JP3313844B2 - Method and apparatus for managing data relating to articles having no identification code - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for managing data relating to articles having no identification code.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART A magnetic tape is considered as an example of an article having no identification code. The magnetic tape records music signals, video signals, digital data, and the like, and is not provided with an identification code by itself. In the case of cassette tapes, if a cassette is given a lot number or a serial number, it is only added when the final product is obtained.

Considering the manufacturing process of cassette tapes,
First, a wide magnetic tape material is manufactured, and this is a magnetic tape standardized through a slitting process. The web is wound on the web reel, and slitting is performed while being unwound from the web reel. The slit magnetic tape is wound on another reel.

The magnetic tape wound on the reel is then sent to a cleaning step and an inspection step. Also in these steps, the magnetic tape is subjected to cleaning, inspection, and the like in the process of being unwound from the reel, and is further wound around another reel. Finally, the magnetic tape wound on the reel is wound around a cassette while being rewound, and cut into an appropriate length. This results in a cassette tape product.

Since no identification code is given to the magnetic tape in the manufacturing process, even if a certain number is given to the cassette tape of the final product, the magnetic tape uses any material based on the number. Therefore, it is not possible to know the manufacturing history of when, by what machine, when, what process, and what kind of inspection result passed.

In order to ensure reliable product management and manufacturing management, it is necessary to store the manufacturing history of each product. Nevertheless, it is impossible or difficult to leave a manufacturing history in connection with an article for which an identification code cannot be directly attached or which is not desirable.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method and an apparatus capable of reliably retaining a history or record of an article for which an identification code cannot be directly attached or which is not desirable to attach. Things.

In the present invention, a carrier on which an article is placed is used, and the carrier is provided with an identification code. A carrier is a reel in the example of the magnetic tape described above, and generally carries, carries, holds, holds, supports, stows, stows, encloses, wraps, or hangs or hangs articles. And is used to move (including transport) or hold an article.

A plurality of carriers are provided with machine or human readable identification codes in advance.

[0010] The article moves over a plurality of steps on a carrier. In each step, the article is transferred from one carrier to another. Among a plurality of steps, there may be one or several steps in which articles are not transferred from one carrier to another carrier.

In each step, processing, inspection, cleaning, and other processing of the article are performed. In the process, any processing may be performed, and the process is not necessarily limited to the manufacturing process.

According to the method for managing data relating to an article according to the present invention, the preceding data relating to the article generated in the preceding step is stored in a memory in association with the identification code of the carrier on which the article is placed, and from the preceding step to the subsequent step. The first reading device reads the identification code of the first carrier loaded with the article carried in the step of carrying out, and the identification code of the new second carrier loaded with the article to be replaced in the subsequent step. Is read by the second reading device, the preceding data related to the first identification code read by the first reading device is searched in the memory, and the preceding data obtained by the search is compared with the first identification code. The relevance is eliminated, new data is obtained by adding the preceding data to data relating to an article generated in a subsequent process, and the second reading device is added to the new data. It is intended to be stored in the memory in association with the second identification code further read.

According to the present invention, there is provided a data management apparatus for an article, comprising: a memory for storing preceding data relating to an article generated in a preceding step in association with an identification code of a carrier carrying the article; A first reading device for reading the identification code of the first carrier loaded with the article loaded thereon, and a second reading device for reading the identification code of a new second carrier loaded with the article loaded with the article to be replaced in a subsequent process And searching the memory for preceding data related to the first identification code read by the first reading device and the first reading device, and canceling the relevance between the preceding data obtained by the search and the first identification code. In addition, new data is obtained by adding the preceding data to data relating to an article generated in a subsequent process, and the new data is read by the second reading device. The second identification code in association those equipped with a control device to be stored in the memory.

According to the present invention, the preceding data relating to the article already obtained in the preceding step is stored in the memory in association with the identification code of the first carrier carrying the article.

[0015] In a subsequent step, the article is transferred from the first carrier to the second carrier. Also,
Data about the article is generated in a subsequent process.

