JP2015125535A - Management system and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system configured to manage an article with no IC tag attached thereto, as well as an article with an IC tag.SOLUTION: In a management system, an article management information update section determines that an article has been received when a weight measured by a weight measurement section is increased after a tag reading section reads tag information and an imaging section images the article, determines that the article has been received when the weight measured by the weight measurement section is increased after the imaging section images the article and the tag reading section reads no tag information, determines that the article has been delivered when the tag reading section reads the tag information and the imaging section images the article after the weight measured by the weight measurement section is decreased, and determines that an article corresponding to an image of the article imaged by the imaging section has been delivered when the imaging section images the object and the tag reading section reads no tag information after the weight measured by the weight measurement section is deceased.

Description

  The present invention relates to a management system and a program.

A refrigerator that manages food contained in a refrigerator by reading food information from an RF-ID tag attached to the food has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[Prior art documents]
[Patent Literature]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-319043

  There has been a demand for a system capable of managing an article not attached with an IC tag in addition to an article attached with an IC tag.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is a management system for managing an article in a warehouse, and a tag reading unit that reads tag information stored in an IC tag attached to the article, and the goods are placed in the warehouse. Stores an image capturing unit that captures articles and articles that are delivered from the warehouse, a weight measurement unit that measures the weight of the articles stored in the warehouse, and article management information that manages the articles stored in the warehouse. An article management information storage unit that updates the article management information, and an article management information update unit that reads the tag information by the tag reading unit and images the article by the imaging unit, and then measures the weight. When the weight measured by the section increases, it is determined that the article has been received, and the article management information is updated by associating the tag information with the article image and adding it to the article management information. After imaging, the weight measurement unit If the weight to be added increases and tag information is not read by the tag reading unit, it is determined that the article has been received, and the article management information is updated by adding the article image to the article management information, and the weight is measured. When the tag information is read by the tag reading unit and the article is imaged by the imaging unit after the weight measured by the unit is reduced, it is determined that the article corresponding to the tag information is issued, and the article management information is updated. The article corresponding to the image of the article imaged by the imaging unit when the imaging of the article by the imaging unit is performed and the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit after the weight measured by the weight measuring unit is decreased A management system that updates the article management information is determined.

  The management system includes: an IC tag article identifying unit that identifies an article name of an article to which an IC tag is attached based on tag information; and an image that identifies an article name of an article based on an image captured by the imaging unit. The article management information updating unit may further include tag information when the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases after the tag information is read by the tag reading unit and the article is imaged by the imaging unit. The article name identified on the basis of the image and the article image may be associated with each other and added to the article management information. After the article is imaged by the imaging unit, the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases, and the tag reading is performed. When the tag information is not read by the section and the article name of the article can be specified based on the article image, the article image and the article name are associated with each other and added to the article management information. Based on image If the article name of the article can not be identified, the image of the article, may be added to the article management information in association with unknown information indicating that the article name of the article is unknown. The refrigerator management system includes an unknown article output unit that outputs an image of an article associated with unknown information, and an article name acquisition that acquires an article name input to the article image output by the unknown article output unit. The article management information update unit may update the article management information by replacing the unknown information with the article name acquired by the article name acquisition unit.

  When the management system determines that a warning is required by a warning necessity determination unit that determines whether or not a warning is necessary based on the state of an article stored in the warehouse, the warning information May be further included. The management system may further include a stored article registration unit for registering an article to be stored in the warehouse, and the warning necessity determination unit stores the article registered by the stored article registration unit. If not, a warning may be determined. In the management system, the stored article registration unit may register the weight of the article to be stored in the warehouse, and the article management information update unit may read the tag information by the tag reading unit and After the imaging of the article by the imaging unit, when the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases, the tag information and the image of the article are associated with the weight of the article measured by the weight measuring unit and added to the article management information If the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases after the imaging of the article by the imaging unit and the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit, the tag information and the image of the article and the weight measuring unit The weight of the article is associated with the measured article and added to the article management information, and the warning necessity determination unit determines that the weight of the article registered by the stored article registration unit is greater than the registered weight to be stored. If you do not, it may be determined that the warning is needed. In the management system, the article may be a food, and the article management information update unit is configured to increase the weight measured by the weight measurement unit after reading the tag information by the tag reading unit and imaging the article by the imaging unit. The article name and the item expiration date included in the tag information are associated with the image of the item and added to the item management information, and the warning necessity determination unit is based on the expiration date included in the item management information. The necessity of warning may be determined.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for causing a computer to function as the management system.

  It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention. In addition, a sub-combination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

An example of a management system is shown roughly. An example of a refrigerator is shown roughly. An example of functional composition of a refrigerator is shown roughly. An example of table-type article management information is schematically shown. An example of stored article information is schematically shown. An example of the flow of processing by a refrigerator is shown roughly. An example of a functional structure of a management server is shown roughly.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solving means of the invention.

  FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a management system 100. In the present embodiment, the management system 100 that manages the articles 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The management system 100 may manage the article 10 stored in a store other than the refrigerator 200. The management system 100 according to the present embodiment may include a refrigerator 200 and a management server 300. The refrigerator 200 and the management server 300 communicate via the network 50. The network 50 includes, for example, the Internet and a telephone network. The refrigerator 200 will be described by taking a refrigerator at the home of the user 30 who uses the communication terminal 400 described later as an example. However, the refrigerator 200 is not limited to this, for example, a friend of the user 30 other than the user 30's home. A refrigerator in a house or an acquaintance's house may be used.

