Control device, article management device, article management system, article management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a control device, an article management device, an article management system, an article management method, and a program that can more accurately identify a person or a device that has stored and delivered an article to a management area.SOLUTION: A control device 100 includes: an acquisition unit 151 for acquiring image data generated by a camera provided to photograph an entrance / exit of a management area; a moving body detection unit 152 for detecting a moving body based on image data acquired by the acquisition unit 151; a reading unit 153 for activating a tag reader provided at the entrance / exit of the management area to read a tag ID of an RF tag when the moving body is detected by the moving body detection unit 152; and an output unit 154 for outputting information on the tag ID of the read RF tag together with the image data used for the moving body detection by the moving body detection unit 152 when the tag ID of the RF tag is read by the reading unit 153.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, an item management device, an item management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to reduce the burden on managers in managing goods and to improve the reliability of management, goods management systems are used that read RF tags attached to goods with a tag reader and manage the entry and exit of goods from a controlled area. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that, when an item is entered or taken out by a worker authenticated by authentication means, obtains information capable of identifying the item and information indicating the entry and exit status of the item from a cabinet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-57040 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the system of Patent Document 1, a camera is installed to capture an image of the opening and closing area of ​​the cabinet, and when the door sensor detects that the door is open, the camera starts capturing images, and when the door sensor detects that the door is closed, the camera stops capturing images. Therefore, when the cabinet door is open, the camera continues capturing images, generating a large number of images, which creates a problem that it is difficult to identify the worker who has placed or removed an item from the controlled area. This problem is not limited to cases where a worker places or removes an item from the cabinet, but also exists when a person or device other than the worker places or removes an item from another controlled area.

[0005] The present invention has been made against this background, and aims to provide a control device, an item management device, an item management system, an item management method, and a program that are capable of more accurately identifying the person or equipment that has entered or exited an item in a controlled area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the control device according to the present invention comprises: An acquisition unit that acquires image data generated by a camera installed to capture an image of an entrance / exit of the controlled area; a moving object detection unit that detects a moving object based on the image data acquired by the acquisition unit; a reading unit that, when a moving object is detected by the moving object detection unit, activates a tag reader provided at an entrance / exit of the controlled area to read a tag ID of an RF tag; an output unit that outputs, when the tag ID of the RF tag is read by the reader unit, information related to the tag ID of the read RF tag together with image data used for the moving object detection by the moving object detection unit; Equipped with. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a control device, an item management system, an item management method, and a program that can more accurately identify the person or equipment that has entered or exited an item in a controlled area. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an item management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing the arrangement of tag readers and cameras in an item management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example of a data table in a tag ID storage unit, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an example of a data table in an image data storage unit. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an article management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example of a data table in an item data storage unit, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an example of a data table in a warehouse entry / exit data storage unit. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a detection process according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of an item management process according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, a control device, an item management device, an item management method, and a program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0010] The article management system according to the embodiment is a system that uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to manage the entry and exit of articles into and from a management area by workers. RFID is a short-range wireless communication technology that uses radio waves to read and write data stored in an RF tag in a non-contact manner. An individual RF tag is attached to each of the articles to be managed, and the RF tag stores individually assigned identification information, for example, a tag ID (Identification).

[0011] An RF tag is a passive tag that operates using radio waves from a reader as its energy source. For example, an RF tag is an IC tag equipped with an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The RF tag is equipped with a memory that stores a tag ID and an antenna that transmits information related to the tag ID stored in the memory. When the RF tag is brought close to a tag reader, it receives radio waves emitted from the tag reader, generates electromotive force using the received radio waves, and transmits information related to the tag ID stored in the memory on a carrier wave to the tag reader.

[0012] A controlled area is an area that has a space for storing items, and is partitioned by, for example, a warehouse (building), a room, or a cabinet. Hereinafter, it is assumed that a controlled area is provided in a warehouse, and that the warehouse is provided with an entrance through which workers can enter and exit, and a door that is supported so as to open and close relative to the entrance.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, an item management system 1 includes a tag reader 2, a camera 3, a control device 100, and an item management device 200. The tag reader 2, the camera 3, and the control device 100 are connected to each other in a state in which they can communicate with each other via a wired or wireless communication circuit. The control device 100 and the item management device 200 are connected to each other in a state in which they can communicate with each other via a communication line such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0014] In the item management system 1, motion detection is performed to detect the movement of an object captured in an image based on an image captured by a camera 3, and the tag ID of an RF tag attached to the item is read by a tag reader 2. The detection of an RF tag attached to an object by a tag reader 2 alone does not necessarily mean that the item has entered or left the warehouse, but by performing motion detection based on images captured by the camera 3 and having a manager visually check the images at the time of motion detection, it is possible to manage whether or not the entry and exit of RF-tagged items has been carried out appropriately.

