Tag management system and tag management method

Abstract

To provide a tag management system and tag management method that uses a lightweight reader while allowing for easy setting and modification of reading conditions according to the usage environment. [Solution] The tag management system 100 includes a handheld reader 10 that reads tag information from a first type wireless tag T1, a main terminal 20 that receives tag information from the reader 10 via wireless communication and manages the tag information, and a wearable type sub-terminal 30 that has an input / output device 31 and operates in cooperation with the main terminal 20 via wireless communication. The sub-terminal 30 receives at least one piece of management information from the main terminal 20 regarding the read first type wireless tag T1, which is one of the following: the cumulative number, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, and notifies the sub-terminal 30 via the input / output device 31.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a tag management system including a handheld type reader for reading tag information from a wireless tag and a tag management method using the same. 【Background Art】 【0002】 There is a known product sales data processing system including a store server and a plurality of smart watches, which performs settlement of products purchased by customers in a store and manages inventory of products (Patent Document 1). In this system, the store server receives settlement information including the name, quantity, unit price, total amount, settlement method, etc. of the products purchased by the customer from the smart watch held by the store clerk. Further, the store server updates the inventory number of the product upon receiving the settlement information of the product and monitors the operating state of the smart watch. 【0003】 In the above system, since the smart watch functions as an RFID reader / writer, it is not easy to set and change reading conditions according to the usage environment such as the type of wireless tag and the installation status of the product. 【0004】 In addition, there is also a method of fixing and integrating a smartphone on the handheld type reader / writer main body and managing the operation of the reader / writer using the touch panel of the smartphone. In this case, the operator has to hold and work with a terminal device combining the mass of the reader / writer main body and the mass of the smartphone. For example, when handling a large amount of items such as inventory taking in a clothing store or checking books in a library, a situation occurs where continuous work for a long time is inevitable, and the work is difficult for those without physical strength. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0005】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-140243 【Summary of the Invention】 【0006】 This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned background technology, and aims to provide a tag management system and tag management method that use a lightweight reader while allowing for easy setting and modification of reading conditions according to the usage environment. 【0007】 To achieve the above objective, the tag management system according to the present invention comprises a handheld reader that reads tag information from a first type of wireless tag, a main terminal that receives tag information from the reader and manages the tag information, and a wearable sub-terminal having an input / output device that operates in cooperation with the main terminal via wireless communication. The sub-terminal receives at least one piece of management information from the main terminal regarding the read first type of wireless tag, which includes the cumulative number, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, and notifies the sub-terminal via the input / output device. 【0008】 According to the tag management system described above, a handheld reader reads tag information from a first-type wireless tag, and a wearable sub-terminal receives at least one piece of management information from the main terminal regarding the read first-type wireless tag, such as the cumulative number, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, and notifies it via an input / output device. Therefore, by using a dedicated reader that does not have a main terminal mounted on it, it is possible to ensure a lightness suitable for holding, while receiving notification of management information with the assistance of the sub-terminal, thereby improving the workability of wireless tag management. 【0009】 To achieve the above objective, the tag management method according to the present invention is a tag management method using a tag management system comprising a handheld type reader that reads tag information from a first type wireless tag, a main terminal that receives tag information from the reader and manages the tag information, and a wearable type sub-terminal that operates in cooperation with the main terminal via wireless communication, wherein the sub-terminal is notified of at least one piece of management information from among the cumulative number, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, with respect to the first type wireless tag that is read. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0010】 [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the tag management system of an embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates an example of how to use a tag management system. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram illustrating the circuit configuration of a reader / writer, etc. