KR20180009330A - System and method for tracking products - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for preventing theft in a logistics process by monitoring logistics delivered to consumers through various processes using video data. More specifically, the present invention may include a means for photographing a waybill number attached to goods other than a radio frequency means for specifying the goods, and further comprises a means for photographing the moving process of the goods along a logistics system with a video image. So, it is possible to easily inquiry and search the goods when the goods are lost or stolen during the logistics process.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING PRODUCTS [0001]

The present invention relates to a product tracking system and method for preventing theft in the logistics process by monitoring the logistics delivered to consumers through various processes using image data. Specifically, the present invention further includes a means for photographing the waybill number attached to the product in addition to the radio frequency means for specifying the product, and further means for photographing the moving process of the product along the goods system as a video image, And more particularly, to a system and method for easily searching and searching for a product when the logistics process is lost or stolen.

Today, e-commerce and TV home shopping using the Internet have been rapidly activated, and the number of consumers receiving goods by courier has increased significantly. The courier service is a service for delivering goods using the logistics system according to the request when the user requests to move the desired product to a specific place.

Meanwhile, in order to provide the courier service, the products pass through several stages of the logistics system. In this process, a small number of products are lost or stolen. Many logistics companies are building systems that can track products individually to address these lost or stolen issues. However, until now, there is a limit in that it is necessary to track the goods only by identifying the barcode of the waybill attached to each product and checking whether the barcode is normally recognized in each section of the logistics system.

In addition, many logistics companies have installed CCTV in the logistics system, for example, in the logistics center to check for lost or stolen goods. However, such CCTV system is not linked to the logistics system at all and is managed by a separate entity In many cases, it is difficult to closely cooperate in tracking the product.

The present invention provides a system for tracking a product in a logistics system more effectively and quickly by considering such a conventional problem.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2012-0026410 (published on Mar. 19, 2012)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system and a method for accurately and quickly grasping a position of a product on a distribution system.

Particularly, the present invention aims to make it possible to easily track a product in a logistics system, especially a logistics center, by utilizing all the images taken by the RFID or barcode recognition, .

Further, according to the present invention, only by inputting an item identification code by interlocking the identification code scanning device, the transportation route image obtaining device, and the goods image photographing device, the moving image of the goods, the position of the goods by time, By enabling simultaneous inquiry, the user can easily trace the goods on the logistics system.

In order to solve the above problems, a product tracking method according to the present invention comprises the steps of (a) recognizing an identification code of a product and generating identification code identification information including the recognized identification code; (b) the scanning device transmitting the identification code recognition information to the identification code management device and the image acquisition device; (c) photographing the identification code attached to the packaging surface of the goods or the goods by the image acquisition device.

In addition, the product tracking method may further include a step in which the image acquisition device captures an image of the movement of the product in the workplace.

Further, in the item tracking method, the identification code of the goods includes a waybill number. In this case, the identification code recognition information may further include a scan time, a workplace identification code, a scan device identification code, work information, or customer information.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of tracking a product, comprising: (a) receiving an identification code of a product to be tracked by a main server; (b) the main server transmits the identification code to the identification code management device and requests product information of the corresponding goods; (c) transmitting, by the identification code management device, product information of the goods corresponding to the identification code to the main server; (d) the main server transmits the product information to the image obtaining apparatus to request an ID code image of the corresponding product; (e) The image acquisition device searches the identification code image of the corresponding merchandise and provides it to the main server.

The method may further include the steps of: the main server transmitting the product information to the image acquisition device and requesting the image of the corresponding product; And searching for an image of a corresponding product by the image acquisition device and providing the image to the main server.

Also, in the item tracking method, the image acquisition device may search for an image photographed at a corresponding time with reference to a scan time in the product information.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of tracking a product, comprising the steps of: (a) a scanning device recognizing an identification code of a product, generating identification code identification information including the recognized identification code, ; (b) the identification code management device generates first product information and second product information including the identification code, transfers the first product information to the product information DB, and transmits the second product information to the image management device ; (c) the image management device refers to the second product information and delivers the photographing time point information to the image obtaining device; (d) photographing the identification code attached to the article or the packaging surface with the image by referring to the photographing time point information by the image obtaining apparatus.

In the item tracking method, step (c) may include: (c-1) calculating an imaging time point by referring to the second product information; (C-2) the image management apparatus generates shooting time point information including the calculated shooting time point; (C-3) the image management apparatus transfers the photographing time point information to the image obtaining apparatus; .

In this case, the second merchandise information includes the identification code of the merchandise and the merchandise position information. In the step (c-1), the image management apparatus calculates the shooting time point based on the merchandise position information and the conveyor belt speed . In the item tracking method, the second product information may further include job information including information on a traveling direction of the conveyor belt.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of tracking a product, comprising: (a) receiving an identification code of a product to be tracked by a main server; (b) the main server transmits the identification code to the identification code product information DB to request product information of the corresponding product; (c) the product information DB transmitting product information of a product corresponding to the identification code to the main server; (d) the main server transmits the product information to the image management apparatus to request an identification code image of the corresponding product; (e) searching the identification code image of the corresponding product by the image management apparatus and providing the identification code image to the main server.

