JP2011065498A - Monitoring system and monitoring method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-cost monitoring system which monitors a plurality of cargoes loaded on a conveyance dolly, or the like. <P>SOLUTION: A wireless terminal 1 of a dolly 5 reads ID codes of ID tags 3 attached to cargoes 4 to generate an ID code list C1 and measures a distance L to a wireless terminal 2, which a person delivering carries by the electric field strength of radio waves for communication; and when the distance L exceeds a distance L1, the wireless terminal reads ID codes to generate an ID code list C2 and compares the ID code lists C1 and C2 with each other, and reports the wireless terminal 2 of an ID code absent in the IC code list C2 and information showing abnormality, in response to the detection of disagreement among them. Then, the wireless terminal 2 issues an alarm sound and displays information of a cargo 4, corresponding to the notified ID code in the terminal 2 and reports an abnormality occurring in the cargo 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a monitoring system and a monitoring method, for example, a monitoring system and a monitoring method for monitoring a plurality of loads mounted on a carriage for transportation.

  Currently, there is a system for monitoring a package by attaching an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag to the package. For example, in Patent Document 1, an RFID reader is mounted on a loading platform of a delivery vehicle for delivery, an RFID tag attached to a package is read, and a package delivery destination is specified based on the RFID tag, and navigation to the delivery destination is performed. A navigation device is disclosed. This is also a system for monitoring loading / unloading of packages by reading RFID tags and specifying delivery information.

  In Patent Literature 2, when a transmission device including an RFID tag is attached to an object to be monitored, communication is performed between the transmission device and the alarm generation device, and the transmission device and the alarm generation device are separated from each other by a predetermined distance. An attempt to prevent theft of an object by an alarm generating device generating an alarm is disclosed.

JP 2008-133305 A JP 2005-309954 A

  If you do not have enough space to park the delivery vehicle near the delivery address when delivering the package with the delivery vehicle, and you need to deliver more than one package, transfer the multiple packages from the delivery vehicle to the carriage once. It will be delivered to the delivery address. In the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the region where the package can be monitored is limited to the platform of the delivery vehicle, and there is no means for monitoring the package transferred from the delivery vehicle to the carriage. For this reason, when the delivery person leaves the carriage and delivers the package, the other packages are not monitored, increasing the risk of theft of the package.

  Therefore, a transmitter as disclosed in Patent Document 2 is attached to the package, and the alarm generator is incorporated into the portable terminal for inputting that the delivery person disclosed in Patent Document 1 has completed the delivery of the package, An attempt to enable monitoring of the package can be envisaged. However, when this type of transmitter is used, the cost is higher than when only the RFID tag is used. It is not preferable in terms of communication efficiency and power consumption to always communicate a plurality of transmitters with a mobile terminal. In addition, the threshold setting for how far the transmitter (trolley) and mobile device (delivery person) are alerted is related to how close the cart can be delivered, It is difficult to set a threshold value that satisfies various situations.

  The monitoring system of the present invention is a monitoring system that notifies the abnormality of the package from the first wireless device that monitors the package by reading the RFID tag attached to the package, the first wireless device monitoring the package. The first wireless communication device communicates with the second wireless device based on communication between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless device by the first communication device. A distance measuring means for measuring the distance, a reading means for reading identification information associated with the package from an RFID tag in a predetermined readable range, and a list of the identification information based on the identification information read from the reading means A list generation means for generating the identification information, and once the reading means reads the identification information of the RFID tag and the list generation means generates a list of identification information, When the distance exceeds a predetermined distance, the reading means can read the identification information of the RFID tag, and the identification information existing in the list of identification information previously generated by the list generation means can be read. Control means for notifying the second wireless device by the first communication means that there is an abnormality in the package for which identification information could not be read when there was not, the second wireless device When receiving a notification that there is an abnormality with the second communication means for communication with the first wireless device and the package for which identification information could not be read from the first wireless device. And a notification means for performing notification.

  Further, the first communication unit of the first wireless device and the second communication unit of the second wireless device communicate with each other at a predetermined cycle, and the distance measuring unit performs the communication every time the communication is performed. It is preferable to measure the distance to the second wireless device.

  The control means monitors from when the distance measured by the distance measuring means exceeds the first distance as the predetermined distance until it falls below a second distance that is smaller than the first distance. As described above, the distance measurement unit repeatedly measures the distance in the monitoring state, the reading unit reads the identification information of the RFID tag each time the measurement is performed, and the list generation unit generates the state before entering the monitoring state. It is preferable to repeatedly determine whether or not the identification information existing in the identification information list has been read.

  It is preferable that the distance measuring unit measures a distance based on a signal strength of a carrier wave used for communication from the second communication unit received by the first communication unit.

  The first wireless device includes the reading unit that is provided on a carriage and sets the predetermined readable range so that the RFID tag attached to the luggage mounted on the carriage of the carriage can be read. The second wireless device is preferably portable.

  The monitoring method according to the present invention is a monitoring method for notifying an abnormality of a package from a first wireless device that monitors the package by reading an RFID tag attached to the package, wherein the first wireless device monitors the package. In the wireless device, a communication step of communicating with the second wireless device using a first communication means for communication of the second wireless device, and communication with the second wireless device by the communication step A distance measuring step for measuring a distance to the second wireless device based on a reading step for reading identification information associated with the package from an RFID tag in a predetermined readable range using a reading unit; A list generation step for generating a list of the identification information based on the identification information read in the reading step; and once the reading step is executed to read the identification information of the RFID tag In addition, after generating the list of identification information by executing the list generation step, when the distance measured by repeatedly executing the distance measurement step exceeds a predetermined distance, the reading step is executed and the reading step is performed. When the identification information of the RFID tag was read and the identification information existing in the previously generated list of identification information could not be read, the identification information could not be read by executing the communication step. A control step of notifying the second wireless device that there is an abnormality in the package, and in the second wireless device, a second communication means for communication with the first wireless device is provided. Using the communication step to realize the communication step, and in the communication step, there is an abnormality with respect to the baggage whose identification information could not be read from the first wireless device. And executes and a notification step of notifying when notified that.

