled to be taken out by the station. However, if there are multiple books reserved by the input means and the books are distributed among multiple containers, control all the multiple containers to be stored on the standby shelf and when there is a free, control with respect to the user of the user identification information included in the reservation information generated by the input means, the guide means for guiding to go to idle station It is obtained by such and means.

  According to the configuration described above, a standby shelf for temporarily storing containers is provided on the container transport path between the library and the station, and the container including the book reserved for lending is transported between the library and the standby shelf. The first transfer means, the second transfer means for transferring between the standby shelf and the station, and the third transfer means for transferring between the library and the station are selectively controlled to be taken out by the station. As a result, the waiting time of the container in the station can be reduced, the occupation time in the user station can be shortened as much as possible, and the limited number of stations can be effectively used.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a book storage management system described in this embodiment. That is, in FIG. 1, the code | symbol 11 is a bookshelf group. It is assumed that the book shelf group 11 is installed in a library on the basement of the library, for example.

  The book shelf group 11 is composed of a plurality of pairs (three pairs in the illustrated case) of book shelves (11a, 11b), (11c, 11d), (11e, 11f) installed so as to be opposed to each other with a predetermined interval. Has been. Each of these book shelves 11a to 11f contains a plurality of containers 12, 12,... Each containing a plurality of books (not shown in FIG. 1).

  Here, a stacker crane 13 is installed between the bookshelves 11a and 11b. The stacker crane 13 moves in a space formed between the book shelves 11a and 11b, takes out a desired container 12 from one of the book shelves 11a or 11b, and transfers it to the delivery rack station 14.

  The container 12 transferred to the exit rack station 14 is transferred to a container outlet 16 via a transfer conveyor 15 and then to a first floor container inlet 18 or a second floor container via a vertical transfer machine 17. It is conveyed to the carry-in entrance 19.

  Among these, the container 12 transferred to the first floor container carry-in port 18 is conveyed to a first floor station unit 21 having a plurality of stations (also referred to as booths) via a conveyer 20, which will be described in detail later. The book is taken out or stored at any station.

  The container 12 transferred to the second floor container inlet 19 is transported to the second floor station unit 23 having a plurality of stations (also referred to as booths) via the transport conveyor 22, Provided for removal or warehousing.

  On the other hand, the container 12 from which books have been taken out or stored in the first-floor station unit 21 is transferred to the first-floor container outlet 25 via the transfer conveyor 24. In addition, the container 12 from which books have been taken out or stored by the second-floor station unit 23 is transferred to the second-floor container outlet 27 via the transfer conveyor 26.

  Then, the container 12 transferred to the first-floor container outlet 25 or the second-floor container outlet 27 is transferred to the container inlet 28 on the basement by the vertical transfer machine 17, and the warehousing rack station via the transfer conveyor 29. After being transferred to 30, the stacker crane 13 moves into the bookshelf 11 a or 11 b.

  A stacker crane (not shown) is also installed between the other bookshelves 11c and 11d and between the bookshelves 11e and 11f. And the container 12 can be conveyed between each bookshelf 11c-11f and the 1st floor and 2nd floor station units 21 and 23 by the operation | movement substantially the same as the above.

  Here, FIG. 2A shows a detailed configuration of the container 12. That is, the container 12 is divided into four blocks A, B, C, and D by partition plates 12a and 12b whose interiors are substantially orthogonal. In each block A, B, C, D, as shown in FIG. 2B, a plurality of books 31, 31,... Are accommodated in a line in the thickness direction. ing. In other words, in the container 12, the rows of books 31, 31,... Contained in the blocks A, B and the rows of books 31, 31,. They will be housed side by side.

  The books 31, 31,... Arranged in two rows in the container 12 are accommodated so that their backstrips 31a face each other. The container 12 has a barcode label 12c attached to its side surface. Each book 31, 31,... Is also given a unique barcode. Furthermore, handles 12 d are installed at both ends of the container 12.

  On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows the appearance of the first floor station unit 21. The second-floor station unit 23 has the same configuration as that of the first-floor station unit 21, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  In other words, the first floor station unit 21 is provided with five stations (booths) 32 each of which a user can enter and leave. Each station 32 is configured as a private room having a door 32a. In addition, a monitor 33 indicating the usage status of each station 32 is installed on the wall in the vicinity of the first floor station unit 21.