The method further includes the steps of: the main server transmitting the product information to the image management apparatus and requesting a corresponding product image; And searching for an image of a corresponding article by the image management apparatus and providing the image to the main server.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a product tracking system including: a scanning device for recognizing an identification code of a product, generating identification code identification information including the recognized identification code, and transmitting the identification code identification information to the identification code management device and the image acquisition device; An identification code management device for receiving identification code identification information from the scanning device and storing the identification code identification information; And an image obtaining device for photographing the identification code attached to the packaging surface of the goods or the goods when the identification code recognition information is received from the scanning device.

In the merchandise tracking system, the identification code of the merchandise to be tracked is received, the identification code is transmitted to the identification code management device to request the merchandise information, and the merchandise information received from the identification code management device, And requesting an identification code image of the corresponding merchandise, and receiving the identification code image from the image acquiring device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a product tracking system comprising: a scanning device for recognizing an identification code of a product, generating identification code identification information including the recognized identification code, and transmitting the identification code identification information to the identification code management device; An identification code management device for generating first product information and second product information including the identification code, transmitting the first product information to the product information DB, and transmitting the second product information to the image management device; A product information DB for receiving and storing first product information from the identification code management device; An image management device for referring to the second product information received from the identification code management device, and for transferring photographing time point information related to a time point at which the image obtaining device photographs the identification code image to the image obtaining device; And an image obtaining device for taking an image of an identification code attached to the surface of the article or the package by referring to the photographing time information received from the image managing device.

Also, in the merchandise tracking system, the identification code of the merchandise to be tracked is received, the identification code is transmitted to the merchandise information DB to request the merchandise information, and the merchandise information received from the identification code management device is transmitted to the image acquiring device And a main server for requesting an identification code image of the corresponding merchandise and receiving the identification code image from the image acquiring device.

According to the present invention, the user can accurately grasp the position of the goods on the logistics system by time.

In particular, according to the present invention, when a lost or stolen merchandise is lost or stolen in the logistics system, the user can simultaneously view the merchandise moving image by the time and the location by time or by inputting the other identification code so that the merchandise is lost or stolen It is easy to know whether or not it has become.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to systematically manage the information obtained by this process by interlocking the identification code scan of the product, the image of the transportation route image and the image of the product image, There is an effect that can be done.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a goods tracking system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 shows an actual installation example of the scanning apparatus.
FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a goods tracking system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of storing information on a specific product in the goods tracking system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 shows an exemplary view of a waybill taken by an image acquisition device.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a tracking example for a specific product on the goods tracking system according to the first embodiment in order.
FIG. 8 shows a goods tracking system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a process of storing information on a specific product using the goods tracking system according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a trace for a specific product on the goods tracking system according to the second embodiment.
Figure 11 shows another tracking example for a product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The embodiments disclosed herein should not be construed or interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the description including the embodiments of the present specification has various applications. Accordingly, any embodiment described in the Detailed Description of the Invention is illustrative for a better understanding of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to embodiments.

The functional blocks shown in the drawings and described below are merely examples of possible implementations. In other implementations, other functional blocks may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the following detailed description. Also, although one or more functional blocks of the present invention are represented as discrete blocks, one or more of the functional blocks of the present invention may be a combination of various hardware and software configurations that perform the same function.

In addition, the expression "including any element" is merely an expression of an open-ended expression, and is not to be construed as excluding the additional elements.

Further, when a component is referred to as being connected or connected to another component, it may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but it should be understood that there may be other components in between.

Hereinafter, a product tracking system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, and further, each component will be described.

1, the product tracking system according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a scanning device 100, an image acquisition device 200, an image acquisition device 300, an identification code management device 400, and a main server 500).

The scanning device 100 refers to a device that scans an identification code of a product to be loaded into a distribution center. A plurality of commodities to be received in the distribution center are given codes for identifying each of them, and in the present specification, these codes will be collectively referred to as identification codes. These identification codes may be composed of various characters or symbols, for example, letters, numbers, special characters, or a combination thereof.

The identification code may be present in a form recognizable by the scanning device 100. For example, the identification code may be in a form recognizable by the device, such as a bar code, a quail code, an RFID tag, and the like, and the identification code may be printed on a sticker attached to the outer surface, Or may be in the form of a tag attached to the outer surface of a product or merchandise package.