  The refrigerator 200 has an IC tag reader 212. The IC tag reader 212 reads tag information stored in the IC tag 20 from the IC tag 20 attached to the article 10. The tag information may include a tag ID that identifies the IC tag 20. The tag information may include information on the article 10 to which the IC tag 20 is attached.

  For example, the tag information includes the article name of the article 10. The article name may be a category of the article 10 or a product name of the article 10. For example, when the article 10 is milk, the article name may be a category of “milk”. If the product name of the article 10 is “XX milk”, the article name may be “XX milk”. The tag information may include both a category and a product name. The tag information may include the expiration date or the expiration date of the article 10.

  For example, the user 30 using the refrigerator 200 holds the article 10 over the IC tag reader 212 when the article 10 is loaded into or unloaded from the refrigerator 200. Accordingly, the IC tag reader 212 reads tag information from the IC tag 20 attached to the article 10.

  The refrigerator 200 has an IC tag 214. The refrigerator 200 may communicate with the communication terminal 400 via the IC tag 214. The communication terminal 400 is, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a notebook computer, or the like. The communication terminal 400 may incorporate a mechanism for reading data from the IC tag 214. The communication terminal 400 may include an external device having a mechanism for reading data from the IC tag 214.

  The refrigerator 200 may transmit tag information read from the IC tag 20 by the IC tag reader 212 to the management server 300 via the communication terminal 400. The communication terminal 400 may receive tag information from the refrigerator 200 and transmit it to the management server 300 via the network 50. Here, although an example in which the refrigerator 200 transmits data to the management server 300 via the communication terminal 400 will be described, the present invention is not limited thereto. The refrigerator 200 may have a communication function of communicating with mobile communication systems such as 3G, LTE, and 4G, WiFi communication, wired communication, and the like, and communicates with the management server 300 via the network 50 using the communication function. May be.

  The refrigerator 200 transmits the information on the article 10 received into the warehouse and the information on the article 10 delivered from the warehouse to the management server 300. Thereby, the management server 300 can manage the information of the articles 10 stored in the refrigerator 200.

  In response to the inquiry from the communication terminal 400, the management server 300 may transmit information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 to the communication terminal 400. Thereby, for example, when the user 30 who possesses the communication terminal 400 purchases food at a supermarket or the like, the user 30 makes an inquiry to the management server 300 using the communication terminal 400 to thereby store the articles stored in the refrigerator 200 at home. 10 can be confirmed.

  The management server 300 may transmit information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 to other communication terminals, not limited to the communication terminal 400. For example, the management server 300 transmits information on the article 10 stored in the warehouse of the management server 300 to the communication terminal 410 possessed by another user 32 who is a family of the user 30. The management server 300 may transmit information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 only to a communication terminal registered in advance.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of the refrigerator 200. In FIG. 2, the refrigerator 200 provided with the refrigerator compartment 202, the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206 is illustrated, However, Not only this but the structure of the refrigerator 200 may be what kind of structure.

  The refrigerator 200 includes an open / close sensor 208, a camera 216, and a weight sensor 218. The open / close sensor 208 is installed in each of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206, and each open / close sensor 208 opens and closes the refrigerator compartment door 203, opens and closes the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206. Detects opening and closing.

  The camera 216 is installed above the top plate of the refrigerator 200, and images the article 10 received in the refrigerator 200 and the article 10 delivered from the refrigerator 200 from above. The camera 216 images the articles 10 that are stored in and out of the refrigerator compartment 202, the vegetable compartment 204, the freezer compartment 206, and the refrigerator compartment door 203.

  The weight sensor 218 measures the weight of the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. The weight sensor 218 may be installed in each shelf in the refrigerator compartment 202, each shelf in the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206. For example, when the weight measured by the weight sensor 218 installed on one shelf in the refrigerator compartment 202 increases by 1 kg, it can be determined that the article 10 having a weight of 1 kg is stored on the one shelf. Further, for example, when the weight measured by the weight sensor 218 installed on one shelf in the refrigerator compartment 202 is reduced by 1 kg, it can be determined that the 1 kg article 10 stored on the shelf has been lifted.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the refrigerator 200. The refrigerator 200 includes a tag reading unit 220, an open / close detection unit 222, an imaging unit 224, a weight measurement unit 226, an article management information storage unit 230, an article management information update unit 232, an IC tag article specifying unit 234, an image article specifying unit 236, An article management information transmission unit 238, an unknown article output unit 242, an article name acquisition unit 244, a stored article registration unit 246, a warning necessity determination unit 250, and a warning information output unit 252 are provided. In addition, it is not necessarily essential that the refrigerator 200 has all these configurations.

  The tag reading unit 220 reads tag information stored in the IC tag 20 attached to the article 10. The tag reading unit 220 is, for example, an IC tag reader 212.

  The opening / closing detection unit 222 detects opening / closing of the door of the refrigerator 200. The open / close detection unit 222 is, for example, an open / close sensor 208.

