JP2021009537A - Commodity expiration management system - Google Patents

Abstract

To indicate a commodity so that it can be specified at a glance by automatically detecting the existence/nonexistence of the commodity that is close to the expiration date.SOLUTION: A commodity expiration management system for managing expiration dates of commodities stored on a commodity shelf 100 includes a camera 10 for imaging bottom surfaces of the commodities stored on the commodity shelf 100, control means 20 for reading expiration date information attached to the bottom surfaces of the commodities from an image picked up by the camera 10, detecting a commodity whose prescribed expiration date is close, and generating commodity index information that can specify the detected commodity, a projector 30 for outputting the commodity index information generated by the control means 20, and a display 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to, for example, a system for supporting time-limited management of products sold at convenience stores, supermarkets, etc., which have a limited sales deadline.

In general, products sold at convenience stores and supermarkets have relatively short sales deadlines (best-by date, expiration date, etc.), such as bento boxes, rice balls, seaweed rolls, sandwiches, salads, cakes, etc. There are pudding, jelly, etc.
For such products, employees, etc. regularly check the sales deadline information attached to each product so that the sales deadline does not elapse, and for products whose sales deadline has come, for example, 1 of the sales deadline. Before the hour, the products are removed from the product shelves and disposed of.

In such product sales deadline management and disposal processing, employees visually check the sales deadline information attached to each product one by one every few hours every day (for example, three times a day). ) It is necessary to do it, especially in stores that handle a large number of products, such work of managing the sales deadline is very complicated, and it imposes a heavy burden on the employees who perform the work. ..
Regarding such a problem of managing the sales deadline of a product, for example, in Patent Document 1, when the confirmation time for confirming a discarded product comes, the inspection data having the number of inspections and the sales deadline associated with the product code and the product code are described. A "product management system" that attempts to improve the management accuracy of products with a sales deadline by extracting information on discarded products and outputting a list based on the associated sales number and sales data with a sales deadline. Has been proposed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-149635

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is merely for the purpose of improving the management accuracy of products with a sales deadline, and is for reducing the burden of the work itself of managing the sales deadline of the product and disposing of the product. Was not considered.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, and automatically detects the presence or absence of a product whose sales deadline has expired, and identifies the detected product at a glance. The purpose is to provide a product expiration date management system that can be indexed as much as possible, and in particular, can significantly reduce the work load of product sales deadline management and disposal processing at convenience stores and supermarkets.

In order to achieve the above object, the product expiration date management system of the present invention is a product expiration date management system that manages the expiration date of products stored in the product shelf, and images the products stored in the product shelf. The deadline detecting means for reading the deadline information attached to the product from the image captured by the means and the imaging means and detecting the product for which a predetermined deadline has arrived, and the product detected by the deadline detecting means. It is configured to include a product index information output means for outputting identifiable product index information.

The present invention can be configured as a product expiration date management program executed by an information processing device or the like constituting the product expiration date management system according to the present invention as described above.
Furthermore, the present invention can also be configured as a product expiration date management method that can be implemented by the product expiration date management system and program according to the present invention as described above.

