JP2013238558A - Quality detection device and quality management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quality detection device for detecting a state of a plant on the basis of smell of the plant and a quality management system having the quality detection device.SOLUTION: The quality management system includes a sensor for detecting smell of a plant, and a control part for determining the quality of the plant on the basis of an output result of the sensor. The quality management system has the quality detection device, and a receiver provided with a radio part capable of receiving information showing the quality of the plant transmitted from the radio part of the quality detection device and a notification part capable of notifying the quality of the plant. In addition, the quality management system has the quality detection device, the receiver provided with the radio part capable of receiving the information showing the quality of the plant transmitted from the radio part of the quality detection device, and an information processor connected to the receiver.

Description

  The present invention relates to a quality detection device that detects the state of a plant based on the odor of the plant and a quality management system having the quality detection device.

  Conventionally, sensors have been used to detect natural phenomena and the nature of artifacts. There are various sensors that can be detected depending on the application, but there are sensors that can detect temperature, speed, odor, and the like. In the odor sensor, alcohol or gas is generally used as odor to be detected (for example, Patent Document 1).

  By the way, in the cultivation of plants such as vegetables and fruits, whether or not it is the harvest time is judged by a person (producer), and the plant is harvested when the harvest time comes. The harvested plants are stored in a warehouse, and shipped sequentially when the shipping time comes. In addition, plants may rot during storage in the warehouse, and the rotted plants will be discarded. The decision of shipping time and corruption is done by humans, but the odor of plants is an important factor for the judgment.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-133301

  However, human olfaction is subjective, and even with the same odor, it may feel different depending on the physical condition and environment of the day. Also, it is complicated to check the smell of the plants stored in the warehouse every day, and if the user fails to check, the shipping time may be missed and the plants may be spoiled.

  In addition, when some plants rot, the rot will spread to the entire plant in the warehouse. Therefore, when rot occurs, it is necessary to discard the rotted plants as early as possible.

  An object of this invention is to provide the quality control apparatus which has the quality detection apparatus which detects the state of a plant based on the smell of a plant, and the said quality detection apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a quality detection apparatus according to the present invention includes a sensor that detects odor of a plant and a control unit that determines the quality of the plant based on an output result of the sensor.

  According to this configuration, the odor of the plant is detected by the sensor, and the control unit determines the quality of the plant based on the detection result. That is, since the odor information of the plant can be converted into data and quality control can be performed based on the data, shipping and management can be performed efficiently and appropriately.

  Moreover, in the quality detection apparatus of the said structure, it is desirable to provide the radio | wireless part which can transmit the information which shows the quality of a plant by radio | wireless.

  According to this configuration, since the wireless unit capable of transmitting information indicating the quality of the plant is provided, the quality state of the plant can be easily grasped at a position away from the warehouse.

  In the quality detection device having the above configuration, the control unit wirelessly transmits information indicating the quality of the plant via the wireless unit when a detection result acquired from the sensor is not within a predetermined threshold range. Is desirable.

  According to this configuration, the information indicating the quality of the plant is only when the detection result of the odor of the plant output by the sensor is outside the threshold range (that is, when the maturity period has arrived or it has decayed). No wireless transmission. Therefore, it is possible to immediately grasp the arrival of maturity or decay of plants.

  Moreover, in the quality detection apparatus of the said structure, it is desirable to provide the alerting | reporting part which can alert | report the quality of a plant.

  According to this structure, since the quality state of a plant is alert | reported by the alerting | reporting part, the quality state of a plant can be grasped | ascertained easily.

  Moreover, in the quality detection apparatus of the said structure, when the detection result acquired from the said sensor is not in the predetermined threshold range, the said control part alert | reports the information which shows the quality of a plant via the said alerting | reporting part. desirable.

  According to this configuration, the quality of the plant is indicated only when the detection result of the odor of the plant output by the sensor is outside the predetermined threshold range (that is, when the maturity has come or it has decayed). Information is not displayed. Therefore, it is possible to immediately grasp the arrival of maturity or decay of plants.

  In the quality detection apparatus having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the sensor can detect a rotten odor and / or an odor of the mature period.