  Preferably, the communication step is executed at a predetermined cycle, and the distance measurement step is executed every time the communication step is performed to measure the distance to the second radio apparatus.

  The control step monitors from the time when the distance measured in the distance measuring step exceeds the first distance as the predetermined distance until the distance falls below a second distance that is smaller than the first distance. As the state, each time the ranging step is performed in the monitoring state, the reading step is executed to read the identification information of the RFID tag and the list generation step is executed to generate a list of identification information. It is preferable that the determination as to whether or not the identification information existing in the list of identification information generated before the monitoring state is read is repeated.

  It is preferable that the distance measuring step measures a distance based on a signal strength of a carrier wave used for communication from the second communication unit received by the first communication unit.

  In the monitoring system of the present invention, the first wireless device reads the identification information of the RFID tag attached to each package, generates a list of identification information, and performs the second based on communication with the second wireless device. When the distance to the wireless device is measured, the RFID tag identification information is read again when the predetermined distance is exceeded, and when the identification information existing in the previous identification information list cannot be read, The second wireless device is notified that there is a baggage whose identification information could not be read, that is, there was an abnormality, and the second wireless device that received this notifies the fact. As described above, in the present invention, a small-sized and highly efficient communication configuration in which the package attached with the RFID tag is centrally monitored in the first wireless device and the second wireless device is notified when there is an abnormality. Therefore, a low-cost monitoring system can be realized. According to the present invention, for example, a first wireless device is installed in a cart as a small-scale and low-cost monitoring system that is optimal when a delivery person carries a plurality of packages on a cart and patrols a delivery destination. The second wireless device can be carried by the delivery person, and when the delivery person leaves the carriage, the first wireless apparatus monitors the RFID tag attached to the package in an integrated manner and is mounted on the carriage. When the RFID attached to the package cannot be read, a monitoring system can be realized that notifies the second wireless device carried by the delivery person to that effect.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless terminal as a first wireless device of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless terminal as a second wireless device of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle terminal of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the operation of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the operation of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The monitoring system includes a wireless terminal 1 as a first wireless device, a wireless terminal 2 as a second wireless device, It consists of an ID tag 3 as an RFID tag and an in-vehicle terminal 7. The ID tag 3 stores unique identification information and is attached to the package 4. The identification information is referred to as an ID code in the following description. Although not shown, the ID tag 3 receives a radio wave from a storage circuit that stores an ID code and an ID tag reader (to be described later), reads the ID code from the storage circuit, and transmits a radio wave on which the ID code is superimposed. A receiving circuit, a transmitting circuit, and an antenna are provided. The ID code of the ID tag 3 is associated with delivery information including, for example, the package number of the package 4 to which the ID tag 3 is attached, the delivery address, and the scheduled delivery date and time. The ID tag 3 is provided on a delivery slip attached to the package 4. The wireless terminal 1 is provided on a cart 5 which is a hand cart, and includes an ID tag reader. The ID tag reader reads an ID code from each ID tag 3 of a plurality of packages 4 mounted on the cart 5, and the cart 5 The plurality of loaded packages 4 are monitored. The wireless terminal 1 communicates with the wireless terminal 2 carried by the delivery person using radio waves in a predetermined frequency band as a carrier wave, and measures the distance from the wireless terminal 2 based on the electric field strength of the carrier wave transmitted from the wireless terminal 2 It is. The wireless terminal 1 enters a monitoring state when the distance L with the wireless terminal 2 becomes larger than the predetermined distance L1, and when the distance L with the wireless terminal 2 becomes smaller than the predetermined distance L2. The monitoring state is canceled. Here, the distance L2 is smaller than the distance L1. When the baggage 4 is taken away in the monitoring state and the so-called placement is generated, the wireless terminal 1 has an abnormality in the baggage 4 because it cannot read the ID code of the tag 3 attached to the baggage 4 that should be. Is detected, and the wireless terminal 2 is notified that there is an abnormality. When the wireless terminal 2 communicates with the wireless terminal 1 and receives a notification that there is an abnormality from the wireless terminal 1, the wireless terminal 2 performs an alarm operation and notifies the delivery person of the alarm. The wireless terminal 1 is mounted on the delivery vehicle 6 together with the carriage 5 and is activated in response to an activation command transmitted wirelessly from the in-vehicle terminal 7 of the delivery vehicle 6 when the delivery vehicle 6 is taken out of the vehicle. To an operation state to be described later. The in-vehicle terminal 7 reads the ID tag 3 of the package mounted in the luggage compartment of the delivery vehicle 6 by an ID tag reader described later, monitors the package 4 based on the ID code of the ID tag 3, and specifies each delivery destination. A base that displays a delivery route on a display unit to be described later, acquires an ID code of the ID tag 3 of the package that has been delivered via the wireless terminal 2, identifies the package that has been delivered, and shows the delivery status of the package (not shown) This is to notify the station.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the wireless terminal 1, and the configuration of the wireless terminal 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The wireless terminal 1 includes a control unit 11, an ID tag reader 12, a terminal communication unit 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, and an ID tag 16. The control unit 11 controls the wireless terminal 1 and is connected to the ID tag reader 12, the terminal communication unit 13, the display unit 14, and the operation unit 15 through a bus. The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 111 that executes a computer program that realizes the operation of the wireless terminal 1 and a storage unit 112. The storage unit 112 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a computer program executed by the CPU 111, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores an execution result of the computer program, for example, an ID code list to be described later. The ID tag reader 12 is a well-known RFID tag reader that reads an RFID tag, and is installed in the cart 5 so that a space from the loading platform to a predetermined height is a reading range of the ID tag 3 on the cart 5. The ID tag reader 12 transmits a radio wave superimposed with an ID code request, receives the radio wave superimposed with the ID code transmitted by the ID tag 3 in response to the radio wave, and reads the ID code. The ID tag 3 transmits the ID code with a unique delay time after receiving the ID code request. As a result, the ID tag reader 12 receives the ID codes of the plurality of ID tags 3 in a time division manner and can read the plurality of ID tags 3. The terminal communication unit 13 is for communicating with the wireless terminal 2 and the in-vehicle terminal 7, and includes a transmission circuit and a reception circuit (not shown) for communicating with a radio wave of a predetermined frequency band as a carrier wave. The receiving circuit includes a measuring circuit for measuring the electric field strength of the carrier wave. The display unit 14 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device, and is for displaying a monitoring status such as an ID code list when the wireless terminal 1 is activated. The operation unit 15 includes a keyboard and the like. The manual operation of a delivery person or the like causes the wireless terminal 1 to be in an activated state or a standby state, causes the ID tag reader 12 to perform a reading operation, and selects display contents on the display unit 14. Is. The ID tag 16 is an RFID tag similar to the ID tag 3 and is provided on an exterior (not shown) of the wireless terminal 1. The ID code stored in the ID tag 16 is associated with information for specifying each of the wireless terminal 1 and the carriage 5. The ID tag 16 is read by an ID tag reader of the in-vehicle terminal 7, and the ID code is used for monitoring the wireless terminal 1 and the carriage 5.