JP2019160294A - Information reading device and information reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a configuration with which it is possible to easily grasp the progress status of the whole in each of information reading devices without having to aggregate data from each information reading device by a server, etc.SOLUTION: Each time data is read by a wireless tag processing unit, determination is made as to whether or not the data is unread data not stored in a storage unit, and determination is made as to whether or not the data received from other information reading devices via a communication unit is unread data. Meanwhile, each time it is determined by a control unit that the read data is unread data, the unread data is stored in the storage unit and transmitted to other information reading devices via the communication unit, and the received data determined as unread data is stored in the storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an information reading apparatus and an information reading system.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system that efficiently manages a management target by reading a wireless tag reader or information code attached to the management target using an information reading device such as a wireless tag reader or an information code reader has been proposed. For example, when a plurality of workers read wireless tags attached to commodities stored in a warehouse using terminals that function as wireless tag readers, inventory work can be performed efficiently.

  On the other hand, when multiple people perform inventory work using a wireless tag at the same time, individual workers do not know the progress of the entire work, and wasteful work such as reading wireless tags already read by others occurs. There is. In particular, in inventory work using wireless tags, work is usually carried out without knowing which wireless tags are being read by all workers. Therefore, unless the data read from each terminal is aggregated by a server, etc. It is difficult to keep track of progress. In addition, an operation method such as dividing the work section for each worker may be considered, but there may be cases where different workers read the same wireless tag near the section boundary, resulting in unnecessary work. Is expensive.

  For such a problem, for example, a management system disclosed in Patent Document 1 below is known. In this management system, an IC tag is attached to each shelf to be inventoried, and the operator performs a predetermined operation on the portable terminal before starting the inventory operation on the shelf, so that the IC tag is attached to the IC tag. The recorded first progress status information is changed to information indicating that inventory is being performed. Then, when the worker performs a predetermined operation on the portable terminal in accordance with the completion of the inventory work, the first progress status information recorded in the IC tag is changed to information indicating that the inventory has been completed. Thereby, by confirming the first progress status information recorded in the IC tag, the progress status of the inventory work for the shelf can be grasped by each portable terminal.

International Publication No. 2006/095410

  However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to attach a wireless tag to each of the shelves in which the management targets to which the wireless tags are attached are stored, and manage the wireless tags including the wireless tags for each shelf. There is. For this reason, not only the management of the wireless tag becomes complicated, but there is a problem that the above configuration cannot be adopted in an environment where the wireless tag cannot be attached to each shelf. In addition, an information code reader or the like that optically reads an information code also needs to have a function as a wireless tag reader, and in order to adopt the above configuration, the information code reader is limited to an information reading device that has a function as a wireless tag reader. There is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to collect the data from each information reader without using a server or the like to collect data from each information reader. It is in providing the structure which can grasp | ascertain the progress of this easily.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 of the scope of claims
An information reading device (10) including an information reading unit (30, 40) capable of reading data recorded on a reading target (50, C),
A communication unit (28) for wirelessly communicating with one or more other information reading devices;
A storage unit (22) for storing data read by the information reading unit;
A first determination unit (21) for determining whether or not the data is unread data that is not stored in the storage unit each time data is read by the information reading unit;
A second determination unit (21) for determining whether or not the data received from the other information reading device via the communication unit is the unread data;
A control unit (21) for controlling data stored in the storage unit;
With
The control unit stores the unread data in the storage unit and transmits it to the other information reading device via the communication unit every time the first determination unit determines that the data is unread. The data determined by the second determination unit as the unread data is stored in the storage unit.
In addition, the code | symbol in each said parenthesis shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

  In the first aspect of the invention, every time data is read by the information reading unit, whether or not the data is unread data not stored in the storage unit is determined by the first determination unit. Whether or not the data received from the information reading apparatus is unread data is determined by the second determination unit. Then, whenever the control unit determines that the data is unread data by the first determination unit, the unread data is stored in the storage unit and transmitted to the other information reading apparatus via the communication unit, and the second determination is performed. Data determined by the unit to be unread data is stored in the storage unit.

  As a result, each time unread data is read, the unread data is transmitted to another information reading device and stored in the storage unit. Therefore, in all information reading devices within a communicable range, The stored data can be shared in real time. For this reason, it is possible to easily grasp the overall progress status of each information reading device without consolidating data from each information reading device by a server or the like, so that the reading operation can be made more efficient.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, all read data stored in the storage unit is transmitted to another information reading device via the communication unit at a predetermined timing by the control unit. As a result, even if some unread data transmitted in real time from another information reader cannot be received, the unread data is also received at the predetermined timing. Can be accurately performed.

  In the invention of claim 3, when the control unit determines that the data is unread data by the second determination unit, the unread data is stored in the storage unit and transmitted to another information reading device via the communication unit. The As a result, unread data received from other information reading devices is also transmitted to other different information reading devices, so even between information reading devices that cannot be directly communicated, other information reading devices are relayed and unread. Since data can be transmitted, sharing of data among the information reading apparatuses can be performed more reliably.