According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically detect the presence or absence of a product whose sales deadline has come, and to index the detected product so that it can be identified at a glance.
As a result, for example, it is possible to significantly reduce the work load of product sales deadline management and disposal processing at convenience stores and supermarkets, and it is possible to provide a highly reliable and convenient product expiration date management system.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the whole structure of the product expiration date management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the arrangement structure seen from the side of the product shelf, the image pickup means, and the light source means of the product expiration date management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the operation of the image pickup processing and the product index processing of the product expiration date management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. In the product expiration date management system according to the embodiment of the present invention, (a) is an example of a product image captured by an imaging means such as a camera or a bar code scanner, and (b) is a projector or the like serving as a product index information output means. An example in which product index information that can identify a product whose sales deadline has come is output / irradiated by the light source means of (c) is sold by a display means such as a display that serves as a product index information output means. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically an example in which the product index information which can identify the product whose deadline has come is output and displayed. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the processing operation in the product expiration date management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the product expiration date management system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Here, the product expiration date management system of the present invention shown below is realized by processing, means, and functions executed by a computer according to a program (software) instruction. The program sends a command to each component of the computer, and the predetermined processes and functions according to the present invention shown below, for example, the imaging process (imaging means) of the product stored in the product shelf, and the product from the captured image. Reading process that reads the deadline information attached to, deadline detection process (deadline detection means) that detects products that have reached a predetermined deadline from the read deadline information, products for identifying products that have been detected It is possible to perform processing (product index information output means) for generating and outputting index information. That is, each process, means, and function in the present invention is realized by concrete means in which a program and a computer cooperate.

All or part of the program is provided by, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or any other computer-readable recording medium, and the program read from the recording medium is installed and executed in the computer. To. The program can also be loaded and executed directly on the computer through a communication line without going through a recording medium.
Further, the product expiration date management system according to the present invention may be configured by a single information processing device (for example, one personal computer or the like) that is communicably connected to a camera, a projector, or a display, and may have a plurality of information processing devices. It can also be configured by an information processing device (for example, a group of a plurality of server computers).

[overall structure]
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the product expiration date management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the product expiration date management system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention detects the product expiration date of the product stored and displayed on the product shelf 100 installed in a store such as a convenience store or a supermarket, for example. A camera 10 serving as an imaging means, a control means 20, a projector 30 (light source means) serving as a product index information output means, a display 40 (display means), and the like are provided for determining.
The camera 10, the projector 30, and the display 40 are connected to the information processing devices constituting the control means 20 via a wired or wireless network, respectively, so that signals and data can be transmitted and received to and from the control means 20. It has become.

Here, the imaging means composed of the camera 10, the bar code scanner, or the like is, for example, above the product shelf 100 (ceiling or product shelf 100) so that the expiration date information attached to the product on the product shelf 100 can be imaged and read. It can be placed at the top of the case, etc.) or below (the floor surface, the bottom of the case of the product shelf 100, etc.).
Similarly, the light source means (product index information output means) composed of the projector 30, the laser pointer, and the like is, for example, below the product shelf 100 (for example, so that the product index information can be irradiated and projected on the products on the product shelf 100). It can be arranged on the floor surface, the lower part of the case of the product shelf 100) or above (the ceiling, the upper part of the case of the product shelf 100, etc.).
Further, as long as the image pickup means / light source means can image / irradiate the product, one can be arranged above the product (product shelf 100) and the other can be arranged below, and both the image pickup means / light source means can be arranged. , It can be arranged either above or below the product (product shelf 100).

In addition, in FIG. 1, in order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, one camera 10 and one projector 30 are arranged on one product shelf 100, respectively, but an actual convenience store is shown. In such stores, a plurality of product shelves 100 are usually provided, and in that case, a camera 10 and a projector 30 can be provided corresponding to each product shelf 100.
Further, the control means 20 may be provided with a plurality of control means 20 corresponding to each of the plurality of product shelves 100 (camera 10 / projector 30), and the plurality of product shelves 100 (camera 10 / projector 30) may be provided. ) Can be collectively managed and controlled by a single control means 20.
Further, as for the display 40, a plurality of display 40s can be directly connected and installed to, for example, the corresponding product shelves 100 corresponding to each of the plurality of product shelves 100, and the display can also correspond to the plurality of product shelves 100. It can also be configured by a single display 40 that selectively outputs and displays the product index information to be used, for example, a small display terminal or a smartphone that can be carried by an employee or the like.