  According to this configuration, since the sensor can detect the odor and / or odor of the plant, the rot and / or maturity of the plant can be appropriately managed based on the detection result.

  In order to achieve the above object, the quality management system of the present invention includes the quality detection device, a wireless unit capable of receiving information indicating the quality of the plant transmitted from the wireless unit of the quality detection device, and the quality of the plant. A receiving device including a notification unit capable of notification.

  According to this configuration, since the receiving device acquires information indicating the quality of the plant from the quality detection device at a position away from the warehouse where the plant is stored, and notifies the quality of the plant, the quality of the plant is easily determined. The state can be grasped.

  In order to achieve the above object, a quality management system of the present invention includes the quality detection device, and a reception device including a wireless unit capable of receiving information indicating the quality of the plant transmitted from the wireless unit of the quality detection device; And an information processing device connected to the receiving device.

  According to this configuration, the receiving device acquires information indicating the quality of the plant from the quality detection device at a position away from the warehouse where the plant is stored, and outputs the information indicating the plant to the information processing device. Therefore, the quality state of the plant can be managed using the information processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, the odor of the plant is detected by the sensor, and the control unit determines the quality of the plant based on the detection result. That is, since the odor information of the plant can be converted into data and quality control can be performed based on the data, shipping and management can be performed efficiently and appropriately.

These are block diagrams which show the structure of the quality detection apparatus of 1st Embodiment. These are flowcharts which show an example of the process which the control part of the quality detection apparatus of 1st Embodiment performs. These are flowcharts which show an example of the process which the control part of the quality detection apparatus of 2nd Embodiment performs. These are block diagrams which show the structure of the quality detection apparatus of 3rd Embodiment. These are block diagrams which show the structure of the quality detection apparatus of 4th Embodiment. These are the schematic block diagrams which show a quality control system.

[Quality detection device]
[First embodiment]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of the quality detection apparatus of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the quality detection device 1 of this embodiment includes a control unit 2, a sensor 3, a wireless unit 4, and a power supply unit 5.

  The control unit 2 is a control unit that comprehensively controls the quality detection apparatus 1 as a whole. The control unit 2 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (all not shown). The ROM stores a program executed by the control unit 2 and parameters and data necessary for executing the program. The CPU executes various programs stored in the ROM. The RAM temporarily stores data obtained during various processes and data obtained as a result of various processes. These CPU, RAM, ROM and the like are connected via a bus. Note that the CPU, ROM, and RAM may be partially or fully integrated on one chip. Moreover, the control part 2 determines the quality of a plant based on the detection result of the sensor 3 so that it may mention later.

  The sensor 3 is a sensor (odor sensor) that detects odors of plants such as vegetables and fruits. In the present embodiment, the sensor 3 can detect the odor of the maturity period of the plant (when ripe, that is, the shipping period) and the rotten odor of the plant, but only one of them may be detected depending on the application. . The sensor 3 outputs a voltage value corresponding to the type of odor and its strength to the control unit 2 as a detection result.

  The method for detecting the odor and rot odor at the mature stage of the plant is not particularly limited. For example, the component contained in the odor may be detected. Plant ripening odors include terpenes, esters, and the like. Therefore, the sensor 3 only needs to be able to detect the component. In addition, the rot odor of plants includes methyl mercaptan, propioic acid and the like. Therefore, the sensor 3 only needs to be able to detect the component. As a sensor that can detect these, for example, a platinum wire coated with a metal oxide semiconductor may be used. The odor can be detected by changing the electrical conductivity by adsorbing odorous molecules to the semiconductor surface and detecting this as a change in electrical resistance.

  The wireless unit 4 includes a wireless transmission unit (not shown), and transmits information indicating the quality of the plant determined by the control unit 2 to another device (for example, the reception device 10 illustrated in FIG. 6). The wireless communication means is not particularly limited, and may be any wireless communication means such as infrared communication, wireless LAN communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark).

  The power supply unit 5 supplies power to the entire quality detection apparatus 1.