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram illustrating the circuit configuration of the main terminal. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram illustrating the circuit configuration of the secondary terminal. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates an example of the display operation of a secondary terminal. [Figure 7] This is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of how a tag management system works. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram illustrating a modified sub-terminal. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0011】 Specific embodiments of the tag management system and tag management method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 【0012】 As shown in Figure 1, the tag management system 100 is used for managing goods, books, etc. in stores, reading facilities, warehouses, etc., and comprises a handheld reader 10, which is a reader / writer 110, a portable main terminal 20, which is a smartphone 120, and a wearable sub-terminal 30, which is a smartwatch 130. 【0013】 The reader / writer 110 can read tag information from multiple RFID (radio frequency identification) tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ..., which are Type 1 wireless tags T1. The smartwatch 130 can also read tag information from an NFC (Near Field Communication) tag TG1, which is Type 2 wireless tag T2. Here, the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... use radio waves and have a communication range of approximately 50 cm to 10 m, enabling communication and ID acquisition within a relatively long-range area DA1. On the other hand, the NFC tag TG1 is a type of RFID, but has a communication range of approximately 10 cm, enabling communication and ID acquisition within a relatively short-range area DA2. For the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ..., radio waves in the UHF band of 860 to 960 MHz are used, for example, but this is an example and not limited to this. For the NFC tag TG1, radio waves of 13.56 MHz are used. 【0014】 Digital information can be exchanged between the reader / writer 110 and the smartphone 120 via inter-device wireless communication, such as Bluetooth®. However, digital information may also be exchanged between these devices using inter-device wireless communication other than Bluetooth, such as Wi-Fi® or other wireless LAN technologies. 【0015】 Digital information can be exchanged between the smartphone 120 and the smartwatch 130 via wireless communication between devices, such as Bluetooth. However, digital information can also be exchanged between these devices using wireless communication other than Bluetooth, such as Wi-Fi or other wireless LAN technologies. 【0016】 Referring to Figure 2, the operator US of the tag management system 100 is responsible for managing product ST, which are clothing CLs and the like, located in stores and backrooms. While carrying a smartphone 120, the operator uses a reader / writer 110 in their hand to read tag information, including ID information, from RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... attached to numerous product STs. 【0017】 The worker US uses a smartwatch 130 (see Figure 1) worn on their wrist to read tag information, including group ID information, from NFC tags TG1 attached to holding devices 2 such as hanger racks and fixtures that group and hold multiple products ST. 【0018】 Referring to Figure 3, the reader / writer 110 includes a transmit / receive circuit 11 for a first type wireless tag T1, a control circuit 12 that operates the transmit / receive circuit 11 to acquire tag information including ID information, a storage device 13 that stores a program PG0 containing instructions and data for executing at least a part of the processing described later, a communication device 14 for terminal-to-terminal wireless communication with a smartphone 120, a trigger button 16a that causes the transmission of a carrier wave for searching, an adjustment button 16b that adjusts the output strength of the carrier wave, and an indicator 16c that displays the output strength of the carrier wave. The control circuit 12 includes a CPU 12a and memory 12b and operates based on the installed program. The reader / writer 110 outputs radio waves in a predetermined band from the antenna 17 via the transmit / receive circuit 11, receives response waves from nearby RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,..., identifies the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,..., obtains the necessary information from the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,..., and writes the information to the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,... as needed. 【0019】 More specifically, (1) the control circuit 12 of the reader / writer 110 operates the transceiver 11 to transmit a radio wave, which is a search carrier wave carrying a command, i.e., an instruction. (2) The RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,... receive the radio wave from the reader / writer 110, i.e., the transceiver 11, a current flows in the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,..., and the information in the tag chip is signaled according to the command from the reader / writer 110. (3) The RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,... transmit a response signal from the tag antenna. (4) The control circuit 12 of the reader / writer 110 receives the response signal via the transceiver 11. The response signal thus obtained is processed by the control circuit 12. At this time, operations such as read, write, and anti-collision become possible by the command from the reader / writer 110. Further, the control circuit 12 of the reader / writer 110 has a function of monitoring the received signal strength of the response wave from the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,..., i.e., the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value. 