In the memory, the association between the preceding data and the identification code of the first carrier is eliminated. The data generated in the subsequent process is added to the preceding data to become new data. This new data is stored in the memory in association with the identification code of the second carrier.

In this way, even if an article is sequentially transferred to a carrier, all data (history or record) of the article related to the identification code of the carrier on which the article is carried is always stored in the memory. Is stored in This makes it possible to reliably manage data on articles.

In the first step, data relating to the article produced in that step will be stored in the memory in relation to the identification code of the carrier on which the article is to be carried.

In the final step of producing a product, an identification code is attached to a product carrier to which an article is to be transferred, or the product carrier is previously attached, and the identification code is stored in a memory in association with the preceding data. It will be.

In the memory, the association between the preceding data and the first identification code can be canceled and the association between the new data and the second identification code can be performed in various ways.

In the first embodiment, in the memory, in addition to the preceding data, data relating to an article generated in a subsequent process is written, and the first identification code is rewritten to a second identification code. Can be

In the second embodiment, in the memory, a location for storing data relating to the article corresponding to the identification code is predetermined, and the preceding data stored corresponding to the first identification code is stored in the memory. Data is transferred to the storage location corresponding to the second identification code and data relating to the article generated in the subsequent process is added to the storage location. The data at the storage location corresponding to the first identification code is erased.

In any case, since the first identification code is no longer associated with any data, it becomes possible to carry other articles on the carrier having the first identification code. This allows the carrier to be used any number of times.

The data management method according to the present invention can be expressed more comprehensively. That is, in the data management method according to the present invention, an identification code is assigned to each of a plurality of carriers, an article is placed on a first carrier, moved from a first step to a second step, and the article is assigned to the article in a second step. Performing a process specific to the process, transferring the article from the first carrier to the second carrier, storing the first data relating to the article obtained in the first step in the memory in association with the identification code of the first carrier, The second data obtained in the second step is added to the first data and stored in association with the identification code of the second carrier.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows that an article Ar is processed in steps I, II, III and IV, respectively, and finally n articles a
It shows how r is manufactured. Although the block indicating the article Ar is denoted by the symbol A, this merely indicates that the article is the same, and the article Ar has no identification code.

Different bar codes (identification codes) are assigned to the plurality of carriers CA on which articles are loaded. In the figure, this barcode is represented by N1, N2, N5, N7, N8,
This is indicated by N9.

When the carrier CA is carried into the process I, the barcode N1 is read by the barcode reader 31.
Is read. In step I, the article Ar is placed on the carrier CA of the barcode N1. The data generated in the article Ar in the process I is defined as Aa and Ab.

Step I is, for example, a step of slitting an original magnetic tape, and the slitted magnetic tape (article Ar) is wound around a reel (carrier CA). The data Aa is, for example, information on the material of the magnetic tape, and the data Ab is the date and time (or date) when the material was created. The barcode is attached to the hub of the reel.

The article Ar placed on the carrier CA having the bar code N1 is then sent to Step II. In step II, the barcode reader 32 reads the barcode N1 of the carrier CA.

New carrier CA with bar code N5
Is also supplied to step II. The barcode N5 of the carrier CA is read by the barcode reader 33.

In the step II, the article Ar is a bar code N1.
From the carrier CA having the bar code N5. Further, a predetermined process is performed on the article Ar. The data generated for article Ar in step II is
A process name SA2 and process data EA2.

For example, the process II is a magnetic tape inspection process, and the process data EA2 indicates an inspection result. The magnetic tape (article Ar) is inspected in the process of being rewound from the reel (carrier CA) provided with the barcode N1 and wound up on the reel (carrier CA) provided with the barcode N5.

The article Ar placed on the carrier CA having the bar code N5 is further sent to Step III. Process III
The bar code reader 34 reads the bar code N5 of the carrier CA.

A new carrier CA having a bar code N9
Is also supplied to step III. The barcode N9 of the carrier CA is read by the barcode reader 35.

In step III, the article Ar is replaced with the bar code N
5 is transferred from the carrier CA having the barcode N9 to the carrier CA having the barcode N9. Further, a predetermined process is performed on the article Ar. The data generated for the article Ar in the process III are the process name SA3 and the process data EA3.