[Product shelf 100]
The product shelf 100 is a shelf for accommodating and displaying a plurality of types and a plurality of products, and in the present embodiment, as products whose sales deadline is relatively short, for example, lunch boxes, rice balls, seaweed rolls, sandwiches, etc. Salads, cakes, puddings, jellies, etc. are displayed.
The target product in this system 1 may be any product as long as it is necessary to monitor and manage the sales deadline, and is particularly limited to the above-mentioned lunch boxes, rice balls, etc. It's not a thing.

Specifically, the product shelf 100 includes a plurality of shelves 101 to 104 on which products can be loaded and displayed, and each shelf 101 to 104 has a width and depth that can accommodate a plurality of products of the same type or the same system. Each of the shelves 101 to 104 is detachable from and detachable from the product shelf 100 (see FIG. 2).
In the example shown in FIG. 1, the uppermost shelf 101 stores the "onigiri" type, the second shelf 102 stores the "sandwich" and "hamburger" type, and the third shelf stores the "hamburger" type in a cup container. Only a plurality of types and a plurality of packaged "salad", "drink", and "pudding" types are displayed, and the lowermost shelf 104 shows a state in which no products are displayed.

In each of the plurality of shelves 101 to 104, at least the area on which the product is mounted is formed of a transparent / translucent member such as transparent resin or glass, and the surface (upper surface) of the shelves 101 to 104 is formed. ) Can be photographed and imaged from the bottom surface (bottom surface) side of the shelves 101 to 104 by the camera 10 serving as an imaging means (see FIG. 4A).
As a result, the bottom surface of each product housed in each shelf 101 to 104 can be photographed, and by attaching the deadline information indicating a predetermined sales deadline to the bottom surface of the product, the image captured by the camera 10 can be taken. It is possible to detect the sales deadline of each product.

Here, the predetermined sales deadline indicated by the deadline information attached to the product is a deadline that is allowed to be sold to the customer, such as a best-by date or an expiration date, that is, the product is removed from the product shelf. It is the disposal deadline to be done. As for such a disposal deadline, it is determined whether or not the deadline has arrived, for example, three times a day, every eight hours (7:00 am, 3:00 pm, 11:00 pm).
In addition, for example, for products that are subject to discount sales or points award from a certain time before the sales deadline, the time before a certain time from such sales deadline shall be the deadline information to be monitored and detected by this system. You can also.
Then, the deadline information indicating such a sales deadline is represented by, for example, a two-dimensional code, a bar code, a marker, etc. so that the date and time of the deadline can be specified, and a sticker or label displaying such a code or marker is displayed on each product. By attaching it to the bottom surface of the product or printing it on the product packaging (see FIG. 4A), it can be attached to the product as information indicating a predetermined sales deadline.

[Camera 10]
The camera 10 is an imaging means for capturing an image of the product stored in the product shelf 100, and as shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the camera 10 is arranged below the product shelf 100 containing the product and the product. It is possible to image the above-mentioned deadline information attached to the bottom surface of the product housed in the shelf 100 (see FIG. 4A).
The camera 10 serving as an imaging means is not particularly limited in its arrangement position as long as it can capture the expiration date information of the product. For example, when a label or the like indicating the expiration date information is attached to the upper surface of the product. The camera 10 is arranged above the product shelf 100, and can image and read the product (deadline information) from above. Similarly, when the deadline information is attached to the side surface of the product, the camera 10 can be arranged on the side surface of the product shelf 100 or the like.