【0020】 Although illustration is omitted, the reader / writer 110 incorporates a function for an administrator to adjust the operating state related to the transmission and reception of radio waves of the reader / writer 110 in consideration of the type of the wireless tag T1 and the installation environment. The reader / writer 110 can correspond to a plurality of types of wireless tags T1 and can also be exchanged for another model with different specifications according to the type of the target wireless tag. 【0021】 The first type of wireless tag T1, i.e., the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3,..., includes an antenna 71 and an IC chip 72. Memory areas such as an EPC (UII) memory and a TID memory are provided in the memory 72a of the IC chip 72, enabling identification of the wireless tag T1 during communication with the reader / writer 110. 【0022】 Referring to FIG. 4, the smartphone 120, which is the main terminal 20, includes an input / output device 21, a communication device 2, a storage device 23, and an arithmetic device 24. 【0023】 The input / output device 21 receives information for the arithmetic unit 24 to perform processing. The input / output device 21 also outputs the results of the processing performed by the arithmetic unit 24. The input / output device 21 includes various input and output devices, such as a touch panel, microphone, speaker, vibrator, etc. 【0024】 The communication device 22 has a first communication circuit 22a for connecting to a mobile phone line and a second communication circuit 22b for enabling wireless communication between terminals. The first communication circuit 22a enables the smartphone 120 to connect to a network NT such as the Internet. In other words, the main terminal 20 can send and receive information with a remote management server and can operate in cooperation with or under the management of the management server. The second communication circuit 22b enables the smartphone 120 to connect to the reader / writer 110 and the smartwatch 130. Specifically, the second communication circuit 22b enables wireless communication between terminals such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. 【0025】 The storage device 23 stores a program PG1, which includes various data and instructions for the smartphone 120 to perform the processes described later. The storage device 23 is used as a non-transitory tangible storage medium for storing this data and instructions. The storage device 23 is a semiconductor storage device including RAM, ROM, flash memory, etc., but is not limited to these, and may be a storage device of an external server (not shown) that stores the program PG1. In this case, the program PG1 may be provided as a computer program product that can be downloaded from the external server. 【0026】 The arithmetic unit 24 reads and executes a program PG1 from the storage device 23, which contains instructions and data for executing at least a part of the processing described later. The arithmetic unit 24 includes a central processing unit (CPU), etc. By reading and executing the program PG1, the arithmetic unit 24 realizes functions for coordinating with the reader / writer 110 and the smartwatch 130, specifically functions for reading tag information including ID information from RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... attached to a large number of products ST, functions for making decisions by referring to a pre-prepared tag management table TB1 based on the obtained tag information, and functions for updating the tag management table TB1. 【0027】 The smartphone 120 may be equipped with a transceiver circuit 28 that realizes contactless communication functionality using NFC technology. The transceiver circuit 28 incorporated in the smartphone 120 is a tag detection circuit 128 that targets a third type of wireless tag. The transceiver circuit 28 operates in either passive mode or active mode, and enables automatic pairing with the smartwatch 130 or reader / writer 110 if the smartwatch 130 or reader / writer 110 has the corresponding functionality, for example, like the transceiver circuit 38 of the smartwatch 130. 【0028】 Referring to Figure 5, the smartwatch 130, which is the secondary terminal 30, includes an input / output device 31, a communication device 32, a storage device 33, and an arithmetic unit 34. 【0029】 The input / output device 31 receives information for the arithmetic unit 34 to perform processing. The input / output device 31 also outputs the results of the processing performed by the arithmetic unit 34. The input / output device 31 includes various input and output devices, such as a touch panel, microphone, speaker, vibrator, etc. 【0030】 Figure 6 illustrates the display state of the touch panel display 31d, one of the input / output devices 31. When a specific tag TA1 is found by the reader / writer 110 during product search (described later), the system switches to the single-tag search function, displays the target product name D1, and simultaneously receives the RSSI value or its level data acquired by the reader / writer 110. This allows the system to show how close the specific RFID tag TA1 is using an RSSI value level display D2, similar to a vehicle's tachometer. In other words, the input / output device 31 of the smartwatch 130 can assist in the search. When the tag management system 100 operates in search mode, it first searches all tags on the search list. If a specific tag matching the search list is found, it switches to the single-tag search function, which masks and searches only that tag. 