The scanning device 100 includes an identification code recognition unit 110 for actually acquiring an identification code, a scan device management unit 130 for storing the acquired identification code, and transmitting the stored identification code to other devices, . ≪ / RTI >

The identification code recognition unit 110 has a function of reading an identification code existing in a product or a product package, which can be implemented differently depending on the type of the identification code. For example, when the identification code is a barcode, the identification code recognition unit 110 may be a barcode reader. If the identification code is an RFID tag, the identification code recognition unit 110 may be an RFID reader.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, the identification code recognizing unit 110 is preferably fixedly installed on the rail on which the goods are placed, so that the identification code of the goods can be read each time the goods pass through the rail.

The scan device management unit 130 may preferably be a computer including a CPU for processing data and a memory for storing data. The scan device management unit 130 is interlocked with the identification code recognition unit 110 and internally stores or reads the identification codes for each product read by the identification code recognition unit 110, Or to the identification code management apparatus 400.

2 shows a state where the present scanning apparatus 100 is installed in an actual distribution center.

2, it can be seen that the identification code recognition unit 110 is fixedly installed on the structure so that the product identification code can be easily read when a product passes on the rail, and the identification code recognition unit 110 It can be seen that a plurality of devices are installed in the workplace and the position of each product can be confirmed at various points. Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 2, the scanning device management unit 130 may be installed in a specific space in the workplace, and may be in connection with the identification code recognition units 110.

Next, the image acquiring device 200 has a main function of photographing a product or a product package and an identification code of the product. Preferably, the image obtaining apparatus 200 has a main function of photographing an identification code attached to a surface of a product or a product package, for example, a waybill number, and acquiring the image as a still image.

The image obtaining apparatus 200 may include two detailed configurations, that is, an image photographing unit 210 and an image managing unit 230.

The image photographing unit 210 means a unit for photographing an identification code attached to the outer surface of a product or a product package as a still image as a still image. The image photographing unit 210 is preferably fixedly mounted on a rail on which goods are moved, and each time a product passes through it, the user can take an image of the portion having the identification code and the entirety of the product.

The image capturing apparatus 200 receives an identification code for a passing product from the scanning apparatus 100. The image capturing unit 210 captures the identification code And to perform imaging immediately after reception. That is, the image capturing unit 210 may be configured to capture the identification code of the currently passing product and the entire product image simultaneously with the driving of the scanning device 100 described above.

On the other hand, the image capturing unit 210 should capture an identification code attached to the outer surface of a product or package to be passed. In this case, since the direction in which the attached identification code is exposed may be various directions, It is preferable that a plurality of cameras are fixedly installed so that photographing is possible in any direction.

The image management unit 230 is an apparatus associated with the image capturing unit 210 described above and stores the captured image internally by the image capturing unit 210 or transmits the captured image to another device . Also, at this time, the image management unit 230 may include a CPU for processing data and a memory for storing data.

The image management unit 230 stores information for each product received from the scanning device 100 and image data in a matching manner. That is, the image management unit 230 can receive information such as an identification code, a time, or a product position for each product from the scanning device 100, and stores the information in association with the image photographed by the image photographing unit 210 .

The image management unit 230 receives an identification code [0012345] as information on a specific product from the scanning device 100, an identification code [0012345] on October 12, Minute, 32 seconds], and [goods center entry point], and the image photographing unit 210 receives the information of the commodity and the commodity immediately after receiving the information, that is, (Or a product package), and the image management unit 230 stores the photographed image with the previously received information. The file name of the image to be stored at this time may be identified with an identification code such as "0012345.jpg ".

Meanwhile, each product-specific image stored in this manner is provided to the main server 500 when there is a request by the main server 500 in the future. That is, when a specific product is stolen or lost on the logistics system, the user inputs information on the product, for example, the information on the waybill, and executes the tracking of the product. In this way, The image acquisition apparatus 200 provides the main server 500 with a product image previously captured and stored.

Next, the image acquisition apparatus 300 will be described.

The image acquisition device 300 photographs the state of the moving article on the distribution system and stores the photographed image as video data. That is, unlike the image acquisition apparatus 200 described above, the image acquisition apparatus 300 acquires an image of a moving product, that is, a video image. The acquired image is internally .

The image acquisition apparatus 300 includes two detailed configurations, i.e., a video shooting unit 310 and a video management unit 330.

The video photographing unit 310 means a means for photographing a currently moving commodity such as a camcorder, a closed circuit camera, etc. for a predetermined period of time. The video shooting unit 310 may be fixedly installed at a plurality of positions on the distribution system. In some cases, each video shooting unit 310 may be manufactured so as to be rotatable, .

The video management unit 330 performs a function of providing the stored video in response to a request from the main server 500 in response to a request from the main server 500, In addition, the video management unit 330 includes a CPU for processing data and a memory for storing data.

1, the image acquisition apparatus 300 is not directly connected to the scan apparatus 100 or the image acquisition apparatus 200 via a network, but is directly connected to the main server only And data communication such as receiving a video request is performed therefrom. It is preferable that the stored images are designed so as to be able to be provided only at the request of the main server 500 under strict rules, in order to minimize the risk that the stored product images are leaked to the outside.

