JP2007018527A - Goods management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a goods management system to stably a recycle system through a center. <P>SOLUTION: A manufacturer has a product constituted of a plurality of parts including a reusable part. An information regarding the product possessed by the manufacturer is noticed to a server PC10 of the center from a client PC20a of the manufacturer. The server PC10 of the center stores a product ID given to the product and a part ID given to each part constituting the product from the information regarding the product which has received the notice from the client PC20a of the manufacturer. Then, a function to transmit the stored product ID and part ID to a client PC20e of a recycle dealer is provided. Meanwhile the client PC20e of the recycle dealer outputs the product ID and part ID received from the server PC10 of the center. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  It relates to logistics management systems.

  Conventionally, the shipper records the name and destination of the sender on the slip, and attaches the slip to the package so that when the carrier transports the package, We are delivering. The slip is pre-printed with a slip number and a barcode for making the slip number easily machine-readable. By reading this slip number at the time of collection / delivery, etc. It is managed by.

  FIG. 9 shows a system configuration of a conventional transportation business. Shippers, consignees, carriers, vehicles, recycling companies, final processors, etc. each have a data processing device such as a PC. Each PC (server) has its own database (DB), and public lines and networks are used to send data to other PCs.

  Since each company uses its own numbering system, in order to send data to each company, it is necessary to use a dedicated application, or to convert and translate the data. A standardized mechanism called EDI (Electronic Data Exchange) may be determined for each industry in order to exchange information between different companies.

  However, when each company uses a unique data format and application before EDI standardization, standardization of EDI is not easy.

  In this way, the slip is created in a different form for each shipping company, and the slip number assigned to it is also different for each company. In addition, management of the transportation status and the like is performed for each carrier. Therefore, for example, when a person other than the carrier needs to manage the transportation status of the package at an information center, such as when the package is transported from the factory to another factory by an instruction from the head office, It is left to the shipper (customer who sends the package), but the shipper (customer who sends the package) decides which package of which shipping company is attached to which package, although the transport slip is attached. Used. Therefore, there is a problem that the transportation status is not known at all unless the information center makes an inquiry to the shipper. Further, when managing physical distribution at an information center, for example, it is necessary to recognize the slips of each company and arrange the slip numbers for each company, which is complicated. In addition, if the carrier changes on the way, it is necessary to rewrite the slip, and if it is poorly managed at that time, it becomes impossible to grasp which number has been changed to which number at that time, which is missing or different It may lead to transportation. That is, if the frequency of changing the slip is high, the transportation management becomes complicated.

  In addition, the shipper needs to manage slips of different forms for each carrier, which makes management complicated. However, if the shipper fixes the carrier to a specific vendor due to this complexity, the shipping cost may increase because other carriers cannot use it even if they can be transported at low cost.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an article management system in which a recycling system via a center can be stably operated.

The article management system according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-described problem, includes a center computer included in a center and a client computer included in each of a plurality of clients, the center computer and the client side. In an article management system in which a computer is connected via a network,
A function in which the first client has a product composed of a plurality of parts including reusable parts, and the client computer of the first client notifies the center computer of the center of information related to the product. Prepared,
The center computer of the center, based on information about the product notified from the client computer of the first client, the product ID attached to the product and the part ID attached to each part constituting the product And a function of transmitting the stored product ID and component ID to the client computer of the second client,
The client computer included in the second client has a function of outputting the product ID and the component ID received from the center computer of the center.

  Thereby, the recycling system via the center can be stably operated.

According to claim 2, in claim 1,
Further, a function capable of registering a user by linking to a product ID assigned to the product to be used from a client side computer of a third client using a product owned by the first client to a center side computer of the center. It is characterized by providing.

According to claim 3, in claim 1 or 2,
Furthermore, the client side computer which the said 3rd client has is equipped with the function which can acquire the information relevant to the said use product from the client side computer which the said 1st client has.

According to claim 4, in any one of claims 1 to 3,
Furthermore, the client side computer which the said 3rd client has is equipped with the function which can acquire the repair information regarding the said product used from the center side computer of the said center.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. Needless to say, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following examples, and can take various forms as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[First embodiment]
1 and 2 show a centralized management system 1 as a physical distribution management system and an article management system of this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the flow of goods and the flow of information, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the centralized management system 1.