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the wireless terminal 2, and the configuration of the wireless terminal 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The wireless terminal 2 includes a control unit 21, an ID tag reader 22, a terminal communication unit 23, a display unit 24, an operation unit 25, an ID tag 26, and an alarm unit 27. The control unit 21 controls the wireless terminal 2 and is connected to the ID tag reader 22, the terminal communication unit 23, the display unit 24, the operation unit 25, and the alarm unit 27 via a bus. The control unit 21 includes a CPU 211 that executes a computer program that realizes the operation of the wireless terminal 2 and a storage unit 212. The storage unit 212 includes a ROM that stores a computer program executed by the CPU 211, a RAM that stores an execution result of the computer program, for example, an ID code that is a target of an alarm operation, and the like. The ID tag reader 22 is a well-known RFID tag reader that reads an RFID tag, and is provided on a part of the exterior of the wireless terminal 2 (not shown). For example, when delivery of the parcel 4 is completed, the delivery person moves the ID tag reader 22 to the delivery slip. It is used to operate the operation unit 25 so as to face the ID tag 3 provided on the ID tag 3 and read the ID code from the ID tag 3. The ID code read when the delivery of the parcel 4 is completed is stored in the storage unit 212. The terminal communication unit 23 is for communicating with the wireless terminal 2 and the vehicle-mounted terminal 7 described later, and includes a transmission circuit and a reception circuit (not shown) for communicating with a radio wave of a predetermined frequency band as a carrier wave. The display unit 24 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device, and displays an ID code that is an object of an alarm operation when the wireless terminal 2 is activated. The operation unit 25 is composed of a keyboard or the like, and is used to select the display content of the display unit 14 by causing the wireless terminal 2 to be activated or in a standby state by manual operation, causing the ID tag reader 22 to perform a reading operation. The ID tag 26 is an RFID tag similar to the ID tag 3 and is provided on an exterior (not shown) of the wireless terminal 2. The ID code stored in the ID tag 26 is associated with information for specifying the wireless terminal 2. The ID tag 26 is read by the ID tag reader of the in-vehicle terminal 7, and the ID code is used for monitoring the wireless terminal 2. The alarm unit 27 includes, for example, a speaker and a sound reporting device, and generates an alarm sound during an alarm operation. Not limited to this, the alarm unit 27 may include a vibration device such as a vibration motor and perform an alarm operation by vibration. Alternatively, the alarm unit 27 may include a light emitting device such as a light emitting diode and blink to alarm the alarm operation. It may be performed, or an alarm operation may be performed by a combination of sound, vibration, light, and the like.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle terminal 7 mounted on the delivery vehicle 6, and the configuration of the in-vehicle terminal 7 will be described with reference to FIG. The in-vehicle terminal 7 includes a control unit 71, an ID tag reader 72, a terminal communication unit 73, a display unit 74, an operation unit 75, a communication unit 76, a GPS (Global Positioning System) reception unit 77, and a traffic information reception. Unit 78 and a map information storage unit 79. The control unit 71 controls the in-vehicle terminal 7, and includes an ID tag reader 72, a terminal communication unit 73, a display unit 74, an operation unit 75, a communication unit 76, and a GPS reception unit 77 via a bus. The traffic information receiving unit 78 and the map information storage unit 79 are connected. The control unit 71 includes a CPU 711 that executes a computer program for realizing the operation of the in-vehicle terminal 7 and a storage unit 712. The storage unit 712 includes a ROM for storing a computer program executed by the CPU 711, a hard disk device, a RAM for storing an ID code list of the ID tag 3 read by the ID tag reader 72, a hard disk device, and the like. . The ID tag reader 72 is a well-known RFID tag reader that reads an RFID tag. Although not shown, the ID tag reader 72 includes a side wall and a ceiling of the cargo compartment so that the cargo compartment of the delivery vehicle 6 can be read by the ID tag 3 and the ID tag 16. A plurality of antennas for reading are appropriately arranged, and the ID tag reader 72 performs a reading operation by selectively using the plurality of antennas. The in-vehicle terminal 7 reads the ID codes of the ID tag 3 and the ID tag 16 by the ID tag reader 72 and monitors the luggage 4, the cart 5, and the wireless terminal 1. In addition, although not shown, a mounting table for the wireless terminal 2 is provided near the driver's seat of the delivery vehicle 6, so that the ID tag 26 of the wireless terminal 2 faces when the wireless terminal 2 is placed on the mounting table. The in-vehicle terminal 7 reads the ID code of the ID tag 26 by the ID tag reader 72 that selectively uses the antenna of the driver's seat, separately from the antenna of the room. To monitor. For monitoring, the in-vehicle terminal 7 stores a table of ID codes associated with the luggage 4, the cart 5, the wireless terminal 1, and the wireless terminal 2 in the storage unit 712. In particular, the ID code of each ID tag 3 is associated as one record with delivery information including the package number, delivery address and scheduled delivery date and time of the package 4 to be attached, for each ID code, in other words, for each package 4. A table of delivery information consisting of these records is stored in the storage unit 712. Such a record is acquired from the system of the base station via a communication unit described later. Not limited to this, a terminal connected to the system of the base station is provided at a pickup place where the package 4 is loaded on the delivery vehicle 6, and a record of the package 4 to be loaded is sent from this terminal to the radio terminal 2, All the records may be transmitted from the wireless terminal 2 to the in-vehicle terminal 7 when the loading of all the packages 4 is completed, and the in-vehicle terminal 7 may acquire the records. In this case, the in-vehicle terminal 7 reads the ID code from the ID tag 3 of the loaded baggage 4 and confirms that there is no omission in reading with all the records acquired from the wireless terminal 2, and delivers by the acquired record. The information table may be updated. The terminal communication unit 73 is for communicating with the wireless terminal 1 and the wireless terminal 2 and includes a transmission circuit and a reception circuit (not shown) for communicating with a radio wave of a predetermined frequency band as a carrier wave. The display unit 74 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device, and is used for displaying the operation status of the in-vehicle terminal 7 and monitoring status such as an ID code list read by the ID tag reader 72, and displaying the delivery route of the package. Is to do. The operation unit 75 includes a keyboard and the like, and is used for operating the in-vehicle terminal 7. For example, the operation unit 75 is for causing the ID tag reader 72 to perform a reading operation and selecting display contents on the display unit 74.

