JP7376783B2 - management system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a management system for managing temporarily stocked items.

Conventionally, items such as made-to-order products are temporarily stocked in an outdoor stockyard before they are shipped, and when instructions are issued for shipping, the work is done to find the ordered items from the stockyard, etc. and ship them. ing. In this kind of work, there is a problem in that it takes a lot of effort to search for items to be shipped from a stockyard etc. where a large number of items are stocked.As a technique to solve this problem, for example, the following A material storage location management system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

In this material storage location management system, each material to be managed is attached with a tag, and the moving medium that transports the material is equipped with a tag reading means for reading the tag attached to the material and a position detection tag. It is attached. Moreover, a plurality of imaging units are arranged in the material storage area so that the imaging ranges are different. Then, based on the movement history of the moving medium from the start of material delivery to the end of material delivery, the imaging unit that captured the location where the material was delivered is identified, and the location where the material was delivered is identified from the captured image of this imaging unit. It is then registered in the database along with the material name, etc. Thereby, when carrying out materials, the position of the material to be carried out can be easily specified.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-265909

However, in a configuration such as the material storage location management system of Patent Document 1, not only is a moving medium necessarily required for specifying the delivery location of materials, but also a plurality of imaging units are arranged at the material storage location. There is a problem that management work becomes complicated. For this reason, for example, by drawing a frame line in a stockyard or the like in advance in a size corresponding to the item, attaching a QR code (registered trademark) to each frame line, and reading the QR code corresponding to the stocked frame line. , a management method for managing the location of items can be considered. However, in such a management method, it is necessary to stock the articles according to the frame lines, and there is a problem that the stocking work becomes complicated. In particular, in operations where various articles are stocked without any gaps, it may not be possible to employ the stocking operation itself using frame lines.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a configuration that can easily manage the positions of temporarily stocked items.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 of the claims is as follows:
A management system (10) for managing articles (M) temporarily stocked outdoors using a reading device (20a) and a display device (20b),
An identification number is individually set to the article, and a recording medium (T) on which a predetermined management number is recorded is attached,
The identification number is a number for identifying and distinguishing the article, and the management number is a number for identifying and distinguishing the recording medium,
A server (60) for managing the identification number and the management number in a database,
The reading device is
a reading-side acquisition unit (40) that acquires the identification number;
a reading unit (30) that reads the management number from the recording medium;
an article position detection unit (50) that detects a position where the article is stocked according to a received GPS signal;
The identification number acquired by the reading-side acquisition unit, the management number read by the reading unit, and article position information regarding the position of the article detected by the article position detection unit are associated and transmitted to the server. a transmitter (27);
Equipped with
The display device includes:
a display-side acquisition unit (40) that acquires the identification number;
a receiving unit (27) that receives from the server the management number and the article position information associated with the identification number acquired by the display-side acquisition unit;
a display unit (23) that displays the position of the article using the received article position information;
It is characterized by having the following.
Note that the reference numerals in parentheses above indicate correspondence with specific means described in the embodiments described later.

In the first aspect of the invention, each temporarily stocked item is individually assigned an identification number and is attached to a recording medium on which a predetermined management number is recorded. Then, in the reading device, the identification number acquired by the reading-side acquisition unit, the management number read by the reading unit, and the article position information regarding the position of the article detected by the article position detection unit are associated and sent to the server by the transmitting unit. sent to. Then, in the display device, when the receiving unit receives from the server the management number and article position information associated with the identification number acquired by the display side acquisition unit, the position of the article is determined using the received article position information. displayed on the display.

As a result, by having the display-side acquisition unit acquire the identification number of the item to be searched for, the position of the item specified from the identification number is displayed on the display unit, so that a large number of items can be stocked in stockyards, etc. Even if the object is searched, the location of the object to be searched can be easily grasped and managed. In particular, when stocking items temporarily, all you have to do is read the management number from the storage medium of the item whose identification number has been acquired, which simplifies the process of registering it in the server database. .