  The central management system 1 includes a WEB server PC (hereinafter simply referred to as a server PC) 10 managed by a management center, and a client PC 20 (client) installed in a consignor, consignee, transporter, vehicle, recycling company, final processing company, etc. PC 20a-20f), and server PC 10 and client PC 20 are connected to the Internet. Then, the client PC 20 accesses the server PC 10, and data is sent from the client PC 20 at each place to the server PC 10 of the management center, and the data is centrally managed at the center.

  Each client PC 20 has a function of displaying a WEB screen based on data received from a server PC 10 of a management center called an IB (Internet browser). Since the server PC 10 performs an authentication process when accessed, the server PC 10 is configured so that the client PC 20 of each company cannot access pages of other companies. The client PC 20 may have a server function, and the URL of a page that may be opened may be disclosed. For example, it is also possible to display a screen from which an order for a business can be individually received from a customer's PC connected to the Internet without going through the center server PC 10.

  The business flow using the center server PC 10 and the processing of the center server PC 10 will be described below. As an example, a case will be described in which a consignor requests a consignee to transport a vehicle using a vehicle.

  1. The shipper inputs an instruction to access the center to the browser. The client PC 20a accesses the center server PC 10 through the browser, and the center server PC 10 transmits the data of the transportation acceptance page to the client PC 20a. The client PC 20a receives this data through the browser and displays the transport acceptance page.

  Hereinafter, part of the processing of the server PC 10 will be described only from the browser side of the client PC 20. That is, the server PC 10 performs a process of transmitting data to the access source client PC 20 in response to an access from the client PC 20 by a browser, or receiving data in response to transmission of data from the client PC 20 by a browser. However, it will be described as processing on the browser side, and the processing on the corresponding server side is the same as described above, and will be omitted.

  The shipper inputs a list of goods to be transported, a place of transportation (unloading place), a transportation time condition and the like on the transportation reception page displayed on the browser of the client PC 20a. The consignor inputs the consignor information in the browser in advance and stores it in the database of the server PC 10. In the transport acceptance page, the consignor is identified at the time of authentication, and the consignor information is included in the page information to be transmitted. Since the information including the added information is transmitted, the company information is automatically input on the page, and the shipper does not need to input again.

  2. On the freight acceptance page, the goods to be entered are input in packing units. Size, weight, packing, handling, etc. are entered. Here, when the shipper uses the packing material designated by the center, the size and the package form are determined, and only the weight and the handling need be input. In addition, the standard size of the packing material designated by the center is determined so that efficient loading can be performed according to the size of the carrier bed of the transport vehicle.

  3. The server PC 10 in the center generates a management number for each packing unit when the data input from the client PC 20a to the transportation acceptance page is transmitted. The center server PC 10 selects a carrier using a center information network such as the Internet. For example, the server PC 10 may perform a bid, an auction or the like via the Internet for each transportation business unit.

  When the center server PC 10 selects a carrier, it links the carrier's ID with the package ID (center management number). This data is transmitted as electronic data to the client PC 20a of the shipper. In addition to the carrier ID, a vehicle ID, driver ID, driver photo, etc. may be sent together with the package data. In this way, since the shipper can surely confirm the carrier, the security of transportation can be improved. Further, the center may be set so that the communication fee increases as the number of transmission items increases.

  4). The shipper's client PC 20a generates the received management number as an image of a barcode or QR code (a kind of two-dimensional code) and prints it on a paper with a seal, or an electronic tag (if using an electronic tag) Write the management number to the RFID tag.

  5. The printed barcode or QR code is attached to the package (package) by the shipper. Alternatively, it is put in a predetermined plastic case or the like from which a barcode or QR code can be read and attached to the package. In the case of an electronic tag, it can be attached to a predetermined place of a packaged item (package).

  6). After the transportation registration, when the server PC 10 of the management center determines the carrier, the management number assigned in the above-mentioned packing unit (each unit) is transmitted to the client PC 20b of the carrier.

