JP6242623B2 - Book inventory system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a book inventory confirmation system in a bookstore.

  A large number of new books are issued every year, and the number of books that can be placed on the bookshelf of a bookstore is limited, so bookstores change books every day. Therefore, it is necessary to check the inventory regularly at the bookstore. By the way, since books are exchanged every day, it must be closed for inventory confirmation, or the inventory confirmation should be started after the end of the day's business and completed by the start of the next day.

  Currently, book inventory is often checked as follows. A barcode is printed on the back cover of each book. Corresponding to the barcode reading data, a database is created in which the book name, publisher, price, author, book classification, issue date, etc. are stored as records for each book. As new books are published every day, the database must be updated every day, and it is inefficient for each bookstore to have the latest database. Managed.

  The worker who confirms the inventory reads the barcode for each book with a barcode reader and stores it in a storage medium connected to the barcode reader. When the barcodes of all the stock books are read, the data stored in the storage medium is collated with the data stored in the database, and the number of stocks, the total stock price, etc. for each book are obtained. As mentioned above, the barcodes are printed on the back cover of the book, so the worker must remove the books from the bookshelf one by one, so to read the barcodes of all books in a limited time, In particular, large bookstores required a large number of personnel and a large amount of expenses.

  Due to the above circumstances, as shown in Patent Document 1, bookstore inventory management is added to the database by encoding the book back cover image and acquiring the back cover image of the book placed on the book store shelf by photographing However, it has been proposed to collate the encoded back cover image with a book back cover image on a database.

  However, there are cases where the spine image acquired by photographing is not registered in the database, which has been an obstacle to improving the efficiency of inventory confirmation.

JP 2012-208591 A

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and improves the efficiency of processing when a spine cover image acquired by photographing is not registered in the database, thereby further confirming and managing inventory books. The purpose is to speed up.

The invention described in claim 1 for solving the above-described problem is a photographing means for photographing a back cover image of a book displayed on a bookshelf, and a spine image of one book is cut out from the image photographed by the photographing means. A book spine image cutout means, a book spine cover image encoding means for encoding a spine cover image of one book cut out by the book spine cover image cutout means, book image encoding information and book specifying information are associated with each other. A stored book back cover image database (may be simply referred to as “database”) , book image encoding information encoded by the book back cover image encoding means, and the book back cover image database. Collating means for comparing the book image coded information , a display device which is a wristwatch-type wearable computer, based on the collation result of the collating means Control means for controlling the display contents of the display device, and book specifying information input means connected to the control means, wherein the control means is encoded by the book spine image encoding means. If it is determined that there is book image coding information that matches the book image coding information in the book spine image database, the book specifying information stored in association with the book image coding information is Corresponding to the book spine image cut out by the book spine image cutout means or the book image coding information coded by the book spine cover image encoding means, and the collating means by the book spine cover image coding means When it is judged that the book image coding information matching the coded book image coded information is not in the book spine image database, the The book spine image and the book shelf image on which the book is displayed are arranged on the display screen of the display device, and the book spine image determined to have no matching book image coding information The book shelf image is displayed in a form distinguishable from the book spine image, and when the book spine image determined to have no matching book image coding information is put on the arm, the arm direction and the book height are displayed. The book specifying information of the book having the book image coding information that is determined to have no matching book image coding information is displayed on the display device so that the vertical direction is the same and the upper part of the book is on the hand side. Control is performed so that the display device emits information prompting to be acquired by the book specifying information input means.

The inventory management system according to claim 2, wherein the control means is connected to the book spine image database, and there is no book image coding information that matches the matching means. When the book specifying information is acquired by the book specifying information input unit, the book image encoding information determined to have no matching book image encoding information and the book specifying acquired by the book specifying information input unit Information is stored in association with the book spine image database in association with the information.

  The inventory management system according to claim 3, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bookshelf image displayed on the display screen of the display device is the book spine cover image clipping means. The book spine image cut out by the above is synthesized in the order displayed on the bookshelf.

