JP4244859B2 - Inspection device and inspection method for truck load - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of a logistics system using a truck, and in particular, when loading / unloading a truck, the truck confirms whether or not the luggage has been loaded / unloaded as planned, and grasps the status of the cargo being transported. The present invention relates to an inspection device and an inspection method for a load.

  Today, large quantities of goods are delivered from factories and depots to supermarkets, convenience stores, retail stores, etc. by small trucks, and from homes to homes as courier services develop. The management of loading and unloading these packages on the truck is done by visually checking the slips attached to the packages and the slip slips held by the truck driver, or the contents of the package slips It was done by communicating with a delivery center and confirmation by a mobile phone or MCA (multi-channel access) radio by inputting with an oral answer or a keyboard.

However, since it relies on the driver's eyes to check the luggage when loading and unloading the truck, there is a possibility of misdelivery, undelivery, or loading of a different luggage. If an incorrect delivery, non-delivery, or loading of a different package is found later, it is necessary to return to the regular delivery destination or the original loading location, leading to deterioration in transport efficiency and cost increase.

  In order to solve such a problem, the applicant of the present application has previously filed a patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 11-190242) for an inspection device for truck unloading. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inspection device at the time of truck loading / unloading disclosed in the publication (Patent Document 1) of the above-mentioned application. FIG. 2 is also a system diagram.

JP2001-19167

  In these drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a truck having a loading platform 1a. Reference numeral 2 denotes luggage, which is loaded on the pallet 2a by a forklift (not shown) and loaded on the truck 1. The truck driver 3 carries the luggage 2 to a predetermined place. Reference numeral 4 denotes a wireless IC tag. Reference numeral 5 denotes an antenna that receives information of the wireless IC tag. The antenna 5 is attached to the periphery of the loading / unloading port 10 of the truck bed 1a, that is, the left and right surfaces and the upper surface (or upper and lower surfaces). When the driver 3 loads the load 2 on the pallet 2a to a predetermined location on the loading platform 1a or loads the load 2 from the predetermined location on the loading platform 1a, the driver 3 always passes the vicinity of the antenna 5. At this time, it is not necessary to hold the wireless IC tag 4 of the luggage 2 toward the antenna 5.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an in-vehicle control device that is connected to the antenna 5 and the electric wire 6. The in-vehicle control device 7 may display the load / unload information of the baggage received in advance by comparing the information from the antenna 5 and judging whether it is correct or not. It may be sent to a host computer 8 such as a distribution center via telephone, MCA radio, etc., and the correct / incorrect judgment information obtained there may be received and displayed again via a mobile phone, MCA radio, etc. 9 is a radio wave.

The wireless IC tag 4 attached to the package 2 has a unique ID No. Is written, and the ID No. And package information such as package destination, contents, shipping source, and quantity are linked. The antenna 5 arranged at the loading / unloading port 10 of the truck 1 receives the package information when the package passes. Information on the radio wave received by the antenna 5 is sent to the in-vehicle control device 7 mounted on the truck 1. The in-vehicle control device 7 has previously transmitted the cargo unloading data from the host computer 8 such as a distribution center, and the in-vehicle control device 7 compares the data with the information from the antenna 5 to display the correctness / incorrectness. If it is different, an alarm is issued. Upon receiving the warning, the driver 3 inspects the baggage 2 and if it is confirmed that it is incorrect, the loading of the baggage 2 is stopped, the correct baggage 2 is found and loaded. Further, without saving the data in the in-vehicle control device 7, the data stored in the host computer 8 such as the distribution center is directly called from the vehicle load control device 7 by a mobile phone or MCA radio to determine the correctness of the package. You may do it.

  As described above, in the embodiment disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is not known by the in-vehicle control device 7 or the central control device 8 (host computer) whether the current work is loading or unloading. Therefore, it is effective for determining whether or not the driver 3 is accurately performing the cargo loading / unloading operation currently being performed, but the in-vehicle control device 7 or the host computer 8 allows the current loading of the truck to be determined. Sufficient information is not always available to keep track of the situation.

  Also, for example, in a cold car, the inside of the loading platform is appropriately partitioned and the temperature and humidity are controlled separately and finely for each, but it is required to constantly monitor the situation. Such a request cannot be met by the embodiment disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  The present invention has been devised to improve the previous application in view of such problems of the prior art, and the in-vehicle control device or the host computer can always grasp the current state of the load of the truck. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inspection apparatus and inspection method for truck loads.

