JP2019136211A - Show case and temperature control method for show case - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a show case and a temperature control method for a show case capable of keeping the temperature of a commodity at an optimal temperature according to a commodity display state on a type of the commodity displayed on a commodity shelf and the like even when a set temperature for the commodity shelf is set beforehand.SOLUTION: A show case includes: a temperature control unit 4 for subjecting heaters H1-H6 to energization control on the basis of a temperature detected by temperature sensors S1-S6, and controlling a temperature of a commodity placement region of commodity shelves 11-16 to a set temperature that is set beforehand; an imaging unit 2 for imaging the commodity display region on the commodity shelves 11-16; and a commodity information acquisition unit 5 for acquiring commodity display information including a type of the commodity in the commodity display region on the basis of an image of the commodity display region captured by the imaging unit 2. The temperature control unit 4 corrects the set temperature in correspondence with the commodity display information acquired by the commodity information acquisition unit 5, and executes temperature control with the corrected set temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention provides a showcase and a showcase that can maintain the temperature of the product at an appropriate temperature according to the product display state such as the type of product displayed on the product shelf even if the set temperature of the product shelf is preset. The present invention relates to a temperature control method.

  Conventionally, for example, merchandise displayed on a merchandise shelf of a showcase is heated and kept warm by heat transfer from a heater attached to the back of the merchandise shelf. The temperature control of the product shelf by the heater monitors the temperature of the product shelf by a temperature sensor provided on the surface of the product shelf, and performs energization control to the heater so that the temperature of the product shelf becomes the set temperature. .

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes that a heater is divided into zones and heater control is performed in each zone in order to reduce temperature variation of products on one product shelf.

  Note that Patent Document 2 describes a monitoring device that monitors an insufficient display state of merchandise based on an image of a display area in a store.

JP 2011-234902 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-58105

  However, in the conventional temperature control for the product shelf, the preset temperature of the product shelf is input by the controller in advance, and the heater energization control is performed so that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor provided on the product shelf becomes the set temperature. It was. For this reason, even if the temperature of the merchandise shelf is controlled to the set temperature, there is a problem that the temperature of the merchandise deviates from the set temperature depending on the merchandise display state such as the type of merchandise placed on the merchandise shelf.

  For example, even if the product placed on the product shelf with the same set temperature is a 350 ml square plastic bottle, the temperature of the 190 ml can beverage with a capacity smaller than 350 ml becomes hot, and the capacity of 500 ml with a capacity larger than 350 ml The temperature of beverages in round plastic bottles can become warm.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and even if the set temperature of the product shelf is preset, the temperature of the product is set to an appropriate temperature according to the product display state such as the type of product displayed on the product shelf. It is an object of the present invention to provide a showcase and a temperature control method for the showcase that can be maintained at the same time.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the showcase according to the present invention controls the temperature of the product shelf to a set temperature by using a heater provided in the product shelf for displaying the product. A temperature control device for a product shelf that keeps the temperature of the product on the shelf within a predetermined temperature range, the temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelf, and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor A temperature control unit that controls energization of the heater to control the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelf to the set temperature, an imaging unit that images the product display area on the product shelf, and the imaging unit A product information acquisition unit that acquires product display information including the type of product in the product display region based on the captured image of the product display region, and the temperature control unit is acquired by the product information acquisition unit Corresponding to the product display information And correcting a constant temperature.

  In the showcase according to the present invention, in the above invention, the product shelf is divided into a plurality of product placement areas, and the heater and the temperature sensor are provided for each divided product placement area. The product information acquisition unit acquires the product display information of each product display area based on the image of the product display area on each divided product placement area, and the temperature control unit acquires the product information acquisition The set temperature of each product placement area is corrected in accordance with the product display information acquired by the section.

  In the showcase according to the present invention, in the above invention, the product display information is a type of the product, and the temperature control unit corresponds to the type of the product acquired by the product information acquisition unit. The preset temperature is corrected.

  Further, in the showcase according to the present invention, in the above invention, the product display information is presence / absence of the product, and the temperature control unit is configured to display product display information indicating that the product is not present by the product information acquisition unit. When it is obtained, the heater is turned off.

  Further, the temperature control method for the showcase according to the present invention uses the heater provided in the product shelf for displaying the product to control the temperature of the product shelf to a set temperature, thereby determining the temperature of the product on the product shelf. A product temperature control method for a product shelf that keeps a temperature within a temperature range, wherein the product display is performed based on an imaging step for capturing a product display region on the product shelf, and an image of the product display region captured in the imaging step. A product information acquisition step for acquiring product display information including the type of product in the region, and the set temperature is corrected corresponding to the product display information acquired in the product information acquisition step, and the product placement region of the product shelf And a temperature control step of controlling the temperature to the corrected set temperature.

