JP5826998B2 - Opening date confirmation system and package - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an opening date confirmation system and a package that can confirm the opening date of a package of a product such as food at a later date.

  Since the expiration date is often written on the package (packaging) of the food, the consumer can check the expiration date of the purchased food.

  The expiry date of the food is merely a guideline when the package is not opened, and the expiry date is only described as “please eat as soon as possible after opening”. And once the package of food is opened, the fact that “when it was opened” is not known unless it is written.

  Many foods become quickly fragile after opening the package. Therefore, since the information on the opening date of “when it was opened” was unknown even though it was required to consume the food immediately after opening the package of the food, the consumer There was a problem that it had to be remembered one by one and was troublesome.

  In particular, there is a problem that it is very troublesome to memorize and manage the opening date of the food one by one for busy families and elderly people.

  On the other hand, conventionally, various techniques for displaying information by printing an optically readable code including information data and optically reading the code are known.

  As an optically readable code type, there is an information display system using a one-dimensional code (bar code) in which a price tag of a product is attached and information such as price is read by an infrared scanner at the time of payment.

  In addition, an information display that prints a matrix type two-dimensional code including specific URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information, reads it with a camera of a mobile phone with a code reading function, and leads to a linked URL through the Internet There is also a system.

  Furthermore, a medium such as a printed matter on which a dot pattern portion in which dots generated by a dot code generation algorithm are arranged in accordance with a predetermined rule to recognize various multimedia information is read as image data by a reading unit, There has also been proposed an icon (Patent Document 1, Abstract) formed on a medium in which the image data is converted into code data, and multimedia information corresponding to the code data is read from a storage means and reproduced.

JP 2006-190270 A Japanese Patent No. 4088936 Japanese Patent No. 3706385 Japanese Patent No. 4008952

  The present invention provides an opening date confirmation system and a package capable of confirming the opening date at a later date by displaying information on when the commodity is opened by reading the dot pattern of the package of the commodity such as food. With the goal.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the opening date confirmation system of the present invention is a package in which a dot pattern having coordinate position code information is printed so as to be difficult to visually read and optically readable, and to optically read the coordinate position code information. an optical reading means, and storage means for storing as a virtual open day on the days for which the coordinate position code information read by the optical reading means, and information display means for displaying the virtual opening date, It is characterized by having.

  Further, it is preferable that the storage device is a server device, and further includes information transfer means for transferring the coordinate position code information read by the optical reading means to the server device.

In addition to the virtual opening date, it is more preferable to store the virtual opening time together.

Further, it is preferable that an elapsed time from the virtual opening date is also displayed by the information display means.

  Furthermore, the dot pattern is preferably printed on the package by gravure printing. This is because gravure printing makes it possible to print a high-definition dot pattern. The gravure plate used for the gravure printing is preferably prepared by a laser plate making method. This is because a high-definition minute dot pattern can be printed.

  In order to print the dot pattern having the coordinate position code information so as to be difficult to visually read and optically readable, the dot pattern described in Patent Document 3 may be used. In addition, if a dot pattern is printed using infrared or ultraviolet absorbing ink that absorbs only infrared or ultraviolet light, an invisible dot pattern that cannot be seen by humans is obtained. In addition, in the case of an ink containing carbon black, it becomes difficult to visually recognize a minute dot pattern.

  In this way, printing a dot pattern that is difficult to visually read and optically readable is difficult for humans to view, and therefore has the advantage of not interfering with characters and pictures on the surface of the package.

  As the ink for printing the dot pattern, infrared absorbing ink or ultraviolet absorbing ink is preferable. The infrared absorbing ink here refers to an ink that absorbs infrared rays without absorbing visible light, and the ultraviolet absorbing ink refers to an ink that absorbs ultraviolet rays without absorbing visible light. As examples of these inks, for example, the ink disclosed in Patent Document 2 can be used. In addition, carbon black-containing ink can be preferably used.

  Examples of the package include packaging films for various products, but a flexible sheet such as a thin plastic film is preferable. In particular, the package is preferably a food packaging package.

  The package of this invention is a package used for the said opening date confirmation system, Comprising: A dot pattern is printed so that it is hard to visually recognize and optically readable.

  As the dot pattern, the dot pattern technique described in Patent Literature 3 can be applied by combining a predetermined number of minute dot formation position information with a minimum unit code. If a dot pattern is printed by gravure printing, there is an advantage that it can be printed on a transparent film with high definition and flexibility.