  The communication unit 76 is composed of a data communication device such as a mobile phone device or a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) device. It is for sending. For example, when the control unit 71 detects that the wireless terminal 2 once removed from the mounting table is returned to the mounting table by reading the ID tag 26 by the ID tag reader 72, the control unit 71 reads the wireless terminal 2 when the delivery to the wireless terminal 2 is completed. The terminal communication unit 73 is caused to transmit a command for notifying the received ID code. In response to this, the wireless terminal 2 transmits the corresponding ID code from the terminal communication unit 23. The control unit 71 that has received this ID code via the terminal communication unit 73 identifies the package 4 that has been delivered from this ID code, and compares this table with the delivery information table stored in the storage unit 712. Information on whether or not the delivery has been completed for each record of the package 4 is added to form a delivery status list, which is transmitted from the communication unit 76 to the base station. As a result, the delivery status can be ascertained in the base station system, and a redelivery instruction can be transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal 7 for the parcel 4 that has been accepted for redelivery in the system. The system of the base station may designate the destination as appropriate and transmit it to the in-vehicle terminal 7. In addition, the wireless terminal 2 stores the ID code of the package 4 in which the abnormality to be alarmed is detected, for example, the package 4 that has been placed in the storage unit 212, and notifies the ID code read from the in-vehicle terminal 7 When receiving the instruction, the ID code of the baggage 4 in which the abnormality is detected may be transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal 7 with information indicating that there is an abnormality. If the in-vehicle terminal 7 transmits this to the base station system, it is possible to grasp that there was an abnormality in the base station system.

  The GPS receiver 77 is for receiving a signal from a GPS satellite and specifying the current position of the delivery vehicle 6. The traffic information receiving unit 78 includes a VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) receiver, and receives road traffic information. The map information storage unit 79 includes a hard disk device that stores map information, and uses a part of the hard disk device of the storage unit 712 of the control unit 71. The control unit 71 stores a car navigation program in the storage unit 712, and includes a display unit 74, an operation unit 75, a GPS reception unit 77, a traffic information reception unit 78, and a map information storage unit 79 together with a well-known car. A navigation device is configured. The control unit 71 executes the car navigation program stored in the storage unit 712, and includes the road traffic information received by the traffic information receiving unit 78, and is included in the delivery information, that is, included in the delivery information. The destination is set based on the delivery address and the scheduled delivery date and time, the delivery route is edited, the route guidance is displayed on the display unit 74 along the delivery route, and the route guidance operation is performed. Here, the set destination is up to the address of the delivery address, and a common destination may be set for a plurality of packages 4. In the description of the operation of the monitoring system described later, it is assumed that a common destination is set for the plurality of packages 4.