  The imaging unit 224 images the article 10 received in the refrigerator 200 and the article 10 delivered from the warehouse. The imaging unit 224 is, for example, a camera 216. The imaging unit 224 may be arranged at an arbitrary position of the refrigerator 200 as long as it can capture the article 10 received in the refrigerator 200 and the article discharged from the refrigerator. The imaging unit 224 may have a plurality of cameras. For example, the imaging unit 224 includes a plurality of cameras that capture images of the articles 10 that are stored and the articles 10 that are stored in the refrigerator compartment 202, the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206.

  The imaging unit 224 starts moving image capturing of the imaging range when the open / close detection unit 222 detects the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, or the freezer compartment 206, and the article 10 passing through the imaging range is stationary. The image may be acquired as an image of the article 10. In addition, the imaging unit 224 may execute still image imaging in response to an instruction to an instruction unit such as an instruction button (not illustrated) installed at an arbitrary position of the refrigerator 200. For example, the user 30 can cause the imaging unit 224 to image the article 10 by moving the article 10 within the imaging range of the imaging unit 224 and then performing an instruction using the instruction button.

  The weight measuring unit 226 measures the weight of the article stored in the refrigerator 200. The weight measuring unit 226 is, for example, a weight sensor 218. That is, the weight measuring unit 226 includes weight sensors 218 installed on a plurality of shelves in the refrigerator compartment 202, weight sensors 218 installed on a plurality of shelves in the refrigerator compartment door 203, weight sensors 218 installed in the vegetable compartment 204, And a weight sensor 218 installed in the freezer compartment 206. Further, the weight measuring unit 226 may be a weight sensor that measures the total weight of the refrigerator 200. The weight measuring unit 226 subtracts the weight of the refrigerator 200 in a state where no article 10 is stored from the total weight of the measured refrigerator 200, thereby reducing the weight of the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. You may judge the weight.

  The article management information storage unit 230 stores article management information for managing the articles 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. The article management information may have a data structure in which information related to the article 10 is associated with each article 10. For example, the article management information has a data structure in which the article name, the expiration date or the expiration date, the image, and the tag ID when there is a corresponding tag ID are associated with each article 10. The article management information update unit 232 updates the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 230.

  For example, the article management information update unit 232 attaches the IC tag 20 when the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 increases after the tag information is read by the tag reading unit 220 and the article 10 is imaged by the imaging unit 224. It is determined that the received article 10 has been received. The article management information update unit 232 reads tag information by the tag reading unit 220, detects opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, vegetable room 204 or freezer compartment 206 by the open / close detection unit 222, images the article 10 by the imaging unit 224, and After the increase in weight measured by the weight measuring unit 226, when the open / close detection unit 222 detects the closing of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204 or the freezer compartment 206, the goods 10 with the IC tag 20 attached thereto are received. May be determined.

  Then, the article management information updating unit 232 associates the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220 with the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224 and adds the tag information to the article management information. Thereby, the article | item 10 with which the IC tag 20 was attached can be managed with tag information and an image.

  The article management information updating unit 232 may add the article name to the article management information when the tag name read by the tag reading unit 220 includes the article name. If the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220 does not include the article name, the IC tag article specifying unit 234 may specify the article name based on the tag ID included in the tag information. For example, the IC tag article specifying unit 234 acquires an article name corresponding to the tag ID included in the tag information by referring to association data in which a plurality of tag IDs are associated with a plurality of article names. Further, the IC tag article specifying unit 234 may acquire the article name corresponding to the tag ID from the management server 300 by transmitting the tag ID to the management server 300. The article management information update unit 232 may add the expiration date and the expiration date to the article management information when the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220 includes the expiration date or the expiration date.

  For example, the article management information update unit 232 increases the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 after the imaging of the article 10 by the imaging unit 224 and the tag reading unit 220 does not read the tag information. Then, it is determined that the article 10 is received. The article management information update unit 232 detects the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204 or the freezer compartment 206 by the open / close detection unit 222, the imaging of the article 10 by the imaging unit 224, and the increase in the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226. After that, the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit 220, and when the open / close detection unit 222 detects the closing of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204 or the freezer compartment 206, it is determined that the article 10 has been received. May be.

  Then, the article management information update unit 232 adds the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224 to the article management information. Thereby, the article 10 to which the IC tag 20 is not attached can be managed by the image. The article 10 to which the IC tag 20 is not attached is, for example, the article 10 that is sold without the IC tag 20 attached. The article 10 without the IC tag 20 is, for example, a container such as a tapper or the like containing the article 10 with the IC tag 20 removed and the article 10 sold without the IC tag 20 attached. .

  The article management information update unit 232 may add the article name to the article management information when the image article identification unit 236 can identify the article name of the article 10 based on the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224. . For example, the image article specifying unit 236 searches similar images based on the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224 for a plurality of images in association data in which a plurality of article names are associated with a plurality of images. Execute. Then, when the similarity of the image having the highest similarity is larger than a predetermined threshold, the image article specifying unit 236 acquires the article name associated with the image and sends it to the article management information update unit 232. Notice. The article management information update unit 232 may add the notified article name to the article management information.

  The image article specifying unit 236 may notify the article management information updating unit 232 that the article cannot be specified when the similarity of the image having the highest similarity is smaller than a predetermined threshold. When notified that the article could not be specified, the article management information update unit 232 associates the image of the article 10 with the unknown information indicating that the article name of the article 10 is unknown and stores the article management information in the article management information. May be added.