Next, the identification code management apparatus 400 is a kind of server connected to the scan apparatus 100 via the network in advance, and receives the information about the goods including the identification code from the scan apparatus 100 and systematically stores the information. .

That is, the identification code management device 400 receives various pieces of information including the identification code of each product such as a scan time, an operator, and a product position from the scanning device 100, do.

Meanwhile, the identification code management device 400 may be connected to the main server 500 through a network. When the identification code inquiry request is received from the main server 500, the identification code management device 400 may provide the identification code and related information.

Finally, the goods tracking system according to the present invention includes a main server 500.

The main server 500 generates a product information request according to an input by inputting information of a product to be inquired by the user, and transmits the product information request to each device in the system, for example, the image acquisition device 200, the image acquisition device 300, Transmits the product information request to the identification code management device 400, and receives information of the corresponding goods from the above devices and outputs the information.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the above-described goods tracking system from another angle.

According to this, the scan device management unit 130, the image management unit 230, the video management unit, the identification code management unit 400, and the main server 500 are connected via a network (TCP / IP) The image capturing unit 210 and the image capturing unit 210 are connected to the scan unit managing unit 130 and the image managing unit 230 respectively and the video capturing unit 310 is connected to the video managing unit 330. [

In particular, the video shooting unit 310 is provided with a plurality of merchandise on the moving path in the distribution center, so that it is possible to check whether the merchandise is lost or stolen every moment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of acquiring and storing an identification code, an image, and an image for a specific product on a product tracking system according to the present invention.

If the goods to be delivered to the customer are to be firstly put into the shipping center (S310), the goods must pass through the scanning device 100 to read the identification code, that is, the waybill number (S320) The barcode attached to the surface of the product or the packaging may include the information. The scanning device 100 may read the barcode to obtain the corresponding transportation number, and may include a so-called 'identification code recognition Quot; information " to the identification code management device 400. At this time, the identification code recognition information includes not only the transportation number but also the product delivery information related to the delivery of the other goods, for example, the time (scan time) at which the goods transportation number is obtained, Identification code, and workplace identification code, and may further include a portion of the information (name, telephone number, etc.) of the customer sending or receiving the product.

After the scanning device 100 obtains the transportation route number, the scanning device 100 transfers the acquired transportation route number to the identification code management device 400 and stores it in the corresponding device. At this time, the identification code managing apparatus 400 may be a server existing outside the distribution center or a server installed inside the distribution center.

On the other hand, after the scanning device 100 acquires the waybill number, the scanning device 100 transmits the waybill number to the interfaced image acquiring device 200 (S335), and the image acquiring device 200 Take a still image of the waybill or the waybill number attached to the product or packaging surface. (S340)

5 is a view showing a package of goods to which an air waybill is attached by the image obtaining apparatus 200. Fig.

The image acquisition device 200 performs imaging at substantially the same time that the scanning device 100 acquires the waybill number. In addition, the image acquisition device 200 may be fixed at a position very close to the scanning device 100 for scanning the waybill number, and may be configured so that photographing can be performed simultaneously with the scanning of the waybill number. For example, the identification code recognition unit 110 of the scanning apparatus 100 and the image capturing unit 210 of the image capturing apparatus 200 may be mechanically installed in a single housing so that the functions of the two configurations can be practically simultaneously performed Can be implemented.

Meanwhile, the image acquisition device 300 is installed in the distribution center, irrespective of the waybill number acquisition of the scanning device 100, the transportation of the image photographing device, and the like. Can be stored. That is, the image acquiring apparatus 300 functions as a kind of surveillance camera, and it can be installed in various places in the distribution center to store image data about the movement paths of all goods. At this time, the images captured by the image capturing apparatus 300 can be divided and reproduced by time. In particular, when there is a tracking request for a specific product as will be described later, based on the time information at a specific position of the product It is possible to provide a video of that time.

Hereinafter, the process of tracking a specific product will be described with reference to FIG.

The process of tracking a specific product on the logistics system starts from the step S610 in which the main server 500 first receives the route number from the user. In other words, if a product is considered lost or stolen, the user can input information on the waybill number of the product to request information about the product.

7 (a) is an exemplary illustration of an interface through which a user can directly input a COD number on the main server 500.

When the transportation number is input for tracking the goods, the main server 500 transmits the transportation number to the identification code management device 400 and requests information on the corresponding goods. (S620). That is, the identification code management device 400 stores delivery information, customer information, and the like for all the products, and requests the main server 500 to extract only the information corresponding to the COD number will be. In response to the request from the main server 500, the identification code management device 400 provides the main server 500 with delivery information, customer information, and the like corresponding to the transportation number. (S625). At this time, the delivery information may include the time (the scan date and the scan time) at which the transportation number is obtained, the unique code of the distribution center (the pie code, the office name), and the customer information includes the delivery person Some information may be included.