[0015] The tag reader 2 is a device that reads the tag ID from the RF tag. The tag reader 2 includes an antenna that transmits radio waves toward the RF tag and receives the reflected waves from the RF tag, and a module that decodes information about the tag ID carried on the reflected waves and transmits the information to the control device 100. The antenna preferably has directionality and emits circularly polarized waves so that the RF tag can be stably read. The frequency band of the radio waves is, for example, a band equal to or higher than the VHF (Very High Frequency) band, and preferably a UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band, so that the RF tag can be read even from a distance.

[0016] The tag reader 2 is installed at a position where it can read RF tags attached to articles passing through the entrance of the warehouse, for example, at the entrance. Multiple tag readers 2 may be installed so that there are no areas where reflected waves cannot be received due to the influence of objects that reflect or block radio waves (for example, metal doors). As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, the tag reader 2 includes an antenna 2A supported above the entrance and an antenna 2B supported on the side of the entrance. Antenna 2A is an example of a first antenna, and antenna 2B is an example of a second antenna.

[0017] Antenna 2A is installed so as to have directivity toward the bottom, while antenna 2B is located below the middle of the height direction of the door and installed so as to have directivity toward the side. Antenna 2B is preferably installed at an angle downward. This arrangement is because when one side of a double-leaf door is closed, radio waves from antenna 2B are reflected or blocked in the area near the feet near the closed door. When both doors are open, RF tags can be detected in the entire area of ​​the entrance and exit using only antenna 2A. With the above configuration, there is no need to use a gate-type reader, and the system can be built at low cost.

[0018] The camera 3 is a camera capable of capturing an image of a subject at a fixed sampling period. The camera 3 is installed so as to capture at least the whole body or a part of a worker entering or exiting the entrance of the warehouse, for example, above the entrance. The camera 3 transmits captured image data to the control device 100 in real time. Furthermore, a plurality of cameras 3 may be installed at different locations so as to eliminate blind spots when detecting a moving object.

[0019] The control device 100 is, for example, a general-purpose computer. When a moving object is detected at the entrance / exit of the warehouse, the control device 100 activates the tag reader 2, and when an article with an RF tag passes through the entrance / exit in this state, the control device 100 reads the tag ID from the RF tag and transfers it to the article management device 200 together with image data at the time of the moving object detection.

[0020] Next, a hardware configuration of the control device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The control device 100 includes an operation unit 110, a display unit 120, a communication unit 130, a storage unit 140, and a control unit 150. The units of the control device 100 are connected to each other via an internal bus (not shown).

[0021] The operation unit 110 receives instructions from a user and supplies an operation signal corresponding to the received operation to the control unit 150. The display unit 120 includes a display and a display drive circuit, and displays various images to the user based on data supplied from the control unit 150.

[0022] The operation unit 110 and the display unit 120 are integrally configured by, for example, a touch panel. The touch panel displays an operation screen that accepts a predetermined operation by a user, and supplies the control unit 150 with an operation signal that corresponds to a position on the operation screen where the user makes a touch operation.

[0023] The communication unit 130 is a communication interface for the control device 100 to communicate with external devices. The communication unit 130 communicates with external devices via a communication network such as the Internet. The communication unit 130 also includes an input / output terminal and communicates with external devices via a communication cable. The input / output terminal is, for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB).

[0024] The storage unit 140 includes, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, and a hard disk. The storage unit 140 stores programs executed by the control unit 150 and various data. The storage unit 140 also temporarily stores various information and functions as a work memory for the control unit 150 to execute processes. The storage unit 140 further includes a tag ID storage unit 141 and an image data storage unit 142.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4(a), tag ID storage unit 141 stores a tag ID read by tag reader 2 in association with the read time when tag reader 2 reads the tag ID.

[0026] 4(b), the image data storage unit 142 stores image data captured by the camera 3 in association with the time of shooting by the camera 3. A flag indicating detection of a moving object is added to image data in which a moving object is detected.