In the invention of claim 2, the recording medium attached to the article is a wireless tag capable of contactless communication, and the display device includes a wireless tag that uses the display device as a reference by using the result of communication with the wireless tag. An estimation unit is provided for estimating the position of. Then, on the display unit, when the estimation unit estimates the position of the wireless tag that records the received management number, the position of the wireless tag with respect to the display device is displayed as the position of the article.

As a result, even if there is an error in the location of the product identified from the product location information due to low accuracy of the GPS signal, the range where the product may be stocked can be identified based on the product location information, Within this range, the estimator can estimate the position of the wireless tag, that is, the position of the article. Therefore, the position of the item to be searched can be estimated and displayed with high accuracy.

In the invention of claim 3, since the position of the display device is displayed on the display unit together with the position of the article, the position of the display device, that is, the positional relationship between the worker's own position and the position of the article can be easily recognized visually. can do.

In the invention of claim 4, the identification number is recorded in the information code in an optically readable manner, and the identification number is obtained by optically reading the information code by at least one of the reading-side acquisition unit and the display-side acquisition unit. is obtained. This eliminates the need for manually inputting identification numbers, thereby increasing the convenience of management tasks.

In the invention of claim 5, since the recording medium is attached to the article in a removable manner, the recording medium is removed at a time when management is no longer required, such as when leaving the warehouse, and then attached to another article to be managed. This allows the recording medium to be used repeatedly.

In the invention of claim 6, when the identification number already stored in the database is received again in the server, the article position information associated with the identification number is updated in accordance with the reception result. As a result, even if the article location information has already been registered in the database of the server, when the article's location is subsequently moved, the reading-side acquisition section will acquire the identification number of the article. By reading the management number from the recording medium of the article, the article position information in the database of the server can be easily updated.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a management system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2(A) is an explanatory diagram illustrating each stockyard where completed vehicles are temporarily stored, and FIG. 2(B) shows the range X in FIG. 2(A) that is part of one stockyard. It is an explanatory view enlarged and shown. 3(A) is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the mobile terminal in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3(B) is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the wireless tag processing unit. C) is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the information code reading section. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of work at the time of stocking. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of work at the time of leaving the warehouse. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which the position of a completed vehicle and the position of a mobile terminal are displayed on a screen together with each stockyard on a display unit.

[First embodiment]
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a management system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A management system 10 shown in FIG. 1 is configured as a system for managing articles temporarily stored outdoors. In this embodiment, completed vehicles M, which are made-to-order products that are temporarily stored in an outdoor stockyard S after the product is completed, are used as items to be managed, and each completed vehicle M is individually marked with a machine number, etc. An identification number has been set.

For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), each completed vehicle M is stored at one of the four stockyards Sa to Sd established within the factory premises until a shipping instruction is issued after the product is completed. will be temporarily stored. Each of the stockyards Sa to Sd has a large space for temporarily storing many completed vehicles M. For example, the stockyard Sa is constructed as a large space of about 100 meters on each side. In particular, in each of the stockyards Sa to Sd, frame lines and the like that serve as standards for individual stocking are not clearly set, so that a larger number of completed vehicles M can be temporarily stored closely together.

Further, each completed vehicle M is attached with a recording medium on which a predetermined management number is recorded. In this embodiment, a wireless tag T such as an RF tag is used as the recording medium, and this wireless tag T can be attached and detached from an easily readable surface of the completed vehicle M by using a clear case, a magnet, etc. Possible. Note that the wireless tag T is not limited to being attached to the completed vehicle M when it is temporarily stored in a stockyard, but may be attached at the vehicle manufacturing stage before storage work.

The management system 10 includes a mobile terminal 20a used during stock work, a mobile terminal 20b used during article search work, and a server 60 capable of communicating with the mobile terminals 20a and 20b.

The mobile terminal 20a is configured as a portable information reading terminal carried by a worker (user) and used in various places. In addition to the function of reading and writing information, it also functions as an information code reader to read information codes C such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes, and is configured to be able to read information in two ways. Note that the mobile terminal 20a may correspond to an example of a "reading device."