【0031】 The display 31d of the input / output device 31 can display a background color, for example, blue, when wireless communication is established across the entire system including the smartwatch 130, smartphone 120, and reader / writer 110. When wireless communication between the smartwatch 130 and smartphone 120 is disconnected, the background color can be displayed, for example, yellow. When wireless communication between the reader / writer 110 and smartphone 120 is disconnected, the background color can be displayed, for example, red. This allows the smartwatch 130 to visually notify the operator US of where communication has been disconnected. The operator US can easily keep track of the operating status of the tag management system 100 at all times. 【0032】 Returning to Figure 5, the communication device 32 has a second communication circuit 32b that enables wireless communication between terminals. The second communication circuit 32b enables the smartwatch 130 to connect to a smartphone 120, etc. Specifically, the second communication circuit 32b enables wireless communication between terminals such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. 【0033】 The storage device 33 stores a program PG2, which includes various data and instructions for the smartwatch 130 to perform the processes described later. The storage device 33 is used as a non-temporary storage medium for storing this data and instructions. The storage device 33 is a semiconductor storage device including RAM, ROM, flash memory, etc., but is not limited to these, and may be a storage device of an external server (not shown) that stores the program PG2. In this case, the program PG2 may be provided as a computer program product that can be downloaded from the external server, for example, via a smartphone 120. 【0034】 The arithmetic unit 34 reads and executes a program PG2 from the storage device 33, which includes instructions and data for executing at least a part of the processing described later. The arithmetic unit 34 includes a central processing unit (CPU), etc. By reading and executing the program PG2, the arithmetic unit 34 realizes functions for coordinating with the smartphone 120, specifically functions for notifying the worker US of commands from the smartphone 120, and functions for presenting tag information managed by the smartphone 120 to the worker US. 【0035】 The smartwatch 130 includes a state sensor 36, which includes an accelerometer and a gyroscope. The state sensor 36 can detect the displacement and changes in the orientation of the smartwatch 130 and can accept gestures from the worker US as instructions. 【0036】 The smartwatch 130 may also be equipped with a transceiver circuit 38 that realizes contactless communication functionality using NFC technology. The transceiver circuit 38 incorporated in the smartwatch 130 is a tag detection circuit 138 that targets second-type and third-type wireless tags. The transceiver circuit 38 operates in either passive or active mode and can read tag information from the NFC tag TG1, which is a second-type wireless tag T2 attached to the holding device 2. Furthermore, the transceiver circuit 38 enables automatic pairing with the smartphone 120 or reader / writer 110 if the smartphone 120 or reader / writer 110 has the corresponding functionality, for example, like the transceiver circuit 28 of the smartphone 120. Here, the transceiver circuit 38 also functions as a third-type wireless tag. 【0037】 The following describes specific examples of tag management processes using the tag management system 100. Tag management is performed, for example, when reading tag information including ID information from RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... attached to product STs in a target area of ​​a facility, checking the number and contents of product STs in the target area, and creating a list. Tag management is also performed, for example, when an inventory target list is created in advance, and tag information including ID information is read from RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... attached to product STs in the target area, and a comparison is made to see if the inventory status of product STs in the target area matches the inventory target list. Furthermore, tag management is performed, for example, when searching for a target product ST in a target area, and tag information including ID information is read from RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... attached to product STs in the target area, to confirm the existence of the target product ST and to pick it up. In the above examples, the managed object is described as product STs, but the managed object can be anything that is appropriate for the facility, such as the collection of books in a library. 【0038】 When listing the product STs present in the aforementioned target area, the smartphone 120 has the role of storing and aggregating the detection results from the reader / writer 110, and displays the number of product STs read and the product names on the touch panel display of the smartwatch 130 to inform the worker US of the reading status. When taking inventory of product STs in the aforementioned target area, the smartphone 120 has the role of storing the detection results from the reader / writer 110 and comparing them with the inventory target list, and displays the number of remaining items to be reconciled after matching (e.g., 15 / 2000) on the touch panel display of the smartwatch 130 to inform the worker US of the inventory progress. When searching for product STs present in the aforementioned target area, the smartphone 120 has the role of determining the detection results from the reader / writer 110, and displays the product names as the reading results of the product STs on the touch panel display of the smartwatch 130 to inform the worker US of the search results. 