[0027] Returning to Fig. 3, the control unit 150 includes a processor and controls each unit of the control device 100. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 150 includes an internal timer that counts time. The control unit 150 also executes a program stored in the storage unit 140 to perform the detection process of Fig. 7. The control unit 150 functionally includes an acquisition unit 151, a moving object detection unit 152, a reading unit 153, and an output unit 154.

[0028] The acquisition unit 151 acquires image data and the shooting time from the camera 3, and stores them in the image data storage unit 142 in FIG. 4(b).

[0029] The motion detection unit 152 detects whether or not a motion object is present within the subject to be photographed based on the image acquired by the acquisition unit 151, and if a motion object is detected in the image, adds a flag indicating that a motion object has been detected to the image data at the time of motion detection stored in the image data storage unit 142 of Figure 4(b).

[0030] For example, a difference image can be used to detect moving objects. More specifically, the difference between the brightness of corresponding pixels in two consecutive image frames can be calculated. If there is no movement in the image, the two consecutive images will be the same, and the brightness difference in all pixels will be zero, but if there is movement in the image, the brightness difference in that part will be a value other than zero. Using this method, moving objects can be detected from images.

[0031] When a moving object is detected by the moving object detection unit 152, the reading unit 153 activates the tag reader 2 to have the tag reader 2 read the tag ID of the RF tag, and when the tag reader 2 reads the tag ID of the RF tag within a certain period from the detection of the moving object, the reading unit 153 stores the read tag ID in the tag ID storage unit 141 of Fig. 4(a). For example, of the tag IDs of the RF tags read by the tag reader 2, the tag ID read closest to the detection of the moving object may be stored in the tag ID storage unit 141 of Fig. 4(a), or all tag IDs read within a certain period may be stored in the tag ID storage unit 141 of Fig. 4(a).

[0032] The output unit 154 outputs to the outside the image data at the time of the moving object detection by the moving object detection unit 152, the moving object detection time linked to the image data, the tag ID read by the reading unit 153, and the reading time at which the tag ID was read. The output unit 154 controls, for example, the communication unit 130 to transmit various data to the item management device 200.

[0033] In data transmission by the output unit 154, it is preferable to use a plurality of different communication routes in consideration of the possibility of a failure occurring in the communication route. As an example, in data transmission by the output unit 154, a communication route for transmitting data to the item management device 200 via a video conference system and a communication route for transmitting data to the item management device 200 by using e-mail are used. In the e-mail, a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file containing the tag ID and an image file can be attached. Since a CSV file cannot be attached in a video conference system, text data can be extracted from the CSV file and reprinted in the notification message. The configuration of the control device 100 has been described above.

[0034] The item management device 200 is, for example, a general-purpose computer used by a manager who manages items. The item management device 200 receives the tag ID of the RF tag and image data at the time of moving object detection from the control device 100, and provides the manager with information on the items that entered and left the warehouse when the moving object was detected. The manager refers to the information on the items that entered and left the warehouse when the moving object was detected, in particular the image data at the time of moving object detection, to identify the names of the entered and left items and the workers who entered and left the items.

[0035] Next, the hardware configuration of an item management device 200 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The item management device 200 includes an operation unit 210, a display unit 220, a communication unit 230, a storage unit 240, and a control unit 250. The units of the item management device 200 are connected to each other via an internal bus (not shown), and include the same or equivalent configuration as the units of the control device 100. The following description will focus on the differences from the units of the control device 100.

[0036] The memory unit 240 stores the programs executed by the control unit 250 and various data, and also includes an item data memory unit 241 and an inbound / outbound data memory unit 242 .

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6(a), the item data storage unit 241 stores item data in which the tag ID of an RF tag is associated with attribute information (eg, item name) of the item to which the RF tag is attached.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6 (b), the inbound / outbound data memory unit 242 stores inbound / outbound data that corresponds to attribute information of an item, the tag ID of the RF tag attached to the item, the time the tag ID was read, image data at the time of motion detection corresponding to the RF tag, and the time of motion detection linked to the image data.

[0039] The control unit 250 executes the program stored in the storage unit 240 to execute the item management process of Fig. 8. The control unit 250 functionally includes an acquisition unit 251, a matching unit 252, and an output unit 253.