  In order to achieve the above object, a truck load inspection device according to the first aspect of the present invention is an antenna that receives package information of a wireless IC tag that is disposed around a loading / unloading port of a truck and is affixed to each package. And a vehicle-mounted control device that is connected to these antennas and processes baggage information from the antennas, and the antennas are arranged in at least two rows on the front and rear sides, and the inspection of the cargo is performed when the truck is unloaded. Is to do.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection device for truck cargo, an antenna for receiving package information of a wireless IC tag disposed around each truck bed and affixed to each package, and connected to the antennas. A vehicle-mounted control device that processes package information from the antenna, and the antennas are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front and rear, and the communication area of these antennas is the entire loading space of the truck bed or It covers a part.

  The wireless IC tag may have a sensor function.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection method for loading a truck, an antenna for receiving package information of a wireless IC tag disposed around each loading / unloading port of the truck and affixed to each package, and the antennas thereof. And an in-vehicle control device for processing package information from the antenna. The antennas are arranged in at least two rows in the front and rear, and inspect the load when the truck is unloaded.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for inspecting a cargo of a truck, including an antenna for receiving package information of a wireless IC tag disposed around a truck bed and affixed to each package, and connected to the antennas. A vehicle-mounted control device that processes package information from the antenna, and the antennas are arranged in a plurality of rows before and after, and the communication area of these antennas is all or part of the loading space of the truck bed It is something that covers.

  The wireless IC tag may have a sensor function.

  Next, the operation of the present invention will be described. In the truck loading inspection device according to the first aspect of the invention and the truck loading inspection method according to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the antennas are arranged in at least two rows around the loading / unloading port of the truck, At the time of loading, the antenna in the rear row detects the wireless IC tag first, and the antenna in the front row later detects the wireless IC tag. Therefore, the in-vehicle control device or the host computer can recognize that it is loading of a package. Conversely, when unloading a package, the antenna in the front row detects the wireless IC tag first, and the antenna in the rear row later detects the wireless IC tag. Therefore, the in-vehicle control device or the host computer recognizes that it is taking off the package. The ability of the computer to recognize loading and unloading in this way makes it possible to fully automate load management, making loading and unloading work more efficient and faster, and eliminating errors due to manual input operations. .

In addition, since the wireless IC tag has a small antenna and the antenna has directivity, the direction of the antenna (roadside antenna) that communicates with the wireless IC tag and the direction of the antenna of the wireless IC tag are different. If it deviates greatly, the read / write performance may deteriorate. By providing the roadside antennas in at least two rows and adjusting their orientations, the accuracy of reading the information on the loaded luggage is improved.

In the truck load inspection device according to the second aspect of the invention and the truck load inspection method according to the fifth aspect of the invention, the antennas are arranged in a plurality of rows around the truck bed, and the communication area of these antennas is Since all or a part of the loading space of the truck bed is covered, the position of the load in the antenna communication area can be immediately detected, and the driver can easily take it out.

Furthermore, sensors such as temperature, humidity, and acceleration are incorporated into a wireless IC tag with a built-in battery so that it has a sensor function, and the information is stored in the memory of the wireless IC tag, and wirelessly periodically or as necessary. If the communication controller receives from the antenna, the vehicle-mounted control device or the host computer can always recognize the temperature, humidity, acceleration, or the like of the package being transported. Note that some packages require constant management of temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc. during transportation, and others do not. Therefore, the antenna communication area is limited to a part of the loading space of the truck bed. The necessary items may be stored in the antenna communication area, and those not required may be stored outside the communication area.

  As described above, the truck load inspection device according to the first aspect of the present invention and the truck load inspection method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention are each loaded or unloaded, whether it is loading or unloading. Since it can be recognized by the in-vehicle control device or the host computer, the in-vehicle control device or the host computer always knows the current status of the load of the truck, enables accurate management for each track, and fully automates the load management. It becomes possible. In the truck load inspection device according to the second aspect of the invention and the truck load inspection method according to the fifth aspect of the invention, the position of the load in the antenna communication area can be immediately detected, and the driver can It can be easily taken out. Furthermore, the vehicle controller or host computer can always recognize the temperature, humidity, acceleration, and other conditions of the package being transported, which is effective for transporting refrigerated and frozen foods and precision machines that do not like shocks.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a truck load inspection device according to the present invention. (A) relates to the invention according to claim 1 or claim 4, and (B) relates to the invention according to claim 2 or claim 5. Is. In this figure, the same reference numerals are given to portions common to FIG. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a truck having a loading platform 1a. Reference numeral 2 denotes luggage, which is loaded on the pallet 2a by a forklift (not shown) and loaded on the truck 1. The truck driver carries the luggage 2 to a predetermined place. Reference numeral 4 denotes a wireless IC tag. Reference numeral 5 denotes an antenna that receives information of the wireless IC tag 4. The antenna 5 is attached to the periphery of the loading / unloading port 10 of the truck bed 1a, that is, the left and right surfaces and the upper surface (or upper and lower surfaces).