  Next, the operation of the monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic diagrams of FIGS. 5 and 6 and the flowchart of FIG. The control unit 71 ends the route guidance operation when the delivery vehicle 6 enters the destination, and displays the delivery information of the package 4 having the destination as the destination on the display unit 74. The control unit 71 reads the ID tags 16 and 26 of the wireless terminals 1 and 2 with the ID tag reader 72 and confirms that the wireless terminals 1 and 2 are present. The ID tag reader 72 continues to read the ID tags 16 and 26 of the wireless terminals 1 and 2 at a second cycle. In addition, after 5 minutes, the ID tags 16 and 26 of the wireless terminals 1 and 2 are read by the ID tag reader 72 at a 1-minute cycle, and the wireless terminals 1 and 2 are monitored. Here, when the delivery person removes the wireless terminal 2 from the mounting table and the ID tag reader 72 cannot read the ID tag 26 of the wireless terminal 2, the control unit 71 keeps time in a time measuring unit (not shown) of the control unit 71. The terminal communication unit 73 transmits an activation command to the wireless terminal 2 at a timing of every second.

  Here, a time synchronization unit (not shown) of the control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 and a time measurement unit of the control unit 71 are synchronized in seconds. For example, the first activation of the wireless terminal 2 is performed by a manual operation by the operation unit 15, and at that time, a synchronization request is transmitted from the transmission circuit of the terminal communication unit 23, and the reception circuit of the terminal communication unit 23 is always in a reception state. To do. When the control unit 71 of the in-vehicle terminal 7 receives the synchronization request via the terminal communication unit 73, the control unit 71 causes the transmission circuit of the terminal communication unit 73 to transmit a synchronization signal at a timing of every second counted by the time measurement unit. The control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 synchronizes the time measuring unit with the time measuring unit of the control unit 71 based on the timing at which the reception circuit of the terminal communication unit 23 receives the synchronization signal, and the synchronization is completed from the transmission circuit of the terminal communication unit 23 Send a message to the effect. In this way, synchronization with the timing unit of the control unit 71 is achieved. The control unit 21 puts the receiving circuit of the terminal communication unit 23 into an operating state for 0.1 second before and after the timing of every second of the timing unit of the control unit 21. The control unit 21 sets the timekeeping unit to an operating state, intermittently sets the receiving circuit to an operating state, stops supplying power to other components, and puts the wireless terminal 2 in a standby state. When the control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 receives an activation command from the in-vehicle terminal 7 via the reception circuit of the terminal communication unit 23, the control unit 21 activates the wireless terminal 2 to an operating state. When the operation state is entered, first, the transmission completion of the terminal communication unit 23 is transmitted from the transmission circuit. When the control unit 71 of the in-vehicle terminal 7 receives the completion of activation via the terminal communication unit 73, the ID code of the ID tag 3 of each package 4 having the current destination as the destination is sent to the terminal communication unit 73 and these IDs. Delivery information associated with each code is transmitted to the wireless terminal 2. When receiving the ID code and the delivery information via the terminal communication unit 23, the control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 stores them in the storage unit 212 and causes the display unit 24 to display the delivery information.

  When the delivery person takes out the cart 5 from the luggage compartment of the delivery vehicle 6, reading of the ID tag 16 by the ID tag reader 72 of the in-vehicle terminal 7 is interrupted. When the control unit 71 of the in-vehicle terminal 7 cannot read the ID tag 16, the control unit 71 transmits an activation command to the wireless terminal 1 by the terminal communication unit 73 at the timing of every second counted by the time measuring unit of the control unit 71. To do. The control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 synchronizes seconds in advance with the time measuring unit (not shown) and the time measuring unit of the control unit 71. This synchronization is performed by the same configuration and operation as in the case of the wireless terminal 2. The receiving circuit of the terminal communication unit 13 is in an operating state for 0.1 second before and after the timing of every second of the timing unit of the control unit 11 synchronized with the timing unit of the control unit 71. The control unit 11 puts the wireless terminal 1 in a standby state by stopping the power supply to other components only by setting the time measuring unit to the operating state and intermittently setting the receiving circuit to the operating state. When the control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 receives an activation command from the in-vehicle terminal 7 via the terminal communication unit 13, the control unit 11 activates the wireless terminal 1 to an operating state (step S71). When the operation state is entered, first, a message indicating completion of activation is transmitted from the transmission circuit of the terminal communication unit 13. When the control unit 71 of the in-vehicle terminal 7 receives the completion of activation via the terminal communication unit 73, the ID code of the ID tag 3 of each package 4 having the current destination as the destination is sent to the terminal communication unit 73 and these IDs. The delivery information associated with each of the codes is transmitted to the wireless terminal 1. When receiving the ID code and the delivery information from the terminal communication unit 13, the control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 stores the ID code and the delivery information in the storage unit 112.