  In the invention of claim 4, the unread data is given a transmission count indicating the number of times the unread data is sent to another information reading device, and the transmission given to the unread data when the unread data is sent. The number of times is added by the adder. When the control unit determines that the second determination unit determines that the data is unread data, the unread data is stored in the storage unit, and unread data whose number of transmissions is equal to or less than the first predetermined number To the other information reader.

  When there are a large number of information reading devices that should share data, each information reading device performs a process for transmitting unread data received from other information reading devices to another different information reading device. Since they are performed almost at the same time, a lot of useless communication in which the same unread data is transmitted from a plurality of other information reading devices to one information reading device may occur. Therefore, the number of transmissions to which the number of times is added each time it is transmitted to another information reading device is given to unread data, and unread data whose number of transmissions is equal to or less than the first predetermined number of times is assigned to other information. By transmitting to the reading device, unread data whose number of transmissions exceeds the first predetermined number is not transmitted to other information reading devices. As a result, even when the number of information readers that should share data is large, wasteful communication can be achieved by appropriately setting the first predetermined number according to the number of information readers and the like. Can be suppressed.

  In the invention of claim 5, the number of determinations that the first determination unit continuously determines that it is not unread data is counted by the counting unit, and when the number of determinations exceeds a second predetermined number of times, a predetermined notification is performed by the notification unit. Is called. As a result, when the data has already been read by another worker and the reading operation is continued, the data received from the information reading device of the other worker is not read even if it is read by itself. Since it is stored in the storage unit, the predetermined number of times counted by the counting unit exceeds the second predetermined number of times, and the predetermined notification is made. For this reason, the worker who has received the predetermined notification can easily grasp that the worker has entered the read area where the data has been read by another worker, and therefore, wasteful reading work can be reduced. In particular, by moving so that the worker does not receive the predetermined notification, the worker can be urged to be guided to an area where data is not read by another worker.

  In the invention of claim 6, since the information reading system is configured to include a plurality of the information reading devices described above, each information reading device does not collect data from each information reading device by a server or the like. It is possible to build a system that can easily grasp the overall progress.

  The invention of claim 7 includes a server capable of acquiring data stored in the storage unit from at least one of a plurality of information reading devices used in a predetermined reading work area. Based on the data acquired from the reading device, that is, the data that has been shared, the grasping unit grasps the progress of the reading in the predetermined reading work area.

  As a result, the server can acquire the shared data from any one information reading device used in the predetermined reading work area, and the process of acquiring and collecting the data from all the information reading devices can be performed. Since it becomes unnecessary, the progress status of reading can be easily grasped even in the server. Furthermore, the server manager or the like can make adjustments for improving the overall work efficiency of the reading work area, such as changing the placement or reinforcement of the worker, in accordance with the progress status thus grasped.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the information reading system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. 2A is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the first terminal in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a block diagram schematically illustrating the RFID tag processing unit in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C is a block diagram schematically illustrating the information code reading unit in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electrical configuration of a wireless tag. It is a flowchart which illustrates the flow of the reading process performed in a control part. It is a flowchart which illustrates the flow of the data transmission process performed in a control part. It is a flowchart which illustrates the flow of the reading process performed in a control part in 2nd Embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a reading process performed by a control unit in the third embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the information reading system which concerns on 4th Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment in which an information reading system including a plurality of information reading apparatuses according to the present invention is embodied will be described with reference to the drawings.
An information reading system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a system configured to include a plurality of information reading devices that can read data recorded on a reading target. In the present embodiment, the information reading system 1 uses a wireless tag (RFID tag) 50 as a reading target, and three information reading devices 10 that can read data recorded on the wireless tag 50 include a first terminal 10a and a second information reading device 10. The terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c are provided.

Since the first terminal 10a, the second terminal 10b, and the third terminal 10c are information reading devices having equivalent functions, the detailed configuration of the first terminal 10a will be described with reference to FIG. .
The first terminal 10a is configured as a portable information reading terminal that is carried by an operator (user) and used in various places, and is stored in the wireless tag 50 through radio waves transmitted and received via an antenna. In addition to the function of reading and writing the information being read, it also has a function as an information code reader for reading an information code C such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code, and can be read in two ways.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, a control unit 21 for controlling the entire first terminal 10a is provided in the housing of the first terminal 10a. The control unit 21 is composed mainly of a microcomputer, has a CPU, a system bus, an input / output interface, and the like, and constitutes an information processing apparatus together with the storage unit 22. The storage unit 22 includes a semiconductor memory device such as a RAM (DRAM, SRAM, etc.) or a ROM (EPROM, EEPROM, etc.). In the storage unit 22, a program for executing processing for reading the wireless tag 50 through wireless communication, a program for executing decoding processing for optically reading the captured information code, and the like can be executed by the control unit 21. Stored in advance. The control unit 21 is connected to an LED 23, a display unit 24, a key operation unit 25, a vibrator 26, a buzzer 27, a communication unit 28, and the like.

  The key operation unit 25 is configured to give an operation signal to the control unit 21, and the control unit 21 receives the operation signal and performs an operation according to the content of the operation signal. Further, the LED 23, the display unit 24, the vibrator 26 and the buzzer 27 are configured to be controlled by the control unit 21, and each operate in response to a command from the control unit 21.