5. The inventory management system according to claim 4 , wherein the book back cover image database stores a book back cover image in association with book image coding information and book specifying information in association with each other. And the control means is connected to the book spine image database, and the collating means matches the book image encoding information encoded by the book spine image encoding means in the book spine image database. when it is judged that there is image coded information, the book spine image in association with the book image encoding information stored in the book spine image database, cut out by the book spine image clipping means The book back cover image is displayed side by side on the display screen of the display device.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the control means is such that the collation means has no book image coded information that matches the book image coded information coded by the book spine image coding means in the database. If it is determined that the book spine image and the bookshelf image on which the book is displayed are arranged on the display screen of the display device, it is determined that there is no matching book image coding information. Book identification information of a book having book image coding information that is determined to have no book image coding information that matches the book shelf image in a form that allows the book spine image to be distinguished from other book spine images Is determined so that there is no matching book image coding information. The position of the register can be quickly known from the bookshelf image, and the book identification information is input by the operator visually confirming the book back cover image displayed side by side with the book shelf image and the book back cover displayed on the book shelf. It is possible to easily acquire the book image coded information determined to have no matching book image coded information using the means. Further, the display device is a wristwatch-type wearable computer, and the control means moves the book spine image determined to have no matching book image coding information when the display device is put on an arm. Is displayed on the display device so that the book height direction matches the top of the book and the top of the book is on the hand side, so when a book determined to have no matching book image coding information is to be pulled out from the bookshelf The directions of the spine image of the book and the spine image displayed are the same, making it easy to pull out the book and reducing the risk of pulling out an incorrect book.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the control means is connected to the database, the collating means determines that there is no matching book image coded information, and the book specifying information is input by the book specifying information input means. When acquired, the book image encoded information determined to have no matching book image encoded information and the book specifying information acquired by the book specifying information input means are associated with each other and stored in the database. Even if the book is determined to have no matching book image coding information this time, the probability that the matching book image coding information will be found is increased when the next inventory check is performed.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the bookshelf image displayed on the display screen of the display device is a combination of the book spine images cut out by the book spine cover image cutout means in the order displayed on the bookshelf. Therefore, even if the bookshelf depth direction position of the book back cover actually displayed on the bookshelf is scattered, it can be displayed with the book shelf depth direction position of the book back cover aligned, and matching book image coding The position of the book determined to have no information can be known more quickly. Also, since the book spine image that is the source of composition is an individual image, when creating a bookshelf image, the book spine image that is determined to have no matching book image coding information is used as another book spine image. It becomes easy to make the form identifiable.

According to the invention of claim 4, determining that the matching means is the book image encoding information matching the coded book image coded information by the book spine image coding means in the book spine image database If the book spine image stored in the book spine cover image database in association with the book image code information is aligned with the book spine image cut out by the book spine cover image cutout means, the display Since the information is displayed on the display screen of the apparatus, the operator can easily confirm that there is no error in verification by comparing the two.

The figure which shows the whole structure of this invention. The figure which shows the content of information processing apparatus. The figure which shows an example of the display screen displayed on a display apparatus. The figure which shows the other example of the display screen displayed on a display apparatus. The flowchart at the time of confirmation work and additional input.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an inventory confirmation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is installed in a photographing device 2 and a bookstore for photographing a bookcase 1 in a bookstore, and is connected to the photographing device by wire or wirelessly (in this embodiment, connected by wire). Information processing apparatus 3, and display apparatus 4 and scanner 5 (book specifying information input means) connected to the information processing apparatus 3 by wire or wireless (in this embodiment, both are wirelessly connected). Composed.

  In this embodiment, while displaying on the display device 4, a book spine image displayed on a book shelf different from the book shelf image 41 displayed on the display device 4 is taken. The book shelf corresponding to the book shelf image displayed on the display device 4 and the book shelf photographed so that the operator can confirm the image displayed on the display device 4 and the barcode reading operation by the scanner 5 is not an obstacle to photographing. Are displaced in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. That is, the bookshelf in which the worker is located in FIG.

  The photographing device 2 may be any device as long as it can acquire the book spine displayed on the bookshelf 1 as data that can be processed by the information processing device 3. In the present embodiment, the image capturing device 2 and the information processing device 3 are connected so as to be communicable, and an image captured by the image capturing device 2 is transmitted to the information processing device 3 for each image capturing. In addition, the photographing apparatus 2 is mounted on the mounting unit 21 and can be moved in the horizontal direction on the mounting unit 21, and the mounting unit 21 is attached to the column 22 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

  The information processing device 3 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk, and an interface for communicating with the photographing device 2, the display device 4, and the scanner 5, and the hard disk has book image coding information and a book spine. A book spine image database 31 that stores images and book identification information in association with each other is stored.

  The database 31 is a database that stores book name, publisher, price, author, book classification, issue date, etc. as a record for each book, corresponding to barcode reading data (book identification information) in the prior art. A book back cover image and book specific information may be added, or a database different from that may be used. In the former case, it is possible to acquire all the data related to the inventory books including the price from one database. The database in the latter case is a database specialized for specifying an inventory book, and by using it in combination with a conventional database, all data related to the inventory book including the price can be acquired.

