JP2000118637A - Entry for storing device to decide item in accordance with shape of entered article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To elect and warehouse an item to be matched in shape and dimensions extracted from picture images of entry for storing articles by providing a data base of stocked articles including information of picture images, shapes and dimensions of stocked articles as well as a camera to pick up images of the entry articles and a picture image processing device. SOLUTION: A sample is photographed by a camera by picking the sample from entry for storing articles at the time of entering them in an automatic warehouse. An item to be matched with the sample in shape and dimensions is retrieved from a data base of stocked articles, and after the item of the entry article is selected, all the entry articles are photographed and articles of shapes and dimensions different from the items photographed at a entry stage and to be entered as defected articles and articles different in items.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage apparatus for determining an item based on the shape of a stored article.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An operator visually checks a received article for defective products,
Inspection of different items. In addition, a barcode for identifying a stored article is pasted, and information on the stored article is acquired from the barcode to store the article.

[0003]

It is inefficient to visually inspect a defective article or an article of a different kind from among a large number of stored articles having many workers, and it is inefficient and often leaks. In addition, there is a problem in that when a worker pastes a barcode, there is a discrepancy between information on articles that can be stored and information on stored articles due to a pasting error.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a sample is taken out of a received article at the time of entry into an automatic warehouse, the sample is taken with a camera, and an item matching the shape and size of the sample is taken out of the stock article. The present invention provides an apparatus which searches a database to select items of articles to be stored, picks up all of the articles at the storage stage, and detects an article having a shape and size different from that of the article to be stored as a defective article or an article having a different item.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for managing articles according to the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 shows an example of an apparatus configuration of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an operation procedure of the present invention.

As an example of the device configuration, as shown in FIG.
A computer 1, an inventory database of an automatic warehouse, an automatic warehouse, a camera that captures an incoming article, an image processing apparatus that extracts a shape and dimensions from an image of the incoming article, and a computer 2 that provides information to an operator. And

As shown in FIG. 2, the operation procedure is as follows. A sample taken out of a stored article is photographed by a camera, image-processed by an image processing apparatus, and the shape and dimensions are obtained as information of the received article. From the search for items with similar shapes and dimensions to the goods received, and narrow down to a few candidates.

[0008] The images and dimensions of the extracted candidates are displayed on the computer 2, and the operator selects an item that matches the article to be stored from the candidates and determines the item to be stored. After the item to be stored is determined, an article having a different sample, shape and size is detected from the images of all the stored articles, and the operator is inspected by displaying which of the articles is on the screen of the computer 2.

[0009]

According to the present invention, since an item matching the image of the stored article itself and the stock article database is used as the information of the stored article, the trouble of inputting the article to be stored can be omitted. In addition, the efficiency of the inspection work is improved because a received article having a different shape and size from the sample is detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a stored article management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the stored article management device of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,2 ... Calculator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An automatic warehouse system comprising a shelf, a stacker crane, a conveyor, and a computer, a camera for photographing articles received at a loading / unloading site, an image processing apparatus, and a database of inventory items including information on images, shapes and dimensions of the inventory items. Is provided, the item having the same shape and dimensions extracted from the image of the received article is selected from the stock article database and stored in the article, and the item is determined based on the shape of the received article.