  The communication unit 28 is a wireless communication means for enabling wireless communication at a short distance directly with one or more other information reading devices (such as the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c). For example, it is configured to have a Bluetooth (registered trademark) function and an NFC (Near Field Communication) function. In addition, a power supply unit 29 is provided in the housing, and power is supplied to the control unit 21 and various electrical components by the power supply unit 29 and the battery 29a.

The control unit 21 is connected to a wireless tag processing unit 30 and an information code reading unit 40 that function as an information reading unit.
First, the wireless tag processing unit 30 will be described with reference to FIG.
The wireless tag processing unit 30 performs electromagnetic wave communication with the wireless tag 50 in cooperation with the antenna 34 and the control unit 21, reads data stored in the wireless tag 50, or writes data to the wireless tag 50. It functions to perform. The wireless tag processing unit 30 is configured as a circuit that performs transmission by a known radio wave system. As schematically illustrated in FIG. 2B, the wireless tag processing unit 30 includes a transmission circuit 31, a reception circuit 32, a matching circuit 33, and the like. Have.

  The transmission circuit 31 includes a carrier oscillator, an encoding unit, an amplifier, a transmission unit filter, a modulation unit, and the like, and is configured to output a carrier (carrier wave) having a predetermined frequency from the carrier oscillator. The encoding unit is connected to the control unit 21, encodes transmission data output from the control unit 21, and outputs the transmission data to the modulation unit. The modulation unit is a part to which the carrier (carrier wave) from the carrier oscillator and the transmission data from the encoding unit are input. The carrier (carrier wave) output from the carrier oscillator is encoded at the time of command transmission to the communication target. A modulated signal that is ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) modulated by the encoded transmission code (modulated signal) output from the encoding unit is generated and output to the amplifier. The amplifier amplifies the input signal (the modulated signal modulated by the modulation unit) with a predetermined gain, and outputs the amplified signal to the transmission unit filter. The transmission unit filter filters the amplified signal from the amplifier. The transmission signal is output to the antenna 34 via the matching circuit 33. When the transmission signal is output to the antenna 34 in this way, the transmission signal is radiated to the outside from the antenna 34 as a transmission radio wave.

  On the other hand, the response signal received by the antenna 34 is input to the receiving circuit 32 via the matching circuit 33. The receiving circuit 32 includes a receiving unit filter, an amplifier, a demodulating unit, a binarization processing unit, a decoding unit, and the like. After the response signal received through the antenna 34 is filtered by the receiving unit filter, The signal is amplified by an amplifier, and the amplified signal is demodulated by a demodulator. The demodulated signal waveform is binarized by the binarization processing unit, decoded by the decoding unit, and then the decoded signal is output to the control unit 21 as received data.

Here, the electrical configuration of the wireless tag 50 to be read by the first terminal 10a will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the wireless tag 50 includes an antenna 51, a power supply circuit 52, a demodulation circuit 53, a control circuit 54, a memory 55, a modulation circuit 56, and the like. The power supply circuit 52 rectifies and smoothes a transmission signal (carrier signal) received from the first terminal 10a received via the antenna 51 to generate an operation power supply. The operation power supply is connected to the control circuit 54. It supplies to each component including the first.

  The demodulating circuit 53 demodulates the data superimposed on the transmission signal (carrier signal) and outputs it to the control circuit 54. The memory 55 stores identification information (tag ID) for identifying the wireless tag 50, data corresponding to the use of the wireless tag 50, and the like. The control circuit 54 is configured to output the data read from the memory 55 to the modulation circuit 56 as transmission data. The modulation circuit 56 performs load modulation on the response signal (carrier signal) with the transmission data and performs the antenna 51. Is transmitted as a reflected wave.

Next, the information code reading unit 40 will be described with reference to FIG.
The information code reading unit 40 functions to optically read the information code. As shown in FIG. 2C, the information code reading unit 40 includes a light receiving sensor 43 including a CCD area sensor, an imaging lens 42, a plurality of LEDs, It has a configuration including an illumination unit 41 including a lens and the like, and functions to read an information code C (bar code or two-dimensional code) attached to a product or the like in cooperation with the control unit 21. .

  When reading is performed by the information code reading unit 40, first, the illumination light Lf is emitted from the illumination unit 41 instructed by the control unit 21, and the illumination light Lf is irradiated to the information code C through the reading port. . Then, the reflected light Lr reflected by the information code C from the illumination light Lf is taken into the apparatus through the reading port, and is received by the light receiving sensor 43 through the imaging lens 42. The imaging lens 42 disposed between the reading port and the light receiving sensor 43 is configured to form an image of the information code C on the light receiving sensor 43, and the light receiving sensor 43 forms an image of the information code C. The corresponding light reception signal is output. The light reception signal output from the light reception sensor 43 is stored as image data in the storage unit 22 (FIG. 2A) and used for decoding processing for acquiring information included in the information code C. . The information code reading unit 40 is provided with an amplifying circuit for amplifying the signal from the light receiving sensor 43 and an AD converting circuit for converting the amplified signal into a digital signal. Is omitted.