  FIG. 4 shows the inside of one station 32. All the other four stations 32 have the same configuration. In other words, the counter 32 is installed at the station 32. The container 12 taken out from the bookshelves 11a to 11f is held on the back side of the counter stand 34, and the user can take out the necessary books 31 from the container 12.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the counter table 34 reads a bar code of a station terminal (STU) 35 having an input touch panel monitor, a wireless tag reader 36, a printer 37, a card reader 38 and a book 31. The barcode reader 39 is installed. The counter table 34 is also provided with a barcode reader (not shown) for reading the barcode of the container 12 held there.

  FIG. 6 shows the structure around the first floor station unit 21. That is, the five stations 32 are linearly provided with their doors 32a facing in the same direction. The rails 40 are laid on the back side of the stations 32 along the arrangement direction of the stations 32.

  Further, one end of the rail 40 is transported to the first floor station unit 21 by the vertical conveyor 17 and transported to the first floor station unit 21 by the transport conveyor 20 and the first floor station unit 21. The container 12 that has been taken out or stored is opposed to the transport conveyor 24 that transports the container 12 to the first floor container outlet 25.

  A traveling transfer truck 41 is mounted on the rail 40 so as to be capable of traveling. The traveling transfer carriage 41 is loaded with the container 12 transported from the first-floor container inlet 18 by the transport conveyor 20, transported to a predetermined station 32, and installed in the station 32. (See FIG. 7).

  The traveling transfer cart 41 functions to load the container 12 held in the container holding unit 42 of the predetermined station 32, transfer it to the transfer conveyor 24, and mount it on the transfer conveyor 24.

  In this case, by pulling the handle 12d of the container 12 shown in FIG. 2 to the traveling transfer cart 41, the container 12 is slid and transferred onto the cart from the outside, and the lower side of the handle 12d is pushed. Therefore, a transfer mechanism (not shown) for slidingly transferring the container 12 from the carriage to the outside is mounted.

  A turntable 43 is installed in the vicinity of the rail 40 between the conveyors 20 and 24 and the first floor station unit 21. The turntable 43 has a function of rotating the container 12 received and mounted from the traveling transfer carriage 41 by 180 degrees. The purpose of rotating the container 12 is to make the side in which the target books 31 are stored face the user side at the station 32 in the case of the containers 12 that store the books 31 in two rows in the thickness direction. is there.

  Here, a container standby shelf 44 on which a plurality of containers 12 can be placed is provided on the side of the rail 40 opposite to the side on which the first floor station unit 21 is provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the container standby shelf 44 is composed of two upper and lower shelves 44a and 44b. In this embodiment, a total of 20 containers 12 can be mounted, 10 on each shelf 44a, 44b.

  The traveling transfer truck 41 is provided with an elevating mechanism 41a so that the container 12 can be taken in and out of any shelf 44a, 44b.

  As a result, the traveling transfer cart 41 can freely transfer the container 12 between the transport conveyors 20 and 24, the container holding portion 42 of each station 32, the rotating table 43, and the container standby shelf 44.

  In FIG. 6, a staff station (booth) 45 is provided on the opposite side of the vertical conveyor 17 from the side where the conveyors 20 and 24 are provided, and the station 32 for users is used. The container 12 can be taken out by the librarian without having to do so.

  FIG. 8 shows a control system of the book storage management system as described above. That is, the library system server (LSS) 46 supervises all the books 31 of the library including not only the books in the open storage category not shown but also the books 31 in the closed storage category stored in the bookshelf group 11. It is something to manage.

  The library system server 46 performs business management such as opening of all books 31, management of closed storage categories, and book code registration processing of new books 31. Although not shown, the library system server 46 is connected to a librarian counter terminal for lending and returning the open book 31 and a book search terminal (OPEC) 47 for the open / closed book 31 as search results. The book lending information of the closed book 32 is transmitted to the library system server (BSS) 48. The book retrieval terminal 47 has a printer and issues a book reservation form in which the contents of the book 31 that has been reserved for lending and the reservation numbers assigned in the order of reservation are entered.