  According to the present invention, product display information including the type of product in the product display area is acquired based on the image of the product display area captured by the imaging unit, and the temperature control unit corresponds to the product display information. Since the set temperature of the product shelf is corrected, even if the set temperature of the product shelf is set in advance, the temperature of the product can be set at an appropriate temperature according to the product display state such as the type of product displayed on the product shelf. Can be maintained.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a showcase according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image captured by the imaging unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the product image and the type of product corresponding to the product image. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the correction table. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of correction of the set temperature by the temperature control unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a product shelf obtained by dividing the product placement region into three parts. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image on the front surface of the showcase when the product shelf is divided into a plurality of product placement areas. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the products placed in the product placement areas of the showcase image shown in FIG. 7 and the correction contents for these products. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a temperature control processing procedure by the controller of the temperature control device.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a showcase 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the showcase 10 has a plurality of product shelves 11 to 16, and products are displayed on the product shelves 11 to 16. The product shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a can beverage or a plastic bottle beverage, and the temperature is controlled so as to be within a temperature keeping temperature range of 50 ° C. to 60 ° C.

  The temperature control device 1 disposed in the showcase 10 includes an imaging unit 2, a controller 3, heaters H1 to H6, and temperature sensors S1 to S6. The temperature control device 1 controls the temperature of the product shelves 11 to 16 to the set temperature by using the heaters H1 to H6 provided in the product shelves 11 to 16 that display the products, and the temperature of the products on the product shelves 11 to 16 Is kept within the temperature range.

  The heaters H <b> 1 to H <b> 6 are heating units disposed on the back surfaces of the product shelves 11 to 16, respectively. The temperature sensors S1 to S6 are sensors that are arranged on the surfaces of the product shelves 11 to 16 and detect the surface temperatures of the product shelves 11 to 16, respectively. The imaging unit 2 is a camera that images the entire front surface of the showcase 10, and is disposed on the ceiling 101, for example. The controller 3 monitors the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors S1 to S6 and controls the energization of the heaters H1 to H6 so that the temperature of the product shelves 11 to 16 becomes a preset temperature. The product display information including the product type in the product display area is acquired based on the image of the product display area on the product shelves 11 to 16 imaged by the unit 2, and the set temperature is corrected corresponding to the product display information. Then, temperature control is performed so that the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelves 11 to 16 becomes the corrected set temperature.

  The controller 3 includes a temperature control unit 4, a product information acquisition unit 5, and a correction table 6. The product information acquisition unit 5 acquires product display information of the product display area, for example, the type of product, based on the image of the product display area captured by the imaging unit 2.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image D10 captured by the imaging unit 2. As illustrated in FIG. The merchandise information acquisition unit 5 cuts out images of the merchandise display areas E1 to E6 on the merchandise shelves 11 to 16 (images D11 to D16) from the image D10, and recognizes and specifies the type of the merchandise from this image.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the product image and the type of product corresponding to the product image. The merchandise information acquisition unit 5 identifies the type of merchandise based on the relationship shown in FIG. 3A to 3E sequentially show the relationship between a 190 ml can, a 250 ml can, a 350 ml square plastic bottle, a 350 ml round plastic bottle, a 500 ml plastic bottle, and these product images.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the correction table 6. As shown in FIG. 4, the correction table 6 holds the relationship between the product type and the correction content. The correction content of the correction table 6 is a correction temperature that is a correction amount of the set temperature. In FIG. 4, for example, in the case of a 190 ml can, the set temperature is lowered by 2 ° C., in the case of a 250 ml can, the set temperature is raised by 1 ° C., in the case of a 350 ml square plastic bottle, the set temperature is kept, and in the case of a 350 ml round plastic bottle, the set temperature In the case of a 500 ml round PET bottle, the relationship of increasing the set temperature by 2 ° C. is shown. These relationships of the correction table 6 are obtained in advance through experiments and the like.

  The temperature control unit 4 acquires the correction content corresponding to the type of product acquired by the product information acquisition unit 5 based on the correction table 6, corrects the set temperature according to the correction content, and the temperature sensors S1 to S6 The detected temperature is monitored, and the energization control of the heaters H1 to H6 is performed so that the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelves 11 to 16 becomes the corrected set temperature.