[0040] The acquisition unit 251 receives the tag ID of the RF tag transmitted from the control device 100, the read time of the RF tag, image data at the time of motion detection, and the motion detection time linked to the image data, and stores them in the entry / exit data memory unit 242 in Figure 6 (b).

[0041] The matching unit 252 refers to the item data storage unit 241 in Figure 6 (a) to obtain information regarding the item name corresponding to the tag ID received by the acquisition unit 251, and performs a matching to add the information to the inventory data storage unit 242 in Figure 6 (b).

[0042] When the operation unit 210 accepts an operation by the manager, the output unit 253 reads the incoming and outgoing data from the incoming and outgoing data storage unit 242 in Fig. 6(b) based on an operation signal from the operation unit 210 and outputs it to the outside. The output unit 253 controls, for example, the display unit 220 to display the incoming and outgoing data on the display. The above is the configuration of the item management device 200.

[0043] (Detection process) The flow of the detection process executed by the control device 100 will be described below with reference to Fig. 7. The detection process is a process for detecting that an operator has entered or removed an item from a controlled area. The detection process is started when a user such as a manager executes a program stored in the control device 100, and from this point on, the camera 3 is caused to capture an image of the subject at a fixed sampling period.

[0044] First, the acquisition unit 151 acquires image data of a subject photographed by the camera 3, and stores the image data in the image data storage unit 142 in FIG. 4(b) (step S11).

[0045] Next, the moving object detection unit 152 judges whether or not a moving object has been detected based on the multiple image data stored in the image data storage unit 142 in Fig. 4(b) (step S12). In this process, for example, image data acquired in the most recent process is compared with image data acquired in the previous step to detect whether or not a moving object exists. If it is judged that a moving object has been detected (step S12; Yes), the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if it is judged that a moving object has not been detected (step S12; No), the process returns to step S11.

[0046] If the result of the process in step S12 is Yes, the moving object detection unit 152 adds a flag indicating that a moving object has been detected to the image data at the time of the moving object detection stored in the image data storage unit 142 in FIG. 4(b) (step S13).

[0047] Next, the reading unit 153 starts the tag reader 2, and determines whether the tag reader 2 has read the tag ID of the RF tag within a certain period of time from the time when the moving object was detected in the processing of step S12 (step S14). If it is determined that the tag reader 2 has read the tag ID of the RF tag within the certain period of time from the time when the moving object was detected (step S14; Yes), the processing proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if it is determined that the tag reader 2 has not read the tag ID of the RF tag within the certain period of time from the time when the moving object was detected (step S14; No), the processing returns to step S11.

[0048] If the result of the processing in step S14 is Yes, the reading unit 153 stores the tag ID of the RF tag read by the tag reader 2 that was read closest to the time of motion detection in the tag ID memory unit 141 in Figure 4(a) (step S15).

[0049] Next, the output unit 154 receives and transmits to the item management device 200 the image data at the time when the moving object was detected in the processing of step S12, the moving object detection time linked to the image data, the tag ID stored in the processing of step S15, and the time when the tag ID was read (step S16), and returns to the processing of step S11. The above is the flow of the detection process.

[0050] (Item management processing) Hereinafter, a flow of an item management process executed by the item management device 200 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. The item management process is a process for managing the entry and exit of items into and from a controlled area by an operator.

[0051] First, the acquisition unit 251 receives image data at the time when a moving object is detected transmitted from the control device 100, the moving object detection time linked to the image data, the tag ID read from the RF tag, and the time when the tag ID was read, and stores them in the entry / exit data memory unit 242 in Figure 6 (b) (step S21).

[0052] Next, the matching unit 252 refers to the item data storage unit 241 in Figure 6(a) to obtain information regarding the item name corresponding to the tag ID received in the processing of step S21, and performs a matching to add to the inventory data storage unit 242 in Figure 6(b) (step S22).

[0053] Next, when the operation unit 210 accepts the manager's instructions, the output unit 253 reads the inbound / outbound data from the inbound / outbound data memory unit 242 in FIG. 6(b) and displays it on the display of the display unit 220 (step S23), and then ends the processing. The above is the flow of the item management process.

[0054] As described above, when a moving object is detected based on an image acquired by the camera 3, the control device 100 according to the embodiment activates the tag reader 2 installed at the entrance / exit of the warehouse to read the tag ID of the RF tag, and when the tag ID of the RF tag is read, outputs information about the tag ID of the read RF tag together with the image data used for detecting the moving object. Therefore, the worker who has brought the goods in and out of the warehouse can be accurately identified in a simple procedure.