  The library system server 48 is connected to the library system server 46 via a LAN (local area network) line, and manages the location, lending, and return processing of the books 31 in the closed library. The book lending information is transmitted from the library system server 46, and when the lending work is completed, a book lending result report is sent to the library system server 46. When the return book 31 is returned to the library, a book return result report is made to the library system server 46. The book rental information is stored in the order of reservation numbers.

  The internal storage device of the library system server 48 stores the book codes, bibliographic data of all books 31 stored in the library, and data related to the storage positions of the books 31. These data are protected by a plurality of failure countermeasure hard disks, master backup management DAT, and uninterruptible power supply (not shown), and the number of the container 12 containing the requested book 31 is retrieved from the book lending information. Stored in correspondence with the book code to be processed.

  Further, the library system server 48 controls the station terminal 35 provided in each of the stations 32 and 45 that are the places where the books 31 in the library are retrieved and returned, and the stacker crane 13 and various transport devices in the library. It is connected to the general control panel 49 via a LAN line.

  In other words, the station from which the book 31 is rented includes one library staff station 45 and a plurality of individual user stations 32, each of which is equipped with a station terminal 35. However, although the staff station 45 can carry in and out of the books 31, the user station 32 is limited to a function that can only carry out the stock, that is, take out the books 31.

  The station terminal 35 has an input touch panel monitor that performs operation guidance, display of the name of a book to be taken out when the container 12 arrives, and the operation every time the container 12 is taken out. The station terminal 35 is connected with a wireless tag reader 36 for reading a book code, a printer 37, a card reader 38 for registering a user code from a user card, and a bar code reader 39.

  That is, when a wireless tag storing a book code is attached to the book 31, the book code can be read by the wireless tag reader 36, and when a barcode is attached to the book 31, the barcode reader 39 can read the book code. The book code can be read. The station terminal 35 also controls a barcode reader that reads the barcode label 12c of the container 12 held in the stations 32 and 45.

  Further, the user code registered from the user card input to the station terminal 35 is transmitted to the archive system server 48. Then, the library system server 48 determines the usage status of the station 32, the occupation status of the container standby shelf 44, the reservation number order, etc., determines the container 12 to be delivered, and issues the container 12 via the overall control panel 49. To start.

  Here, the overall control panel 49 controls the station transporter control panel 50, the loading / unloading transporter control panel 51, the vertical transporter control panel 52, the stacker crane ground base 53, and the like.

  The station transporter control panel 50 controls the traveling transfer carriage 41 (including the lifting mechanism 41a) and the turntable 43 in the first floor station unit 21, and the vertical transporter 17 and the staff station 45. A transfer mechanism for transferring the container 12 between them is controlled. Further, the station transport machine control panel 50 controls a traveling transfer carriage, a rotating table, and a transfer mechanism (not shown) similar to the first floor station unit 21 in the second floor station unit 23.

  Further, the entry / exit conveyor control panel 51 controls the entry / exit conveyor 54 (corresponding to the conveyors 15, 20, 22, 24, 26, 29). The vertical transport machine control panel 52 controls the vertical transport machine 17 described above, and the stacker crane ground board 53 controls the stacker crane 13 in the library via the stacker crane control board 55.

  Here, in the internal storage device of the library system server 48, based on the reservation number, user code, and book code registered from the library system server 46, book rental information that is a basic management data file and four masters are stored. Configured and stored. These four masters are a book master, a container master, a standby shelf location master, and a library location master.

  First, FIG. 9 shows book rental information. This book rental information is created in units of reservation numbers. That is, the reservation number, the user code, and the book code are stored in the library system server 46 when the user searches the book 31 at the book search terminal 47 connected to the library system server 46 and the book 31 to be lent is determined. To the archive system server 48.

  In the library system server 48, the container number is quoted and added from the book master. The container number is provided with allocation information to be described up to the number of times when the reservation number is used later.

  The standby shelf location when the target container 12 is temporarily stored in the container standby shelf 44, the time when all the target containers are ready to be sequentially delivered to the station 32, and the station No. The progress of taking out the book is recorded according to the momentary change accompanying the start of use by the user.

  The progress status is a progress management flag of the reservation number extraction process, and the status transition is recorded. The book lending information is finally returned to the library system server 46 as book lending performance information.

