JP2008156038A - Article management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize necessary sufficient recognition performance, without impairing the versatility of an IC tag 10. <P>SOLUTION: This article management system is provided with the IC tag 10 attached to an article, a portable reader-writer 20 communicating with the IC tag 10, and a receiver 30 with a light emitting element 35 for receiving a radio wave from the reader-writer 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an article management system capable of improving work efficiency when searching for articles in a warehouse, a distribution center, or the like that collects and manages various articles.

  In order to efficiently search for articles in a warehouse or a distribution center, a non-contact wireless IC tag with a light emitting element has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

In general, when the identification information transmitted from the reader / writer matches the identification information stored in the inside, the non-contact type IC tag returns the information to the reader / writer and sends necessary information to the reader / writer via radio waves. Operate to replace. However, since warehouses and distribution centers have a large collection area of articles, if an IC tag and a reader / writer can communicate with each other, the article with the IC tag is within the communication range of the reader / writer. However, it may not be easy to specify the position of the article. Therefore, a light emitting element is mounted on the IC tag, and communication with the reader / writer is established, whereby the light emitting element emits light, and a target article can be easily searched.
JP 2000-306062 A

  According to such a conventional technology, since the IC tag is equipped with a light emitting element, the outer dimension becomes large or the shape cannot be made into a thin sheet or film, and can be appropriately attached to the article. There was a problem that versatility might be lost. In addition, since the non-contact type IC tag is not equipped with a power source, there is a problem that it is difficult to realize sufficient recognition because the luminous intensity of the light emitting element is small.

  Therefore, in view of the problems of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to realize a necessary and sufficient recognizability by using a receiving device having a display means without causing a loss of versatility of the IC tag. It is an object of the present invention to provide an article management system capable of improving work efficiency when searching for articles.

  In order to achieve such an object, the present invention includes a non-contact IC tag attached to an article, a portable reader / writer that communicates with the IC tag, and a receiving device with display means for receiving radio waves from the reader / writer. The gist of the present invention is that the receiving device detects the coincidence between the identification information from the reader / writer and the identification information stored in advance and displays it on the display means.

  Note that the receiving device may detect a partial match between the identification information from the reader / writer and the identification information stored in advance, may store a part of the identification information, and may store a plurality of identification information. You may remember.

  According to the configuration of the invention, identification information for specifying the article is written in advance on the IC tag attached to the article, and the IC tag includes the same identification information in the radio wave from the reader / writer. When this is detected, it is returned to the reader / writer, and necessary information is exchanged with the reader / writer. On the other hand, in a distribution center or the like, articles are collected with IC tags. Therefore, a worker searching for a specific article moves while operating the portable reader / writer, and when the target article is within the communication range of the reader / writer, a reply from the IC tag is received by the reader / writer. Is done. However, it is assumed that the worker moves while transmitting a radio wave including the same identification information as the IC tag attached to the target article from the reader / writer. The IC tag may be a read-only type that mechanically returns part or all of stored data in response to a read command from the reader / writer without collating identification information.

  The receiving device stores in advance the same identification information as the IC tag attached to the target article and installs it in the vicinity of the target article, so that the communication between the IC tag and the reader / writer is established. By receiving radio waves from the reader / writer and operating the display means, the operator can recognize the position of the target article. Therefore, the worker can easily find the target article by searching the vicinity of the receiving device. Note that the receiving range of the receiving device that receives radio waves from the reader / writer is set to be wider than at least the communication range between the reader / writer and the IC tag. In addition, the receiving device is assumed to be equipped with a power source such as a battery in order to operate a display unit having necessary and sufficient recognizability.

  As the display means, in addition to a light emitting element, a buzzer, or the like, one type or a combination of a plurality of types such as a speaker that outputs an article name corresponding to the identification information can be used. The IC tag here is a non-contact wireless IC tag that uses UHF waves in the 952 to 954 MHz band, for example, and does not have a power supply and operates by receiving radio waves from a reader / writer. It is a passive type. In addition, the receiving device can be used repeatedly for searching for any article by rewriting the identification information to be stored and changing the installation location.

  The receiving apparatus can simultaneously display the presence of a plurality of types of articles on the display unit simultaneously by detecting a partial match between the identification information from the reader / writer and the identification information stored in advance. For example, it is often the case that identification information is composed of n-digit numeric codes, and n1 digits, n2 digits, ... ni digits from the beginning are hierarchically coded in order, such as major classification of goods, middle classification ... minor classification. At this time, for example, the receiving device detects the match of only the first n1 digit and n2 digit and displays them on the display means to collectively indicate the presence of a plurality of types of articles belonging to the common major category and middle category. Can be displayed. However, n and ni are natural numbers not including 0, and Σni = n. When detecting a partial match of identification information, the receiving device does not need to store all of the identification information, and it is sufficient to store only a part to be detected.