Meanwhile, when the transportation route number is input from the user, the main server 500 transmits the transportation route number to the image acquisition device 200 to request an image of the corresponding product, that is, an image of the identification code. (S630)

Upon receiving the image request, the image acquiring device 200 searches for a transportation route image (e.g., a transportation route number .jpg) that has been previously captured and stored, and provides it to the main server 500. [ (S635)

7B shows a way-box image provided to the main server 500 in a pop-up form, and the user can check the outline of the waybill and understand the outline of the product or the package of goods.

The main server 500 extracts the time information (scan date and scan time) at which the information on the waybill number was obtained, among information included in the information, after receiving information corresponding to the waybill number from the identification code management device 400 And transmits it to the inside-image capturing apparatus 300. (S640). In other words, the main server 500 transmits time information to the image acquisition device 300, thereby requesting images of the products photographed at the corresponding time.

The image acquiring device 300 receiving the video request extracts the image data captured and stored at the corresponding time with reference to the scan date and the scan time, and provides the extracted image data to the main server 500. (S645)

7C to 7E show images of the corresponding time provided to the main server 500. FIG. A plurality of images photographed at a specific time may also be provided as long as a plurality of image acquisition apparatuses 300 exist in the distribution center, and the main server 500 displays the images and images on the screen (S650) Allowing them to find lost or stolen goods. 7 (c), the user can reproduce an enlarged image as shown in FIGS. 7 (d) and 7 (e) by selecting a specific screen on the screen on which a plurality of images are output, , It is possible to track goods similar to the outline of the goods or the package of the goods confirmed through the waybill image.

In addition, the user can zoom in on the screen by dragging the screen being played when the enlarged image is played back.

1 to 7, the product tracking system according to the first embodiment of the present invention has been described.

Hereinafter, a product tracking system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG.

8, the goods tracking system according to the second embodiment includes a scanning device 100, an image acquisition device 200, an image acquisition device 300, an identification code management device 400, and a main The image management apparatus 600, the image management apparatus 700 and the goods information DB 800 in addition to the server 500 and further includes an NTP server (not shown) if necessary.

Compared with the system according to the first embodiment of FIG. 1, the second embodiment independently includes an apparatus for separately managing an identification code, an image, and an image, preferably servers, And a goods information DB for storing information is also provided independently.

Hereinafter, a detailed description of the scan apparatus, the image acquiring apparatus, the image acquiring apparatus, and the main server, which are the same as those in the first embodiment, will be omitted and only the differences will be described. do.

First, the identification code management device 400 mainly has a function of receiving the product information including the identification code from the scanning device 100, and storing the same in a systematic manner, basically the same function as that described in the first embodiment. In particular, the identification code management apparatus 400 according to the second embodiment receives and stores the identification code identification information including the [routing number, product position information, scan time] information from the scanning device 100. [ The identification code management device 400 may further receive a scan device identification code, which is a unique number of the scan device 100.

On the other hand, the identification code management device 400 generates first product information and second product information in addition to storing the above identification code recognition information, and transmits the first product information and the second product information to the product information DB 800 and the image management device 600, respectively . The first product information and the second product information refer to a data package generated based on the information stored in the identification code managing apparatus 400 itself, and the data package is transmitted to another apparatus (server).

The first product information transmitted to the product information DB 800 may include information such as [a transportation number, a workplace identification code, a scanning device identification code, work information, and a scan time]. At this time, the workplace identification code means a code unique to the workplace that can identify the workplace in which the current product is being operated, and may include letters, numbers, special characters, and the like. Also, the scanning device identification code is information for grasping the current position of the product. Each of the scanning devices is given a unique identification code. When a product is scanned by a specific scanning device, the corresponding scanning device transmits its own unique identification code Identification code recognition information is sent together so that it is possible to know where the product was scanned by the scanning device. Next, the job information is information for identifying what type of work is being performed on the current product, and for example, information on whether the product is being taken off or is being taken out. This is because the direction of the conveyor belt is changed according to the type of work, and thus the scanning device, the image acquiring device, and the image acquiring device to be controlled are changed together.

On the other hand, the second goods information transmitted to the image management apparatus 600 may include [the way number, the goods location information, the work information]. In this case, the transportation number and the operation information are as described above, and the product location information is information indicating the current position of the product in the logistics operation, and the information is the scanning device identification code, Based on the information on whether or not the image is scanned by the scanner.

The identification code management device 400 having the above functions includes the identification code recognition information storage unit 410 and the product information generation unit 420 in a detailed configuration and may further include a time synchronization unit 430 have. The identification code recognition information storage unit 410 receives identification code identification information from the scan device and stores the identification code identification information. The product information generation unit 420 generates first product information as described above, And transmits the second product information to the image management apparatus. Meanwhile, the time synchronization unit 430 shares time information with the NTP server to be described later.