  7). The client PC 20b of the carrier sends data such as a management number and transportation conditions (unloading site information, transportation time (unloading time)) corresponding to the management number to the client PC 20c of the vehicle. The vehicle client PC 20c stores the received data. When the crew member of the vehicle arrives at the loading area, the crew member sends data corresponding to the work at the loading area to the data reader 22.

  8). The vehicle crew reads the barcode, QR code or electronic tag attached to the specified package with the data reader 22. The data reader 22 reads the management number from the bar code, QR code or electronic tag, and compares it with the stored management number sent from the server PC 10 of the management center via the client PC 20c. Is displayed on the display device. A crew member of the vehicle refers to the displayed information on whether or not they match, and checks the baggage so that there is no error.

  9. If there is a reading error, such as when the stored management number is different from the read management number, the crew member confirms with the person in charge of the shipper. If the shipper has suddenly added (removed) or changed the baggage, he / she accesses the server PC 10 of the management center via the client PC 20b of the vehicle from the crew's data reader 22 to check the state of the shipper. Display and confirm. If there is a process change record as the shipper status, the management number etc. of the changed package is downloaded and the work check for the change is performed.

  10. If the shipper has not yet registered the work change with the center, he / she requests the shipper to register the package. If the unregistered package is added, there is no center management number for the package, and a reading error occurs in the data reader 22. Therefore, the crew can easily understand that the package has not been registered. Further, even if a management number is given, if the data is not received as a management number, it can be determined that the package is a different item.

  11. When the crew member completes the loading operation, the reading result including the management number read by the data reader 22 is transferred to the client PC 20c, and the client PC 20c completes the reading to the server PC 10 of the center and the client PC 20b of the carrier. Send. The read result includes the vehicle ID. The vehicle periodically detects the traveling position by GPS or the like and transmits it to the server PC 10 in the center. As a result, the server PC 10 at the center stores the management number (package), vehicle ID, and shipping company ID in a linked manner.

  12 When the client PC 20a of the management center inquires of the package position corresponding to the management number, the server PC 10 of the management center searches the database for the vehicle ID corresponding to the management number and the vehicle traveling position of the vehicle ID. And sent to the client PC 20a for display. Thereby, the customer can confirm the position of the package.

  13. Even when the vehicle arrives at the wholesale land, the data reader 22 checks the unloading work. Transportation conditions such as unloading land information and transportation time information corresponding to the management number are stored in the data reader 22, and the transportation conditions corresponding to the management number read from the barcode or QR code attached to the package or the electronic tag. Is compared with the transportation conditions such as the transportation time of the built-in clock of the data reader 22, and the stored management number and whether or not the package matches the transportation conditions are displayed on the display device. Therefore, it is not possible to wholesale the luggage that should not be taken down. In the case of a matched package, the center side can reliably grasp whether or not JIT (Just In Time) transportation has been performed by sending the location and time of completion of unloading to the server PC 10 of the center. Further, communication may be performed between the data reader 22 and the server PC 10 at any time, and when a wholesale error occurs, it may be immediately communicated by communication from the server PC 10 at the center.

  14 When the unloading is completed, the unloading completion data is sent from the data reader 22 to the client PC 20 installed in the carrier's office and the server PC 10 of the management center via the client PC 20c of the vehicle.

  When receiving the unloading completion data, the server PC 10 of the management center separates the management number from the vehicle ID and links it with the consignee ID, location ID, and the like. In this way, since the management center can manage all the time with the management number (ID) assigned by itself, the association between the luggage and the vehicle becomes easy.

[Second Embodiment]
If the server PC 10 of the management center of the first embodiment assigns a management number not only to the unit of packing but also to the contents of the product, the life cycle of the product relating to product manufacture and sales, user use, recycling, etc., It is possible to perform even consistent management.

  Such an example will be described with reference to FIGS. This system includes a server PC (not shown) installed in the management center and a client PC (not shown) installed in various places, and the server PC and the client PC are configured to be connectable via the Internet.