  For example, when a product is placed as in the image D10 illustrated in FIG. 2, the temperature control unit 4 performs temperature control by correcting the set temperature according to the correction content illustrated in FIG. In the image D10 shown in FIG. 2, 190 ml cans are placed on the first and second product shelves 11 and 12, and 350 ml square PET bottles are placed on the third to fifth product shelves 13 to 15. Since the 500 ml round plastic bottle is placed on the sixth-stage product shelf 16, the temperature control unit 4 refers to the correction table 6 shown in FIG. In addition, the set temperature is lowered by 2 ° C. for the product shelves 11 and 12, the set temperature is kept as it is for the product shelves 13 to 15, and the set temperature is raised by 2 ° C. for the product shelves 16, respectively. Control will be performed.

  In the present embodiment, the type of product placed on the product shelf is acquired based on the image of the product display area of the product shelf, and the set temperature is corrected according to the type of product. Regardless of the type of product, the temperature of each product can be maintained at an appropriate temperature.

<Division of product placement area of product shelf>
By the way, in said embodiment, although temperature control was performed for every goods shelf 11-16, the goods placement area | region on each goods shelf 11-16 is divided | segmented, and a heater and temperature are provided for every goods placement area. A sensor may be provided.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the product placement area SE11 of the product shelf 11 is divided into three product placement areas SE11, SE12, SE13, and the heaters H11, H12 are provided for each of the product placement areas SE11, SE12, SE13. , H13 and temperature sensors S11, S12, S13. Note that different types of products can be placed in each of the divided product placement areas SE11, SE12, and SE13. Similarly, the other product shelves 12 to 16 may also be divided into a plurality of product placement areas, and temperature control may be performed individually.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image D10 on the front surface of the showcase 10 when the product shelf is divided into a plurality of product placement areas. In FIG. 7, the product placement areas of the product shelves 11 to 16 are each divided into three in the left-right direction. Therefore, in this showcase 10, 18 product placement areas are formed.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the products placed in the product placement areas of the image D10 of the showcase 10 shown in FIG. 7 and the correction contents for these products. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, since 190 ml cans are placed in the product display areas E11, E12, E21, E22, and E23, the correction content is to lower the set temperature by 2 ° C. Since a 250 ml can is placed in the commodity display area E13, the correction content is to raise the set temperature by 1 ° C. In addition, since 350 ml square PET bottles are placed on E31, E32, E33, E41, E43, E51, and E52, the set temperature remains unchanged. Since there is no product in the product display area E42, the correction content is that the power to the heater is turned off. Further, since 350 ml round PET bottles are placed in the product display area E53, the correction content is to lower the set temperature by -0.5 ° C. Furthermore, since 500 ml round plastic bottles are placed in the product display areas E61, E62, E63, the correction content is to raise the set temperature by 2 ° C.

  Thereby, the temperature control of a fine product can be further performed. Further, when there is no product in the product display area, the power supply to the heater is turned off, so that power saving can be achieved. It should be noted that turning off the power to the heater is also applied to the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 in which the product placement area of the product shelf is not divided.

<Temperature control process>
Here, a temperature control processing procedure by the controller C of the temperature control device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 9, first, the controller C causes the imaging unit 2 to capture an image D10 of the entire front surface of the showcase 10 and obtains an image D10 (step S101). Thereafter, the merchandise information acquisition unit 5 performs merchandise display areas E1 to E6 in the image D10, or merchandise display areas E11 to E13, E21 to E23, E31 to E33, E41 to E43, E51 to E53, E61 to E63 (hereinafter, Based on the image of the product display area E), product display information (product type and presence / absence of product) of each product display area E is acquired (step S102).

  Thereafter, the temperature control unit 4 selects product display information for one product display area E (step S103). Then, it is determined whether the presence / absence of a product in the selected product display information is “there is a product” (step S104). If it is “there is a product” (step S104, Yes), the correction table 6 is referred to, and the set temperature is corrected according to the type of product (step S105). On the other hand, if “there is no product” (step S104, No), since there is no product in the product display area, energization of the heater corresponding to the selected product display area E is turned off (step S106).

  After the processing of step S105 and step S106, the temperature control unit 4 determines whether there is another unprocessed product display area E (step S107). If there is another product display area E (step S107, Yes), the process proceeds to step S103, the product display information of the other product display area E is acquired, and then the above-described processing is repeated.

  On the other hand, when there is no other unprocessed product display area E (No in step S107), the temperature control unit 4 corrects the set temperature of the product placement area corresponding to each product display area E. Temperature control for controlling energization of the heater is performed so that the temperature is reached (step S108), and this process is terminated. The above process is repeated every predetermined time.

