JP2013182368A - Paperless physical distribution system using smart phone short-distance communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic slip system additionally having a vertical axis management function so as to make a physical distribution management system paperless.SOLUTION: When transferring a cargo and a transportation lot sequentially from a consignor to a transportation company and from the transportation company to a consignee, both of persons who passes and receives directly exchange electronic slip information by using a short-distance communication function of a smart phone or the like carried by each person, and connect via the Internet to a data center (cloud computing system) in real time so as to share physical distribution management information, and a position of a smart phone carried by a driver as a carrier for the electronic slip is traced with a GPS function in real time, to thereby cause the electronic slip to have both of a vertical axis management function and a lateral axis management function, so as to carry out physical distribution management in a paperless manner.

Description

  The present invention relates to a service for implementing IT in logistics management.

  2. Description of the Related Art A transport management system, which is the basis of physical distribution management, generally includes a combination of a physical distribution slip that moves along a vertical axis along with a package to be transported and delivered and an electronic system that tracks a passage point of the load along a horizontal axis.

  At present, in a typical electronic logistics management system, a copy slip with a barcode (including other optical reading codes, IC tags, etc., the same applies below) is pasted on the package to be transported and delivered, and the shipper, carrier, shipping A vertical axis management system that delivers packages sequentially while the destination etc. each saves a voucher, and a horizontal axis management system that electronically tracks the position of the package by reading the barcode on the slip for each passing point of the package Are combined.

  A slipless (slip paperless) system has also been put into practical use in which only a barcode label is attached to a package so that the slip content can be read and displayed on a digital terminal. However, since the electronic slip (paperless slip) does not have a vertical axis management function that moves with the transport lot, in order to manage the transport lot with the vertical axis, it is necessary to use a paper medium slip that moves together with the transport lot. .

  In vein logistics management, an electronic manifest system (an electronic voucher system for confirming proper processing of waste, used cars, home appliances, etc.) has been put into practical use, but this also lacks a vertical axis management function, so paper Media transport instructions are also used.

  In this way, if the paper voucher carried by the driver and handed over at the site for both parcels and transport lots is completely abolished (completely paperless), the vertical axis management becomes difficult, making the voucher-less (electronic voucher) Even in a system that has been converted into a paper, the actual situation is that paper media are used together in some form, such as carrying a paper slip or a transport instruction in units of transport lots (vehicles or containers) to the driver.

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  If paper slips that are transported together with packages and lots and are sequentially delivered are completely abolished, it becomes difficult to manage the vertical axis of physical distribution. Therefore, the current physical distribution management system is an electronic system that is good at horizontal axis management, Paper vouchers that are good at axis management are used in combination, and paperless (complete electronic voucher) is not possible.

  In order to make the physical distribution management system completely paperless, an electronic voucher system having a vertical axis management function is required.

The epoch-making point of the present invention is that the paper sheet vertical axis management function is replaced with an electronic voucher to realize a completely paperless physical distribution management system.
In the present invention, the short-distance communication function of a smartphone is used as a means for giving an electronic voucher a vertical axis management function, that is, a function for sequentially transferring information on-site like a paper voucher.
A bar code label is affixed to the package and associated with the electronic voucher for each package, and when loading into a vehicle or container, the bar code is read to create an electronic voucher for each transportation lot. At the point of sequentially delivering packages or transport lots to the destination, both parties who deliver deliveries own smartphones and exchange electronic voucher information directly on-site using the short-range communication function. (One company sends information, the other company receives the information and returns approval information), and sends these information to the data center (cloud computing system) via the Internet, Share logistics management information.

  In addition, the GPS function of the smartphone carried by the driver tracks the location / time of the smartphone during information exchange and movement, and this information is used as the location / time information of the luggage or transportation lot as a data center (cloud computing system). Share on This is the problem solving method of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, a martphone carried by a driver is used as a carrier of an electronic voucher, and the electronic voucher functions like a paper voucher in the vertical axis management function by sequentially transferring electronic voucher information as the transport lot moves. Therefore, it is possible to build a logistics management system that is completely paperless.

  Since logistics management is completely slipless, resources and energy can be saved, and paper slips issued, carried and stored can be streamlined. Since the logistics management information can be shared by the shipper, carrier, shipping destination, etc., it is possible to provide traceability services such as automatic arrival notice at the shipping destination, vehicle allocation / route management of the carrier, and automatic receipt report to the shipper. By using a general-purpose terminal called a smartphone as a mobile terminal platform carried by a carrier, system installation work can be streamlined and system development costs and system installation costs can be reduced.