For example, Step III is a magnetic tape cleaning step. The process data EA3 may not be required. The magnetic tape (article Ar) is cleaned while being rewound from the reel (carrier CA) provided with the barcode N5 and wound on the reel (carrier CA) provided with the barcode N9.

The article Ar placed on the carrier CA having the barcode N9 is finally supplied to the step IV, and the barcode N9 of the carrier CA is read by the barcode reader 36.

In step IV, a plurality of product carriers ca are supplied. The product code (lot number, product number, etc.) no is printed or stamped on the product carrier ca by the printing device 39.

The article Ar is divided into n pieces in the step IV, and each article Ar is transferred to the product carrier ca to obtain n pieces of the final product ar. The data generated in process IV is the process name S
A4 and process data EA4.

For example, step IV is a winding step in which the magnetic tape wound on the reel (carrier CA) is wound on a cassette (product carrier ca) by a fixed length while being rewound, and the cassette tape as the final product ar is taken. Tape is made. The product code is attached to the cassette.

In the final step IV, the article Ar may be transferred to one new carrier CA as in the other steps. In this case, the code may be attached to the new carrier in advance, or the new carrier may be attached by the printing device 39. In the case of the cassette ca, a product code may be added in advance and the cassette ca may be supplied to the process IV. The same product code or different codes may be assigned to the n cassettes.

Although four steps are shown in FIG. 1, it goes without saying that the number of steps may be arbitrary.

In steps II, III and IV, the carrier CA (barcode N
1, N5 and N9) can be supplied as a new carrier to each step in order to load the article again.

The purpose of the article data management device described below is to
In relation to the product code no attached to the final product ar,
Data Aa, Ab, SA2, EA2, SA3, EA3, generated in steps I to IV until the final product ar is obtained
SA4, EA4.

FIG. 2 shows the electrical configuration of a data management device for articles.

Terminals 11, 12, 13, and 14 are provided for each process, and these terminals are connected to the host system 40.

The terminal 11 has an input device 21 and a barcode reader 31, the terminal 12 has an input device 22 and barcode readers 32 and 33, and the terminal 13 has an input device 23 and a barcode reader. 34 and 35, the terminal 14 has an input device 24 and a barcode
The reader 36 and the printing device 39 are connected respectively.

The input devices 21 to 24 are not limited to input devices in a normal sense such as a keyboard and a mouse, but include an inspection device, a setting device, a control device, and the like, and receive, detect, or generate data on the above-described articles. To the terminals 11-14. The bar code readers 31 to 36 give the read bar codes to the corresponding terminals. The printing device 39 is controlled by the terminal device 14.

The host system 40 comprises a computer and its peripheral devices (input / output device, memory).
The memory 41 serves as a data base for storing data relating to articles, and is preferably implemented by a magnetic disk device, but can also be implemented by a semiconductor memory device.

Input devices 21 to 24, bar code reader 31 to
The printing device 39 may be directly connected to the host system 40 without going through the terminals 11 to 14.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, host system
A data management process performed by the memory 40 using the memory 41 will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a procedure of processing performed by the host system 40 for each communication with the terminals 11 to 14, and FIG. 4 shows how the contents of the memory 41 change.

In step I, when the barcode (N1) read by the barcode reader 31 and the data (Aa, Ab) generated by the input device 21 are transmitted from the terminal 11 (step 50), the host The system 40 stores the received barcode and data in the memory 41 (step 51).
(See FIG. 4A).

Regarding steps II and III, the terminal 12 or
13 kinds of barcodes are transmitted. The barcode obtained from the barcode reader 32 or 34 that reads the barcode of the carrier CA carrying the article Ar is defined as a first barcode. The barcode obtained from the barcode reader 33 or 35 that reads the barcode of the new carrier CA is defined as a second barcode.