Specifically, the camera 10 constituting the imaging means in the present embodiment is a digital camera, a video camera, or a bar code / two-dimensional code equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS capable of capturing a still image or a moving image. It is composed of a reader and the like, and is arranged in the center of the lower front side of the product shelf 100. As a result, by pulling out the plurality of shelves 101 to 104 described above one by one, it becomes possible to take a picture from the bottom surface side (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
It is also possible to leave one shelf (for example, shelf 101) to be photographed and pull out another shelf (for example, shelves 102 to 104) from the product shelf 100 to perform imaging. In that case, the camera 10 can perform imaging. , The product shelf 100 can be arranged in the center of the inner bottom surface side of the case. As a result, it becomes possible to take a picture from the bottom side of each of the plurality of shelves 101 to 104 in a state of being left on the product shelf 100 one by one (see FIG. 3).
Then, the image captured by the camera 10 is input to the control means 20 via the network, and is used as data for reading / detecting deadline information and generating product index information.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the camera 10 takes a picture of each of the plurality of shelves 101 to 104, any one of the shelves 101 to be taken from the product shelf 100 is taken so that the bottom surface of each of the shelves 101 to 104 can be taken. Only 104 is pulled forward.
For example, FIG. 3 (a) shows the case where the uppermost shelf 101 is pulled forward and photographed, and FIG. 3 (b) shows the case where the second shelf 102 is pulled forward and photographed. c) shows the case where the third shelf 103 is pulled out forward and photographed.
As for the photographing of each of the plurality of shelves 101 to 104, as described above, only one of the shelves 101 to 104 to be photographed is left on the product shelf 100, and the other shelves 101 to 104 are pulled out. You can also do it with.

FIG. 4A shows an example of an image of the uppermost shelf 101 corresponding to FIG. 3A among the plurality of shelves 101 to 104.
As shown in the figure, the image taken by the camera 10 is an image in which each shelf 101 to 104 is looked up vertically from the bottom side, and is displayed through the transparent or translucent shelf. The deadline information (for example, a two-dimensional code) attached to the bottom of each product can be displayed and recognized in the image.
Since the camera 10 images the bottom surfaces of a plurality of shelves having different distances in the height direction according to the number of shelves of the product shelf 100, the camera has a deep (long) depth of field as a camera performance. Alternatively, it is preferable to use a camera having a zero adjustment function that does not require focus adjustment.

The timing of shooting a still image or moving image by the camera 10 is the timing at which the shelf to be photographed is pulled forward from the product shelf 100 (or the timing at which shelves other than the shelf to be photographed are removed from the product shelf 100). ), The target shelf can be photographed by pressing a switch (not shown). As a result, an employee or the like who manages the sales deadline of the product can take an image of the target shelf at his / her desired timing.
Further, by providing the product shelf 100 with a sensor or the like for detecting the presence or absence of a plurality of shelves 101 to 104, for example, the timing at which it is detected that the shelf to be imaged is pulled out from the product shelf 100 (or the object to be imaged). It is also possible to execute the shooting by the camera 10 at the timing when it is detected that only one shelf is left on the product shelf 100). In this way, when the shelf to be imaged is pulled out (or the removal of the shelf other than the image target is completed), the target shelf can be automatically photographed, and the employee who manages the sales deadline of the product is managed. It is possible to further reduce the work load such as.

Further, by capturing a moving image or a continuous still image as an image captured by the camera 10 on the shelves 101 to 104, it is possible to capture a change in a product housed in the shelf to be photographed, for example, by an employee or the like. Images of the product before and after it is removed from the shelf can be captured.
As a result, it is possible to detect and determine whether or not the product has been removed and the position of the removed product based on the image, and such a determination result can be reflected in the product index information described later.
For example, if the corresponding product is removed correctly, the index of the product is deleted, if the wrong product is removed, the product index is continued, and the index information is followed / moved according to the movement of the product being removed. This makes it possible for employees and the like to perform more accurate and reliable disposal work.

[Control means 20]
The control means 20 is a means for generating predetermined product index information based on the product images of the shelves 101 to 104 captured by the camera 10 and outputting the predetermined product index information via the projector 30 and the display 40.
The control means 20 is composed of, for example, an information processing device such as a small computer provided corresponding to each product shelf 100 or a computer set in a store provided with the product shelf 100, and is imaged by the camera 10. It is designed to function as a deadline detection means for reading the deadline information attached to a product from an image and detecting a product whose predetermined deadline has come.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the control means 20 functions as each unit of the image reading unit 21, the deadline information determination unit 22, and the product index information generation unit 23.
The image reading unit 21 inputs an image captured by the camera 10, recognizes an object (for example, a two-dimensional code, a barcode, a marker, etc.) indicating deadline information in the image, and reads the image of the object. I do.