  The control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 causes the terminal communication unit 13 to transmit an access request for the wireless terminal 2 immediately after activation. When receiving the access request via the terminal communication unit 23, the control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 causes the terminal communication unit 23 to transmit an access response to the wireless terminal 1. Here, when the control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 measures the electric field strength of the carrier wave with the access response superimposed on a measurement circuit (not shown) of the terminal communication unit 13 and receives the access response via the terminal communication unit 13 Is specified as a reference value for distance measurement (step S72). The wireless terminal 1 is activated when the delivery person takes the cart 5 out of the cargo room. At this time, the wireless terminal 2 carried by the delivery person and the wireless terminal 1 of the carriage 5 are close to each other. The electric field strength of the carrier wave transmitted from the terminal 2 is measured and used as a reference value for distance measurement. Here, the control unit 11 may transmit an access request a predetermined number of times, receive an access response a predetermined number of times, measure the electric field strength a predetermined number of times, and use an average value of the measured electric field strength as a reference value. The storage unit 112 of the control unit 11 stores a table in which sections of the electric field strength of the reference value are defined and electric field strengths at distances L1 and L2 described later are associated with each section. This table is specified experimentally in advance. For example, the electric field strength VL11 at the distance L1 and the electric field strength VL21 at the distance L2 are set for the first section, the electric field strength V1 or more and less than V2, and the second section, the electric field strength VL21 at the distance L2 is set at the distance L1. An electric field strength VL12 and an electric field strength VL22 at a distance L2 are set, and an electric field strength VL13 at a distance L1 and an electric field strength VL23 at a distance L2 are set for the third section, the electric field strength V3 to less than V4. The storage unit 112 is stored. When the reference value is included in the first section, the control unit 11 uses the electric field strength VL11 at the distance L1 and the electric field strength VL21 at the distance L2 as threshold values for distance measurement. As described above, the distance L1 is set to a monitoring state in which the terminal device 1 places the load 4 when the wireless terminal 1 and the wireless terminal 2 exceed this distance, that is, monitors whether there is an abnormality. It is a threshold. For example, the distance L1 is set to 6 m or the like, and an appropriate distance is set so that the delivery person away from the cart 5 can track the criminal if the delivery person knows the placement of the luggage 4. The distance L2 is a threshold value for canceling the monitoring state, and is set to a value smaller than the distance L1, and the transition operation is stabilized by providing hysteresis in the transition between the monitoring state and the monitoring cancellation state. Here, for example, when the distance L1 is 6 m, the distance L2 is 3 m.

  Next, the control unit 11 puts the wireless terminal 1 in a monitoring release state (step S73). For a while after the carriage 5 is taken out of the delivery vehicle 6, the delivery person mounts the luggage 4 on the loading platform of the carriage 5 according to the delivery information displayed on the display unit 24 of the wireless terminal 2. As described above, while the delivery person is in the vicinity of the carriage 5, the monitoring may be canceled. After entering the monitoring release state, the control unit 11 causes the ID tag reader 12 to read the ID tag 3. When the ID code is read from the ID tag 3 of the package 4 by the ID tag reader 12, the control unit 11 creates an ID code list C1 of the ID code of the read ID tag 3 and stores it in the storage unit 112 (step S74). Following the creation of the ID code list C1, the control unit 11 causes the terminal communication unit 13 to transmit an access request for the wireless terminal 2. When receiving the access request via the terminal communication unit 23, the control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 causes the terminal communication unit 23 to transmit an access response to the wireless terminal 1. Here, the control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 causes the measurement circuit (not shown) of the terminal communication unit 13 to measure the electric field strength of the carrier wave of the access response, and the electric field when receiving the access response via the terminal communication unit 13 By measuring the intensity, the distance L between the wireless terminal 1 and the wireless terminal 2 is measured (step S75). The control unit 11 compares the measured electric field strength with the electric field strength at the distance L1 selected from the table based on the above-described reference value, for example, the electric field strength VL11, and when the measured electric field strength is smaller than the electric field strength VL11, the distance Assume that L is larger than the distance L1 (step S76: Yes), and that the distance L is equal to or less than the distance L1 when the measured electric field strength is equal to or greater than the electric field strength VL11 (step S76: No). When the distance L is less than or equal to the distance L1 (step S76: No), the controller 11 waits for a predetermined waiting time, for example, 1 second (step S77), returns to the operation after step S74, and the ID tag reader 12 To read the ID tag 3. While the parcel 4 to be delivered by the delivery person is mounted on the carriage 5, the delivery person is near the carriage 5, the distance L is equal to or less than the distance L1, and the operations in steps S74 to S77 are repeated. During this time, the control unit 11 compares the ID code of the ID tag 3 of the package 4 received from the in-vehicle terminal 7 in advance with the contents of the ID code list C1, and if there is an insufficient ID code in the ID code list C1, The delivery information of the corresponding package 4 is displayed, and when all the ID codes of the package 4 to be delivered are in the ID code list C1, that fact is displayed on the display unit 14. The delivery person can confirm that the package 4 to be delivered is mounted on the cart 5 by the display on the display unit 14.

  While the delivery person goes to the delivery destination together with the cart 5, the operations in steps S74 to S77 are repeated. As shown in FIG. 5, when the delivery person carrying the wireless terminal 2 unloads the baggage 4 from the cart 5 and takes the baggage 4 and leaves the cart 5 toward the destination, the ID code list C1 is updated in step S74. The delivery information of the unloaded baggage 4 is displayed as a shortage on the display unit 14, the distance L is measured in step S75, and it is determined in step S76 whether the distance L has exceeded the distance L1. If the controller 11 determines that the delivery person has moved away from the carriage 5 and the distance L has exceeded the distance L1 (step S76: Yes), the control unit 11 sets the wireless terminal 1 in a monitoring state (step S78). Next, the control part 11 measures the distance L with respect to the radio | wireless terminal 2 by the operation | movement similar to the operation | movement of step S75 (step S79). The control unit 11 compares the measured electric field intensity with the electric field intensity at the distance L2 selected from the table based on the above-described reference value, for example, the electric field intensity VL21, and when the measured electric field intensity is greater than the electric field intensity VL21, the distance L is assumed to be smaller than the distance L2 (step S7A: Yes), and when the measured electric field strength is less than or equal to the electric field strength VL21, the distance L is greater than the distance L2, and the distance L is not smaller than the distance L2 (step S7A: No). . When it is determined that the distance L is not smaller than the distance L2 (step S7A: No), the control unit 11 causes the ID tag reader 12 to read the ID tag 3, and the ID code list C2 of the ID code of the read ID tag 3 Is created in the storage unit 112 (step S7B). Next, the control unit 11 compares the ID code list C2 with the ID code list C1 created in the monitoring release state, and whether or not they are inconsistent, that is, whether or not there is a difference in the ID codes on these lists. Is determined (step S7C). When the baggage 4 is taken away as shown in FIG. 6 after the wireless terminal 1 enters the monitoring state, the ID code of the ID tag 3 of the baggage 4 carried away during the reading operation of the ID tag reader 12 is not read. The ID code list C2 created based on the reading operation does not include the ID code of the ID tag 3 of the removed luggage 4, and the ID code list C1 and the ID code list C2 do not match. The control unit 11 determines this discrepancy and removes the load 4 and detects occurrence of placement.