  Note that the similar image search may be executed by the management server 300. For example, the image article specifying unit 236 transmits the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224 to the management server 300. The management server 300 executes a similar image search based on the received image for a plurality of images in the association data in which a plurality of article names are associated with a plurality of images. Then, when the similarity of the image having the highest similarity is larger than a predetermined threshold, the management server 300 acquires the article name associated with the image and transmits it to the refrigerator 200. In addition, when the similarity of the image having the highest similarity is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the management server 300 notifies the refrigerator 200 that the article cannot be specified.

  Further, the article management information update unit 232, for example, when the imaging of the article 10 by the imaging unit 224 and the reading of the tag information by the tag reading unit 220 are executed after the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 is reduced, It is determined that the article 10 with the tag 20 attached has been issued. The article management information update unit 232 detects the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204 or the freezer compartment 206 by the open / close detection unit 222, decreases the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226, images the article 10 by the imaging unit 224, When the door detection of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206 is detected by the open / close detection unit 222, and the tag information is read by the tag reading unit 220, the goods 10 attached with the IC tag 20 are delivered. You may judge.

  Then, the article management information update unit 232 updates the article management information. For example, the article management information update unit 232 deletes the information of the article 10 corresponding to the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220 from the article management information. The article management information updating unit 232 may add data indicating that the article 10 has been delivered to the information of the article 10 corresponding to the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220.

  In addition, the article management information update unit 232 performs imaging of the article 10 by the imaging unit 224 after the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 decreases, for example, and the tag reading unit 220 does not read tag information. If it is determined that the article 10 has been delivered, The article management information update unit 232 detects the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204 or the freezer compartment 206 by the open / close detection unit 222, decreases the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226, images the article 10 by the imaging unit 224, When the opening / closing detector 222 detects that the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, and the freezer compartment 206 are closed and the tag reader 220 does not read the tag information, it is determined that the article 10 is left. May be.

  Then, the article management information update unit 232 updates the article management information. The article management information updating unit 232 may update the article management information based on the article specifying result by the image article specifying unit 236. For example, the image article specifying unit 236 performs a similar image search on the images of the plurality of articles 10 included in the article management information based on the images of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224. Then, the image article specifying unit 236 specifies an image having the highest degree of similarity with the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224 from among the images of the plurality of articles 10 included in the article management information, and manages the article. The information update unit 232 is notified. The article management information update unit 232 deletes information on the article 10 corresponding to the notified image from the article management information. Thereby, when the article 10 without the IC tag 20 is delivered from inside the warehouse, it can be managed that the goods have been delivered. The similar image search may be executed by the management server 300.

  The article management information transmission unit 238 transmits the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 230. The article management information transmission unit 238 is an IC tag 214, for example. The article management information transmission unit 238 may transmit article management information to the communication terminal 400. The article management information transmission unit 238 may transmit the latest article management information to the communication terminal 400 every time it communicates with the communication terminal 400. The communication terminal 400 may transmit the article management information received from the IC tag 214 to the management server 300. The article management information transmission unit 238 transmits the article management information to the management server 300 using a communication system such as a mobile communication system such as 3G, LTE, and 4G, WiFi (registered trademark) communication, and wired communication. Good. The article management information transmission unit 238 may transmit the updated article management information to the management server 300 every time the article management information update unit 232 updates the article management information.

  The unknown article output unit 242 outputs an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information among the images of the plurality of articles 10 included in the article management information. For example, the unknown article output unit 242 transmits the image of the article 10 to the communication terminal 400 in order to display the image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information on the display included in the communication terminal 400.

  For example, the unknown article output unit 242 transmits article management information including unknown information in response to receiving request data requesting information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 or the like. The unknown article output unit 242 may control the communication terminal 400 or the like so as to identify and display the image of the article 10 associated with unknown information and the image of the article 10 not associated with unknown information. For example, the unknown article output unit 242 may display an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information on the display of the communication terminal 400 so as to emphasize that the article name is unknown.

  Further, the unknown article output unit 242 may display the image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information on the display provided in the communication terminal 400 or the like via the management server 300. For example, the unknown article output unit 242 transmits an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information to the management server 300. Then, the management server 300 transmits the article management information including the unknown information in response to receiving the request data for requesting the information of the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 or the like. At this time, the management server 300 may control the communication terminal 400 and the like so as to identify and display the image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information and the image of the article 10 not associated with the unknown information.

  The article name acquisition unit 244 acquires the article name input for the image of the article 10 output by the unknown article output unit 242. The article name acquisition unit 244 acquires, for example, the article name input by the user 30 from the communication terminal 400 for the image of the article 10 displayed on the display of the communication terminal 400. For example, when the article 10 is a container such as a tapper in which beef is put, the user 30 views the container image and inputs the article name “beef”. Thereby, even if the article 10 is not attached with the IC tag 20 and cannot be specified by image recognition, the article name can be specified and managed.

  Here, the unknown article output unit 242 may transmit, to the communication terminal 400 or the like, an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information and information prompting the user to input an article name for the unknown information. . For example, the unknown article output unit 242 may transmit an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information and an input field for inputting the article name for the unknown information to the communication terminal 400 or the like. Thereby, the articles | goods 10 which are not specified among the some articles | goods 10 accommodated in the refrigerator 200 can be specified efficiently.