  Next, the process which the control part 2 of the quality detection apparatus 1 of this embodiment performs is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the control unit 2 of the quality detection apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

  If the control part 2 acquires the detection result regarding the smell of a plant from the sensor 3 (step S01), it will determine the quality of the plant based on the detection result (step S02). For example, when the control unit 2 acquires a voltage value corresponding to a plant odor from the sensor 3, the control unit 2 refers to a table in which the voltage value and the maturity are associated with each other (for example, stored in the ROM) and acquires the voltage value. It is determined to which maturity the measured voltage value belongs. Or when the voltage value corresponding to the odor of the plant is acquired from the control unit 2 and the sensor 3, a table in which the voltage value is associated with the shipping time and the rotting time is referred to, and the acquired voltage value corresponds to the shipping time. It is determined whether or not the voltage value is a voltage value corresponding to the decay time.

  In step S03, the control unit 2 transmits information indicating the quality of the plant to the other device via the wireless unit 4. The information indicating the quality of the plant may be information indicating the maturity level or information indicating the time (shipping time or decay time), but is not limited thereto. That is, it is only necessary that the person (producer) who has seen the information indicating the quality of the plant can appropriately recognize the current quality of the plant.

  According to this embodiment, the odor of the plant is detected by the sensor, and the control unit determines the quality of the plant based on the detection result. That is, since the odor information of the plant can be converted into data and quality control can be performed based on the data, shipping and management can be performed efficiently and appropriately.

  Moreover, since the radio | wireless part which can transmit the information which shows the quality of a plant is provided, the quality state of a plant can be grasped | ascertained easily in the position away from the warehouse.

  Moreover, since the sensor can detect the odor and / or odor of the ripening plant, the rot and / or the ripening time of the plant can be appropriately managed based on the detection result.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the control unit of the quality detection apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the flowchart of FIG. 3, steps S11 and S13 to S14 are the same as steps S01 and S02 to S03 of the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S <b> 12, the control unit 2 determines whether the detection result (that is, the voltage value) acquired from the sensor 3 is outside a predetermined threshold range. If it is outside the predetermined threshold range (Y in step S12), the process proceeds to step S13, and if not outside the predetermined threshold range (N in step S12), the process is terminated.

  In the present embodiment, when the voltage value is not outside the predetermined threshold range (within the threshold range), it means that the shipping time has not come and the storage in the warehouse should be continued for a while. In other words, even when the voltage value is within a predetermined threshold range, when the quality of the plant is determined and information indicating the quality of the plant is disclosed to the producer, the producer always confirms the information and It is troublesome because it is necessary to confirm what the state is.

  On the other hand, when the voltage value is outside the predetermined threshold range, if the plant quality is determined and information indicating the plant quality is disclosed to the producer, the plant is always shipped when the information is disclosed. Since it is in a state suitable for or damaged, the labor of the producer can be saved.

  According to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition, information indicating the quality of the plant is displayed only when the odor detection result of the plant output by the sensor is outside the predetermined threshold range (that is, when the maturity period has come or it has decayed). Not. Therefore, it is possible to immediately grasp the arrival of maturity or decay of plants.

[Third embodiment]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the quality detection apparatus of the third embodiment. In the said 1st Embodiment and 2nd Embodiment, the control part 2 decided to transmit the information which shows the quality of a plant to another apparatus via the radio | wireless part 4. FIG. On the other hand, the quality detection apparatus 1 of this embodiment is provided with the alerting | reporting part 6, and the control part 2 alert | reports the information which shows the quality of a plant via the alerting | reporting part 6. FIG.

  The alerting | reporting part 6 is an alerting | reporting means which alert | reports the information which shows the quality of a plant. The notification means is not particularly limited, but for example, information indicating the quality of the plant (for example, “shipping time”, “being spoiled”, etc.) is displayed on the display device, or information indicating the quality of the plant via the generating means such as a speaker. May be guided by voice. The notification unit 6 may be built in the quality detection device 1 or may be externally connected to the quality detection device 1.

  As processing executed by the control unit 2 of the quality detection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in step S03 and step S14, “send quality information via the radio unit” is set to “quality The information may be replaced with “informing through the notification unit”.

  According to this embodiment, since the quality state of a plant is alert | reported by the alerting | reporting part, the quality state of a plant can be grasped | ascertained easily.