As shown in FIG. 3(A), a control unit 21 that controls the entire mobile terminal 20a is provided within the housing of the mobile terminal 20a. This control section 21 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, has a CPU, a system bus, an input/output interface, etc., and constitutes an information processing device together with a storage section 22 consisting of a semiconductor memory or the like. The storage unit 22 stores in advance a program for executing a registration process, which will be described later, so that it can be executed by the control unit 21. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the control section 21 is connected to a display section 23, an operation section 24, a vibrator 25, a buzzer 26, an external interface 27, and the like.

The display unit 23 is configured as a known touch panel type display device, and includes a display unit configured as a known display device such as a liquid crystal display, and a transparent operation panel superimposed on the display screen of this display unit. , and is configured such that the display content is controlled by the control unit 21. The operation section 24 includes the above operation panel and a plurality of keys provided on the side surface of the housing, and is configured to give an operation signal to the control section 21 according to the operation thereof. Upon receiving this operation signal, it performs an operation according to the content of the operation signal. The vibrator 25 and the buzzer 26 are configured to be controlled by the control unit 21, and operate in response to instructions from the control unit 21, respectively. The external interface 27 is configured as an interface for performing wireless communication or wired communication with an external device such as a host terminal, and is configured to perform communication processing in cooperation with the control unit 21. Further, a power supply unit (not shown) is provided inside the housing, and the power supply unit and battery supply power to the control unit 21 and various electrical components.

The mobile terminal 20a also includes a wireless tag processing section 30 and an information code reading section 40, which are controlled by the control section 21 and function as an information reading section capable of reading external information.

First, the wireless tag processing section 30 will be explained using FIG. 3(B).
The wireless tag processing unit 30 cooperates with the antenna 34 and the control unit 21 to communicate with the wireless tag T using electromagnetic waves, and reads the data (management number) stored in the wireless tag T, or reads the data (management number) stored in the wireless tag T. It functions to write data to. The wireless tag processing unit 30 is configured as a circuit that performs transmission using a known radio wave method, and includes a transmitting circuit 31, a receiving circuit 32, a matching circuit 33, etc., as schematically shown in FIG. have.

The transmitting circuit 31 includes a carrier oscillator, an encoding section, an amplifier, a transmitting section filter, a modulating section, etc., and is configured such that a carrier (carrier wave) of a predetermined frequency is output from the carrier oscillator. Further, the encoding section is connected to the control section 21, and encodes the transmission data output from the control section 21 and outputs the encoded data to the modulation section. The modulation unit is a part into which the carrier (carrier wave) from the carrier oscillator and the transmission data from the encoding unit are input. A modulated signal that is ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) modulated is generated using the encoded transmission code (modulation signal) output from the encoding section, and is output to the amplifier. The amplifier amplifies the input signal (the modulated signal modulated by the modulator) with a predetermined gain and outputs the amplified signal to the transmitter filter, which filters the amplified signal from the amplifier. A transmission signal is output to an antenna 34 via a matching circuit 33. When a transmission signal is output to the antenna 34 in this manner, the transmission signal is radiated to the outside from the antenna 34 as a transmission radio wave.

On the other hand, the response signal received by the antenna 34 is input to the receiving circuit 32 via the matching circuit 33. This receiving circuit 32 is composed of a receiving section filter, an amplifier, a demodulating section, a binarization processing section, a decoding section, etc., and after filtering the response signal received via the antenna 34 by the receiving section filter, , the amplified signal is amplified by an amplifier, and the amplified signal is demodulated by a demodulator. Then, the demodulated signal waveform is binarized by the binarization processing section, decoded by the decoding section, and then the decoded signal is outputted to the control section 21 as received data. Note that the wireless tag processing section 30 may correspond to an example of a "reading section" that reads a management number from a recording medium.

Next, the information code reading section 40 will be explained using FIG. 3(C).
The information code reading section 40 functions to optically read the information code, and as shown in FIG. , a light receiving sensor 43 consisting of a CCD area sensor, etc., and functions to optically read information codes C such as bar codes and two-dimensional codes in cooperation with the control unit 21.