The deadline information determination unit 22 reads out the deadline information indicated by the two-dimensional code or the like, that is, the date and time information indicating the sales deadline of the product, from the image such as the two-dimensional code reading the deadline information read by the image reading unit 21. It is determined whether or not the predetermined sales deadline has been reached.
The sales deadline is determined by comparing the date and time information read from a two-dimensional code or the like with the current date and time information, and for those whose deadline arrives within a predetermined time (for example, one hour) from the current time, the sales deadline is determined. It can be determined that it has arrived.
In addition, for example, a label color-coded with a three-color marker is attached to the product according to the disposal process three times a day, and the sales deadline is specified from the image of the marker label read by the image reading unit 21. It is possible to determine whether or not the product is due for sale by comparing it with the current time.

The product index information generation unit 23 generates product index information for identifying the product for the product determined by the deadline information determination unit 22 to have reached the sales deadline.
This product index information is information that can identify only the products that are determined to have reached the sales deadline among the products arranged on the shelves 101 to 104 of the product shelf 100.
Specifically, the product index information generates the product position information (for example, the two-dimensional coordinate position information of the X-axis and the Y-axis) of the products on each shelf 101 to 104 based on the image captured by the camera 10, and each of them. It determines the position of the light that points to the product that is determined to have reached the sales deadline, and generates a pointer image.
Then, such product index information is output via the projector 30 and the display 40.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (c) and FIG. 4 (b), the product index information is generated as a projected image irradiated / projected from the projector 30 arranged above the product shelf 100. It is possible to output / display as image information such that a predetermined pointer image (for example, a red circle image) is displayed / projected on the upper surface of only the product for which the sales deadline has been determined.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, the product index information can generate a product arrangement in which each shelf 101 to 104 is viewed vertically from the upper surface side as a layout drawing image, and the sales deadline has come in the layout drawing. Only the position of the corresponding product can be displayed by coloring display, highlight display, or the like so that the position of the product determined to be can be identified, and can be output / displayed by a display means such as the display 40.

[Projector 30]
The projector 30 is a product index information output means for outputting the product index information generated by the control means 20 (product index information generation unit 23) among the products housed in the product shelf 100, and is shown in FIG. As shown, irradiation light (irradiation image) that is arranged above the product shelf 100 that houses the products and identifies only the products that are detected / determined to have reached the sales deadline among the products stored in the product shelf 100. It is a light source means for outputting (see FIG. 4B).
The light source means composed of the projector 30 or the like is not particularly limited in its arrangement position as long as it can irradiate and project the product index information on the product. For example, the product index information is irradiated from below the product. -It is also possible to project, in which case the light source means such as the projector 30 can be arranged below the product shelf 100. Similarly, when irradiating the product index information from the side surface direction of the product, the light source means can be arranged on the side surface of the product shelf 100 or the like.

Specifically, the projector 30 according to the present embodiment is composed of, for example, a laser projector, a projector, a liquid crystal panel, a light array such as a CRT and an LED array, and other known light projection devices, and is a ceiling surface above the product shelf 100. It is arranged at a position corresponding to the center of the shelf (or the center of the product shelf 100 on the upper surface side inside the case).
As a result, for each of the plurality of shelves 101 to 104 described above, a product that identifies and indexes a product whose expiration date has been reached is placed on a shelf that is pulled out from the product shelf 100 (or is left on the product shelf 100). The index information can be irradiated and projected from the upper surface side, respectively (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