Reference numeral 7 denotes an in-vehicle control device that is connected to the antenna 5 and the electric wire 6. Reference numeral 11 denotes a display disposed in the loading / unloading port 10 of the loading platform 1 a of the truck 1. The in-vehicle control device 7 may compare the information on the loading / unloading of the baggage received in advance with the information from the antenna 5, judge whether it is correct or incorrect, and display it on the display 11. May be sent to a host computer installed in a distribution center or the like via a mobile phone, MCA radio, etc., and the correct / incorrect judgment information obtained there may be received again via the mobile phone, MCA radio, etc. and displayed on the display 11.

In the first or fourth aspect of the invention, as shown in FIG. 3A, the antennas 5 are provided in two rows in the front-rear direction. 5a is an antenna in the rear row, and 5b is an antenna in the front row. The antennas 5 may be provided in three or more rows.

In the invention according to claim 2 or claim 5, as shown in FIG. 3B, the antenna 5 is provided in a plurality of rows (four rows are shown in the figure) in the front and rear. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the relationship between the communication area of the antenna 5 and the cargo space of the loading platform 1a corresponding to FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes a communication area of the antenna 5. As shown in the figure, in this example, the communication area 12 of the antenna 5 covers the entire loading space of the loading platform 1a while overlapping each other. The antenna 5 and the vehicle-mounted control device 7 are connected in parallel via the electric wire 6.

The wireless IC tag 4 has an electromagnetic induction type and an electromagnetic wave type as a transmission medium type. Generally, the electromagnetic induction type has a communication distance of 1 m or less, whereas the electromagnetic type has a communication distance of several meters. In the present invention, the electromagnetic wave type is suitable. In addition, there are two types of power supply systems: a battery-less type that can drive the tag circuit by modulating the received radio wave without using a battery, and a battery built-in type that has a battery, but it is inexpensive. In addition, since the communication distance may be several meters, the batteryless type is suitable for the invention according to claim 1 or claim 4. However, in the invention according to claim 2 or claim 5, when the position of the load 2 only needs to be detected immediately, the batteryless type may be used, but the temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc. during the transfer of the load 2 are managed. If desired, as shown in FIG. 4C, the wireless IC tag 4 is preferably a battery built-in type having a sensor function. The sensor detects temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc.

  As the antenna 5, an antenna having high directivity is used. As shown in FIG. 4A, the communication area of the antenna with high directivity typically has a spheroid shape. In the electromagnetic wave type, the length of the major axis is several meters. If the wireless IC tag 4 enters a portion where communication areas of two or more antennas overlap, a problem of mutual interference occurs. As a measure for preventing a reading error of the wireless IC tag 4 due to mutual interference, a synchronous type in which communication status between reader / writer antennas is informed to each other, and a master in which one reader / writer antenna controls another reader / writer antenna. / Slave type, switching type in which the reader / writer antenna is controlled by a multiplexer so that mutual interference does not occur.

  The function of simultaneously reading a plurality of wireless IC tags 4 with one antenna 5 is called a multi-read function. However, the first-in first-out function for communicating in order from the wireless IC tag 4 that has entered the communication area first, and all the functions in the communication area. There is a multi-access function for communicating with the wireless IC tag 4. In the present invention, a radio communication controller having a first-in first-out function is suitable for passing the antenna 2 through the antenna communication area when the baggage 2 placed on the pallet 2a is carried manually to a predetermined place, and is mounted on the pallet 2a. A wireless communication controller having a multi-access function is suitable for inspecting the package 2 at a time.

    FIG. 4B is a configuration diagram of a typical wireless IC tag system shown in a manual or the like. The wireless IC tag system includes a reader / writer, an IC tag, and a small computer for controlling the reader / writer. The reader / writer includes a controller, a data transmission / reception unit (RF module), and an antenna. The IC tag includes an IC chip including a memory and a transmission / reception unit, and an antenna connected to the IC chip. The small computer controls the reader / writer and performs read and write processing on the IC tag. When the wireless IC tag 4 is provided with a sensor function, the sensor detects state quantities such as temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc. at regular intervals or when a predetermined threshold value is exceeded, and the value is detected by the wireless IC tag 4. The wireless communication controller receives the data from the antenna 5 every required time.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the inspection device or inspection method for the truck load according to the first or fourth aspect of the invention, since the antennas 5 are arranged in at least two rows around the loading / unloading port 10 of the truck 1, Sometimes the antenna 5a in the rear row detects the wireless IC tag 4 first, and the antenna 5b in the front row later detects the wireless IC tag 4. Therefore, the in-vehicle control device 7 or the host computer can recognize that it is loading of a package. Conversely, when unloading the luggage 2, the front row antenna 5b detects the wireless IC tag 4 first, and the rear row antenna 5a detects the wireless IC tag 4 later. Therefore, the in-vehicle control device 7 or the host computer recognizes that it is taking off the package. Since the wireless IC tag 4 has a small antenna and the antenna has directivity, the antenna 5 (roadside antenna) communicating with the wireless IC tag 4 and the antenna of the wireless IC tag 4 are directed. If the direction is greatly deviated, the read / write performance may deteriorate. By providing at least two rows of roadside antennas 5 and adjusting their orientations, the accuracy of reading information on the loaded luggage 2 is improved.