When reading by this information code reading section 40, first, illumination light Lf is emitted from the illumination section 41 which has received a command from the control section 21, and this illumination light Lf passes through the reading port and is attached with an information code C. The reading target R is irradiated. Then, the reflected light Lr, which is the illumination light Lf reflected by the information code C, is taken into the housing through the reading port, passes through the imaging lens 42, and is received by the light receiving sensor 43. The imaging lens 42 arranged between the reading port and the light receiving sensor 43 is configured to form an image of the information code C on the light receiving sensor 43, and the light receiving sensor 43 focuses on the image of the information code C. Outputs the corresponding light reception signal. The light reception signal output from the light reception sensor 43 is stored in the storage unit 22 as image data, and is used for decoding processing to obtain information recorded in the information code C. Note that the information code reading section 40 is provided with an amplification circuit that amplifies the signal from the light receiving sensor 43, an AD conversion circuit that converts the amplified signal into a digital signal, etc., but these circuits are not shown in the figure. is omitted.

Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20a includes a GPS receiving section 50 for detecting the current position according to a GPS signal received from a well-known GPS satellite. The GPS receiving unit 50 assumes that the current position of the mobile terminal 20a is the position where the completed vehicles M are stocked, and outputs article position information (latitude, longitude) regarding the position where the completed vehicles M are stocked to the control unit 21. It is configured as follows. Note that the GPS receiving section 50 may correspond to an example of an "article position detection section" that detects the position where articles are stocked according to the received GPS signal.

As shown in FIG. 4, the mobile terminal 20a configured in this way is configured so that when a completed vehicle M is completed at a production factory (S101), a worker is instructed to store the completed vehicle M using a predetermined storage instruction. It is used when moving it to a location (S103) and temporarily storing it (S105). Specifically, when a worker stores a completed vehicle M in the stockyard S according to the storage instruction, the identification number, management number, and goods are stored by a registration process performed by the control unit 21 in accordance with a predetermined operation. The identification number, management number, and article location information are associated and transmitted to the server 60 via the external interface 27. Note that the external interface 27 of the mobile terminal 20a may correspond to an example of a "transmission unit."

In this registration process, the identification number recorded in the information code C such as the QR code written in the storage instruction sheet is optically read and acquired using the information code reading section 40. Note that the information code reading section 40 of the mobile terminal 20a may correspond to an example of a "reading-side acquisition section." For example, when the completed vehicle Ma shown in FIG. 1 is temporarily stored, the management number recorded on the wireless tag T attached to the completed vehicle Ma is read using the wireless tag processing section 30. Further, article position information regarding the position where the completed vehicle Ma is stocked is acquired according to the GPS signal received by the GPS receiving unit 50.

The mobile terminal 20b is configured as a portable information reading terminal having the same functions as the mobile terminal 20a. As shown in FIG. 5, this mobile terminal 20b allows a worker to request that a specific finished vehicle M be temporarily stored by instructing a specific finished vehicle M to leave the warehouse based on a predetermined leaving instruction form (S201). It is used to search for an approximate location where the vehicle is located (S203) and to specify the location of the completed vehicle M while traveling to that location (S205). Thereafter, the worker operates the completed vehicle M to transport it to the shipping site (S207).

In this way, when the worker moves the completed vehicle M from the stockyard S in accordance with the delivery instruction, the completed vehicle M is identified from the acquired identification number through the search process performed by the control unit 21 in response to a predetermined operation. The position of the completed vehicle M is displayed on the screen on the display unit 23.

Specifically, in the search process, an identification number recorded in an information code C such as a QR code written in the exit instruction is optically read and acquired using the information code reading section 40. Ru. Note that the information code reading section 40 of the mobile terminal 20b may correspond to an example of a "display-side acquisition section." Then, by transmitting the identification number acquired in this way to the server 60 via the external interface 27, the management number and article position information associated with this identification number are received from the server 60 via the external interface 27. Ru. Then, the position of the completed vehicle M is displayed on the screen on the display unit 23 using the received article position information. Note that the external interface 27 of the mobile terminal 20b may correspond to an example of a "receiving section".