[0055] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications are possible.

[0056] (Modification) In the above embodiment, a plurality of antennas 2A, 2B that are separate from each other are used as tag reader 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a gate-type reader may be installed as tag reader 2.

[0057] In the above embodiment, an electromotive force is generated in the RF tag by emitting radio waves from antennas 2A and 2B of tag reader 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. An electromotive force may be generated in the RF tag by generating a magnetic field in the tag reader coil and resonating the magnetic field in the RF tag coil.

[0058] In the above embodiment, a passive tag is used as the RF tag, but the present invention is not limited to this. A semi-active tag or an active tag may also be used as the RF tag.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the most recent tag ID among those read by tag reader 2 within a certain period of time before the detection of a moving object is extracted from tag ID storage unit 141, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the tag ID closest to the detection of a moving object may be extracted from the tag IDs read by tag reader 2 within a certain period of time including the detection of a moving object from tag ID storage unit 141.

[0060] In the above embodiment, a moving object is detected based on an image generated by the camera 3, and when the tag ID of the RF tag is read by the tag reader 2, it is determined that an item has entered or left the controlled area, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the tag reader 2 may be constantly activated to read the tag ID of the RF tag, and when a moving object is detected based on an image generated by the camera 3, it may be determined that an item has entered or left the controlled area, and the tag ID read closest to the time of the moving object detection and the image data used for the moving object detection may be transmitted to the item management device 200. In addition to detecting a moving object and reading the tag ID, it may also be determined that an item has entered or left the controlled area when the detection means detects the moment a worker passes through a door.

[0061] The detection means may be, for example, an infrared sensor that is installed so as to emit infrared rays from one side end of the entrance to the other side end. Alternatively, an IC card reader may be installed at the entrance, and a worker may bring an IC card close to the IC card to have the card ID of the IC card read and stored in the control device 100, thereby detecting the moment when the worker passes through the door and identifying the user who has brought in or taken out an item.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the tag ID of the RF tag is read by the tag reader 2 and stored in the tag ID storage unit 141 together with the read time, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured to determine whether an article has approached an entrance / exit based on the number of times the tag ID has been detected, the detection measurement time, and the strength of the reflected wave when the tag ID is detected, and to transmit data including the tag ID from the control device 100 to the article management device 200 when it is determined that an article has approached the entrance / exit and a moving object has been detected.

[0063] In the above embodiment, a flag indicating that a moving object has been detected is added to the image data at the time of moving object detection stored in the image data storage unit 142 in Fig. 4(b), but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image data used for moving object detection may be stored in a database separate from the image data storage unit 142.

[0064] In the above embodiment, among the tag IDs read within a certain period after the detection of a moving object, the tag ID that was read closest to the detection of the moving object is transmitted to the item management device 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, among the tag IDs read within a certain period after the detection of a moving object, the tag ID that was read the most number of times at the time of the detection of the moving object may be transmitted to the item management device 200.

[0065] In the above embodiment, it is not determined whether the inflow or outflow of an item is an inflow or outflow, but in the present invention, the item management system 1 may be configured to determine whether the inflow or outflow of an item is an inflow or outflow. As an example, an antenna of the tag reader 2 may be installed on each of the entrance and exit sides of the entrance, and either the control device 100 or the item management device 200 may determine whether the item has been inflow or outflow based on the time when each antenna reads the tag ID. Also, an infrared sensor may be installed on each of the entrance and exit sides of the entrance, and either the control device 100 or the item management device 200 may determine whether the item has been inflow or out based on the time when each infrared sensor detects a worker.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the image at the time of motion detection is displayed on the display unit 220 of the item management device 200, and the manager refers to the displayed image to identify the worker, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the item management device 200 may be configured to identify the worker by detecting a face from the image at the time of motion detection and performing face authentication. In face authentication, the area of ​​the face detected from the image data at the time of motion detection may be compared with image data of the face of the worker stored in advance in the storage unit 140. When comparing the image data, for example, the positions and sizes of feature points such as the eyes, nose, and mouth may be compared.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the control device 100 and the article management device 200 store various data in the storage units 140 and 240, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the various data may be stored in whole or in part in an external computer via a communication network.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the control device 100 and the article management device 200 operate based on the programs stored in the storage units 140 and 240, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the functional configuration realized by the programs may be realized by hardware.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the control device 100 and the item management device 200 are, for example, general-purpose computers, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control device 100 and the item management device 200 may be realized by a processing unit provided on a cloud.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the processing performed by the control device 100 and the item management device 200 was realized by devices having the above-mentioned physical configuration executing programs stored in the memory units 140, 240, but the present invention may also be realized as a program or as a storage medium on which the program is recorded.