  The first terminal 10 a configured as described above functions so that the wireless tag processing unit 30 reads data (such as a tag ID) recorded on the wireless tag 50. The first terminal 10a transmits / receives the read data to / from the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c via the communication unit 28 in the reading process and the data transmission process performed by the control unit 21 as described later. By sharing, data sharing is achieved. The second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c are also configured in the same manner as the first terminal 10a, and the data can be shared by transmitting and receiving the read data to and from other terminals via the communication unit 28, respectively. It is done.

  Next, with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the reading process performed by the control unit 21 and the data transmission process performed in parallel with the reading process when sharing the data read by each terminal are used. Will be described in detail. In the following description, during the inventory work, the wireless tags 50 attached to the products displayed on the display shelves in the store are read using the first terminal 10a, the second terminal 10b, and the third terminal 10c. The reading process performed by the control unit 21 of the first terminal 10a will be described in detail as an example. In addition, the communication part 28 of each terminal 10a-10b shall employ | adopt the structure which can carry out a radio | wireless communication mutually in the store used as an inventory work area (reading work area).

  When a reading operation is started by the control unit 21 by performing a predetermined operation on the key operation unit 25 when starting the inventory work, an initial setting process shown in step S101 of FIG. 4 is performed. In this process, the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c at positions where direct wireless communication is possible via the communication unit 28 are set as transmission / reception targets of read data.

  Then, processing for reading the wireless tag 50 is performed using the wireless tag processing unit 30 functioning as an information reading unit (S103), and when data recorded in the wireless tag 50 is read (Yes in S105), In the determination process of step S107, it is determined whether or not the read data is unread data that is not stored in the storage unit 22. If unread data is being read (Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109) and transmitted to the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c, which are other information reading devices. Therefore, the data is stored in a transmission buffer constructed in the storage unit 22 or the like (S111), and the next wireless tag 50 can be read (S103). On the other hand, if the read data is already read data stored in the storage unit 22 (No in S107), the read data is discarded and the next wireless tag 50 can be read. (S103). Note that the control unit 21 that performs the determination process of step S107 to determine whether the read data is unread data may correspond to an example of a “first determination unit”. Further, the wireless tag 50 read by itself once is not to be read thereafter, and it is not determined Yes in the above step S105.

  In the data transmission process performed in parallel with the reading process by performing the initial setting process (S101), first, whether or not data is recorded in the transmission buffer in the determination process of step S201 in FIG. Is determined. When unread data is recorded in the transmission buffer as described above (Yes in S201), the data is immediately transmitted to the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c via the communication unit 28 (S203). If the transmission is successful (Yes in S205), the transmitted data is deleted from the transmission buffer (S207), and the process from the determination process in step S201 is performed.

  In the reading process, even when data is not read (No in S105), if data transmitted by the data transmission process performed by the second terminal 10b or the third terminal 10c is received (Yes in S113). In step S107, it is determined whether the received data is unread data. If unread data is received (Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109), and is sent to the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c, which are other information reading devices. In order to transmit, it is stored in a transmission buffer constructed in the storage unit 22 or the like (S111), and the next wireless tag 50 can be read (S103). In the transmission buffer, the unread data may be stored so that the terminal that has transmitted the unread data is excluded from the transmission target. On the other hand, when the received data is read data (No in S107), the read data is discarded and the next wireless tag 50 can be read (S103). The control unit 21 that performs the determination process in step S107 to determine whether the received data is unread data can correspond to an example of a “second determination unit”.

  In this way, since unread data is immediately transmitted to other information reading devices in the data transmission processing performed in parallel with the reading processing, the data stored in the respective storage units 22 is shared in real time. It will be. Then, when the read number of the shared data reaches the predetermined number, it is determined that the reading is finished (Yes in S115), the data transmission process is finished (S117), and the main reading process is finished.

  As described above, in the information reading apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, each time data is read by the wireless tag processing unit 30, it is determined whether or not the data is unread data that is not stored in the storage unit 22. Then, it is determined whether or not the data received from another information reading device via the communication unit 28 is unread data. Each time the control unit 21 determines that the read data is unread data, the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 and transmitted to another information reading device via the communication unit 28 and received. Data that is determined to be unread data with respect to the processed data is stored in the storage unit 22.

  As a result, each time unread data is read, the unread data is transmitted to another information reading device and stored in the storage unit 22. Therefore, in each information reading device in a communicable range, each storage unit The data stored in the memory 22 can be shared in real time. For this reason, it is possible to easily grasp the overall progress status of each information reading device without consolidating data from each information reading device by a server or the like, so that the reading operation can be made more efficient.

  In particular, whenever the control unit 21 determines that data received from another information reading device is unread data (Yes in S113, Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 and communicated. The data is transmitted to another information reading device via the unit 28. As a result, unread data received from other information reading devices is also transmitted to other different information reading devices, so even between information reading devices that cannot be directly communicated, other information reading devices are relayed and unread. Since data can be transmitted, sharing of data among the information reading apparatuses can be performed more reliably.