  The container 12 is assumed to be the two-column type shown in FIG. 1, and different container numbers are assigned to both columns. However, the number is a serial number. For example, the opposite side of “123451” is “123452.” For this reason, although the management of the book code is separate, when the container 12 with the container number “123451” is entered into and exited from the library, it is assumed that the container 12 with the container number “1233452” also enters and exits from the library. Control is performed.

When both sides of the container 12 are used, control is performed so that the first container number side of the book lending information is conveyed at the station 32 so as to face the user side.

  FIG. 10A shows a book master. This book master is created for each book. That is, it consists of a book code, bibliographic data (consisting of title, author name, publisher, etc.) and the container number of the container 12 accommodated. Note that the book master of the book 31 remains until there is deletion information such as setting the storage category of the book 31 to be outside the library or discarding the book 31.

  FIG. 10B shows the container master. This container master is created in units of containers. That is, the container master is configured for each container number, and includes a container type code indicating the size of the container 12, a book size identification code indicating the size of the accommodation book 31, a book filling rate of the container 12, and all the contents accommodated in the container 12. It consists of the book code of book 31.

  The container number is a unique number assigned as a serial number to all containers 12, and is affixed to the side of the main body of the container 12 as a barcode label 12c. By reading with the bar code reader of the station 32, the arrival of the container 12 taken out from the library can be known.

  FIG. 11A shows a standby shelf location master. This standby shelf location master is created in units of shelves 44a and 44b. That is, the container standby shelf 44 includes a location indicating the storage location of the container 12 and a container number of the container 12 in the location.

  If the container number is stored at that time, an actual storage flag is set. The container number for which the actual storage flag is not set is for the container in the middle of delivery from the library, or for the container that is in the station 32 and is returned again from the station 32 for use with other reservation numbers. If not, it indicates the storage location that should be secured.

  The number of empty container standby shelves 44 is the number of locations where the container number is not described, regardless of whether it is actually stored. When both sides of the container 12 are used, the container number on the side to be used first is stored. The use of the opposite side is stored in the book lending information.

  FIG. 11B shows the archive location master. This archive location master is created in units of book shelves 11a to 11f. That is, the location indicating the container storage location of the bookshelves 11a to 11f in the library, the shelf area classification code indicating the size of the bookshelves 11a to 11f to which the locations are attached, and the container number of the container 12 stored therein And its container type code.

  The operation of the book storage management system configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. First, when processing is started, in step S1, a user who receives a loan registers a user code using a user card by using a book retrieval terminal 47 connected to the library system server 46, and then retrieves the book. Execute.

  When the book search is confirmed in step S2, a book reservation form as shown in FIG. 16 is issued. The book reservation form includes a book name, book code, reservation number, reservation time, and book delivery location. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the reservation number is 13 and there are three rental reservations.

  In step S3, the reservation number, user code, and book code are transmitted from the library system server 46 to the library system server 48 as book rental information.

  In step S4, the library lending information is grouped and stored in the library system server 46 in units of reservation numbers. The container number of the container 12 in which the book 31 is stored is retrieved from the book master of the book 31 and is additionally stored.

  In step S5, control starts for the reservation number of the youngest number that has no output start flag from the archive in the progress information of the book lending information. When this process is started, a delivery start flag is set from the archive in the progress information corresponding to the reservation number that has entered the process. Then, another book lending information is searched for whether or not the container standby shelf 44 and the station (referred to as a booth in the flowchart) 32 have the same container 12 as the container 12 used with this reservation number.

  If the container standby shelf 44 and the station 32 have the same container 12 as the container 12 to be used with this reservation number (YES), in step S6, the allocation information of the container number in the corresponding book lending information is set. To do. When the allocation target container 12 is allocated from other reservation numbers, the allocation number is also stored in the allocation information. Further, when there are books to be rented to the container numbers on both sides of the two columns of the same container 12 with the same reservation number, both the container numbers are stored in the book rent information of the reservation number, so the allocation information is set. There is no need. That is, even if the container number is different, when the number of the opposite example is targeted, it can be controlled by assigning an existing container number.

  In this way, the container 12 to be used with another reservation number is allocated and used. In step S7, it is determined whether or not there is another container 12 to be delivered from the library.

  If there is no container 12 to be delivered from the library (NO), it is determined in step S8 whether or not all the assigned containers 12 are on the container standby shelf 44 by actual storage of the corresponding container number in the standby shelf location master. When there is an allocated container 12 that is not on the container standby shelf 44 (NO), the standby state is kept until all of the containers are actually stored on the container standby shelf 44.