[0071] In addition, a program for executing the above-mentioned processing operations may be stored and distributed on a non-transitory recording medium readable by a processing unit, such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or an MO (Magneto-Optical Disk), and an apparatus for executing the above-mentioned processing operations may be configured by installing the program in the processing unit.

[0072] The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these, and various embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims. The components described in the embodiments and modifications can be freely combined. Furthermore, inventions equivalent to the inventions described in the claims are also included in the present invention. In addition, even if the components of the inventions described in the claims have the same names as the components described in the above-mentioned embodiments, they are not limited to the components described in the above-mentioned embodiments themselves, and can be modified and applied as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1. Inventory management system 2 Tag Reader 2A,2B Antenna 3. Camera 100 Control device 140 Storage section 150 Control section 151 Acquisition Department 152 Motion detection unit 153 Reading unit 154 Output section 200 Article management equipment 240 Storage section 241 Item Data Storage Unit 242 Entry / Exit Data Storage Unit 250 Control section 251 Acquisition Department 252 Butt joint

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires image data generated by a camera installed to capture an image of an entrance / exit of the controlled area; a moving object detection unit that detects a moving object based on the image data acquired by the acquisition unit; a reading unit that, when a moving object is detected by the moving object detection unit, activates a tag reader provided at an entrance / exit of the controlled area to read a tag ID of an RF tag; an output unit that outputs, when the tag ID of the RF tag is read by the reading unit, information about the tag ID of the read RF tag together with image data used for the moving object detection by the moving object detection unit; A control device comprising:

2. The reading unit controls the tag reader so as to read the tag ID of the RF tag that is close to the tag reader within a preset period of time from the time of motion detection. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. the output unit transmits to the item management device a tag ID that is read closest to the detection of a moving object among the tag IDs read within a certain period of time after the detection of a moving object; The control device according to claim 2.

4. an acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the tag ID of the RF tag read by the tag reader together with image data generated by the camera and used for motion detection, and stores the information in a storage / retrieval data storage unit; a matching unit that performs matching by referring to a product data storage unit, reading product attribute information corresponding to the information on the tag ID acquired by the acquisition unit, and adding the read product attribute information to the inventory data storage unit; An article management device comprising:

5. A tag reader is provided at the entrance to the controlled area to read RF tags attached to items; A camera installed to photograph the entrance and exit of the controlled area; a control device that is connected in a communicable state with the tag reader and the camera, reads the tag ID of the RF tag read by the tag reader and acquires image data generated by the camera, and, when a moving object detection is performed based on the acquired image data, outputs information related to the tag ID of the read RF tag together with the image data used for the moving object detection; An article management system comprising:

6. The tag reader includes: a first antenna supported above an entrance to the controlled area and having a downward directivity; A second antenna supported on a side of the entrance to the controlled area and having directionality in a lateral direction. The article management system according to claim 5.

7. An article management method executed by a control device, acquiring image data generated by a camera positioned to photograph an entrance to a controlled area; detecting a moving object based on the acquired image data; When a moving object is detected, a tag reader provided at an entrance to the controlled area is started to read the tag ID of the RF tag; When the tag ID of the RF tag is read, outputting information about the tag ID of the read RF tag together with image data used for motion detection; An article management method comprising:

8. Computer, An acquisition means for acquiring image data generated by a camera provided to capture an image of an entrance / exit to the controlled area; a moving object detection means for detecting a moving object based on the image data acquired by the acquisition means; a reading means for activating a tag reader provided at an entrance / exit of the controlled area to read a tag ID of an RF tag when a moving object is detected by the moving object detection means; an output means for outputting, when the tag ID of the RF tag is read by the reading means, information relating to the tag ID of the read RF tag together with image data used for the moving object detection by the moving object detection means; A program to function as a

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