  Since the information reading system 1 is configured to include a plurality of the above-described information reading devices (10a to 10c), each information reading device can be provided without collecting data from each information reading device by a server or the like. Can build a system that can easily grasp the overall progress.

  As a modification of the present embodiment, in the reading process performed by the control unit 21, a predetermined operation has been performed on the timing when a predetermined time has elapsed since the reading process started or the key operation unit 25. All read data stored in the storage unit 22 may be stored in the transmission buffer at a predetermined timing such as timing.

  For this reason, at the predetermined timing, all read data stored in the storage unit 22 is transmitted to another information reading device via the communication unit 28. As a result, even if some unread data transmitted in real time from another information reader cannot be received, the unread data is also received at the predetermined timing. Can be accurately performed.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, an information reading apparatus and an information reading system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
The second embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that a transmission count is given to unread data to be transmitted. Therefore, substantially the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  When there are a large number of information reading devices that should share data, each information reading device performs a process for transmitting unread data received from other information reading devices to another different information reading device. It will be done almost simultaneously. For example, when sharing data of 20 information reading devices including the first terminal 10a, the second terminal 10b, and the third terminal 10c used in a predetermined reading work area, only the first terminal 10a is used. The unread data read by is transmitted to each information reading device as follows.

  The first terminal 10a performs a process for transmitting unread data to other 19 information reading devices including the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c. Then, the second terminal 10b that has received the unread data performs a process for transmitting the unread data to the other 19 information reading devices including the first terminal 10a and the third terminal 10c, and the unread data The third terminal 10c that has received the data performs a process for transmitting the unread data to the other 19 information reading devices including the first terminal 10a and the second terminal 10b. Similarly, other information reading devices that have received unread data perform processing for transmitting the unread data to the other 19 information reading devices.

  As described above, since the process of transmitting the received unread data to the other 19 information reading devices is performed by each information reading device, the same information from a plurality of other information reading devices is obtained for one information reading device. There may be a lot of useless wireless communication in which unread data is transmitted. For example, the same unread data is transmitted from the other 18 information reading devices including the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c to the information reading device that has already received the unread data from the first terminal 10a. May end up.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, a transmission count N1 indicating the number of times the unread data is transmitted to another information reading apparatus is assigned to the unread data, and is given to the unread data when the unread data is transmitted. The number of transmissions N1 is added (incremented). Then, unread data whose number of transmissions N1 is equal to or less than the first predetermined number of times N1th is transmitted to another information reading device, and unread data whose number of transmissions N1 exceeds the first predetermined number of times N1th is transmitted to other information reading devices. By avoiding transmission, useless wireless communication is suppressed. Note that the information reading apparatus is not limited to immediately transmitting the received unread data to other information reading apparatuses. For example, the information reading apparatus collects a certain amount of unread data to another information reading apparatus after a predetermined time has elapsed. Alternatively, useless wireless communication may be suppressed.

Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the reading process performed by the control unit 21 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
When the reading process is started by the control unit 21 in the first terminal 10a, the initial setting process shown in step S101 of FIG. 6 is performed, and the second terminal 10b and the third terminal 10c used in a predetermined reading work area. Are set as transmission / reception targets of read data.

  Then, the data recorded in the wireless tag 50 is read (Yes in S105), and when the unread data is read (Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109). Subsequently, a transmission count addition process shown in step S119 is performed, and a process for adding (incrementing) the transmission count N1 given to the unread data is performed. If it is unread data read by itself, it is not transmitted and the number of times of transmission N1 is not given, so the number of times of transmission N1 given to this unread data is added as “1”. Note that the control unit 21 that performs the transmission count addition process in step S119 may correspond to an example of an “addition unit”.

  Subsequently, in the determination process in step S121, it is determined whether or not the number of transmissions N1 given to the unread data is equal to or less than the first predetermined number N1th. Here, the first predetermined number of times N1th is a threshold set by the number of information reading devices used in a predetermined reading work area, the wireless communication possible range of each information reading device, and the like. When the data sharing of the 20 information reading devices used in the reading work area is to be shared, “10” is set. Note that the first predetermined number of times N1th may be set to a value smaller than “10” (for example, “5”) in consideration of the number of information reading devices, the wireless communication range of each information reading device, and the like. Alternatively, a value larger than “10” (for example, “20”) may be set.

  As described above, when the number of transmissions N1 given as being unread data read by itself is added as “1”, the number of transmissions N1 is equal to or less than the first predetermined number of times N1th, and in step S121 above It is determined Yes in the determination process. In this case, the process of step S111 is performed, and the unread data to which the number of transmissions N1 is assigned is stored in the transmission buffer, so that the unread data is transmitted to the second terminal 10b via the communication unit 28 together with the number of transmissions N1. And transmitted to a plurality of information reading devices including the third terminal 10c (S203 in FIG. 5).