[Fourth embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the quality detection apparatus of the fourth embodiment. In the first to third embodiments, the quality detection device 1 includes either the wireless unit 4 or the notification unit 6, but may include both. Others are the same as those in the first to third embodiments.

[Quality management system]
Next, the quality management system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a quality management system. As shown in FIG. 6, the quality management system determines the quality of the plant based on the odor of the plant, shows the quality of the plant from the quality detection device 1 that wirelessly transmits information indicating the quality of the plant, and the quality detection device 1. A receiving device 10 for receiving information is provided.

  The quality management device 1 may have the same configuration as the quality management device 1 of the first embodiment or the quality management device 1 of the second embodiment described above. In the present embodiment, description will be made using the quality management device 1 of the first embodiment.

  The receiving device 10 includes a control unit 12, a radio unit 13, a notification unit 14, and a power supply unit 15. The control unit 12 is a control unit that comprehensively controls the entire receiving device 10.

  The control unit 12 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (all not shown). The ROM stores a program executed by the control unit 2 and parameters and data necessary for executing the program. The CPU executes various programs stored in the ROM. The RAM temporarily stores data obtained during various processes and data obtained as a result of various processes. These CPU, RAM, ROM and the like are connected via a bus. Note that the CPU, ROM, and RAM may be partially or fully integrated on one chip.

  The wireless unit 13 includes a wireless receiving unit (not shown), and receives information (information indicating plant quality) transmitted from the wireless unit 4 of the quality detection device 1. The wireless communication means is not particularly limited, and may be any wireless communication means such as infrared communication, wireless LAN communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark).

  The alerting | reporting part 14 is an alerting | reporting means which alert | reports the information which shows the quality of a plant. Similar to the notification unit 6 of the quality detection device 1 described above, the notification means is not particularly limited. The notification unit 14 may be built in the receiving device 10 or may be externally connected to the receiving device 10.

  The power supply unit 15 supplies power to the entire receiving apparatus 10.

  In such a quality management system, the control unit 12 of the reception device 10 acquires information indicating the quality of the plant from the quality detection device 1 via the wireless unit 13, and receives information indicating the quality of the plant via the notification unit 14. Inform.

  In the present embodiment, the receiving device 10 includes the notification unit 14, but is not limited thereto. For example, the receiving device 10 does not include the notification unit 14 and may be wired or wirelessly connected to the information processing device (personal computer). As a result, the quality state of the plant can be managed using the information processing apparatus.

  According to the present embodiment, by performing wireless communication, the reception device installed at a position away from the place where the quality detection device 1 is installed (a warehouse where the plant is stored) is information indicating the quality of the plant. Can be received. And the quality state of goods can be managed using receiving device 10 which received the information, or an information processor connected to receiving device 10.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a quality detection device that detects the state of a plant based on the odor of the plant and a quality management system that has the quality detection device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Quality detection apparatus 2, 12 Control part 3, Sensor 4, 13 Radio | wireless part 5, 15 Power supply part 10 Receiver

Claims (8)

  A quality detection apparatus comprising: a sensor that detects odor of a plant; and a control unit that determines the quality of the plant based on an output result of the sensor.   The quality detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless unit capable of wirelessly transmitting information indicating plant quality.   The said control part wirelessly transmits the information which shows the quality of a plant via the said radio | wireless part, when the detection result acquired from the said sensor is not in the predetermined threshold range. Quality detection device.   The quality detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit capable of reporting the quality of the plant.   The said control part alert | reports the information which shows the quality of a plant via the said alerting | reporting part, when the detection result acquired from the said sensor is not in the predetermined threshold value range. Quality detection device.   The quality sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sensor is capable of detecting a rotten odor and / or an odor of the mature period of the plant. The quality detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A receiving device including a wireless unit capable of receiving information indicating the quality of the plant transmitted from the wireless unit of the quality detection device and a notification unit capable of reporting the quality of the plant;
A quality control system characterized by comprising: The quality detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A receiving device comprising a wireless unit capable of receiving information indicating the quality of the plant transmitted from the wireless unit of the quality detection device;
An information processing device connected to the receiving device;
A quality control system characterized by comprising:

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