  The stored article registration unit 246 registers the articles 10 that should be stored in the refrigerator 200. For example, the stored article registration unit 246 receives and registers information about the article 10 that should be stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 or the like. In addition, when the refrigerator 200 includes an input unit, the stored item registration unit 246 registers information on the item 10 to be stored in the refrigerator 200, which is input via the input unit included in the refrigerator 200. May be.

  The warning necessity determination unit 250 determines whether or not a warning is necessary based on the state of the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information output unit 252 outputs warning information when the warning necessity determination unit 250 determines that a warning is necessary.

  The warning necessity determination unit 250 determines that a warning is necessary, for example, when the article 10 registered by the stored article registration unit 246 is not stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information output unit 252 indicates that the registered article 10 is not stored in the refrigerator 200 in response to receiving request data for requesting information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information may be transmitted to the communication terminal 400. Thus, for example, when the user 30 purchases food at a supermarket or the like and uses the communication terminal 400 to browse information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200, the user 30 stores the food in the refrigerator 200. It can inform that the article 10 to be is not stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information output unit 252 may include the article name of the article 10 that is not stored in the refrigerator 200 among the plurality of articles 10 registered by the stored article registration unit 246 in the warning information. Thereby, it is possible to notify the user 30 that the article 10 having the article name included in the warning information should be purchased.

  The stored article registration unit 246 may further register the weight to be stored of the article 10 to be stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning necessity determination unit 250 may determine that the warning is necessary when the weight of the article 10 registered by the stored article registration unit 246 is smaller than the registered weight to be stored. Thereby, when the amount of the article 10 to be stored is less than the required amount, the user 30 can be notified of this.

  The warning necessity determination unit 250 may determine whether a warning is necessary based on the expiration date or the expiration date included in the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 230. For example, the warning necessity determination unit 250 determines that a warning is required when an article 10 whose expiration date or expiration date included in the article management information has been stored. The warning necessity determination unit 250 may determine that a warning is required when the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date included in the article management information is less than a predetermined number of days.

  The warning information output unit 252 receives the request data for requesting information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 or the like, or the article 10 or the taste that has passed the expiration date or the expiration date. Warning information including information on the article 10 in which the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date is less than a predetermined number of days may be transmitted to the communication terminal 400. Thereby, for example, when the user 30 tries to browse the information of the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 using the communication terminal 400 during shopping, the taste of the article 10 that should be stored in the refrigerator 200 is displayed. It can be notified that the deadline or expiry date has passed or that the number of days until the expiration date or expiry date is less than a predetermined number of days. Note that the warning necessity determination unit 250 has the expiration date or the expiration date for a plurality of articles 10 registered by the stored item registration unit 246 or the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date is determined in advance. It may be determined that a warning is required when the number is smaller than the above.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of the article management information 260 in a table format. The article management information 260 includes an article name field 262, an expiration date field 268, a measured weight field 270, an image field 272, a tag ID field 274, and a storage date field 276. The article name column 262 includes a category column 264 and a product name column 266.

  In the category column 264 and the product name column 266, the item name specified by the IC tag item specifying unit 234 or the image item specifying unit 236 or the item name acquired by the item name acquiring unit 244 is registered. In the term field 268, the expiration date or the expiration date included in the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220 is registered. In the measured weight column 270, the weight measured by the weight measuring unit 226 is registered. In the image column 272, an image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224 is registered. In the image column 272, link information to the image of the article 10 may be registered. The tag ID included in the tag information read by the tag reading unit 220 is registered in the tag ID column 274. In the storage date column 276, the date when the article 10 is stored in the refrigerator 200 is registered.

  For example, when the expiration date or the expiration date of “XX milk” has elapsed, the warning information output unit 252 displays warning information indicating that the expiration date or the expiration date of “XX milk” has elapsed. Transmit to the communication terminal 400 or the like. Thereby, it can inform user 30 grade that it is necessary to purchase milk.

  The unknown article output unit 242 transmits the associated image “ddd.jpg” to the communication terminal 400 or the like for the fourth article 10 from the top associated with the unknown information. The unknown article output unit 242 may transmit an input field for inputting the article name to the communication terminal 400 and the like together with “ddd.jpg”. The article name acquisition unit 244 may acquire the article name input for “ddd.jpg” and notify the article management information update unit 232 of the article name. The article management information update unit 232 may replace the article name notified from the article name acquisition unit 244 with unknown information in the article name column 262 corresponding to “ddd.jpg”. Thereby, the article name that could not be specified by the IC tag article specifying unit 234 or the image article specifying unit 236 can be registered.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of stored article information 280 registered by the stored article registration unit 246. The stored article information 280 includes an article name field 282, a registered weight field 288, and a registration deadline field 290. The article name column 282 includes a category column 284 and a product name column 286.

  The warning necessity determination unit 250 may determine that a warning is required when the article 10 registered in the stored article information 280 is not stored in the refrigerator 200. Further, the warning necessity determination unit 250 may determine that a warning is necessary when the weight of the article 10 registered in the stored article information 280 is smaller than the weight registered in the registered weight column 288.