Embodiment When using a smart phone as a carrier of an electronic voucher and exchanging electronic voucher information by a short-range communication function such as a smart phone at the time of delivery of a luggage and a transportation lot, the position of the smart phone carried by the carrier is tracked by a GPS function, By connecting the terminal and data center (cloud computing system) in real time and sharing logistics management information, the electronic voucher has both vertical and horizontal axis management functions, and paperless logistics management. 1 represents an embodiment of the invention. Example Each time the shipper, consignment location, carrier, transit location, and shipping destination own a personal computer, smartphone, etc. connected to the Internet, Sequentially exchange slip information, use the moving smartphone as the carrier of the electronic slip, connect the vertical axis management function that tracks the position with the GPS function, each terminal and the data center (cloud computing system) in real time, An embodiment of the present invention is shown in which physical distribution management is performed in combination with a horizontal axis management function for sharing physical distribution management information.

FIG. 1 represents an embodiment of the present invention.
Create an electronic voucher for each parcel, attach a bar code label to the parcel, read the bar code when loading it into a vehicle, etc., and create an electronic voucher for each transport lot. By using the short-range communication function, electronic slip information is exchanged, position / time information is associated with this information, transmitted to a data center (cloud computing system) via the Internet, and logistics management information is shared. The carrier carries the smartphone as a carrier for electronic slips during transportation and tracks the position by the GPS function. When the package arrives, the carrier and the shipping destination exchange electronic slip information in the same manner as when loading.
The shipper, the carrier, and the shipping destination share the logistics management information in real time by the cloud computing system, receive notification of necessary information, and view or update the information within the authorized authority.
A vertical axis management function, in which a smartphone becomes a carrier of electronic slips, moves with luggage and transportation lots, and tracks their positions, and horizontal axis management in which each terminal is connected to a cloud computing system and shares information in real time It is an embodiment of the present invention that the function enables paperless logistics management.

  The exchange of electronic slip information by the short-range communication function is performed by a procedure in which the other approves the information transmitted by one, but it is exchanged by the short-range communication function except for when it is offline. The main information of the electronic slip is uploaded or downloaded to the data center (cloud computing system) in the background via the Internet. Further, the position / time information of the terminal at the time of information exchange is also associated with the main information via the Internet. However, a copy of the main information is created in the memory of the terminal, and the main information is also exchanged by the short-range communication function when it is offline (outside the communication area or during communication failure).

In the present invention, a smartphone means a high-function mobile phone having a personal computer function, and has an Internet browsing function, application software execution function, long-distance communication function, short-range communication function, and GPS function as essential functions. However, it shall include portable personal computers, tablet personal computers, and other portable terminals that have the same or higher functions except for the voice call function.
Each person except the carrier may use any type of terminal such as a personal computer or a smartphone. However, in order to exchange information by short-range communication, at least one of the terminals needs to be a portable terminal. In addition, the carrier shall carry a portable terminal to a driver carrying a vehicle or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a specific embodiment of the present invention according to actual physical distribution management.
Shippers, consignment locations, carriers A and B, transit locations, PCs and smartphones owned by the shipping destination are always connected to the data center (cloud computing system) via the wired or wireless Internet. It is assumed that information can be directly exchanged between terminals by a short-range communication function whenever necessary.

  1 Transport request The shipper registers the transport request information using a smartphone, etc., and sends it to a personal computer at the transport consignment location. The transportation consignment site creates and returns electronic voucher information for each package, and the shipper returns approval information. If the shipper is an individual, the transportation request information can be registered on a personal computer at the transportation consignment site. Output the barcode label of the electronic slip number and attach it to the package. In addition, information exchange between the shipper and the terminal at the consignment site is performed by exchanging the slip number code information etc. by the short-range communication function, and at the same time, the main information of the electronic slip is transmitted to the data center in the background, and the electronic slip is sent to each terminal. This is done by sharing information. Further, the position / time information of the terminal at the time of information exchange is associated with the electronic slip information. In order to exchange information for offline processing, a copy of the electronic slip information is created in the memory of the terminal. In order to use the short-range communication function, at least one of the terminals used for information exchange must be a portable terminal such as a smartphone. (The following is the same for 2 and below.)