【0039】 Referring to Figure 7, an example of the operation of the tag management system 100 will be explained. First, the worker US places the smartphone 120 and smartwatch 130 that they wish to use for management in close proximity, and an automatic pairing process is performed between the smartphone 120 and the smartwatch 130 (step S01). In other words, terminal-to-terminal communication is established between the smartphone 120 and the smartwatch 130. Note that, for example, if the smartphone 120 does not have an NFC transmitting / receiving circuit 28, pairing between the smartphone 120 and the smartwatch 130 is achieved by the worker US operating the smartphone 120. 【0040】 Next, the operator US places the smartphone 120 and the reader / writer 110, which they wish to use for management, in close proximity, and an automatic pairing process is performed between the smartphone 120 and the reader / writer 110 (step S02). In other words, terminal-to-terminal communication is established between the smartphone 120 and the reader / writer 110. If, for example, the smartphone 120 does not have an NFC transmitting / receiving circuit 28, pairing between the smartphone 120 and the reader / writer 110 is achieved by the operator US operating the smartphone 120. 【0041】 Furthermore, even if the smartphone 120 does not have an NFC transmitting / receiving circuit 28, if the smartwatch 130 has an NFC transmitting / receiving circuit 38, automatic pairing with the reader / writer 110 becomes possible. In other words, if terminal-to-terminal communication is established between the smartphone 120 and the smartwatch 130 in advance, the pairing between the smartphone 120 and the reader / writer 110 can be automated through the smartwatch 130 by placing the smartwatch 130 and the reader / writer 110 in close proximity. 【0042】 Next, the worker US uses the touch panel of the smartphone 120 to select the processing content and notifies the smartwatch 130 of the processing content from the smartphone 120 (step S03). Specifically, the processing content from the smartphone 120 includes listing product ST, taking inventory of product ST, searching for product ST, etc. 【0043】 Next, the tag management system 100 receives an operation from the worker US and starts operating, and the smartwatch 130, reader / writer 110, and smartphone 120 work together to identify the group of product ST (step S10). In this process, the worker US first brings the smartwatch 130 close to the NFC tag TG1 attached to the holding device 2 that holds a large number of product ST. As a result, the smartwatch 130 operates under the control of its computing device 34, and the transmit / receive circuit 38 reads the tag information, including the group ID information, from the NFC tag TG1 attached to the holding device 2 (step S11). Subsequently, the smartwatch 130 operates under the control of its computing device 34 and transfers the group ID information to the smartphone 120 (step S12). The smartphone 120 operates under the control of its computing device 24, processes the information from the smartwatch 130, returns the status of acquisition of the group ID information to the smartwatch 130, and sends instructions for processing as needed (step S13). The smartwatch 130 operates under the control of its computing unit 34 and displays status notifications regarding the acquisition status of group ID information and processing instructions to the operator US on the touch panel, i.e., display 31d, of the input / output device 31 (step S14). For example, the status such as when group ID information is being acquired, when information acquisition is complete, and the results such as group ID information are displayed. This display may include prompts for the operator US to start reading using the reader / writer 110. 【0044】 Next, the tag management system 100 starts operating upon receiving an operation by the worker US using the reader / writer 110, i.e., a reading action. The reader / writer 110, smartphone 120, and smartwatch 130 then work together to perform a process to detect the product ST (step S20). This process of detecting the product ST is repeated a predetermined number of times as a loop, while receiving reading actions from the worker US. The process of detecting the product ST is, for example, a process of checking and listing the product STs. In this process, the worker US first presses the trigger button 16a with the reader / writer 110 facing the holding device 2. As a result, the reader / writer 110 operates under the control of its control circuit 12, and the transmit / receive circuit 11 transmits and receives radio waves in a predetermined band, reading tag information including ID information from the RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... attached to the product ST held in the holding device 2 (step S21). Subsequently, the reader / writer 110 operates under the control of its control circuit 12 and transfers the tag information to the smartphone 120 (step S22). The smartphone 120 operates under the control of its computing device 24 and manages the acquisition status of ID information based on the information from the reader / writer 110 (step S23). Specifically, when the process