  When determining that there is no mismatch between the ID code list C1 and the ID code list C2 (step S7C: No), the control unit 11 waits for a predetermined waiting time, for example, 0.1 seconds (step S7D). Returning to the operation after step S79, the distance L to the wireless terminal 2 is measured (step S79). If it is determined that the distance L is not smaller than the distance L2 (step S7A: No), the ID code list C2 is again displayed. It is created (step S7B), and it is determined whether or not the ID code list C1 and the ID code list C2 do not match (step S7C). As described above, when the monitoring state is entered, the control unit 11 waits for 1 second in step S77 in the monitoring cancellation state of 0.1 second until it is determined that the ID code list C1 and the ID code list C2 do not match. In a shorter waiting time, the distance L measurement operation, the ID code reading operation, the ID code list C2 creation operation, and the mismatch determination operation are repeated. Thus, the wireless terminal 1 is configured to be able to immediately detect when the luggage 4 is carried. If the control unit 11 determines in step S7C that a mismatch has occurred between the ID code list C1 and the ID code list C2, the control unit 11 causes the terminal communication unit 13 to communicate with the terminal communication unit 23 of the wireless terminal 2 and exists in the ID code list C1. ID code that does not exist in the ID code list C2, that is, in other words, an ID code corresponding to the package 4 that has been placed, that is, an abnormality has occurred, that is, there is an abnormality. To the wireless terminal 2 (step S7E). Here, the information transmitted from the wireless terminal 1 is only the information indicating the ID code and abnormality, and has a configuration with good communication efficiency. In addition, after notifying that there is an abnormality to the wireless terminal 2, the control unit 11 returns to the operation of step S7D, and the carriage 5 is loaded into the luggage compartment of the delivery vehicle 6 and is brought into a standby state by communication from the vehicle terminal 7. The above operation is continued until a command for returning is received or a command for returning to the standby state is received from the operation unit 15 which has been operated by the delivery person.

  When the control unit 21 of the wireless terminal 2 receives the ID code of the abnormal package 4 from the wireless terminal 1 and the fact that there is an abnormality, the control unit 21 generates an alarm sound in the alarm unit (step S7F), and the notified ID code The delivery information associated with this is read from the storage unit 212 and displayed on the display unit 24 to indicate that there is an abnormality in the package 4 indicated by the delivery information. As a result, the delivery person knows that there was an abnormality in the package 4 specified by the delivery information displayed together with the fact that there was an abnormality immediately, that is, that the package 4 had been placed at the store, and tried to track the criminal. And take necessary actions. In addition, the control unit 21 stores the ID code of the baggage 4 having an abnormality and the fact that there was an abnormality in the storage unit 212 as a log list together with the occurrence date and time. When it is determined that the ID code of the abnormal bag 4 is caused by a reading error of the ID tag reader 12 by confirming the bag 4 of the cart 5 later, the operation unit 25 of the wireless terminal 2 is operated to It is preferable that the storage unit 212 stores error information indicating that the ID code of the baggage 4 that has occurred due to a malfunction is attached to the corresponding ID code in the log list. If there is this error information when transmitting the ID code of the baggage 4 that is abnormal to the base station system described above, if this error information is also transmitted, the occurrence status of malfunction in the base station system can be confirmed. It becomes possible to grasp.

  Moreover, if the control part 11 determines with the distance L being smaller than the distance L2 in step S7A (step 7A: Yes), it will cancel | release a monitoring state and will be in a monitoring cancellation | release state (step S7F). The control unit 11 waits for a predetermined waiting time, for example, 1 second after entering the monitoring release state (step S7H), returns to the operation after step S74, and causes the ID tag reader 12 to read the ID tag 3. As described above, when the distance L becomes larger than the distance L1, the monitoring state is set, and when the distance L becomes smaller than the distance L2, which is smaller than the distance L1, the monitoring state is released. Therefore, this transition operation becomes stable, and the operation of the wireless terminal 1 can be stabilized. In the monitoring state, the control unit 11 of the wireless terminal 1 invalidates operations performed on the operation unit 15 unless a predetermined password is input from the operation unit 15.

  In the monitoring system of the embodiment of the present invention, the wireless terminal 1 reads the ID code of the ID tag 3 attached to each package 4 to generate an ID code list C1, and wirelessly based on communication with the wireless terminal 2. The distance L to the terminal 2 is measured, and when the predetermined distance L1 is exceeded, the ID code of the ID tag 3 is read, the ID code list C2 is created, and the ID code list C1 is compared with the ID code list C2. When the ID code existing in the ID code list C1 does not exist in the ID code list C2, the wireless terminal 2 is notified that there is an abnormality with the nonexistent ID code, and the wireless terminal 2 generates an alarm sound. The delivery information of the package 4 that has occurred and corresponds to the non-existing ID code is displayed on the display unit 24 to notify that the package 4 has an abnormality. As described above, the monitoring system centrally monitors the package 4 attached with the ID tag 3 in the wireless terminal 1 and, when there is an abnormality, the ID code and the abnormality associated with the package 4 that has been identified as abnormal. Since the wireless terminal 2 is notified of the information to be shown in a small-scale and efficient communication configuration, a low-cost monitoring system can be realized. For example, it is possible to provide a small-scale and low-cost monitoring system that is optimal when a delivery person carries a plurality of packages on a cart and patrols a delivery destination.