  As the optical reading means, an optical reading means that reacts with infrared rays or ultraviolet rays can be used, and the dot pattern reading unit described in Patent Document 4 can be used.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an opening date confirmation system and a package which can confirm the opening date at a later date by displaying information on when the commodity is opened by reading the dot pattern of the package of the commodity such as food. There is a great effect that you can.

It is a perspective view which shows the package of this invention. It is sectional drawing of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the opening date confirmation system of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the opening date confirmation system of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows an example of the dot pattern printed on the package of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the gravure plate by laser plate making. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the gravure plate by electronic engraving. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows one embodiment of an optical reading means. It is the schematic which shows an example of the dot pattern printed on the package of this invention. It is the flowchart which applied the information display system of this invention to the production center information display of foodstuffs.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but these embodiments are exemplarily shown, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the technical idea of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a dot pattern printing package. The dot pattern printing package 10 has a transparent and flexible outer sheet 12 and optically difficult and optical by gravure printing using carbon black-containing ink on the outer sheet 12. A dot pattern 14 having coordinate position code information printed in a readable manner, a white ink layer 16 provided on the printing surface of the dot pattern 14, a transparent and flexible inner sheet 18 provided thereon, It is composed of

  There are two types of plate making methods for gravure printing used in gravure printing. Laser engraving and electronic engraving. In the laser plate making method, the gravure plate 40 is formed with the gravure cells 38 formed at a pitch of 2 to 7 μm in length and width (FIG. 6). In the electronic engraving method, the gravure cells 42 are usually formed at a pitch defined by 175 lines / inch. The formed gravure plate 44 is obtained (FIG. 7). Therefore, the gravure plate 40 by the laser plate making method is more suitable for printing the dot pattern printing package 14 than the gravure plate 44 by the electronic engraving method. In the embodiment of the present invention, a gravure plate by laser plate making using FX80 manufactured by Sink Laboratories was used.

  In the example of illustration, the example which used the package 10 which printed the said dot pattern 14 as a food packaging film was shown. In the illustrated example, the food is positioned on the side in contact with the inner sheet 18.

  In general, in the case of a food packaging film, a colored layer and a white ink layer (underlayer) are provided on the back surface of the outer sheet, which is the outermost layer, and an inner sheet different from the outer sheet is laminated. Often done. This is because the innermost layer in contact with food or the like is laminated.

  As the dot pattern 14 having the coordinate position code information, the dot pattern technique described in Patent Document 3 can be applied as a combination of a predetermined number of minute dot formation position information as a minimum unit code. .

  The dot pattern 14 is optically read by the optical reading means 20 through the outer sheet 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2). As the optical reading means 20, a dot pattern reading unit described in Patent Document 4 can be applied. In the illustrated example, the dot pattern reading unit described in Patent Document 4 using an infrared LED is used. Reference numeral 28 denotes infrared rays. When ultraviolet absorbing ink is used for printing the dot pattern 14, an optical reading means 20 that reacts to ultraviolet rays is used.

  The opening date confirmation system 30 of the present invention includes a dot pattern printing package 10 in which a dot pattern having coordinate position code information is printed so as to be difficult to visually read and optically readable, and an optical for optically reading the coordinate position code information. A reading unit 20, a processing unit 24 (including an information transfer unit in the illustrated example) for transferring the coordinate position code information read by the optical reading unit 20 to the server device 22, and the coordinate position A server device 22 that stores and stores the date when the code information is read as an opening date; and an information display unit 26 that is information display means for displaying the recorded and stored opening date information from the server device 22; (Refer to FIGS. 1 to 3).

  In the illustrated example, the optical reading means 20 is an infrared scanner, the processing unit 24 is a personal computer, and the information display unit 26 is a PC display device.

  The server device 22 is connected to the Internet, which is a communication network. The server device 22 is a server device on which WWW server software (http daemon program) operates. Although not shown, the server device 22 includes a storage medium such as a hard disk, network communication equipment such as a modem, and other necessary hardware. A notebook PC, desktop PC, mobile phone, or the like is connected to the Internet as the processing unit 24 which is a client terminal, and the TCP / IP protocol can be communicated with the server device 22 by a web browsing function (WWW browser). Has been. The processing unit 24 that is a client terminal is not particularly limited as long as it has a web browsing function (WWW browser). The server device 22 is not limited to one, and a plurality of servers having the same function may be prepared.

  The dot pattern 14 is printed on the back surface 34 of the outer sheet 12 by gravure printing so as to be visually difficult and optically readable. The dot pattern 14 is printed from the surface 24 side of the outer sheet by the optical reading means 20 on the outer sheet 12. The dot pattern coordinate system is reversed with respect to the coordinate system viewed from the surface 32 side of the outer sheet 12 and printed by gravure printing.