In particular, in this embodiment, when the wireless tag T recording the received management number is not within the communication range of the wireless tag processing unit 30, as illustrated in FIG. The position Pa of M and the position Pb of the mobile terminal 20b are displayed on the display unit 23 together with a map in which each stockyard S is clearly displayed, so that the screen can be enlarged. Thereby, the worker can easily grasp the approximate location of the completed vehicle M that has been instructed to leave the warehouse. Note that the above map may be displayed based on map data obtained from an external source such as the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan, or may be displayed based on map data produced in advance by the company.

Then, by moving the worker so that the position Pa of the completed vehicle M and the position Pb of the mobile terminal 20b become closer, the wireless tag T recording the received management number can communicate with the wireless tag processing unit 30. become a state. For example, when the completed vehicle Mb shown in FIG. The position of the wireless tag T with respect to the mobile terminal 20b is estimated using the result of communication with the wireless tag T, and the position (direction and distance) of the wireless tag T with respect to the mobile terminal 20b is determined by the completed vehicle Mb. The state changes to the state where it is displayed on the screen as the position of . Note that the mobile terminal 20b corresponds to an example of a "display device," and the control unit 21 that performs the article position estimation process uses the result of communication with the wireless tag T to display the wireless tag based on the mobile terminal 20b. This may correspond to an example of an "estimation unit" that estimates the position of T.

As a method of estimating the position of the wireless tag T using the above-mentioned communication results with the wireless tag T, for example, the method of receiving a response signal transmitted from the wireless tag T disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-167114 etc. Techniques such as estimating the position of the wireless tag T using signal strength (RSSI) can be suitably used. Thereby, the worker can quickly and accurately grasp the location of the completed vehicle M that has been instructed to leave the warehouse.

The server 60 includes a database that stores the above-mentioned identification number, management number, and article location information in an updatable manner in association with each other. This server 60 updates the database according to the identification number etc. received from the mobile terminal 20a, and transmits to the mobile terminal 20b the management number and article location information associated with the identification number received with a predetermined request from the mobile terminal 20b. is configured to do so.

Therefore, when the server 60 receives the identification number already stored in the database again, the article position information associated with the identification number is updated in accordance with the reception result. As a result, even if the completed vehicle M has article position information already registered in the database of the server 60, when the completed vehicle M is subsequently moved, the control unit 21 executes the above registration process and updates the completed vehicle M. By acquiring the identification number of the completed vehicle M and reading the management number from the wireless tag T of the completed vehicle M, the article position information in the database of the server 60 can be easily updated.

As explained above, in the management system 10 according to the present embodiment, each completed vehicle M that is temporarily stocked has an individual identification number set therein, and a wireless tag T on which a predetermined management number is recorded. It is attached. Then, in the mobile terminal 20a, the acquired identification number, the management number read using the wireless tag processing unit 30, and the article position information regarding the position of the completed vehicle M detected using the GPS receiving unit 50 are It is associated and transmitted to the server 60. When the mobile terminal 20b receives the management number and article position information associated with the acquired identification number from the server 60, the position of the completed vehicle M is displayed on the display unit 23 using the received article position information. displayed on the screen.

As a result, by causing the mobile terminal 20b to acquire the identification number of the completed vehicle M to be searched, the position of the article specified from the identification number is displayed on the display unit 23, so that a large number of completed vehicles M can be Even when the completed vehicle M is stored in stockyards Sa to Sd, the position of the completed vehicle M to be searched can be easily grasped and managed. In particular, when stocking completed vehicles M temporarily, all that is required is to use the mobile terminal 20a to read the management number from the wireless tag T of the completed vehicle M whose identification number has been acquired. It is possible to simplify the registration work to the database.

In particular, in this embodiment, a wireless tag T capable of non-contact communication is adopted as a recording medium attached to a completed vehicle M, and the wireless tag Using the result of communication with T, the position of the wireless tag T with respect to the mobile terminal 20b is estimated. Then, on the display unit 23, when the position of the wireless tag T that records the received management number is estimated, the position of the wireless tag T with respect to the mobile terminal 20b is displayed as the position of the completed vehicle M.