  In the above embodiment, the type of product and the presence / absence of the product are obtained as the product display information. However, the number of products appearing on the front of the product shelf in the product display area E or the product occupation density is included as the product display information. Also good. For example, when a maximum of 4 products can appear in front of the product display area E, when 2 products appear, a value obtained by weighting the correction value of the set temperature by 0.5 A correction value may be used. If the product display area E is further finely divided and the set temperature of the divided product placement area is corrected, a more appropriate temperature can be obtained than when the set temperature is corrected by the number appearing on the front of the product or the product occupation density. Control can be performed. For example, the product display area E may be a single product unit that appears on the front of the product shelf.

  In addition, the temperature control unit 4 has a plurality of (multiple rows) of products that appear on the front surface of the product display area E on the product placement area controlled by an independent heater, and different products are placed. If the correction amount of all products is a positive correction amount, the minimum correction amount is the correction amount of each product. If the correction amount of all products is a negative correction amount, the minimum correction amount is corrected for each product. When the correction amount of each product is a mixture of a positive correction amount and a negative correction amount, it is preferable that the correction is not performed.

  For example, in the case of the correction content of the correction table 6 shown in FIG. 4, one product display area E contains one row of 250 ml can products (correction amount: + 1 ° C.) and 500 ml round plastic bottle products ( (Correction amount: + 2 ° C.) is arranged in three rows, the correction amount of each product is positive, so the minimum correction amount of + 1 ° C. is applied as the correction amount. Further, for example, one product display area E is arranged with one row of 350 ml round plastic bottle products (correction amount: −0.5 ° C.) and three rows of 190 ml can products (correction amount: −2 ° C.). In such a case, since the correction amount of each product is negative, the minimum correction amount of −0.5 ° C. is applied as the correction amount. In addition, for example, in one product display area E, two rows of 190 ml can products (correction amount: −2 ° C.) and two rows of 500 ml round plastic bottle products (correction amount: + 2 ° C.) are arranged. No correction is made because the correction amount of each product is a mixture of positive and negative.

  Note that each configuration illustrated in the above embodiment is functionally schematic, and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as illustrated. That is, the form of distribution / integration of each device and component is not limited to the one shown in the figure, and all or a part thereof is functionally / physically distributed / integrated in arbitrary units according to various usage conditions. Can be configured.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Temperature control apparatus 2 Imaging part 3 Controller 4 Temperature control part 5 Product information acquisition part 6 Correction table 10 Showcase 11-16 Product shelf 101 Ceiling D10, D11-D16 Image E1-E6, E11-E13, E21-E23, E31 -E33, E41-E43, E51-E53, E61-E63 Product display area H1-H6, H11, H12, H13 Heater S1-S6, S11, S12, S13 Temperature sensor SE11, SE12 Product placement area

Claims (5)

A showcase for controlling the temperature of the product shelf to a set temperature using a heater provided on the product shelf for displaying products, and keeping the temperature of the product on the product shelf within a predetermined temperature range,
A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelf;
A temperature control unit that controls energization of the heater based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and controls the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelf to the set temperature;
An imaging unit for imaging a product display area on the product shelf;
A product information acquisition unit that acquires product display information including the type of product in the product display area based on the image of the product display area captured by the imaging unit;
The temperature control unit corrects the set temperature corresponding to the product display information acquired by the product information acquisition unit. The product shelf is divided into a plurality of product placement areas,
The heater and the temperature sensor are provided for each divided product placement area,
The product information acquisition unit acquires the product display information of each product display area based on the image of the product display area on each divided product placement area,
The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit corrects the set temperature of each product placement area corresponding to the product display information acquired by the product information acquisition unit. The product display information is a type of the product,
The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit corrects the set temperature in accordance with the type of the product acquired by the product information acquisition unit. The product display information is the presence or absence of the product,
The said temperature control part turns off the electricity supply of the said heater, when the goods display information that the said goods do not exist is acquired by the said goods information acquisition part. Showcase. This is a temperature control method for a showcase in which the temperature of the product shelf is controlled to a set temperature by using a heater provided in the product shelf for displaying the product, and the temperature of the product on the product shelf is kept within a predetermined temperature range. And
An imaging step of imaging a product display area on the product shelf;
Product information acquisition step for acquiring product display information including the type of product in the product display area based on the image of the product display area imaged in the imaging step;
A temperature control step of correcting the set temperature corresponding to the product display information acquired in the product information acquisition step, and controlling the temperature of the product placement area of the product shelf to the corrected set temperature;
A temperature control method for a showcase, comprising:

Images