FIG. 4B shows an example of product index information irradiated / projected on the uppermost shelf 101 corresponding to FIG. 3A among the plurality of shelves 101 to 104.
As shown in the figure, the irradiation light that serves as the product index information emitted from the projector 30 is predetermined on the upper surface of only the products that are determined to have reached the sales deadline among the products arranged on the shelves 101 to 104. Pointer image (for example, red circle image) and pointer light will be displayed and projected.
In the example of FIG. 4B, among the plurality of "rice balls" displayed on the shelf 101, the 2nd to 4th from the left in the front row, the 2nd to 3rd from the right in the second row, and the third row. A total of nine "rice balls", the third to fourth from the left and the first to second from the right, are specified and indexed by the product index information as products that should be discarded when the sales deadline has expired.

By irradiating and projecting such product index information on the products on each shelf 101-104, the sales deadline has come, and the products to be removed / discarded from each shelf 101-104 can be recognized and grasped at a glance. Therefore, employees who perform disposal work do not need to confirm the sales deadline for each product one by one.
Therefore, employees who perform disposal work need only remove the products specified by the product index information, so that the work of sales deadline management and disposal processing can be performed much more easily, quickly and accurately. Become.

Further, as described above, by capturing the products stored in the shelves 101 to 104 with the camera 10 as moving images or continuous still images, it is possible to capture the products before and after being removed from the shelves by an employee or the like. , The product index information can be changed / followed according to the presence / absence of removal of the product and the position of the removed product. For example, if a product that has reached the deadline is correctly removed, the index of the product can be deleted, and if an erroneous product that has not reached the deadline is removed, the product index can be continuously irradiated and projected. Furthermore, it is also possible to follow and move the index information to the movement of the product being removed by the employee or the like.
In this way, the product index information can be changed and updated in chronological order according to the progress of the product removal work, which is useful for employees and the like for more accurate and reliable disposal work. It will be possible to provide product index information.

[Display 40]
Similar to the projector 30 described above, the display 40 is a product index for outputting the product index information generated by the control means 20 (product index information generation unit 23) among the products housed in the product shelf 100. It is an information output means, and is a display means for outputting and displaying arrangement information indicating the position of a product detected / determined to have reached the sales deadline on the product shelf 100 on a plurality of shelves 101 to 104 one by one (FIG. 4). (C).
Specifically, the display 40 is an information processing device that can be operated by employees, workers, etc. in the system 1, for example, a small liquid crystal display provided on a product shelf 100, or a small size that employees can carry. It is composed of devices / devices equipped with known display / display means such as display terminals, smartphones, tablets, and PCs installed in store offices.

Then, in such a display 40, as the product index information generated by the control means 20, as shown in FIG. 4C, each shelf 101 to 104 is viewed one step at a time from the upper surface side in the vertical direction. The product arrangement can be displayed, for example, by a layout drawing image schematically shown in a matrix, and the products whose sales deadline has come can be identified and displayed in an identifiable manner.
FIG. 4C shows an example of product index information corresponding to the product arrangement of the uppermost shelf 101 corresponding to FIG. 3A among the plurality of shelves 101 to 104.
As shown in the figure, the product index information output / displayed by the display 40 is a schematic matrix display corresponding to the products arranged on the shelves 101 to 104 (FIGS. 4A and 4A). b)) Of these, only the arrangements corresponding to the products for which the sales deadline has been determined will be displayed by coloring display, highlight display, or the like.

In the example of FIG. 4 (c), as in the case of FIG. 4 (b), among the plurality of "rice balls" displayed on the shelf 101, the 2nd to 4th from the left in the front row and the second row. A total of 9 "rice balls", 2 to 3 from the right, 3 to 4 from the left in the 3rd row, and 1 to 2 from the right, are products that should be discarded when the sales deadline has expired. It is specified and indexed by index information.
Since the product index information displayed on the display 40 is a plan view corresponding to each shelf 101 to 104, for example, the product displayed by an input operation of an employee or the like using the display 40. Needless to say, the index information can be arbitrarily selected and displayed.
In this way, the product index information output / displayed via the display 40 also allows the product to be removed / discarded when the sales deadline has come to be grasped at a glance, and is discarded together with the product index information by the projector 30 described above. The work load of the employees who perform the processing can be significantly reduced, and the work can be performed quickly and efficiently.