  When the category name is registered and the product name is not registered, the warning necessity determination unit 250 has the total weight of the articles 10 in the same category smaller than the weight registered in the registered weight column 288. Whether or not a warning is necessary may be determined based on whether or not it is. For example, if the article management information includes an article 10 of category “milk” and product name “XX milk”, a category “milk”, and a product name “□□ milk”, these items are associated with these articles 10 When the total measured weight is less than the weight registered in the registered weight column 288, the warning necessity determination unit 250 determines that the warning is necessary. Further, when the article 10 having the same product name is registered in the article management information, the warning necessity determination unit 250 displays the total measured weight associated with the article 10 having the same product name in the registered weight column 288. If the weight is less than the registered weight, it may be determined that a warning is required.

  Further, the warning necessity determination unit 250 warns when the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date associated with the item 10 with the category “milk” is less than the number of days registered in the registration deadline column 290. Is determined. According to the stored article information 280 illustrated in FIG. 5, the warning necessity determination unit 250 determines that the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date associated with the article 10 whose category is “milk” is less than two days. Judge that warning is required.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of the flow of processing by the refrigerator 200. The process shown in FIG. 6 will be described assuming that the tag reading unit 220 is waiting to read tag information as a start state. Each process illustrated in FIG. 6 may be executed mainly by a control unit included in the refrigerator 200.

  In step 602 (step may be abbreviated as S), it is determined whether the tag reading unit 220 has read the tag information stored in the IC tag 20. When it is determined that the tag reading unit 220 has read the tag information, the process proceeds to S604.

  In S604, it is determined whether or not the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 has changed. When it is determined that there is a change, the process proceeds to S606, and when it is determined that there is no change, the process proceeds to S640. The control unit of the refrigerator 200 determines that there is no change in weight when there is no change in the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 before the predetermined time elapses after the tag information is read in S602. You can do it. In addition, the control unit of the refrigerator 200 reads the tag information in S602, and after the opening / closing detection unit 222 detects the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, or the freezer compartment 206, the opening / closing detection unit 222 detects the refrigerator compartment door. If there is no change in the weight measured by the weight measuring unit 226 before the closing of the 203, the vegetable compartment 204, or the freezer compartment 206 is detected, it may be determined that there is no change in weight.

  In S606, it is determined whether the change in weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 is a weight increase or a weight decrease. If it is determined that the weight is increased, the process proceeds to S608. If it is determined that the weight is decreased, the process proceeds to S614.

  In step S <b> 608, the article management information update unit 232 acquires the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224. In S610, the article management information updating unit 232 acquires the article name specified by the IC tag article specifying unit 234 based on the tag information read in S602. In S612, the article management information update unit 232 registers the captured image acquired in S608 and the article name specified in S610 in the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 230. Thereby, the receipt of the article with the IC tag 20 attached can be managed.

  In S614, error processing is executed. For example, the refrigerator 200 notifies the communication terminal 400 or the like that an error has occurred. Thereby, for example, the tag information is read, and the article 10 in the warehouse is delivered without receiving the article 10 even though the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, or the freezer compartment 206 is detected. An error can be notified when it has been done.

  In S616, it is determined whether the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 has changed in a state where it is not determined that the tag information has been read in S602. If it is determined in S616 that the weight has changed, the process proceeds to S618, and if it is determined that there is no weight change, the process proceeds to S640. For example, after the opening / closing detector 222 detects the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, or the freezer compartment 206, the opening / closing detector 222 detects that the refrigerator opening / closing detector 222 has the refrigerator compartment door 203, the vegetable compartment 204, or the If there is no change in the weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 until the closing of the freezer compartment 206 is detected, it is determined that there is no change in weight.

  In S618, it is determined whether the change in weight measured by the weight measurement unit 226 is a weight increase or a weight decrease. If it is determined that the weight is increased, the process proceeds to S620. If it is determined that the weight is decreased, the process proceeds to S628.

  In S <b> 620, the article management information update unit 232 acquires the image of the article 10 captured by the imaging unit 224. In S622, based on the image acquired in S620, it is determined whether or not the image article specifying unit 236 has specified the article. If it is determined that the article name can be specified, the process proceeds to S624. If it is determined that the article name cannot be specified, the process proceeds to S626.

  In S624, the article management information updating unit 232 registers the image acquired in S620 and the identified article name in association with the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 230. In S626, the article management information update unit 232 registers the image acquired in S620 and the unknown information in association with the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 230.

  In S628, it is determined whether or not the image of the article 10 is captured by the imaging unit 224. If it is determined in S628 that the image of the article 10 has been captured, the process proceeds to S630. If it is determined that the image has not been captured, the process proceeds to S640.

  In S630, it is determined whether the tag reading unit 220 has read tag information from the IC tag 20. If it is determined in S630 that the tag information has been read, the process proceeds to S632. If it is determined that the tag information has not been read, the process proceeds to S636.

  In S632, the IC tag article specifying unit 234 specifies the article name based on the tag information. In S634, the article management information update unit 232 updates the article management information. For example, the article management information update unit 232 deletes the information of the article 10 corresponding to the article name specified in S632 from the article management information.

  In S636, the article management information update unit 232 acquires the image captured by the imaging unit 224. In S638, the image article specifying unit 236 specifies one article name among a plurality of article names included in the article management information, based on the image acquired in S636. The image article specifying unit 236 specifies the article 10 associated with the image most similar to the image acquired in S636. In S634, the article management information update unit 232 updates the article management information. For example, the article management information update unit 232 deletes the information of the article 10 corresponding to the article name specified in S638 from the article management information.