Next, the image management apparatus 600 will be described.

The image management apparatus 600 has a function of receiving the second product information from the identification code management apparatus 400 and transmitting the shooting time point information to the image obtaining apparatus with reference to the received second product information, And stores an image of the identification code (transportation number) taken from the vehicle.

In other words, the image managing apparatus 600 in the second embodiment can not only store the identification code image received from the image obtaining apparatus, but also store the identification code, that is, And provides photographing time information. At this time, the image management apparatus 600 may provide the time acquisition (time) information to the image acquisition apparatus 200 at which time the roadway number image is to be taken, or the image acquisition apparatus 200 may calculate the time (For example, the conveying direction of the conveyor belt).

Meanwhile, the image managing apparatus 600 may store the identification code image received from the image obtaining apparatus 200 as one piece of data including [storage path, file name, file size, and identification code image] The file name may be an identification code of the commodity (the transportation number).

The image management apparatus may further include a goods information receiving unit 610, a shooting time information providing unit 620, a data combining unit 630, an identification code image storing unit 640, and a time synchronization unit 650. The goods information receiving unit 610 receives the second goods information including the [delivery number, the goods location information, the job information] from the identification code managing device, and the photographing time information providing unit 620 receives the goods information And provides information necessary for image shooting time (shooting time) or shooting time calculation. In addition, the data synthesizer 630 merges the information included in the second product information and the image of the identification code (the waybill number) received from the image acquiring device into one, stores it in the identification code image storage 640, The unit 650 shares time information with the NTP server.

Next, the video management apparatus 700 will be described.

The image management apparatus 700 receives the image of the product photographed by the image acquisition apparatus 300 and functions to systematically store the image. The meaning of systematically storing merchandise images means to store matching information of when the merchandise was photographed (time information), where it was photographed (location information), what type of job was photographed (job information), etc. . At this time, the image management apparatus is connected only to the image acquisition apparatus and the main server, and it is preferable from the viewpoint of security that the image management apparatus is not connected to the network with other configurations. This is to minimize the risk that the stored product images are leaked to the outside.

The image management device may include an image storage unit 710 and a time synchronization unit 720 in detail. The image storage unit 710 receives and stores an image of a work process of a product from an image acquisition apparatus, preferably a CCTV in the workplace. In addition, the time synchronization unit 720 shares time information in association with the NTP server.

Next, the NTP server will be described.

NTP is an abbreviation of Network Time Protocol, which means 'network time protocol'. The NTP server provides accurate time information to the client requesting the time information according to the above protocol. In the second embodiment, the NTP server can be connected to the identification code management device, the image management device, and the video management device, and allows each management device to share accurate time information. Since the product tracking system according to the present invention is to track where a product exists and when it is present, it is very important that each device share accurate time information and location information. The NTP server is a configuration for allowing each device to share accurate time information.

Next, the goods information DB 800 will be described.

The product information DB 800 mainly has a function of receiving and storing the first product information, as mentioned briefly in the description of the identification code management device. On the other hand, the product information DB is connected to the main server through a network, and when the identification code for the specific commodity, that is, the transportation number, is received from the main server, the product information DB provides information matching the transportation number to the main server. This is information that the main server can refer to when tracking a specific product, and the main server can transmit the information received from the product information DB to the image management device, the image management device, etc., .

The configurations of the goods tracking system according to the second embodiment have been described above. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the scan device, the identification code management device, the image acquisition device and the image management device, the image acquisition device, and the image management device are separately described as independent devices or servers. However, You can do it. That is, the configuration of the second embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that the two divided devices, such as the scanning device including the identification code management device, the image acquisition device including the image management device, and the image acquisition device including the image management device, May also be implemented.

Hereinafter, the step of acquiring and storing an identification code, image, and image for a specific product in the product tracking system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, when a product to be delivered to the customer is loaded into the distribution center (S910), the product is passed through the scanning device 100 to obtain an identification code, that is, a transportation route number (in this embodiment, Assumes that the user is reading. (S920) The scanning apparatus 100 that has read the identification code generates the identification code identification information. At this time, the identification code identification information may include information such as [the transportation number, the goods position information, and the scan time]. At this time, the product position information is based on the information on whether the identification code is read by a scanning device existing at a certain position in the logistics workshop and can be known based on the identification code unique to the scanning device as described above. Meanwhile, the identification code recognition information generated by the scanning device is transmitted to the identification code management device 400 (S930).

Thereafter, the identification code management device 400 generates the first product information and the second product information and transfers them to the product information DB 800 and the image management device 600 (S940 and S950), respectively. At this time, It is preferable that the goods information includes [the delivery number, the workplace identification code, the scan device identification code, the work information, the scan time], and the second goods information includes the [shipping way number, goods position information, work information].