  In the second terminal 10b, when the data received from the first terminal 10a is unread data (Yes in S113, Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109). Next, the number-of-transmissions addition process shown in step S119 is performed, and the process for adding the number-of-transmissions N1 given to unread data is performed. As described above, when the unread data to which the transmission count N1 of “1” is given is received from the first terminal 10a, the transmission count N1 is added as “2”. Subsequently, if the number of transmissions N1 added to the unread data so as to add in this way is equal to or less than the first predetermined number of times N1th (Yes in S121), the process of step S111 is performed, and the number of transmissions N1 is assigned. Unread data is stored in the transmission buffer. Then, the unread data is transmitted to the plurality of information reading devices including the first terminal 10a and the third terminal 10c through the communication unit 28 together with the transmission count N1 (S203 in FIG. 5).

  Similarly, in the third terminal 10c, if the data received from the first terminal 10a is unread data (Yes in S113, Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109). Next, a transmission count addition process shown in step S119 is performed, a process for adding the transmission count N1 given to the unread data is performed, and the transmission count N1 is added as “2”. Subsequently, if the number of transmissions N1 added to the unread data so as to add in this way is equal to or less than the first predetermined number of times N1th (Yes in S121), the process of step S111 is performed, and the number of transmissions N1 is assigned. Unread data is stored in the transmission buffer. Then, the unread data is transmitted to the plurality of information reading apparatuses including the first terminal 10a and the second terminal 10b through the communication unit 28 together with the transmission count N1 (S203 in FIG. 5).

  On the other hand, in the third terminal 10c, when the data received from the second terminal 10b is already read data received from the first terminal 10a and stored in the storage unit 22 (No in S107), the number of transmissions The read data is discarded without adding N1, and the next wireless tag 50 can be read (S103).

  Also, for example, in another information reading apparatus that has received data with the number of transmission times N1 assigned to “10”, if the received data is unread data (Yes in S113, Yes in S107), Unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109). Next, when the transmission count N1 is added as “11” in the transmission count addition process shown in step S119, the transmission count N1 exceeds the first predetermined count N1th (No in S121), so that unread data is transmitted. The next wireless tag 50 can be read without being stored in the buffer (S103).

  As described above, in the information reading apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, in the reading process performed by the control unit 21, transmission indicating the number of times the unread data is transmitted to another information reading apparatus is included in the unread data. When the number of times N1 is given and unread data is transmitted, the number of times of transmission N1 given to the unread data is added (S119). Each time it is determined that the data received from another information reading device is unread data (Yes in S113, Yes in S107), the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22, and the number of transmissions N1 is the first. Unread data that is equal to or less than the predetermined number N1th of 1 is transmitted to another information reading apparatus via the communication unit 28 (Yes in S121).

  In this way, the number of transmissions N1 to which the number of times is added each time it is transmitted to another information reading device is added to the unread data, and the number of times of transmission N1 is equal to or less than the first predetermined number N1th. Is transmitted to the other information reading device, the unread data whose transmission count N1 exceeds the first predetermined number N1th is not transmitted to the other information reading device. As a result, even when the number of information readers that should share data is large, by setting the first predetermined number N1th appropriately according to the number of information readers and the like, wasteful communication or The enlargement of wireless communication data can be suppressed.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, an information reading apparatus and an information reading system according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
The third embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that a predetermined notification is performed when it is continuously determined that the data read by itself is not unread data. Therefore, substantially the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  When a plurality of workers perform a reading operation within a predetermined reading operation area, even if the duplication on the data can be eliminated by sharing the data as described above, It cannot be determined whether or not is already read by another operator. For this reason, there is a problem that a double operation occurs in which a different operator performs a reading operation again in a read area where another operator has already completed the reading operation.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the reading process performed by the control unit 21, the number of times of determination N2 in which it is determined that the data read by itself is not unread data is counted, and this number of times of determination N2 is the second predetermined number of times N2th. If it exceeds, predetermined notification is performed. Thereby, the worker who has received the predetermined notification can grasp the approach to the read area, and can reduce useless reading work.

Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the reading process performed by the control unit 21 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
When the reading process is started by the control unit 21 and the data recorded in the wireless tag 50 is read using the wireless tag processing unit 30 (Yes in S105 in FIG. 7), when the unread data is read ( In S107, the unread data is stored in the storage unit 22 (S109), stored in the transmission buffer (S111), and the determination count N2 is set to “0” (S123).

  If data transmitted from another information reading device is received (Yes in S113) and the received data is unread data (Yes in S107), the processing from step S109 onward is performed. . On the other hand, if the received data is not unread data (Yes in S113, No in S107), it is determined in the determination process in step S125 whether the data determined not to be unread data is the received data. The If the data determined not to be unread data is the received data (Yes in S125), the next wireless tag 50 can be read (S103).

  Further, when the data recorded in the wireless tag 50 is read using the wireless tag processing unit 30 (Yes in S105), the read data is already read data stored in the storage unit 22. Is determined No in step S107. Here, since the data once read by itself is not a reading target, it is not determined Yes in step S105. Therefore, the already read data received from another information reading device and stored in the storage unit 22 is When reading from the wireless tag 50 for the first time, Yes is determined in step S105 and No is determined in step S107. That is, when data is read from the wireless tag 50 in a state where it has already entered the read area where data has already been read by another worker, it is determined Yes in step S105 for the above-described data sharing. In step S107, it is determined No.