  The information processing device 3 cuts out a back cover image for each book from the image transmitted from the photographing device 2, codes each cut out back cover image, and further encodes data (book image coding information). Is compared with the book image coding information stored in the database 31, and based on the result, an image to be displayed on the display device is formed and sent to the display device 4. That is, the part of the information processing apparatus 3 of the present embodiment excluding the database 31 functions as all of the book spine image extraction unit, the book spine image encoding unit, and the control unit in the claims. It should be noted that the individual spine cover images that have been cut out and the book image encoding information obtained by encoding them are stored in the RAM or the like of the information processing apparatus 3.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of an image to be displayed on the display device 4. The information processing device 3 includes an image 41 in a single shelf and a book spine image 42 cut out by the information processing device 3 (book spine image cutting means). And the image which arranged the book spine image 43 read from the database is produced. That is, when the control means determines that there is matching book image coding information, two substantially identical book spine images are displayed side by side. Here, “substantially the same” means that even if the spine is the same book, the book image coding information is consistent because the photographed book is different as an individual, the photographing conditions are different, etc. However, the book spine image itself is not completely the same.

  In creating the image 41 of the first shelf, the spine images of the individual books displayed on the bookshelf are already cut out, and this is used. That is, all the bookshelf for one stage is read out from the spine image stored in the RAM or the like, and these are synthesized and displayed in the order of the bookshelf arrangement. In addition, in order to identify which book shelf image, the information 41 to which the book shelf (more specifically, the column) can be specified is added as the image 41 of the first shelf. In the example shown in the figure, “C-3” is displayed, and this indicates that the bookshelf is marked with alphabets A, B, C... Show. As the information 44, any information can be adopted as long as it is information that can specify “one shelf level”.

  In the present embodiment, as a result of comparing the coded book image coding information with the book image coding information stored in the database, there may or may not be matching book image coding information. The image 41 and the book spine image 42 cut out by the information processing apparatus 3 are displayed, and the book spine image 43 read from the database is displayed only when there is matching book image coding information, and when there is no book image encoding information, As shown in FIG. 4, the place where the book spine image 43 should be displayed is a blank image. That is, the book spine image 42 corresponding to the book image coded information to be determined is displayed regardless of the presence or absence of the matching book image coded information, so that the coded book image coded information is stored in the database. Each time it is compared with the book image coding information, the image to be displayed is updated. On the other hand, since the image to be displayed includes an image obtained by combining the back cover images for one level of the bookshelf, in the present embodiment, the coding is performed after all the cutouts of the book back cover images for the level of the book shelf are completed. The book image coding information is compared with the book image coding information stored in the database 31. The blank image corresponds to “information prompting the book specifying information input unit to acquire the book specifying information of the book having the book image coding information” in the claims.

  When creating the image 41 in the first shelf, the book spine image 45 corresponding to the book image coded information compared with the book image coded information stored in the database 31 is different from other spine images. In order to distinguish them, a red frame is added (in FIG. 4, it is displayed with a thick frame). The color of the frame is not limited to red, and any distinguishing mode can be adopted as long as it can be distinguished from other backstrip images at a glance, such as showing the corresponding book spine image with an arrow instead of adding a frame. . Note that the image 41 on the first shelf is small because it is sufficient to recognize which side of the book shelf the book of the spine image displayed so that it can be distinguished from other spine images at a glance. An image is sufficient.

  In the present embodiment, the display device 4 is a wristwatch-type wearable computer equipped with a speaker. As shown in FIG. 3, the display screen has an image 41 of a single shelf and a book spine image 42 cut out by the information processing device. The book spine image 43 read from the database is displayed side by side. The voice message issued from the speaker differs depending on whether the control means determines that there is matching book image coded information or not. The voice message may be, for example, a single buzzer sound if they match, or a plurality of buzzer sounds if they do not match, and any other message that can be distinguished can be adopted. Similarly to the blank image, the voice message issued when it is determined that there is no matching book image coding information is obtained as described in the above-mentioned “book identification information input means by the book identification information input means”. Although it corresponds to “information prompting to do”, since a blank image also corresponds to the information, a different voice message is not indispensable. Of course, speakers are not essential.

  The display surface of the display device 4 is a touch pad, and a next button 45 and a previous button 46 are also displayed as shown in FIG. When an image 41 of one shelf of one book and two book spine images 42 and 43 are displayed, the operator confirms the coincidence of the two book spine images 42 and 43 and confirms the coincidence. Then, the operator presses the next button 45. When the next button 45 is pressed, the display device 4 transmits a message to that effect to the information processing device 3, and the information processing device 3 displays an image 41 of the first shelf of the next book and two book spine images 42 and 43. Is transmitted to the display device 4. If a certain time (for example, 5 seconds) elapses without the next button 46 being pressed, the information processing apparatus 3 creates an image 41 of the first shelf and two book spine images 42 and 43 for the next book. The previous button 47 is a button that is pressed when the user wants to confirm the previous book again when the display screen is updated.