  If all of the containers 12 assigned to use the containers 12 of other reservation numbers are actually stored on the container standby shelf 44 (YES), it is determined whether or not there is an empty station 32 in step S9. If not (NO), the process waits until a space is available.

  If an empty station 32 has occurred (YES), in step S10, an extraction preparation completion flag in the progress information of the book lending information is set. The use permission of the station 32 is given to the user, and the monitor 33 showing the use status of each station 32 prompts the user of the reservation number 13 to enter the room as shown in FIG. In this example, the user with the reservation number 13 can enter the station 32 with the number 1 or 4. It is assumed that the station 32 of number 1 is now entered. The time when the monitor 33 prompts the station 32 to enter the room is recorded as the preparation completion time of the book lending information. Here, the time is 13:55.

  On the other hand, if there is no container 12 assigned to other reservation numbers in step S5 (NO), or if there is a container 12 leaving from the archive in step S7 (YES), in step S11, It is determined with reference to the standby shelf location master whether the container standby shelf 44 is empty. Since the standby shelf location master stores the container number of the container 12 that is actually stored and the container number of the container 12 that is not currently present but is stored after returning from the station 32, the container number is stored. No location becomes an empty standby shelf. When there is no empty space on the container standby shelf 44 (NO), the container standby shelf 44 is in a waiting state until it is empty.

  If the container standby shelf 44 is empty (YES), the location of the library is searched from the library location master from the container number of the book lending information in step S12, and given to the stacker crane 13 as a delivery command. The container number is stored in the standby shelf location master. This registration is continued until it is determined that no other reservation number has been assigned when the container 12 has been used at the station 32.

  In step S13, it is determined whether all containers 12 other than the container 12 started to be released from the library in step S12 are actually stored in the container standby shelf 44, and preparation is completed when the container 12 is output from the library. To do. However, when the number of target containers 12 is only one, the container accommodation state of the container standby shelf 44 is not relevant.

  If the preparation is completed when the container 12 is delivered from the library (YES), the same processing as the above step S10 is performed in step S14. That is, the use permission of the station 32 is given to the user. By doing in this way, the conveyance time until the container 12 started to be delivered from the library arrives at the station 32 can be used effectively.

  In step S15, when the container 12 delivered from the library arrives at the transfer conveyor 20 connected to the vertical transfer machine 17, whether or not the user has registered a user card, that is, the number of the station 32 is determined. Judge whether or not. As shown in FIG. 18A, the user who is permitted to use the station 32 and is guided to the empty station 32 by the monitor 33 indicating the use status is displayed on the input touch panel monitor of the station terminal 35 of the station 32. Then, the user is guided to cause the card reader 38 to read the user card. As a result, the user card is registered. When registered, the number of containers is known from the screen shown in FIG. When registered, the user code registration flag in the progress information of the book lending information is set, and the station No. Is remembered. The reservation number 13 is the station number. It is decided that it is 1. The monitor 33 indicating the usage status is No. 1 station 32 is switched during use.

  If preparation is not completed even if the container 12 is delivered from the library in step S13 (NO), or the number of the station 32 is not determined in step S15, that is, the container 12 cannot be transported to the station 32 ( In step S16, the container 12 delivered from the library is transported to the container standby shelf 44 indicated by the standby shelf location determined in step S12.

  In step S17, it is further determined whether or not there is a container 12 to be delivered from the library.

If there is (YES), if the container standby shelf 44 is empty after the determination in step S11, the delivery from the library is executed in step S12.

  If there is no container 12 to be delivered from the archive in step S17 (NO), it is determined in step S18 whether there is no undelivered container 12 from the archive, but the use of the station 32 has already been permitted. . If the use is permitted (YES), all the containers 12 are aligned on the container standby shelf 44, and therefore it is determined in step S19 whether the user code is registered. That is, a user registration waiting state is entered. When the use permission is not made (NO), there is an allocated container 12 that is not actually stored in the container standby shelf 44. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S8, and all containers 12 are actually stored in the container standby shelf 44. Wait until it is stored.