of checking and listing product ST is being performed, if there is newly read ID information, the smartphone 120 records the ID information in the tag management table TB1, linked to the group ID information. The smartphone 120 transmits the acquisition status of ID information to the smartwatch 130 and transmits instructions for processing as necessary (step S24). The smartwatch 130 operates under the control of its computing device 34 and displays status notifications regarding the acquisition status of ID information on its touch panel and displays processing instructions for the worker US as necessary (step S25). The worker US can visually check the progress of the work on the smartwatch 130's display 31d, etc. Specifically, when the system is checking and listing product STs, the touch panel displays the product name associated with the newly read ID information and the cumulative number equivalent to the total number of reads as management information.When the loop is completed, the smartphone 120 sends a message to the smartwatch 130 indicating that the process is complete, and the smartwatch 130 displays or notifies the completion of the work via its touch panel or the like (step S30). The worker US can visually confirm the completion of the work and the processing results on the smartwatch 130's display 31d or the like. 【0045】 During the above processing, the smartphone 120 operates under the control of its computing device 24 and checks whether wireless communication has been disconnected with the reader / writer 110 and with the smartwatch 130 (step S26). The smartwatch 130 also checks whether wireless communication has been disconnected with the smartphone 120 (step S27). If the smartphone 120 determines that wireless communication has been disconnected with the smartwatch 130, it terminates the loop process (step S28). If the smartphone 120 determines that wireless communication has been disconnected with the reader / writer 110, it can transmit a message to the smartwatch 130 indicating that wireless communication has been disconnected when it terminates the loop process. Subsequently, the smartwatch 130 notifies the worker US of the wireless communication disconnection by displaying "wireless communication disconnected" on its touch panel (step S29). Notification of wireless communication disconnection is not limited to visual notification via the touch panel, but may also be made using sound, vibration, etc. This type of notification allows the US worker to immediately confirm the occurrence of a wireless communication interruption, preventing them from continuing work unnecessarily without realizing the interruption. 【0046】 Similar to the occurrence of wireless communication interruption, if the cumulative number of reads does not increase for a certain period of time or longer during reading, it is highly likely that RFID radio interference is occurring and continuing. In such cases, the smartwatch 130 can notify the worker US of the occurrence of RFID radio interference via the touch panel display 31d or the like. 【0047】 The above mainly describes the process of checking and listing product STs, but the process of performing an inventory of product STs is similar. In this case, a reconciliation process is performed to register that newly read ID information has been checked in the inventory target list, while the remaining number is displayed as management information on the smartwatch 130, and the reconciliation process is repeated until all are checked. In the case of the process of searching for product STs, the names of the search targets are displayed in advance as management information on the smartwatch 130, and the search is repeated until all the target targets, i.e., product STs, are found. When all the target targets have been found, the smartwatch 130 can display a list of the found search targets. 【0048】 When searching for product ST, the RSSI value information detected by the reader / writer 110 can be transferred from the smartphone 120 to the smartwatch 130. Based on the received RSSI value information, the smartwatch 130 displays the search status of the target first type wireless tag T1, specifically as illustrated in Figure 6, and has a function to assist the worker US in the search. 【0049】 The above assumed that the operator US would operate the trigger button 16a of the reader / writer 110 to start or stop reading tag information from RFID tags TA1, TA2, TA3, ... However, the status sensor 36 can be used to receive instructions from the operator US. 【0050】 Specifically, for example, a smartwatch 130 can be worn on the hand opposite to the hand holding the reader / writer 110. By shaking the smartwatch 130 once, reading can begin; shaking it twice can stop reading. Various instruction actions can be detected by the smartwatch 130 as gesture patterns, and the detection results can be sent to a smartphone 120. At this time, the worker US can be notified of the detection of the instruction action by vibration or voice, ensuring that the instructions are received more reliably. 【0051】 If a smartwatch 130 is worn on the hand holding the reader / writer 110, the method for acquiring instruction actions can be changed. Specifically, when the smartwatch 130 detects that the hand holding the reader / writer 110 is raised at a speed greater than a predetermined speed, it determines this action to be a reading start instruction and sends a request to start reading to the smartphone 120. Also, when the smartwatch 130 detects that the hand holding the reader / writer 110 is lowered at a speed greater than a predetermined speed, it determines this action to be a reading end instruction and sends a request to end reading to the smartphone 120. 