  To invert in this way, for example, the dot pattern coordinate system can be printed as a right-handed system, and the coordinate system viewed from the surface 32 side of the outer sheet 12 can be printed as a left-handed system. That is, printing may be performed so that they are mirror images of each other. As described above, as a dot pattern having predetermined code information, the dot pattern technique described in Patent Document 3 is applied as a combination of a predetermined number of minute dot formation position information as a minimum unit code. can do.

  In the illustrated example, the dot pattern coordinate system on the back surface 34 of the outer sheet 12 is reversed with respect to the coordinate system viewed from the front surface 32 side of the outer sheet 12 and printed by gravure printing. In the present invention, the dot pattern 14 is only required to be printed on the package so that it is difficult to visually read and optically readable. Moreover, although the example in which the coordinate system of the dot pattern is reversed and printed by gravure printing with respect to the coordinate system viewed from the surface 32 side of the outer sheet 12 is shown, printing is performed with the coordinate system reversed in this way. Is not necessarily required.

  As a dot pattern technique described in Patent Document 3, as shown in FIG. 5, key dots 46, information dots 48, and lattice dots 50 are arranged according to a predetermined rule. Since the predetermined rule is described in Patent Document 3, details thereof are omitted. In Patent Document 3, as shown in FIG. 5, a 5 × 5 grid dot 50 is arranged around a key dot 46, and information dots 48 are placed around a virtual point at the center surrounded by four grid dots 50. The blocks are arranged as dot patterns 14 representing information. Arbitrary numerical information is defined in this block. Then, the dot pattern 14 is read by the optical reading means 20, and the grid dots are extracted. Next, the key dots 46 are extracted by the fact that the dots are not hit at the positions where the grid dots are originally located, and then the information dots 48 are set. Extraction is digitized to extract information areas and digitize information, and information and programs are output from the dot pattern 14 based on the numerical information. FIG. 5 shows a dot pattern viewed from the optical reading surface side (the surface side of the outer sheet).

  Next, an example of the optical reading means 20 applicable to the present invention is shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, the optical reading means 20 includes a C-MOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor 52, a lens 54, an infrared filter 56, and an infrared LED 58. Reference numeral 60 denotes a frame. Although not shown, the optical reading means 20 is provided with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector, which is used by being connected to the personal computer 24.

  Next, a flowchart of the information display system 30 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the dot pattern 14 is printed to create the dot pattern printing package 10 (step 102).

  Next, the dot pattern 14 is optically read by the optical reading means 20 (step 104).

  Next, the coordinate position code information of the dot pattern 14 is transferred to the server device 22 (step 106).

  The server device 22 stores the date when the coordinate position code information is read as the opening date (step 107). At this time, the server device 22 stores a recording file of the opening date and time.

  For example, when the consumer clicks a location associated with the opening date on the screen of the client terminal, the server device 22 outputs information on the opening date. (Step 108).

  It should be noted that other methods for calling the opening date stored in the server device 22 are conceivable. For example, a phrase such as “Click here if you want to know the opening date” is printed on the dot pattern printing package 10. At the same time, the dot pattern 14 having the information associated with the opening date and time stored in the server device 22 as coordinate position code information is printed, and the dot pattern 14 is optically read to be stored in the server device 22. The opened date may be called.

  Next, the output opening date is displayed on the display device 26 (step 110). At this time, the elapsed time from the opening date may be displayed on the display device 26.

  The opening date confirmation system of the present invention can easily manage and confirm the opening date as described above, and can be applied to the management of the opening date of products other than food.

  Next, the example of embodiment which applied the opening date confirmation system of this invention to the opening date of foodstuff is described based on FIG.9 and FIG.10.

  The dot pattern printing package 10 packages food. At this time, for example, the dot pattern 14 is printed by gravure printing next to the characters “beef” related to the content display. The dot pattern printing package 10 is created by printing a dot pattern using infrared absorbing ink containing carbon black so as to be converted into coordinate position code information expressed in numerical values (step 202). Food is packaged with the dot pattern printing package 10.

  Next, the dot pattern 14 is optically read by an infrared scanner as the optical reading means 20 (step 204). The infrared scanner 20 is connected to a personal computer 24 (processing unit) via USB (Universal Serial Bus), and the coordinate position code information of the dot pattern 14 is transmitted to the server device 22 via the Internet by software installed in the personal computer 24. It is transferred immediately (step 206). That is, the process jumps to the linked server device 22.