  If the user code is not registered in step S19 (NO), it is determined in step S20 whether or not a certain period of time has elapsed after the use permission of the station 32 is issued and the user code is not registered. to decide. If the predetermined time has not elapsed (NO), the process waits for user code registration in step S19.

  If the predetermined time has elapsed (YES), a use permission cancellation process for the station 32 is executed in step S21. That is, the reservation number 13 is deleted from the monitor 33 indicating the usage status. Even if the container 12 is ready, if the user code is not registered within a certain time, a reservation canceling process is performed. This process is intended to eliminate the inconvenience of later users. That is, the lending process is performed in the order of the reservation numbers even if the station 12 may be used slightly before and after the overlapping use of the container 12 or the reservation of the station 32 can be made out of order. Therefore, there is a reason that it is troublesome for others that the containers 12 for the delayed persons stay in the container standby shelf 44 for a long time. A grace period of a certain time, for example, 10 minutes is monitored. In the previous example, since the guidance display is started at 13:55, the reservation canceling process is executed at 14: 5.

  In step S22, it is determined whether or not the target container 12 is allocated with a later reservation number. This determination can be made by searching for a set of allocation information flags that have the same container number in the book lending information that is the later reservation number.

  If the target container 12 has not been assigned with a later reservation number (NO), an operation of returning the container 12 to the library is executed in step S23.

  After this step S23, or when the target container 12 has been allocated with a later reservation number in step S22 (YES), the container 12 is retained on the container standby shelf 44 in step S24, The determination in step S22 is made for all containers 12 in the book lending information of the reservation number 13, and if the determination is completed for all containers 12 (YES), the cancellation process for the reservation number 13 is terminated. . If the determination has not been completed for all containers 12 (NO), the process proceeds to step S22 and the determination is continued.

  If the user code is registered in step S15 or step S19 (YES), the container 12 is directly received from the conveyor 20 connected to the vertical conveyor 17 or from the container standby shelf 44 in step S25. The transfer to the station 32 is started.

  The user who has finished the user registration operation is informed by the input touch panel monitor of the station terminal 35 that there are two containers 12 in this example, as shown in FIG. 18B. When the container 12 arrives at the station 32 in step S26, the screen of the input touch panel monitor is switched as shown in FIG. 18 (c) or (e). The booth taking-in flag is set in the progress information of the book lending information.

  If the book 31 is taken out from the plurality of containers 12 in step S27, it is determined whether or not the container 12 held in the station 32 is the last container 12. When the first container 12 arrives at the station 32, the screen of the input touch panel monitor becomes as shown in FIG. 18C. When the last container 12 or the number of containers is one from the beginning, the container 12 is When arriving at the station 32, the screen of the input touch panel monitor becomes as shown in FIG.

  If it is the last container 12 (YES), in step S28, the book 31 is taken out based on the book name displayed on the screen of FIG. 18 (e), and the item “END” is touched. The screen of the input touch panel monitor is as shown in FIG. 18 (f), and a book rental form as shown in FIG. 19 is issued by the printer 37.

  If it is not the last container 12 in step S27 (NO), in step S29, the book 31 is taken out based on the book name displayed on the screen of FIG. 18C, and the item “next book” is touched. . The screen of the input touch panel monitor is switched as shown in FIG.

  After step S28 or S29, the container 12 from which the book 31 has been taken out is unloaded from the station 32. In step S30, the same determination as in step S22 is made. That is, it is determined whether or not the target container 12 is allocated with a later reservation number. This determination can be made by searching for the container number in which the allocation information flag is set from the book lending information which is the later reservation number.

  If the target container 12 has been allocated with a later reservation number (YES), the container 12 is returned to the container standby shelf 44 in step S31. In this case, when the assigned container number is the number opposite to the currently used container number, the container 12 may be rotated and stored in the container standby shelf 44. This is controlled by the work amount of the traveling transfer carriage 41 at that time.

  If the target container 12 is not allocated with a later reservation number in step S30 (NO), an operation of returning the container 12 to the library is executed in step S32.

  In step S33, it is determined whether there is a next container 12 or not.

  If there is the next container 12 (YES), that is, if the touch operation of the item “next book” is performed in step S29, the next container 12 is moved from the container standby shelf 44 to the station in step S34. Transport to 32. At this time, if the next container number is the opposite side of the container 12 used now, that is, the container number assigned to the opposite side of the container 12 but the same number as the container 12, The loading carriage 41 proceeds to the front surface of the turntable 43 and controls the container 12 to be transferred to the turntable 43 and rotated 180 degrees and then transported to the station 32 again. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S26.