On the other hand, the image management apparatus 600 receiving the second product information provides so-called shooting time point information (S960) in order to allow the image obtaining apparatus 200 to photograph the waybill number at the correct timing. At this time, the image managing apparatus 600 refers to the goods position information and job information included in the second goods information, and the traveling speed of the conveyor belt already known by the image managing apparatus, The photographing time point information about whether the photographing should be performed or not can be directly calculated, and it can be provided as information in units of hour / minute / second. For example, from the work information in the second merchandise information, it is possible to know the traveling direction of the conveyor belt (standing up or down), and the position of the current merchandise is detected from the merchandise position information, The remaining distance can be calculated by dividing the remaining distance by the traveling speed of the conveyor belt already known by the image managing apparatus 600 and how many seconds remain until the photographing point.

On the other hand, the image managing apparatus 600 can also function as a function of simply providing the information necessary for the image acquiring apparatus 200 to calculate the photographing time, instead of directly calculating the photographing time. That is, the image management apparatus 600 may provide only the product position information and the job information included in the second product information to the image acquisition apparatus, and may perform the calculation process described previously in the image acquisition apparatus 200.

On the other hand, the image obtaining apparatus 200 that has received the photographing time information captures the waybill number at the correct time (S970), and the taken image of the waybill number is transmitted again to the image managing apparatus 600 (S980).

The image management apparatus 600 receiving the image of the transportation route number stores it internally (S990). It is preferable that the image of the transportation route number stored at this time has a file name of 'transportation route number'.

Hereinafter, a process of tracking a specific product will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the main server 500 receives the transportation number from the user (S1010), and the main server 500 transmits the transportation number to the product information DB 800 to request the product information (S1020). That is, information such as a transportation route number, a workplace identification code, and a scan time is systematically stored in the product information DB 800. The information is extracted from the goods information DB 800 and provided to the main server 500 .

On the other hand, the product information DB 800 transmits to the main server 500 the information necessary for tracking the goods in response to the product information request, for example, the transportation number, the workplace identification code, the scan time, )do.

Next, the main server 500 receiving the information necessary for tracking the goods requests the images of the waybill number and the images of the goods by transmitting the information again to the image managing apparatus 600 and the image managing apparatus 700 (S1030, S1040). The image management apparatus 600 and the image management apparatus 700 refer to the scan time and the product position information at the corresponding time to provide the main server with images and images of the waybill number photographed in the logistics work step S1035 and S1045 .

Thereafter, the main server 500 provides the images and images of the waybill number to the user as shown in FIG. 11 (S1050).

FIG. 11 shows an example in which a user tracks a movement path of a product by utilizing a goods tracking system according to the present invention. In other words, the user can confirm the image based on the time at which the corresponding identification code is recognized by simply inputting the ID number of the product suspected of being lost or stolen. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, By watching the captured image, it is possible to confirm at what point the product finally exists on the logistics system, and at which point the loss or theft occurred.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The scanning device 100
Identification code recognition unit 110 Scan device management unit 130
Image acquisition device 200
Image capturing unit 210 image managing unit 230
Image acquisition device 300
Video shooting unit 310 Video management unit 330
The identification code management device 400
Identification code recognition information storage unit 410 product information generation unit 420
The time synchronization unit 430
Main server 500
Image management apparatus 600
Item information receiving section 610 Photographing time information providing section 620
The data combining unit 630 includes an identification code image storage unit 640
The time synchronization unit 650
The video management device 700
The image storage unit 710 includes a time synchronization unit 720
Product Information DB 800

Claims (4)