  As described above, if it is determined Yes in step S105 and No in step S107, data determined as not being unread data (read data) is not received data (in S125). No) and incremented (N2 = N2 + 1) so that the number of times of determination N2 is counted (S127). For example, when it is determined No in step S125 for the first time, the determination count N2 is counted as “1”. The control unit 21 that performs the process of step S127 may correspond to an example of a “counting unit”.

  Subsequently, in the determination process of step S129, it is determined whether or not the incremented determination number N2 exceeds the second predetermined number N2th. Here, the second predetermined number of times N2th is a value set according to the work environment in the predetermined reading work area, and is set to “10”, for example, and the determination number N2 is “1” as described above. If it is immediately after being counted, "No" is determined in step S129, and the next wireless tag 50 can be read (S103).

  If the incremented determination number N2 exceeds the second predetermined number N2th by continuing the reading operation in the read area (Yes in S129), a notification process shown in step S131 is performed. In this process, predetermined notification is performed by displaying on the display unit 24 character information that “work has been done at another terminal”.

  The worker who has received this notification can easily grasp that he / she has entered the read area where the data has been read by another worker. In the above notification process, other notifications such as lighting / flashing by the LED 23 and ringing by the buzzer 27 are used in order to notify that the data has been read by another worker. The above-mentioned predetermined notification may be performed, for example, a known speaker may be used to notify by voice that “work has been done at another terminal”. The display unit 24, the LED 23, the buzzer 27, and the speaker may correspond to an example of a “notification unit”.

  Then, when unread data recorded in the wireless tag 50 is read because the worker who has received the predetermined notification has moved out of the read area (Yes in S105, Yes in S107), the unread data is After being stored in the storage unit 22 (S109) and stored in the transmission buffer (S111), the determination number N2 is cleared to be “0” (S123).

  As described above, in the information reading apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, in the reading process performed by the control unit 21, the number of determinations N2 in which the determination that the data read by itself is not unread data continues is counted. When the determination number N2 exceeds the second predetermined number N2th, a predetermined notification is performed using the display by the display unit 24 (S131).

  As a result, when the data has already been read by another worker and the reading operation is continued, the data received from the information reading device of the other worker is not read even if it is read by itself. Since it is stored in the storage unit 22, the predetermined number of times N2 to be counted exceeds the second predetermined number N2th, and the predetermined notification is made.

  For this reason, the worker who has received the predetermined notification can easily grasp that the worker has entered the read area where the data has been read by another worker, and therefore, wasteful reading work can be reduced. In particular, by moving so that the worker does not receive the predetermined notification, the worker can be urged to be guided to an area where data is not read by another worker.

  Note that the characteristic configuration of the present embodiment that performs predetermined notification when it is determined that the data read by itself is not unread data can be applied to other embodiments.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, an information reading apparatus and an information reading system according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
The fourth embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that a server capable of communicating with at least one of a plurality of information reading devices used in a predetermined reading work area is provided. Therefore, substantially the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the information reading system 1a according to the present embodiment includes a server 2 in addition to a plurality of information reading devices including a first terminal 10a, a second terminal 10b, and a third terminal 10c. . The server 2 is an administrator terminal that monitors the progress status of the reading operation and the like by taking in the data shared by each information reading device as described above (hereinafter also simply referred to as shared data). It is configured as.

  The server 2 mainly includes a storage unit 4, a display unit 5, a communication unit 6, and a control unit 3 that controls these in an integrated manner. The control unit 3 is configured mainly with a microcomputer, has a CPU, a system bus, an input / output interface, and the like, and functions as an information processing device together with the storage unit 4. The storage unit 4 is configured by a known semiconductor memory such as a ROM, a RAM, and a nonvolatile memory. In the storage unit 4, a predetermined application program, a database, and the like for executing a monitoring process described later are stored in advance so as to be usable by the control unit 3. The display unit 5 is configured, for example, as a liquid crystal monitor or the like, and is configured such that the display content is controlled by the control unit 3. The communication unit 6 is controlled by the control unit 3 to communicate with information reading devices such as the first terminal 10a, the second terminal 10b, and the third terminal 10c connected to a predetermined network N such as an in-house LAN or the Internet. It is configured as follows.

  In the server 2 configured as described above, the shared data is fetched from each information reading device and the progress of the reading operation is monitored by the monitoring process performed by the control unit 3. Specifically, in the monitoring process, when communication with any one of the information reading devices via a predetermined network N is enabled, shared data is transmitted to the server 2 to the information reading device. Is instructed. Upon receiving this instruction, the information reading apparatus performs processing for transmitting the shared data stored in the storage unit 22 to the server 2 via the predetermined network N. When the data transmitted in this way is received via the communication unit 6, the progress of reading in the predetermined reading work area is grasped based on the data acquired by the reception. Then, the progress status and the like ascertained in this way are displayed on the display unit 5 in a predetermined display format, so that the administrator of the server 2 who sees the screen display monitors the progress status and the like. Can do. The control unit 3 that performs the monitoring process may correspond to an example of a “grasping unit”.