[motion]
Next, a specific operation (product expiration date management method) of the system 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, at the timing of the disposal process (for example, three times a day: 7:00 am, 3:00 noon, 11:00 pm), the image of the product on the product shelf 100 is executed by the camera 10 (step 501).
As shown in FIG. 2, for the imaging by the camera 10, any one of the shelves 101 to be photographed from the product shelf 100 so that the bottom surfaces of the shelves 101 to 104 can be photographed for each of the plurality of shelves 101 to 104. This is performed in a state in which only ~ 104 is pulled out (or a shelf other than the shelf to be photographed is pulled out from the product shelf 100 and removed).

Further, as for the timing of shooting with the camera 10, for example, an employee or the like who disposes of the product can shoot the target shelf by operating a switch or the like (not shown).
In addition, at the timing when it is detected that the target shelf to be imaged is pulled out from the product shelf 100 (or when it is detected that only one shelf is installed on the product shelf 100), it is automatically performed. It is also possible to execute shooting with the camera 10.
Further, the image taken by the camera 10 can capture the products on the shelves 101 to 104 as moving images or continuous still images, and by capturing the products before and after being removed from the shelves by an employee or the like, whether or not the products are removed. The product index information can be changed and followed according to the position of the removed product.
The image captured by the camera 10 is input to the control means (step 502).

The control means 20 executes a process of reading the expiration date information on the bottom surface of the product from the input images of the shelves 101 to 104 (step 503). Specifically, the image reading unit 21 of the control means 20 converts an object image indicating deadline information, for example, an image such as a two-dimensional code, a bar code, or a marker, from an image input from the camera 10 by image recognition processing. Read.
Then, the product to be discarded is detected from the read image (deadline information) (step 504). Specifically, from an image such as a two-dimensional code indicating the time limit information read by the image reading unit 21 by the time limit information determination unit 22 of the control means 20, the time limit information indicated by the two-dimensional code or the like, that is, the product The date and time information indicating the sales deadline is read out.
After that, the read date and time information is compared with the current date and time information, and if the deadline arrives within a predetermined time (for example, 1 hour) from the current time, it is determined that the sales deadline has come, and the product is regarded as a product to be discarded. It will be detected.

When the product to be discarded is detected, the product index information generation unit 23 of the control means 20 generates the product index information for identifying the product (step 505).
The product index information is generated as the position information of the products on each shelf 101 to 104 based on the image captured by the camera 10, and is used as an index image / pointer image indicating the product whose sales deadline has been determined among the products. Will be generated.
Then, such product index information is output via the projector 30 and the display 40 (step 506).

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (c) and FIG. 4 (b), the product index information is a projected image projected from the projector 30 arranged above the product shelf 100. It is output / projected as image information such that a predetermined pointer image (for example, a red circle image) or pointer light is displayed / projected on the upper surface of only the generated products whose sale deadline has been determined.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, the product index information is generated as a layout drawing image schematically showing the product arrangement in a state where each shelf 101 to 104 is viewed vertically from the upper surface side, and the arrangement thereof. In order to identify the position of the product for which the sales deadline has been determined in the figure, the arrangement image in which only the position of the corresponding product can be identified can be output and displayed via the display 40. Therefore, employees, workers, etc. who perform the product removal / disposal work can carry out / complete the disposal work by removing the product indicated by the product index information from the product shelf 100.