【0052】 By using the microphone, which is the input / output device 31 of the smartwatch 130, to acquire the voice of the worker US, and by utilizing the voice recognition function implemented by the processing unit 34, etc., it is also possible to receive voice commands from the worker US, such as commands to start reading or commands to stop reading. 【0053】 The above describes how the reader / writer 110 can initiate and stop reading tag information via the smartwatch 130. However, changes to the transmission output, transmission frequency, and reading mask data can also be made via the smartwatch 130 or smartphone 120. The reading mask data may, for example, be set to distinguish between different tag types, but it is not limited to this. It may also distinguish specific tags from tags of the same type based on their intended use, i.e., based on filter conditions. 【0054】 Furthermore, the display screen of the smartwatch 130 can be cleared or switched by the worker US operating the smartwatch 130, or the worker US may operate the smartphone 120. The purpose of the tag information reading operation by the reader / writer 110 can be set or changed by the worker US operating the smartphone 120, or it can also be done by the worker US operating the smartwatch 130. 【0055】 In the above, the process of identifying the group of product ST is performed using the functions of the smartwatch 130 (step S10), but it is also possible to perform a process of detecting product ST from the beginning (step S20) without identifying the group of product ST. 【0056】 In the above, the process of detecting product ST (step S20) is started in response to the operator US's operation of the reader / writer 110. However, if the process of identifying the group of product ST (step S10) is completed, the process of detecting product ST (step S20) may be started automatically. 【0057】 The tag management system 100 of the embodiment described above comprises a handheld reader 10 that reads tag information from a first type wireless tag T1, a main terminal 20 that receives tag information from the reader 10 and manages the tag information, and a wearable type sub-terminal 30 that has an input / output device 31 and operates in cooperation with the main terminal 20 via wireless communication. The sub-terminal 30 receives at least one piece of management information from the main terminal 20 regarding the read first type wireless tag T1, which includes the cumulative number, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, and notifies this information via the input / output device 31. 【0058】 According to the tag management system 100 described above, a handheld reader 10 reads tag information from a first-type wireless tag T1, and a wearable sub-terminal 30 receives at least one piece of management information from the main terminal 20 regarding the read first-type wireless tag T1, which includes the cumulative count, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, and notifies it via the input / output device 31. Therefore, by using a dedicated reader 10 that does not have the main terminal 20 mounted on it, it is possible to ensure lightness suitable for holding, while receiving notification of management information with the assistance of the sub-terminal 30, thereby improving the workability of wireless tag management. In other words, it is possible to ensure lightness and improve workability without having to hold the main terminal 20 in your hand. 【0059】 〔others〕 This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from its spirit. For example, the smartphone 120 may be a tablet device. The smartwatch 130 may also be any small device that can be attached to various parts of the body. 【0060】 Communication between the reader 10 and the main terminal 20 is not limited to wireless communication; it may also be conducted via a wired connection. 【0061】 As shown in Figure 8, the sub-terminal 30 may be equipped with a camera 31c as an input / output device 31. The operator US operates the camera 31c by operating the input / output device 31 of the sub-terminal 30 and captures an image of the image tag attached to the object to be searched. The sub-terminal 30 reads ID information, etc. from the image of the image tag and transfers it to the main terminal 20. Alternatively, the main terminal 20 receives the image of the image tag from the sub-terminal 30 and reads ID information, etc. from the image of the image tag. 【0062】 Wireless tags have a possibility of their built-in IC chip failing. Therefore, as a backup in case of failure, barcodes are sometimes attached, or wireless tags with barcodes printed on them are attached, and the data of the barcode and wireless tag are pre-linked so that the object can be identified regardless of which is read. In this case, one could consider using a reader / writer model with a built-in barcode reader, or using a smartphone camera to read the barcode, but this would complicate the reader / writer's structure, or make smartphone operation essential, reducing usability. 【0063】 For example, if the first type wireless tag T1 malfunctions, the sub-terminal 30 can read the image-type tag attached to the object to be searched, specifically the barcode (including a 2D code), and transmit it to the main terminal 20, thereby assisting with inventory and search. Similarly, regarding the operation of step S10 in Figure 7, a barcode can be attached in place of the NFC tag TG1 attached to the holding device 2, and the camera 31c of the sub-terminal 30 can read that barcode and transmit it to either the sub-terminal 30 or the main terminal 20, thereby achieving the same function. 