As a result, even if there is an error in the position of the completed vehicle M specified from the article position information due to low accuracy of the GPS signal, the range in which the completed vehicle M may be stocked based on the article position information is maintained. , and the position of the wireless tag T, that is, the position of the completed vehicle M, can be estimated within this range. Therefore, the position of the completed vehicle M to be searched can be estimated and displayed with high accuracy.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the position Pb of the mobile terminal 20b is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 23 together with the position Pa of the completed vehicle M, the position Pb of the mobile terminal 20b, that is, the worker's own position The positional relationship with the position of the completed vehicle M can be easily recognized visually.

Further, in this embodiment, the identification number is recorded in the information code C in an optically readable manner, and the identification number is acquired by optically reading the information code C by the information code reading section 40. This eliminates the need for manually inputting identification numbers, thereby increasing the convenience of management tasks.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the wireless tag T is removably attached to the completed vehicle M, the wireless tag T is removed from the completed vehicle M at a time when management is no longer necessary, such as when leaving the warehouse, and then The wireless tag T can be used repeatedly by attaching it to other items to be managed.

[Other embodiments]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and may be embodied as follows, for example.
(1) Items to be managed, such as completed vehicles M, are not limited to being affixed with a wireless tag T as a recording medium in which a management number is recorded; for example, the management number is recorded in an optically readable manner. An information code such as a barcode or QR code may be attached.

(2) The objects to be managed in the present invention are not limited to completed vehicles M waiting for delivery instructions, but also materials and molds for made-to-order products that are temporarily stored outdoors (in a place where GPS signals can be received). Any item that will be stocked will suffice.

(3) In the mobile terminals 20a and 20b, the identification number is not limited to being acquired by optically reading the information code C using the information code reading unit 40, but also by manual input operation on the operation unit 24, for example. An identification number may be obtained accordingly.

10... Management system 20a... Mobile terminal (reading device)
20b...Mobile terminal (display device)
21...Control unit (estimation unit)
23...Display section 27...External interface (transmission section, reception section)
30...Wireless tag processing section (reading section)
40...Information code reading unit (reading side acquisition unit, display side acquisition unit)
50...GPS receiving section (article position detection section)
60...Server C...Information code M, Ma, Mb...Completed vehicle (goods)
T...Wireless tag S, Sa~Sd...Stockyard

Claims (6)

A management system that uses a reading device and a display device to manage items temporarily stored outdoors, the system comprising:
An identification number is individually set to the item, and a recording medium on which a predetermined management number is recorded is attached to the item,
The identification number is a number for identifying and distinguishing the article, and the management number is a number for identifying and distinguishing the recording medium,
comprising a server for managing the identification number and the management number in a database;
The reading device is
a reading-side acquisition unit that acquires the identification number;
a reading unit that reads the management number from the recording medium;
an article position detection unit that detects a position where the article is stocked according to a received GPS signal;
The identification number acquired by the reading-side acquisition unit, the management number read by the reading unit, and article position information regarding the position of the article detected by the article position detection unit are associated and transmitted to the server. a transmitter,
Equipped with
The display device includes:
a display-side acquisition unit that acquires the identification number;
a receiving unit that receives from the server the management number and the article position information associated with the identification number acquired by the display-side acquisition unit;
a display unit that displays the position of the article using the received article position information;
A management system characterized by comprising: The recording medium is a wireless tag capable of contactless communication,
The display device includes an estimation unit that estimates the position of the wireless tag with respect to the display device using the result of communication with the wireless tag,
When the estimation unit estimates the position of the wireless tag that records the received management number, the display unit displays the position of the wireless tag with respect to the display device as the position of the article. The management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: 3. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the position of the display device as well as the position of the article. The identification number is recorded in an optically readable information code,
4. At least one of the reading-side acquisition unit and the display-side acquisition unit acquires the identification number by optically reading the information code. Management system described. The management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the recording medium is detachably attached to the article. 10. The article position information associated with the identification number is updated in accordance with the reception result when the identification number already stored in the database is received again in the server. 5. The management system according to any one of 5.

Images