As described above, according to the system 1 according to the present embodiment, images of a plurality of types and a plurality of products housed and displayed on the plurality of shelves 101 to 104 of the product shelf 100 are captured by the camera 10. Based on the above, the sales deadline of each product is automatically detected and determined, and the product whose sales deadline has come is irradiated and projected from the projector 30 by the product index information displayed on the display 40. You will be able to point to it visually and identifiable.
As a result, employees, workers, etc. who manage the sales deadline of the product and dispose of the product can remove only the product indicated by the product index information from the product shelf 100 and dispose of it, and the sales deadline of each product It is no longer necessary to check each item one by one to determine whether or not the deadline has expired, and it will be possible to easily, quickly, and reliably complete the removal and disposal of products that have reached the deadline.

In this way, according to this system 1, it is possible to automatically detect the presence or absence of a product whose sales deadline has come, and to index the automatically detected product so that an employee or the like can identify it at a glance. Will be able to.
As a result, at convenience stores, supermarkets, etc., for products with relatively short sales deadlines that require particularly frequent deadline management work, the workload of workers and employees who manage the sales deadlines and dispose of the products is reduced. It is possible to realize a highly convenient product expiration date management system that can be significantly reduced.

On the other hand, in a system such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, for the purpose of improving the management accuracy of a product with a sales deadline, an inspection at the time of product arrival is performed during the collection work of the discarded product. Information on discarded products is extracted using data and sales data, and it is necessary for employees, etc. to visually check whether the products are discarded or not, and the sales deadline of the products is managed and discarded. It is not possible to reduce the burden of the processing work itself, and it is impossible to achieve the above-mentioned remarkable effects in the system 1.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the camera 10 of the present system 1 is arranged below the product shelf 100 (almost directly below the center), but the imaging means of the product expiration date management system according to the present invention is a product. As long as the deadline information attached to the products stored on the shelves can be imaged, the arrangement / installation position is not limited to below or directly below the product shelves.
For example, when a label or sticker indicating deadline information is attached to the upper surface of the product, the imaging means can also be arranged above the product shelf so that the label or the like can be imaged.

Further, as long as a label or the like indicating the expiration date information of the product can be imaged, for example, an imaging means can be provided on the side surface / side of the product shelf.
Further, when the image pickup means is provided on the side surface / side of the product shelf as such, the image pickup means can be installed so as to be movable along the height direction of the product shelf, for example. If you do this
By moving the imaging means in the height direction, it is possible to image each shelf and product in a plurality of stages, and it is not necessary to remove the shelves other than the imaging target as shown in the above-described embodiment. Is possible.

The present invention is suitable for a system that supports deadline management of products with a limited sales deadline, such as lunch boxes, rice balls, seaweed rolls, sandwiches, salads, cakes, puddings, and jellies, which are sold at convenience stores and supermarkets, for example. It is available for.

1 Product deadline management system 10 Camera 20 Control means 30 Projector 40 Display 100 Product shelves 101-104 shelves

Claims (5)

It is a product expiration date management system that manages the expiration date of products stored in the product shelves.
An imaging means for imaging the products stored in the product shelves, and
A deadline detecting means for reading the deadline information attached to the product from the image captured by the imaging means and detecting the product whose predetermined deadline has come.
A product index information output means that outputs product index information that can identify a product detected by the deadline detection means, and
A product expiration date management system characterized by being equipped with. The imaging means
It is placed below or above the merchandise shelves that house the merchandise.
The product expiration date management system according to claim 1, wherein the expiration date information attached to the surface of the product housed in the product shelf is imaged. The product index information output means
It is placed above or below the merchandise shelves that house the merchandise.
Claim 1 or claim 1, wherein the product index information includes a light source means that outputs irradiation light capable of identifying only a product detected by the deadline detecting means among the products stored in the product shelf. The product expiration date management system described in 2. The product index information output means
The item according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the product index information includes display means for outputting arrangement information indicating the position of the product detected by the deadline detecting means on the product shelf. Product deadline management system. The product expiration date management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the expiration date information indicates a disposal deadline for removing the product from the product shelf.