  FIG. 3 is a list of field names of information stored and managed by the server PC of the management center. In the parts manufacturer and the manufacturer, a design number is attached to the product drawing at the design stage before the manufacture. As for product assembly information, an assembly manual or the like is created by a design department and a production assembly department, and an assembly manual number is assigned to the assembly manual. The assembly manual is converted into electronic data and can be searched and viewed on the web.

  Depending on what kind of product it is, a product type ID having a hierarchical structure such as home appliance / washing machine / fully automatic is assigned to the product, which is appropriate for each of the home appliance, washing machine, and fully automatic. An ID is set. These should be numbered according to industry standards.

  Also, a product number is assigned to the product, and the product name, sales product name, component part number, etc. are linked and managed as sub-numbers to the number. In addition, there is a serial number at the same level as the product number, and the serial number is managed by linking the manufacturing date and the manufacturing location ID code.

  In addition to the assembly manual described above, a maintenance manual is created for products that require periodic maintenance, and a maintenance number is assigned to it. As with the assembly manual, the maintenance manual is also converted into electronic data and can be searched and viewed on the web.

  For these data, as shown in FIG. 4, a registration request is issued from the manufacturer's client PC to the center's server PC, and when the center's server PC accepts these, it issues a management number to the manufacturer's client PC. send. At the product storage location, input is made from the client PC, and which product ID is placed in which location is managed by the server PC. From the product ID and serial number, it is possible to search when and where the manufactured product is stored. If the product type, serial number, etc. are explicitly entered in the product ID, the search becomes easy. As another method, the product ID may be uniquely assigned at the center, and the serial number may be linked to the data.

  When the product is packed, it is necessary to link the packaged product and the product ID in the package. At this time, if an electronic tag is attached to the product, the contents stored in the electronic tag can be read without unpacking by a data reader or the like, and the product inside can be known.

  Further, by including the size, packing form, etc., which are the attributes of the packing, in the standardized packing specification ID, it is not necessary to clearly specify the packing form and size data for managing the packing, and the data management becomes simple. The packing ID is linked to information related to the transportation history (transportation history ID: loading place, loading time, destination, arrival time).

  When a transport request is issued from the manufacturer's client PC to the center server PC, the center server PC issues a transport management number to perform tracking management of the transported vehicle, package status management, and the like. When the package is carried by a carrier, the loading history ID, loading time, destination, arrival time and actual loading location, loading time, destination, arrival time, and shipping company information are added to the shipping history ID. It is done.

  When the product is delivered to the user, the user links the product ID to his / her ID and performs product user registration from the client PC to the center server PC. An electronic tag storing data for connecting to the center is installed in the product, and the user can easily connect to the server PC of the center by reading the data with the client PC.

  When the user registration is performed, the center server PC sets a user management number. This is also communicated to the user. If the center performs user registration work, the burden on the manufacturer is reduced. The center opens the registered data only to the product manufacturer, and the product manufacturer can grasp which product is used by whom. As a result, a detailed service on the maker side can be implemented, and the user can acquire information related to the product directly from the maker. In addition, the manufacturer can easily notify the user when product maintenance is performed by another company. In addition, since user registration is important for improving the product recycling rate, when the same type of product is purchased for a registered user, services such as a reduction in sales price may be implemented.

  Further, when the user repairs the product, it is possible to obtain repair information by making an inquiry to the information center. In addition, when a product that is no longer needed by the user is recycled, it can be reliably placed on the transportation and recycling route simply by requesting it from the center.

  In this case, if the user burden necessary for recycling is reduced, the recycling system via the information center can be stably operated. When the user considers recycling of the purchased product, the user makes a recycling request from the client PC to the server PC at the center. The user inputs a user registration number on the WEB page of the management center and requests the center to perform a recycling process. The center knows the packaging specifications from the product ID, informs the user of the company's business status, handling price, etc. that allows the product to be reused, and undertakes actual recycling work if the user permits.

  In order to transport the recycled product with the contents approved by the user, a transportation operation is requested from the management center to the transportation company. When a transportation business request is made, a transportation business management number is issued. Packing information necessary for product transportation, loading location, loading time, wholesale location, wholesale time, etc. are communicated from the server PC at the center to the client PC at the shipping company.