  In the above-described monitoring system, the ID code list C1 is created by repeatedly reading the ID code at a predetermined cycle in the monitoring release state of the wireless terminal 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the ID code list C1 may be generated in response to a predetermined operation performed on the operation unit 15 of the wireless terminal 1, and the wireless terminal 2 may be configured by a predetermined operation performed on the operation unit 25 of the wireless terminal 2. The wireless terminal 1 may be configured to transmit a creation command to the wireless terminal 1 and in response to this, the wireless terminal 1 may create the ID code list C1. A stop command may be transmitted from the wireless terminal 2 to the wireless terminal 1 by a predetermined operation performed on the operation unit 25 of the terminal 2, and the wireless terminal 1 may stop generating the subsequent ID code list C1. With this configuration, when the delivery person leaves the carriage 5, the contents of the ID code list C1 can be fixed at that time. Even in the case of encountering withdrawal, this can be detected after the delivery person leaves the carriage 5 by the distance L1.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wireless terminal 11 Control part 12 ID tag reader 13 Terminal communication part 2 Wireless terminal 21 Control part 23 Terminal communication part 27 Alarm part

Claims (9)

A monitoring system for notifying an abnormality of the package from a first wireless device that monitors the package by reading an RFID tag attached to the package,
The first wireless device is:
First communication means for communication with the second wireless device;
Distance measuring means for measuring a distance to the second wireless device based on communication with the second wireless device by the first communication means;
Reading means for reading identification information associated with the package from an RFID tag in a predetermined readable range;
List generating means for generating a list of the identification information based on the identification information read from the reading means;
Once the reading means once reads the identification information of the RFID tag and the list generation means generates a list of identification information, the reading when the distance measured by the distance measuring means exceeds a predetermined distance. When the identification information of the RFID tag is read by the means and the identification information existing in the list of identification information generated by the list generation means cannot be read, the identification information cannot be read. Control means for notifying the second wireless device by the first communication means that there is an abnormality in the package;
With
The second wireless device is
Second communication means for communicating with the first wireless device;
An informing means for informing when receiving notification that there is an abnormality in the baggage whose identification information could not be read from the first wireless device;
A monitoring system comprising:   The first communication unit of the first wireless device and the second communication unit of the second wireless device communicate with each other at a predetermined cycle, and the distance measuring unit performs the second communication for each communication. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein a distance to the wireless device is measured. The control means monitors from when the distance measured by the distance measuring means exceeds the first distance as the predetermined distance until it falls below a second distance that is smaller than the first distance. As described above, the distance measurement unit repeatedly measures the distance in the monitoring state, the reading unit reads the identification information of the RFID tag each time the measurement is performed, and the list generation unit generates the state before entering the monitoring state. It repeats the determination whether or not the identification information existing in the list of identification information has been read.
The monitoring system according to claim 2.   4. The distance measuring unit according to claim 1, wherein the distance measuring unit measures a distance based on a signal strength of a carrier wave used for communication from the second communication unit received by the first communication unit. The monitoring system described.   The first wireless device includes the reading unit that is provided on a carriage and sets the predetermined readable range so that the RFID tag attached to the luggage mounted on the carriage of the carriage can be read. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the second wireless device is portable. A monitoring method for notifying an abnormality of a package from a first wireless device that monitors the package by reading an RFID tag attached to the package,
In the first wireless device,
A communication step of communicating with the second wireless device using first communication means for communication of the second wireless device;
A distance measuring step of measuring a distance to the second wireless device based on communication with the second wireless device in the communication step;
A reading step of reading identification information associated with the package from an RFID tag in a predetermined readable range using a reading unit;
A list generation step of generating a list of the identification information based on the identification information read in the reading step;
Once the reading step is executed to read the identification information of the RFID tag and the list generation step is executed to generate a list of identification information, the distance measured by repeatedly executing the ranging step is a predetermined distance. When the distance is exceeded, the reading step is executed to read the identification information of the RFID tag, and when the identification information existing in the list of the identification information generated before cannot be read, A control step of notifying the second wireless device that there is an abnormality with the package for which identification information could not be read by executing the communication step;
Run
In the second wireless device,
Realizing the communication step using a second communication means for communication with the first wireless device;
An informing step for informing when receiving notification that there is an abnormality in the package for which identification information could not be read from the first wireless device in the communication step;
The monitoring method characterized by performing.   The monitoring method according to claim 6, wherein the communication step is executed at a predetermined cycle, and the distance measurement step is executed every time the communication step is performed to measure the distance to the second wireless device. . The control step monitors from the time when the distance measured in the distance measuring step exceeds the first distance as the predetermined distance until the distance falls below a second distance that is smaller than the first distance. As the state, each time the ranging step is performed in the monitoring state, the reading step is executed to read the identification information of the RFID tag and the list generation step is executed to generate a list of identification information. The monitoring method according to claim 7, wherein the determination as to whether or not the identification information existing in the list of identification information generated before the monitoring state has been read is repeated.   9. The distance measuring step according to claim 6, wherein the distance measuring step measures a distance based on a signal strength of a carrier wave used for communication from the second communication means received by the first communication means. The monitoring method described.