A product tracking method for preventing loss or theft in the process of transporting and sorting goods in a distribution center,
(a) recognizing an identification code of a product having a unique identification code and installed in each line of a plurality of conveyors in a distribution center, and generating identification code identification information including the recognized identification code;
(b) each of the scanning devices transmitting the identification code recognition information to the identification code management device and the image acquisition device;
(c) photographing, by an image, an identification code attached to the packaging surface of the goods or the goods, by a plurality of image acquisition devices installed in respective lines of the plurality of conveyors in the distribution center;
(d) capturing an image capturing device installed in each of a plurality of conveyor lines in the distribution center as an image of the movement of the goods in the workplace;
(e) receiving, by the main server, an identification code of a product to be traced, transmitting the identification code to the identification code management device to request product information, and transmitting the product information received from the identification code management device to the image acquisition device Requesting an identification code image of a corresponding product, receiving an identification code image from the image acquisition device, transmitting the product information to the image acquisition device to request an image of the corresponding product, Receiving an image of the mobile terminal;
Lt; / RTI >
The identification code of the goods includes the waybill number,
The identification code recognition information includes a scan time, a workplace identification code, a scan device identification code, job information, and customer information,
The image acquiring device refers to the scan time in the product information, searches for an image photographed at the corresponding time,
Wherein the scanning device, the image acquiring device, and the image acquiring device are disposed at different positions on an article transport path in the distribution center, and are capable of being tracked by sections.
A product tracking method for preventing loss or theft in the process of transporting and sorting goods in a distribution center,
(a) a scanning device installed in each line of a plurality of conveyors in a distribution center recognizes an identification code of a commodity, generates identification code identification information including the recognized identification code, and transmits the identification code to the identification code management device Transmitting;
(b) the identification code management device generates first product information and second product information including the identification code, transfers the first product information to the product information DB, and transmits the second product information to the image management device ;
(c) transferring photographing time point information to an image obtaining apparatus installed in a plurality of conveyor lines corresponding to the plurality of conveyor lines in the distribution center with reference to the second product information;
(d) capturing an image of an identification code attached to the product or package surface with the image acquisition device referring to the photographing time point information;
(e) photographing the movement of the goods in the workplace by the image acquisition device;
(f) the main server receives the identification code of the product to be traced, transmits the identification code to the identification code management device to request the product information, and transmits the product information received from the identification code management device to the image acquisition device Requesting an identification code image of a corresponding product, receiving an identification code image from the image acquisition device, transmitting the product information to the image acquisition device to request an image of the corresponding product, Receiving an image of the mobile terminal;
Lt; / RTI >
The step (c)
(C-1) the image management apparatus calculates a photographing time point by referring to the second product information; (C-2) the image management apparatus generates shooting time point information including the calculated shooting time point; (C-3) the image management apparatus transfers the photographing time point information to the image obtaining apparatus,
Wherein the second merchandise information includes job information including an identification code of the merchandise, merchandise location information, and information on the traveling direction of the conveyor belt,
In the step (c-1), the image management apparatus calculates a photographing time point based on the goods position information and the conveyor belt speed,
The identification code of the goods includes the waybill number,
The identification code recognition information includes a scan time, a workplace identification code, a scan device identification code, job information, and customer information,
The image acquiring device refers to the scan time in the product information, searches for an image photographed at the corresponding time,
Wherein the scanning device, the image acquiring device, and the image acquiring device are disposed at different positions on an article transport path in the distribution center, and are capable of being tracked by sections.
A product tracking system for preventing loss or theft in the process of transporting and sorting goods within a distribution center,
Each having a unique identification code and installed in each of a plurality of conveyor lines in the distribution center to recognize the identification code of the goods and generate the identification code identification information including the recognized identification code, A plurality of scanning devices for transmitting;
An identification code management device for receiving identification code identification information from the plurality of scanning devices and storing the identification code identification information;
A plurality of image acquisition devices installed in each of a plurality of conveyor lines in the distribution center for photographing an identification code attached to the packaging surface of the product or product when the identification code recognition information is received from the scanning device;
An image capturing device for capturing an image of the moving process of the product in the workplace;
And transmits the identification code to the identification code management device to request the product information, and transmits the product information received from the identification code management device to the image acquisition device to generate an identification code A main server for requesting an image and receiving an identification code image from the image acquisition device;
Lt; / RTI >
The identification code of the goods includes the waybill number,
The identification code recognition information includes a scan time, a workplace identification code, a scan device identification code, job information, and customer information,
The image acquiring device refers to the scan time in the product information, searches for an image photographed at the corresponding time,
Wherein the scanning device, the image acquiring device, and the image acquiring device are disposed at different positions on an article transfer path in the distribution center, and are capable of being tracked in each section.

A product tracking system for preventing loss or theft in the process of transporting and sorting goods within a distribution center,
Each having a unique identification code and installed in each of a plurality of conveyor lines in the distribution center to generate identification code identification information including the identification code of the goods and the recognized identification code, A scanning device;
An identification code management device that generates first product information and second product information including the identification code, transmits the first product information to the product information DB, and transmits the second product information to the image management device;
A product information DB for receiving and storing first product information from the identification code management device;
An image management device for referring to the second product information received from the identification code management device, and for transferring the photographing time point information related to the time when the image obtaining device photographs the identification code image to the image obtaining device;
A plurality of image acquisition devices installed in each of a plurality of conveyor lines in a distribution center for taking an image of an identification code attached to a surface of a product or a package with reference to photography time information received from the image management device;
An image capturing device for capturing an image of the moving process of the product in the workplace;
And transmits the identification code to the product information DB to request the product information, and transmits the product information received from the identification code management device to the image acquisition device to generate an identification code image A main server for receiving an identification code image from an image acquisition device;
Lt; / RTI >
The identification code of the goods includes the waybill number,
The identification code recognition information includes a scan time, a workplace identification code, a scan device identification code, job information, and customer information,
The image acquiring device refers to the scan time in the product information, searches for an image photographed at the corresponding time,
Wherein the scanning device, the image acquiring device, and the image acquiring device are disposed at different positions on an article transfer path in the distribution center, and are capable of being tracked in each section.

Images