  In S640, it is determined whether or not the internal management by the refrigerator 200 is completed. If it is determined that the process has not been completed, the process returns to S602. If it is determined that the process has been completed, the process ends.

  FIG. 7 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the management server 300. The management server 300 includes an article management information receiving unit 302, an article management information storage unit 304, an unknown article output unit 312, an article name acquisition unit 314, a stored article registration unit 316, a warning necessity determination unit 320, and a warning information output unit. 322. Note that the management server 300 is not necessarily required to have all of these configurations.

  The article management information receiving unit 302 receives article management information from the refrigerator 200. The article management information receiving unit 302 may receive the article management information transmitted by the article management information transmitting unit 238. The article management information storage unit 304 stores the article management information received by the article management information receiving unit 302.

  The unknown article output unit 312 may perform the same processing as the unknown article output unit 242. For example, the unknown article output unit 312 transmits article management information including unknown information in response to receiving request data requesting information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 or the like. The unknown article output unit 312 may control the communication terminal 400 and the like so as to identify and display the image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information and the image of the article 10 not associated with the unknown information.

  The article name acquisition unit 314 may execute the same process as the article name acquisition unit 244. For example, the article name acquisition unit 314 acquires the article name input for the image of the article 10 output by the unknown article output unit 312. The article name acquisition unit 314 acquires the article name input by the user 30 from the communication terminal 400 with respect to the image of the article 10 displayed on the display of the communication terminal 400, for example. The unknown article output unit 312 may transmit an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information and information prompting the user to input an article name for the unknown information to the communication terminal 400 or the like. For example, the unknown article output unit 312 may transmit an image of the article 10 associated with the unknown information and an input field for inputting an article name for the unknown information to the communication terminal 400 or the like.

  The stored article registration unit 316 may execute the same processing as the stored article registration unit 246. For example, the stored article registration unit 316 registers the article 10 that should be stored in the refrigerator 200. The stored article registration unit 316 receives, for example, information on the article 10 that should be stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 and registers it.

  The warning necessity determination unit 320 may execute the same processing as the warning necessity determination unit 250. For example, the warning necessity determination unit 320 determines whether or not a warning is necessary based on the state of the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information output unit 322 may execute the same processing as the warning information output unit 252. For example, the warning information output unit 322 outputs warning information when the warning necessity determination unit 320 determines that a warning is necessary.

  For example, the warning necessity determination unit 320 determines that a warning is necessary when the article 10 registered by the stored article registration unit 316 is not stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information output unit 322 indicates that the registered article 10 is not stored in the refrigerator 200 in response to receiving request data for requesting information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning information may be transmitted to the communication terminal 400. The warning information output unit 322 may include the article name of the article 10 that is not stored in the refrigerator 200 among the plurality of articles 10 registered by the stored article registration unit 316 in the warning information.

  The stored article registration unit 316 may further register the weight to be stored of the article 10 to be stored in the refrigerator 200. The warning necessity determination unit 320 may determine that the warning is necessary when the weight of the article 10 registered by the stored article registration unit 316 is smaller than the registered weight to be stored.

  The warning necessity determination unit 320 may determine whether or not a warning is necessary based on the expiration date or the expiration date included in the article management information stored in the article management information storage unit 304. For example, the warning necessity determination unit 320 determines that a warning is necessary when the article 10 whose expiration date or expiration date included in the article management information has been stored. The warning necessity determination unit 320 may determine that a warning is required when the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date included in the article management information is less than a predetermined number of days.

  The warning information output unit 322 receives the request data for requesting information on the article 10 stored in the refrigerator 200 from the communication terminal 400 or the like, or the article 10 whose expiration date or expiration date has passed, or Warning information including information on the article 10 in which the number of days until the expiration date or the expiration date is less than a predetermined number of days may be transmitted to the communication terminal 400.

  In the above description, each unit of the refrigerator 200 may be realized by hardware or may be realized by software. Further, it may be realized by a combination of hardware and software. Further, the computer may function as the refrigerator 200 by executing the program. The program may be installed in a computer constituting at least a part of the refrigerator 200 from a computer-readable medium or a storage device connected to a network.

  A program that is installed in a computer and causes the computer to function as the refrigerator 200 according to the present embodiment works on a CPU or the like to cause the computer to function as each unit of the refrigerator 200. Information processing described in these programs functions as a specific means in which the software and hardware resources of the refrigerator 200 cooperate by being read by a computer.

  Each unit of the management server 300 may be realized by hardware or may be realized by software. Further, it may be realized by a combination of hardware and software. Further, the computer may function as the management server 300 by executing the program. The program may be installed in a computer constituting at least a part of the management server 300 from a computer-readable medium or a storage device connected to a network.

  A program that is installed in a computer and causes the computer to function as the management server 300 according to the present embodiment causes the CPU or the like to function as each unit of the management server 300. Information processing described in these programs functions as a specific means in which software and hardware resources of the management server 300 cooperate by being read by a computer.