  If there is no next container 12 in step S33 (NO), that is, if a touch operation is performed on the item “END” in step S28, input as shown in FIG. 18F is performed in step S35. Based on the guidance on the screen of the touch panel monitor, the user leaves the station 32 after receiving a book rental slip as shown in FIG. The extraction completion flag in the progress information of the book lending information is set, and the station No. of the monitor 33 indicating the usage status is set. 1 becomes empty.

  After the above step S35 or when the reservation cancellation processing is completed for all the containers 12 with the reservation number 13 at the above step S24 (YES), the archive system server 38 stores them during the processing at step S36. The book lending information with the added information is transmitted to the library system server 46 as book lending performance information, and all the processes are completed.

  In the step S20 and subsequent steps, the library system server 46 handles the canceled reservation number as cancellation information because the extraction completion flag in the progress information of the book lending information is not set.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the container 12 is temporarily placed in the vicinity of the first and second floor station units 21 and 23 on the container transport path between the library and the first and second floor station units 21 and 23. The container standby shelf 44 to be stored is provided, and when the user makes a reservation from the book search terminal 47, the container 12 containing the reserved book 31 is taken out from the library and is retained in the container standby shelf 44. It is possible to shorten the time from the retrieval of the rental book 31 to the take-out of the book 31 by the user at the station 32, and to effectively use the plurality of stations 32.

  That is, when the user searches and reserves the book 31 at the book search terminal 47 of the library system server 46, reservation information including the book code, user code, and reservation number of the book 31 that has been reserved for lending is stored in the library system server 48. The container numbers of all the containers 12 that store the book code are retrieved, grouped and stored as book rental information using the reservation number as a key.

  On the other hand, a container standby shelf 44 for temporarily storing the containers 12 in the vicinity of the first and second floor station units 21 and 23 on the container transport path between the library and the first and second floor station units 21 and 23. When a user with a certain reservation number makes a reservation from the book search terminal 47, the container 12 containing the reserved book 31 is removed from the library, stored in the container standby shelf 44, and all the books reserved for lending. When each container 12 containing 31 is stored in the container standby shelf 44, the reservation number, station No. Is displayed to inform that it can be taken out.

  By inputting the user code at the station 32 to which the user is guided, the container is transported from the container standby shelf 44 to the station 32 based on the book lending information grouped with the reservation number as a key. In the station 32, the container 12 from which the book 31 has been removed is unloaded from the station 32, and the next container 12 is transferred from the container standby shelf 44 to the station 32.

  Since the container standby shelf 44 is in the vicinity of the station 32 and contains all the containers 12 containing the rental books 31, the containers 12 can be efficiently put into the station in accordance with the work of taking out the books 31 in the station 32. 32 can be sequentially sent. As a result, a plurality of users can effectively use a limited number of stations 32.