  The receiving apparatus can collectively display the presence of a plurality of types of articles corresponding to each identification information by storing the plurality of identification information.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The article management system is a combination of an IC tag 10, a reader / writer 20, and a receiving device 30 (FIG. 1).

  The IC tag 10 is a contactless wireless IC tag that uses UHF waves in the 952 to 954 MHz band, for example. The IC tag 10 is configured by mounting an IC chip 11 having a communication function and a booster antenna 12 on a common substrate 13. The IC tag 10 is attached to an article, and identification information unique to the article is written in advance in a memory (not shown) in the IC chip 11.

  The reader / writer 20 is portable and has an antenna 21 for communicating with the IC tag 10. The reader / writer 20 can be carried around while transmitting radio waves including arbitrary identification information. When communication with the IC tag 10 having the same identification information is established, information necessary for the IC tag 10 is obtained. Can be exchanged. The antenna 21 is preferably built in the reader / writer 20.

  The receiving device 30 includes a light emitting element 35 as a display unit and a battery 36 for power supply in addition to the antenna 31, demodulator 32, confirmation circuit 33, and memory 34. The receiving device 30 is installed in a place near a specific article to which the IC tag 10 is attached, and identification information corresponding to the article is stored in the memory 34 in advance. The receiving device 30 can receive radio waves transmitted from the antenna 21 of the reader / writer 20, and the reception range is set wider than the communication range of the IC tag 10 and the reader / writer 20. When receiving the radio wave from the reader / writer 20, the receiving device 30 decodes the identification information via the demodulator 32, and stores the received identification information from the reader / writer 20 and the memory 34 via the confirmation circuit 33. The identification information is collated, and when it is detected that the two match, the light emitting element 35 is caused to emit light and display.

  For example, when a wide variety of articles are accumulated in the large storage shelf A (FIG. 2), consider searching for a specific article quickly. In the storage shelf A, each article is individually attached with an IC tag 10 and is stored in the storage box A1 for each type and accumulated in the storage shelf A. Each storage box A1 is provided with a receiving device 30 that is easily visible from the outside, and each receiving device 30 stores in advance identification information corresponding to articles in the storage box A1.

  When the reader / writer 20 is moved along the front surface of the storage shelf A while transmitting a radio wave including identification information of the target article, the receiving device 30 that stores identification information that matches the identification information from the reader / writer 20 is stored. When the light emitting element 35 emits light, the target article can be easily searched. This is because when the reader / writer 20 enters the reception range, the receiving device 30 detects the coincidence of the identification information and causes the light emitting element 35 as the display unit to emit light.

Other embodiments

  The receiving device 30 may be provided in common for the storage shelf A (FIG. 3).

  In the storage shelf A, for example, a plurality of types of articles sharing a large classification of identification information are classified and accumulated for each shelf A2. In addition, an IC tag 10 is attached to each article. The receiving device 30 stores in advance only a part of the plurality of identification information corresponding to each article corresponding to the common major classification, and corresponds to a part of the identification information received from the reader / writer 20. The light emitting element 35 is caused to emit light by detecting the coincidence of major classifications.

  In FIG. 3, the receiving device 30 may store all the identification information of a plurality of types of articles accumulated in the storage shelf A. At this time, the receiving device 30 may detect the complete match between the identification information from the reader / writer 20 and any of the stored identification information and cause the light emitting element 35 to emit light. The light emitting element 35 may emit light by detecting partial coincidence.

  In the above description, the articles do not necessarily have to be collected on the storage shelf A, and may be distributed and collected in a wide collection place. In addition, since the receiving device 30 only needs to display the location of the article in an easy-to-see manner, the receiving apparatus 30 can be moved and installed as appropriate according to the accumulation state of the article. It is good also as arbitrary installation forms, such as a wall-hanging type, a floor-standing type, and an adhesive type.

  Note that the light emitting element 35 as a display unit may be replaced with a buzzer, a speaker, or the like, or may be used in combination with them.

Overall configuration block diagram Usage state explanatory diagram (1) Usage state diagram (2)

Explanation of symbols

10 ... IC tag 20 ... Reader / writer 30 ... Receiving device

Patent applicant
Attorney Tadaaki Matsuda, Attorney

Claims (4)

  A non-contact IC tag attached to an article, a portable reader / writer that communicates with the IC tag, and a receiving device with display means for receiving radio waves from the reader / writer. An article management system, wherein a match between identification information from the reader / writer and identification information stored in advance is detected and displayed on the display means.   2. The article management system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving device detects a partial match between the identification information from the reader / writer and the identification information stored in advance.   3. The article management system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving device stores a part of the identification information.   4. The article management system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving device stores a plurality of pieces of identification information.

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