The host system 40 has two types of bar codes (N1 and N5 or N5 and N9) and data (SA).
2, EA2 or SA3, EA3) (step 50), first receives the received first barcode (N1 or N1).
5) is searched in the memory 41 (step 52). The found first barcode is replaced with a second barcode (N5 or N9) (the first barcode is erased, and a second barcode is written instead), and further data on the article (SA2 , EA2 or SA3
EA3) is written in a place following the previously written data (Aa, Ab) (step 53) (see FIGS. 4B and 4C).

In step IV, the product code input from the input device 24 or the product code determined by the terminal 14 according to the program or setting data is printed on the product carrier ca as described above. Therefore, the bar code (N9) received by the bar code reader 36, the product code (no), and the data (SA4, EA4) relating to the article are sent from the terminal 14 to the host system 40.

When receiving these data, the host system 40 first searches the memory 41 for the received bar code (N9) (step 54). When the barcode (N9) is found, the barcode is rewritten with the product code on the memory, and the data (SA) on the article is rewritten.
4, EA4) is written (step 55) (see FIG. 4D).

In this way, the product code and the history data relating to the product ar on the product carrier ca with the product code are finally recorded in the memory 41. Become.

Only the barcode is stored in another table,
The barcode may be associated with a storage location of the memory 41 in which data on the article is stored by a pointer.

FIGS. 5 to 8 show another example of the data management process.

As shown in FIG. 6, the bar codes (N1 to N1) attached to all the carriers CA used are stored in the memory 41.
N10), a storage location of data to be stored in association with the barcode is provided. This storage location has the capacity to store all data for one article. The barcode may be stored in the storage location of the memory 41 in advance, or a table for associating the start address of the storage location with the barcode may be created. In any case, each storage location and the barcode are associated in advance.

Referring to FIG. 5, when a barcode and data are sent from terminal 11 in step I, host system 40 searches memory 41 and sends the sent barcode (N1). The transmitted data is stored in a storage location related to the data (step 61) (see FIG. 7A).

When the first bar code, the second bar code and the data relating to the article are sent from the terminal 12 or 13 in the step II or III, the first bar code (N1 or N5) is sent. ) Is stored in the storage location associated with the second bar code (N5 or N9).
And the data in the storage location associated with the first barcode is erased (step 62). The data (SA2, EA2) related to the sent article is stored in a storage location associated with the second barcode.
Alternatively, SA3 and EA3) are additionally stored (step 63) (see FIGS. 7B and 8A).

From the terminal 14 in the process IV, the bar code (N9)
, Product code (no), and data about the article (SA
4, EA4), the data (SA4, EA4) relating to the sent article is additionally stored in the storage location associated with the sent barcode (N9) (step 64). , All data in this storage location is in a predetermined area (buffer area or product recording area)
To the product code (n
o) are stored in association with each other. The bar code (N
The data in the storage location related to 9) is erased (step 65) (see FIG. 8B).

When data relating to a bar code, a product code, and an article is sent from the terminal 14, the data of the storage location related to the bar code is transferred to the predetermined area, and the data of the storage location is transferred. After erasing, the product code and data on the article may be additionally stored in a predetermined area.

According to the above-described method, the product code and all data relating to the article to which the product code is attached are stored in an associated form.

In FIG. 1, for example, in step II,
If all of the articles Ar on the carrier CA having the bar code N1 have not transferred to the new carrier CA having the bar code N5, for example, the defective magnetic tape may
In the case where the carrier remains on the carrier, the data on this carrier (the carrier of the barcode N1) is stored in the memory.
Be preserved without being erased on 41. Barcode N
One carrier is not used as a new carrier until the article above it is completely removed. Once the article has been removed, the carrier is ready for use. Even if the data of the previous article related to the carrier remains in the memory, the data of the previous article is eventually erased by overwriting the data of the new article placed on the carrier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an article being sent over a plurality of steps.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a data management device for articles.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a data management process for articles.

FIGS. 4A to 4D show changes in data in a memory.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another example of data management processing on articles.