  The scanner 5 will be described. An operator who confirms that the book spine image 43 read from the database 31 is a blank image or that a voice message is issued from the speaker when it is determined that there is no matching book image coding information. 5, read the barcode printed on the back cover of the book. Therefore, the operator reads the barcode by operating the scanner with the other hand while pulling out the book corresponding to the extent to which the barcode is exposed with the hand on the side wearing the wristwatch-type wearable computer. The scanner 5 is connected to the information processing apparatus 3, and the read data is sent to the information processing apparatus 3. In the present embodiment, the book spine image 42 and the book spine image 43 are displayed so that the arm direction matches the book height direction when the display device 4 is put on the arm, and the upper part of the book is on the hand side. Therefore, when the corresponding book is pulled out, the displayed book and the displayed book spine are in the same direction, and it becomes easy to select and confirm the book to be pulled out.

  When the information processing apparatus 3 transmits information that prompts the book specifying information input unit to acquire the book specifying information of the book having the book image coding information, the display apparatus 4 until the barcode data is sent from the scanner 5. Cancel the update of the image to be displayed. When the information processing device 3 receives the barcode data sent from the scanner, the information processing device 3 associates the book identification information specified by the barcode data with the book image coded information and the book spine image encoded by the information processing device 3. Then, it adds to the database 31.

  The contents executed by the information processing device 3 when the operator checks the collation result using the information processing device 3, the display device 4, and the scanner 5 are as shown in the flowchart of FIG. When the book shelf to be checked in ST61 (specifically, one level of the bookcase) is specified, n is set to 0 in ST62 (n is the arrangement order of the books counted from the left or right in one level) In step ST63, n is incremented by 1. In ST64, the timer is reset, and in ST65, it is determined whether or not the book image coded information that matches the book image coded information of the nth book exists in the database 31. If it is determined in ST65 that the display device 4 is generated in ST66, a display image including a book shelf image 41 and two book spine images 42 and 43 is generated, and the buzzer is controlled once. To do. In S67 and ST68, it waits until the predetermined time T elapses or the operator operates the next button, and if it is confirmed that the predetermined time T elapses or the operator has operated the next button, the book shelf is checked in ST69. It is determined whether or not all books have been confirmed. If YES, the book shelf confirmation operation is terminated. If NO, the process returns to ST63 and n is incremented by one.

  If it is determined in ST65 that the image does not exist, in ST70, a display device including an image 41 of one shelf, a photographed book back cover image 42, and a blank image is generated and a buzzer sound is repeatedly generated. 4 is received, the reading signal from the scanner 5 is received in ST71, the database 31 is updated in ST72, and the process proceeds to ST69.

  Although omitted in the above flowchart, even if the control unit determines that there is matching book image coding information, there is an error in collation, and the book spine image 42 and the book spine image 43 May not match. When the operator notices the error, the book identification information of the book is read by the scanner 5 and the database 31 is updated as in the case where it is determined that there is no matching book image coding information.

  In many cases where it is determined that there is no matching book image coding information, the book image coding information of the book does not exist in the database 31, but when the book image coding information existing in the database 31 is acquired. Even if the book and the photographed book are the same book, the book image coding information in the database 31 and the book image coding information of the photographed book coincide with each other due to different printing states or differences in photographing conditions. This is because the degree is low. As described above, the book specifying information specified by the barcode data and the book image encoded information encoded by the information processing apparatus 3 are associated with each other and added to the database 31, thereby allowing the same book specifying information and a plurality of pieces of information to be specified. Book image coding information is associated with each other, but the book image coding information having the highest degree of coincidence is selected from the database 31 in the next and subsequent inventory checks. Even if it is, there is no problem. Rather, the case where it is determined that there is no matching book image coded information is reduced, and the efficiency of inventory confirmation is improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications. In the embodiment, the photographing apparatus 2 and the information processing apparatus 3 are connected by wire, but this may be wireless connection or may not be connected. When the imaging device 2 and the information processing device 3 are not communicably connected, the captured image is stored in an appropriate portable storage medium by the imaging device 2, and the portable storage medium is taken out from the imaging device 2 after shooting. The same processing can be executed by attaching it to the information processing device 3.