  In the said embodiment, although the case where the management system 100 included the refrigerator 200 and the management server 300 was mentioned as an example and demonstrated, it is not restricted to this. The management system 100 may be a refrigerator 200 having the function of the management server 300.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The order of execution of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, the description, and the drawings is particularly “before” or “prior to”. It should be noted that it can be realized in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the description, and the drawings, even if it is described using “first,” “next,” etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It is not a thing.

10 articles, 20 IC tags, 30 users, 32 users, 50 networks, 100 management systems, 200 refrigerators, 202 refrigerator rooms, 203 refrigerator rooms doors, 204 vegetable rooms, 206 freezer rooms, 212 IC tag readers, 214 IC tags, 216 Camera, 218 Weight sensor, 220 Tag reading unit, 222 Open / close detection unit, 224 Imaging unit, 226 Weight measurement unit, 230 Article management information storage unit, 232 Article management information update unit, 234 IC tag article specifying unit, 236 Image article Identification unit, 238 Item management information transmission unit, 242 Unknown item output unit, 244 Item name acquisition unit, 246 Stored article registration unit, 250 Warning necessity determination unit, 252 Warning information output unit, 260 Item management information, 262 Item name column 264 Category column, 266 Product name column, 268 Time limit column, 270 Measurement weight column, 272 Image column, 274 Tag ID column, 276 Storage date column, 280 Storage article information, 282 Item name column, 284 Category column, 286 Product name column, 288 Registration weight column, 290 Registration deadline column, 300 Management server 302, article management information receiving unit, 304 article management information storage unit, 312 unknown article output unit, 314 article name acquisition unit, 316 stored article registration unit, 320 warning necessity determination unit, 322 warning information output unit, 400 communication terminal, 410 communication terminal

Claims (8)

A management system for managing items in a warehouse,
A tag reading unit that reads tag information stored in an IC tag attached to the article;
An imaging unit that captures images of articles received from the warehouse and articles delivered from the warehouse;
A weight measuring unit for measuring the weight of an article stored in the warehouse;
An article management information storage unit for storing article management information for managing articles stored in the warehouse;
An article management information update unit for updating the article management information,
The article management information update unit
After reading the tag information by the tag reading unit and imaging the article by the imaging unit, when the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases, it is determined that the article has been received, and the tag information and the article Updating the article management information by adding to the article management information in association with the image of
After the imaging of the article by the imaging unit, when the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases and the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit, it is determined that the article has been received, and the article Updating the article management information by adding the image of the article management information to
If the tag information is read by the tag reading unit and the article is imaged by the imaging unit after the weight measured by the weight measuring unit is reduced, it is determined that the article corresponding to the tag information is delivered. Update the article management information,
After the weight measured by the weight measuring unit is reduced, the article taken by the imaging unit when the imaging of the article is performed by the imaging unit and the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit. The article management information is updated by determining that the article corresponding to the image is issued.
Management system. An IC tag article identifying unit that identifies an article name of an article to which the IC tag is attached based on the tag information;
An image article identifying unit that identifies an article name of the article based on an image captured by the imaging unit;
Further comprising
The article management information update unit
The article name and the article specified based on the tag information when the weight measured by the weight measuring section is increased after the tag information is read by the tag reading section and the article is imaged by the imaging section. Is associated with the image and added to the article management information,
After the imaging of the article by the imaging unit, the weight measured by the weight measuring unit is increased, and the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit, and based on the image of the article When the article name of the article can be identified, the article image is associated with the article name and added to the article management information, and the article name of the article cannot be identified based on the article image The management system according to claim 1, wherein an image of the article and unknown information indicating that the article name of the article is unknown are associated with each other and added to the article management information. An unknown article output unit that outputs an image of the article associated with the unknown information;
An article name acquisition unit that acquires an article name input to the image of the article output by the unknown article output unit,
The management system according to claim 2, wherein the article management information update unit updates the article management information by replacing the unknown information with the article name acquired by the article name acquisition unit. A warning necessity determination unit that determines whether or not a warning is necessary based on the state of the article stored in the warehouse;
The management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a warning information output unit that outputs warning information when the warning necessity determination unit determines that the warning is necessary. A storage article registration unit for registering articles to be stored in the storage;
The management system according to claim 4, wherein the warning necessity determination unit determines that a warning is necessary when the article registered by the stored article registration unit is not stored in the warehouse. The stored article registration unit registers the weight of articles to be stored in the warehouse,
The article management information update unit
After the tag information is read by the tag reading unit and the article is imaged by the imaging unit, when the weight measured by the weight measuring unit is increased, the tag information and the image of the article, and the weight measuring unit In association with the weight of the article measured by the item management information,
After the imaging of the article by the imaging unit, when the weight measured by the weight measurement unit increases and the tag information is not read by the tag reading unit, the tag information and the image of the article , Adding to the article management information in association with the weight of the article measured by the weight measurement unit,
6. The management according to claim 5, wherein the warning necessity determination unit determines that a warning is required when the weight of the article registered by the stored article registration unit is smaller than the registered weight to be stored. system. The article is a food;
The article management information update unit is included in the tag information when the weight measured by the weight measuring unit increases after the tag information is read by the tag reading unit and the article is imaged by the imaging unit. Adding the article name of the article and the expiration date of the article to the article management information in association with the image of the article;
The management system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the warning necessity determination unit determines whether or not a warning is necessary based on the best before date included in the article management information.   The program for functioning a computer as a management system as described in any one of Claim 1 to 7.

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