  FIG. 20 shows another example of the station 32. That is, the number of stations 32 is three, and each station 32 holds two containers 12. In this case, in the station 32, the container 12e is in a position where the user takes out the book 31, and the container 12f is in a standby (buffer) position. If the container 12f is transported to the station 32 while the book 31 is being removed from the container 12e, and the container 12e is unloaded from the station 32, the container 12f can be immediately moved to the removal position. Note that the turntable 43 is disposed at the end of the rail 40 in order to reduce the occupied area.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by variously modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements according to different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The perspective view which shows embodiment of this invention and is shown in order to demonstrate the whole structure of a book storage management system. The perspective view shown in order to demonstrate the detailed structure of the container in the embodiment, and the state which accommodated the book in the container. The perspective view shown in order to demonstrate the external appearance of the 1st-floor station unit in the embodiment. The front view shown in order to demonstrate the inside of one station in the 1st-floor station unit in the embodiment. The top view shown in order to demonstrate the inside of one station in the 1st-floor station unit in the embodiment. The top view shown in order to demonstrate the structure of the periphery of the 1st-floor station unit in the embodiment. The side view shown in order to demonstrate the structure around the 1st floor station unit in the embodiment. The block block diagram shown in order to demonstrate the control system of the book storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the book rental information used with the book storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the book master and container master which are used with the book storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the standby shelf location master and library location master which are used with the library storage management system in the embodiment. The flowchart shown in order to demonstrate a part of main processing operation | movement of the book storage management system in the embodiment. The flowchart shown in order to demonstrate the other part of the main processing operations of the book storage management system in the embodiment. The flowchart shown in order to demonstrate the further another part of main processing operation | movement of the library storage management system in the embodiment. The flowchart shown in order to demonstrate the remainder of main processing operation | movement of the library storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the book reservation form used with the book storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the monitor screen which shows the utilization condition displayed during the operation | movement of the library storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the various monitor screens displayed during the operation | movement of the library storage management system in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the book rental form used with the book storage management system in the embodiment. The top view shown in order to demonstrate the other example of the 1st floor station unit in the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Book shelf group, 12 ... Container, 13 ... Stacker crane, 14 ... Racking station for delivery, 15 ... Conveyor, 16 ... Container delivery port, 17 ... Vertical conveyance machine, 18 ... Container entrance for 1st floor, 19 ... 2 Floor conveyor entrance, 20 ... conveyor, 21 ... 1st station unit, 22 ... conveyor, 23 ... 2nd station unit, 24 ... conveyor, 25 ... 1st container outlet, 26 ... conveyor, 27 2nd floor container exit, 28 ... Container entrance, 29 ... Conveyor, 30 ... Storage rack station, 31 ... Books, 32 ... Station, 33 ... Monitor, 34 ... Counter stand, 35 ... Station terminal, 36 ... wireless tag reader, 37 ... printer, 38 ... card reader, 39 ... bar code reader, 40 ... rail, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Traveling type transfer trolley, 42 ... Container holding part, 43 ... Rotating stand, 44 ... Container standby shelf, 45 ... Station for staff, 46 ... Library system server, 47 ... Library search terminal, 48 ... Library system server, 49 ... control board, 50 ... station conveyor control panel, 51 ... entry / exit conveyor control panel, 52 ... vertical conveyor control panel, 53 ... stacker crane ground board, 54 ... entry / exit conveyor, 55 ... stacker crane control panel .

Claims (6)

A plurality of containers housed in a library, each containing a plurality of books;
Intended for the user performing the rental reservation of the book, the input that generates a user identification information for identifying the user, the reservation information associated with the book identification information for identifying the book the loan is requested Means,
A station for holding a container taken out from the library and for allowing a user to take out a book from the container;
A standby shelf provided on a container transport path between the library and the station, and temporarily storing the container;
First transport means for transporting the container between the library and the standby shelf;
Second transport means for transporting the container between the standby shelf and the station;
Third transport means for transporting the container between the library and the station;
Storage means for storing information for identifying the container, information indicating the storage position of the container in the library, and information indicating the books stored in the container in association with each other, By referring to the stored contents of the storage means based on the generated reservation information, a container including a book reserved by the input means is searched, and the container is selectively used as the first to third transport means. If there are a plurality of books reserved by the input means and the plurality of books are distributed in a plurality of containers, all of the plurality of containers are controlled. Use of user identification information included in the reservation information generated by the input means when the station is controlled to be stored in the standby shelf and the station has a vacancy Against a library storage management apparatus characterized by comprising and a control means having a guide means for guiding to go idle station. The control means stores the user identification information included in the reservation information generated by the input means in the guided station after guidance is provided by the guidance means, and stores the user identification information in the standby shelf. is a plurality of containers are, depending on the container holding state of the station, sequentially library storage management apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it conveyed to the station. The control means registers the user identification information included in the reservation information generated by the input means at the guided station within a predetermined time after guidance is provided by the guidance means. when not, a library storage management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cancel the reservation.   The control means returns the container to the standby shelf when the container is used by the lending reservation that has already been set for the container for which the book has been taken out at the station. The book storage management device according to claim 1.   The container has a structure in which the books are accommodated in two rows in the thickness direction. On the container transport path between the library and the station, when the container is held by the station, 2. The book storage management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rotating means for changing a line to be directed.   The book is equipped with a wireless tag storing the book identification information, and the station is provided with reading means for reading the book identification information stored in the wireless tag attached to the book. The book storage management apparatus according to claim 1.

Images