  In the above embodiment, the book spine image 43 read from the database is displayed alongside the book spine image 42 cut out by the information processing apparatus 3. In this way, as a result of comparing the coded book image coding information with the book image coding information stored in the database, the information processing apparatus determines that there is matching book image coding information. When the operator can confirm that there is no error and the operator confirms that the two spine images do not match, the information processing apparatus 3 determines that there is no matching book image coding information. As in the case, the book identification information can be input using a scanner and the database can be updated.

  In the above embodiment, the information processing device 3 creates a display screen for one cut-out book spine image and transmits it to the display device 4. However, all the display screens for one book shelf are transmitted to the display device 4. The display device 4 may display a display screen for each book spine image that has been cut out.

  In the above embodiment, the information processing apparatus 3 is installed in the bookstore, but may be installed outside the bookstore as long as it can communicate with the photographing device 2, the display device 4, and the scanner 5. Alternatively, in the above embodiment, the database 31 is stored in the hard disk in the information processing apparatus 3, but the information processing apparatus 3 is installed in a bookstore, and only the database 31 is installed in a server outside the bookstore. 3 may be accessed by communicating with 3.

  In the above embodiment, the book spine image 43 read from the database is displayed side by side with the book spine image 42 cut out by the information processing apparatus 3. If the verification capability of the information processing apparatus is sufficient, the two book spine images will always match and will not require the operator's confirmation work, so the display of the book spine image 43 read from the database can be omitted. The display image is often similar to that shown in FIG. In this case, if the book spine image 43 read from the database is a blank image, “information that prompts the book specifying information input means to acquire the book specifying information of the book having the book image coding information” Therefore, what corresponds to the above information such as a speaker and a different voice message is required. Furthermore, in order to omit the display of the book spine image 43 in the database, it is sufficient for the database 31 to store the book specifying information and the book image coding information in association with each other. It is not necessary to store.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Book shelf 2 Image pick-up device 3 Information processing device 31 Database 4 Display device 41 Book shelf 1 step image 42 Book spine image 43 cut out by information processing device Book spine image 5 read out from database

Claims (4)

Photographing means for photographing a back cover image of a book displayed on a bookshelf,
A book spine image cutout means for cutting out a spine image of one book from the image taken by the photographing means;
Book spine image encoding means for encoding the spine cover image of one book cut out by the book spine image cutout means;
Book spine image database that stores book image encoding information and book identification information in association with each other,
Collating means for comparing the book image coding information coded by the book spine image coding means and the book image coding information stored in the book spine image database;
A display device which is a wristwatch-type wearable computer ;
Control means for controlling the display content of the display device based on the collation result of the collating means;
A book specifying information input means connected to the control means,
The control means includes
If the collation means determines that the book image coding information that matches the book image coding information coded by the book spine image coding means is in the book spine image database, the book image coding The book specifying information stored in association with information corresponds to the book spine image cut out by the book spine cover image cutout means or the book image encoded information encoded by the book spine image encoding means With
If the collation means determines that the book image encoding information that matches the book image encoding information encoded by the book spine image encoding means is not in the book spine image database, it is determined as such. The book back cover image and the book shelf image on which the book is displayed are arranged on the display screen of the display device, and the book back cover image determined to have no matching book image coding information is displayed as another book back cover. The book shelf image is displayed in a form identifiable from the image, and the book spine image determined to have no matching book image coding information has an arm direction and a book height direction when the display device is put on the arm. matching, as books top is hand side, the display device together with display on, the book book image coded information that matches with the book image coded information which is determined that there is no book And controls so that information prompting the display device emits be acquired by the book identification information input means constant information,
An inventory confirmation system for books. The control means is connected to the book spine image database, the collating means determines that there is no matching book image coded information, and the book specifying information is acquired by the book specifying information input means. The book image coding information determined to have no matching book image coding information and the book identification information acquired by the book identification information input means are associated with each other and stored in the book spine image database The book inventory checking system according to claim 1, wherein:   The bookshelf image displayed on the display screen of the display device is obtained by combining the book spine images cut out by the book spine cover image cutout means in the order in which they are displayed on the bookshelf. The book inventory confirmation system according to claim 2. The book spine image database stores the book spine image in association with the book image encoding information and the book identification information,
The control means is connected to the book spine image database,
If the collation means determines that there is book image coding information in the book spine image database that matches the book image coding information coded by the book spine image coding means, the book image code The book spine image stored in the book spine image database in association with the conversion information is displayed on the display screen of the display device along with the book spine image cut out by the book spine image cutout means. The book inventory confirmation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein:

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