  The shipping company transports the recycled product to the recycling company in accordance with an instruction from the center. The transportation route from the user to the recycling company is recorded by being linked with the vehicle operation route by the server PC at the center. When the product arrives at the recycling company, the recycling company disassembles the product to the required location based on the recycling process of the corresponding product that has been investigated from the product ID in advance.

  If you know the product ID, you can access the server PC from the client PC and browse the maintenance record and disassembly method of the product on the WEB, download the maintenance manual if necessary, and display it on the disassembly process display. Or make it possible. As soon as the product arrives, it is quickly disassembled according to the disassembly procedure.

  When the product is disassembled up to the designated subassembly (module) unit, the electronic tag attached in the subassembly unit is read by the client PC, and the disassembly process for recycling is managed. The recycling company investigates how much the product is subdivided into the sub-assy units and increases the profit of the recycling company with reference to the sub-assy product reuse purchase price list in the management center. From the result, the product decomposition stage is determined. Alternatively, the management center may recommend the degree of disassembly to the recycling company.

  The disassembled products are sorted into subassemblies (modules) that are returned to the manufacturer, subassies that are sold to recyclable merchandise stores, and final processed components. The sorting results are communicated from the client PC to the server PC at the management center. The The management center keeps track of the product recycling rate for each product and reports it regularly to the relevant authority. The recycling rate target value for the manufacturer is set by the public institution, so the management center performs consulting activities to clear the target. If the processing is performed in units of subassemblies, the portion to be discarded is reduced and the recycling rate is improved, so the center may back up sales of recycled products.

  When the server PC of the management center receives the recycling product information and the transportation request from the client PC of the recycling company, it arranges each transportation destination and makes a transportation request to the transportation company. The sub-assemblies (modules) are transported to manufacturers and sales outlets, and materials that require final processing are transported after determining a final processing site according to the materials.

  When the final processing company processes the received materials and parts, the result is notified from the client PC to the server PC of the management center. When discarding the final processed product, transportation is requested to the management center. The management center is asked by the shipping company to transport the final processed product to a legal disposal site. By this method, the vehicle is monitored so that the final waste is not dumped illegally.

  Hereinafter, another example of DB (database) management in the center will be described with reference to FIG. The server PC of the management center receives each company's product list from each company's client PC and creates its DB. In the DB, manufacturer name, parts used (sub-assemblies) list, product type ID (how the environment is considered, whether harmful substances such as mercury, lead, etc. are not included, can be reused, recycling life is The product model number and serial number are recorded. Each product has a communication function that can respond even if it is packed like a radio tag.

  The manufacturer communicates the model number and serial number of the product from the client PC to the server PC of the management center when transporting. The server PC of the management center determines which product type corresponds to the target product from the DB of each company, creates a code to be displayed as electronic data, and sends it to the client PC of the manufacturer. At this point, the product model number and serial number are linked to the center management number.

  The manufacturer's client PC prints and attaches the management center number information to the product or records it on the electronic tag. At the time of shipment, the manufacturer checks whether the management center number attached to the product does not match the product number. The check result is confirmed by the server PC of the management center, and the confirmation data is recorded in the DB. The keyword and registration number may be recorded in an electronic tag or barcode so that the recorded data can be referred to later. Further, a device such as Bluetooth may be incorporated in the product so that it can be read from the outside like a tag.

  When products are transported, package movement is managed as described above. In the movement management, the carrier ID, the vehicle tracking by the vehicle ID, and the link between the packing ID and the vehicle ID are performed, and the route through which the product is sent to the user is tracked and managed. In order to recycle the product, it is necessary to register the user securely. Since the recycling of the product is the responsibility of the manufacturer, the management center contracts the product tracking from the manufacturer for a fee.

  The manufacturer or the server PC of the management center may add a service function such as service point addition or cashback to the user registrant in order to perform user registration with certainty. In addition, the registrant may be provided with a service function that allows the user to receive various pieces of information on the purchased product for free.