FIG. 6 shows a memory structure.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show changes in data in a memory.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show changes in data in a memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Ar product ar product CA carrier ca product carrier 11, 12, 13, 14 terminal 21, 22, 23, 24 input device 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 barcode reader 39 printing device 40 host system 41 memory

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-207010 (JP, A) JP-A-4-340214 (JP, A) JP-A-64-58440 (JP, A) 74068 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G11B 23/113 B65G 1/137 G11B 27/10

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] 1. A system for carrying an article on a carrier, moving the article over a plurality of steps while transferring the article on another carrier in each step, and processing the article in each step. This is a method of managing data for each article, by attaching a readable identification code to a plurality of carriers, and associating the preceding data on the article generated in the preceding process with the identification code of the carrier on which the article is placed. is stored in the memory, which is carried into the process of succeeding from the preceding step, read by an identification code of the first carrier carrying the article first reading device, which is carried into the subsequent process, put the article The second reading device reads an identification code of a new second carrier to be replaced, and a destination associated with the first identification code read by the first reading device. The data search in the memory, the search
The relationship between the obtained preceding data and the first identification code
Eliminated and, and give a new data added to the preceding data to the data related to the article produced in a subsequent step, the new shelf data, in conjunction with a second identification code read by the second reading device A method for managing data relating to articles having no identification code stored in the memory. 2. The memory according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to the preceding data, data relating to an article generated in a subsequent process is written in the memory, and the first identification code is rewritten to a second identification code. Management method. 3. The memory according to claim 1, wherein a location for storing data relating to the article corresponding to the identification code is determined in advance, and the preceding data stored corresponding to the first identification code is stored in a second identification code. 2. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the data is transferred to a storage location corresponding to the storage location, and data relating to an article generated in a process subsequent to the storage location is added. 4. The management method according to claim 1, wherein in the first step, data relating to an article generated in the step is stored in the memory in association with an identification code of a carrier on which the article is placed. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the final step of producing a product, an identification code is attached to a product carrier to which an article is to be transferred, and the identification code is stored in association with the preceding data. Management method. 6. An identification code is assigned to each of a plurality of carriers, and an article is placed on a first carrier and moved from a first step to a second step. At the same time, the article is transferred from the first carrier to the second carrier, and the first data relating to the article obtained in the first step is stored in a memory in association with the identification code of the first carrier, and is obtained in the second step. A data management method for an article having no identification code, wherein the second data obtained is added to the first data and stored in association with the identification code of the second carrier. 7. A system in which an article is placed on a carrier, and the article is moved in a plurality of steps while transferring the article to another carrier in each step, and the article is processed in each step. A device that assigns a unique identification code and manages data related to the product generated in the process using a carrier identification code for each product, and stores the preceding data related to the product generated in the preceding process in the carrier on which the product is placed. memory that stores in association with the identification code, which is carried into the process of succeeding from the preceding step, the first reading device for reading the identification code of the first carrier carrying the article, which is carried into the subsequent step, the article A second reading device for reading an identification code of a new second carrier to be replaced, and a first identification code read by the first reading device. A series of preceding data is searched for in the memory, the relevance between the preceding data obtained by the search and the first identification code is eliminated , and the preceding data is added to the data relating to the article generated in the subsequent step to add new data. Data
Obtained, the new shelf data, the second identification codes in connection controller to be stored in the memory, the management device data to articles having no identification code with a read by the second reading device. 8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein:
8. The management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in addition to the preceding data, data relating to an article generated in a subsequent process is written, and the first identification code is rewritten to a second identification code. 9. In the memory, a location for storing data relating to the article corresponding to the identification code is predetermined, and the control device stores the preceding data stored corresponding to the first identification code in the memory. 8. The management device according to claim 7, wherein the management device is configured to transfer the data to a storage location corresponding to the identification code of No. 2 and to add data on an article generated in a process subsequent to the storage location. 10. The control device according to claim 7, wherein, in the first step, data relating to the article generated in this step is stored in the memory in association with the identification code of the carrier on which the article is to be placed. Management device. 11. The control device, in a final step of producing a product, attaches an identification code to a product carrier to which an article is to be transferred, and stores the identification code and the preceding data in association with each other. Item 8. The management device according to Item 7.