In the inspection apparatus or inspection method for the truck load according to claim 2 or 5, the antennas 5 are arranged in a plurality of rows around the loading platform 1a of the truck 1, and as shown in FIG. Since the communication area 12 of the truck 5 overlaps each other and covers the entire loading space of the truck bed 1a, the position of the luggage 2 in the communication area 12 of the antenna 5 can be immediately detected, and the driver can It can be easily taken out.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, a sensor such as temperature, humidity, or acceleration is incorporated in the wireless IC tag 4 with a built-in battery to provide a sensor function, and the information is stored in the memory of the wireless IC tag 4. If the wireless communication controller receives from the antenna 5 periodically or as necessary, the vehicle-mounted control device 7 or the host computer always recognizes the state of the package 2 during transportation, such as temperature, humidity or acceleration. can do. Note that there are some packages 2 that need to always manage the state of temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc. during transportation, and others that do not. Therefore, the communication area 12 of the antenna is defined as a load space of the loading platform 1a of the truck 1. Only the parts (for example, the rear half or the front half) may store the necessary ones in the antenna communication area 12 and store the other ones outside the communication area 12.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is a perspective view of the inspection apparatus at the time of the loading / unloading of the conventional truck. It is also a system diagram. It is a perspective view of the inspection device of the load of the truck of the present invention. (A) relates to the invention described in claim 1, and (B) relates to the invention described in claim 3. (A) is a figure which shows the communication area | region of an antenna, (B) is a block diagram of a radio | wireless IC tag system, (C) is a conceptual diagram of the radio | wireless IC tag which has a sensor function. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the communication area | region of an antenna, and the loading space of a loading platform.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Truck 2 Luggage 4 Wireless IC tag 5 Antenna 7 Car-mounted control apparatus 10 Loading / unloading port
11 Display 12 Antenna communication area

Claims (4)

There is an antenna that receives the package information of the wireless IC tag that is arranged around the truck bed and is affixed to each package, and an in-vehicle controller that is connected to these antennas and processes the package information from the antenna. Therefore, the antenna has high directivity, and is formed on each of the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the truck bed so that the vertical plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction intersects with the left and right sides and the upper surface of the bed. The antennas affixed on the wire form a set, and the antenna sets are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction of the truck bed, and the entire communication space of the truck bed is obtained while the communication areas of the antennas overlap each other. A truck load inspection device characterized in that it is covered and the in-vehicle control device keeps track of the position of the loaded load. The wireless IC tag has a sensor function, and the wireless IC tag having the sensor function detects a state quantity such as temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc. at regular time intervals or when a predetermined threshold value is exceeded. 2. The value is stored in a memory in the wireless IC tag, the antenna receives the data every required time, and the in-vehicle control device always keeps track of the position and the state quantity of the loaded luggage. Truck load inspection equipment. There is an antenna that receives the package information of the wireless IC tag that is arranged around the truck bed and is affixed to each package, and an in-vehicle controller that is connected to these antennas and processes the package information from the antenna. Therefore, the antenna has high directivity, and is formed on each of the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the truck bed so that the vertical plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction intersects with the left and right sides and the upper surface of the bed. The antennas affixed on the wire form a set, and the antenna sets are arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction of the truck bed, and the entire communication space of the truck bed is obtained while the communication areas of the antennas overlap each other. A method for inspecting a truck load, characterized in that the vehicle-mounted control device always covers the position of the loaded luggage . The wireless IC tag has a sensor function, and the wireless IC tag having the sensor function detects a state quantity such as temperature, humidity, acceleration, etc. at regular time intervals or when a predetermined threshold value is exceeded. The value is stored in a memory in the wireless IC tag, and the antenna receives the data every required time, and the in-vehicle control device always keeps track of the position and the state quantity of the loaded luggage. Inspection method for trucks' cargo.

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