  As a user registration method, the user performs registration by connecting the radio wave tag reader to the client PC and transferring it to the server PC of the management center. In the case of a barcode, the image is sent as electronic data to the server PC of the management center or the client PC of the manufacturer. If there is a product store in the middle, the management center may purchase sales information data (customer management data) of the store.

  When the user decides to recycle the product, that information needs to be sent to the management center or manufacturer. Therefore, when the recycling decision information is sent to the server PC of the management center or the client PC of the manufacturer, a privilege is obtained for the user. For example, it is possible to purchase a substitute for a product to be recycled at a low price, or to provide a service point to the user.

  When the management center receives the recycling information, the management center determines a carrier for collection and goes to the user for collection. The carrier carries the product from the management center to a designated recycler. The client PC of the recycler receives the information of the disassembly and dismantling process from the server PC of the management center, and the recycler carries out the dismantling work with an accurate procedure so that it can be reused as much as possible. The recycler sends reusable parts to the manufacturer. In this case, an electronic tag is also attached to a sub-assembly of a product that is a reuse product, and parts management and sales management information are performed via the server PC at the center.

  Parts that are reused are returned to the manufacturer. Unrecoverable parts, materials, etc. are sent to the final processing company. The movement history and processing history of each product are grasped by the server PC of the management center. In this way, the product is reliably recycled. As described above, the server PC of the center receives information on a plurality of carriers, a plurality of shippers (a company that sends out packages), and a plurality of consignees (a company that receives packages) from client PCs at various locations. Centrally managed in the DB managed by the server PC. Information is also sent to the center server PC from the client PCs of transport equipment (containers and pallets), recycling companies, and final processing companies as needed, and these information is received and managed by the center server PC. To do. Here, the term “integrated” includes a distributed database. The above-described contents are summarized in the drawings as shown in FIGS.

  Thus, a management number is assigned by the server PC, and information necessary for manufacturing, shipping, selling, collecting, recycling, etc. of the product can be centrally managed by the server PC at the center. In the first embodiment, the server PC 10 corresponds to the center computer, the client PC 20a corresponds to the shipper computer, and the client PC 20c and the data reader 22 correspond to the carrier computer. The management number corresponds to the package specifying information. In the second embodiment, the server PC corresponds to the center computer, and the client PC corresponds to the client computer. The management number corresponds to the item specifying information.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the thing in the physical distribution management system of 1st Example, and the flow of information. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the physical distribution management system of 1st Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the content of the product number management database managed with the server PC of the center of 2nd Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the communication content of the client PC of each place of 2nd Example, and the server PC of a center, and the role of a database. It is explanatory drawing which shows another example of FIG.3 and FIG.4. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the data of the server PC of the center of a 2nd Example, and the client PC of each place, and the flow of a thing. It is explanatory drawing which shows the exchange of data with the server PC of the center from manufacturing to user registration of 2nd Example, and the client PC of each place. It is explanatory drawing which shows the exchange of data with the server PC of the center at the time of recycling, and the client PC of each place. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the conventional physical distribution management system.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Centralized management system 10 ... Server PC
20 ... Client PC
22 ... Data reader

Claims (4)

In an article management system comprising a center side computer of a center and a client side computer of each of a plurality of clients, wherein the center side computer and the client side computer are connected via a network.
A function of notifying the center-side computer of the center of information related to the product from the client-side computer of the first client that owns a product including a plurality of parts including reusable parts;
The center computer of the center, based on information about the product notified from the client computer of the first client, the product ID attached to the product and the part ID attached to each part constituting the product And a function of transmitting the stored product ID and component ID to the client computer of the second client,
A client-side computer included in the second client has a function of outputting the product ID and the component ID received from the center-side computer of the center. Further, a function capable of registering a user by linking to a product ID assigned to the product to be used from a client side computer of a third client using a product owned by the first client to a center side computer of the center. The article management system according to claim 1, further comprising: Furthermore, the client side computer which the said 3rd client has is equipped with the function which can acquire the information relevant to the said product used from the client side computer which the said 1st client has. The article management system described. Furthermore, the client side computer which the said 3rd client has is equipped with the function which can acquire the repair information regarding the said product used from the center side computer of the said center. The article management system described.

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