  Each information reading device is not limited to transmitting shared data in response to an instruction from the server 2, and may transmit shared data every time it connects to a predetermined network N. Further, the server 2 may receive shared data from an information reading apparatus capable of wireless communication directly or via an access point.

  As described above, in the information reading system 1a according to the present embodiment, a server that can acquire data stored in the storage unit from at least one of a plurality of information reading devices used in a predetermined reading work area. The server 2 grasps the progress of reading in the predetermined reading work area based on the data acquired from the information reading apparatus, that is, the shared data.

  Accordingly, the server 2 can acquire shared data from any one information reading device used in a predetermined reading work area, and processing for acquiring and collecting data from all the information reading devices is not necessary. Therefore, the server 2 can easily grasp the progress of reading. Furthermore, the manager of the server 2 can make adjustments for improving the overall work efficiency of the reading work area, such as changing the placement of workers and reinforcement, according to the progress status thus grasped. .

  Note that the characteristic configuration of the present embodiment, in which the server 2 grasps the progress status of reading in the predetermined reading work area based on the shared data acquired from the information reading device, is also applicable to the other embodiments. Can be applied.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment etc., For example, you may actualize as follows.
(1) Since the communication unit 28 performs wireless communication with other information reading devices, the communication unit 28 is not limited to be configured to have a Bluetooth function or an NFC function. For example, an access disposed in a reading work area It may be configured to have a wireless communication function such as a wireless LAN function using points or the like.

(2) The present invention is not limited to being employed in a reading operation of reading the wireless tags 50 attached to the products displayed on the display shelves in the store using a plurality of information reading devices, for example, A plurality of pieces of information are read from each wireless tag 50 in the reading work area, such as a reading operation of reading the wireless tags 50 attached to articles or the like stored on storage shelves in a factory warehouse using a plurality of information reading devices. You may employ | adopt for the reading operation | work which reads using an apparatus. In addition, the present invention may be employed in a reading operation in which a reading object such as a plurality of information codes C arranged in a reading operation area is read using a plurality of information reading devices.

(3) The present invention is not limited to being employed in an information reading system that reads data recorded on a reading target using three information reading devices, and includes two information reading devices or four or more information reading devices. It may be employed in an information reading system that reads data recorded on a reading target.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1a ... Information reading system 2 ... Server 10 ... Information reading apparatus 10a ... 1st terminal (information reading apparatus)
10b ... 2nd terminal (information reader)
10c ... 3rd terminal (information reader)
21... Control unit (first determination unit, second determination unit, addition unit, count unit)
22 ... Storage unit 23 ... LED (notification unit)
24 ... Display section (notification section)
27 ... Buzzer (notification part)
28: Communication unit 30 ... RFID tag processing unit (information reading unit)
40. Information code reading unit (information reading unit)
50 ... Wireless tag (reading target)
C ... Information code (to be read)
N1 ... Number of transmissions N1th ... First predetermined number of times N2 ... Number of determinations N2th ... Second predetermined number of times

Claims (7)

An information reading apparatus including an information reading unit capable of reading data recorded on a reading target,
A communication unit for wirelessly communicating with one or more other information reading devices;
A storage unit for storing data read by the information reading unit;
A first determination unit that determines whether or not the data is unread data that is not stored in the storage unit each time data is read by the information reading unit;
A second determination unit that determines whether data received from the other information reading device via the communication unit is the unread data;
A control unit for controlling data stored in the storage unit;
With
The control unit stores the unread data in the storage unit and transmits it to the other information reading device via the communication unit every time the first determination unit determines that the data is unread. An information reading apparatus, wherein the data determined by the second determination unit as the unread data is stored in the storage unit.   The said control part transmits all the read data memorize | stored in the said memory | storage part to said other information reading apparatus via the said communication part at predetermined timing. The information reading apparatus described.   When the second determination unit determines that the unread data is the unread data, the control unit stores the unread data in the storage unit and transmits the unread data to the other information reading device via the communication unit. The information reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information reading apparatus is an information reading apparatus. The unread data is given a transmission count indicating the number of times the unread data is transmitted to the other information reading device,
An adder for adding the number of transmissions given to the unread data when the unread data is transmitted;
If the second determination unit determines that the unread data is the unread data, the control unit stores the unread data in the storage unit, and the unread data whose number of transmissions is equal to or less than a first predetermined number of times. The information reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information reading apparatus transmits the information to the other information reading apparatus via the communication unit. A counting unit that counts the number of times that the determination that the data is not unread data continues in the first determination unit;
A notification unit that performs a predetermined notification when the number of determinations counted by the counting unit exceeds a second predetermined number of times;
The information reading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:   An information reading system comprising a plurality of information reading devices according to claim 1. A server capable of acquiring data stored in the storage unit from at least one of the plurality of information reading devices used in a predetermined reading work area;
The information reading system according to claim 6, wherein the server includes a grasping unit that grasps a progress status of reading in the predetermined reading work area based on data acquired from the information reading device. .

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