  Next, the server device 22 stores the date when the coordinate position code information is read as the opening date (step 207). At this time, the server device 22 stores and accumulates the recording file of the opening date and time.

  When the consumer clicks a location associated with the opening date on the screen of the client terminal, the server device 22 outputs information on the opening date. (Step 208).

  Next, the output opening date information is displayed on the display device 26 (information display means) (step 210). In this way, since the beef opening date is known, the consumer can check the opening date and the elapsed time from the opening date.

Example 1
Using a laser gravure plate making apparatus (trade name: fully automatic laser gravure plate making system FX80) manufactured by Sink Laboratories Co., Ltd., laser plate making is performed, and the gravure plate is formed with a gravure cell depth of 13 μm and a square of 30 μm on one side. A roll was produced. Using this gravure plate roll, a dot pattern 64 is printed on the back surface of the outer sheet 12 of the food packaging film with a printing machine (trade name: PROTEC) manufactured by Nakajima Seiki Engineering Co., Ltd. at a printing speed of 200 m / min. A printing sheet 10 was obtained. As the outer sheet 12 and the inner sheet 18 of the dot pattern printing sheet 10, a biaxially stretched polypropylene film was used. A white ink containing titanium oxide was applied to form a white ink layer 16. The printed dot pattern was as shown in FIG. The interval between the lattice dots 70 of the dot pattern 64 in FIG. 9 is the same as the interval between the lattice dots 50 in FIG.

  As the optical reading means 20, a G scanner manufactured by Gridmark Co., Ltd. was used. The schematic structure is the same as that shown in FIG. The optical reading means 20 was connected to a personal computer via USB.

  As the dot pattern 64, as shown in FIG. 5, key dots, information dots, and lattice dots 70 are arranged according to a predetermined rule. The interval between the lattice dots 70 was the same as that shown in FIG. A commercially available gravure ink was used as the ink. Specifically, an oily surface printing ink (ink viscosity: 17 seconds) manufactured by T & K Toka Co., Ltd. was used. The dot size of the printed dot pattern was a square having a side of 40 μm. Since one side is a 40 μm square, it was difficult to see, but it could be observed with the naked eye if you looked closely. In this embodiment, a gravure plate roll having a gravure cell depth of 13 μm and a square of 30 μm on one side was used, but as described above, in the laser plate making method, the gravure cell has a pitch of 2 to 7 μm in length and width. Since the gravure plate 40 in which 38 is formed can be produced (see FIG. 6), it is possible to print to a smaller dot size.

  Application software is installed in the personal computer 24, and the coordinate position code information of the dot pattern 64 is transmitted to the server device 22 by the application software and stored in the server device 22. ing.

  Then, the optical reading means 20 is pressed against the surface side of the food packaging film (dot pattern printing sheet 10) on which the dot pattern 64 is printed (that is, the surface side of the outer sheet 12) to optically place the dot pattern 64. I read it. The coordinate position code information of the dot pattern 64 is transmitted to the server device 22 as the opening date by the application software installed in the personal computer 24 and stored in the server device 22.

  When a tab associated with the opening date on the screen of the personal computer 24 is clicked at a later date, the server device 22 outputs information on the opening date and time, and the elapsed time from the opening date is displayed on the display.

  10: dot pattern printing sheet, 12: outer sheet, 14: dot pattern, 16: white ink layer, 18: inner sheet, 20: optical reading means, 22: server device, 24: processing unit, 26: information display means , 28: infrared, 30: information display system, 32: front surface, 34: back surface, 38, 42: gravure cell, 40, 44: gravure plate, 46: key dot, 48: information dot, 50, 70: lattice dot, 64: A dot pattern.

Claims (6)

A package in which a dot pattern having coordinate position code information is printed so as to be visually difficult and optically readable
Optical reading means for optically reading the coordinate position code information;
A storage device for storing a date when the coordinate position code information is read by the optical reading means as a virtual opening date;
Information display means for displaying the virtual opening date;
The opening date confirmation system characterized by having.   2. The information storage device for transferring the coordinate position code information read by the optical reading device to the server device, wherein the storage device is a server device. Opening date confirmation system. The opening date confirmation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an elapsed time from the virtual opening date is also displayed by the information display means.   The opening date confirmation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dot pattern is printed on the package by gravure printing.   The opening date confirmation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the package is a food packaging package.   The package used for the opening date confirmation system of any one of Claims 1-5, Comprising: A dot pattern is printed so that visual recognition is difficult and optically readable.

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