【0064】 As shown in Figure 8, by incorporating the tag management system 100 into the sub-terminal 30 equipped with a camera 31c, it is possible to read either the target wireless tags T1 and T2 or barcodes depending on the situation. In other words, the structure of the reader 10 can be simplified, and there is no need to take out a smartphone and operate it in the event of a failure of the wireless tags T1 and T2. In short, this tag management system 100 can streamline the operation of tag management. [Explanation of symbols] 【0065】 2…Holding device, 10…Reader, 11…Transmit / receive circuit, 12…Control circuit, 12a…CPU, 12b…Memory, 13…Storage device, 14…Communication device, 17…Antenna, 20…Main terminal, 21…Input / output device, 22…Communication device, 23…Storage device, 24…Arithmetic unit, 28…Transmit / receive circuit, 30…Sub-terminal, 31…Input / output device, 31c…Camera, 32…Communication device, 33…Storage device, 34…Arithmetic unit, 36…Status sensor, 38…Transmit / receive circuit, 71…Antenna, 72…IC chip, 100…Tag management system, 110…Reader / writer, 120…Smartphone, 128…Tag detection circuit, 130…Smartwatch, 138…Tag detection circuit, CL…Clothing, DA1…Area, DA2…Area, NT…Network, PG0, PG1, PG2…Program, ST…Product, T1…Type 1 Wireless Tag, T2…Type 2 Wireless Tag, TB1…Tag Management Table, TA1, TA2, TA3…RFID Tag, TG1…NFC Tag, US…Worker

Claims

[Claim 1] A handheld reader that reads tag information from a first-type wireless tag, A main terminal that receives the tag information from the reader and manages the tag information, It comprises a wearable type sub-terminal having an input / output device and operating in cooperation with the main terminal via wireless communication, The sub-terminal receives at least one piece of management information from the main terminal regarding the first type of wireless tag being read, which includes the cumulative count, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, and notifies this information via the input / output device. Tag management system. [Claim 2] The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein the input / output device of the sub-terminal receives instructions including the start and stop of reading, and transmits the instructions to the main terminal. [Claim 3] The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein the input / output device of the sub-terminal receives an instruction to change the reader-related parameters and transmits the instruction to the main terminal. [Claim 4] The tag management system according to claim 3, wherein the read-related parameters include at least one of the following: transmission output, transmission frequency, and read mask data. [Claim 5] The main terminal receives the tag information from the reader via wireless communication. The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein the sub-terminal notifies the input / output device of the occurrence of a wireless communication disconnection when at least one of the wireless communication disconnection between the reader and the main terminal occurs, or when the wireless communication disconnection between the sub-terminal and the main terminal occurs. [Claim 6] The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein the sub-terminal has a state sensor capable of detecting gestures, and when it detects a gesture corresponding to a read start instruction, it sends a request to the main terminal for the reader to start reading, and when it detects a gesture corresponding to a read end instruction, it sends a request to the main terminal for the reader to end reading. [Claim 7] The aforementioned sub-terminal has a tag detection circuit that performs wireless communication with a second type of wireless tag. The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein when the sub-terminal detects the second type of wireless tag, the main terminal requests the reader to read the tag information from the first type of wireless tag associated with the second type of wireless tag. [Claim 8] The aforementioned reader incorporates a third type of wireless tag, The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein the sub-terminal has a tag detection circuit that performs wireless communication with the third type of wireless tag, and transmits to the main terminal information necessary to initiate pairing between the sub-terminal or the reader. [Claim 9] The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein the sub-terminal receives RSSI value information from the reader via the main terminal and displays the search status of the target first type wireless tag based on the RSSI value information. [Claim 10] The aforementioned sub-terminal has a camera that captures images of image tags, The tag management system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sub-terminal and the main terminal reads the tag information recorded in the image tag from the image of the image tag. [Claim 11] A tag management method using a tag management system comprising a handheld reader that reads tag information from a first type wireless tag, a main terminal that receives the tag information from the reader and manages the tag information, and a wearable sub-terminal that operates in cooperation with the main terminal via wireless communication, wherein With respect to the wireless tag of type 1 that is read, at least one piece of management information, among the cumulative number, the number of remaining items to be cleared, and the name of the item to be searched, is to be notified to the sub-terminal. Tag management methods.

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