  2 Start of transportation When loading a baggage into a vehicle such as a vehicle or container, the bar code label attached to the baggage is read, an electronic slip is created for each lot, and a personal computer at the consignment site and the smartphone of Carrier A Electronic slip information is exchanged with the other companies. In addition, the terminal which a carrier carries with the driver | operator of a carrier must be portable terminals, such as a smart phone.

  3. Location for transportation Electronic slip information is exchanged between the carrier's smartphone, etc., and the personal computer at the transportation location. When transshipping to the carrier B's vehicle, the barcode attached to the parcel is read, a new electronic voucher is created for each lot, and the electronic mail is sent between the PC at the transit location and the smartphone of the carrier B, etc. Exchange slip information.

  4. End of transportation When the package arrives at the ship-to destination, electronic slip information is exchanged between the carrier B's smartphone, etc., and the PC at the ship-to destination. The shipping destination inspects the package by reading the barcode. When the shipping destination is an individual or the like, inspection can be omitted and receipt information can be registered on behalf of the carrier B's smartphone or the like. In the case of receipt in exchange for the price (cash on delivery), electronic payment can be made with a delivery destination smartphone or the like.

  5. Confirmation of transportation status Each time information is exchanged between each terminal, the location / time information of the terminal is associated with the electronic slip information, and the transportation status of the luggage or transportation lot is shared by each terminal. Arrival notice information is automatically transmitted to the shipping destination, and a request for changing the arrival date and time can be made. Territory information is automatically reported to the recipient. The carrier uses the GPS function of the smartphone to track the location in real time and perform precise vehicle allocation and route management.

It is possible to save resources and energy by streamlining logistics management and streamline paper voucher issuance, carrying and storage. Logistics management information can be shared by shippers, carriers, and shipping destinations, and services such as automatic arrival notification to shipping destinations, dispatch / route management of carriers, automatic receipt reports to shippers, and electronic payments can be provided. By using a general-purpose terminal called a smartphone as a platform for mobile terminals carried by carriers, system installation work can be streamlined, and system development costs and system introduction costs can be reduced.
In this way, there is an industrial utility for promoting the rationalization of physical distribution management by promoting the elimination of slips in physical distribution management.

1 Thin arrow: Sending and receiving in the background by long-distance communication 2 Thin dotted arrow: Information exchange and electronic slip flow by short-range communication 3 Thick arrow: Flow of luggage and logistics lot 4 Thick dotted arrow: Carrying a mobile smartphone

Claims (5)

  In a logistics management system, a shipper, a carrier, and a ship-to party, etc., use a short-range communication function between personal computers or smartphones, etc., where cargoes or transportation lots are unloaded or delivered sequentially. By directly exchanging electronic voucher information, etc., transmitting and sharing information to the data center via the Internet, and carrying a smartphone etc. as a carrier of the electronic voucher when carrying a vehicle etc. , Logistics management without paper.   In a logistics management system, when a driver of a vehicle or other vehicle carries a smartphone or the like as a carrier for an electronic slip, when loading or unloading a baggage or a transportation lot using the GPS function, To track the position / time of a parcel or a transportation lot in real time by associating the position / time information of a smartphone or the like with electronic voucher information during sequential delivery or during the movement of a vehicle or other transportation device.   In a logistics management system, a bar code label (including other optical reading code labels, IC tags, etc.) is attached to a package and associated with an electronic voucher for each package. At the time of loading, transshipment and storage, etc., the bar code is read to associate the electronic voucher for each package with the electronic voucher for each transportation lot, and the electronic voucher for each parcel and the electronic voucher for each transportation lot are managed in an integrated manner. In a logistics management system, a shipper's transportation request is made paperless by short-distance communication between the shipper's smartphone, etc., and the personal computer of the carrier (including a consignment agent). In addition, confirmation of receipt of the package at the shipping destination should be made paperless by short-range communication between the carrier and the smartphone at the shipping destination.
In addition, the automatic arrival notice of the package to the ship-to destination and the automatic receipt report to the shipper shall be made electronically.   In the logistics management system, using the information on receipt confirmation of baggage by short distance communication between the smartphone etc. carried by the carrier as the carrier of the electronic slip and the smartphone etc. of the shipping destination (including the recipient of the baggage) Settlement of package charges and transportation charges electronically.

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